26 January 2013

An' you know what they said? Well, some of it was true!

We headed out East today. After the rain and wind of last night, it was a really nice bright day, so we did something we've been meaning to for a while - go on the Emirates Airline or whatever ridiculous thing it's called.

Basically, it's a cablecar over the river - part of the London Transport network, so you can use it with your Oyster card, but privately sponsored, hence the name.

Anyway, it was great. Some places it would be some sort of tourist attraction, not just a way of crossing the river.

Here's the view from near the start of it:




That looks a bit dark - hope you can see it! Sherlock, despite being told not to move about to much, was like a caged monkey inside the car, scrambling about and making everything sway. I felt sorry for the old couple who were in with us! The lady looked like she was unsure of the whole thing to begin with, never mind being stuck up there with us :)

She also dared to say "The ones coming back the other way look as if they're going faster. I wonder if they are?" To which Sherlock whipped around and fixed her with a glare and said "We're on the same cable! They can't go faster! That's not how it wooooorks.", before John or Mycroft or I could clamp a hand over his mouth... Anyway, she took it very well, and said of course he was right and how silly she was... hmmm.

Anyway, here's a view of a boat Sherlock wants to go on:


I think it's the sort you can do boat trips on. And on the left hand edge of the pic is the Millennium Dome, or whatever it's called now. There were people climbing it, so Sherlock's declared he wants to do that now. And visit the Thames Barrier, which you could see the other way down the river.

After all that excitement we had to get coffee at the Dome, before heading off to do some shopping and things. Sherlock didn't come to earth for some hours...


When we got back, Mycroft showed us this - it's incredibly cool:

http://www.cymascope.com/cyma_research/musicology.html

And since then, the boys have been up to something which I'm not allowed to know about. I'm not sure if John is or not. He was permitted to take them refreshments in Mycroft's room, at least, which I wasn't allowed to...

161 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks like a really fun ride. I like cable cars -- you get somewhere and you get a chance to see the view at the same time.

Mycroft's website is amazing. It makes me want to be able to apply it as a 3D analog on top of a video of a musician in action, just to watch the pretty bubbles!

rsf

John H. D. Watson said...

It's something computery. That's all I could tell.

Greg Lestrade said...

Hmmmm. Curiouser and curiouser, Doc.

Is he planning to shoot a microchip into our necks as we sleep tonight? Send every satellite in orbit spinning out of control? Rig his exams results?... although how would he, given he'll probably get top marks anyway...

pandabob said...

That looks like great fun I'm not surprised Sherlock loved it.

I hope you get to find out what the boys are doing before too long Greg :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

welll..Sherlock's in bed and the end of the world hasn't arrived yet, so I assume we're waiting for tomorrow before the big reveal...

pandabob said...

No sneaking in and having a look while they’re asleep Greg ;-)


I hope your evening has been fun while the boys have been busy.

Greg Lestrade said...

If it's computers I wouldn't know what I was looking at anyway!

We've had a lovely quiet evening, yeah. That's the upside of the plotters being upstairs up to no good in secret.

John has largely been asleep on top of me.

John H. D. Watson said...

you're very comfortable

Greg Lestrade said...

you're slightly...hard...for a fnug. But very warm, and more cuddly. And you've been muttering in your sleep.

John H. D. Watson said...

Did I say anything interesting?

Greg Lestrade said...

couldn't understand most of it. Think you spent some of the time arguing with one of those self serve tills at Tesco. You hit me on the shoulder. Then I stroked your hair and you calmed down.

I hope no one at Tesco strokes your hair when you get stressed out...

Anon Without A Name said...

Cuddly and hard? Nice combo :-)

Glad you all had a good day - I must admit that cable car does look like fun, I must try it sometime when I'm in London.

John H. D. Watson said...

I hope no one at Tesco strokes your hair when you get stressed out...


I'll bring you with me next time so you can do it.

Greg Lestrade said...

Maybe just shop online, then I can give you a full body massage.

John H. D. Watson said...

That does sound ideal.

Greg Lestrade said...

Meanwhile...bed? Ready for whatever tomorrow...later today...brings?

See if the internet still exists after whatever they're up to on the computer.

John H. D. Watson said...

Bed, yes, so that I may continue to sleep on you. Lovely. I'm sorry I hit you in the shoulder. I hope it wasn't hard?

I honestly don't know what Sherlock would do without the internet.

Greg Lestrade said...

it wasn't hard. I won't be setting Sal on you. At least you didn't try to stuff a bank card in my mouth, or remove any unrecognised items from my bagging area.

That is a very good point. And will mean I sleep slightly more soundly tonight.

John H. D. Watson said...

I like all your items where they are.

...Yeah, I really need to sleep.

Greg Lestrade said...

indeed.

Come on. I'll amuse Sherlock with offerings of pancakes and stuff until you wake up tomorrow.

John H. D. Watson said...

you're wonderful

Greg Lestrade said...

Sometimes, I think 'Gregory,you're the luckiest bloke in the world' ... Other times I think 'if that's true, why can't you ever go the f.. to sleep?'

Don't even think I have a guilty conscience to blame.

REReader said...

:(

Can I help? Maybe by being dull or finding cute videos or telling bedtimes stories?

Greg Lestrade said...

I think doing anything on here will keep me awake more. I've got a fairly tedious report on a study conducted regarding eyewitness reliability to read, so I'm hoping that does the trick.

REReader said...

I hope that works. (And the internets are all here if you change your mind... :) But I hope it's totally unneeded!)

Greg Lestrade said...

Well... I do now hate reports that state the bleeding obvious just a bit more than I did already.

REReader said...

That does not sound restful.

This isn't particularly restful either, but it should make you happier about your relatively light snow and ice...: http://youtu.be/xKy2lLNQYrI

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock is very bouncy this morning. And, I fear, plotting a way of keeping Mycroft here with us.

pandabob said...

It sounds like you have a fun day ahead ;-)

Have a great time whatever you get up to.

Greg Lestrade said...

Cheers. It's windy and rainy and horrible, so we won't get up to too much I don't think.

RR - not sure any of that made me feel happier...

Greg Lestrade said...

Now John's up and the sun is out...coincidence? I think not.

Tina said...

Not a coincidence - over here there´s no John and no sun :-)

Kate L said...

Hello all, hope you're all having a lovely day.

John - did you watch the Australian Open final?

Lestrade - your comment about the eyewitness reliability report reminded me of Invisible Gorilla test by Simons and Chabris (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJG698U2Mvo). Fascinating from an academic point of view, but I can see how it would make your job an awful lot harder...

REReader said...

L--Well, it mostly made me wince a lot, but I was told most vociferously that it's very funny and it's just that I have no sense of humor. (I did think swimming pool guy had it coming!)

Greg Lestrade said...

Tina - well, that practically makes it a fact, right? There is still John here, and still sun. Proven.

Kate L - we are, thanks. And yeah, people...well, eyewitnesses are almost more of a hinderance, sometimes.

RR - I think people who tell other people what to find funny are trying to make up for something...I'm not wildly into slapstick, really. Sherlock would love our streets to get that slippery though. I just think about the emergency services who have to deal with it all.

REReader said...

He probably wouldn't love it so much once he realized he couldn't run at all!

(My dad broke his wrist a number of years ago, falling on icy snow. So I figured I could just be being over sensitive. Glad to know it's not just me! I'll just have to find you something I do find funny...oh, I know! BRB!)

REReader said...

http://youtu.be/93AsW8waI90

:)

John H. D. Watson said...

Kate - I watched parts of it, but unfortunately once Murray beat Federer, I think it was a foregone conclusion. Not that I wouldn't have loved to see him win, but I wasn't expecting it. What did you think, if you saw it?

Anonymous said...

We did that selective attention test in law school some time ago. It took me three views and a lot of laughing students to see anything out of the ordinary...
I really hope for everybody involved that I will never have to actually be an eyewitness. I can't imagine how frustrating it must be to deal with people like me in those situations...

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, they made the news here a few days ago, RR. Obviously I had to keep John from wanting a jumper...

Anon - in a way, it's sometimes good to have two unreliable witnesses contradicting each other, so you have reason to ignore both, as opposed to one who you feel you should possibly believe! But people can't help it, in a fast, stressful situation.

Danger, Sherlock, if there's anything we need to bake Mycroft to take back to school with him, sing out now...

Sherlock said...

Bat biscuits!

Greg Lestrade said...

Bat biscuits, of course - a school essential! With fresh bat, or dried?

John H. D. Watson said...

Made with real bats...?

Sherlock said...

Both of you stop being silly!

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger, I worry we spend too much time together....

(I don't. )

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock, if I stopped being silly I fear I'd become boring very very quickly.

Sherlock said...

SHAPED LIKE BATS and with black glitter on so they're shiny.

Greg Lestrade said...

what flavour, Bat boy? Ginger? Chocolate? Spicy?

REReader said...

I think bat biscuits would look amazing with black glitter, Sherlock!

(They're very beautifully made jumpers, L!)

Greg Lestrade said...

RR, yeah, but Shetland ponies are taller than John... they'd have to make a small size.

KHolly said...

Do they make black glitter? That's cool.

(And L, I knew if I waited long enough Pandora would finally play your song lyric. It was driving me crazy because I could sing it in my head but still couldn't name it. And I knew on my current shuffle mix Pandora would get to it eventually, I would just have to be patient. I feel much better now. And what an appropriate lyric for those photos.)

Greg Lestrade said...

KHolly - I aim to please :)

And Sherlock got many colours of glitter, including black, from Santa. Or NOT from Santa, as he angrily points out every time we say it...

REReader said...

RR, yeah, but Shetland ponies are taller than John... they'd have to make a small size.

L--maybe not taller--I've never seen a Shetland pony up close, so I couldn't say--but according to CNN, the jumper would definitely need to be smaller, as these were the largest sweaters the knitter had ever made!

Sherlock said...

All of those flavours.

Greg Lestrade said...

ALl at once, or split the batch into different flavours?

RR - Shetland ponies are very common here. It was a joke. They're very small.

REReader said...

*deapan humor attempt fail*
(Note to self: You aren't funny with a migraine)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, day off detecting today, failed to detect the humour.

I can't really believe the story made the news at all, let alone globally. People do bizarre things for adverts all the time, surely? Suppose it's a classic 'drop the dead donkey' sort of story.

Sherlock said...

Split up. Except maybe chocolate and spicy together. Or chocolate and cinnamon.

Greg Lestrade said...

to the kitchen, youngling!

Also, RR, she's probably only made jumpers for Scottish people. And they're a tiny race - it's too cold and dark to grow proper sized people up there. Hence John. So saying it's the biggest thing she's knitted? Doesn't mean a thing...

REReader said...

Heh!

(Not your fault, very tiny humor. Quieter that way. :))

It made the news because tiny ponies are adorable, and sweaters are cuddly, so it was just a case of cuteness overload, I think. :)

Chocolate and spice and chocolate and cinnamon both sound like excellent combinations....although I like chocolate and nuts best.

Greg Lestrade said...

biscuits are out and cooling, which is good, because we need to pack and get Mycroft back to school. If we can stop Sherlock clinging to him...

And, boys, I notice I have a new app on my phone. Well, lots of new ones, but one I don't know anything about. Hmmmmmmmm??

Mycroft said...

Have you opened it?

Greg Lestrade said...

No. I was taught not to open strange apps. Or talk to strangers, or something.

Mycroft said...

I imagine your curiosity will get the better of you at some point.

Greg Lestrade said...

...it looks like a magic 8 ball. Do I ask it advice?

Sherlock said...

Just click on itttttttttt

Greg Lestrade said...

...

It says...

'John ate it'...

Right.

John H. D. Watson said...

...Does it really? Let me see that.

Greg Lestrade said...

hands off my app!

Greg Lestrade said...

...now it says 'It wasn't Sherlock'

Sherlock said...

That's right it wasn't me!

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha, now it says 'There's glitter in your hair'!

REReader said...

That's BRILLIANT!

Greg Lestrade said...

Riight, so I get to use this as I go about my day?

...it says 'Ask Sally to do it'. She barely takes orders from me, let alone my phone...

Mycroft said...

That's why it says 'ask' instead of 'tell'.

You could consult it at various times. You might find it useful...occasionally.

Anon Without A Name said...

Nice work, boys :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

...Hmmm.

...now it says 'Don't drop me in the Thames'....does it know we're talking about it??

John H. D. Watson said...

I know Mycroft's very talented, but I don't think he's made your phone sentient...probably.

Greg Lestrade said...

It's very clever, boys, thank you. I'll consult it often.

Mycroft said...

It might know you're talking about it. In a way, depending on how you look at it.

I hope you enjoy it.

Greg Lestrade said...

It just told me to 'Kiss John'...I shall enjoy it very much :)

And stop with the sentient thing, you're scaring me. Bad enough it knows what words I want when I type.

John H. D. Watson said...

Clearly it gives excellent advice.

Greg Lestrade said...

right now it should say 'Go! Or you'll be in trouble for getting Mycroft back late!'....but it says..."Don't drink any more coffee". Hmmm.

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm not sure...you have had a lot of coffee...

Greg Lestrade said...

That's because I had very little sleep.

Kate L said...

John - replying late here, but wanted to say that I enjoyed it but after about 1/2-way through the 3rd set I wasn't sure that he was going to do it, he looked like he wasn't having a particularly good match day.

Mycroft - that app is fantastic!

pandabob said...

That sounds like a wonderful and useful app boys :-)

Don't work too hard back at school Mycroft.

Greg Lestrade said...

He's back, getting supper and wanting to watch the new Brian Cox show. We're back, with about the same aims.

REReader said...

I hope you--all four of you!--have nice, relaxing evenings in your respective locations.

pandabob said...

Same things, different places, sounds perfect :-)

enjoy your evening.

Greg Lestrade said...

Currently watching Top Gear, because Mycroft will only judge me from a distance...

My phone says...

Hah! 'Stop that'.

pandabob said...

an app that lets Mycroft communicate with you from school! Now I understand what it was really for ;-)

REReader said...

It DOES read your mind! :D

Greg Lestrade said...

I think he's combined decent advice with some of John's oft-used phrases...I wonder if I'll ever get the same one twice?

pandabob said...

I'm sure if you keep posting them here someone will point out when you do ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm sure I'll be getting the coffee one again. And probably that last one, too!!

pandabob said...

Have you thought about giving coffee up for lent? then you wouldn't need the message ;-)



(just in case anyone is unsure this is a joke)

Greg Lestrade said...

Go to your room and think about what you've just said, AnonyBob ;)

The Prof here is essentially saying that our flat is a perfect example of the 2nd law of thermodynamics - starts out orderly, slides towards chaos :)

(I think that's what he's saying...)

pandabob said...

I’m giving up the caffeinated drink I’m not allowed to mention for lent so I wasn’t suggesting you went through the horrible experience all on your own ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

The Met and the Government would be knocking at the door begging me to go back on it, once the crime rate went up (Well...I rather flatter myself there, but you know what I mean. Sal will be knocking on your door, at the least...)

pandabob said...

my door? typing error or have you really had Anthea track me down?

Coffee and policemen cannot be separated I know ;-)

REReader said...

Was Sherlock pleased enough with the success of their app to help counteract his disappointment with Mycroft going back to school? (I won't ask about Mycroft because--at least from my vantage point!--he covers too well. :))

Small Hobbit said...

Anonybob - Anthea knows everything.

Greg Lestrade said...

AnonyBob - nope, if Sal has to put up with me with no caffeine, she will hunt you down!

Anthea would just laugh at me.

RR - He's not very happy, but he's not being awkward, either.

pandabob said...

Ok, but I’ll refer you to the bracketed bit of my comment and hope I survive ;-) Sally scares me slightly, not in a bad way but she seems quite a scary lady when she wants to be.

I’m glad Sherlock is doing ok. Not long until Half term now :-)

REReader said...

I'm sorry Sherlock (and the two of you, too) are missing Mycroft, although it's good he's doing okay despite that. When is half term?

Greg Lestrade said...

15th Feb.

We shall have to arrange Valentine's around it... although with Mycroft home we can probably leave them with Mrs Hudson and not worry too much.

REReader said...

That's practically no time at all! :)

(To be fair, Sherlock is generally very good about you two having dates--so long as you don't do anything he'd consider fun. :))

Sherlock said...

Lestrade are you here yettttttt

pandabob said...

is Lestrade being late Sherlock? that's not good is it.

I hope you've had a nice day at school :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm here, I'm sorry.

REReader said...

Is everything okay, guys?

pandabob said...

I'm glad you're home Greg, I hope your day has been ok and you have an nice evening :-)

John H. D. Watson said...

It'll be a warm, dry evening at any rate, which will be better than his ride home. He was soaking when he got here. Just about squished when Sherlock hugged him.

pandabob said...

The weather isn't exactly brilliant is it!

Have you had a good day John?

REReader said...

Brrrrr....

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm ok, busy day, that's all.

John H. D. Watson said...

Anonybob - pretty decent, yeah. Sherlock was in a reasonably calm mood, which always helps.

pandabob said...

That's good to hear John :-)

have a fun evening.

Greg Lestrade said...

He's very calm tonight. Did you slip something in his juice? Hmmm? Don't make me come over there and investigate you...

John H. D. Watson said...

That's not a very threatening threat...

Greg Lestrade said...

you're not a very criminal suspect.

John H. D. Watson said...

I could draw on a fake moustache. That might help.

I think he's still a little tired out from the weekend, miraculously.

Greg Lestrade said...

A fake moustache would help to repel me...

He was a bit dopey this morning, actually. Although still up early... one day he'll come to appreciate a lie in, maybe...

John H. D. Watson said...

Probably after he's moved out, I suspect.

Greg Lestrade said...

Mmm. That'll be when we get to re-appreciate them.

Thought I might try and get to Mum's on Thursday. Dunno if you want to come with?

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, if that's all right?

Greg Lestrade said...

Course it is. Be nice to have you there.

I just want to check out the new place, really. Big protective streak coming out of me. Want to make sure it's good enough, you know?

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, of course. Only natural. It's still nearby, right? Not too much of a trip for Nicky?

Greg Lestrade said...

Bit further, but yeah, still near enough. She says it's got a garden and stuff, not that they'll be getting much use of it now. And that's it's a just a bit less hospitally, really.

John H. D. Watson said...

That's good. I know your mum wasn't happy about being there, so maybe this will be better.

Greg Lestrade said...

Hope so, yeah. Bit more privacy, too.

By the way, the vote has us both wearing cravats at the moment...

John H. D. Watson said...

People like cravats. At least it's not bow ties.

Greg Lestrade said...

...don't suppose you know how to tie one of those, either?

John H. D. Watson said...

Er...I know how to tie one poorly...

Greg Lestrade said...

hah.. Don't worry, I really don't like bow ties either. I dislike all neckwear, basically.

Although I think a cravat is the best of a bad lot.

John H. D. Watson said...

They always look nice in pictures. Bow ties usually look a bit silly.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, depending on the knot. Nothing too fancy.

Bow ties just...yeah, ridiculous. Glad I never have occasion to wear one.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah...you wouldn't want a fancy cravat... ;)

REReader said...

(There's an invitation to Nicky if I every heard one... ;D)

Greg Lestrade said...

Piss taker. I mean, like the ones you see the 'old' guides for tying, that go around your neck about twenty times first and all that.

I'm for a simple single go around the neck, simple knot.

RR - Invitation to what? Throw a posh do and demand formal wear?

John H. D. Watson said...

Right, yeah. I agree. No neckwear that requires a guide to tie it!

Greg Lestrade said...

None of this, even if it describes one style as 'delicious'?

http://images-mediawiki-sites.thefullwiki.org/08/5/0/9/8952121484284196.gif

John H. D. Watson said...

That looks like neck origami.

Greg Lestrade said...

Neck origami sounds like it should involve broken bones ... maybe some of those are the bandaging to fix it?

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah...some look like they'd work as a neck brace pretty well.

Greg Lestrade said...

...just so you know, even if it wins the vote... not sure I'll do it. I wear a tie for court if I have to, nowhere else unless ... well, nowhere else, really.

John H. D. Watson said...

Heh. I was assuming you wouldn't. That old poll of yours didn't get me into a kilt, either. I'll probably wear a tie. That I know how to tie. Because I'm boring that way.

Small Hobbit said...

Since the style it refers to as 'delicious' also refers to having 'innocence virginale' I'm not entirely sure it's suitable for L.

Okay, that may be a reference to the colour, but still ;)

REReader said...

Those cravats look very Regency--altogether from another era!


Invitation to what?

Finding a picture with you in a bow tie, of course... (There's always PhotoShop... ;))

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock presented me with a very...loud purple and pink striped tie when we were last shopping. I shall direct him to you with future offers.

SH - How very dare you! ;)

RR - Don't think I've ever worn one, and I don't think she's desperate enough to photoshop me. Got better things to do with her time.

REReader said...

Sorry, I guess I really should stop trying to make jokes. Even with smileys. :( (Especially with migraines or migraine hangovers.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Wonderful. I'll wear it with my unicorn hoodie.

Greg Lestrade said...

you'd look divine :) (you always do.)

John H. D. Watson said...

You're very sweet. And so you do, though I know you don't believe me.

If Sherlock wants some purple and pink monstrosity, he can always wear it himself.

Greg Lestrade said...

True! It would be like a cravat if he bought an adult-sized tie, the knot would be so fat. And the skinny end would be down to his knee...

I think you should take me to bed and rub my neck. Got a case of paperwork-strain. You could do it here, but then I may not want to move...

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm sure he'd love it. Maybe with the wings.

Happy to, and bed is better anyway. Let's go.

pandabob said...

sleep some guys :-)

pandabob said...

I hope you all slept ok last night :-)

Have a nice day all of you.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, pretty well last night. Didn't want to get up this morning - especially to Sherlock running a very loud and persistent campaign for chocolate milk (he didn't get it).

Hope you managed a bit yourself, and have a nice day ahead of you b

pandabob said...

I'm glad you slept ok, it makes it far easier to resist the small child pestering ;-)

Post a Comment