Day 2 Royal Wedding Mon May 14

Originally, we were to have arrived at 8:30 am but due to the flight delays, we didn't land at Heathrow until about 10:15p Monday night. Had we gotten there earlier that day, I'd have missed a breath-taking sight that I didn't take a picture of, except in my mind: my first sight of Windsor Castle, all lit up and high on a hill as our Uber driver drove us from the airport to the Oakley Court. Here is our arrival at the hotel.

We were so tired, it's a good thing our "butler," Kevin showed us to the room. Which was nice, thank goodness.

I decided to look around a bit before going to sleep. It's good to be here and I'm excited to visit Windsor Castle tomorrow, especially after seeing it all lit up on the hill like that.

I really wanted to see Windsor Castle and St. George's Chapel and had feared they might be closed by the time we got there. So I was thrilled when I saw online that they did not close until Thursday and I had purchased tickets for us to visit on Tuesday. They were expensive but well worth it! We got to see every part that you saw televised during the wedding!

What to give as a Royal Wedding gift

Prince Harry and Ms. Meghan Markle are incredibly grateful for the goodwill shown to them since the announcement of their engagement and are keen that as many people as possible benefit from this generosity of spirit.  The couple have therefore asked that anyone who might wish to mark the occasion considers making a donation to charity, rather than sending a wedding gift.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle have personally selected seven organisations they would like to support, reflecting their shared values.

Prince Harry and Ms. Markle do not have any formal relationships with the charities chosen. The couple have chosen charities which represent a range of issues that they are passionate about, including sport for social change, women's empowerment, conservation, the environment, homelessness, HIV and the Armed Forces. Many of these are small charities, and the couple are pleased to be able to amplify and shine a light on their work.

https://www.royal.uk/wedding-charity-donations

Of the seven charities, I plan to donate to The Wilderness Foundation UK, which promotes the benefits and enjoyment of wild nature. Through the great outdoors, the charity helps build resilience in vulnerable teenagers, introduces rural employment to urban youth, and brings science to life. Hopefully it gives people what Camp Glen gave to Laurie and me: a lifelong love of, and appreciation for, being close to nature.

One of our camp alumnae asked if we were practicing singing our camp songs with British accents. Ha ha. Not a bad idea. The World Choir Games in Cincinnati reminded me how music unites people all over the globe, much like sports does via the Olympic movement.

Decoding the Royal Wedding Dress Code!

Take note royal wedding guests

By Roberta Correia BRIDE’S Magazine May 2, 2018

... when it comes to royal wedding dress code, there are a few strict rules that every guest MUST follow. "Dress: uniform, morning coat or lounge suit / day dress with hat." That's what Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal wedding invitation calls for from its guests for the daytime ceremony. But what exactly does that mean? We can deduce from Kate and Will's 2011 wedding, that there will be plenty of fascinators on display. "As we have seen from royal weddings of the past, especially when it comes to fascinators, as long as you are dressed formally, anything goes," says Bromley. "I would advise every guest take advantage of the opportunity to don the very British but slightly eccentric tradition," she adds.

For women, the hat part is a no-brainer, but what does "day dress" mean exactly? Long hemlines, and modesty are key. A knee-length dress is ideal when it comes to royal weddings, and messing with that hemline could get you some serious glares from her majesty. Bromley also suggests guests take a dressing cue from the Queen herself. "The Queen always dresses in bright colors, it’s how she ensures she can be seen when there are huge crowds of people who have turned up to see her," she says. Wearing something colorful and tailored is a surefire way to please the many cameras that will be not only on the couple but on their guests. "It doesn’t matter how unknown or known the guest is, everyone will be subjected to being broadcast to millions of people around the world as they enter the chapel," adds Bromley.

And what about the dozens of megawatt celebs who are also well-known for their personal style? From what we saw at Kate and Will's royal affair, famous guests (no matter how stylish) are still subject to the dress code. That doesn't mean they can't show some personality with their outfit choices. For Victoria Beckham, Bromley is sure she'll be in one of her own designs, and as she did at 2011's royal wedding, Posh might let her fascinator do the talking when it comes to fashion. Markle's BFF Priyanka Chopra, who has confirmed she will be present at Windsor Castle on May 19th, will also likely have to done down her usual ultra-glam style. And when all else fails, Bromley suggests everyone plan their fashions for the long haul, "It is going to be a long day though so if they do opt to wear high heels I would suggest they have secret cushions inside for the balls of their feet as there might be a lot of standing about before and after the ceremony."

Laurie and I are not invited guests, so we don’t really have to follow the dress code. But I do plan to wear a hat. (Not a fascinator fan) And I’ve let go of “cruel shoes” for quite a while now, so I think I’m okay there. Hemlines? Hmm… None of mine are down to the knee, so they don’t meet the modesty criteria. And for someone who is known for loving bright colors and dressing that way, the colors of my dresses are pretty subdued – navy blue, khaki, and a couple of prints. Maybe I’ll decorate the top of my pink hat like graduates do their mortar boards so you’ll have a way to spot us in the crowd ;)

After watching the Kentucky Derby Saturday, I picked up a key wardrobe accessory for both of us last night – some hooded rain ponchos! And a hiking stick for me in case my bad knee gives out. I’m too vain to use a cane but one of my travel walking sticks may come in handy.

When we post our daily photo(s) on Facebook, feel free to comment on whose outfits you love and dislike. After William’s wedding, I can’t help but wonder what Fergie’s daughters Beatrice and Eugenie will wear!

Preparing for Prince Harry's Wedding!

Laurie and I leave next Sunday for our "bucket list" trip to Prince Harry's royal wedding in Windsor and boy, we are excited! Yes, I know I hate big crowds and may be standing in one for hours in the rain to see a glimpse of the royals in the 2 mile carriage parade. But we are thrilled to be part of all the excitement leading up to Sat May 19 and I am DVR'ing the television broadcast so I can see it all on TV when we get home.

Meanwhile, we hope to blog and share our adventure with all our friends, many of whom are waking up at 5am to host wedding watching parties. Princess Diana will be there with us in spirit and our sincere hope is that both her sons will enjoy happiness in their marriages that eluded her in hers. In addition to being there for Harry on his big day, we may get to see history's longest-reigning British monarch and 3 future Kings of England.

As I figure out comfortable walking shoes and rain gear to take, here are some things we're planning to do once we get there...

Tues 5/15

Tour Windsor Castle and St. George’s Chapel

The Prince of Wales, The Duchess of Cornwall will attend a Service at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Trafalgar Square in support of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, and afterwards will meet association members and their guests at a tea party at St James Palace. The Prince of Wales is President, Victoria Cross and George Cross Association. May 2018


Wed 16 May 2018




Her Majesty The Queen Buckingham Palace

Patron, will give a reception for members of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association, at Buckingham Palace.


Thurs 17 May 2018




The Earl of Wessex, The Countess of Wessex Buckingham Palace

Trustee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award and The Countess of Wessex, Chair, Women in Business Committee, The Duke of Edinburgh's Award, will hold a Reception for young people who have achieved the Gold Standard in the Award at Buckingham Palace.




Fri 18 May 2018




Kensington Palace Tour

Feb 2018 Book Babes - The Uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett

I was going to have The Little Paris Bookshop by Nina George for Feb Book Babes at my house. But it seemed too heavy for winter. This book, The Uncommon Reader, was a recommendation for those who liked Little Paris Bookshop and it was a lot shorter, lighter, and about Queen Elizabeth II, so perfect as I anticipate going to the UK this spring for Prince Harry's royal wedding.

I've always wanted to try making Yorkshire pudding and a Victoria sponge cake (I like watching Victoria on Masterpiece Theatre and enjoyed the film "Victoria and Abdul") so I settled on Sunday night dinner with a traditional English roast.

It was easy to make the roast in a crock pot all day Sunday and the Victoria sponge was just two round cakes with a nice strawberry jam between layers topped with whipped cream and berries. I thought the best thing I made was the no-churn Earl Grey ice cream to go with the cake.

Here are Maureen and Talethia in their tiaras...

Sherry and Karyn...

Margie in her tiara

Susan and Carol with their crowns

and me

Book Babes are the best! Next month we're at Maureen's.

Mar 2018 Book Babes - This Is How It Always Is By Laurie Frankel

Maureen outdid herself with a high tea for Sunday lunch at 12:30p.

Everyone but Susan was able to come, including Marjorie and Tonna.

Maureen actually created the triple plate racks by glueing wine glasses, teacups, and plates together

The assortment of different sandwiches and teas she had was incredible. I never had "flower tea" where the tea ball opens up in a glass pot just like a flower (this was jasmine tea)

What a great way to cheer up during a snowy March! Not to mention I left with enough leftovers for a whole other meal. Thank you, Maureen.

I thought the raspberry scones were my dessert until this dessert tray appeared.

Mar 13, 2018 WGLF

Years ago, when "Spring Forward" Daylight Savings Time changed from April to March, I was skeptical when Brigitte said we'd be golfing on the first Tues after the time changed, just like we always had. But she was often correct ... there have been good Tuesday nights in March.

Tonight was not one of them. It snowed several times today. Dutch and Rhoda are heading to Sarasota to visit Minky Thurs and Margie is going to Virginia to visit her friends Nancy and Mark. Karyn's recovering from some minor surgery and I had to pick up a painting at the studio, so we did not golf tonight.

But we had a good warmup last Tuesday night at Top Golf in West Chester. It was also cold that night but the bays are heating, the couches were heated and even the table was heated. We had a good-looking waiter who kept us supplied with drinks and food, all good. I won the booby prize by far ... I think I had 9 points to everybody else's 50 plus. Glenda said "I thought it was good to get a lower score" Ha ha; not at Top Golf. But I liked getting used to my clubs, shoes, and swing before the season starts.

And now we have a couple of viable golf options for bad weather Tuesday nights:

- Glow Golf at Eastgate Mall for indoor putt-putt practice
- Indoor Golf at Dave & Buster's Tri County
- Top Golf in West Chester

It cost us $5 each for a Players Card and $45 for an hour in the bay, which we could split among up to 6 hitters and 2 watchers. And there are lots of places to go out to eat afterwards -- I took this photo of Dutch, Rhoda, Dee, and Barb at PF Changs after the round.

Tentative schedule for this year...

March -- Golden Tee (Tri County Golf Ranch)

April -- Sharon Woods

May -- Blue Ash

June -- Glenview

July & Aug -- players' choice, Glenview, Devou Park, Miami Whitewater, Kings Island Grizzly

Sept -- Sharon Woods 

Oct -- Golden Tee (Tri-County)