Sorry I have not posted in a while but Old Scratch's mum and 12 (going on 17) year-old niece were in town the past week. And let me tell you, it is not easy to play tour guide to your mother and a teenager.  But it was a fun visit overall.

Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her 80th birthday this weekend. In honor of Her Majesty's big day, London was awash in festivities to mark the occasion. We traveled to Windsor Castle with our visitors and walked through the Queen's private apartments and castle courtyard. Later in the week we walked to Buckingham Palace (above), where the streets were decorated with huge Union Jack flags to mark both her birthday and yesterday's London Marathon. On Friday, the Queen's guards fired 42 and 64-gun-salutes around the city.

While I'm on this "subject", I forgot to mention that I am now a subject of the Queen. My one-year temporary visa is due to expire in a few weeks. Earlier this month, I had to take a day off work to travel south to Croydon, where the British Immigration Directorate is located. After putting together my mountain of paperwork that proves I can financially sustain myself and promise not to mooch off British public funds, I received a three-year RESIDENCY PERMIT, which is much cooler and prestigious than just a visa. Even Lupe doesn't have a residency permit; she has a 3-year work visa.  So there you go folks.  I am officially living under the Queen's protection and herald in England. God Save the Queen!

P.S. Both crabs can sing all the words to "Oh Britannia", though not necessarily in tune.