Susan's birthday last Saturday (Sept. 29) began in the usual way with a very sweet phone call from Michelle Obama. It was super-nice of Michelle to stay up that late. We walked down the street from our hotel and had some coffee and croissants before taking a short stroll over to the Tower of London complex. The Tower of London is a castle that was started by the Romans, enlarged by William the Conqueror and added onto or otherwise improved by various monarchs up to the present day. It's pretty big and there is a lot to see.
As we arrived, the staff began firing an old cannon in honor of Susan's birthday and she was presented with a note from the Queen inviting her to tea later in the afternoon. We looked at the Crown Jewels and toured several of the buildings. It took most of the morning.
Around noon, we took the subway over to Parliament and Westminster Abbey. By this time, we were starving and stopped at a pub for some delicious fish and chips. After lunch we took a leisurely walk through the park on the way to Buckingham Palace. Susan had tea with the Queen and I was instructed to stand across the street.
When Susan finally managed to shake off the royal family, we continued our tour with a visit to the British Museum via Piccadilly Circus. After that, another subway ride took us to an afternoon and evening of walking and shopping in Chelsea. We had a really nice dinner at this Asian-fusion restaurant and it was a change to taste food with a little "kick".   
Susan wants to thank all of you for the numerous and gracious birthday greetings you sent her. As far as she's concerned, y'all are the real royal family!