— My Alphabe-Thursday (2nd), the letter "Q" / Thursday Two Questions —

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Pussycat, pussycat, where have you been?

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"Pussycat pussycat, where have you been?"
"I've been up to London to visit the Queen."
"Pussycat pussycat, what did you there?"
"I frightened a little mouse under her chair"
"MEOWW!"

[ Nursery Rhymes Lyrics and Origins ]

    

   

"Q" is for Queen ~~ Not very original and neither is this post.  It is a rework from one I did last Spring.  We were in London to visit our daughter, two granddaughters, and SIL, all of whom are living there as ex-Pats.  Karen was to run the Paris Marathon (she finished!) on April 15th so cheering her on was our excuse for going at that time.  I wish we could go this April but that is up for discussion right now.   .two

Above left are Mrs. Jim, KP, and myself, all dressed up for tea at the Ritz Hotel.  Karen (her account of the tea) was with us as she sprung for the tea as a Mother's Day and Father's Day present from their family.  Right is KP's school.  She is in the three-and-a-half-year-old class.  This is her 'fancy dress' in the hotel picture.   To school she wears a blue uniform with white shirt to class.

 

We didn't see the little mouse but we did see the Queen.  I tell people that she waved to me.  She was in her carriage, waving all her way to address Parliament on their opening day.  I had brought my camera but wouldn't you know on this particular day I left the battery at the flat in its charger.  .

So this picture I did not take but rather it is a press release photo which I photographed with my camera.  I read an editorial about whether or not the royalty is covering its expenses with admission fees to the palaces, etc.  There was another about doing away with royalty like most other countries have done. 

[BTW, my new camera did come yesterday.  I've charged the battery but haven't read the book or turned it on yesterday.  The shipping was lousy (an Amazon dot Com supplier.  It rattled all the way from Lexington, KY, to our house in a box large enough to hold three cameras with NO PACKING paper or peanuts, etc.  We will see.  Amazon will hear.  I will give poor rating (or return it).]

Judging from the size of the crowd we saw there for her that day, a measure like that would never get enough votes.  I think royalty is here to stay for a long while in Britain.  They love their Queen..

The rest of these pictures are typical London tourist type pictures we took on other days.  On this particular day we went on to visit St. Paul's Cathedral.  Sorry, no pictures from their either.  Our English friends from Northampton accompanied us and were showing us the sites and had found a good place for all of us to stand to watch the Queen's carriage ride on her way to the ceremonies..

Our holiday lasted one month, from April 11 to May 11 (2012).  We flew directly from Houston to London and stayed with our daughter, Karen.  That Saturday we took the Eurostar RR through the Chunnel to Paris.  On Sunday we cheered her on as she ran the Paris Marathon.  We came back to London that evening.  On the following Saturday we began an 11 day Princess cruise from South Hampton to the Canary Islands, returning to London on May 3rd.

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==>  You can see other "Q" letter posts by visiting Jenny's blog post, Alphabe- Thursday. My letter "Q" portion of this post will be critiqued by Head Mistress Jenny. I always hope for a good grade from her.

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Now for my Thursday Two Questions.

My last post last week was about an "P" word, Player.  It referred to my golfing handicap and about my playing golf.
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My Two Questions for this week (you can answer just one if you wish):.

1. What royalty or governmental leaders have you been up close with and what were the happenings for you then?
I was fortunate to have shaken hands with President Johnson when when he visited the Control Center at the Johnson Space Center (NASA) in Houston.  I worked in the Control Center in my third career which lasted seventeen years.
Later in my 4th career, Business Professor at San Jacinto College, it almost happened again.  I did get to touch the 'hem of his gown' as President Clinton walked by after a presentation to some (a ticket affair, I had the luck of the draw) there with some of the students and faculty.

2. Tell if and why or why not you think that our country (U.S.A.) or yours needs a king or other royalty?
I think it would be nice and might give more prestige to our national leaders.  As of late our presidents have become the but of nasty criticism regardless of what party might be in power.  I think the worst probably started at the Viet Nam War period and has continued since. 
If I were king I would hope to rule and not be a figure head.  Do you know that the Queen of England is the Commander-in-chief of the Britsh Armed Forces? .

Bonus Question:

1. What is your favorite "Q" word?  
==> My Questions here are for Amanda at her Thursday Two Questions blog, Self Sagacity.  Please visit her there for here questions and links to other partakers of her fun blogging idea.