Now... about those stowaways

Frank Sinatrat usually hangs out with my daughter Kelly.  Lion L Messi usually hangs out with Anne-Geri'.  SOMEHOW or other, they ended up hanging out with me and David in England.  Yes, they stowed away in my luggage, the little devils.  I didn't even notice them until I unpacked in Horsham.

Yes. there they are, in among my undies. Messi looks a little... messy, but Frankie maintains his Chairman of the Board cool.  (Figures they'd end up in the underwear drawer.)

Like all of us, the guys were looking forward to a nice bath and a couple of drinks after the long trip.  Fortunately, our hotel room had a bath tub just their size.  I think they called it a bidet.

A little refreshment was called for.

Lion L is a tea-totaler.  Frankie is not.

After a toddy or two, they were off to scope out the hotel (and look for babes.)

They found a goody locker right off the bat.

And they found a "babe" without too much trouble.  They both overwhelmed her with their charms.

Back at the room, they investigated the tea caddy... and ate all the cookies.

But in the end, they settled on a good cuppa Joe.

After a good night's sleep in the most comfortable bed known to man, they were ready to head out and explore.

First, they borrowed some wellies.

In stomping around the 96 acres upon which the South Lodge Hotel sits, they encountered a rabbit hole.  Messi was all for diving right in after the rabbit, but cooler heads prevailed.  "Man, don't you remember what happened to that Alice chick when SHE followed a rabbit down a hole?  Don't be a schnook!," was Frankie's advice.  It took some convincing, but Messi finally listened to reason.

They took some pretty good pictures of the hotel grounds.

They made themselves very popular when they decided to pitch in and help the staff during a rush.

The boys accompanied us to London after three wonderful days in Horsham.  David and I set off to Poole to visit with our friends the Bryants, but Frank and Lion L decided to stay behind.  They claimed they were too pooped, but I think it was because they discovered room service.

When we returned, the guys joined us in a bit of sight-seeing.

Outside the British Museum.

Inside the British Museum.  Those are some of the Elgin Marbles in the background.

At the Sherlock Holmes Museum, 221b Baker Street, London.

At the Victoria and Albert Museum- where Messi was recognized, but Frankie was not!  A little tension there for a few minutes, but all was soon well.

They LOVED the Science and Technology Museum.  They posed with the symbol of the Museum, Dan Dare, who was deliberately created to compete with and offer an alternative to American comic book superheroes- which were (and are) too violent.  Lion L was very impressed with Dan Dare. 

Frankie called him a wuss.

All in all, the guys were good company.  Lion L 'got' England a little more than Frankie did.  In fact, at one point in our journey, Frankie turned to me with a skeptical look on his mug and asked, "You gave up Hawaii for this?"  To which the only answer is... DAMN STRAIGHT.

And now my travel journal comes to a a close.  Dave and I had the most wonderful time in England.  We both love the country, the people, and the style of living.  The Brits are just good folks and England is everything you ever dreamed it would be, no matter WHAT you dreamed it would be.  I could go back tomorrow.  Sigh.  Oh, well,  ta ta for now from Tullahoma.  Happy New Year to all.