8 July 2015

Alone on a platform, the wind and the rain On a sad and lonely face

Ahhhh, the heatwave is currently not waving. But the Tube is on strike as of now, so everyone is still hot and annoyed anyway.

Yesterday was quite moving, really. Ten years since 4 bombs were set off on the London transport systems. Three on the underground, one on a bus.

At the time the first bombs went off the stations/place the bus blew up stopped and had a minute's silence. The nation held a minute's silence at 11.30.

It does feel like yesterday, really. Or last week, maybe. We heard, at first, there had been a massive electrical fault and the underground was suspended. Then we began to hear the rumours, around the yard, that it had been a bomb - and not just one, but a few, at least. As it became clear that there had definitely been fatalities, from those first responders, we geared up to go, because it doesn't matter if you've been stabbed or killed in a bomb attack - murder is murder. And I remember being on the way out, and my phone ringing. And I almost ignored it, just to get going, but something made me stop, and run back to answer it. And it was telling us to wait, not because they were worried there were more bombs - they were, everyone was, there was no need to say it. But because they were worried they had been dirty bombs.

So then we sat, and waited, and watched the news and tried to get on with out work until we finally were sent in.

Right now we're trying to catch a man who is wanted because he stabbed another man in the back because he thought that man was a police officer (he was a barman)...so we really want to meet him.


Anyway, onto far happier things - here's a picture of Mycroft's bike!!




Isn't it great?? It handles very well, perfect for London traffic.

He and I might sneak out whilst John's watching the tennis and go for a ride ;)

Sherlock has also announced we HAVE to go swimming somewhere fun during the holidays. By 'fun' he means a river or lake.

We also need to sit down and talk about his schooling - regardless of how firmly her ignores it, there will be a time when he has to decide where he's going for his secondary education. And apparently lots of the public schools take kids earlier than the usual comps, so.... anyway, I don't think we've convinced him he can't just stay where he is yet, if he refuses to look at anywhere else for long enough.

Have a fantastic picture that Sal showed me, too. She says if we 'homosexuals' really are possessed of an intense hatred of kids and tried to make dinosaurs scary we were doing a terrible job of it, given pretty much every kid seems to adore dinosaurs...


Amazing what you learn on the internet, eh? I wonder if we can get the hounds to make lemonade.

Oh, and here's a song I'm enjoying at the moment. Samples Smalltown Boy. Sal may have caught me singing it in my office...



208 comments:

1 – 200 of 208   Newer›   Newest»
Sally said...

I did not catch you singing it in your office. You were singing at the top of your voice and I heard you from the corridor!

pandabob said...

That looks like a great bike Mycroft :-)

Schooling is such a pain to sort out, it really should be possible to pick one school and just stay until you can escape into the real world ;-)

I hope the tube strike doesn't cause too much trouble for you Greg.

Greg Lestrade said...

Not the top of my voice, Sal....I reserve that for when I'm alone ;)

Thanks, Anony - just more drivers to dodge for me ;)

pandabob said...

singing is good for the health and everyone should do it more often :-D my middle daughter's school report said that she likes to sing and make up songs about what she's doing which sounds rather fun to me but is probably less so for her teacher ;-)

good luck with the dodging ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

It's late, I'm not wearing my glasses and I seriously thought that said 'good luck with the dogging'.... shocked I was! ;)

pandabob said...

I checked the spelling at least three times before I posted it because I kept thinking I'd written that ;-)

REReader said...

That is a very cool-looking bike, definitely!

I feel like I should apologize to Mycroft for saying this (because as I was the oldest, my mom frequently did--and sometimes still does--say something similar to me), but I feel positive that Mycroft did all sorts of research when looking into secondary education options for himself. So although he surely had different specific priorities for himself than Sherlock, he might be just the person for Sherlock to talk it over with, and maybe get some research tips from, so that he can do some research of his own.

(I don't really know much about secondary education in the UK--all I know is that it's pretty different than it is here. Are there even viable options for superior education that let students stay at home?)

Greg Lestrade said...

Mycroft's willing to help. Sherlock isn't willing to acknowledge or accept tha help yet, if ever.

You can home-school here, but Sherlock could virtually do without the learning aspect - he needs to learn to get along with people in the real world! Or if not get along with them, learn to read them well enough to survive. I think staying at home would give him the worst of both worlds.

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm surprised he hasn't threatened to drop out of school and join the circus.

Greg Lestrade said...

I fear he's just learnt enough not to warn us... he was asking for a tightrope to take to the park...

REReader said...

I wasn't thinking of home schooling (I don't think it's the best option in all but a very few cases) but of day schools--that's by far the most common thing for secondary education here, but I don't know if there are any really good secondary day schools in the UK?

Greg Lestrade said...

oh, yeah, there's plenty of public schools that aren't boarding, or are both. I've no idea how we'll find one that 'fits' with Sherlock though. He may do better in a good comp. who knows.

REReader said...

(And the reason that I felt I should apologize is because I assumed Mycroft would have to take the lead and find a possible approach. It's a big thing to ask--something I never felt my mom recognized!--but I did know how to reach my siblings a bit better than she did, and was less impatient about it, especially when it was something relatively recent for me, so I could lead up to it over time.)

REReader said...

Comp.?

Greg Lestrade said...

Comprehensive school. Although they're not really called that now, I'm just old. It's all Academies and Free Schools and stuff now. Just means not public school or grammar school - a school anyone, in theory, can go to.

REReader said...

Oh, I see.

I just had the idea that Sherlock might prefer not going away to school, perhaps because of his unwillingness to consider changing schools at all? But of course that's something you (and certainly he!) would know way better than I would.

Rider said...

Of course he could always go a long way away... maybe to a German school, don't they separate out there fairly early? He could learn mechanical engineering with a lot of hands on making.

After all an engine doesn't care how good you think you are...

Small Hobbit said...

At least he'll have a choice of where he goes. Does his current school feed into any secondary schools in particular?

Greg Lestrade said...

It does - but loads of the kids go to public school too. We're starting early on these talks in the hope he will eventually accept he's got to move on.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the school options. Sherlock seems young to me to be able to usefully conceptualize (emotionally) leaving the familiar & supportive school environment he's in - let alone imagine navigating secondary school without the daily support of you & John.

But as always I'm impressed with how you approach these milestones. Between you two & Mycroft at least he'll have a chance to compare the options. If the curriculum & extra-curriculars engage him he may find the inescapable presence of rules and a social culture worth the effort.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Obviously we'd love it if Sherlock lived at home - we'd love it if Mycroft came home, too! But it's got to be what they want, not what we want. I'm sure between us, Mycroft, his mum and Sherlock's own strong will we'll end up in the right place eventually - even if it isn't first time, it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things, as long as we get there in the end.

REReader said...

Now that is very, very true. Both my brother and my nephew switched high schools midstream, because they weren't afraid to speak up and say they were unhappy where they were. (I don't think it even occurred to me or my sisters to say we hated our high schools. We should have!)

Greg Lestrade said...

We have no doubts Sherlock will speak up. He isn't one to suffer in silence :)

REReader said...

All to the good! (At least in this case... ;))

Joolz said...

Great bike, Mycroft, hope you get the chance for a nice long ride when you're next all off.

Yes school will be a tough choice but luckily Sherlock has all of you there for advice & support so hopefully he'll find somewhere that he likes.

How goes the hunt for your would-be cop killer, Greg, hope you catch him quickly.

Enjoy your day everyone. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

I started the day watching some cctv, inhaling my coffee, choking it out all over my notebook and the laptop.
that's how well the search is going.

REReader said...

:(

I hope you have a chance to decompress over the weekend.

Greg Lestrade said...

My boots never fail to cheer me up

Greg Lestrade said...

Boys...my boys never fail to cheer me up.

Although my boots are good too

REReader said...

Your autocorrect has an interesting mind...

Kestrel337 said...

I think the right pair of boots could probably be very cheering.

Greg Lestrade said...

The second time I wrote it it changed it to ' my boss '... I can't comment on the accuracy of that, because I'm allergic to being sacked.

Anonymous said...

You are fortunate in your boys indeed. Those of us with Good People in our lives are truly blessed.

Though in the category of "things money can buy" I rate nice boots very, very highly.

-fA

Becca said...

Well! How bout the second semi today?

Anonymous said...

The men's final is going to be the match I had hoped to see!

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Lovely day. Went for a ride, ate cream tea. Given Mycroft's bike a first little service with him learning what to do.

Becca said...

What's cream tea?

Small Hobbit said...

Cream tea means scones plus jam plus clotted cream plus pot of tea. It's awesome.

Becca said...

Oooh, that does sound awesome. I've never had clotted cream, but anything with the word cream in it can't be bad.

Joolz said...

Gosh, thank goodness for that, John. Thought he was going to lose another then. Fighting chance now - come on Federicorn! :)

Greg Lestrade said...

If the groaning from the front room is anything to go by John either has terrible wind or its not going well in SW19...

REReader said...

:(

Anonymous said...

Not surprised at the outcome but I had a tiny spark of wishing for a fairy tale outcome. Me and a million other people. Still. It's like watching gods play tennis - these guys come out week after week, game after game and play on this level.

-fA

Anonymous said...

Watching highlights - it really is stunning how much goes into a single point, let alone a set sometimes. And they do it over and over. In every match.

Ah well. Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone.

-fA

Becca said...

Sad to see the results. At least you have your husband back, L.

Greg Lestrade said...

I made him a cake to cheer him up... Although it's been eaten already! Peaches and rosemary, delicious, if I do say so myself.

REReader said...

That would cheer me up!

Greg Lestrade said...

tomorrow is Sherlock's parents evening...let's hope everyone is still cheerful after that ;)

pandabob said...

I love and hate parents evening in about equal measure ;-) I'm sure that there won't be any surprises with Sherlock but I hope it goes well :-)

how went the day? I hope its been a productive one for all.

REReader said...

Even when there was nothing to worry about (from my point of view), I worried about those...

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm certain Sherlock's teacher is more scared than he is.

REReader said...

Hopefully no one has any reason to worry. ;)

Anonymous said...

Huh. I never really thought about parents' evenings as a child, I don't remember them happening after early primary school at all. As a parent *I* was always the most nervous - since I generally felt that any fault found in my child either meant I was doing something wrong, or the school was all wrong and I was going have to leap in to try make things right.

Fortunately, my kids were pretty well-adjusted, mostly academically successful, and their teachers were tactful.

Hope you heard good and even enlightening things.

-fA

pandabob said...

I've got my daughter's end of term violin concert at school today :-) do you have any end of term concerts/shows etc Sherlock? I can't believe we're at another summer holiday already!!

I hope the day treats everyone well :-D

Small Hobbit said...

Have a great time at your daughter's concert Anonybob!

Greg Lestrade said...

Hope you have..had? a great time, Anonybob. I'm sure she did wonderfully.

Our little visit to school went as expected - he's fantastic when he's interested, not so much when he isn't. He's still terrible at being told he's wrong about something, but now is terrible quietly :) but generally is helpful and eager and a joy to be around, as we suspected.

There was celebratory ice cream after.

REReader said...

And well-deserved ice cream, too! (It can be really hard to stay quiet when told you're wrong about something, after all. And the rest is awesome!)

Anonymous said...

People are usually willing to help you work through the moments that challenge you if you are a joy to be around the rest of the time. I love hearing that Sherlock's good nature is appreciated as well as his intelligence. Both the boys sound like they're growing up into wonderful, fascinating people.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Given my job involves many hours of being told I'm wrong about things I find it quite easy to stay quiet ... people usually dig themslelves in further that way ;)

We're still working on him graciously accepting when he's wrong - politely asking for clarification, perhaps explaining a misunderstanding, or just plain apologising, if needed. Still, we've gone from being noisily outraged to quietly sulky. I think it's a step in the right direction...

pandabob said...

That sound like a pretty good parents evening, nothing unexpected but with things to work on for the future :-) ice cream seems like a perfect way to celebrate :-)

I had a great time at my daughter's concert, all the kids were brilliant on their instruments and the choir were awesome :-)

REReader said...

I think that's a big first step in the right direction, yep!

Sounds like a most successful concert, pandabob. :)

Joolz said...

Well I think that sounds very positive and excellent progress made - certainly worthy of ice cream. Well done Sherlock. :)

Congrats to your daughter on a successful concert, Anonybob, it's so lovely getting to watch them perform isn't it. :)

Becca said...

It's always ice cream time, but this seems like a particularly good occasion.

It's tough when you think you're right but you're being told you're wrong. I haven't entirely gotten the trick of holding my tongue either.

Greg Lestrade said...

A brilliant review of a pointless kitchen gadget..

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/jul/15/kitchen-gadgets-review-egg-master-horrifying-unholy-affair?CMP=fb_gu

REReader said...

...!

(Thank you for brightening my morning. :D )

Kestrel337 said...

I...just...surely that's being marketed as a gag gift...no pun inten...what the hell, pun *absolutely* intended.

Greg Lestrade said...

So Sherlock just texted me asking if he could have a water canon as they're going spare...

Greg Lestrade said...

John texted me, with only ' ha ha ha ha you can explain why he can't have it. '

REReader said...

There's a conversation I'd love to listen in on... ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Sadly they're not mine to give away. I think he should write a letter to BoJo, outlining his plans for the water canon, see if he strikes lucky!

Sherlock said...

I bet I could make something cool with it like a whole outdoor fun park and the jets could make the water go around and it would be the best when it was hot but you could heat up the water too anyway.

REReader said...

Sounds like a fun plan! (Even if not perhaps the most practicable plan for within London.)

Becca said...

Because they are a winning combo, and because Pluto, I thought y'all might like this:

http://nerdist.com/stephen-colbert-chats-with-neil-degrasse-tyson-about-new-pluto-information/

REReader said...

FRIENDSTER!

Thanks, Becca. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

First, let me say that coffee will never be replaced as the best hot beverage ...ever. But... The other day Sal turned up in my office drinking some weird hocus pocus tea...but it smelt kind of delicious.

And now I'm addicted to Liquorice tea. I think they may actually make it with crack. I'll send some to the lab. It also may be the key to cutting down my caffeine intake.

pandabob said...

That sounds like a tea even I might give a go Greg and I'm really not a fan of tea!

I'm glad something is bringing a smile to your day :-)

REReader said...

I had to go look it up after that, and it sounds like something I'll have to try! (But this website says to limit its use to two cups a day to avoid unwanted side effects. How accurate that is I don't know, but it probably bears looking into!)

Greg Lestrade said...

Ha, I don't get time for more than a cup a day!

Anonymous said...

How can I resist trying something recommended by an true coffee lover that he describes as "weird hocus pocus tea?"

& yeah, RR, when my mom was in her final years and managing congestive heart failure, she had to give up licorice, I think because it was a diuretic. (I always wondered why she couldn't have the licorice and have a little more salt in her diet - but I suppose it's not so easy to fine tune effects on the human body to that point without some risky trial & error.)

I feel that if a water cannon were acquired, you'd next need to acquire a body of water and perhaps some ancillary slides or something to make optimal use of it. Which I suspect is outside the bounds of the practical. Sorry Sherlock, so many fascinating ideas die on the ramparts of practicality.

- fA

Greg Lestrade said...

fA - Liquorice (or licorice...who knows?) also makes your blood pressure higher, I think? Along with all sorts of other things, apparently.

It just makes me feel warm inside ;)

REReader said...

A good reason to drink tea. :)

Anonymous said...

Licorice (american spelling, we are a simple folk & apparently couldn't with the 'qu') can raise blood pressure, I looked it up. So I learned something today.

Never a bad thing. Onwards, all.

-fA

Joolz said...

Not for me I'm afraid, it ranks right up there with marmite! Does John like it or is it on the same level as marmite in his opinion too?

Saw this and thought some events might appeal to you all over the summer. There are some science based ones & even one about poison gardens. Did you get your poison window box planted, Sherlock?

Have a great day everyone. :)

Joolz said...

It would help if I actually posted the link!
http://www.kew.org/visit-kew-gardens/whats-on/write-on-kew/events

Greg Lestrade said...

Met a very lovely lady called Emma today. Who rides the same bike as me :) we had a nice chat. And then Sal told me to get back to work ;)

Joolz - Sherlock has a mixed poison and carnivorous plant box....and if he keeps annoying his venus flytrap he'll kill it.

REReader said...

That WAS working, surely--public relations, right?

Hope you all have something nice planned for the weekend!

Anonymous said...

RR - you have a great take on things!

I'm impressed Sherlock has kept his plants alive to be annoyed! I kill all of my houseplants, eventually. Doesn't matter how hardy they are supposed to be. Some of the ones in the yard survive, the everything-tolerant ones that a lot of people call weeds. I'm resigned!

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

His plants sometimes get a helping hand from the watering fairy... (yes, I'm aware.)

Greg Lestrade said...

So, for our sins.... Sherlock has decided we're going here:

http://www.kingscrosspond.club

Very early next Saturday (the soonest he could get tickets!).

Mycroft, don't think for a moment I believe you're innocent in this!

Greg Lestrade said...

Oh, and happy birthday to (not so) young Jess! Hope she got her card and present, Rach ;) Tell her her uncles will come and see her soon.

REReader said...

Happy birthday, Jess. :)

But that looks like a very nice place to go swimming!

Anonymous said...

We have a couple of natural spring water fed pools here, two are conventional concrete pools, one is a very large natural "swimming hole" that here and there over the last 90 years or so has been augmented with some strategic concrete. This is a different concept, obviously, but if similar you should enjoy swimming without the tang of chlorine.

- fA

Greg Lestrade said...

...we went swimming because Sherlock decided we needed to 'practice'.

We went outdoors, in a Lido.

It was cold.

Sherlock escaped to the kid's pool (which was heated). I've told him he better not ever ask to swim in the Thames again!

REReader said...

It's about 95F and very humid in NYC today, cold water would be WONDERFUL. (But not in the Hudson, where strange triathletes were swimming this morning! Hottest day of the year so far, that's when they're running and biking. Shouldn't they have ended with swimming, instead of beginning with swimming?)

Greg Lestrade said...

I can only imagine it would have felt a million times colder if it had been hotter! As it was, after a length, if you're large enough, it wasn't bad at all. If you're small, obviously you get a lot colder! We'll take him plenty of things to warm him up next weekend, so he can get in and out without getting hypothermia by staying in the whole 2.5 hours we're booked for!

I'm sure the triathletes would have loved to end with a swim, had it been possible!

REReader said...

I wonder why they didn't do it that way...I don't know much about triathlons!

Greg Lestrade said...

it goes in order of the danger of you running out of steam...so swim first, where you're all in a bunch, easy to watch, and unlikely to be so tired you'll drown. Bike next, because you don't really want to fall off, but you'd probably be fine. Run last, because it's when you'll really be suffering, but if you collapse you're unlikely to injure yourself.

If hot runners/cyclists threw themselves into cold water they'd probably get into difficulties very fast and be hard to rescue.

REReader said...

Ah, that makes sense. Thank you. :)

Kestrel337 said...

Looks like a great place to go swimming. I admit that I'm chuckling over the architects that designed it being called 'Ooze', though.

One of the hotels we stayed at on our vacation had a mineral salt pool, instead of chlorine. We only tried it once, since the ocean was minutes away, but it was nice to swim without the sting.

Becca said...

Oh that does sound nice, Kestrel! I'm allergic to chlorine, so I almost never swim in pools.

Anonymous said...

Dear god I must need a nap. Baba O'Riley (Teenage Wasteland) just came on the radio and I had a wave of nostalgia so strong I started to tear up.

And (shhhh sacrilege, I know) if I had to make a list of my top 25 favorite bands of the '60s and '70s, The Who wouldn't even be on it. (most influential, yes - favorite, no).

I am going to be a dreadfully sentimental old person I am starting to fear.

(We won't analyze why I felt compelled to report that to this particular comments section when I'm not sharing it with the persons in my work area.) Hope everybody's having a decent day.

-fA

REReader said...

I'm always in favor of a nap, fA! (Well, almost always. :))

Greg Lestrade said...

fA - we may fall out - not even top 25??

I can't believe anyone would want to cycle in the TdF - it's so brutal.

The boys have had a nice day out at the Science Museum today, With John, celebrating some moon landing or other ;)

REReader said...

D'you know, I remember the moon landing--or at least, I remember my parents keeping me up so I could watch it on TV. (I can't swear whether I remember the images from seeing them that time or from all the hundreds of times I've seen them since them.)

Anonymous said...

L. - I admitted it was sacrilege.

RR. - I remember footage of the moon landing vividly. My family had returned from our annual week at the beach (god I miss having grownups to arrange and pay for such things, as well as missing regular trips to the shore, which is entirely my own fault) and I was helping my mom sort a week's worth of laundry while we watched.

-fA

Anonymous said...

L. - you made me think about it. The Who had a males-on-guitars energy that kept them from being a favorite - even though they were a better band than some of my favorites. Until the punk and post-punk bands came along, my favorite boys w/ guitars - Bowie, Lou Reed, Traffic, to name the ones that come to mind - had a different energy. At least in my head.

-fA

REReader said...

fA--Heh, my memories of the moon landing are inextricably tied up with the shore, since we spent our summers at that point in Far Rockaway.

Greg Lestrade said...

I could sleep for a week.... instead I was dragged to the park.... I'd say it's a dog's life, but they were the ones who dragged me to the park...

REReader said...

Dogs do like parks, so that's accurate...

Anonymous said...

Get Mycroft to train the dogs to pull you along in some kind of cart? I gather they're large enough.

Why so beat? Rough week or off-kilter with shift changes? Or just encroaching old age? ;-)

-fA

Joolz said...

Ooo, harsh, fA. ;) But, unfortunately, that does seem to be the answer to a lot of issues for me too these days, it's not good, is it. ;)

I'm sure you'd like that idea of hitching the dogs up and having them take you around, wouldn't you, Sherlock.

The Science Museum must have been good, I always like going when you can use younger ones as your excuse to press all the buttons. ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

Old age, definitely. And a slight lack of sleep. Which is probably down to old age, so...

Anonymous said...

Joolz, I think I'm a couple-three years older than Greg - and I don't feel REMOTELY like a [very] late middle-aged person, just a young one with one or two things that don't quite work or feel the way they used to. And there's nothing that'll burst my little bubble of delusion than overexposure to somebody who's really energetic - dog or child or worst of all, a young adult who reminds me of what I used to be able to do without feeling it!

So I meant to commiserate more than to be harsh. Maybe it's too soon? ;-)

- fA

Joolz said...

I know what you meant, fA, it was a joke. Sorry if you don't use that word the same way to cause misinterpretation. (we say ooo harsh or ooo burn in a joking way to show a hit has been made but in a nice way & I did a smile right after it too).
I feel the same way most of the time. In fact I gutted myself hugely on Monday as I was training a student on the desk & he asked me how long I'd been working there & it turned out it was before he was even born! Aging - who'd have it, honestly! ;)

Enjoy your day everyone. :)

Small Hobbit said...

It's when a younger colleague refers to an event as if they'd learnt about it in a history lesson and I can remember it happening.

Greg Lestrade said...

SH - sometimes Sherlock refuses to believe anyone alive can remember an event (that John and I both remember clearly) and other times its as if he thinks we used to have dinosaurs as pets... Neither makes us feel youthful!

Greg Lestrade said...

tucked Sherlock in - he asked if we could go camping. I said probably. He said 'tomorrow'?

No patience, the youth of today ;)

REReader said...

(Or any other day. :) )

pandabob said...

Why not go tomorrow? :-D

I'm guessing lots of adult reasons why you can't go tomorrow but how great would it be to be a kid again and not have any reason not to just up and go? ;-)

Anonymous said...

For a second there I imagined looking online for some kind of lodging, and then simply announcing that I was leaving for the beach tomorrow, who wants to come?! No endless lists, arranging for things, no planning just figuring that what we don't have we'll do without or buy a workaround. Gosh, what a great little moment of fantasy that was! Thanks pandabob!

-fA

pandabob said...

my kids have been with my ex for a few days fA, leaving me with no responsibilities for a few days so I randomly decided to attend a football match last night that was 200 miles away and had a great time :-D

adults should get to do random things sometimes it's good for the health ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

hopefully next time he asks it'll be before a few days off, and I can say 'yeah, let's go!'

pandabob said...

Sherlock will love it if you can :-)

I'm guessing tomorrow brings work(or second work) for you and/or John so I hope the sleep fairies are good to you both :-)

Kestrel337 said...

The last time I was able to say 'yeah, let's just up and go' I think I was still sleeping on a futon and working with a computer monitor that only had one color.

Greg Lestrade said...

Ok, now the radio is talking about cars with a choke as if they were stone age. It's like there's a conspiracy to make me feel old!!

Let's go camping!

Anonymous said...

The last time I was able to say 'yeah, let's just up and go' I think I was still sleeping on a futon and working with a computer monitor that only had one color.

Oh Kestrel, you made me laugh! Thanks for that!

- fA

Greg Lestrade said...

this is what Maf gets up to when we're not here - posing as a model for these warning posters:

http://cheezburger.com/8540985088/funny-cats-image-heres-a-handy-guide-to-interpret-what-your-cat-is-feeling

REReader said...

It's good for a cat to have a career of her own.

Greg Lestrade said...

She has a career - headwarmer in chief, Goddess, wannabe murderer of innocent police officers, Queen of all she surveys.

REReader said...

"Goddess" is a very good job title. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

Although given she worships John, I don't know what that makes him..?

John H. D. Watson said...

She's just a little cat, not an agent of doom, honestly.

Greg Lestrade said...

She brainwashes you when wrapped around your head all night.

Is Sherlock going sir crazy with this pissing rain? This shouldn't be what school holidays are about.

John H. D. Watson said...

No, he's making something in the kitchen that is not food. I've decided to let him do it unless it catches on fire.

Anonymous said...

I've decided to let him do it unless it catches on fire.

I recognize this parenting decision. Hope the clean up isn't too onerous. :-)

- fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Try to make sure it doesn't melt any of my cooking implements or the worktop or dye him, the dogs or Maf a terrible colour? Otherwise, good call. I'll bring a hazmat suit home for the cleanup.

John H. D. Watson said...

Thanks, fA.

L - so it's all right as long as he dyes them a decent colour?

Greg Lestrade said...

Yes. Decent colours fine.

John H. D. Watson said...

Oh good.

Greg Lestrade said...

By decent I mean brought cheery colours. Don't want to get home to find Maf is olive green or the dogs are a sad sickly yellow. Need bright exciting colours or is not really worth it.

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm fairly certain Sherlock agrees with you.

REReader said...

Definitely!

(This discussion has totally brightened my morning, thank you!)

Greg Lestrade said...

When Sherlock's done, tell him Molly said if he wants she'll show him how to identify some stomach contents from a corpse one day this holiday.

That isn't an offer she makes to every young man she meets.

I hope.

John H. D. Watson said...

He is, as you can imagine, WILDLY excited.

Anon Without A Name said...

I now have visions of Oompa-Loompa Sherlock leaping about with joy :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

He just needs to be good. She only let's good scientists who do what they're told into her lab.

REReader said...

I support this vision, Nameless... :)

Molly said...

Sherlock, I have the same rules for scientists as I do for DIs, so don't worry, because Lestrade gets allowed in here all the time, and I'm sure you're better behaved than he is!

Greg Lestrade said...

Oi! I'm far better behaved!...I'd say ask John, but I don't think he should be the judge...

So many flooded roads in London. They say we've had a months rain today. Let's hope the rest of the month is dry.

(weirdly almost all the roads flooded and closed are elevated/flyovers...this rain really is special.)

Anonymous said...

Will you still get to swim this weekend? (It was this weekend? The outdoor freshwater pool?) Around here freshwater pools close after heavy rains because the runoff is unsafe. But your pool sounded like a different thing.

Anyway, I can't imagine how unusual it is for someone Sherlock's age to have such an interesting tutorial/demonstration with a real forensic pathologist (I assume Molly is technically something like that, anyway.) Very VERY cool.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

we are going swimming.....it will be freezing. I am not entirely looking forward to it!

Anonymous said...

You shall all bond in the glory of suffering in the cause of Fun. Or at least Novelty! (It's gotta be better than freezing in the pursuit of criminals, anyway.)

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

yeah... I'll keep telling myself that.

We're going out for a nice breakfast after to warm up!

REReader said...

I bet you all have fun regardless. :)

Greg Lestrade said...

what's the fastest way to get a wetsuit??

REReader said...

Dive shop?

Greg Lestrade said...

sadly we don't have any 24hr diving shops it seems...

REReader said...

Shocking!

Rider said...

Is the police dive team 24hr? You must know someone on it who has gone into ponds looking for bodies. A hopeful look and a sixpack* might extract one on loan.

* of beer. The other kind has only a 10% chance of working, beer tends to have a much better hit rate

Greg Lestrade said...

I could pull in a favour from the river police.... but they'll need their wetsuits to pull my dead, ice-clad body from this pond tomorrow ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

I hereby declare I leave all my worldly goods to John, Mycroft and Sherlock. Even though this is the latter two's fault. Im obviously not of sound mind because otherwise I wouldn't be doing this.

Joolz said...

If we don't hear from you all again we'll know why then. :) Best of luck & hope you emerge with all appendages intact. ;) (and normal sized!) ;)

I'm sure you'll enjoy it even despite the cold. Have fun. :)

pandabob said...

Good luck surviving the cold gentlemen, I'm sure it will be lots of fun ;-)

Greg Lestrade said...

It was cold. But fun. But cold. We stayed in for an hour though. Although sherlock was in and out a lot, but he gets cooler faster because there's not a lot of him. Mind you, certain bits of me all but disappeared...

It was wonderfully empty though. Sometimes just the four of us.

And then we got coffee. Lots of coffee.

Rider said...

Reminds me of the answer to a famous question as given by a Scots friend of mine.

"What is worn under the kilt? I'll tell you what is worn under the kilt... a piece of string! Do you know how cold it gets in Scotland?"

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock is charging around through some freezing jets of water, with some other kids.

Im sunbathing with coffee, because it's the only way to hey warm. My husband and Mycroft are debating something about modern architecture.

Anonymous said...

Sunbathing!? So you didn't get rained on at least. Cool to have the place nearly to yourselves. Glad it was fun.

Also glad all four of you got to do something a bit different together, that should make it feel a little more like the holidays.

Wishing everyone a good day.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Sunbathing means lying on a concrete bench in the sun :) Not real sunbathing.

But no, no rain. Although rain makes swimming outside feel warmer! For a while it was like I had a forcefield of cold around me and no warmth would get through - but lying in the sun out of the wind was lovely. A fantastic day.

Soon Mycroft will be working too...so even fewer chances to spend days together.

Sherlock said...

it was good but it was cold and the flowers were opening while we were there because the man said they open when they get sun on them so when we got there they were like round buds and then when we left they were almost open and yellow and pink. And I got out and then if you stood in the wind and got cold then jumped in it felt warm again but John said I was mean for using all the dry towels. And there was a platform for kids but I went in the main pool too and I could swim down and touch the bottom but not where it was deepest and I want to go again.

Greg Lestrade said...

it does seem we might go again.

Despite parts of my body which have been merrily dangling all these years crawling back inside me...

Anonymous said...

Thanks for describing the flowers, Sherlock. That particular appeal of the pool didn't strike me when I googled pictures. I'm glad you'll get to go back - but try to remember to leave the others dry towels!

L. - I'm sure your doctor will make sure your bits are still fully functional. If you had any doubts.

-fA

REReader said...

I liked hearing about the flowers especially, too, thank you, Sherlock! It sounds as though, on balance, it was a most successful outing, well worth repeating (hopefully on a warmer day!).

Greg Lestrade said...

Sherlock thinks they should heat it. I suggested an echo friendly way would be using the heart from the tube. Sherlock thinks a dragon would be better.

REReader said...

Hmmm...I guess which is more eco friendly would depend on what dragons eat and whether they produce methane. (If the dragon ate grass, for example, it could also keep the lawns trimmed and be a savings there, too.)

Greg Lestrade said...

I think they eat people. very environmentally friendly.

It's odd, how sometimes he pours scorn upon things like this, other time he goes off on whole explanations of how it would all work. They joy of being young, i guess?

Anonymous said...

Sherlock might find this article interesting (sorry no dragons). A university research center that uses (donated) bodies to develop forensic techniques - both in the lab and in the field.
www.texastribune.org/2015/07/25/texas-body-farm-research-uses-corpses-solve-crimes/

-fA

Anonymous said...

I assume there are places in the U.K. doing similar research, since the field data are climate-specific. Molly might know, I guess.

-fA

REReader said...

Interesting stuff, fA.

A good imagination is very important to a scientist, L! :)

Greg Lestrade said...

So, Sherlock and John are coming with me to put some flowers on Steve's grave. mycroft decided not to, and is going in to the deli to see what shifts he might have.

pandabob said...

I hope the deli can provide you with the work you want Mycroft :-)

I'm glad Sherlock and John are going with you Greg :-)

Unknown said...

I should have loaned Sherlock the special towel I got for travelling, it's made of some microfiber thing that absorbs water better than cotton, and then you can wring it out and it's nearly dry immediately. Good for going in and out of the water frequently.
One of my foremer housemates is getting an advanced degree in bio anthropology, focus on forensic stuff, things you can tell about a person by their bones. she let me read her copy of the book about the body farm, and a couple novels co-written by the body farm book author and a crime-fiction writer (sorry I don't have names and titles at my fingertips) the novels were definitely above-average for crime fiction, since the details were all based in fact.
S

Unknown said...

ah, a quick google search reminds me that the books I read (the fiction) were by Jefferson Bass, and oh my I see that there are quite a few, I only read one or two!
S

Anonymous said...

You're good people (as my dad used to say), Greg. So is John. Those boys are lucky to have you.

Hope Mycroft's shifts are to his liking.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

fA - we don't have body farms here, no. Well, some places study animals, in the same way, but no humans.

there were some other flowers on Steve's grave again. I wonder who's leaving them. Maybe I'll do a stake out next year ;)

Sherlock said...

I'll help you do a stake out as long as we can take food and a listening device and binoculars and a van like on TV and cameras.

REReader said...

A very generous offer, Sherlock. How do you propose to camouflage the van?

pandabob said...

A stake out sounds like a fine idea especially with Sherlock to help you Greg ;-)

Unexpected grave side flowers is always good for sparking curiosity!!

I hope the evening is going ok and I hope the deli could help you with employment Mycroft :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

I can't say they're unexpected...but it might be one of our mutual friends who I haven't seen for years. Who knows?

I'm sure I'll forget by next year :)

Mycroft is once again gainfully employed...Sherlock is already begging for treats to be brought home... John and Maf are asleep. Or doing a good impression of it. One of them is purring, the other snoring. Not sure which is which.

Anon Without A Name said...

I went to a funeral this week, and I noticed some flowers at a grave as I walked past - and not a new grave. Then I realised it was Brian Jones' grave. I forgot that I was in the cemetery where he's buried.

On a happier note - glad to hear you're back in employment, Mycroft - there's nothing quite like earning your own money :-)

Greg Lestrade said...

as in The Stones?? Well, I'm glad he's getting flowers, if it is that Brian Jones.

Anon Without A Name said...

Yes, that Brian Jones; I'm wondering if the flowers were to mark his anniversary, but they looked a bit too fresh for that. Certainly he's not forgotten.

Greg Lestrade said...

I'm glad to hear it.

Sherlock, you need to spend some of your time off planning us a trip. I feel like we should go somewhere.

REReader said...

I suspect he is already on top of that little job... ;)

Greg Lestrade said...

he's been texting me all day.

Sal said I can have some time off ;)

Been released from the possibility of having to go and give evidence to an inquiry - a big one, some of you might've heard of - which is good, because there wasn't much I could have told them!

Anonymous said...

Even I might require more limits than that general inquiry. My first thought was: are there any lovely seaside spots that are near a currently not-too-active volcano? Ones that can be accommodated within the time & financial limits of holiday break, that is.

-fA

Anonymous said...

And yay for not having to dress up and spend the better part of a day being diplomatically unhelpful.

-fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Sometimes he sounds like he's thought of something really outlandish - can we borrow a private jet? - and we say no, and then there's a moment when John and I look at each other and think 'actually, your mum probably does know someone'... but he's stuck with us, so no private jets.

He's about to practice his investigative skills by watching Crimewatch...

Anonymous said...

Bet he finds shows like that frustrating - he can't get any more information than they broadcast, even if it exists.

- fA

Greg Lestrade said...

Frustrating, yes, but he loves seeing the updates on how certain crimes were solved.

John is cleaning beetroot juice off his cat... do these things happen in other households too??

Becca said...

What a way to dye her fur!

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