klwilliams

We spent our last morning in York mailing postcards (I sent a scratch 'n' sniff Yorvik postcard to

learnteach) and wandering among the shops, since we hadn't had a chance to do much of that while they were open. One candy shop sold a box labelled "Thanks for watching the pet", but since my turtle-sitter is diabetic, I didn't get it. (I also don't think it would have survived the trip home intact.)

The train to London was late, slow, and crowded with a surprisingly well behaved group of teenage boys heading home for spring break. We sat at a table with two elderly widows, Audrey and Nana, who were going to London to see the ballet and the Turkish exhibit at an art museum (and in Nana's case, to see a football match). They were interesting and nice, and we had a pleasant conversation.

When we got to London we booked a hotel near the British Museum, and headed over and checked in. We had tea, then went over to L. Cornellisen and Son ("artist's colourmen"), a tiny little art store a block or so from the British Museum. It's one room, packed floor to ceiling with old wooden shelves, and they sell modern art supplies, but also gilding supplies (I got my gilder's pad there), good quality vellum, pigments to make paint from, calligraphy supplies (including goose feathers), and much more. I bought several sheets of book-quality vellum and a gesso bole for gilding.

We then went back to the hotel, where I took a nap. It was St. Patrick's Day, and L, being of Irish descent, wanted to visit a pub. We tried calling some of

mevennen's friends from Monday, but they were busy, so we had a low-key dinner in a pub and went home to bed.