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Hi, Rusty!
I hope your son was suitably impressed with the new laptop when he came to visit?
You will have fun tomorrow setting it all up and 'playing' with it!
I was thinking about what you said about whether the Tower of London appeared 'gruesome'......you know, strangely enough, I don't think it does any longer....
When I first saw it, many years ago, the stonework was virtually 'black' and all the various buildings had an air of menace about them. Very impressive.......and yes, "gruesome"!
Now that the stonework has been cleaned, it has a mellowed appearance , especially if the sun is shining, and no longer has the same threatening look about it. The cleaning shows up the magnificence of the Tower of London, but detracts from the menacing air that it used to have.
I almost think I preferred it of old. I liked the scary, threatening air!
As with all London tourist attractions, it's very expensive to visit - everything is geared for the foreign tourist.
It would be nice if there were a different, more realistic, price for London residents... so that they could go and mull over their heritage, and learn and appreciate what is on their doorstep.
Ok, now I'll step down from my soap box.......
You mentioned firing squads... yes , in WW1 several spies were shot at the Tower.
I think they were the first people to be executed there for more than 150 years.

Good evening, Elle!
Yes my son liked it a lot.
It is NOT a laptop.
It is a chromebook. Two different species altogether.
Laptops are SO last week! This is the future.
Everything up in the Cloud! Farewell, hard drives and anti-virus products. Hello, fast start-up and no slowing down!
I would like to have a wee look at the Tower.
Will have a look on You Tube.
I think I would have a thought of Jane Grey and Anne Boleyn in my head, though.
I know about the men who were shot there, too.
Are the tours guided?
And the guides, do they know their subject, or parroting off something they have read?
What do these Beefeaters get up to nowadays?

Hi Pigale
I agree that modern phones are not user friendly I have a Doro clam shell mobile which has good sized key pad and is perfect for my boring needs Husband has an all singing all dancing and keeps suggesting I need one.I also have had a Chromebook since Christmas and it is very good,large key board and good sized screen my husband was appalle( he worked for IBM )but now agrees it is OK!!!

Good morning, Rusty!
We have another lovely day here, I hope it is the same with you?
Anne Boleyn......she was Henry's second wife, wasn't she?
I always think of the rhyme.. "Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded , survived" in order to remember who happened when!
Anne Boleyn was beheaded on the Tower Green - I have stood on the very spot where the execution took place.
Beheading was considered the least brutal method of execution. The nobility were beheaded, but the lower classes were hanged from the gallows.
For the beheading, it was usual to use an axe, but in Anne Boleyn's case, a sword was used.
Anne was buried in the Chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula, inside the Tower of London.
All I can remember about Jane Grey is that she was only Queen for nine days, and was imprisoned in the Tower when Mary came onto the scene.
(I can see I shall have to do some reading up on history!)
Guided tours of the Tower are carried out by the Yeomen of the Guard (commonly known as 'Beefeaters').
In order to be a Yeoman of the Guard, they must have served in the armed forces for at least 20 (I think ?) years. They will be expected to know their facts about the Tower and it's history 'inside and out'!
I have never been on one of the guided tours, preferring to wonder around at will.
There is so much information set out in every room you visit that there is no necessity for a guide if you wish to browse privately.
I think you would enjoy the Tower but not the crowds that are inevitably there, too! The best (and quietest) time to go there would probably be in the middle of winter!

Good Morning everyone,
Good Morning Doglet,

Seems like a nice morning here although not perfectly blue sky, slightly hazy - at least, decent temperature due to get to 26C, so that's better.

As far as phones are concerned, I only ask them to do one thing ; receive calls and allow me to make some - that is all; and not too often either, I spent all my working life with telephones ringing, so I simply dislike it now and only use it out of necessity.

Out of interest, what brand is your Chromebook ? I read about them after Rusty mentioned it the other day and I might be interested since my PC is slightly old ! I don't have a portable mostly because I don't really need one, but also because the keyboards are never big enough for me; on top of it I do not get on with touch/slide system, I prefer the good old mouse !

I think there is little hope for me ! but I think if there was a chromebook with proper keyboard and mouse, I would consider it seriously because I am getting annoyed at how slow my PC is, and as Rusty said, it is the future.

Good day to you Elle,
It is a tad cloudy with me, and I have a slow draining sink, but that apart, it is great to be alive!
I did not know Beefeaters were Yeomen.
This thread is very informative!
Norah should have started it years ago!
Now what does "ad vincula" mean?
I have no knowledge of the chapel.
I would not mind the crowds as I like conversing with folk (too much, according to my young ones!)
It is in my head that a headsman from France was brought to England to kill Anne Boleyn.
I am off out. Wondering if ASDA will have a snake for my sink?

Hi Pigale
you are right about the phone calls in and out,texting etc I dont do.My Chrome book is an Acer cheap and cheerful,it has a good keyboard and I use a wireless mouse,as like you I dont like the touch pad method,as usual I got it from AmazonWe are having our pond cleared today as we have not seen any frogs this year and the waterlilys seem to have didappeared,Freddy is helpng

Pigale! I do so agree with you!
I press buttons on my (prehistoric) mobile! and I too like to use a mouse with my computer! I prefer the rollerball mouse as I find it so much quicker and easier.
I'm useless with touch and swipe!

"ad vincula" means "in chains".

As being hung before fairly modern times meant being slowly strangled to death (unless your friends or the hangman, having been bribed would swing on your legs, when it was quicker), being beheaded was a more merciful death than hanging.

How do we know this? Hotel trivago ;-))

Good morning, Pigale!
I have a new Chromebook but it is charging at the minute. Will try it later.
I would be careful and find out about them If I were you.
They are not for everybody.
Printing off stuff is a problem, i believe.
My needs are extremely simple.
I want something to browse the web and store photos and addresses etc in the Cloud, and online shop.
Nothing else. I do not do emails or music or games or films etc.
So, a chromebook would appear to suit me. I hope!
I shall report back later on, to let you know how it goes.
Coolish day here in Scotland, but I love the breeze from the sea!