Greetings (still) from Florida! Of course, just like last year, since I left Dublin the weather has been great there. I've been enjoying torrential rain here in Florida for two days, so I'm starting to think that the gray skies just follow me wherever I go! My life has been wrapped up in traveling back and forth to visit my Dad in the hospital, but I wanted to share a couple of amusing things I managed to see here.

People in Europe get this impression that people in America are getting shot on every corner. While it's not quite that bad, guns are featured heavily both fictionally in US TV and movies, and in reality on the news. Gun control is obviously a major problem here. Now, I'm from the Northeast, which tends to be more on the liberal side in terms of politics and social issues. Down here in Florida, well, let's just say it's just not what I'm used to. So imagine my surprise at seeing "Rifleman" magazine in the doctor's office waiting room the other day:


Another amusing thing I saw the other day will definitely be funnier to my European readers. It was a car's license plate that I noticed while waiting at a stoplight. In the US we have "vanity plates," which are license plates you can make to say anything you want. Well, check out what this one said:

Q4BJ

I'm not sure if he meant what I think he meant when he got that plate, but it sure made me laugh!

Remember last summer when I visited my Dad in Florida? Well, I'm back there again. And you know what? I'm still excited for all the same things I was excited for during my last visit: warmer weather, iced coffee, Target, and of course most of all seeing my Dear Old Dad. We're hanging out, and I'm trying to stuff him with food while he tries to put up with my cooking. I don't have much that's original to say about being here (driving is still so much fun, the fake meat selection is amazing, etc), so I will just say please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. We're hoping he feels better very soon. Thanks!