14 August 2014

Come on everybody Let your spirits be free

Yesterday I got home, had a large moustache drawn upon me, went and got dressed in my leather jacket, jeans, boots, uniform cap and aviators, then came down and snuck up on John and sang this at him:



He only just survived being danced around the kitchen. He looked as if he was about to choke to death as he snorted with laughter and tried to tell me to sod off so he could finish making the tea.

Anyway, today...



Got home. Stripped off waterproofs downstairs, therefore undid the straps and zips on my boots before walking upstairs.

Went into the sitting room to have Maf leap on my feet and attack the straps, then bounce off in a flurry of fur and claws to vex a dog.

I was then attacked by Sherlock, telling me we could rent a WHOLE campsite to ourselves - his reasoning is that John and I need a tipi, Nicky and Mark need a tipi... and he, Mycroft, Carla and Paul need a tipi. Is this a good idea? Who knows... Anyway, it's on a lake, with canoes, it's got firepits and...well, I fear it'll have some terribly excited kids and dogs and some tired adults soon. On the plus side, there are proper beds inside the tipis. Proper. Beds. We may yet survive.

(I should add, the 'whole' campsite is because they have a separate small one, for exactly groups like us. Well...not quite like us, I don't suppose they've ever met anyone quite like us..... but you get what I mean.)


Anyway, backtrack! Paris. Paris was amazing. I spent the whole time wanting to hug the stuffing out of John, there wasn't a moment when I wasn't so happy I could burst. The Eiffel Tower was amazing - beautiful views. Even after a bit of a climb up all those stairs... but still, yeah, amazing. We did a lot of walking, a lot of exploring little shops and backstreets. It was all absolutely amazing. We might take the boys back there at Christmastime or something.

On the way back we stopped in on a few places and then rode up the coast. The weather was something else - we virtually swam home - but dramatic and beautiful too. That sky so grey it's black, it's stunning.

I've been working on a 'threats to kill' case today. Very frustrating, very hard to assess the actual threat. People throw it around so easily. "I'll kill you if you touch my car/boyfriend/wife/whatever". But sometimes they seem to have more about them...and, well, we can't ignore it.

There's a rumbling going on that one of us might have to go and help out on a case up country though. And that person might be me. I mean, I'm sure everyone would survive! I'm barely around anyway when I'm working, and now everyone's a bit happier/more confident in the kitchen the boys won't be surviving on jam sandwiches and peas... but still, I like being at home.

Mycroft got his AS level results today. I'm not actually sure what that even means, but he did well, and despite being incredibly modest, he's pleased with the results. He's now waiting for the bulk of the results - the GCSEs. Then, he grudgingly says, we can celebrate ;)


Have a picture of a chameleon worrying someone is trying to steal his tail.


Maf sometimes holds her own tail. She doesn't look quite that suspicious though.

78 comments:

John H. D. Watson said...

Well, you are a pretty hot cop...

pandabob said...

The holiday plans sound like they'll be great fun and the real joy of having a campsite to yourself is the madness of the young people doesn't have to be controlled as much :-)

I'm glad you enjoyed Paris, you don't get you two time all that often and if you're going to be sent up country for a few days then its even more important that you had great time together :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger - I would never have believed it, but I've somehow become married to this scorching hot doc, who is even seen in public with me on occasion, so I suppose I can't scrub up too badly ;)

AnonyBob - you never know, they might solve it and not need me.......

Anonymous said...

John found a brilliant antidote for your doldrums!

And I'm quite certain that you're both pretty (hot), boys.

That campsite sounds awesome.

fA

pandabob said...

lets hope they do Greg :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

fA - You mean Paris? Or marrying me ;) - Both definitely had a positive effect!

Greg Lestrade said...

Danger...you know this friend of yours getting married....and you said about staying over on the army barracks??

John H. D. Watson said...

Not if you don't want to?

Greg Lestrade said...

No, I don't mind at all!

But I will say that I never expected to wake up on my 1st anniversary as a happily married man on an army base... ;)

(On an army doctor, yes. In a mess...also yes! But not in a barracks :) )

John H. D. Watson said...

Our life is certainly full of surprises :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Wouldn't have it any other way!!

Sherlock was asking earlier if people there would have swords and let him hold one. I had to admit my severe lack of knowledge of army dress uniforms.

Greg Lestrade said...

Just found this. Very cool.

https://vine.co/v/M9XxE9TZZ2j

Lancs. Anon said...

I love the way the air inside retains it's shape for a split second without the balloon, very, very cool!

Anonymous said...

I'd meant the Paris trip, I tend to think that marriage was more of a mutual (or should that be reciprocal?) mood & life improvement project. But you're the one with expert knowledge, I'll take your valuation of things.

I will be interested in Sherlock's comparison of this wedding with your own, if he sees anything worth commenting upon.

Good sleep, all,

fA

Anonymous said...

I am babysitting a baby who was asleep but is not anymore. I've been told not to go down to her for 15 mins in the hope that she puts herself back to sleep, but it turns out that 15 mins is a long time to listen to a child who is clearly deeply upset about something, and who is rapidly becoming convinced that she's alone forever.

Ella

REReader said...

I just might be persuaded to go camping if Real Beds were part of the deal...possibly. But I would prefer not to, to coin a phrase. Which admission no doubt makes Sherlock think less of me--so to balance that I would like to add that although my practice swords are not edged, I have handled proper edged swords! They are heavier than my practice swords, and exciting to handle, but also a bit sobering.

(Speaking of which, fencing might be something either Sherlock or Mycroft--or both--might enjoy. My brother fenced in college, and for a while practiced medieval style fencing as part of his SCA activities, and he enjoyed it quite a lot.)

I hope your babysitting baby went back to sleep, Ella.

Anonymous said...

She did eventually, thanks, ReRe. Though there is something terribly sad about a child who is sobbing because you're not the parent she was expecting, but who's hugging you anyway, because she's just that upset.

Also, all I could think of for lullabies was Christmas songs and Johnny Cash. She didn't mind that, though. Bigger worries and all.

Ella

REReader said...

Heh, Ella--I distinctly remember singing "Lullabye of Broadway" (and going on to other Broadway-type songs) to a baby niece because I had run out of my small store of children's songs. She didn't appear to mind either!

Greg Lestrade said...

I can only imagine a full military wedding will be very different to ours!

Ella - babies are very catholic in their musical tastes. Even a screaming version of 'bat out of hell' usually results in them stopping cryng just to stare at you in horror ;)

Lancs. Anon said...

I used to use the Marine Corps Hymn, worked a treat!

Anonymous said...

That "teaching them to go to sleep on their own" thing was horrible, though it only lasted a few weeks, if I remember correctly. Humans are just hard wired to pick up a screaming infant, is what I believe, if they have any child-nurturing in them at all.

At least you all used real songs. I used to pick a tune and make up lyrics that reflected my feelings. At least when they were really little and knew tone but not words. I once horrified a childless friend who was certain my 2-month old would be scarred forever by my singing (sweetly) something along the lines of "oh, darling, oh dear one, go to fucking sleep pleeeaaase, or I will need to find wolves who will eat you/oh darling oh dear one, and then I'd be sad but too late go to sleep dear god go to sleeeep"

(Honest to god, they did turn out o.k. Darn well in fact.)

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, they only know tone, and even that just barely. You can sing them anything. I'm sure a lot of people sing out their sweary wishes that the little...darlings would go to sleep.


Danger...I think you're going to lose me for a few days.

Anonymous said...

That sounds less than ideal

Greg Lestrade said...

tell me about it!

Got a text from Sherlock saying he can come with me to solve crimes.

John H. D. Watson said...

Where are you going?

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm not sure I want to tell you without being certain you're sat down and have been furnished with tea.

Greg Lestrade said...

(I'm leaving now, so I'll be sure of both those things shortly, if I'm not now...)

John H. D. Watson said...

That sounds ominous...

Greg Lestrade said...

err...depends on your view. I'm sure it'll be lovely...

Being sent to Ascension Island, with one of my sergeants. Not Sal, which...well, just don't talk to her about it.

I'd been expecting Hull or something...not an island. In the middle of a very big ocean. That you can't leave when you want to.

John H. D. Watson said...

And why are they sending you there?

Sherlock said...

I WANT TO GO THERE'S CRABS and turtles and the beach and I bet a murderer or something PLEASE.

Sal said...

I can't believe I don't get to go. Jammy git. Bet you solve it within an hour or so and spend the next few days going brown as a nut on the beach.

Greg Lestrade said...

sorry, was riding.

Series of attacks on people. Sexual and violent. In such a tiny community must be terrifying.

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh dear. When? Soon, I would guess?

Greg Lestrade said...

Well..the good news is there's only 2 flights a week, both RAF... so I can't go until Sunday.

The bad news is there's only 2 flights a week, so when I finish...I might not be home that fast.

Oh, and on the way out, I'm important enough to take priority. On the way back, freight takes priority...

John H. D. Watson said...

Naturally... I'll miss you.

And no, Sherlock, I don't think Lestrade is going to have time to look after you and solve crime at the same time. You'll have to think of something for us to do at home.

Greg Lestrade said...

You never know, they might solve it before Sunday ;)

Sherlock said...

He doesn't have to look after me it's only a little island and I couldn't even get lost! You could come too anyway.

Greg Lestrade said...

The RAF don't even want to take me, Sherlock, let alone all of us!

Anyway, I'm hoping that when I get back you guys will have planned the most amazing camping trip ever for us to spend 24/7 together.

Sherlock said...

Maybe or maybe you'll be on the island for months and months and a ship will have to rescue you

Greg Lestrade said...

...thanks for that joyful thought.

John H. D. Watson said...

He looked so cheerful about it, too...

Greg Lestrade said...

I assume he was imagining him coming to rescue me, with you, in his own pirate ship...

Mycroft said...

He was probably smiling because he imagined looting other ships for untold treasures.

I think finding you would just have been an excuse.


It will be a shame if you have to go. I know we will all miss you. But I'm sure we do not begrudge the people of the island the chance to have a criminal bought to justice.

Anonymous said...

If it came down to months and months without you merely for lack of a rescue vehicle, I feel fairly certain that Sherlock would somehow wrangle transportation to reclaim you. He has access to John, Mycroft, his mum and Anthea. Not to mention Murray and Mrs. Hudson. And the almost-as-discontented-as-he-is DS Donovan.

Though, obviously, one hopes and trusts it won't come to that.

(Now that I think about it, that cast of characters would make for an amazing adventure movie. Or a series of them.)

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

I'd like to think after a month or two John might try to get me back!! :)

Anonymous said...

(I kind of doubt it'd take as long as a month or two.)

John's choice of rescue methods would probably be less interesting, if more efficient, than Sherlock's. So it's more fun to speculate about Sherlock!

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Right, going to enjoy my....day off? day and a half off? Two days off?? - going to enjoy it 'til it ends!

pandabob said...

did you manage a fun day? I hope Sherlock helped you make the most of your time ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

We did! Swimming, the park, seeing Mycroft at work - who is, if possible, even more competent and efficient - and then a long evening on the sofa with John and Maf.

Anonymous said...

I'm sure Mycroft is reorganizing the whole business (or at least the food service part) for maximum efficiency. Are you enjoying the job, Mycroft, or is it starting to turn into drudgery?

Ella

Anon Without A Name said...

I must admit, the idea of a sub-tropical island in the middle of thousands of miles of ocean does sound wonderful. I'm not sure that Ascension Island is a lush desert island paradise; I've always had the impression it's a bit more barren than that. Probably all the more stunning for it. I hope your trip is safe and successful and you come back soon to a fabulous family holiday :-)

Lancs. Anon said...

They have one school, nursery to 16, I'd love to teach somewhere like that!

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm packing...but still crossing my fingers that I won't have to go!

Lancs. Anon said...

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst, usually good advice. For all sorts of reasons I hope that they get whoever.

REReader said...

I hope you don't have to go in the end, L--and that if you do you'll be able to get back with reasonable speed.

Hey, it's DW's birthday! I hope you're having a happy one, DW. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Happy birthday DW.

I don't want to go because I want to go to John's froend's wedding with him. And, more importantly, I want to celebrate our first anniversary with him, not on my own in the middle of an ocean.

But I also want to catch whoever it is...so...

Sherlock said...

me and John are making Lestrade some music to listen to if he goes and I still want to go and John says people at the wedding might have swords and I DEFINITELY want to go to that.

Anonymous said...

In descending order I'll hope that the bad guy is caught before you leave, that you go but do the job quickly and somehow get back early, worst case that your disappointment & John's about you missing the wedding/anniversary feels minor compared to the strong bond and feelings between you.

Happy Birthday DW, wherever you are! May you, your documents, your possessions and your peace of mind reunite in the right place and ideally under clear, non-rainy skies, soon!

fA

Anonymous said...

Good idea, Sherlock. You know how important music is to Lestrade!

fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Yeah, they're all being very kind! John has physically checked my packing, as he knows how good I am at getting distracted and forgetting to pack any socks or anything.

I've got to hit the road soon, to get to the yard, pick up stuff, get to the RAF base, get my security clearance, then wait...and wait...and wait....for the flight.

Lancs. Anon said...

I'm picturing those scenes in war films with people sat with all their gear, waiting for the 'go', looking at pictures of the one at home, kissing crucifixes etc.

I hope it goes well and quickly, although to some extent those are the same thing in this situation.

Small Hobbit said...

Echoing all the above thoughts.

pandabob said...

I hope it goes well if it has to go at all Greg :-)

Joolz said...

Good luck whilst you're away, Greg, hope you manage to catch whoever it is quickly and get finished in time for the mid week return flight (if that's when the second flight is?) to bring you back in time to accompany your family to the wedding and your own anniversary celebrations.

Hope your week goes quickly everyone else and you are soon reunited. Have fun sorting out all your holiday plans ready for when you go away.

Happy birthday DW.

Greg Lestrade said...

Right...through security, having been scanned, searched, quizzed etc.

The RAF seem less prepared for body piercings than commercial flights.

And I've found my sergeant.

I don't think the in flight entertainment is going to be up to much...

REReader said...

Travel safe! (And at least you have the playlist Sherlock and John prepared for you. :))

Greg Lestrade said...

Mycroft gave me a book, too. 50 Years of Forensic Science.

I am mainly intending to sleep on the plane, I have to say!

Sherlock, hope you're being good for John and Mycroft. Mycroft, hope you don't get lumbered with all the cooking. And John, I love you. I miss you already.

Mycroft said...

I must admit, I am a little envious of your trip. Not the reasons for it, but the chance to visit somewhere like it.

I would however, vastly prefer to take the boat, if I ever had a chance.

Greg Lestrade said...

time is ticking down....still sort of hoping for a tap on the shoulder and told to get back on the bike and go home again...

I'd much rather be on the boat, Mycroft! Maybe one day we can all go somewhere odd on a working ship.

Kestrel337 said...

Happy Birthday, DW. Today is also my grandmother's birthday. She's 99. I hope you get to have as many birthdays as she's had!

I had to google Ascension Island. That looks like a long flight, and a lonely sort of place.

John H. D. Watson said...

Happy Birthday, DW. And Kestrel's grandmother. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Happy birthday to you Gran, Kestrel!

Right, this is it, phones off....we're off. They've told me I'll have internet when I get there, but that it's 'patchy'...so... be good whilst I'm gone ;)

Keep John from trouble, all of you!

John H. D. Watson said...

Good luck...

Unknown said...

wow, good luck, and safe travel. I can hardly believe it's anniversary time already. hope the internet there is good enough for an update at least to know you arrived safe.
S

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm here safe, got an office loaned to me, got a car. It's odd, being this far from anywhere!

pandabob said...

I'm glad you've arrived safe and are getting settled in but I hope your stay is as short as possible :-)

Good luck with Sherlock John ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

Right, off to drop my stuff at the hotel before a quick guided tour of the crime scenes.

It's all a bit different out here!

Glad to get out though. Eyes like sandpaper after that flight and then reading all the reports.

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