Uniquely Florida?

Around 11:15 this morning, our apartment was shaken by the distant rumble of a rogue thunder clap, or maybe a giant explosion. Of course, my first thought was, "please tell me that explosion wasn't between here and work." Self-absorbed? Nah, not me!

Of course, the explosion was no more than the space shuttle returning to Cape Canaveral after its mission to the ISS. Scott changed the channel, and we watched the landing on CNN. Please tell me how that human-sized parachute can actually stop the shuttle...

Watching the shuttle coverage caused me to leave home a few minutes late... just on time to watch a 4-5 foot black snake crossing the sidewalk between me and my car. No worries. I stopped 3 steps from the bottom of the stairs, reached for my camera phone, and grabbed it just
as the snake slipped into the bushes. Bummer - that's the second snake that I've been that close to in the past month or two and I have YET to get a picture!

And in the car, I thought to myself that I must officially be a Floridian. Neither the snake nor the sonic boom ruffled my feathers. I know that 4 or 5 years ago, either would have shaken me to my core.

Funny how things change.

...and where else but Florida are you going to get shuttle landings and snakes in the same day?