When my Uncle John and and Aunt Lynne offered to let us stay at their house in London for the first part of our trip, we were very pleasantly surprised. We had not been expecting them to offer. They are 4 working adults, and we did not think that the arrival of 4 more people (doubling the number of people in their house) who were in a completely opposite time zone – and would be up at odd hours – would be something that was even feasible.
Yet they did offer, and we hardly breathed in before we blurted out YES!
We were expecting a place to stay and some really good directions and ideas about what to do in London with the boys. But we got OH so much more than that…oh so much more!
First, they gave up two rooms (which Eric and I think is one of the main beneficial factors in getting on the correct time schedule so quickly). This is where Nick slept (at least the first night, until Owen came to wake him up at 5 or 6 in the morning – after he went to bed past midnight.) 
This is a typical example of mealtimes that they presented us with. A table set and ready with all the comforts you could want. Dinner, made for 8 by Lynne (who is a wonderful cook!) Entertainment for Eric and I– via Nick. Entertainment for the kids – via Chloe. Everything cleaned and taken care of and tea offered after meals – presented warm in your hand. (And I must shamefacedly confess, that for the most part, Eric and I were too tired to lend any kind of hand…please don’t tell our mothers.)
Of course we already knew Chloe was going to be a plus. Owen was already madly in love with her from her Christmas visit to Washington. And Jack quickly fell for her when she laughed at all of his jokes. “Chloe, there is a coconut on your head.” (BTW that is “all” his jokes). Poor Chloe had to sit between them for every meal and she smiled the whole time, letting them mess up her hair, ask insane questions (and then ask the same questions over and over again).
On at least three different occasions, our monkeys were taken out for excursions (leaving me and Eric at home!) and the monkeys thought that was GREAT! (and so did we)
Our first morning at their house, after Owen woke up Nick on the couch, John made his famous pancakes and let Owen help. John has been making these pancakes for something like 20 years. Every Saturday. Owen still talks about the pancakes as the best food he has had on our trip so far! (though Lynne’s chocolate ice-cream-sauce and the “Sugar Notre Dame Pancakes {crepes} are close on the list.)
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