February 26, 2008 Lake Buena Vista, FL

News of an approaching cold front led by horrendous weather greeted our day today. The winds started early and the clouds were seen scuttling across the sky going different directions at different altitudes. We went to The Lake Buena Vista Factory Outlet Stores today, near Kissimmee. We had been advised that our Disney discount was good here and we were not disappointed at all. Carol needed some new Reeboks so we went to the Reebok store. She got two pair and I got a pair of sandals and we left not owing the farm. As we finished at that store, we walked to another and all of a sudden the power went out in the shopping center. When the power went out, some of the doors for the stores locked and some patrons were still trying to get out. As we pulled out of the lot, the traffic lights were not working and the busy highway did not want to slow down enough to let anyone into the stream of traffic. We drove approximately two miles before we were able to get back onto I-4, dodging traffic all the way. After we got home we learned from television that a nuclear power plant in Miami had gone down plunging much of Florida and other areas of the south into electronic darkness. We did have power at the campground, though, so all was well with us. Soon after we arrived home, the rains started. We did have tornado watches and severe thunderstorm warnings here but no problems befell us tonight. The hail and severe winds and rain were just north of us.