31 May 2011

Repetition, reputation, replenishment.

Spent all day knocking on doors (well, walking up to doors and demanding to be let in) of various businesses on this murder case.

It's going quite well. We're fairly sure the net is tightening nicely. It's just a LOT of work. Everyone who doesn't let us in we get a warrant for. I've got two of the team living at the court to get them for us. Although now word is spreading, most people don't bother giving us the runaround.


29 May 2011

Danger, Dungeness and Dinner

Had a wonderful day (and night) yesterday. Although Danger is feeling it a bit today. I admit, it's my fault entirely - I made him ride hard for a long time, with only minimal prep, and the odd break for a stretch, so today he's limping about the flat slightly, looking a little sore.

It's my hands and wrists that took the brunt. All that squeezing, pulling, twisting...

26 May 2011

Dissolutions, discord and displeasure

Where do I start.

I imagine most of you know that Bryan paid me a visit. Don't know what I can say about it, really.

I'd gone back to mine for some laundry, got in the building fine, took the stairs like I always do, key in the lock and when I turned it he grabbed the back of my collar and shoved me inside. Obviously I didn't know who it was right then, but it was never going to be good, was it? I should have been more aware of my surroundings. I should have thought he might do this. but I wasn't, and I didn't. More fool me.


24 May 2011

Overtime, over worked, over here.

Ah, chaos, the usual state at the Yard.

Todays chaos is special though, because it's brought on the back of not just a royal wedding (overtime galore the other week. Stern warnings about costs and budgets still ringing in my ears) but today by Obama, visiting town. (overtime galore. Stern warnings...oh, I've said that bit already, haven't I?)

I'm not directly caught up in it - and thanks to the brilliant bike, I could even get through the utterly gridlocked parts of the capital this morning - but everyone's robbing Peter to pay Paul, so I can't have any extra staff or plod to help with arrests or any of that. Sadly crime doesn't stop just because Mr President is in town.

I'm sure he's a nice bloke, but the sooner he leaves again, the easier everyone's lives will be here. And his 'Beast' car, unstoppable, armoured etc. Apparently got stopped very effectively by a speed bump yesterday. Hah. He should have got a bike and gone incognito, not been dragged around in that monster.

Hope none of you got caught up in the chaos.

Half my people are talking about Chelsea Flower Show today. Given how much I like flowers I'mm sad to say I've never been. I think it's really hard to get tickets this late. Anyone know? Maybe next year... i'll just have to watch the highlights on the telly this time around.

Oh, and the overwhelming winner in the poll was tight hipsters. Excellent.

22 May 2011

Sunday morning, praise the dawning

Aaah, a nice restful Sunday. Dinner is nearly cooked - a proper group effort. John and Sherlock did all the vegetables, Mycroft and I did the beef, and it all smells stunning. This is what life's about, right?

As you all know, picked up the new bike on Friday. It's just...I can't even explain how brilliant it is to have a bike again.

20 May 2011

My new bike, by Gregory Lestrade, aged 45

Just signed the forms...the bike is in front of me, gleaming. Danger is beside me, in new jacket, jeans and boots.

In the next few minutes the two will go together, and we will be one happy family.

19 May 2011

Date night, night shift.

The upside of doing nights is that for the bulk of the day I get Danger to myself. Even if he does just nag me to sleep all the time. Who would want to sleep when the other option is to spend the time with him? So I grabbed an hour or so this morning, and I daresay I'll get a bit more this afternoon. Hopefully on the sofa, sprawled over him. Or him sprawled over me. Either way, I'm happy.

Normally I quite like the quiet nightshift gives in the office. I can get a lot done, catch up and not get too distracted. The downside of that is sometimes you have far too mmuch time to think and get caught up in your own head.

Last night was a rare exception, because someone was murdered when I was already scheduled on, which meant no one had to be dragged from their slumbers. Gang fight, too. So although it was horrifically messy at the scene, there's a fair chance of catching them. Hopefully when I get in tonight we'll be close to making an arrest.

Date-night, as you've already seen on Danger's blog, went very well. And yes, I am an old romantic. But it made him smile, which was the entire point, so all was well.

Some of you have also seen in comments that finally the courts have sent out the legal docs to Bryan (took a while, as you have to include the original civil partnership certificate, and I didn't have one. Not the sort of thing you grab when you're hell bent on getting out of a place). So now it's a waiting game to see what he does. Ideally, he'll agree, we'll come to an arrangement about settling and it'll be signed off. I'm not usually a pessimist...but I'm worried it won't be that easy. We can only hope.

Anyway, back to the beginning of the post, what with him and something at work which is weighing rather heavily on my mind, I'm glad last night's shift was busy, because it distracted me from my thoughts.

16 May 2011

Bikes, Badasses and Boredom

There seems to be a recurring theme on these blogs at the moment, which this ecard sums up.

Danger, you and I...

Public information...

I expect most of you concerned already know, but just in case this blog is your only contact with the outside world...and because John is a lovely person who worries about you all, he told me to do this when I phoned him about it...


There's been a coded bomb threat issued for central London. So any of you over here (and I think most of your aren't...) take care of yourselves, and stay vigilant.


Right, now back to the normal irreverent conversations about boxer shorts and leather...

14 May 2011

Dating Danger.


Danger. It has been brought to my attention (and thank God I got very scant mention in your blog, way back then, or I would have struggled with the exact date.), that we have known each other (and dare I say dating, although I'm not entirely sure that armed criminals, swamps, helicopters and the arrival of the special forces entirely equals a date?) for six whole months, some point next week.

So I would like to formally ask you out on a date on Tuesday (which is possibly not the correct date, but I'm working nights after that...and Mrs Hudson has agreed to child-wrangle for the evening, so I'm grabbing the chance with both hands.)


Bottom line - you, me, Tuesday, no kids, hot date, six-month-iversary.

What says you, DoctorSuperNanny Danger Watson?



13 May 2011

broken...

It seems the blogs are broken. Well, getting better, as at least I can post this now!

Bear with us...them? We'll get Mycroft on the case.

As for me...I don't have enough of a brain left to update. Between work and home I feel like I'm done in.

All I can say for sure is that Danger has the patience of a saint. And deserves every hug you can send his way. The day that man walked (limped?) Into my life was a good one, and no mistake!

12 May 2011

Hugs, Hudson and Homebaking

For some reason (we don't know why, but we're not arguing) the one person Sherlock never falls out with is Mrs Hudson.

So last night, when Mrs H came upstairs and told Sherlock she'd like his help baking, he jumped at the chance and the other three of us all breathed a little sigh of relief.

It meant we got to talk to Mycroft about school some more (they have a clay pigeon shooting club - he'd like to join, but is worried other people will have done it before, and he hasn't. A trip to a shooting club will now be undertaken in the summer! I think Sherlock will enjoy a bit of air rifle target shooting, too, if we can swing it. Lots of places have facilities for both. He's far too small to handle a shotgun.)

Mcroft also walked into the kitchen last night when I was giving Danger a big hug, because he's stressed and doesn't know what to do. Danger just held out his arm to Mycroft, and after a moment of hesitation, he joined in. Group hug. And don't tell me this is embarrassing, Mycroft, because it isn't. You're never too old to need a hug. Fact.

By the time Danger headed downstairs to fetch Sherlock for bed, I think S was so worn out he'd forgotten he hated us. He let Danger carry him all the way up to his room. He was clutching a rather sticky skull he'd made with icing (sugar craft, I think Mrs H called it?) anyway, she made flowers for the cake, he made a skull. Whatever makes him happy right now is fine by us.

11 May 2011

Pizza, parks and 'parenthood'.

We had a lovely evening yesterday, in the sunshine, with pizza (enough pizza that I have some for lunch, handed to me with a face from John which told me he truly doesn't believe I'm capable of feeding myself at work without his influence).

Mycroft was a joy to be with, and he's considerably happier about school since the news about Anthea and the dogs going with him. Still not exactly happy...but happier. He'll get there.

I hardly want to mention Sherlock, since most of his behaviour right now is purely attention- grabbing. Mycroft was incredibly mature last night, and despite Sherlock's insults on here, and Mrs Hudson offering to mind Sherlock when we all went to dinner, he said he wanted Sherlock to be there, so Sherlock came with us.

I swear people must think we're abducting him or something when he decides to fight us, or try to run away. i'm just glad that Danger and I are in total agreement on violence towards kids. If I'd done the things he has recently I'd have been black and blue for weeks. As it is it's hard not to hurt him when he's in full fight mode, just by restraining him.

When I'm at home, Danger and I are trying to tag - team minding him, so he doesn't get all the attention. I'd happily just strip everything out of his room apart from the mattress and bedding right now, and leave him in there. But yesterday I caught him trtying to shove his duvet out of the window (don't know if he thought he could climb down it, or jump onto it, or was just being a brat). So it's taking its toll on all of us.

I don't know. He's testing us. We'll pass the test though. Eventually. I mean, how long can he keep this up for? 5, 10 years? Hah.

10 May 2011

Big Day!

Happy Birthday Mycroft

Yes, he's the big 1-3. We now have a teenager on our hands...

And his tasks today include deciding what he wants to do for dinner (home cooking, going out, whatever he wants), and if he's really sure that he wants us all to go ice skating at the weekend. As in, doesn't he think we'll be horribly embarrassing, flailing about on the ice?

Have a great day, Mycroft.

8 May 2011

lie-ins, lies and violence.

Had a lovely lie-in today. I did perhaps slightly fib to Danger and tell him Sherlock and Mycroft weren't up, when they were, but both in the kitchen, helping their Mum bake a cake (well, Mycroft was reading and observing. Sherlock was 'helping'.) But I figure the only time Danger will get time off is when Mrs Holmes is around, so I wasn't about to give up a lazy Sunday morning in bed with him. And it's not like he's much help on the baking front.

Once everyone was up (I mean out of bed), a final lunch was prepared, and we were all heading back to the beach for one last bit of fun. Or not. Depending on whether you were a certain 5 yr old.

We ate lunch, then, because Mycroft, his Mum and John had to have some serious discussions about Mycroft's new school, and what would happen regarding him boarding there and things, Sherlock and I headed off to have our talk.

7 May 2011

First Class...

Firstly, trying to update via my laptop connecting through my phone, on a train. Completely unsure if this will work at all. Technology playing nicely together? Hmm.

On the way up to John, the boys and Mrs Holmes. You'll need to read his blog to see where they (we) are staying. It looks stunning. Mrs H got me first class tickets. Very nice of her.

Some of you will have spotted in comments last night (on John's blog again) that I got hit in the face (again. Why do people like hitting me so much?) so am sporting a pair of black eyes like a panda. Just how I wanted to look for the boys' Mother. Great.

Can't compete with the photo Danger posted, but here's a bit of London for you all:


Bit hazy, but the Thames looking quite nice.

5 May 2011

I'm not Lestrade.

This is Mycroft updating, because we're waiting for our food in the Thai restaurant and Lestrade is drinking half a pint of beer, so he said I could update on his blog.

He said I didn't have to advertise the fact he's drinking beer.

We've just been to his local polling station. I can't believe there isn't any sort of security surrounding voting. I thought that Lestrade would need some proof of identification. Instead, he walked up to the desk, told them the name of the building his flat is in, and the road, then his surname - and they gave him a ballot paper! He says that's how it is even for General Elections. It seems to me that it's a system open to abuse.

Then he let me see the ballot paper - it all seems a waste of valuable resources to me. A big piece of paper - A5 sized, and you just put one cross on it, with a pencil tied to a string, in a 'booth' which is just a tiny shelf. Then fold it in half and put it into the box.

It wouldn't be very hard to write a computer code which was very secure, and save all that paper.


The other thing that just happened was a telephone call from Mummy.

John, she says can you pack a bag for Sherlock, and a bag for yourself. She's going to pick you and I up from home tomorrow afternoon, then we're to fetch Sherlock directly from his school, and she's taking us away for the weekend. Somewhere I can see the stars. So tonight when I get home I need to pack my own bag, and put my telescope in its box. And pack some things for the dogs. She says they can come too.

She says we'll come back on Sunday, but to pack Sherlock extra clothes and underwear because he's liable to get in the mud and dirt a lot. She also said she'd discuss my school visits with you at the weekend.

4 May 2011

May the fourth be with you!

I know, I know, terrible joke. One of the forensics team in court this morning is a total geek, and kept saying it. Added together with more'force' jokes, which we get all the time anyway.

Right, this is less a proper post and more a place to dump my brain.

Danger, had to go to HR this morning with my sicknote, and they asked if my file was up to date. Do you wante to add you as my emergency contact? Don't worry if you don't, I understand. Text or call me if you don't want to answer here.

Also, Mycroft expressed an interest in coming to vote with one of us on Thurs. I imagined you would probably get to the polls when they were at school - Sherlock not being the ideal child to queue up with, in a place where everyone's furtively trying to keep their votes hidden. If you want you can drop Mycroft off with me in the afternoon, about 6ish, and he can come with me (obviously I'm registered at my flat, so it'll be a little journey) and we'll come back to your together.(for those of you not from around here, we're voting on the way we vote http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_Alternative_Vote_referendum,_2011 )

I'm back on nights again in a week or so - 18th and 19th.

When's the open day for Mycroft? i want to make sure I book it off.

Right thats all I can remember right now...

3 May 2011

Important questions...

Sherlock wanted me to put up this as my next poll, so here it is.

Would it be better if dogs were like ants - lived in hills on your lawn, worked together, etc. Or if ants were like dogs - people walked them about on leads and kept them as pets (and they would be super-strong, too, he points out).

Owing to the lack of flexibility on the last poll, I've added the neither option for those of you who likes both ants and dogs just as they are.

And you guys think marriage is a good thing, overwhelmingly. (although some of you obviously added a caveat that my poll was ridiculous, and neither was the answer.)

2 May 2011

Sick of being sick

Yesterday was fantastic. We all managed to get oragnised enough to leave the house fairly early, got over to London Field (Sherlock was so excited he almost bounced out of the taxi) and got to the Lido at a good time. It was busy, but not packed. Sherlock had a minor grump about being the only one who needed armbands, but once John gave him the simple choice of 'swim with armbands' or 'don't swim at all' his mind was made up pretty quickly. Mycroft, ever the diplomat, it seems, did also point out that all Sherlock had to do was prove he could swim well enough without, and he'd be able to take them off. So Sherlock set about trying to learn to swim in under sixty seconds.

Well, he didn't quite manage it, but next time we go we might let him out of them.

Mycroft swam a a few lengths with John, then a few with me, except I rapidly discovered 50 metres is a long way, when a couple of days ago I could barely walk that far. So the boys were ravenous when we finished, and I was knackered. Danger just about managed not to say 'I told you so'.

Today i've been back to my flat, to retrieve clean clothes, suits for work, etc. John's discovered Sherlock lied about having done all his homework, and Mycroft has been studying quietly for his schoolwork, and not-quite-so-quietly practicing for his first piano exam, which is soon.

Work tomorrow. Even though Danger's giving me sceptical looks about my ability to survive a day. I will admit I don't think I'll exactly be dancing around by the end of it, but I've got to get back, tonnes to do, court to appear in etc.