28 July 2012

For a minute there I lost myself

Well, I have to say, I was won over by the Olympic opening ceremony. Some of it was still... well, didn't quite hit the mark. Other bits were pure genius.

I hear that some station in the USA broadcast it. I don't actually have words for the fact they cut the moments of remembrance for those in the stadium who had lost someone, and the victims of the 7/7 attacks.

For those who don't know/remember, it was announced London had been awarded the Games on 6/7. A day of elation, and not even 24 hours later some people tried to bring the city to its knees. And failed. But they did kill 52 people, and themselves. And they did injure hundreds of others, and change even more lives for ever.

To cut that moment out of the ceremony, and replace it with an athlete who could have been interviewed any time... well, it beggars belief.

Between Mitt Romney and that, the UK press isn't very well disposed to the US right now.

26 July 2012

Sherlock's Shocking Surprise

Right, Sherlock decided to concoct his very own recipe the other day. I said I'd share it with you all.

He has christened it 'Sherlock Surprise'.

It's a bit complicated.... does that surprise you?

First, get some liquid nitrogen. Then make some custard and slice banana into it. Make moulds to make this round, somehow, then drop into the liquid nitrogen.

Meanwhile, make some sponge cake. And meringue. And some chocolate buttercream icing.

Also find some berries - unspecified summery-type ones. Throw them in the liquid nitrogen too.

Get a flamethrower. And an anti-gravity chamber - or go to space, whichever is easier. Wrap your frozen custard balls in meringue, float them, and flame-throw them, so the meringue is cooked on the outside. Then repeatedly dip them in sponge cake mix and cook (all this in zero gravity.) Until you have a frozen-centred-merinuge-and-sponge-coated ball. Lots of balls, I mean.

Make a soft truffly chocolate mix, drop the balls in it until coated. Then sit them in a dish just deep enough. Make ice cream mix. Pour over. Set the entire lot in the freezer until the ice cream is just solid enough to be...well...solid.

Put the icing on top, put frozen berries on top. Douse in brandy. Set on fire.

And there you have it... Flaming-custard-cake-chocolate-merinuge-ice-cream-cake...

We haven't actually decided to make it quite yet...

 Edited to add:

Oh, and I meant to say, well done to anyone on the last post who guessed that firearms were discharged in fewer than 1% of all firearms operations in England and Wales. The actual figure is 0.00017%. And THAT is why I'm against arming officers here. There's no need. It would only lead to bad things, as far as I can see. We're doing all right as we are.

Doubly-edited to add:

A nice picture that I99, the police helicopter, took of our fine city today.

24 July 2012

Oh yeah, all day and night-time yours

Nights tonight. Not 100% sure how I'm feeling about it, really. I'm sure it'll be okay.

The other night, I was following a guy through a real rabbit warren of an estate, trying to keep tabs on him without being too obvious about it.

There were other people around, but not loads. It's not that sort of area.

I'd clocked a few bunches of young guys hanging around - late teens, twenties, I suppose. Not unusual.

21 July 2012

Quad biking going really fast!

Today when we got up John said we couldn't have pancakes and stuff for breakfast because we had to have something with less sugar and that was quicker and so Lestrade made us all scrambled eggs and toast and some bacon and they said there was a surprise so we all had to eat up and get dressed properly and then get in the big car and the dogs couldn't come and so we did.

We drove for ages and ages (*Actually less than an hour, which is 'ages' in 6yr old speak - GL.) and they wouldn't say why and then when we got there there was a sign so we knew STRAIGHT AWAY and the sign said QUAD BIKES and off-road trails and it was a whole place for bikes and quad bikes and go karts and everything.

19 July 2012

Oh I know your face, I've seen it a thousand times

First, good news.

The murder/manslaughter rate in England and Wales is at an almost-thirty-year low. Mainly due to a fall in rates of domestic violence. I can't tell you how happy that makes me. I'd be very content to be out of a job if that were ever the reason.

Second - people keep asking me about Olympic traffic lanes and how they work - I know as little as the rest of you. I think the entire idea will cause total havoc.

17 July 2012

In a country full of pessimists...

Woke up horribly early this morning. Stumbled about. Stubbed toe. Decided not to wake John, given swearing and hopping hadn't. Decided it probably wasn't serious. Burnt self on kettle. Swore more. Left house.

Got to work, changed into uniform, did swift briefing (had already been sent major briefing day before) headed out.

Crept around in hedges, waited for signal, smashed in door. Swept house, arrested those inside, began search.

Was volunteered to go into basement, pretended to be brave, found lots of interesting things (not just in basement).

Knocked off, picked up battery-powered kids' motorbike, drove to flat.

Was 'assisted out of uniform' by John, very swiftly. ...shenanigans ensued.

Apologised on John's behalf to Mrs Hudson. Endured outrageous innuendo. Was persuaded to drop John at Sherlock's school, as he had made himself very late.

Managed to persuade Sherlock not to set off sirens. Allowed him to turn lights on and off.

Went back to the yard.

Dropped off BMW, changed into bike gear.

Got back to flat, endured sulking from Sherlock re bike riding.

Made dinner, ate dinner, ate lovely cheesecake, started trying to draw a moose on large pieces of cardboard.

Got laughed at by John. Sulked. Refused to draw any more moose.

Still waiting for him to apologise.

How was your day?

(he hasn't kissed my toe better yet, either. Although he did manage to kiss quite a lot of the rest of me, earlier, whilst scandalising elderly neighbours.)

14 July 2012

Breakfast at Gregory's....

This is one plate of breakfast from this morning.


One plate. Two massive bits of french toast sitting on said plate.

Guess who ate BOTH those bits of French Toast?

I'll give you a clue. He was six. (And only has two legs... I've no idea if either of the dogs are six. It's possible.)

Those bits of toast where bigger than his face!  Serves me right for being such a soft touch and making it, I imagine. Everyone else was only slightly more restrained...

9 July 2012

Police Appeal

I know I don't tend toward the serious on this blog often. But sometimes, circumstances call for it.

If you're anywhere around the Essex/Clacton area, please read this, pass on the link, spread the word.

6 July 2012

Wishing on a cement floor

I will scan in Sherlock's moose design, but tonight I'm just too tired.

So instead you can have two pictures - one I took of my cactus* and the other of the clouds today over London.

First, Mr Cactus*:




That's his flower - as I said, I've had him 15 years, or thereabouts, and he's never flowered before - never done anything apart from sit low in his pot and stay alive, against all odds. Usually he's just the leaves around the bottom - he's never grown a tendril like that before.

*I've looked him up, and I think he's a soap aloe, therefore a succulent.

And here's a photo that sort of sums up the weather today. A bit of everything, all at once:


We're lucky though - bursts of rain, but nothing too serious. A lot of puddles, standing water - bad for bikes, because you need to avoid it, but worse, cars suddenly swerve to avoid things. I worry for John. More than I should, no doubt.

Got measured for my uniform today. It's not real uniform... I mean, it is, but it's sort of all action. Cargo trousers, t-shirt, cap, that sort of thing. Hopefully won't have to wear it much. Kicking down doors usually happens at such inconvenient times of day.

3 July 2012

This is us, this is love

I'm so tired tonight. I've been on the sofa all evening barely moving and when I got up just then to put Sherlock to bed it felt like I was made of lead.

As usual, the Met's been busy stretching the thin blue line a bit thinner. To the extent I was meant to be in a briefing for CTC and a meeting with the CPS at the same time today, and had to listen to the Super sorting out a fight over me on the phone.

1 July 2012

Well if I gotta be damned...

Italy lost. And not just a little bit. :(

We've had a lovely day, though. Mycroft couldn't come, as he finishes school for the summer next Saturday! Where has the year gone?? But he didn't seem to mind too much - I suppose knowing you'll be off school for two whole months will do that for you :)