"I didn't read your books.... I LICKED THEM!"

Today started off in one of the most wonderful ways a morning can. I slept in! Then Kaitlin and I acted like responsible adults who do their laundry and write their papers that aren't due for a week. My procrastination is not nearly as bad here for some reason. Then I headed off to Borough Market for some lunch- carved turkey sandwich on a bap with a pineapple and strawberry smoothie. Glorious!

After that I just kind of meandered about London for a while with no real destination. That's always a lot of fun (when it's nice outside) because you'll come across plaques that mark where a poet or a scientist lived for a couple years. Or you'll find gelato or fresh strawberries. It really is nice to just walk around. Eventually I ended up at St. James' Park.

This cottage was built in 1841 for the man who looked after the birds in the park.

And then I decided to go over to the Portrait Gallery. I've tried to get in there twice before today with no success. They have really weird hours. But I finally made it inside today and I loved it!! As you can probably guess, it's a gallery full of portraits. The oldest ones are from Tudor England which, if you know me and my love for Tudor/Elizabethan England, was perfect!! I think my favorite thing about London is that I get to see pictures and statues and buildings in real life that I've seen a hundred times in my books. It's a wonderful feeling when history comes alive for you. The Portrait Gallery also helped me realize my life's ambition of having a portrait painted of me. Seriously. I want one so badly of me sitting in a giant chair with my hand on my dog Zeus' head looking super regal. Or if I ever have a family of my own, I'm going to make them sit for portraits rather than photo shoots. Much cooler.

The caption read "Henry VIII and Katherine of Aragon reunited." 

 Probably the most famous portrait of Anne Boleyn. Very few originals exist anymore.

 I love that Elizabeth I is next to Robert Dudley. Even though she never married, he was one of her court favorites. I think she did love him.

And the princes of course. I love this.

Oh and then I saw the most marvelous, most heartbreaking, most beautiful, most tragic play I have ever seen. If you get the chance to see Children of the Sun, DO IT. Even though I say that, the show is for a specific type of audience. While there are funny moments, it's not a comedy. And it might make you want to cry and burn something at the same time. It's still processing in my brain really. There was so much going on. I might have to see it again. I'm definitely buying the script.

 The National

 Getting ready to go inside and have my life changed.

And that's it really. I think I'm going to go to church at St. Paul's tomorrow. Unfortunately the Brits believe in rising early for church so I'll have to leave here at 7 am. We'll see. 

Leavesden (Harry Potter) Studios in two days. And I get to see my daddio in 12.