MIRACULOUS RESCUE AT BUCKINGHAM PALACE...
A half day London tour - first in ages - for EF on baking hot day in London. Decided as they had only one day here to go through City via London Bridge and Tower after visit to St Pauls. One of group had asked about it and I thought they ought to see it, but traffic turned heavy and there was a long delay in Tooley St coming up to Tower Bridge, which is usually pretty clear. Turned out that Twr Br was opening to allow a yacht to sail through. Had never seen this before so quite a thrill but over half an hour late for changing of the guard which is a big deal especially for the Americans - they are in a way responsible for it because hiding behind rocks and trees to aim at bright red uniforms caused the military dress of 18th/19th century to become the ceremonial uniform of 20th/21st centuries.
Hoping to show them the horse guards but they were behind the wall of the horse gd parade when we went up Whitehall - traffic v heavy now - and we were too late to see them in the Mall. Thought we had missed the whole thing but as we approached Buck House the new guard marched so close to us that they almost ran over some of the group. Then we saw the last part of the change with band marching out to Wellington Barracks and along the Mall. Apart from horses a brilliant view and stonking tip at end, which makes the over run worthwhile...
Lifted morale before one of least favourite jobs tomorrow - the dreaded tax return.