And may every tree from Midland Beach to this Ellipse and all across the country shine as a beacon of hope for all Americans.

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If that happens, you can find me in the Caribbean sitting on the beach, under a palm tree, retired, and with no employees to worry about.

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Hundreds of thousands of people along the south coast of New England, from Connecticut to Massachusetts remain in the black with downed power lines, massive tree damage and in some cases, total destruction of beach front properties from Narragansett, Rhode Island to the iconic Boardwalk of Atlantic City.

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Now paths run through palm-tree groves to guesthouses, beachfront restaurants serve up the morning haul and beach-umbrella wallahs offer shade and lounge chairs.

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Max dragged the boat onto the beach, placed a group of large stones around it, and tied its lead to the biggest tree he could find.

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Travellers live in the rustic tree houses, eat by the fire and spend their days exploring the ancient frontiers on the beach.

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This evening, in Midland Beach, New York, on a street lined with houses and businesses devastated by the storm, a great big Christmas tree shines out of the darkness.

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For a quieter stay, book into options like Bayrams (five minutes from the beach, families with children welcome, cushioned little gazeboes perfect to chill out during the day and night), recently built Turkmen tree houses with hammocks in the garden, also close to the beach or Orange Pension - another tree hostel in the middle of the orange grove.

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