London – Day 3

I’ve just been reading all of your comments – LOL! Yes, saved by the Duke – again! We got a cab first thing this a.m. and drove over to Eaton Place, where the cab driver wondered why I wanted to take pics of #65. I asked if he had seen the original Upstairs, Downstairs and he said he had, so I explained to him that #65 is what they used for #165 in the series. Then it was on to the Tower – boy, this time out, the Beefeater included many Wellington anecdotes – I’ll do a post on them soon. Then we went to Cecil Court, to Mark Sullivan Antiques, where I bought that wonderful Staffordshire figurine of the Duke in June. Mark and I chatted a bit and he told me, once again, that I’d missed seeing the current Duke of Wellington as he’d been in a few days before. Mark had some so/so Artie stuff and I made noises about taking a pass on the items when Mark told me to hold on a moment, that he had two things downstairs that he was holding for a dealer, but the dealer hadn’t yet come back, so he offered them to me – a Lambeth pottery mug with a figure of Artie on the front and a small, bronze bust. Reader, I bought both. Again, pics and post to follow. Then we did the Thos. Lawrence exhibit at the National Portrait Galler – again, a post to come. Then to Madame Tussauds and now we’re back in the room for a quick brush up before dinner. Tonight the final episode of U/D, tomorrow Oxford and the Cotswolds. My back is aching, I’m really exhausted but I’m not complaining in the least. I’m in heaven. Miss you all, wish you could be racketing round London with me. I’ll try to post again tomorrow . . . .