I’m a former Girl Scout and my mother was my troop’s cookie chairman so if there’s one thing I know, it’s that almost everyone loves Girl Scout cookies. When we spied scouts hawking their wares near Dulles Airport on Saturday ($5 each though, really!) we bought a box of Thin Mints for my granddaughter to hand to the crew as we boarded our long leg to Iceland.

Midway through the flight, they presented her with this:

Cute, no?

Despite our trepidation about flying an unknown (to us anyway) carrier, Play Airlines was terrific. Sign up for their emails. Play periodically offers deeply discounted specials.

I haven’t been in London since the 1980s when I lived in Dublin and visited fairly regularly for work. It seems busier and more international than I remember, but many of the city’s most charming traditions are unchanged.

The hourly changing of the Cavalry Sentries at the entrance to Horse Guards, for instance:

Even in early March St. James Park is a lush respite from the gritty streets of London. Trees are greening, flowers are blooming and the pelicans seemed to be enjoying the 50-degree temps.

Later, we stopped outside The Queen’s Chapel near St. James Place and gaped at the plaque that told us it was built in 1623. We reminded our 8-year-old that not a whole lot was going on in America 401 years ago. Sure, there was the Plymouth Colony and Jamestown, but most of our country was a vast, untamed wilderness. Meanwhile, bustling London was erecting structures that would endure for centuries.

A reminder that really do live in a very young country.

Speaking of history, we spent several hours today in Churchill’s War Rooms. A powerful place.

In 1938 the Brits converted the basement of government offices near 10 Downing Street into a bunker/headquarters for military leaders and Churchill’s cabinet.

By September 1940, when the Germans began pounding civilian targets in London during the Blitz, Churchill, his advisors and as many as 500 workers - from typists and cooks to the prime minister himself - were living nearly full time in the crowded warren of underground dank rooms.

I wasn’t sure our 8-year-old would enjoy Churchill’s War Rooms, but she did. A special children’s self-guided tour gave her details about Churchill that we didn’t get.

For instance, did you know that Mrs. Churchill’s nickname for Winston was “Pug”? Now you do!

It wasn’t all Blitz and bombs for us. We left the bunker and headed for afternoon tea. My globe-trotting sister-in-law suggested The Wolesley and WOW! We sank into our seats mid-afternoon and were treated to a dazzling selection of confections.

A educational and decadent way to kick off our “holidays,” as they say over here.

My Fitbit says we walked nearly eight miles. Hopefully we burned off those tea cake calories.

More tomorrow…

Oh, and catching up on the news of the day, an excellent result from a unanimous Supreme Court! What a pleasure to see the lefties who keep screaming about the death of democracy told to keep their grubby tyrannical mitts off the American ballots. A split decision would have energized the pack-the-court crowd.

Can only imagine the meltdowns taking place simultaneously on CNN, MSNBC and in the newsrooms of corporate newspapers.

Toasting my fellow Americans with a big swig of liberal tears!

Happy Super Tuesday!