9 July 2011

Yoga bear

I've just done some yoga. There's a first time for everything, right?

Also had Sherlock critiquing my poses. And Mycroft explaining that 'old people aren't as flexible' to him. Thanks, boys.

John suggested it, as Sherlock was being manic. So we all joined in. John (with the help of a laptop, for the finer details of poses) directing us.



It was good - relaxing, when the poses weren't stupidly wobbly. Sherlock and Mycroft both did really well. I managed some bits better than others, and John did well considering he was also trying to sort us out and consult the internet - but he's done a bit before, so he was up for the challenge.

The dogs didn't know what was going on. And it's hard to stay still and concentrate on breathing when a dog is trying to lick your ear.


John and I had a bit of a talk yesterday. Quite a lot of the talk about how talking was a hard thing to do. Which is a step in the right direction, I think? I mean, if we can't talk about that, we haven't got much hope about talking about other stuff, have we? And I think we understand each other a little better now. Which is good, because like John said yesterday, it's really horrible arguing.


Tomorrow we're all going swimming. In the morning, I think, because I might get called in to work later. And we'll make pizza from scratch. That way I can hopefully do the dough with everyone and get it knocked back early, then it's ready whatever happens with work.


John and I going to try to get away somewhere for a few days - just the two of us. No idea where yet, and it'll be John's first time doing a proper long ride on the bike. I think we need to get headsets, so we can talk whilst we ride.

And he'd like to go to Italy - all four of us. Not sure when we'll fit that in, but it would be great. Just the thought of it makes me smile.

151 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

You know, when you scroll to the right place on the page, your head covers up whathisname's (Guy Martin?) and it looks like you're riding the bike instead. Was that on purpose?

The shapes Sherlock can twist himself into are mildly terrifying. I'm beginning to wonder if he actually has bones at all.

Greg Lestrade said...

It is Guy, yeah. And I noticed that, but it wasn't on purpose - I wouldn't know how!

You know what small children are like - they bounce, bend and seem indestructible. Which is lucky, the way Sherlock rides his bike.

Bet you chucked yourself around like he does when you were a kid, too.

John H. D. Watson said...

Which is lucky, the way Sherlock rides his bike.

And does everything else, yeah.

I suppose? I remember spending a lot of time up in the tree in our garden, either reading or positioning toy soldiers to rain down plastic destruction on Harry from above.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, tree climbing...why don't adults do more of that?

I used to get so annoyed when Nicky followed me around. A right moody little so and so I was.

Ever fall out of your tree? I used to regularly climb too high, get a bit stuck and end up falling out rather than climbing down...

John H. D. Watson said...

I feel like that's a metaphor for life. Did you fall out on purpose?

Didn't fall out, no, but if you climbed high enough you could get on the roof of the house, and at one point I decided it would be completely possible to float down with the help of three umbrellas. It sort of worked? In that it hurt, but I didn't break anything.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sometimes it was an attempted jump... sometimes it was just letting go and letting gravity do the work. Sometimes it was genuine trying to get down and failing.

Lots of bruises and scratches, usually!

The umbrella idea sounds inspired. I thought you were going to say helium balloons.

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha! I would've needed a lot of balloons, even at sseven.

Sherlock said...

Can we get some helium and balloons?

John H. D. Watson said...

No, our house is too tall.

Sherlock said...

Too tall for what?

KHolly said...

It's good to see you guys happy again.

Sherlock, can you do the calculations to figure out just exactly how many balloons full of helium you'd need to lift you off the ground?

Greg Lestrade said...

I love your attempts at innocence, Sherlock.

John H. D. Watson said...

Too tall for jumping off of, even while holding onto helium balloons.

Sherlock said...

Not without having helium balloons to calculate how much they can lift. I need lots, to get an average.

Sherlock said...

I can just jump out of a window. Or go to the park and tie myself to something so I didn't float all the way away.

John H. D. Watson said...

No jumping off of anything higher than a bench until someone checks your calculations and you have explicit permission from me. I mean it.

Lupe said...

Sherlock, you're adorable. Have you seen the movie "Up"? :D Maybe you can make the entire house and its habitants float away. :3

Sherlock said...

Can I tie myself to something and see how many balloons it takes to lift me up then, John? Then I wouldn't be jumping off anything.

Sherlock said...

Lupe, our house is in a terrace and made of bricks and there's a basement under the ground. I don't think there are enough balloons ever to make it float away.

I think if we put rockets in the basement and cut the walls off the next door houses we could make it take off though, like the shuttle did.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yes, provided I'm there when you try it and its a reasonable number of balloons. And you'll probably need some sort of harness.

Lupe said...

Well, in a world that defied the laws of physics, that might work, but I don't think it's possible to do that. :( If you succeed in your experiment of lifting off-NOT jumping off anything, will you let me know how many balloons you used, so I can try it with my nieces? :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock - we could just tie you to something, no balloons. Just for peace of mind.

And lets not even discuss making the house into a rocket. Unless you do all the calculations for that.

Go and email NASA for the relevant data.

John - you can carry the bottle of helium home from the shops then.

Sherlock said...

Carrying helium wouldn't be heavy. John might even float away. You should go with him.

innie said...

I'm so glad the two of you talked offline. As much as we all want to help and/or lay down the law (I personally was itching to do both), it's up to you two to figure out what you need and how to get that across.

Any updates on Sally?

Lestrade, where in Italy is your family? John, have you ever been to Italy?

Sherlock, would it make sense to tie balloons to something small, like a book, and then work out how many balloons it would take to lift something larger, like you?

Greg Lestrade said...

Sal's fine. Well, still in a cast on her arm, but her doctor says it's all going fine. She's sick of it, obviously. And sick of not being allowed out much.

My family are centred around Urbino and Fano sort of area. A bit scattered now, for work, the younger ones.

I think John said he'd never been...

Anonymous said...

Mythbusters did a show on this, and they ended up needed about 3500 balloons to lift a little girl who weighed 50 pounds. Not sure how many stone that is. I think you should go one really, really big balloon, Sherlock!

Here is the link to the video of them lifting the little girl.

http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/mythbusters-balloon-girl.html

John H. D. Watson said...

L & innie - I did say that, I think, but I wasn't counting the less than twenty four hours when I went to see the tennis in Rome, and a stop at an airbase, so I have technically been there. I just have seen anything, except Roger Federer.

Pip - found the whole episode on youtube, thank you. Sherlock's watching with great attention. I think at 3500 balloons I have to say no, but...it looks amazing. Especially the bit where she pops them by breathing fire.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'd imagine it would only count for you if you managed to eat some poor Italian boy's ice cream...or at least, a major motivator in going seems to be my offer to buy you lots of gelato.

Apparently I have to go and tell Sherlock a bed time story.

We got any scotch left for when I'm released from duty, Danger? I know we were low the other night when Sherlock did my stitches. I think I might need a little something to help me sleep.

John H. D. Watson said...

I got no ice cream whatsoever, just a lot of bottled water. It was very sad.

There's some left. Enough for a couple of glasses anyway.

Greg Lestrade said...

That is sad. Tragic, in fact. I will apologise on behalf of all Italians when we get over there.

Great. I don't want to get trollied, just take the edge off. Something to help me stop thinking about murders, after having Sherlock make me think about them.

John H. D. Watson said...

I can think of a number of other methods that might achieve that end as well, if you're interested...

Greg Lestrade said...

I could indeed be very interested. You sort out your sales pitch, tell me what's on offer, I'll make some shrewd business decisions and decide which option I might want to invest in...

John H. D. Watson said...

I could do a brochure. Maybe a webpage.

Greg Lestrade said...

I thought that was how everyone found your blog, via your sex-filled webpage?

I'm sure you can just wow me with your patter. I could make you an offer and we could come to a mutually satisfactory arrangement.

John H. D. Watson said...

For the last time, I did not write porn! If I had, I would've been able to afford to stay in London, and we'd probably have never met.

All right, but do keep in mind we have a schedule to adhere to. This is no time for extended negotiations.

Greg Lestrade said...

I didn't say you wrote porn for money...just for your own pleasure?

do keep in mind we have a schedule to adhere to

Oooh, I love it when you're masterful. A schedule, huh?

John H. D. Watson said...

Why would I write it for free if I could get paid?

Mmhmm, the sort that starts between 5 and 6 every morning whether we want it to or not. And we've got a lot to get through before then.

Greg Lestrade said...

I don't know! You seem to know a lot about this...so you know you could get paid? And how, Sir, did you find this out?

we've got a lot to get through before then.

REALLY. I'm definitely only have one drink then. Don't want to..er...dampen the spirits.

Six hours to...pack in the excitement? Fill with pleasures?

Should have bought some of the things we saw on Thursday. And some spare batteries.

John H. D. Watson said...

People must get paid for it - look at that Silver Foxes book.

Really. As I said, quite a tight schedule. Jam packed, one might say. A lot to fit in.

I don't think either of us were really in the mood at that point. For shopping, I mean, obviously. Maybe we should go back.

Rider said...

I've lost track... who is the innocent and who is the sex-obsessed bed-focused one?

Greg Lestrade said...

look at that Silver Foxes book.

I've really been trying not to. Although I have a feeling you've probably got a copy stashed under the mattress or something.

Right. I'll slip you into my itinerary.

And no, we weren't. But yes, we should go back, if you want to.

John H. D. Watson said...

I told you, it's your birthday present.

Well, we'll see. Certainly if you saw anything you liked...

Rider - we're merely coordinating our schedules. I've no idea what you're on about.

Greg Lestrade said...

Stop reading it then! You'll crease the spine. Or stick the pages together...

The main thing I liked was the thing I brought home with me. The other things I could take or leave. But variety is the spice of life, so they say.

John H. D. Watson said...

As if I'd sully your gift. It's carefully wrapped and tucked away.

Yes, well, I am multifunctional, after all. And I feel pretty much the same way.

Greg Lestrade said...

You are that. And you don't run out of juice. Well...you recharge quickly, anyway.

There was some...interesting stuff though.

John H. D. Watson said...

A wide variety, yes.

Greg Lestrade said...

Some very wide, yes...

John H. D. Watson said...

A lengthy stock list, I'm sure.

Greg Lestrade said...

They must struggle to cram it all in.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, but I'm sure they've had a lot of experience handling their goods.

Greg Lestrade said...

True. Slipping things into tight spaces, I guess.

John H. D. Watson said...

You know, when I was sixteen or so, I assumed there would come a point in my life when I wouldn't find things like this funny anymore...

Greg Lestrade said...

It's like everything in life, Danger - only fun if you're doing it with the right person.

Anyway, you're adorable when you're trying not to let me see you laughing as you read this stuff. Trying to keep a straight face, when I know very little about you is all that straight...

John H. D. Watson said...

You're right about that.

Very little, eh?

Greg Lestrade said...

Well...okay, I have no idea how much of you is straight. I think it varies, depending how many male tennis players are in sight.

John H. D. Watson said...

Hmm, fair point. It's really just that one though. I really don't want to ride Roger, whatever you say.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha, okay.

I do occasionally notice your eyes locking onto a pretty girl...but it always just leaves me wondering what it is you find attractive. I mean, trying to figure it out. Because I've just never had that. idle curiosity, yes...attraction, nope.

I hope that doesn't make me sound jealous or weird... I'd like to think I'm neither.

John H. D. Watson said...

No, not jealous or weird. I wonder sometimes how it works for people who just like one or the other. I suppose there's no real way to explain it though, it's just the way we are.

Greg Lestrade said...

I think it makes far more sense to like both... But yes, I agree there's no way to explain it.

I'll just be happy that you've decided to play for this team for now.

Anyway, time is ticking, I've got no Scotch left, and you look half asleep. Where did your schedule go?? We may have to prioritise some activities and leave others for future enjoyment. Or get a much, much better lock for our door. Or Sherlock's door. Both doors.

John H. D. Watson said...

Right, bed then.

Someday he'll sleep till a reasonable hour. Maybe. I can dream.

Greg Lestrade said...

I can dream.

You can dream, yes.

But just when you get to the good bit you'll be awoken by an elbow to stomach, a small foot in your groin and a hand forcefully opening your eye to 'see if you're awake'. Or that's how my dreams tend to go these days, anyway...

He was pretty tired tonight though. Fell asleep before I even got to the bit about dredging the Thames for corpses.

John H. D. Watson said...

He must've been exhausted. He loves it when there's dredging.

Heh. You make him sound like those Simon's Cat videos. And you're not wrong.

Anonymous said...

I think there's an episode of Mythbusters that discusses how many balloons it takes to get aloft. Although introducing Sherlock to Mythbusters might not be prudent...

Lawless said...

I'm glad you guys talked.

Yoga is great; I'm glad you're trying it out.

At first I misread and thought the dog was trying to lick your rear, not your ear. Doh! I have on occasion nearly smushed a cat that decided to walk underneath me while I'm doing yoga, so dogs aren't the only critters that find it interesting.

Tink said...

I teach one and two year olds basic forms, most of which are animals, which makes it fun to hiss and growl and moo when you do them!

If you two are ever blessed with a baby, I highly recommend starting yoga at an early age. Even the hyperactive four and five year olds will drop into child pose and om if I ask them to, and they're always calmer afterwards. I don't know if it will work with *your* five year old, but it's a thought.

(And captcha says somedi, which sounds like someday to me! Maybe a baby *is* in your future! Break out the baby yoga dvds...)

Becca said...

Ah, yoga. I haven't been in three weeks (sick, ptsd) and am missing it very much. Definitely good for stress, and I've gotten a full inch of extra mobility back in my ankles that I never expected to happen.

Bronwyn said...

I go to yoga in a shirt that reads "I do it all for the corpse pose." Well that, and my shoes with the gripper toes. Because otherwise my downward dog turns into floor-ward slip. Damn sweaty feet.

Toodles,
Bronwyn

Greg Lestrade said...

Anon - Sherlock is already very familiar with Mythbusters - see comments above.

Lawless - the dogs are very affectionate, and try to lick your face whenever you're in range - so they loved yoga - lots of people in silly poses, trying not to move gave them free range to slobber on us.

Becca and Bronwyn - I can't pretend we'll be dedicated yoga-ers. But it did calm Sherlock down a bit.

Greg Lestrade said...

Tink - You've sort of left me clueless at what to say. For one, I can't imagine how we'd get a baby.

And a lot of other reasons.

I have no idea if it's ever crossed John's mind, but it hasn't crossed mine.

Pommery said...

L- Well, if you ever decide to throw in the towel as a copper you and John could open a daycare for the Energetic Baby Genius. Although...you may have to wait until Sherlocks a grown-up, and even then, two adults (and a Mycroft, currently) to one genius child still seems like exhaustingly unfair odds.
(But the yoga would be handy.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock vs. the three of us is ridiculous odds.

This morning, whilst getting ready to go swimming, he announced he wanted to wear his wings. Which is fine, except they'd be hard to fit into a locker at the pool. Which John tried to explain to him.

Sherlock's reaction was to throw his arms up in the air, and then dramatically collapse into a heap onto the floor, arms over his head, shouting and wailing as if the end of the world was nigh...that boy can be such a drama queen!

Anyway, wings came with us (with the understanding they couldn't go in a locker) and all was well. Swimming was fun. Now the boys are beating some pizza dough to death in the kitchen.

I'll stick to the current job, I think.

John H. D. Watson said...

Pommery - I think that is my current job, and two may be the upper limit of what I can handle. Then again, if there were someone else Sherlock's age, maybe they'd wear each other out.

Tink - nice thought, but I'm afraid it's not really practical.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - except daycare would be a break for you...you'd get whole long nights off. Nannying is far harder!

And you'll have to be on your own for an hour or two - I need to pop into work.

Try not to let Sherlock prod the dough in the fridge too much?

John H. D. Watson said...

I'll do my best. He's way too fascinated with the thought that it's full of tiny living creatures.

Greg Lestrade said...

It won't really do it any harm, I suppose. He can always pinch a bit off and look at it under his microscope.

Tink - nice thought, but I'm afraid it's not really practical.

Nice thought, huh, Danger? Getting broody?

Greg Lestrade said...

(I am joking. Babies are great when they belong to other people.)

John H. D. Watson said...

I hadn't given any thought to it before Sherlock and Mycroft, and now I have. That's all.

I think what he really wants is to keep feeding them until they (or their dough ball) take over the fridge. Or maybe the flat. Or possibly all of London.

Pommery said...

J-To be honest, a single child of average intelligence scares me, never mind extraordinary ones like your two.

Sorta Off Topic: Are you using instant yeast? If so, take a granule and a small dollop of water and place it on a slide, under a microscope, Sherlock might like watching it bloom (Never tried it with active yeast, just instant and fresh,) It's not hard to culture your own yeast either, though it can be smelly at times.

Peace!

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh, good idea. We'll give that a try, thanks.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry - that was probably a bad moment in the conversation to throw myself into the London traffic.

I have thought about it - I mean, when gay couples started adopting and it was in the news and everything. And then...well, Bryan pretty much put that thought right out of my head. And I don't feel like the job lets me see enough of any of you as it is. I take my hat off to any police officers who juggle the job and family life.

There's more yeast in the cupboard, yellow box. I'm sure you can look up some yeast-based experiments to keep Sherlock occupied.

Sherlock said...

I want to make that goopy stuff in a jar that feeds bread. Do you know how to do that, Lestrade? John says he doesn't.

If you get a baby I think it should be a girl because I don't want another brother but she can't share my room.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, mate, I've only ever used the instant stuff in packets.

You can mix up yeast and sugar and water and stick a balloon over the jar to catch all the carbon dioxide, I think...you might want to check I've remembered that right.


Right. Your request has been noted. I have no idea where we would 'get a baby' though.

Sherlock said...

YOU DON'T??

Even I know where babies come from, and I'm only FIVE.

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha. I wondered why Mycroft was smirking.

L - that...sort of sounds less like you don't want to than that you don't think it's possible? I don't know. Is this actually something we ought to talk about?

Sherlock said...

And anyway that lady at the pool said you should get them from China but I think if you do that you should wait till she's older and knows how to talk because then I could talk to her in Mandarin and she would know it even better than Mycroft. But not older than me! Three or four. They're boring before that, they just poop and stuff and they can't even walk right.

Anonymous said...

Oh god, Sherlock as a big brother may be the sweetest thing ever! And can you imagine how protective Mycroft would get of a little sister!

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, just typed a load of stuff out and bloody Blogger gave me an error.

Sherlock - I know where they come from, biologically speaking. That's not the issue.

Danger - We could add it to the list of things we should probably talk about at some stage.

Seeing Carla and Paul as babies...well, it was amazing.

But as we've established that I'm Greg 'Worst case Scenario' Lestrade, I'll admit I never thought I'd be in another serious relationship in my life, let alone even have the chance of having anything to do with kids, because I was too old, worked too much and couldn't ever imagine anyone wanting me to be a part of a child's life.

So essentially, I'm used to thinking things and then being proved totally wrong.

mazarin221b said...

*points and laughs*

Welcome to the world of women of child-bearing age everywhere. One innocuous comment has you talking about stuff you never expected.

John H. D. Watson said...

L - All right.

mazarin - Yeah, I can safely say I never expected this. But I never expected any of what's happened to me in the last year.

Greg Lestrade said...

Mazarin - My life's been full of talking about stuff I never expected. Never expected to be able to get married, never expected to be able to even think about having anything to do with kids. Never expected to able to admit my sexuality to anyone in the Met. Definitely never thought I'd share any aspect of my life with a load of strangers on the internet.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - maybe you should rename you blog 'Tales of the Unexpected'. Would probably be more apt than the current title!

I'll be on my way back to you soon, now I've sorted stuff out here. Tell Sherlock he can get the dough out, cut it into four even bits with Mycroft's help, and the two of them can make it into base-shapes (square or round), and start chopping up toppings.

John H. D. Watson said...

They're on it.

And I'm not changing my blog title. I feel it's brought me luck. That, or the universe can't resist proving me wrong. Either way, I like the result.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha, yeah, and Sherlock would make me change mine to 'Boring stuff, not interesting murders'.

Leaving now. Do we need more of anything? (Stuff I can get from Tesco - so don't say 'time' or 'sanity'.)

John H. D. Watson said...

You can't get those at Tesco? Damn. No, I think we're all right, unless you want more olives. There's only the spicy kind left, though they're not really that spicy.

Anonymous said...

If they started selling time and sanity at Tesco they'd have a queue out of the door!

Tink said...

J & L: Oh dear! I didn't mean to cause a kerfluffle! I understand your jobs and the relative newness of finding each other and realising neither of you are awful might make thinking of kids a bit premature. I apologise profusely!

Sherlock: Did you know the fastest time of development outside the womb is between the ages of birth and two? So many changes happen so fast. When kids are older you have to wait for things to happen at a slower pace, but it's all amazing to watch. I've 'watched' you and your brother over the course of both John and Lestrade's blogs and I'm amazed in the best of ways at the both of you. <3

Sherlock said...

That might be interesting to see. Two years is a really really long time though and I don't think John would let me do experiments on her, even nice ones.

KHolly said...

As the youngest sister in my family I can tell you she would rather you didn't experiment on her. You end up with an aversion to the oddest things later in life.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock - as the oldest in the family I can tell you they're not as interesting as you want them to be. Frequently you just wish they didn't take up as much of everyone's time as they do, and that someone could spare a bit of attention for you.

John H. D. Watson said...

Tink - it's all right, it didn't turn out badly.

smallhobbit - you're right, they'd have to open a separate branch, just for time and sanity. And there still wouldn't be enough to go round. So, just like now, pretty much.

L - Heh. I'm pretty sure Harry would agree with you absolutely.

Pommery said...

Sherlock- The stuff in jars that feeds bread is called a Starter, often used in sourdoughs and rustic, traditional style bread. It was the original yeast. It is primarily a mixture of flour and water, left to ferment in a clay bowl or (in my case) mason jar covered in mesh. It can take a while for the yeast pores to land on your mixture though, so a lot of bakers help it a long by adding grape skins, elderflower juice, sugars, or sometimes honey. This causes it to ferment faster, and gives your eventual bread a complex and richer flavour.
I think a basic sourdough method is very much google-able, but if I may reference a book, The Bread Baker's Apprentice is excellent, and helped me ace my exams.

Greg Lestrade said...

Harry should try have four younger siblings, then we're talking.

By the time I'd left home I'd changed enough nappies and had enough milk thrown up on me for a lifetime. Or so it seemed.

Sherlock - the worst thing is the crying, when you don't know why. And they just don't stop. You try everything it could be...and they still don't stop. I think you'd find it very frustrating.

Sherlock said...

I don't have to do that stuff! That's not what big brothers do, that's what parents do, so that would be John's job and yours, not mine. Mycroft definitely never changed nappies, ever.

Greg Lestrade said...

It's what some big brothers do, Sherlock. Lots of families need everyone to help out. Especially ones with single parents or parents who work lots.

Although I have no idea if Mycroft changed nappies or not.

Mycroft said...

I did, sometimes. Mostly there were nannies, though they tended not to stay long. Sherlock cried a lot.

Greg Lestrade said...

I thought that might have been the case, Mycroft.

Sherlock, I'm sure a lot of younger siblings don't understand how much their older brothers or sisters did for them.

Tink said...

J: I'm so glad. I don't want to cause you guys stress, I like you guys a lot.

L: Don't forget the good points about babies too.

Sherlock: There's a phrase 'It takes a village to raise a child.' It doesn't mean it literally, but it means that lots of people help out. Like for you, it's your mum, all the nannies before John, John, Lestrade, Mycroft, Ms T, all your security folks, and occasionally all of the lovely people here who take an interest in you. There will be more people in your life as it goes on, and they all will shape you into the adult you will become. But it all starts with taking care of a small baby who grows up to be a child.

Mycroft: Good on you for changing nappies. Also for taking care of your brother in the ever shifting world before John and Lestrade.

Desert Wanderer said...

When my youngest brother was born, my other brother and I went to a class given by the local hospital on how to take care of babies. We each took a stuffed animal and practiced putting on nappies and holding them properly. Definitely proved useful when I ended up stuck with babysitting detail.

innie said...

I did quite a bit of diaper changing, even though I'm only three years older than my little brother, but that was mostly because I found him endlessly fascinating. My mom did a lot of eyerolling at me, and I'm sure I made her job harder in many ways, but I think it was a relief to her that I took such an active interest. Even now, if you ask her what she's proudest of - and this is a lady who has a lot of professional achievements - she'll say it's that she raised two kids who love each other so much.

Greg Lestrade said...

Tink - Yeah, now I can see the good bits, I mean, if you want a baby. But as a kid/teenager, it wasn't a barrel of laughs.

Innie - God knows what my Mum thinks of all of us then.

innie said...

Lestrade - i don't want to speak out of turn, but I bet your mum was glad she'd had a kid like you, someone she could count on not just to take care of the younger ones but also to actually love them, as her first. I would have been.

Tink said...

L: You also didn't have the biggest 'village' to fall back on. So I can totally understand that it was no fun growing up. I'm sorry.

Greg Lestrade said...

Innie - I, er, probably did a fairly good job of not acting like I even liked them most of the time. I ran away when she got pregnant with Rachel.

I imagine in her more sober moments now she's reasonably happy with the outcome. Although it might have been better for everyone involved if we'd been taken into care. I sort of doubt it, but Danny and Sam have both said it, in the past.

John H. D. Watson said...

I know you did your best to look after them, I can't imagine you doing anything else. I wish you'd had more of a chance to be a kid. Doesn't seem fair. Not to imply life is generally fair, but...I just wish things had been easier for you.

Anonymous said...

Oh, Lestrade, please don't tell me you've been beating yourself up over the fact that you went off to live your own life? Because you had no choice as to whether there were going to be more kids for you to raise, and you were just a kid yourself, and there had to come a point where you put yourself first.

innie said...

Hey! That was me, the previous comment.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - I try to make up for it with plenty of immaturity now. Like our conversation of last night.

Innie - At first I did. I can't imagine anyone in that situation not. Mainly because I knew what I was leaving Nicky to cope with. But I know, ultimately, it was the right thing to do to go.

Greg Lestrade said...

I need to learn all these faces people do with punctuation on here. Someone give me a run down? I could have done with a wink for John there...heheh

Tink said...

:) is a simple smile
;) is a wink
:D is a big grin
:P is sticking your tongue out at someone
:/ is looking a bit unsure or torn
:B is looking silly!

They're called emoticons if you want to google more! <3

Anon Without A Name said...

Some of the basic ones:

Smile :-) or :)
Winking smile ;-) or ;)
Sadface :-( or :(
Alternative sad :-/ or :/
Crying or very sad :'(
Pokey tongue :-p or :p
Angel (with halo), innocent face 0:)
Wide eyes or raised eyebrows 0_0
Single raised eyebrow 0_o
Yay \o/

There's probably whole websites devoted to these, but those are the most common ones.

Greg Lestrade said...

Right, thanks you lot! :)

(You may have unleashed a monster here - if I can remember them all.)

Nameless - so, the first lot you look at sideways, but the last 3 are the right way up, right? Now I've spent a bit of time with my head tilted to the side, frowning at them.

Anon Without A Name said...

Yep, that's right. I did read an article somewhere that said that Japanese/Korean emoticons are read the right way up; they focus almost entirely on the eyes, where western emoticons focus on the mouth.

And I forgot Tink's final one, which is read the other way around: a heart <3

Greg Lestrade said...

Emticons are different in different languages/cultures? I imagine the boys already know that...but that is interesting.

Now I know you'll all judge me...but I Googled and found these:

Bottom - (_._)
Experienced bottom - (_o_)

:D

Greg Lestrade said...

(Sherlock, there is no need for you to attempt to Google what I mean by that.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Hold on, if you're making up for that, what's my excuse?

And I am not laughing at your emoticons...

Greg Lestrade said...

Err...you're only as immature as the man you feel??

No, I can see you're not. The reason you were just shaking wasn't because of the giggles, at all.

John H. D. Watson said...

Not at all. I'm glad you recognize that.

Greg Lestrade said...

well, if it wasn't, I shall be forced to give you a very thorough examination, to find the source of this phenomenon. I think I'll have to ask you to strip and lie on the bed, Danger. We shall get to the bottom of this...

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh, yeah. Best to be safe, definitely.

Anon Without A Name said...

I'm not even going to pretend to be surprised that you couldn't google a smilie, but you found an experienced bottom in two minutes flat.

More John's area of expertise: boobs (o)(o)

... aaaaand have just refreshed the page and you're having one of those conversations again :-p

John H. D. Watson said...

He leads me astray, he's said so himself!

Greg Lestrade said...

I only lead him astray to all the very best places, though...

Anonymous said...

You have me giggling out loud in the hotel lobby. :-DDD (Big, big, big grins!)

Bronwyn said...

Well, another useful one for you, then, Greg, since (o)(o) doesn't do it for you.

8===D

There are other versions of course, but that one's pretty recognizable. Also:

O:-) Angelic
>:-) Devilish (with a frowny it can mean angry)
o/\o High Five
\m/ Rock on!
:-& Fail face
%-) Cross-eyed
*:* Drunk (look at this one upright)
>.< Angry/frustrated
^_^ Smile!
(-_-) Secretive smile
T_T Crying
^_- Winking
O.O' Sweating or Nervous

Have fun! We expect to see prolific use of emoticons. At least for a week. ^_-

Toodles,
Bronwyn

Des said...

Did you know Abraham Lincoln invented the emoticon? He drew a sideways smiley face in one of speeches for some reason apparently.

Bronwyn said...

I know there IS an Abraham Lincoln emoticon, but I didn't know he invented them. Though that little tidbit would perhaps explain WHY there's an Abraham Lincoln emoticon.

==|:-)# Complete with tophat.

Toodles,
Bronwyn

Tink said...

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. :D

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation, so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. :(

We are met on a great battle-field of that war. D<

We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. ;_;

It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. :| "

Obviously they were liner notes!

Bronwyn said...

*laughs* Liner notes! Kind of like the drag notations in Shakespeare, right? It occurred to me that in the interest of fairness considering the majority of this blog's readership is in the UK (at least I think? Wouldn't be odd if that majority of us were in the U.S.?) <-- That's not an emoticon by the way.

Anyway, punctuational massacre aside, in the interest of fairness, I give you:

*]:-) The Queen. Complete with hat.

Oh God, I know too many of these things.
Toodles,
Bronwyn

Tink said...

Bronwyn,

I think I love you. Just thought you ought to know.

<3,
Tink

Greg Lestrade said...

Bronwyn - Danger's the doctor, but I think if it looks like that you've got something a bit wrong with you...

And I've always assumed most of you were in the US - who comment, anyway. From the spellings. There's a way I can find out...somehow. I'll get back to you.

Anonymous said...

Well, the hobbit is English. And therefore can spell correctly * :-p at Americans*

Anon Without A Name said...

Perhaps a poll? But you'd need options for people from places that aren't from the UK or US (IIRC Lupe is from Peru, for example).

But yeah, lots of American spelling and phrasing around here; clearly you guys have global appeal :-)

*drinks tea*

Bronwyn said...

Oh Greg, there are so many things wrong with me I can't even begin to enumerate them. And don't deny it - the Queen was funny. Besides, isn't Danger a trauma surgeon or a general practitioner or somesuch, rather that a psychiatrist? In which case, you're probably just as qualified to make the determination of this one's a bit dicked in the nob, yeah? as he is.

As far as I know, I'm neither a danger to myself nor others.

Toodles!
Bronwyn

Bronwyn said...

I almost forgot! For Tink! It's not a fairy, but it's got wings! (Okay, so I also occasionally use it as a giant spider.)

/\(o_o)/\

Toodles,
Bronwyn

Anon Without A Name said...

this one's a bit dicked in the nob, yeah?

From your context, Bronwyn, I know what you mean here. But as one whose cultural heritage includes Carry On films and Pantomime, and where "dick" and "nob" are synonymous euphemisms, I'm going be terribly British and sit here giggling like a 15-year old :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

You forget, Bronwyn, that i'm a sweet innocent country lad. I haven't seen nearly enough dicks to make a sweeping judgement on what's normal or not... whereas I imagine Danger saw more than his fair share. In the army.

Pommery said...

Oh, it's not just you Brits, Nameless, I'm snickering from Canada, and-oh bugger, I woke up the cat.

(Although I have it on good authority-Ontario Cousins-that the faintly Scottish and French blend of our east coast accent makes us sound like modern-day gay pirates. Which, really, can only lead to good things. :D)

Bronwyn said...

*laughs* Most of the euphemisms I know for crazy have unfortunate connotations.

Dicked in the nob
Back asswards
Screwed in the head
Tasting the rainbow
Drinking the juice

And my favorite: biting his own ear. (Try it for a visual aid).

Toodles,
Bronwyn

Bronwyn said...

And because I'm a bad person:

B===8 circumcised
8===D° prince albert
8=D disappointing

Toodles ,
Bronwyn

X said...

Ahaha, Pommery, I'd never thought of the Maritimes accent like that, but I wholeheartedly approve. I recently moved from NS to ON and the accents here aren't nearly as nice. No gay pirates about without convenient access to the ocean I suppose.

L, I'd also suggest a poll as being easier than tracking IP addresses, so long as there are options for those of us outside the UK and the US. :)

Also in terms of emoticons, I'm a fan of :[ which is a disgusted or disappointed face.

Tink said...

Bronwyn: No one's ever given me a bat before! Squee! Though I'll have to protect it and take care of it so it doesn't get white nose. :D

Sherlock: Hey! There's a project for you! There's a mysterious disease killing the bats in North America. It's projected to kill most of the bats by 2016 if nothing is done. European bats get it too, but it doesn't affect them as badly for some reason. What is known is that it's caused by some sort of fungus... So bats, mysterious deaths, and fungi; sounds just about right for you!

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