Divamensch

SATURDAY 11/3

 

WIW: red and blue micro check shirt, muted brown trousers (don’t call them “pants”, that means underpants in England).

WRW: ivory shirt, grey trousers.

 

Out of bed at 7 AM, LOVE our shower, though it took some ingenuity to figure out how to turn it on.   Breakfast in the hotel restaurant - - we had the choice between deluxe continental (cereal, rolls, sweets, fruit, coffee, tea, juice) or that plus English breakfast (four kinds of sausage, oatmeal, eggs, omelets made to order).  We went for the continental breakfast, I thought I might do the full breakfast on my own later in the trip, but never got around to it!

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We saw a young woman riding by on her bike - - Richard said, “Is that Pippa doing the ride of shame?”  Later we saw a middle-aged shlubby guy on his bike - - I said, “Is that Pippa’s boyfriend?”  Richard said, “He’s the shame.”

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We went to the Tower of London and had a guided tour by a yeoman in a navy and royal blue get-up. 

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He was amusing and knew his business but his act was getting a little tired, he should ask Bruce Villanch to punch it up a little bit.  He was fixated on this one guy whose beheading required “five strokes of the axe and the use of a butcher’s carving knife”.  I swear he used that phrase eight times.  We saw the crown jewels, which were very sparkly.  We were both struck by the tiny coronet that belonged to Queen Victoria.  It was the size of an orange.

 

ME: You know why she had that little teeny crown.

RICHARD: No, why?

ME: Because she was a toad.

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Here's a picture of Richard by the Tower, and me by London Bridge: 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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We walked around and found a little lunch spot where we had a cup of tea for me, coffee for Richard.  Richard called his brother to check in on their mother, who had no power.

 

Our next stop was Anthony and Anthony’s in Chiswick.  They were hosting a brunch for us to celebrate the wedding.  Anthony and Anthony are a couple - - let’s call them Dark Anthony and Blond Anthony. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard met Dark Anthony after he split with his English boyfriend Michael.  Michael was also at the brunch, and his friend Una.  I’d met all of them but Una, they’re a wonderful bunch.  They’re all thrilled for us.  Here's their friend Una, Dark Anthony, and Michael - - and Anthony and Anthony's dog Noddle:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anthony and Anthony have a gorgeous house and they made such a lovely brunch.  I kicked things off with a glass of sparkling shiraz, which was delish.  Richard and Michael told funny stories about when they were together, the funniest involving them taking the train to Zurich to go to a flea market, where Michael bought two antique director’s chairs, a rug, and a set of 1930s leather luggage.  Richard said he looked like an evacuee just off the Kindertransport.

 

They started with Italian wedding soup (aw), then lamb tagine with mashed cauliflower.  Endless limitless conversation, much of it randy, some of it rancid.  Homemade cupcakes for dessert, which Blond Anthony brought to the table with sparklers and a round of exploding poppers.  Very festive!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We watched the wedding video, then a short film that Dark Anthony starred in.

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Michael and Una left, kisses all around.  Dark Anthony walked them to the car stand, so Blond Anthony and I had a nice talk in the living room while Richard took a little nap.  Dark Anthony came home and he and I talked (mostly about *Downton Abbey*) while Blond Anthony and Richard cleared off the table and started in the kitchen.  They finished that, and Blond Anthony asked our advice about bringing his Aussie parents to NYC and possibly Atlantic City for a visit in late 2013 or early 2014.  They have the cutest blonde pug, named Noodle.  She mostly kept to herself, but she came over and snuggled with me on the couch at the end of the night.  The Anthonys said this is VERY unusual, so I was touched.

 

Dark Anthony offered to walk us to the tube, so we had lots of heartfelt thanks and kisses with Blond Anthony.  More thanks and kisses for Dark Anthony at the tube stop.  Check out these Union Jack boots:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back to the hotel.  Richard did some personal grooming in the bathroom while listening to Eminem on his iPhone.  That was unnerving.