27 September 2012

Beyond your tunnel vision reality fades, Like shadows into the night

It's not very often I feel a bit lost for words for a blog post. But I have been recently.

John was amazing today - in light of my current inability to get a decent amount of sleep, he went out and bought some truly amazing decaff coffee.

I know it's been a while, but every time he does something like that - goes out of his way to think of me, I'm just amazed. I don't expect it, I hadn't even really mentioned trying to cut back on coffee except for one comment, and there he is, already ahead of me.

We had a great weekend. The boys both enjoyed themselves, Sherlock is still being a different animal every night, and Mycroft really enjoyed the prison/fort/island. Especially when John mentioned the family history he had linked with it.

I'm working a few cases at the moment, none particularly nice. Although being a detective for homicide and serious crimes that's not exactly a surprise, is it?

I really do hope we can work out a way for John to be an FME. Mainly because I think he'd be very good at it. Although Im more than aware that it can be very difficult. I don't think any amount of training can prepare you for some things.

And also, it'd mean maybe I'd sometimes get a bit of time looking after the boys on my own. Which I think would be fairly fun. And I'm not sure I've done it since the famous Murder Scene John walked in on... yeah, I can see why I don't get left alone with them now. :)

53 comments:

pandabob said...

It would be good for all of you for you to get some time alone with the boys and John to get some work time so I really hope it is possible one way or the other.


I hope you sleep better :-)

Anonymous said...

how much song connection is there here Lestrade?

sleep well.

John H. D. Watson said...

I can see why I don't get left alone with them now

Ha! I wasn't doing it on purpose. Maybe I'll take Mrs Hudson out for a night on the town...

Greg Lestrade said...

There's always a bit of song connection, Anon.

Danger, I'll just tell her I want you back in one piece - not ridden hard and put away wet!

John H. D. Watson said...

Don't tell her that, she might get ideas!

Anon Without A Name said...

It's very lovely, the way the two of you look out for each other :-)

Having some time alone with the boys sometimes sounds like something you'd all enjoy; they both clearly adore you, and vice versa.

I hope you manage to get a decent night's sleep tonight - or at least a better night's sleep than you've been getting recently.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm certain she already has ideas.

Nameless - I think we'd all survive it. It's up to the boys and Mrs H really, if they're happy for me to try and step up and do a bit more and for John to take on a more time-consuming role. I don't know. A big part of me does want to keep him safe at home...but that's hardly fair or accurate!

Anonymous said...

One on one time is something I think most children who have siblings cherish. I hope you can make it happen. And maybe some time for John and Mycroft to spend together while you're spending time with Sherlock?

Sleep well. I wonder what sort of critter will greet you from Sherlock's room in the morning.

rsf

REReader said...

I'm hoping that no comments in the last more-than-two-hours means you had better luck falling asleep tonight, L.

(I really love that Sherlock is being animals! :))

Greg Lestrade said...

RSF - I'd hope to be spending time with both of them, although obviously more with Sherlock because he's with us all the time. And Mycroft doesn't exactly require 'looking after'.

I'd upgrade myself to 'broken sleep' last night, RR. But I was trying to be good and not play on my phone or anything.

REReader said...

I'm sorry you didn't get a full night's sleep, but I'm thinking (hoping) "interrupted" is better than none...?

Anonymous said...

Ah, right. I think was thinking that you've been the one to pick Mycroft up from school several times, which would be time he had with you sans brotherly distraction. But yes, I do think that the dynamic changes when a different adult is interacting with kids on any level. The conversations certainly do!

Congratulations on getting something resembling sleep, even if it was broken up. The caffeine reduction seems to help. (Just remember that tea also has caffeine, and if you brew it dark, it has a lot of caffeine. I seem to remember you saying something about drinking it after you'd stopped the coffee yesterday.)

rsf (who is NOT awake, thank you)

Greg Lestrade said...

I think the amount of caffeine in tea vs the coffee I normally drink is going to be so small it really won't do much to me.

That said I know it isn't just caffeine keeping me awake.

Anon Without A Name said...

I'm glad you had a better night's sleep, at least, Lestrade.

Everyone's day going well?

pandabob said...

I know there are lots of other things keeping you awake Greg but you seem to be working your way through this in a way that retains your control over it and that has to be good for your mind eventually when the good times roll again and you get chance to look back on things.

Changing all the things you have control over means you are removing things you can feel guilty about and for someone who works hard to be the best they can be all the time that has to be a good thing :-)

I hope the day is busy enough to keep you awake and make you tired for later while at the same time not demanding things of you you're struggling to find inside.

Anonymous said...

*nod* Yeah, caffeine is never the whole problem is it. :/

That said, I got tripped up by caffeine-in-tea before. Although that was instant dried iced tea mix, which I made really really dark. And when I do actually manage to cut all caffeine out a few hours before bedtime (usually three hours before I mean to go to bed) I do sleep better.

rsf

REReader said...

You got me curious, rsf, so I went looking--I thought this was interesting. (You must have used a LOT of that iced tea powder!) (It also explains why I don't get headaches when I cut off the caffeine intake before fast days--I mostly drink green tea. :))

Anonymous said...

Neat article, RR, and yes, I was making the tea excessively dark. I learned to drink it from a friend whose tea pretty much looked like coffee. The only thing that's saved me is that since I moved east I can't find that brand anymore.

rsf

REReader said...

Ha, rsf! (I thought the numbers on some of the energy drinks were scary, actually.)

Desert Wanderer said...

I'm torn, Lestrade, between wishing you were more used to people doing lovely things for you and vicariously enjoying your pleasure when you're surprised. Hope you get some decent sleep soon.

Anon Without A Name said...

Somehow, DW, you always manage to say what I'm thinking but could never find a way to articulate. I'm kinda awestruck by that :-) How've you been keeping?

ReRe - weirdly, I've never noticed a caffeine buzz - or even the ability to help me stay awake - from tea. And I drink a couple of (British) pints of strong tea a day.

Greg Lestrade said...

Me neither nameless. It has no noticeable effect on me. Mind you, neither does lots of coffee, if it's weak or instant or crap...

REReader said...

Well, the table does show tea doesn't have much caffeine, comparatively speaking (especially green tea), which is fine by me. :) Also, the less caffeine you take in, the larger the effect it has on you.

Anonymous said...

I can cure a caffeine-lack headache with tea, but I'm not sure what that says about me, as my usual caffeine intake is from Pepsi.

rsf

Desert Wanderer said...

It's been a month of extremes, Nameless, culminating in a truly awful week last week (bleeding into this one), but I suppose it makes it all the better when things go well. Yourself?

I've had two cups of coffee today. At this rate, I'll be at Lestrade levels of consumption (I don't know what the SI units would be) by Christmas.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry life's been giving you a kicking, DW. Hope it gets better soon.

pandabob said...

sorry life's been rubbish DW I hope you get your fair share of good stuff soon :-)

Small Hobbit said...

Yes, sorry that life's been rotten lately DW. Glad to see you again, even if briefly.

REReader said...

Here's hoping that the end of the workweek put an end to the bad stuff, DW, and everything turns around now.

Desert Wanderer said...

Appreciate it, guys. Sorry I haven't been around much. I've been keeping up, just not really in the mood to participate. :)

I saw a place you guys might like to eat if you ever make it to NYC. Or, at least, Doc might like it.

Mike's Diner

John H. D. Watson said...

DW - That is a fantastic sign.

I'm sorry things are going badly for you right now. I'd tell you to hang in there, but I know you will. Good luck.

Anon Without A Name said...

DW - I'm never quite sure whether extremes of good and bad are easier to deal with than just constant low-level crap. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose. I'm sorry you've had a particularly bad couple of weeks. It's good to know you've been here.

I've been on holiday :-) Something I/we definitely needed. Back to work on Monday though.

Also, I think that the SI unit of coffee consumption must be a Lestrade. Of course, most people would measure their usual consumption rates in milliLestrades. Perhaps even microLestrades.

Greg Lestrade said...

Disaster!

After the blood and guts of earlier, there is further danger to life and limb(s). Just rolled over to discover a spider leg caught between my arm and body. Not that unusual, but... the rest of Spider is on John's side. She's lost a limb!

Have to get Mrs H to dust off her vet's skills and re-attach it tomorrow.

Hope Spider doesn't web us or eat us in the night in protest...

Anon Without A Name said...

There's no telling what havoc a legless Spider could cause as it wreaks its revenge...

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Mrs.H can fix it! May I say that it's adorable that you all still sleep with Spider. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

We got an appointment with Mrs H, who says she thinks with a small operation, Spider will be whole again. She says the prognosis is good.

Sherlock scowled and told me to sleep more carefully. I protested that I was asleep. He announced that he can sleep carefully. So there.

Small Hobbit said...

Glad to hear the Spider should soon be better!

One could theorise that you were holding Spider in your sleep and John took her away from you, but you resisted and her leg stayed with you. But that would make it John's fault, and we all know that that couldn't be the case ;)

Anonymous said...

Poor Spider. I'm glad the medical facilities are near to hand!

Also, saw this and it reminded me of Sherlock and his martial arts.

rsf

John H. D. Watson said...

I count myself lucky daily that I am not a ninja. I'd be in for all sorts of hi-ya-ing and blood curdling war cries.

L - when I blearily read that comment about Spider this morning, I thought you meant an actual spider at first and had to check my side for squished remains.

Anonymous said...

Any real spider that I could notice the leg of between my arm and my body would be Too Big to Squish.

How did your sleep-bleary brain take the playdough guts in the refrigerator? Or were they safely hidden away in the veg drawer?

rsf

Greg Lestrade said...

I would have de-spidered you if it had been more real than Spider...

Mrs H has fixed Spider. She's in recovery.

John H. D. Watson said...

You are both using the sort of logic that my brain was not up to at that hour of the morning.

Playdough guts are fine, I've found worse things in our fridge.

Greg Lestrade said...

Like what?

John H. D. Watson said...

There was some sort of caterpillar this morning.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ah, probably the one I explicitly told Sherlock to set free...

Sherlock, you and I will be having words.

John H. D. Watson said...

It's free now at least. And miraculously still alive.

Sherlock said...

No I think it was a different one that got in on the lettuce like that frog did to that woman.

Greg Lestrade said...

Well I don't think it's likely one got in on salad and showed up the very same day I told you you couldn't keep one.

Sherlock said...

It will die anyway outside in the cold and it could stay in and eat lettuce and either be a butterfly or go into stasis and then be one next spring!

Anonymous said...

Any caterpillar hanging around this late in the year probably needs to metamorphize (?) and go lay eggs before winter sets in, don't you think?

rsf

Greg Lestrade said...

Still doesn't mean you can ignore what I tell you to do, Sherlock!

Sherlock said...

You broke Spider!

Greg Lestrade said...

That's completely irrelevant! And I didn't mean to, and she's fixed now.

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