<P><FONT face=arial>OK, it's been six months since I started this album, but I've finally gotten another layout done.&nbsp; Not very far in, this is the first layout of the Hurricane Frances section.&nbsp; Journaling is very long so I'm putting it last.&nbsp; The pictures were downloaded from the internet and printed on photo paper.</FONT></P><P><FONT face=Arial>Supplies:<BR>cardstock - Paperbilities<BR>sticky stax - Colorbok<BR>teardrop alphas - not sure, but I got them at SG a long time ago<BR>blue alpha stickers - Provo Craft and Frances Meyer<BR>brads - All My Memories<BR>brad alpha stickers&nbsp;-All My Memories<BR>Sizzix Fun Serif dies<BR>fonts - Modern No 20 and LD Notepad (Lettering Delights)<BR>chalk</FONT></P><P><FONT face=Arial>Journaling (I warned you, it's long):</FONT></P><P class=MsoNormal>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Only two weeks after Hurricane Charley wreaked havoc in areas previously thought of as Hurricane-resistant, the unthinkable happened – another hurricane threatened the coast of Florida. Aside from a threat of Floyd in 1999, I’d lived in Polk County for 17 hurricane-free years.&nbsp; Charley was my first hurricane.&nbsp; Now talk turned to Frances.&nbsp; Hurricane Frances formed in the Atlantic on August 25th, and quickly moved from depression to Tropical Storm to Hurricane.&nbsp; She moved slowly across the Atlantic, and every projection brought her crashing into the East Coast of Florida.&nbsp; She grew rapidly in size and strength.&nbsp; By week’s end, Frances was a strong Category 4 hurricane moving at 14 mph.&nbsp; Slow and strong, that is the worst situation one could ask for.&nbsp; All of Florida was on edge – Frances was following the path Floyd took in 1999.&nbsp; Many hoped it would, because after threatening to wipe out a large portion of the east coast of Florida, Floyd made a sudden about-face and headed back out to sea, sparing Florida any effect.&nbsp; The newscasters emphasized that the same pressure conditions didn’t apply to Frances and that a direct hit to the east coast was inevitable.&nbsp; The problem was, they couldn’t say where the direct hit would occur, and soon it was obvious they couldn’t even tell us when.&nbsp; </P><P class=MsoNormal>Frances brushed by Puerto Rico and headed for the Bahamas.&nbsp; She slowed down, and her eye grew to 80 miles across.&nbsp; This storm was 2 times the size of the state of Florida.&nbsp; Her eye passed east of the Bahamas, and she churned in the ocean for days.&nbsp; Grand Bahama was battered by hurricane-force winds for over 24 hours straight.&nbsp; In Florida we watched and waited.&nbsp; On September 1, evacuations orders were issued.&nbsp; Palm Beach county would evacuate on Thursday, the 2nd.&nbsp; Miami-Dade county was on stand-by.&nbsp; Ft. Lauderdale, Melbourne, Vero Beach, Daytona Beach – the entire east coast from Flagler County down to Broward County soon realized they would have to follow suit.&nbsp; Mandatory evacuation orders for coastal residents, people in low-lying areas, and those living in mobile homes were issued.&nbsp; People fled west-ward.&nbsp; It took very little to convince people of the dangers of Frances after the recent devastation caused by Charley.&nbsp; Shown on TV, it was easy to see how the size of Frances dwarfed Charley.&nbsp; Winds were reported to be as strong or stronger.&nbsp; A rush on lumber, hurricane shutters, batteries and non-perishable food items commenced, as everyone struggled to grasp what was happening.&nbsp; Another major hurricane due to hit the state of Florida.&nbsp; And this hurricane would very likely affect some of the same hard-hit areas as Hurricane Charley.&nbsp; Looking like deer caught in the headlights, Polk, Lee, Hardee, and Charlotte county residents tried to ready themselves.</P><P class=MsoNormal>Governments around Florida tried to rush the clean-up from Charley, but tons of debris remained on the sides of roads.&nbsp; People were encouraged to haul items to the dumps themselves, charges were waived, and the government assured everyone that debris brought to the dumps would be secured. &nbsp;By Wednesday it was obvious that the hardest of efforts wouldn’t get the clean-up done in time.&nbsp; It just wasn’t possible.&nbsp; People were asked to secure their debris as much as possible, and to prepare for broken windows and damage from items that could be projected as missiles in the heavy winds of the upcoming storm.</P><P class=MsoNormal>And so we prayed.&nbsp; We prayed for the storm to weaken.&nbsp; We prayed for the storm to turn.&nbsp; And we waited.&nbsp; The waiting was torture.&nbsp; Frances slowed again, down to 8 mph.&nbsp; But she also started to weaken.&nbsp; On Friday, forecasters saw the first signs that Frances may break down before coming ashore to Florida’s east coast.&nbsp; Predictions of landfall in Melbourne were fairly consistent, but evacuation orders stayed in place for the entire east coast of Florida, having moved up to include Jacksonville.&nbsp; Airports were inundated with vacationers and residents alike, getting out of the state as advised from Governor Bush.&nbsp; The governor went on TV to advise any potential vacationers hoping to spend Labor Day weekend in Florida to change their plans.&nbsp; Airlines put in place policies that wouldn’t penalize people for changed flights/trips due to the hurricane conditions.&nbsp; Traffic began to flood the highways, and the evacuation of almost 50% of the state of Florida became a slow and tedious process.&nbsp; September 3rd dawned as a dark day in Florida history.</P>