I don't think it's every day of the week...but I might be wrong. And he said something about sometimes just working afternoons, when they get very busy selling lunches and ice-creams and things.
He gets to look very smart, in a shirt and a black apron.
Work was hellish today, owing to the demise of our coffee machine. Drastic measures had to be taken. We ended the day with a cafetiere, but it couldn't keep pace with the demand for coffee. Didn't help my already grumpy mood at going back to work - I could've happily had a Sherlock-style strop at 6am, an declared everything unfair. But Maf was already in my space in the bed. So I came to work.
Cases were...well, okay. I don't understand why people don't plead guilty in the face of completely overwhelming evidence. I mean...when they don't have a cause to publicise or anything.
Sherlock has just about calmed down, after a rough few days of Mycroft leaving and school starting. Not long until the summer break, which seems incredible. He enjoyed celebrating St George's day and Shakespeare's birthday, sounded like they did a lot of acting. Probably a good way for the teachers to let them all run off the last of the holiday steam.
I do worry about how he'll cope when he moves to the much more structured learning of big school. Never mind the exams... I think he might excel in things he enjoys, and let others fall seriously by the wayside. And I can't say I blame him... Maybe he will just have to invent his own job one day so no employer ever cares about his exam marks. And hope a Uni takes him, if he wants to go.
Maf has explored her new hanging kingdom. Queendom? I don't know. She seems to like it, along with enjoying digging her claws into my leg and acting as a makeshift hat for John. Maybe she's attracted to his hair? Thinks it's a rather small, flat, cat.
And finally, I'd love to go here.
And Nicky sent me this - think you could do it, Danger?
111 comments:
So instant coffee doesn't have caffeine these days?
Ah me, the coffee culture has ruined you I can see!
(Me, can't stand coffee. But will drink teabag tea if the good stuff isn't on offer!)
...I feel reasonably certain I couldn't. What about you?
That's brilliant for Mycroft, he'll definitely need some time to himself too so just doing afternoons sometimes will work well.
That bike course is amazing, how did he not touch a single cone, I couldn't do that on a tiny push bike let alone a huge motorbike.
I'm glad Maf likes her new queendom, do you think you'll be able to get her to relinquish her nightly rights to John and tempt her to sleep there now, good luck on it. ;)
Hmmm, you have a very goid point about Sherlock in the future...but I'm sure you, John, and his mum will figure something out that will work for him. You've done a fabulous job to this point, and I really can't see you all not finding other creative solutions as he ages.
I was wondering when Sherlock "ages out" of the school he's at now. is it pretty much a given that he goes to boarding school then, or at some point in the future, or are there options where he can still live at home? He seems like a kid who needs the kind of decompression that's really only available at home. You guys have not said much about play dates with other kids from school, either they aren't happening or it's private (which is fine). If not, then it would suggest he's not ready for boarding school. But, I obviously trust you to know and find what's best for him!
i did five hours of gardening today, completely renovated (dug up and pulled all the bits of grass out) one whole flower bed, with two helpers. Divided lots of iris, mostly siberian, and found places to put all of it back in the ground. I think I'll sleep pretty well tonight!
Congrats to Mycroft on the job, well done.
S
Instant coffee has caffeine and precisely no other redeeming qualities.
Ella the Coffee Snob
I think Sherlock would be exceedingly likely to invent his own job, or even start a new field altogether. (Hey, someone has to start new fields, right?) Or possibly go into a field where the other practitioners are tightly focussed on their own specialties and expect their colleagues to be likewise--but he currently seems interested in too many widely divergent areas for that. It'll be exciting to see what he--and Mycroft, too--decide to do as adults.
As to that video--they missed a bet, they should have used big dominoes instead of cones, then he could have kicked over the last one on his way out... (I can't imagine how it was done at all, frankly. Amazing!)
Holy cats, that bike course looks like fun! I imagine you can't be part of something like that for work, as you're not [what is called here] a motorcycle cop? Obviously, you need some kind of bike agility competition as morale building between police and the motorcycle riding public.
Perhaps Mrs. H. can arrange to have the block closed off and Sherlock can set you up a course of your own. Maybe it can count as training for the security detail.
I am quite taken with the challenge of learning to manage balance and speed to conquer that course. As I don't ride a motorcycle, it is unlikely to happen.
fA
As I was raised mostly on instant coffee, I view it as a kind of non-sweet cocoa, or Ovaltine. And, as you astutely point out, Ella, a caffeine delivery system. But I agree that it isn't actually coffee, in the strictest sense - and I'm not really a coffee snob. I have only 4 categories: Dreadful, Decent but not a dark enough roast, Decent (Subdivided into a. strong and b. espresso), and So Good I Can't Make it at Home.
fA
fA, you forgot category five: tea!
I heard somewhere that motorcycle cops' bikes are so heavy that if they fall over, the cop can't pick it up again by himself. No idea if that's true, but even so, that cop has pretty successful leaning skills (the bike also looks more bottom-heavy than I think most consumer bikes are, which makes the center of gravity lower, which helps).
Certain types of instant coffee make my stomach cramp like you wouldn't believe. It feels like my guts are trying to eat themselves. It usually isn't so bad if I ice it down instead of drinking it hot (no idea why), but still, for me instant coffee is strictly for emergencies.
Ella
I can't pick up my big touring bike by myself. Not that it is too heavy but that due to the various fairing and engine bits if it is on its side the wheels don't touch the ground. So I can't lever it up onto them.
I expect that with practice I could figure a method but I'd rather keep it upright.
If I do drop it miles from help then I'll have time to find things to chock it up with.
The trick to the cornering is to do it with a bit of speed up and to feather the clutch while controlling the rear with the rear brake. You need to practice a lot on the bike you are riding! I could do courses a bit like that (but nowhere near as hard) with my old bike but it took a lot of practice and a few drops.
RR- When one wants tea, it is a glorious thing itself, but would have to be lumped under my "Dreadful" category if considered as coffee. So to be fair to both tea and to coffee, I'll leave it to its own category. ;-)
fA
Rider - there wasn't any instant. And the yard is saturated with coffee, just not our tiny corner.
John - not without a lot of practice, but yeah, possibly?
S - Sherlock is completely free to choose where he wants to go for school, just as Mycroft was. He can choose not to board if he wants.
Has the new coffee maker stood up to the task today Greg?
I like the idea of Sherlock being able to make choices about schools when he's older, one of the big failings of the sibling link priority for general school placements is it takes no account of the differing needs of the kids.
I hope you're having a good day John :-)
I'm out on a job. Would much rather be in the warm and dry, wrapped around my husband!
Congratulations, Mycroft!
For *some* reason, after reading your post, my mind translated the title into 'Pour myself a cup of ambition... right after a double shot of espresso, please, please, seriously, somewhere has to have coffee.' :)
The song lyric is cheering, since I've been thinking of that movie since the mention of Dolly Parton the other day. Been a while since I've seen it.
Hope everyone's day is progressing apace. Criminals frustrated, Sherlock happily engaged and everyone getting on with what needs to be done.
fA
Congratulations, Mycroft! I hope you have a lot of fun with the job.
As someone who watched caffiene desperate soldiers chew coffee grounds when there was no way to make coffee, I can distantly understand that horror of being without, so my sympathies to those who have to endure poor coffee or none. However, as I can't stand the smell and the taste makes me sick, I can only watch in a rather horrified amazement at the lengths people will go to get their coffee. :)
This is the third time he's used lyrics from that song as a post title...I know because it gets stuck in my head every single time.
You should try working with him when he's singing it in a Dolly-ish way. Or Jolene, which he also sings a lot. Sometimes substituting names to 'Sall-eeeee' or 'Johnn-eeee'.
Oh, great, now he's singing it with your cat's name.
I hope you're recording it for posterity...
Maf is taking my man! Literally has her claws in him sometimes!
Okay, DS Sally Donovan. Did you have to mention Jolene? HAVE YOU NO PITY? The rest of my day is going to be to the soundtrack of the chorus of that song. 9-5 can't begin to budge it. And it's still morning, here.
fA
Okay, based on the comments I had to go look up the song - it's terribly catchy! And kind of the perfect thing to be humming on a Friday :) I feel a bit dim, but I'm still peeking through the archives - are all of your post titles song lyrics?
I also missed the underwater park the first time around. I want to go there, too! And pretend to be reading on that bench :)
Apart from the very early days, when I tried to impress by thinking up witty titles of my own... Yes. For quite a few years now, all song lyrics. Some people used to enjoy finding the related song, but I think everyone's given up now!
I confess I don't usually look them up--but this one I recognized!
I am counting the hours till I can spend some time looking for replacement earworms. I just spent an hour in a meeting on digital asset sustainability planning (as riveting as it sounds, yes) with "Jolene, Joleeeenneeee, Joleeene, Joleeeene" etc." going in my head.
(If I have time and don't recognize it, I still try to find the song. I used to try harder to recognize them on my own, but my track record was dismal.)
fA
We could all make helpful suggestions?
Manuh manuh by the muppets? Just as an example?
The words I want to communicate to you right now are not suitable for a family blog.
I have been humming that to myself (unthinkingly) for half an hour now. My dog is looking at me oddly. Don't blame him.
K x
...and now I have manah manah stuck in my head. Thank you for that. :)
I'm also wondering what sort of post would be associated with the title 'Manah manah.'
I have "Manic Monday" playing on repeat in my mind on Mondays quite often. Particularly the 'wish it was Sunday' part. If that counts as a helpful suggestion!
K, Anne - I aim to please ;) all that was suggested was replacement songs, no requirements to quality were given!
Thankfully, I was away from the blog for a bit. Now I have muppets in my head. Making a nice change, but I think I'll youtube some early Talking Heads soon. "Don't Worry About the Government" usually works. (It's over there, it's oveer theere. My building has every convenience, it's gonna make life easy for me . . .")
The kryptonite to replace all ear worms for me is Tony Basil's "Hey Mickey!" But it's also worse than most other ear worms . . .
Sorry 'bout that. ;-)
fA
Damn. Now I'm gonna have to go home and have a washing dishes dance party tonight.
All unintended consequences should be this easy.
fA
You all need to apologise to John, really, I'll happily sing any annoying song for hours on end. He's the one who has to live with it :)
I have put one of his jumpers in Maf's Gaff. Hope she'll sleep with it. Don't tell him.
Now I have a string of earworms running through my head... O_O
(What's a gaff in that context?)
Gaff = house/dwelling/place. In this context, her new hanging...thing.
Ah, thank you!
(I now have my most persistent earworm, Man of La Mancha, running unstoppably through my head. Even munah munah can't drive it out!)
RR- blast from the past! My parents had no more than a dozen records when I was a child. One of which was the original Broadway cast recording of Man of LaMancha. I don't think I know those songs, but any time I hear the first bars of any of the songs, every word and inflection, every phrasing, every pause from that album comes flooding back.
fA
Heh, fA--I can still hear some of my parents' Broadway cast albums in my head, complete with the scratches, from start to finish!
Lestrade made us zabaglione and it was nice and I had lots and John says it should make me sleep but I'm not tired.
That a yummy festive start to your weekend! (Maybe it will just help you sleep better when you are sleepy.)
Think it might make John sleep...
I'm not sure I need any help...
Not surprised, after a Friday-Sherlock. He somehow gathers even more energy for a Friday night.
I've been reading about cats. Apparently brushing them reinforces a bond with you. Maybe I should brush her.
And is she getting her version of the snip at some point? In which case...you should definitely be the one to drop her at the vets :)
You should! Maybe you'll bond with her too and stop accusing her of plotting your death... And she is, yes. The vet said she should gain a little weight first, but she seems to be doing that with no problem at all.
She definitely looks a lot better than when she arrived - just as we all do, probably. I suppose they just guess how old she is?
By the way, seen these? More like sculptures than cat-abodes.
http://www.hauspanther.com/2013/01/26/kitticraft-modern-cat-products-from-south-africa/
I'll give brushing her a go this weekend. Although she hissed at my guitar earlier. If we're to be friends, she'll have to sort that out.
Probably around 12 weeks, they said, maybe a little younger. Oh those are nice... I bet she'd like the hanging ones. Was it the first time she'd heard the guitar? Maybe she was just startled.
And yes, I think we're all doing a lot better than when we arrived :)
Amazing that she's only been alive 12(ish) weeks, and she was already fending for herself.
Yeah, I don't think she's been around the guitar before. And it was the electric, and I might've been making it make some odd noises...
I think she's missing the dogs. Just got us bipeds now, no four legged friends.
"Maybe you'll bond with her too and stop accusing her of plotting your death..."
Point, set & match to Watson.
fA
...What noises were you making?
I don't accuse her, I just state it as plain fact.
She doesn't refute it.
I had it set to bridge pick up and was stroking the strings to make it make hissy sounds. Then tried to be Bryan May and make cat sounds. She objected.
Ah, all right. I thought you personally were making the noises.
My odd noises are all for you.
I do talk to her though. About you. Mainly because she's always staring at me. Although she'd probably prefer food to a chat.
Has she been in her new bed yet? Whenever I see her she's plastered to you...maybe you could get in it? Show her the way?
What do you say to her?
I'll put her up there before we go to bed, see if she gets the idea.
I dunno, just chat about you, tell her to look after you, ask her what you've been up to, tell her she can stop looking so pathetic because I know you've fed her, that sort of stuff. Occasionally discuss her next assassination attempt.
I'm fairly sure that within moments of the light going off our door will silently open and she'll be attempting to clamber up the fnug.
..That's incredibly sweet, you know.
Well, she is still very young. And sure she'll find my head too warm in summer too.
Mm, maybe. You are Doc Hotson, afterall... But you are essentially saying that you're a big mummy cat to her?
You got more work days lined up, now the holiday chaos is over?
Just a nanny cat.
Yeah, a few. I might try two days a week for a while.
I wouldn't bank on her thinking your head is too warm.
We once had a large long haired black cat whose favourite sleeping spot in the middle of the Australian summer was outside, in full sun, on top of the hot air exhaust of the aircondtioner.
She could get almost too hot to touch and we were afraid she'd cook herself.
There's got to be some way of persuading her to sleep in a better place...
Two days worth of the general public a week...Sherlock will seem almost sane in comparison! ;)
I fear it may still be relaxing compared to Mycroft's job...
I'm worried for the couple who run the deli...I mean, they still have to do it once they've experienced life with Mycroft and then lost him back to school! They'll probably feel like they've lost a very polite, organised, intelligent limb :)
Yeah, pretty much. Did you hear Sherlock announcing that he could work there after Mycroft was done?
I'm picturing the scene...
Mycroft - Customer walks in, asks advice on cheese, leaves educated, with appropriate cheese and probably some other things they didn't even know they wanted...
Sherlock - Customer walks in, asks advice on cheese, has intelligence questioned, is refused sale of cheese, ends up having to throw dinner party made entirely of ice cream....
They'd probably do it though. He can be worryingly persuasive.
Yeah, and feel totally fine right until they have to explain to their friends that a small boy persuaded them this was the right idea...
I've just seen the time..bed? With or without Maf... I'll be asleep at work tomorrow.
Got Sunday and Monday off though :)
Bed, yes.
Lovely :)
I think you mean fabulously persuasive, and who wouldn't want a salesman who can sell anything?
Mm.. Fabulous until your customers start resenting being sold stuff they don't need!
Mycroft just sent me a screenshot...he's got a 4096 tile on that bloody game now. I still haven't got a 2048!
Anyone in East London, don't worry about all the emergency service vehicles, we're running an exercise, major incident - plane crashed into building. So it'll look dramatic, but it's all acting (well, hopefully our bit is very serious - but the casualties are acting!)
8192, Lestrade.
I'm fairly sure that's not even possible.
Don't bother doubting Mycroft on simple (ha!) mathematical puzzles, L. But you don't really, do you? ;-)
Good luck on your exams, Mycroft. I imagine you are the only one who might be less than triumphantly pleased with your results, I hope you will not be too self-critical.
I may have said it before, but congratulations on the job. You will no doubt have your patience sorely tried, and will also figure out how to increase the business' efficiency as you learn it. Your employers will no doubt be surprised at how well they chose.
fA
I know it IS possible...I just, you know, don't believe it's possible for a human to achieve.
Thank you, fA. However, I know little about running a business, and I did choose to approach this particular shop as they seem to be successful already. I thought I would find it easier to work in an organised and well-run environment.
And because, as explained by your little brother 'you know stuff about cheese'. You should put that on your CV.
Mmmm, cheese. Eating sauteed zucchini (courgette?), garlic and onion with cheese & freshly made salsa on corn tortillas right this minute. Cheese good.
fA
That does sound good.
I'm looking forward to my days off :)
I have ambitious cooking goals today...a number of them involve cheese (though just plain cheddar and mozz. Nothing fancy).
Yay days off!
Ella
Good luck with cooking - let us know how it goes!
I might be persuaded to do something nice for tomorrow, bit of a Sunday roast, maybe.
It's going well so far! I have completed pizza and beans (which will be red beans and rice eventually). Usually one of my weekend days is taken up with "cook all the things you will eat this week and put them in tupperware," because I rarely feel like cooking when I get home from work, so if I don't cook on weekends all I have for food is fried eggs or veggies and hummus. Also I never figured out portion cooking for one, so everything I cook, I eat for a week on it.
Ella
Mmmm, Ella. I just made grilled mozz & tomatoes & pesto on rosemary bread for the (grown) offspring. With veggies on the side. I am pretty sorry that I'm not hungry because it smells like heaven. Nowadays I do less "real" cooking than you do, I just make batches of rice or quinoa up ahead of time and for a meal put quickly steamed/sauteed things on them. And veggies and hummus and egg white scrambles (with those egg whites in the carton). And salads, if I can make myself wash lettuce. I only do a proper meal maybe once or twice a week.
fA
I always forget about what a good combination tomatoes + pesto + mozzarella make. It's hard to get good tomatoes out here in CO, but I need to try so I can make some of that. Yum.
Ella
If you can possibly lay your hands on good mozzarella you should treat yourself one day - but don't grill it, or I'll have to come over there and smack your hands ;)
I've no idea how easy it is to get - you couldn't get it here until fairly recently, and I've a feeling we take our cheese more seriously this side of the pond!
Sherlock wants me to roast a goat for lunch...I think we might go for something slightly more traditional.
And besides which, unless you have a very large oven a goat wouldn't fit.
I don't think I've tried proper mozzarella, I might have to get some to try, but obviously wouldn't dare to grill it now. ;) How would you recommend it be served may one ask. I usually go for the more basic cheeses, Red Leicester being my favourite. :)
Hmm, roasted goat, adventurous certainly, but I'm not sure it would be top of my most wanted foods ;)
How did the Maf training go last night, did she stay in her jumper filled nest or did she end up back in your bed.
Have a great day off together. :)
I'd eat it ripped up, with fresh basil, fresh sliced tomato, maybe some avocado with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper over it.
But it is distressingly hard to find good mozzarella.
We're having lamb, not goat.
And sorry, was cooking - Maf appeared in our room fairly swiftly once she realised were we'd gone.
This afternoon I will be trained in the art of brushing her 'how she likes it', by the husband ;)
Mozzarella here comes in two varieties--the dry shredded stuff we put on pizza, and a style that is sort of spherical, often packed in water, and more expensive. If I was going to so the above sandwiches I'd go with the latter kind, and me never having been to Italy and not knowing any better probably means I would be perfectly happy. :)
Ella
We have two varieties of the rounded mozzarella (and much softer) pricey kind Ella describes - one packed in various kinds of sealed plastic that goes for about the same price as a good cheddar, and one in tubs of water/whey one gets at the fancy grocery or deli and is priced like artisanal cheeses - about twice the price per pound of the other. I am heathen because I can't tell much difference between the two, except that the cheaper is often a bit saltier.
When good, locally grown tomatoes are available, we make that same salad, Greg. Divine. I hope you emerge unscathed from the cat brushing.
fA
truly great mozzarella would never get as far as a sealed tub, would definitely never be chilled, and should be plaited. And never, ever, made from anything but water buffalo milk. It should be incredibly soft - only just firmer than cream cheese, inside the 'skin' of slightly tougher cheese. It definitely shouldn't be at all rubbery.
Well, I can say with certainty I've never had great mozzarella!
Though it makes me feel better about my palate to know that the super pricey stuff available here wasn't something that I should have been swooning over.
fA
I'm making myself want good mozzarella now...
I survived grooming Maf. Although am completely covered in her fur now, and she wasn't at all grateful, just went and sat and John and gave herself a wash.
It's probably because I feed her.
So I should groom her and feed her to gain her affections? Women, eh? ;)
Well, it worked on me...
...true, but I notice you also managed to get me to sleep where you wanted...which coincidentally is also where Maf now sleeps...hmmm.
The way cats work, she'll bond with you and simply have twice the motivation to sleep in your bed. But maybe you can take turns having a fur hat in midsummer.
fA
I'm hoping she'll be like a small human...clingy right now, but soon she'll be the equivalent of a teenager, and not want anything to do with us.
It is inaccurate to suggest teenagers want nothing to do with you.
I feel certain when Sherlock hits his teens he will still require you to purchase him vast quantities of ice cream, cake and pizza.
And I don't mind you so much myself. Although I draw the line at you brushing my hair.
Ha! Glad to hear it, Mycroft :)
I am SO glad you didn't say grooming then, Mycroft.
Y'all have done good with those boys.
fA
They've done good with us, too.
Maf is trying to chew my finger. I really might wake up tomorrow missing a limb.
He keeps wriggling it for her and letting her gnaw on it.
As you said earlier, It worked for you ;)
Ha, I deny gnawing on it!
I'm trying to be a good cat-parent. They must need to do this stuff, right? It's natural, or something, I imagine.
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