23 March 2012

Lonely is the night

Spent a large part of yesterday with a 5 year old, a child psychologist and a specially trained officer, in a room, trying to extract any details from the child, without causing any more distress than was inevitable.

It's a long process, it can be infuriating, frustrating, difficult. It didn't really give us enough to justify it all in the end, but you don't know that until you try.

Spent a bit of last night dreaming that Molly had finally agreed to Sherlock performing an autopsy. And when I got close to the table, it was John they were cutting up. And Sherlock was utterly, totally excited and happy to be finally doing it, he hadn't even noticed. Spent the next bit of the night awake.

Tomorrow we're going to head out of the city, I hope. I think it's due to be very foggy again in the morning, but then stunning, like today. We can head off and forget about work, school, physio, all that. Just have a bit of fun.

Mycroft finishes school for Easter on Thursday - Sherlock doesn't think it's fair, but he's not taking it too badly as we're all going to head off for John's birthday surprise on Thursday afternoon, so he only has to be at school half a day longer than Mycroft this time, not a full week. Sherlock doesn't think it's fair he doesn't know where we're going either, and says we should blindfold John all the way. I think this is just so that Sherlock will know before John does. And it's not happening. I don't think John will guess anyway, until we're right there.

This means I work Sunday-Weds next week, then have Thurs-Mon off. Almost a full week, with my favourite people in the world. It's nice having something to look forward to.

It's nice having someone to plan surprises for, too. I really enjoy it. I just hope they will (I know Sherlock will. It's right up his street. And I think Mycroft will. And John...well, he will if they are regardless. Whether he enjoys it in its own right too is only a very small part of the equation, really. but I think he will.)

Not quite sure when he should get his presents though. Well, one of them one our child-free Thursday morning. The rest....I shall have to see how good he is.

72 comments:

Anonymous said...

My god you can do without dreams like that and cases like that :-( you've done seriously well dealing with that Greg you deserve all the hugs you've had and more for doing that!

I'm glad you have good plans for John's birthday you all deserve some fun :-)

Ice cream and hugs and a good night sleep are far less than you deserve for getting through this week. You are just a lot amazing!

Anony

REReader said...

If you are thinking of entering a contest for the most unsettling dream, that one has a good shot at winning. Yikes. And not all that surprising after a day spent that way. As you say, you don't know if it will help until you try--but of course that doesn't make it any easier.

It does sound like you have some fun coming up--going right away is a wonderful idea for tomorrow. And maybe you can find Sherlock some water to throw stones in. :) And I'm as curious as Sherlock is about your plans for John's birthday...verrrrry intriguing! And sounds super fun, whatever it is.

And in case I don't have time to stop in again...Shabbat shalom--hope your trip tomorrow is fun and peaceful and perfect!

Desert Wanderer said...

http://www.continuum2.com/gallery/speed_limit_infinity_thumb.jpg

If I could, I'd trade your dreams for ones about the place in that pic. I'm sorry it's been tough. Aren't you a lucky sod to have so much love waiting for you at home? <3

Small Hobbit said...

Sounds like your subconscious finally decided to have a look at everything you were keeping hidden about the case last night. Hopefully tonight's dreams will be about future plans of picnics and countryside and surprises. And ice cream of various flavours.

Greg Lestrade said...

DW - thanks. That'd be nice. Although if I was on the bike Sherlock would be there objecting that he couldn't have a go...

SH- that'd be nice, yeah.

Anony - thank you.

RR - thanks.

Anonymous said...

How many presents is your dear man getting? it sounds like it'll be John's turn to feel lucky for what he has next weekend :-)

I hope you are having a relaxing evening that will lead to lots of good quality sleep :-)

Anony

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm sure it'll be great, whatever it is, and I don't need presents!

Desert Wanderee said...

Need and deserve are two different things, doc....

mazarin said...

Oh, Goodness, that's...really unsettling, I'm sure. Isn't it nice when your own brain decides to have a go at you? Ugh. Go have a drink if you haven't already, settle a little. My man is having the same sort of day (different circumstances, obviously) - we're having scotch and footrubs.

Wishing you a wonderful Saturday and a great weekend next weekend - you all deserve a good time and a little break from normal life.

Greg Lestrade said...

Presents you don't need are the best sort.

Presents you need are...well, stuff you need but with added wrapping paper or something.

I used to hate getting school uniform as presents. I mean, that sounds ungrateful, because it wasn't like we could afford anything...but in the grand scheme of presents kids dream of, it wasn't high up there.

Anyway, you never know, Sherlock might make you a stuffed camel spider to keep Alice the Spider company...

Anonymous said...

Everyone deserves presents on their birthday John, needing doesn't come into it ;-)

Anony

Anonymous said...

Everybody should have a stuffed camel spider ... and no one should have a real one!

Lancs. Anon

Anonymous said...

I agree Lancs. anon.

School uniform as presents is really quite bad as presents go but I'm sure there have been worse ;-)

Anony

Anonymous said...

One of my relatives, X is the giver of the world's worst gifts. One notable one was a cheese platter given to someone who never ate cheese. When it was taken from the box out fell a gift tag which said 'To X love from Uncle Walter'.

Response from X's spouse: 'I told you to check for tags'

Lancs. Anon

Anonymous said...

I think the most disappointing present I ever got was when I turned 12 or so and my aunt gave me a hair dryer and I thought I must have gotten old enough that I would never get toys or fun stuff again. (Not to mention the fact that I was not girly and never did my hair. That was probably the last hair dryer I owned.) So really John, the presents you don't need, they're the best.

L - wishing you dreams and not nightmares for tonight. That was just the kind of disturbing dream that would leave my hands shaking when I woke from it.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, now I like presents that are practical - well, and ones that are just nice, too, obviously :) I probably shouldn't have mentioned uniforms as gifts. John might get the wrong idea. You know what he's like. He'll be buying me a policeman strippers uniform or something ;)

KHolly - yeah, shaking was part of it. I just didn't know what to do. I mean...telling Sherlock it was John would have been appalling, but I wanted him to stop, obviously. And...yeah, well, surprised I didn't wake John. Sort of wished I had, but instead I just checked he was still breathing.

Anonymous said...

You know you wouldn't be upset by that Greg ;-)

checking he was breathing is probably the best response but if it happens again I think he'd probably prefer you woke him up so he could help you settle off to sleep rather than have you lying awake.

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

I expect he would prefer that. But at the time...it's not that easy. I do wake him sometimes. But not every time.

Anonymous said...

I understand that totally Greg, It's never easy to decide what to do and certainly not when you're already in a state.

I hope it's not a problem tonight I hope you're relaxed and calm enough to get some decent sleep :-) if not and you don't want to wake John I'm fairly sure you'll find someone here :-)

Anony

Anon Without A Name said...

I had a... dream, the other night; luckily I managed to wake myself up just before it got really bad. Woke up breathing hard, heart pounding, didn't really realise how much until I started calming down. Didn't help I was on my own in a hotel.

Sounds like yours was worse, though, Lestrade, TBH. I totally get what you mean about not wanting to wake John. I don't often get nightmares, but when I do, I tend not to want to wake my husband.

Here's to a better night all round tonight :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Thanks Anony - and yes, timezones are handy for that.

Nameless - I never know whether to be pleased I'm alone and not annoying anyone or...well, yeah. I used to much prefer being alone. But now I've got John, things have changed. I don't feel like I need to wake him, but it's nice knowing he's there.

Thanks.

Desert Wanderer said...

a policeman strippers uniform

So...wooly patterned jumpers, and a stethoscope, then?

H. Savinien said...

Good one, DW.

That sounds like a bad time all around, Lestrade. I hope you get hugs and reassurance this morning. Nightmares can really freak one out, given the chance.

Anonymous said...

Morning :-) does silence mean you slept last night Greg? I really hope you had a better night if not a perfect one :-)

I hope the weather is good enough for your day away from everything having fun :-)

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

Slept quite a lot. Good four or five hours. Woke up a few times, but not because of dreams or anything. I think the weather will be great. Sun breaking through the haze, and I'm sure the outskirts of town are foggy now, but it'll lift.

Desert Wanderer said...

Sounds nice. Hope you guys have a great day!

Greg Lestrade said...

Thanks. I'm sure we will.

Now...we're going near water. It's only sensible to pack Sherlock an entire change of clothes, isn't it?

Possibly John too...

Anonymous said...

Glad you slept well :-)

being near water always need a spare set of clothes for everyone or someone may have to travel back rather cold and rather unclothed ;-)

Enjoy yourselves :-)

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

Everyone's dry so far... and full of picnic lunch.

I think I'm getting a tan. That's not natural in March.

Small Hobbit said...

Glad to hear it, both parts. Although I would echo Anony in the need for everyone to have spare clothes, if only on the basis that if you take them you won't need them, but if you don't ...

And make the most of the sunshine, this may be the summer ;)

Anonymous said...

I got a sunburn on the back of my neck yesterday. Today I'm carrying 2 golf umbrellas to keep the gear dry. Still too warm though. When I was a kid we were skiing in march, though probably not this late in the month.

mazarin said...

I got a sunburn while I was painting last weekend and it sort of frightened me - much too early for that!

Greg Lestrade said...

John's in rolled-up shirtsleeves, no jumper, jeans that fit very...nicely.

I'm lucky Sherlock is with us. Don't think my career would survive a public indecency charge, especially so soon after being suspended.

Small Hobbit said...

Ha, you'll just have to wait till you get home (and Sherlock's asleep) and be indecent in private.

Greg Lestrade said...

And Arsenal won!

This weekend could only be better if Mycroft was with us - which he will be next weekend!

Anonymous said...

You sound to be having one of those days that you deserve more of Greg :-)

I'm so glad you are all having fun :-) arsenal winning is just icing on a lovely cake.

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

I feel like I'm having one of those days that everyone deserves more of.

Home now, with a degu on me. Don't ask me which one.

Anonymous said...

Greg - I'm glad to hear that you had a wonderful day with John and Sherlock.

*pets the degu* Still can't tell them apart? :)

~A from NW

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock keeps telling me...but they do look the same to me.

Slightly easier if you turn them over or hold them up and their bellies are on show, but I still need both to work out which one is lighter coloured. With just one I'm clueless.

Anonymous said...

You're a lucky man Greg but john Sherlock and mycroft are lucky to have you to have fun with aswell :-)

Today has been one of those days here that turned out better than expected so maybe the feel good factor has been sent through the internet ;-)

Hope your evening is as good as your day :-)

Anony

Sherlock said...

It's the night the clocks change and that means I can get up really early in the morning!

Greg Lestrade said...

It's the night the clocks change, which means I have to be at work really early in the morning, and if you wake John up too early he'll be all grumpy all day. So bed, now, and in the morning you can be good and quiet and if I make you breakfast you can get into our bed and read until John's in a fit state to be conscious and around another human being.

Deal?

Desert Wanderer said...

If Sherlock doesn't take it, can I have that deal? Minus the 'getting in bed part' and plus a 'hanging out in your sitting room' part? ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Dunno, both you and John might enjoy the 'getting in bed' part ;) he's a bit octopus-like when he's half asleep. Very cuddly. Just don't make any sudden moves or it's like waking an angry hibernating bear.

Desert Wanderer said...

Hmmm. My usual cuddling companion is with my parents, so it's tempting. But, alas, duty calls. :(

CrankybookWyrm said...

Yay for lovely days spent with the people you love!

I suspect, John, that even if Sherlock wakes you up too early, you'll still have a quieter morning than me. Birthday sleepover, seven teenage boys, all on the spectrum or with ADD.

L, I hope work goes well for you tomorrow.

Greg Lestrade said...

Thanks Cranky.

Tomorrow is coming far too fast...

Small Hobbit said...

DW - if you don't want to cuddle the octopus I wouldn't mind taking up the offer.

L - two of our clocks say it's tomorrow already.

REReader said...

Yay for a nightmare-less night and a lovely day! And hoping you are all three asleep by now... :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ought to be, RR.

But if I don't go to sleep, tomorrow can't come, right?

Anon Without A Name said...

Wish that it would work that way, Lestrade.

REReader said...

My personal rule is that it's not tomorrow if I haven't slept, yep! I will concede, however that it's a lot easier to follow now that I'm self-employed. :)

Did you end up needing that extra set of clothes you took along for Sherlock? We're many stones flung into water?

REReader said...

WERE many etc...

Anonymous said...

Tomorrow never comes Greg but sadly today always does ;-)

I hope you are fast asleep having dreams of Sun, fun and laughter :-)

Is work 12 hours on Sunday like other days? I hope its eventful enough to keep you busy but quiet enough that by the end of tomorrow happy relaxed Greg is still around rather than stressed Greg :-)

Anony

Desert Wanderer said...

Morning, guys. Hope you got at least a little bit of sleep, Lestrade and the new schedule is treating everyone reasonably well.

Small Hobbit said...

Why do they always decide to change the clocks when they know I have to get up promptly and haven't the opportunity of going to bed earlier?

And later today we're meeting my future daughter-in-law's parents, so I shall spend the morning panicking about what to where. (since of course I have nothing suitable!)

Desert Wanderer said...

It's a vast timekeeping conspiracy, SH, starting with the Greenwich and reacching sown as far as Rolex, Timex, and that company that makes the Mickey Mouse watches.

As for what to wear...depends on the impression you want to make, I suppose. For a completely different impression, you could wear nothing at all.... ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Good luck, SH. Hope they're nice!

Anony - yes, 12 hrs. Lots to do. Knee deep in paperwork.

Anonymous said...

Good luck SH always good to remember they will be as nervous as you ;-)

Paperwork sounds fun Greg and at least knee deep is better than 'can't see over the top' deep like you had a few weeks ago ;-)

I hope the loss of an hour hasn't upset to many peoples delicate body clocks!

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

Thankfully paperwork now done and back out in the sunshine.

I was just checking over stuff and readying it to go to CPS.

Now off to see a man about a gun.

REReader said...

SH--Just stand in front of your closet and intone the magic words: "Black goes everywhere." :) (I like to add a pop of bright to that, but black IS always appropriate.)

Anony, the US changed the clocks two weeks ago and I still haven't adjusted, quite. I hope everyone just switching now does better!

Did you manage a reasonable amount of sleep, L? And how did Sherlock react when he figured out the same amount if sleep had him waking up an hour later rather than earlier?

Anon Without A Name said...

Now off to see a man about a gun

0_0

Cranky Bookwyrm said...

L, that is a nerve-wracking statement if ever I've heard one! Be careful.

SH, good luck meeting her parents. I hope they're as nice as she is.

Sherlock said...

I've been out on my bike and it was great and John said I'm doing really well and I barely wobble at all anymore and I can go really fast and he needs a bike to keep up with me now I think and now I'm eating a really big sandwich with cheese and salami and green bits and then I'm going to have cake or ice cream but John says I should wait longer and have it later but I think I want it now.

Is it a big gun?

REReader said...

Yay, Sherlock! I think you may be right about John needing a bike--a real bike!--to keep up with you. Sounds like you're having a super great weekend altogether!

(There's this: if you wait a bit to have your ice cream or cake, you'll have something to look forward to a little while longer. :))

Yes, L, is it a big gun?

Greg Lestrade said...

No, not very big.

Well done, Sherlock. You are very good on your bike now.

We can take it with us on holiday next weekend, if you'd like? And Mycroft's.

Sherlock said...

YES and you and John should get them too and then we can all ride together.

Greg Lestrade said...

Maybe John can come and meet me after he's been at work one day this week and we can choose bikes. It would be fun to cycle with you and Mycroft. And a good way to get around on our holiday.

REReader said...

It will be like an extra birthday present only for everyone! :)

Anonymous said...

I hope the man had the gun or didn't whatever the right outcome was Greg :-)

Riding a bike is really clever Sherlock the adventures you'll all be able to have will be amazing :-)

I'm glad you and John are enjoying the sunshine it's been a lovely weekend hasn't it?

Anony

Greg Lestrade said...

Not entirely the right outcome. But the expected one.

RR - I think...quite a few of 'John's' presents are sort of for all of us. I get a bit carried away with the excitement of having people to share fun things with. I hope he'll forgive me :)

Sherlock - have you eaten your way through most of the ice cream in London now? Is John still keeping up with you?

REReader said...

Heh! Well, not to speak for John, but I suspect that's the kind of presents he'll enjoy most. :)

(And I'm also suspecting that you'll have one or two just for him--or the two of you. ;))

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