from a London Starbucks

Hello from "The Queen's House!"

{First day, visiting Buckingham Palace}

{Also, the first day, visiting the Royal Mews! This is a special carriage. The horses are plastic, as is the man who is riding it. The Queen will ride this carriage again in 2012, I believe is what I overheard a tour guide say. She will be bling-blinging.}

{Wiley in front of Buckingham Palace, "the Queen's House," where he found ample squirrels and pigeons to chase}

It is Day 3 in London. After a nice day yesterday with partly cloudy skies, it is drizzling and sweater-weather. The temperature is really quite nice, it is just the dampness that is not as nice.

Our flat is very nice, across from a wonderful park with a playground complete with a zipline.

Oh, the flight--didn't I think there would be funny stories? Well, unless you call the cabin lights being on full blast the E-N-T-I-R-E flight funny, then I can't say it was particularly funny. The ample light certainly did not help Wiley get to sleep quickly or stay asleep the majority of the flight. We are still trying to adjust to the time change. Wiley has had quite a lot of trouble with it, waking up in the middle of the night, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. I'm not sure how to amend this problem, nor what to do with his nap. We skipped yesterday, thinking that would help, and it did not. So today, we put him down a little later than usual (we were late returning from the grocery store). We will see if it helps.

{the boys in front of Big Ben. Note the partly cloudy skies! I actually was surprised to see blue!}

I have gradually become less surprised at hearing British accents everywhere I go. Silly I know. But our first time out, I felt like I was in a Hugh Grant movie with everyone talking like him. If only everyone looked like him. Hah! Now, I am used to it, but surprised at how sometimes someone will answer a question and I will have no idea what he or she said, although they are speaking English...I guess I need to learn all the new words. Like at the grocery...Sour cream is soured cream, which makes it sound much less appetizing. I am trying to integrate some easy terms like "brilliant" and "clever" into my vocabulary so Wiley is less taken off guard when he hears those! Here is an example: "Wiley, you are so clever." or "This grilled ham and cheese is brilliant!" Advanced uses of the terms, I know.

Well, cheerio good fellow! Or whatever they say here! Maybe I will just stick with Bye, Y'all!