I'm going to have ice cream with a shot of espresso and a shot of amaretto poured over it. John might just join me... Mycroft can have whatever he wants ;)
We all went swimming this morning, which was lovely. The pool have these little weighted sticks that stand up on the bottom of the pool when you drop them in. So we were dropping a little 'course' of them, and standing in the middle of it all, so Sherlock had to duck under, swim along, picking them up, through my legs, pick up more, through John's legs and then come up for air. He did really well - we got him going further and further. Although I worry he'd actually pass out from oxygen deprivation before failing to pick them all up!
This afternoon was all domestic, homework, quiet things. Well, quiet after Sherlock long and vocal protests. This despite the fact none of us where doing anything he was interested in. And better to get it out the way now, so he doesn't miss out on doing anything fun later in the week, right?
It was nice.
Here's some MASSIVE chard from our allotment.
And here are some wet Autumn leaves.
65 comments:
Well, now that you've done all your rainy day things, I hope the rest of the week has sunshine for you!
Is chard tasty? I'm not entirely sure I've ever eaten it. Well, maybe in a fancy salad at a restaurant, but I wouldn't know it to point to.
Ice cream sounds like a very lovely idea after a really nice day, I'm slightly jealous if I'm honest.
RSF - tastes a bit like spinach. I wilt it with a little oil and garlic. But it's nice raw too. Different coloured ones taste a bit different in intensity, not really in flavour.
And other rainy days (it seems we'll have lots) will be spent in museums etc. I'm sure.
AnonyBob - I'd send you some, if I could!
Sherlock wants amaretto on his.... almost tempted ;)
I love the colors on the chard and the autumn leaves. So vivid!
Is the chard literally going to keep growing forever? Seems like it so far.
Yes. It will take over London soon, in a huge colourful mass.
Or we'll get our predicted 'severe winter' and it will die off. Or be eaten by all the people who can't afford to eat because they're paying for their heating bills.
(Do other countries get the same massive price hikes in gas and leccy every year?)
Our natural gas is expected to go up in price by 15% this year. I will be putting shrink film on as many windows as I can, and have invested in insulated curtains for the sliding doors. And, of course, sweaters/jumpers. Maybe I will be lucky and get good slippers for Yule.
Kestrel--Cabella's has good shearling slippers (a pair of which I am wearing right now :)).
I've got insulated curtains for my windows, too, covers for all the AC units, and a heated mat for my feet (which means I can have the temps a lot lower in the room and still be comfortable). Unforturnately, being in an apartment building, the heat goes from WAY too low during the day to WAY too hot at night, and we have no control over it.
In my old apartment I had a waterbed that would keep me warm for sleeping all winter. But I don't trust the floor in this one. I resort to warm socks, thick slippers and wearing a hat indoors during the middle of winter, and I still get letters from the gas company telling me how much more efficient my neighbors are than I am.
Point of etiquette: are you supposed to let the espresso cool to a certain temp before pouring it over the ice cream, or is it supposed to get melty, like with hot fudge sauce?
It would appear that someone left the taps running and the bath of life is overflowing this morning. Anyone else wish it wasn't Monday?
Certainly wish I wasn't at work. But hope my boys will be in town around lunchtime to alleviate my suffering. ;)
Olli--my guess is that you pour it over immediately, because if you let espresso sit, it loses its crema and goes bitter. Slightly melty ice cream with espresso sounds amazing.
Ella
I hope they find you Greg :-)
Monday is certainly the worst day of the week SH but on the positive side the week can only improve from here ;-)
For me, the worst day is Thursday. I wake up at 4:30am most workdays, and Thursday is the last and worst day to wake up that early.
Ella
...Mycroft has asked me to go and be in an isolation tank. He wants to do it. I...think I will.
Sounds vaguely terrifying, yet interesting. I think.
Olli - you pour the espresso over hot, yeah. It's delicious anyway, but amaretto makes it even better!
Does Sherlock want to go too? I'd guess not, but you never know with him.
I've thought about an isolation tank as an aid to meditation--it seems to me they practically enforce a meditative state!--and it sounds good that way. But I think I'd need to have someone I trust sitting outside, or I don't know if I could do it.
Not sure Sherlock's old enough? I don't kniw
If Sherlock can prove before we go that he can be still and quiet for an hour, maybe he can come.
I do worry you'd find it boring, Sherlock.
What do you think, Sherlock--would you prefer to do something else (like bake biscuits with Mrs H, perhaps?) while they try floating in very salty water and not thinking for an hour or so?
I'm not sure John is entirely convinced its something he wants to do yet. Sherlock might get to go with him on an adventure.
Also a cool option! It's always nice to have choices.
Can you drown in it and could someone murder someone pretending they fell asleep and then drowned?
I don't think you could drown in an isolation tank, Sherlock. They put a LOT of salt in it, just like the Dead Sea in Israel, so as long as a person is on their back they can't sink, the water is too dense. A person COULD drown in the Dead Sea if they turn over, because it's hard to get your foot down to the bottom because of the high salt density, but the water in an isolation tank is very shallow, so that isn't a problem, a person could easily put out a hand and turn back over. So a fake "accidental" drowning in an isolation tank would be very unconvincing.
You'd have to know the person's history, Sherlock - if there was a reason they might drown. Like some reason why they might get into trouble and not be able to help themself - a seizure, or medical condition or something.
Don't people have a reflex where, if they go underwater while sleeping, they automatically wake up (unless they're drugged or something)? I think I heard of a husband who was convicted of murder--he told the paramedics that she'd fallen asleep in the bathtub, slid underwater, and drowned. The coroner argued that since people don't DO that, she had to have been either held underwater or drugged.
Ella
Though, since isolation tanks are warm, you could probably mess with the determination of time of death, and perhaps avoid suspicion by having an alibi for the perceived but incorrect determination.
I'm really not a criminal, I promise, I just watch way too much television. Now I will return to my entirely wholesome and legal day.
Ella
But in water that salty, you can't slide underwater--you'd just float.
I don't know if someone could force their head underwater in, say an epilectic fit, but it would take quite a bit of force.
I am intrigued by the idea of an isolation tank; the idea of just floating for an hour with nothing but my own thoughts actually sounds relatively appealing. It might take me that long to just relax and let go of the stressy thoughts, though. Would be interested to hear how you guys find it.
Ella - happily, I imagine isolation tanks are a very set temperature, so it wouldn't confuse us. It's worse when you have no clue what temp the body has been at since death.
RR - I was suggesting they could flip themselves over somehow and then not be in a position to flip themselves back - if they were still in seizure, or unconscious.
Anywa, Sherlock, it's far safer to be in salt water than fresh water, if there's a risk of drowning. And we won't drown. Or be murdered. So don't worry
I'm on the way home.
I suppose? I really don't know--I didn't even know someone in a seizure could turn themselves over. I don't think I've heard of more than one or two cases of flotation tank accidents--and I think sedatives were involved...This is all very vague, I realize! Perhaps someone knows more? But these tanks are considered very safe indeed.
Yeah, I don't think the isolation tanks are for me...not due to drowning issues, more being left alone with my own brain. So if you want to do something else, Sherlock, we'll find something.
...can you ensure that 'something else' isn't 'seeing if someone can drown in an isolation tank?' I'd be grateful...
Ha! Think I can manage that yes.
At least it's near an excellent coffee shop. If I freak out and leave 3 minutes in I can wait for Mycroft in comfort ;)
Can you see if you can flip over?
...no. I'll be trying to relax! Not drown myself.
Sherlock, perhaps you can ask Mycroft if he would make a few notes for you about the buoyancy and so forth. (But of course, he has his own interests in trying it--I've heard that it's supposed to encourage creative thought, for example. So maybe he'll be able to and maybe he won't have the time, this time round.)
Mycroft said he wouldn't I want to go to see if you could drown but Lestrade says I can't go for that I can only do it if I do it properly but when I'm older I can go and experiment.
Well, you know, I think Lestrade is right--it would only take you a few minutes to try that out, and you have to then stay quietly, not talking (so you don't disturb anyone) or doing anything but just floating, for the whole rest of the time. So waiting until you would actually want to be quiet for an hour makes good sense.
And it could be quite fun to do something special with John, just the two of you, don't you think?
...right, have broken some bad news to Sherlock, while putting him to bed... when do I break it to John??
I'm gona say now. Good luck, whatever it is.
That doesn't sound happy. :( Hope it's not all that bad...
It's nothing terrible! Sherlock wouldn't have got to know first if it was.
But now Sherlock's taken it quite well...it's not such bad news for John.
I'm still making him a cup of tea first, though ;)
Sneaky :-p I mean, an excellent plan, but sneaky :-)
Don't keep me in suspense...
...you might be (read: will be) getting an early morning alarm call, in the shape of a small boy.
Because I have to go and knock on someone's door (read: knock down their door) early tomorrow.
Got to leave for the yard about 3am. So, you know, should probably go to bed?
Up side of this is I'll be out of work around lunchtime, all being well.
That sounds like fun in a very police sort of way Greg but an afternoon off is some compensation I guess :-)
How many times did Sherlock as if he could come with you?
Well, the afternoon off is a good thing--but I wouldn't be all that coherent if I had to get up at 3:00! (I might if I just stayed up 'til 3:00--but then again, maybe not. It's a conundrum!)
Danger - would you believe not once?
I am amazed... And actually tired. Bed sounds good to me.
...he did, however, tell me he was coming with me. And has said he'll be up at 3 and waiting for me.... ;)
Ah, I knew there was a catch... Maybe I'll take him out for a run.
... can I put money on who will be taking whom (did I get that right, Mycroft?) our for a run??
I will try to creep out without small boys, dogs, larger boys, noise, chaos etc.
Wake me up though, if I don't wake up anyway?
Well, best of luck, L--both with the creeping out and the early...is raid the right word? Anyway, I hope it all goes well.
Here's hoping you don't have an unreasonably early morning, John!
Danger - course I will. Especially if I do get a little shadow trying to attach itself to me! Because then you'll get him in my side of the bed ;)
RR - err...yeah, some people could call it a raid. We just call them Ops.
Well, I hope it goes smoothly whatever you call it! :)
Will hopefully go more smoothly once our first Op is completed - Operation Lie-In. Removing all items from Sherlock's room he could possibly have rigged as a 3am alarm ...
For some reason, that gives me the mental image of you crawling around, trying to disassemble a Rube Goldberg alarm clock without setting any of it off.... :D
Escaped without Sherlock waking!
A good omen!
(My captcha ended "boo"!)
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