8 April 2013

Some people think you've got to like your life one way, I disagree.

Took the boys (all three of them) and the cupcakes (all 24 22 20 19 of them - and John, I KNOW it was you that...who?...ate the fifth one!) off to see Mum, and after, Nicky and family.

I...might have scared everyone a bit, because we got to the ...home, or whatever you call it, and, well, I'd thought about it a lot all the way there, and I'm just determined that she won't bloody ...bring me down, you know? So I told them to follow my lead. And then became some sort of...clown-like, manically happy just...I don't know. You know the sort of really annoying person who just turns everything around to try and make it all happy and cheery, when all you want to do is have a cathartic moan? Like...incapable of talking about a serious subject? Yeah...everything she said that was heading off to negativity I jollied her out of. I got Sherlock to tell her all about his school chicks/chickens, John told her about his birthday weekend, and Murray visiting, Mycroft told her all about his astronomy trip later in the year... we just bombarded her with stuff.

At the end I mentioned what she might do after she's released... she still wants to go home, so...well, we talked about that a bit. About her getting some help, getting her house adapted...that sort of thing. She didn't really want to talk about that, though...so, well, I'll try again. I'm not sure she really wants to face the idea, despite being adamant about it all.

Then we went off to see Nicky, Carla, Paul and Mark. Had a lovely time. I was co-erced into giving motorbike rides (by my niece, nephew and sister!) and it was just nice to spend a bit of time there.

But now we're home again. Sherlock is moaning that we gave away ALL the cupcakes.


Heard Maggie Thatcher died. I've got...no love for her, putting it mildly. But the sort of comments about being glad she's dead I find very distasteful. I'd rather her policies had died - many of them, sadly, live on. She wasn't a leader anymore - she had no power. She was just an old lady. A mother. And I don't think anyone should celebrate a death.

63 comments:

pandabob said...

What a great way to deal with your mother Greg and I'm glad you came out of it feeling positive :-)

I'm not sure I buy the idea of needing coercing into motorbike rides but it sounds like fun anyway.

Tell Sherlock he should be all happy at the minute, he's still off school while mine went back today ;-)

Have a good evening all of you.

Anonymous said...

It's an approach I used to use when my parents were sulking at each other (not an uncommon situation). It mostly worked, at the very least they bonded a little under the relentless heat of my cheeriness. It's certainly an interesting technique for both boys to learn. Glad that the motorbiking went so well.

I'm with you on the the Thatcher thing. We're more or less of an age and it wasn't a good time to live through, but she's somebody's mother and she was somebody's baby and to be happy when someone dies says way more about you than them.

Lancs. Anon

Greg Lestrade said...

It was...exhausting. And made me feel like I was deranged :)

Sherlock is fairly happy...I have assured him more cupcakes will be created.

Anonymous said...

It sounds like you found a good way to get through the visit with your mum. And I bet everyone had fun with the bikes. I sympathize with Sherlock about the cupcakes though. Perhaps on future visits you can plan on larger batches?

As for Thatcher -- I think Glenn Greenwald said it well when he said that imposing a code of "don't speak ill of the dead" on a public figure is problematic. It allows that person's supporters to create a hagiography of them which can persist all too long, distorting their record. And I can't blame anyone for celebrating the last time they're likely to see a name in the news which they associate with the worst time in their lives.

My only regret is that Thatcher's death has overshadowed the loss of Annette Funicello. *sigh*

rsf

REReader said...

More cupcakes is always good. :) (And if more cheering is wanted, here is a song about zombies. With a singalong part!)

I agree on Thatcher's death--I couldn't be more opposed to the policies she implemented, but that's a reason to work against them, not to rejoice in her death (which, after all, has no effect on the policies at all).

Anonymous said...

It was...exhausting. And made me feel like I was deranged :)

I used to think of it as my antic disposition from when Hamlet is pretending to be mad and yes, it made me feel exactly the same way.

Lancs. Anon
(PS Yay for cupcakes)

Greg Lestrade said...

RR - no, no more cheering. Feeling way more deranged than necessary already.

RSF - I have no idea who that is.

And I don't mind people speaking ill of her - but there's a huge difference between giving your opinion on her/her policies and wildly celebrating her death.

And as a copper, I'm not looking forward to her funeral.

John H. D. Watson said...

I KNOW it was you that...who?...ate the fifth one

...Maybe.

It went pretty well with your mum. Seems like a good tactic.

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock is incapable of looking as innocent as he did if he's actually done something. And he always blames someone else very quickly and has a huge elaborate story ready for how they managed it.

It did work pretty well. Couldn't have done it much longer without taking some uppers though...remind me next time, I'll visit a friendly local drug dealer first ;)

REReader said...

Actually, the zombie song was meant for Sherlock--sorry, I see I wasn't clear.

For you I'd probably prescribe some Bach. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ah. He was in bed so long before your comment I didn't even think of him, to be honest. He was pretty tired out today, thankfully.

Anonymous said...

Greenwald is a pundit. Here's alink if you care. He also talks about the reaction to the death of Hugo Chavez.

Actually, I hope the family decides on a nice private ceremony, L. And announce where it was two days later, so no one can show up to cause trouble. Too many funerals get turned into media circuses anyway.

On a lighter note, if Carla is thinking about getting a helmet of her own, maybe she could look for one of the designs over here.

http://www.latesttopten.com/10-very-creative-amazing-funny-motorcycle-helmets

rsf

Greg Lestrade said...

She's having a ceremony with full military honours - the same as Princess Di and the Queen Mum.

And sorry, I meant I didn't know who Annette Funicello was.

Anonymous said...

Oh. Annette was one of the original Mousketeers. You know, the Mickey Mouse Club? (Did that ever get shown over there?) I hope the funeral thing goes well anyway, and you don't have any trouble. Can you tell I got my news today by reading my facebook feed? Too cheap to buy a paper on my day off...

rsf

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm not sure it did. I don't remember it, anyway.

I'm almost always too cheap to buy a paper. I might pick up the freebies in the morning or evening, but mainly I just use the BBC website. They're at least supposed to be impartial.

REReader said...

Here's a shorthand version of an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club--Annette is at about 0:50, 2:10, and 2:55, and then as an adult at around 3:20. :)

(No, I'm not quite old enough to have watched the original series when it aired--but they reran it when I was the right age, so I remember it quite well.)


(And maybe Sherlock will enjoy the zombies in the morning. :))

Anonymous said...

Actually, I'm too cheap to buy a paper on the days I work too, but I work in a library, so the library pays for 'em. I check the internet too, but the distraction quotient there is pretty high. You know, blogs to read, that sort of thing.

Zombies in the morning. On the train everyday. It's okay as long as they're still clutching their coffee.

rsf

pandabob said...

I have no idea if you're off again tomorrow or at work Greg but I hope whatever you're doing you get enough sleep to do it ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Work, yes. I feel like you've just sent me to bed ;)

(someone probably should... I shall pretend to snore and drool on John's shoulder, see if he does the job. Terrible Nanny, you know, letting me stay up this late on a school night!)

pandabob said...

I would never do that, sorry if it came across that way :-(

Greg Lestrade said...

No, don't be upset - I do need telling sometimes! I really hadn't noticed how late it was. And you did it very nicely ;)

pandabob said...

ok then :-) I need someone to send me to bed but no one ever dares try ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha!

I feel somehow wrong in saying "If I go to bed, will you promise you will too?"...but there you go.

pandabob said...

over the distance of the internet I think it might be safe to make that agreement ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry I can't send John to tuck you in and turn your light off.

Well...you know. Could. But won't. Sorry again.

Greg Lestrade said...

I may actually go insane...

Anonymous said...

Is this a lifestyle choice, or is something bugging you?

Lancs. Anon
(I can actually recommend being insane up to a point)

John H. D. Watson said...

Is work particularly maddening?

Greg Lestrade said...

yes. beyond words

Anonymous said...

The funeral arrangements, or your cases?

AftSO

Greg Lestrade said...

cases. Junior officers. and I don't like getting angry, but sometimes...

John H. D. Watson said...

Do you want a break? We could get lunch or something if you have time.

Small Hobbit said...

Sometimes it becomes necessary.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, maybe. I'm probably way too annoyed to be someone anyone would like to be around though.

John H. D. Watson said...

I always like to be around you. I can probably leave the boys with Mrs Hudson if you want to swear loudly at inanimate objects.

Greg Lestrade said...

I don't know. Yeah, if they don't mind that might be better.

Tell Sherlock we'll make cupcakes when I'm home.

John H. D. Watson said...

Mycroft has volunteered to take Sherlock to the Natural History Museum. Sherlock is very excited about both that and cupcakes. He says if he gets another hammock later too this will be 'THE BEST DAY EVER'.

So I am at your disposal. Should I leave now?

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock - if we get a stunningly good report from Mycroft about your behaviour at the museum, it will show us that you're both grown up and deserve a hammock later. So be good, do what he tells you and if you want to do something/see something ask him nicely and I'm sure the two of you can come to a polite agreement about how your day will go.

Danger - yeah, now's fine. No one in the office will make eye contact with me right now anyway, since I ripped a few of them a new one. May as well get out and let them all calm down a bit.

John H. D. Watson said...

All right, see you soon.

Dare I ask what the ripping was about or can't you say here?

Greg Lestrade said...

Bad work, to begin with. But bad attitude was what really got my hackles up.

pandabob said...

Are you feeling any less stressed as you head towards home time Greg?

Sorry its been less that good today.

Sherlock, Mycroft did you have fun out together?

Greg Lestrade said...

Err...a bit, yeah.

John was brilliant, letting me rant at him.

And I should have said how amazing he and the boys were yesterday, with Mum. I know it's not much fun for any of them, but honestly, they were all just amazing, and I really couldn't have done it without them. They went well above and beyond what was called for, and I'm indebted to them all.

Nicky said...

Orio, I know you will, and it's pointless me worrying, but after the problems we had here last night please try and stay out of trouble!

Was lovely seeing you all yesterday, and thanks for the cupcakes. They've all gone already!

I might call you about Mum. I think she is in denial, really, but the time is coming when she has to make a decision.

pandabob said...

I'm glad you're feeling a bit better Greg.

Have a good evening with your wonderful family :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Nicks - I will be as careful as possible. You stay safe too.

(John probably ate the cupcakes on his way out...)

I'm...fairly sure that Mum isn't going to listen to me on this one. We'll get through it though, yeah?

AnonyBob - Thanks. You too!

Anon Without A Name said...

Glad to hear you all had fun yesterday, Nicky - although "trouble" and "problems" don't sound fun at all...

REReader said...

Problems last night? I'm guessing this is something that should have shown up in the US news, but didn't (because our news sources are relentlessly local)? I hope everyone stays safe, whatever it is.

How did the trip to the museum go? Did Sherlock earn an evening hammock (I hope!)?

Small Hobbit said...

RR: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2013/apr/09/police-arrests-thatcher-death-parties

No comment!

REReader said...

...

Thanks for the link, SH.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah. that's what she was on about. We know things are being arranged for the weekend and next Thursday too...but it's the spontaneous stuff that's more dangerous, really. Events are so easily taken over by people who just use them to cause trouble.

pandabob said...

people are weird!! stay safe out there Mr :-)

REReader said...

Events are so easily taken over by people who just use them to cause trouble.

I hear you, L.

Anon Without A Name said...

SH - thanks for the link, I hadn't seen that at all (been stuck in a meeting almost all day, so I've not seen the news at all).

Greg Lestrade said...

Sorry, I would have linked had I not been up to my armpits in cupcake making with the boy wonder. (Who is, in case anyone doubted it, now in a hammock again.)

REReader said...

:)

What kind of cupcakes tonight?

Greg Lestrade said...

,...and I should have said thank you, SH, for linking and explaining.

Chocolate and raspberry cupcakes today.

REReader said...

Ooh, yummmmmm!

*is suddenly very hungry*

pandabob said...

being in a hammock means Sherlock had a good time with Mycroft I'm guessing?

those cupcakes sound so lovely that they might not make it to morning ;-)

Small Hobbit said...

Not a problem L - you had much more important things to do - I'm just drinking wine.

Greg Lestrade said...

AnonyBob - yes, got a glowing report from Mycroft. Well, as glowing as brothers get...

SH - you've made me want wine. Red. Hmm. Bet we've got some, but it won't have breathed...

Anonymous said...

That article is fascinating to me. Does this have any precedent in the UK? We have hugely divisive and nasty politics in the US but I can't see this kind of windspread partying happening to celebrate the death of our leaders... I'm not trying to say we're somehow "better," just that the backlash would be huge, because we love judging people and getting outraged about shit.

Mmm, cupcakes. Lestrade, could I hire you to be my personal cupcake baker? I think everyone should have a baker on retainer.

Greg Lestrade said...

It doesn't really have a precedent, no. But I think it shows the depth of feeling there was about her - and the divide. She really did divide this country. Very few people don't have an opinion about her - a strong one, generally.

And sorry, already personal cupcake maker to three boys - can't stretch myself too thin!

Anonymous said...

I appreciate that Brits at least acknowledge the divide and the divisiveness. As Rachel Maddow (one of our news pundits in the US) pointed out the other day, there's a concerted effort stateside to whitewash Ronald Reagan's legacy, and get all sorts of landmarks and freeways and things named after him, to make it look like he was more universally beloved than he actually was. I don't mind if people respect him, and I could probably be in the same room with people who idolize him, but there should be a more explicit acknowledgement that there's plenty of us who remember him with no fondness whatsoever.

-Ella

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