Great Relaxing Day!

Today is Tuesday, May 30^th and Ethan and Jack were up and off to school by 7:40. Jim and I slept gloriously late. We read, worked on photos and chatted with Michael, Bill and Katherine.  So good to just have some time to relax and visit.

We had a big conversation this afternoon about the Royals and when change might happen. I was reminded that Ian said yesterday that after the fire at Windsor Castle in 1992, Queen Elizabeth had to make some changes. We were here in 1994 when for the first time ever Buckingham Palace was open to the public to help pay for the cost for repairs to Windsor. The Queen herself was away from the palace but the tour was VERY interesting and impressive. At that same time the Queen actually had to begin paying income taxes. Before that the people paid taxes to the Monarch but now the people were paying for the repairs of the Monarch’s castle so taxes seemed a fair contribution. 

Ian said he bet she wishes she had decided to just pay for the repairs since she is worth a great deal and her taxes must be very high.

Bill left for an Optometrist appointment and Katherine went for a farewell luncheon with some of her close friends. Michael studied and Jim and I napped. Great afternoon.  Like Stella, we sat and watched the buses go by the window. What a life!

In the afternoon Bill and Ethan treated us to a flute guitar  

concert. They played several duets from a book that Kathryn, the daughter, and Bill used many years ago to play duets for friends, church and family. Oh the memories came flooding back and I wiped away a tear or two. Ethan is taking flute from a teacher in Cornelius using FaceTime for his lessons. The world connectivity makes all sorts of things possible.

Going to order delivery of burgers for supper and go to bed early for our big day tomorrow in Central London.