Florida with Family

Our first stop on the Western half of the United States tour began, oddly enough, in Florida. We stayed with our Aunt Ann and Uncle Spence and cousins Eric and Gemma for several days - during which they were kind enough to take us our for our first Real American Beer. Yum.

Eric was off competing (and winning the Think Award!) at the Worldwide Robotics Competition in California, but Gemma was right here in town, starring in Dunedin's Highland Games as the Bonny Lass and piping queen.

 

Speaking of the Highland Games, here are a few more shots. They had everything from bagpipes to swords to barbarians at the gate... and lots and lots of kilts.

Most of the rest of our time in Florida, we spent with Uncle Spence, chasing car deals all over the Tampa Bay area and avoiding the crooks as best we could. We stumbled onto a drug bust during one of our used car lot forays. Funny that we had to come back to the United States of America for our first real glimpse of gun violence.

We finally managed to find a used Kia Rio that fit into our budget, paid the money and drove away, and promptly christened the car Señor Gary. Gary's a good car, but he could use some TLC. 

Zac checking Gary's mismatched headlights. When one is low, the other's high. And vice versa.

Amid the whirlwind of practices and performances that is the life of our Florida Briggs family, Zac and I snuck out for dollar dogs at the ballpark on our last night in town. The beer was so cheap, we sprung for the fancy seats behind homeplate and watched with the scouts. Go Threshers! 

We had a great visit. It was so nice to come back and spend time with our family in a home. But a rolling stone gathers no moss, so the next day we packed up our bags, said a little prayer for Gary, and headed up north.