12 April 2014

Yes I am the fox, a fascinating cross Of sharp as a whip and tough as an ox

Mycroft has just made me an exquisite bacon sarnie for lunch! Perfect, with some mayo, avocado, bacon, black pepper... we should keep him around ;)

Sherlock has announced he could run the marathon tomorrow. Sadly he's left it a bit late to enter. Or train. Or be born - I'm pretty sure you need to be 16 or something. Apparently this shouldn't matter.

I think John really wishes he had entered though. We might go and watch a bit tomorrow, or they might, if I'm asleep...


Last night was surveillance, which is always boring. But we ended up getting some good intelligence by the end of the night.

Also had this girl visiting us.


She was obviously doing her own surveillance. Hope she had a good night too.


There were lots of ginger and white hairs on my side of the bed this morning... although John tried to keep up his denial that she's taking over ;)

She also followed me to the toilet, which left me in fear of what sort of things she might pounce on...plus it's very odd, going about your ablutions whilst under close scrutiny of a small moglet.


Anyway, got a far more interesting op running tonight, trying to find a guy who stabbed someone last week. Going to be out on the street, actually doing things, which makes me happy.


110 comments:

Anonymous said...

One of mine climbs into one's trousers when one is sat there, she's really difficult to get out without totally undressing!

Anonymous said...

...have we had a discussion on these blogs about the mystery of what the fox says? We must have but I don't remember it.

That fox on your car is really pretty. :)

Ella

John H. D. Watson said...

That is quite an interested looking fox.

What does the fox say??

Cartlin said...

The world my never know, this ancient mystery..... hhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE&feature=kp

Anonymous said...

:-D

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

I feel like we must have, because why else would I know anything about it.

Someone tell me if the footy goes to penalties, which is a terrifying thought...

Small Hobbit said...

Yep, gone to penalties!

Greg Lestrade said...

Oh God. I'm glad I'm not watching.

Mycroft said...

You could have. 4-2 to Arsenal, Lestrade.

pandabob said...

Good news to start the shift with Greg :-)

Good luck with the nights events.

Greg Lestrade said...

Really?? Brilliant!!

Thanks, it is a good start to the night.

As is noticing my husband has slipped some mini eggs into my bag ;)

All paperwork first, then out on an op later. A lot better than last night!

Cartlin said...

Mmmmmmmmmm, Easter candy....

Greg Lestrade said...

Yup, my favourite one! Especially the yellow eggs ;)

I see they left 96 seats empty at Wembley today. Nice touch.

Cartlin said...

Mini-eggs are my favorite candy, EVER. I stock up on them.

pandabob said...

Yellow ones are definitely the best Greg ;-)

It seems that the anniversary has been honoured in an appropriate way by most teams/grounds Greg it's good to see everyone united for a change.

Cartlin said...

Yellows are my favorite too! Followed by blue.

Greg Lestrade said...

We don't have blue ones. Well...not really. Ours are very pale.

Joolz said...

I'm usually quite picky about what colour chocs I'll eat (green being totally out, of course), but I have to say that mini eggs are one of the few things that I don't really notice the difference in colour flavours and I'm happy to scoff the lot. ;)

Hope your chocolate fuelled op goes well tonight, Greg, and your time spent is far less boring than yesterday. Stay safe.

Hope your night isn't too lonely, John, and you manage to sleep husbandless, even if you do have a little ginger company. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

I hope it's just lonely enough, John ;) Don't want to find out the moglet has attacked my pillow in the night!

Thanks Joolz, just done the big briefing, heading out onto the streets now.

Anonymous said...

You guys seem like such competent parents/parent-equivalents that I forget you missed out on the years when it seemed only a pleasant dream to be able to go into the bathroom without a pre-schooler either in with you or parked outside the door, asking when you were coming out. Noisier than cats, for sure.

Wishing good sleep or good crime-fighting, as applies to each.

fA

Anonymous said...

"I feel like we must have, because why else would I know anything about it."

I'm sure Sally has sung it round the office.

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

Have had many text messages from Sherlock begging to be allowed to help find the person.

As they've stopped I presume John has been victorious!

fA - glad we seem that way, because sometimes we aren't sure we are.


Am out in a busy clubbing area, watching all these kids getting drunk and wearing nothing... makes me feel old!

Lancs. Anon said...

My mate said he knew he was getting old the first time he looked at a scantily clad girl and thought, 'she'll catch her death'!

Cartlin said...

LOL, awww, we all love you just the way you are. And you aren't old, my parents are old. Plus I don't think John could even keep up with you if you were any younger (I mean, you already act like you're Sherlock's age.) ;)

Cartlin said...

LA - I hope I never get that old....I do think that when I see 8yr-olds dress like that...but that's a very different issue.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm seeing young men and thinking they look like teenagers. They probably are teenagers. Skinny little things who need to pull up their trousers and learn to grow proper facial hair if they're going to bother.

Cartlin said...

Ugh, my two biggest pet peeves, and I'm in my 20s! I think both trends are completely disgusting. Right up there with thong underwear, which has just left increased amount of traces of fecal matter on chairs (seriously, look it up! *shudder*)

Anonymous said...

....People aren't just sitting around in their underwear, surely? They still have to wear pants (trousers) or shorts or skirts or something?

I for one am all for criminals wearing their pants(trousers) around their knees. I imagine it makes chasing them much easier.

Ella

Cartlin said...

Short skirts, and short shorts. A string up the butt doesn't cover the important bits.

Cartlin said...

Oh, and most of this testing, was done in high schools.....

Greg Lestrade said...

If you want some horrible reading you should get a forensic report on a car/minicab etc. You'd never buy a second hand car!

Mycroft said...

Acacia Kelly, I believe that will be less of a problem here, with the prevalence of school uniforms.

Anonymous said...

I feel like that's more a fault of the skirts than the underpants then. Or of schools not enforcing/not having a dress code.

I never wore shorts of the "proper" shortness for girls. I hated my legs sticking to the classroom chairs. Did you know that a girl wearing cargo shorts must be gay? Absolutely must be. No other possible explanation.

Ella

Cartlin said...

Nah, as long as you have it detailed first, use some upholstery cleaner on the seats, you'll be fine. It actually makes no sense from a financial standpoint to EVER buy a brand new car, you're just throwing money down the drain.

Anonymous said...

AK, don't you live in Michigan? Isn't it treasonous there, to advise people to not buy nice, new American cars? ;)

Ella

Cartlin said...

Skirts still ride up when you sit down. This is just a fact of life, and unless that skirt is past the knees while standing.....

Cartlin said...

LOL, I live on the otherside of the state....though my brother-in-law DOES work for Ford...ooh, I might be in trouble....

Anonymous said...

All my skirts are knee-length I guess. I probably edge forward without realizing it so that I'm never touching bare leg to chair. Or maybe now I just don't sit in plastic chairs anymore so I don't mind so much.

Ella

John H. D. Watson said...

As they've stopped I presume John has been victorious!

Only because it was bedtime. Somehow, nothing else was a valid argument.

Greg Lestrade said...

Hah, does Maf also acknowledge bedtime? Or does she spend so much time sleeping during the day it doesn't matter...

John H. D. Watson said...

She's sleeping inside your pillowcase right now...

Greg Lestrade said...

See, she realised her mistake leaving fur everywhere this morning, so has stepped up her sneaky plan to kill be in my sleep by pretending to be my pillow!

One of these days I'll wake up with no face.

Anonymous said...

Here's a random question for any Brits: is there a specific word that you would use to describe a typical accent for someone from Portsmouth?

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

I can't even imagine a typical Pompey accent to be honest.

Anonymous said...

I suspected that might be the case, thanks.

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

John's gone quiet again.

If you could see into our flat now Maf would've attached wires to his brain and put headphones on him, and be pulling a switch on a 'moglet's minion' machine, as part of his transformation ;)

I, meanwhile, have spoken to a couple of people who were just sober enough to be helpful.

John H. D. Watson said...

I meant to ask if any of them had glowsticks.

Anonymous said...

Harking back to a way earlier comment: no one who's trying to be a good parent always feels like they are one. It's too hard, too much is undefined or dependent on the personality and needs of the child. And one can't judge entirely by results, since genetics and pure dumb luck play such a role in how we each turn out, in addition to how good or bad our raising was.

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

You mean Maf wanted you to ask that...

No, guess glowsticks are 'out'. They have skinny jeans, an odd collection of hats and some...interesting fashion sense.

(Whereas my zimmer frame is festooned with glowsticks.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Someday that will be true. I'll see to it...

Cartlin said...

John, he's not at a rave.

Anonymous said...

What kind of music is in for your potential informants?

Photographic and anecdotal evidence supplied by my daughter's friends suggests that when "raging" to electro house, one's scantily clad body should be festooned with sticky drinks and foodstuffs, often cake, bonus points if it originated with the DJ/musician(s) onstage.

I remember the joy of moving one's body to the point of exhaustion to loud music, I figure I'm not supposed to get the rest of it.

fA

Anonymous said...

(I'm not sure if you're remembering that Maftet lacks opposable thumbs.)

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

She just hides the thumbs. And I don't know about the music, depends which club they end up in.

Anyway, someone will be getting a very unwanted knock on the door from me and an enforcer at about 5am.

Anne said...

Clever cats can get around that whole opposable thumb issue. Mine can open certain types of doors. The look that the realtor gets when you ask how the closets attach to the floor is... unique.

And I'm sure Maftet is clever - she managed to finagle herself a new home and has one minion already if the reports are accurate :D

-Anne

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm sure the boys will sort her out with thumbs if she really doesn't have her own.

John, if you're still up (and you shouldn't be! :) ) give me a call? About to get busy...

John H. D. Watson said...

All right.

Greg Lestrade said...

Late home, but worth it - raided a house, found weapons and drugs and a suspect :) (and a very distressed girlfriend, unfortunately)

Cartlin said...

Glad you're home, safe, and hope that everything went as you wanted! I also hope you get at least some rest, and that Maftet doesn't smother you in your sleep.

Anon Without A Name said...

Hope you're still asleep, Lestrade.

John, Sherlock, Mycroft - have you been watching any of the marathon? I'm doing my usual, slothing on the sofa whilst watching all these people working hard. London looking gorgeous in the sun.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm now awake...and no one's here but Maf and the degus.

She's probably got John burying the bodies in the basement. I've been spared at the moment as a gift to him. A gift much like a headless mouse on your doormat...

Anon Without A Name said...

Just don't let sneak up on you unawares, especially if she's carrying wires.

Greg Lestrade said...

I found a note.

Well, I found two notes. One from John said 'We're in the park. Make sure Maf has water and food before you leave her.'

The other said 'BRING MONEY FOR ICE CREAM AND MAKE SURE YOU WANT AN ICE CREAM.' And underneath it said 'AND MAKE SURE YOU WANT TO BUY ME AN ICE CREAM'.

I have done all of those things.

John H. D. Watson said...

Congratulations on your weapons, drugs, and suspect.

(He also remembered to make sure he wanted to buy me and Mycroft an ice, despite not being reminded ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Thank you. Triple whammy, a very good end..start...start and end to the day.

I did like the afterthought on the note, as if I would somehow turn up and eat one on my own, while you all observed.

John H. D. Watson said...

He clearly didn't want to leave any loopholes.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, one more step towards him and Mycroft running the world.

I did wonder if Mycroft pointed out the loophole...but maybe, terrifyingly, he noticed it himself.

Anonymous said...

When it comes to ice cream, I suspect Sherlock caught the loophole himself.

If you *are* Maftet's offering to John, at least she realizes John prefers you with head attached.

Congrats on the night's work. Enjoy the sun. I'm off to do yard work in ours. Lovely day.

fA

Anonymous said...

Glad there's good work and sunshine and ice cream! Here, it's snowing again.

A couple of my friends had a baby last night (yay) by emergency c-section (boo) after 30 hours of non-productive labor (ow). This morning the baby's (beautiful girl!) needing some help with her breathing. I/they would appreciate any good thoughts.

Ella

REReader said...

Yay on the very successful night/morning, L! And lots of good vibes to your friends, Ella.

Nice day here, but I have to look at it through the windows because we're all behind on our Passiver prep, and it starts tomorrow night, ack! Happy Passover/Easter/Spring, whichever apply, all! :) (I think ice cream is very appropriate as a spring celebration!)

Cartlin said...

Massive thunderstorms around here, the damage even made the Today show!

Greg Lestrade said...

My very best wishes to them, Ella. I remember how terrifying it is when things go wrong for little babies from when Rach was born.

Sherlock said...

I knew and it was sunny and definitely ice cream time and Lestrade doesn't have to go to work again tonight and that means we get a good dinner too.

REReader said...

You're a lucky guy, Sherlock! :)

Joolz said...

Well worked out Sherlock, any method of getting ice cream has got to be good. I hope you all had fun playing in the park, were you chasing the dogs?

It surely couldn't have been that bad last night as you have Mycroft there to cook something delicious if Greg is working. Have you had a chance to use your special knife set these holidays yet, Mycroft.

Congratulations and best of luck to your friends, Ella.
Happy Passover for tomorrow, RR.
Have a great evening everyone.

Sherlock said...

John said we can choose our own big easter eggs and we can go together and get the one we want and there are loads and I don't know how I'll choose I want one with everything.

REReader said...

Are these chocolate eggs? (I'm not familiar with Easter things.)

Sherlock said...

YES

REReader said...

Yum! What sorts of options are you considering?

Greg Lestrade said...

He's currently considering the bedtime option.

But basically...anything. He's been through pretty much everything you can think of, and some you can't.

REReader said...

Choices are so agonizing... ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

I want a dark chocolate one - beyond that, not fussed! Easy to please, me. I shall look at John adoringly and hope he buys me a big one ;)

Anonymous said...

Well that's that, then. I'd bet that in the matter of chocolate eggs, John is powerless before your adoring looks. Probably in a number of other matters, as well.

fA

Cartlin said...

LOL. My mom buys me either 2-3 regular bags of mini eggs, or one giant one these days, plus some caramel filled Cadbury eggs (my sister gets the cream filled, yuk.)

John H. D. Watson said...

Probably in a number of other matters, as well.

Most things really.

Cartlin said...

Awwww!

Anonymous said...

Awwww!

Yup.

It's a wonderful thing to be well-suited and know it.

fA

timberwolfoz said...

/delurk

Lestrade, spotted this on Reddit and immediately thought of you. (Mild warning for language.)

http://www.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/22xyh9/checked_into_a_shitty_motel_in_a_shitty_area/

All the best to your friends, Ella. Hope all is well now.

RR, have a blessed and kosher Pesach (to use Chaim Potok's spelling).

/lurk



REReader said...

Thank you for the holiday wishes, Joolz and timberwolfoz. :) ("Pesach" is the transliteration of the Hebrew, and it's how I think of the holiday!)

Greg Lestrade said...

Another gorgeous day here in London Town. Hope it treats all of you lot right.

Sherlock is bouncing off the walls at the thought of chocolate.

Anonymous said...

Don't the Pogues have a song about Londontown? Or am I making that up?

Snowed all day yesterday, which means today I have to take the bus. >.<

My friends' baby has slept for almost a full day. Apparently this is okay since they're feeding her by IV. Never thought I'd meet a parent who was disappointed that his child wasn't depriving him of sleep more. :)

Ella

Anonymous said...

And now, I present to you all, the majestic fox...

http://earthlynation.tumblr.com/post/82681007831

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

Timberwolfoz - I finally got to follow your link, away from small prying eyes! That is indeed exactly what I would do :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ella - I'm sure silver ones never do that...

Here's some advice for anyone going to visit London

http://londonist.com/2014/04/11-trivial-things-that-make-londoners-really-angry.php

Anonymous said...

At least two of those--the slow walkers and the leaning on poles in the tube--also apply in New York. I hated having to go through Times Square because apparently walking in a straight line and not hitting people in the face with your umbrella is hard.

No eating on the tube, though? What?

My biggest pet peeve with tourists is: even if we don't speak your language, we can tell when you're talking to each other about how stupid Americans are when we're standing right next to you. Don't say rude things just because you don't think anyone can understand you.

Ella

Greg Lestrade said...

Ella - I don't know why, exactly, but it's just not done! I can't remember the last time I saw anyone eating on the tube.

REReader said...

People eat all the time on the New York subways. And drink (open coffee containers make me especially nervous--alcohol, though, is illegal, although not really enforced), and clip their nails (I hate that one) and put on makeup and lean on the poles and panhandle and perform and sleep (dangerous!) and take up three or more seats. You take the subways to get places fast--it's faster than cars or buses or really any other method of transportation--and make up your mind that it's going to be unpleasant and try to ignore all other humans, except to make sure you don't get pickpocketed or groped or pushed onto the tracks.

(I don't even mention the rats on the tracks--and the platforms, in some of the bigger stations. And we can't make the MTA release their financials, because the governors of TWO states use the MTA board for patronage appointments.)

Anonymous said...

Oh god, people clipping their nails in public areas makes my skin crawl.

Ella

REReader said...

Yeah, me too. Icccccck.

Greg Lestrade said...

Drinking coffee on the tube seems fine. Just eating no one really does.

The circle line no longer being circular has stopped some of the sleeping that used to go on. People still beg.

I quite like the tube, personally. I enjoy it, even, sometimes. We have Tube Mice, which are usually looked upon very favourably by passengers. I've never seen a rat down there - seen plenty at street level though, where there's more food.

Anon Without A Name said...

As someone who lives out in the sticks, I really like the tube. I know it's dirty - more the air quality than anything else, it doesn't look grubby - but it's fast, it's extremely handy for getting around central London, it's cheap, and the longest you have to wait is usually about five minutes. A bit different from the local bus services around here! Mind you, I've become a bit of a fan of London buses too, more recently. Much easier to avoid the annoying drunk or odd person on the tube than the bus though.

Anne said...

The Metro in St. Louis has rules against eating and drinking. Also a pretty copious security presence to shift off the sleepers. But it's also approximately about... a million times smaller than the New York and London trains!

I always like taking public transport, though. Despite the sometimes questionable behavior of fellow passengers, there's something very relaxing about getting where you're going and not having to do the driving bit yourself. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

We don't really have any security. Platform staff, gateline staff, and you might even spot a BTP officer if you're really lucky...

Nameless - cheap with an Oyster, otherwise eye-wateringly expensive!

Greg Lestrade said...

(And when we say 'cheap'...cheap for London/UK transport costs. Which doesn't translate to anywhere else. And the number of people from sensible places who can't believe we don't get free transfers between transport types/buses within a certain time is impressive - ridiculous rules!)

Anne said...

Well, the Metro is literally only two lines, so I imagine it would be a lot harder to get enough security for the London system! They're expanding slowly, but I imagine it's going to be a long time before they're big enough to reach all of the city.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, there is quite a lot of the tube. And Brits are too polite! The number of people who don't ask if a bag belongs to someone, don't tell a member of staff - that'll be our downfall ;)

Anon Without A Name said...

To be fair, with an Oyster, London public transport prices compare pretty favourably with bus prices round here. I'm always a bit shocked at how much more expensive London isn't, in that regard.

Greg Lestrade said...

Compared to other places in the UK I think it's very good - bus prices out in the sticks can be brutal!! But not compared to other major cities in the world.

I always do a double-take when I see someone go through the barrier on a paper ticket now (and try not to laugh when someone is pressing their paper ticket on the Oyster reader.)

Anon Without A Name said...

I'm rather less well-travelled than you, Lestrade, so I'll take your word for it (and grumble about the cost every time I get on a local bus) :-)

Small Hobbit said...

First time we took the Brownies to London, one of the girls pointed out a rat on the tube tracks to me. Fortunately, she was a farmer's daughter and didn't seem bothered.

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