Vicki - I know exactly what you are saying. If I had been Lois, I would have used a "+" instead of an "L". At the time I was reading this, it never occurred to me that there might be a US/UK thing going on. I just figured Lab wrote it that way because...just because <g>. But now that you mention it, Lab, any special reason or is that just the way it came out?

On the present/gift thing...after thinking about it, I realized that I tend to use "present" when speaking about a specific event/holiday. So I'd say "Christmas present" or "birthday present". I'd use "gift" when not attached to an event. So for example, I'd say/write the following:
"How did your friend like her birthday present?"
"I need to buy a gift for my friend's birthday."

I'm going to ask this to clear up my complete ignorance. Do I have this right? Correct me where I've made mistakes:

Scotland plus Wales plus England plus Northern Ireland make up the entity of the United Kingdom.

Scotland plus Wales plus England make up the entity of Britian. (??) And is Great Britain synonomous with Britian?

It is Ok to call someone from Scotland "Scottish" or "from the UK" but definitely wrong to call someone from Scotland "English". (A little side note here: my mother-in-law, who has Scottish ancestors, calls people from Scotland "scotch" and it nearly makes me purple from frustration. I have to bite my tongue to keep from screaming at her "scotch is a drink, not a person!!")

It is OK to call someone from England "English" or "from the UK".

As for the United States, if someone asks me where I'm from, I say the US. For some reason, "America" seems antiquated, like something from the Revolutionary War age. But even so, I'm pretty darn sure the official name of my country is The United States of America.

I know this isn't a grammar thing, but I'd love to have the UK folks explain to me the "shire" system. For example, is Devonshire a county? A region? A township?

This is so interesting!!!

Lynn

You know that boy'd walk on water for you? Or he'd drown tryin'. -Perry White to Lois in Just Say Noah