11 January 2014

And it's further to fall down, 'Cause you fly so high

Had a lovely day today.

We got up to clear skies and sunshine, so John and I had a gentle stroll in the park, and Sherlock took his bike. I wanted to jog, but John gave me one of those 'are you actually stupid?' looks, and gave his medical opinion that my ankle wasn't ready for it.

Which it isn't. But I probably wouldn't have accepted that until I'd tried and failed ;)

Anyway, strolling was fine. Sherlock was manic, it was nice.

After lunch we went for a swim, and Sherlock practised his underwater swimming. He can go quite a long way - between five and ten metres, on a good attempt. I'm trying to get back to being able to do a length. Smoking stopped all that, but I can get about 20 metres now (although not right now, breaststroke kick is something my ankle doesn't enjoy much.)

John did a bit of 'serious' swimming, but was then roped in to doing diving with Sherlock :)

Afterward I need coffee and Sherlock needed food. And, apparently, a huge hot chocolate with sprinkles and marshmallows and cream. And then when we got home he needed a chocolate cake...

So, all in all, a lovely day.

Quite a contrast from yesterday, which was ups and downs. Some charges brought, which made me happy. And a crime scene which just... well, very hard to take in. Nothing prepares you for some of them. I mean, not what you see, but thinking about what's led to it. Thinking about what people have gone through, to lead to the moment you're there. What their last moments must have been like. What was going on in their minds. Sometimes it makes you wonder about the world we live in. How someone can feel that there really is nothing else left for them to do...but that. I don't know, makes you sad for them, for society, for futures lost.


And I think I'll be back at work tomorrow...which Sherlock doesn't appreciate. But I will definitely appreciate having some time off with John later in the week.

Have a picture which has been sent around the office. Sums up the job perfectly.


Oh, and I am doing a seminar. On the hidden world of murder etc. amongst the 'invisible population' - people who've been trafficked, who are held in slavery, or who are otherwise not officially known about within our population.

99 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

That picture is fantastic.

Greg Lestrade said...

I imagine it's true of many professions, but certainly for mine.

John H. D. Watson said...

When's your seminar?

Greg Lestrade said...

End of next month. Which...is partly good, because it's not in half term, so I don't miss Mycroft.

But it is on another date I'd rather not be away for. Which...I'll torture you for a bit trying to work out what it is ;)

Joolz said...

Sounds like a lovely day. Glad you listened to John and were sensible with your ankle, definitely one of the perks of being married to a Health Care Professional. ;) Having time together at the end of the week will be brilliant too.

Do you have to go away somewhere to a conference to give your seminar or will it be in London and if you do have to go away can you have visitors... ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

End of next month... The only thing I can think of isn't exactly a date you'd want to commemorate.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'll put you out of your misery, because I do just make these dates up as excuses to celebrate things.

It's our six-month-iversary, Husband. On the 24th. Which conveniently is the day I leave for the conference.

Joolz - yeah, it's away. I swear they're never in London. And I might be allowed to take a friend - but persuading Sherlock not to come will be difficult.

John H. D. Watson said...

Good, I like that one better.

persuading Sherlock not to come will be difficult

Difficult, but maybe not impossible... We'll see.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, me too.

I still think about that kid. Hope he's doing okay.

The added excietment of a 'holiday' and a seminar about murder? We'll have to tether him to something.

John H. D. Watson said...

I hope he is too.

Like a balloon. He'll take off otherwise.

Greg Lestrade said...

I was thinking more like a dog that chases cars ;) but yes...

I'm sure he'll want to help write it all, anyway.

John H. D. Watson said...

Write it? He'll want to present it...

Greg Lestrade said...

We should delete this entire thing and I'll change the post to say I'm going on a training course for avoiding paper cuts and stapler injuries when filing reports. In triplicate.

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha. I was going to say the next logical step is to send him and we can both stay home. ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

also an excellent plan.

Greg Lestrade said...

and now I'm wide awake after dreaming about trying to escape..possibly catch..people on trains. In Europe.

And I really should be asleep. Might have to make tea, then sleep.

Danger, if you wake up to find cold tea next to you, it's because I'm going to assume I'll wake you up getting back into bed...so made you some.

REReader said...

Eep, that sounds...unfun. Making tea sounds like a nice, normal way to ground yourself back in reality.

(Holler if you want some boring and/or distracting. But I'm hoping you fall back asleep without even seeing this.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock was deeply unhappy that oat pancakes were not on the menu this morning. (You have to prep the stuff the night before).

He shared his unhappiness by waking John up, to register his complaint about me.

Anon Without A Name said...

I can only imagine how impressed John was by that...

Greg Lestrade said...

If you're imagining John in that situation you're a braver person than I - Sherlock is impervious to grumbles, squints, looks of vague outrage as John realises sleep is over...

Joolz said...

Do you mean John would be too tired to even employ 'The Look' because I thought Everyone trembled when confronted by that eyebrow! ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

It does take John a moment to gear up to a full Look. And Sherlock would also have been in full flow to persuade him it was I who deserved it, not him. I mean, no pancakes - can you imagine the cruelty?

Sherlock said...

You should have known I wanted them!

John and I are buying olives.

Anon Without A Name said...

Sherlock - did you ask Lestrade yesterday if he'd make you oaty pancakes for breakfast this morning?

REReader said...

Buying olives seems a worthwhile activity.

(Have you notices that grownups are more fun when they're less tired? Just something to think about.)

Greg Lestrade said...

Nameless - it was obvious he wanted them, apparently! And I call myself a detective ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock, I do hope you (and John) are both surviving the lack of pancakes. I didn't mean to jeopardise your very existence.

REReader said...

I'm sure you managed some sustaining alternative to pancakes... ;)

How's work going?

John H. D. Watson said...

I've just read that two thirds of people tip their head to the right when they kiss. Never thought about it before.

Greg Lestrade said...

You just made me think about which way is kiss the corpse I'm looking at...

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha! Sorry about that... And would it be to the right?

Greg Lestrade said...

Depends on the kiss..lips, yes. I mean..we're it not a corpse. I think you've changed me, you know...

Cheek kissing, that's always left-right-left for me, meaning which way you jink, not which cheek it is. But that's just because of where I spent most time in Italy.

Greg Lestrade said...

Should clarify you've changed me because I think I used to go left...not because I used to kiss corpses!

John H. D. Watson said...

It did sound a bit like you thought corpses should only be kissed to the left... I suppose they don't mind either way.

rsf said...

You could make banana candles, I suppose.

Greg Lestrade said...

...RSF, I'm lost.

I'm spending far too long imagining kissing you now, Danger - it's not helping me get work done!

How's Sherlock. He did get normal pancakes today...he didn't actually starve...

REReader said...

Pancakes of ANY kind are a special breakfast!

Sherlock said...

If John wants to be more fun and sleep more he should have a bedtime and go to bed and not stay up late.

rsf said...

Forgot the link. Rats. http://www.futureofthecookbook.org/2008/05/be-bold-with-bananas/

although I got reminded about them by http://www.buzzfeed.com/ariannarebolini/truly-upsetting-vintage-recipes

I wonder what made aspics fall out of popularity. You find a lot of them in old cookbooks.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha, ever heard the saying 'burning the candle at both ends'? Sherlock?

rsf said...

Sherlock, that is a very sensible suggestion, but even if John did go to bed earlier he still might wake up slowly next morning. Some people just do. I actually find it harder to get out of bed when I've gone to bed early. (Have you ever heard of "Clinomania"?)

John H. D. Watson said...

Sherlock's eaten so many olives while we walked that we had to turn around and get more. He's definitely not starving.

What if I don't want to be more fun...?

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm not sure I could handle you being more fun...

If you're about, I could manage coffee on the way back to the office? I understand if someone is too full of olives to manage that though...

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, if you're done kissing your corpse. I'm a little afraid to find out what the combination of hot chocolate and a stomach full of olives will do to him though. I'll text you when we're close, shouldn't be too long.

REReader said...

Well, Sherlock, I guess you have to decide if John being more fun is worth you making up for his not-planning-ahead.

Greg Lestrade said...

bring a bag. If it does result in some form of expulsion he'll want to put it under his microscope.

Or he could give it to Molls, just left her with some stomach contents waiting to be analysed.

Sherlock said...

Can I see??

Greg Lestrade said...

You can't see these ones, no. Ongoing case, and not one I'd be happy you seeing.

But maybe she'll find something interesting that you could see soon. I'll tell her to keep her eye out.

Greg Lestrade said...

...I apologise to anyone who ever has the misfortune to sit near us while eating/drinking and has to listen to our conversations. Really. Sorry.

Joolz said...

Are those pesky corpses and stomach contents coming up in conversation again, darn, that always happens... ;)

Piplover said...

I have to laugh, L, because my brother's girlfriend is a vet tech, and I work in a surgery. A lot of our conversations revolve around bleeding body parts and what comes out of animals unexpectedly. We can sometimes forget most people don't like to hear that stuff around the table.

Greg Lestrade said...

yeah, we had a lovely conversation about stomach contents, smells, exploding corpses, rotting, maggots, all the staples for a nice tea time chat.

Kestrel337 said...

When my sister was pursuing her animal science degree I used to have to go eat in a different room. She used to tease me about being able to read things like All Creatures Great and Small but not being able to take her 'conversation', but I didn't actually read that AT TABLE, which seemed like the critical difference.

Sherlock said...

Didy you know youcann use touch sreen phones with yor tongue

Greg Lestrade said...

...my question there would be 'does John know you're using his touch screen phone with your tongue'?

I use my nose on mine when I've got gloves on... but not for typing, usually. Answering, calling, etc. sometimes.

John H. D. Watson said...

...Please don't lick my phone, Sherlock.

Greg Lestrade said...

i'm sure he was prodding, not licking...right?

Sherlock said...

You can lick it to unlock it!

REReader said...

Um. Not sure either is the world's best idea... Why Your Cellphone Has More Bacteria Than a Toilet Seat. (Although it IS interesting to know that works!)

Greg Lestrade said...

If John's asked you not to lick his phone, Sherlock, you shouldn't.

I'm on the way home. You can lick my phone, if you're not bored with it. Just remember I wipe my nose across it.

RR - I'm fairly sure it'll do his immune system good. Unless John's be very lax about his hygiene around any dead bodies recently.

REReader said...

*shrugs* I'm not against some healthy germ exposure, myself--but it is a story that pops up periodically on the news.

Greg Lestrade said...

yeah, ditto for sponges, chopping boards, tea towels, normal phones, hospital doors, tube trains... the list could go on a bit.

Oats are soaking for breakfast tomorrow. Don't say I don't learn from my mistakes ;)

REReader said...

Dish towels... oh, yeah! One of the first things I learned in analytic chemistry is NEVER wipe dry your equipment, air dry only, or you'll muck up your results. I figure what's right for the lab is right for my dishes. ;)

Awwww. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

There is now a degu sitting on my phone. I think it is controlling it with it's feet...

REReader said...

I've heard of butt dialing, but I'm unfamiliar with degu-dialing...

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm fairly sure degus can dial with their arses, but they tend to hover on their back legs instead, while dropping sunflower crumbs in my phone, apparently...

Anon Without A Name said...

I now have visions of the degus tap-dancing texts to random people on your phone.

REReader said...

...and now so do I, Nameless! (Hahahahaha!)

Greg Lestrade said...

i'm hoping Sherlock will now teach them to call for help if we're in trouble. Like a rodent version of Skippy, Lassie or...the dolphin. Whatever its name was. Not Clicky...

Mycroft said...

Flipper.

Greg Lestrade said...

I... am not going to ask why you know/remember that, Mycroft. But thanks. Not Clicky.

And go to bed, you've got exams ;)

Have a great week, Wunderkind. See you soon.

REReader said...

Okay--I know why I know that (reruns shown during my misspent youth). How on earth did you know that, Mycroft? Or did you look it up?

Kestrel337 said...

And who is Skippy? I can only put that one with peanut butter.

Rider said...

Who is Skippy? Every Australian over a certain age who reads this blog now has a certain theme tune going through their heads and will have for days!

"Skippy, Skippy, Skippy the bush kangaroo...."

Greg Lestrade said...

Given the speed of his answer I think he just knew.

Kestrel - as you may have guessed, he was a bush kangaroo. :)

REReader said...

I think so, too, L--it's the how that baffles me! (It wasn't that good a show...)

Greg Lestrade said...

Just popular culture, I'd guess. I don't think its that obscure.

He undoubtedly needed the knowledge for some reason, at some time...

Kestrel337 said...

I see. Sorry for the earworm, but 'tis honestly a fair trade for the Flipper theme song. Seriously.

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger, speak now if you have a strong opinion on my days off. Want me off when you're working, for Shortstuff? Or both off together? Or...well, tell me before the end of the day and I shall arrange myself accordingly.

Hope you're okay, Mycroft, and haven't resorted to the sort of thing I used to do in exams...drawing over the whole table, my arms, etc... Getting detention for it... ;)

John H. D. Watson said...

Both off together would be nice.

Greg Lestrade said...

So..Wednesday, Sat and Sun if I can get it? You working thurs?

rsf said...

Do you have to negotiate your schedule every week? That seems awfully awkward. Useful, I guess, when you want to have a certain day for something special, but gosh, I admire you for being able to manage it.

John H. D. Watson said...

Yeah, that'd be great.

Greg Lestrade said...

RSF - depends on what you mean by 'have to' - we could choose to run a more regular rota, but it always gets messed up by court/holidays/cases. So my DCs tend to be...a little more organised. Although some of them like to have days off each week, others prefer to work for three, have one off. My sergeants and I work around everything going on.

We have four big whiteboards hanging on the wall with everyone's names down the side, and each week they move, so we can always see what's coming up. On them are important dates for cases people are working, plus everyone's holidays and rest days, as far as possible. I tend to just fill in around everyone.

Anon Without A Name said...

Mycroft - good luck with the mocks (not that you need luck, but you know what I mean). Dare I ask how many subjects you're doing this year?

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh, and yes, working thurs, sorry. Missed that part.

Sherlock said...

YOU HAVE to come to art class if you're not at work on Wednesday you said you would.

REReader said...

Are you going to be doing a special project in art class this week, Sherlock, or is it just more fun with company?

rsf said...

All that and getting in nights, too. Wow. Although I can see how you'd have a lot of interruptions to a more rigid schedule. We do, for meetings and things, even though you'd think my job would be pretty boring on that count.

I hope you can get to Sherlock's art class. We do art things for kids sometimes at the library and it's always more fun when the grownups play too. (At least, as long as the grownups are making their own projects and not mucking about with the kids' projects.)

Mycroft said...

Anon Without A Name, thank you.

I am only doing 12 subjects for GCSE, but I am also taking my AS levels in Latin and Astronomy.

REReader, I know of Flipper because it is often advantageous to have knowledge of popular culture which transcends generations.

Greg Lestrade said...

'only'...

Sherlock, I will come to art class. Do not fret. Or type in caps.

Danger, I may give you a line on the rota at work, just to keep track of you! I thought you'd said Thurs, and then worried that was a different week I was remembering...

sherlock said...

If you put him on the rota at work you should put a note by it telling them to give him all the interesting murders to FME at.

Greg Lestrade said...

What would count as 'interesting' - and anyway, then he and I might always be away at the same time. Wouldn't you miss us?

sherlock said...

I could come too!

Greg Lestrade said...

Could you?? I mean, you might have homework, or school, or it could be bedtime... and I don't think I have a paper suit your size. Or the right badge to flash to get past the cordons... I'm really not sure you could.

REReader said...

it is often advantageous to have knowledge of popular culture which transcends generations.

Can't argue with that, Mycroft. (Not sure I would have put Flipper in that category, but then, when it's ones own generation...)

12 sounds like a fairly heavy load in and of themselves.

Greg Lestrade said...

It is a heavy load, yeah. Well...not that I've tried these modern ones... but it's considerably more than I managed in my day ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

okay...need help...have laptop and sleeping child on me, need to be extracted without dropping laptop or waking child...

pandabob said...

do you have a magic wand? if not then sorry but its impossible ;-)

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