I'm not the man they think I am at home.

Well, we lose Mycroft today, off back to school after a lovely long time at home. So tonight the place will be empty of dogs, large teenagers, stuff, things and the fridge will remain full for slightly longer... although to be fair, he's been bringing us lots of treats home from work, when he was there.

Here's the first lot of florentines Sherlock and I made. We have somewhat refined our recipe since, and added in some pre-toasting of nuts. But still, they tasted good, even without any of the right ingredients.

I think we're going to make some more in a bit, so Mycroft can take them back to school with him.

I have waited for the rain to come

Quiet, isn't it?

I haven't really been in the mood. For...anything, to be honest.

Had a very sad case to deal with, which is all questions and few answers. Had to talk to the family, who are 7000 miles away. They had questions I didn't have answers to. I had questions they didn't have answers to. And working through a translator makes it all the more difficult to understand each other. Cultural differences, too, add to confusion.

I'm trying to help arrange them to have the bodies sent home, but it's difficult, and expensive. But we've managed it before, via charities and governments and all that.


Anyway, off today. Did some work on the bike with John. He's good - surgeon's hands ;)

Had to have a ride too, obviously, can't lube a cold chain. Comment on that as you will.

Then had to go and see Sherlock, and get out the crayons. It's nice, watching the kids all stuck in to their work. Wish I could go more often.


Here's the planet John and I thought we'd found....which isn't a planet, Mycroft informs us, but an eclipsing binary. Well, we got excited for a bit ;)

Um...soo... anyone got any questions? Things they want to talk about? Or have we all got the January blues?

I can't understand myself anymore

I rang Mum today, in what I will laughably refer to as my lunch break.

I'm not sure what I've done this time, but she wasn't very interested in talking to me. So I spent the time telling her about what John and the boys are up to, and asking her about various things I know she's seen/done since she was home (well primed by Nicky). Didn't approach the cat idea. I dunno, it just takes the wind out of my sails. I try to get properly upbeat before calling, but after I'm always completely flat.

Still, mug of coffee later and back dealing with cases.


John and I are going to go out suit shopping. I do love a nice suit. I do love John in a nice suit.

Probably going to check out a few more tailors, until we find something for John as a sort of everyday-suit, and somewhere we might trust to work on our wedding suits. There's a tailor called Cad & The Dandy I want to try, and a few others that sound sort of...promising. Also very well aware time marches on, and we've done, essentially, nothing yet.

I think I'll be almost as excited the day we get the licence in our hands as the day we actually tie the knot!


In other news - don't attempt to run your dishwasher with washing up liquid in it. Yes, Sherlock, we know it's what you use to wash dishes...but it just doesn't work in the dishwasher. It makes it gurgle in a bad way. And completely fills with bubbles. Which, I know, you think is great. Hence our flat looking like a 90s nightclub now.

Oh, and upon getting to work this morning, there was a halo over my staff photo, wings stuck on the name plate on my door, 'Angel' taped over where it normally says 'DI' and 'Gives you wings' plastered across the coffee maker...

He walked up to me and really stole my heart.

I did promise.

Right, training is okay. Lots of work on 'real life' scenarios - situations which have really happened that we have to deal with. It's difficult, but interesting. It's still all just pretend, though. No one can know what they'll do if it happens for real. We're all feeling that.

Mainly lots of being in the wet today, surrounding premises, learning about safe ways to stop people, approach them, different types of weapons and some horribly realistic 'toys', that I don't understand the existance of at all.


Last night, however, was quite, quite, different.

City Trash...

Obs tonight much more enjoyable. Partly because I'm not on my own.

(Hello! I didn't really believe Greg when he said this is the reason he's been humming the same tune for the last hour but now it seems like it was true. Also, Doctor John, very sensible to have a back up career in medicine and child care, after modelling. Nice picture though. DC Amy.)

So, now for the newest track for the album.

Getting nowhere fast.

Mycroft sent us this. I hope I've done this right and it shows up. It's really beautiful. You need to make it big on your screen, and turn the sound up. The music was composed especially for it. You can watch it here, but the link goes to the article with a bit about it.



Thanks to all of you for all your help with me thinking about my Mum. I'll talk to Nicky first, see what she thinks, as she's currently our go-between.

John's looking at pictures of Greek Islands. All of them gorgeous white-and-blue, with clear seas and sunny skies. It's relaxing just looking at the pictures.

And just to balance up, a picture of the goos, doing what the title of the post suggests. I don't know how they manage to run in unison so well...

You smile, you smile, and then the spell was cast

What can I possibly say about John? Words don't do him justice.

He found an amazing place to stay - and was just, well, amazing, really.

I think we both struggle, on occasion, with the need for a bit of time to ourselves versus our responsibilities to the boys. But after a few great days in Manchester with Sherlock it was brilliant to get away from it all, way out in the countryside, just the two of us.

(This post now with added Hollandaise recipe under the break!)

Boys and babes.

Back at work today after a great weekend with John and the boys. The snow snowed, pretty much on time, we played, it obligingly melted, for the most part, before I had to be at work this morning. How often does that happen? Bit dicey, off the main tyre tracks, in places, but  overall my ride in this morning was fine and not too slippery at all.

Sherlock was absolutely shattered last night, after a very late night on Saturday and then most of the day out playing yesterday. He didn't even wait to be tucked in before he was spark out.

Why, you stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking Nerf herder...

...

Yeah, I always fancied being Han Solo.

And I've found my very own Princess Leia!

He just loves those rolls... And he pulls exactly that face when he's concentrating still. Especially when cooking.

And now, a post isn't a post without Danger with something hanging out of his mouth... I don't even know.

Gonna roll with it...

Danger's been working back at the surgery. I can just imagine him, sitting in his consulting room, all serious and concerned and caring, stethoscope slung around his neck, scrawling unreadable prescriptions for poor chemists to decipher.

There'll be a little crease in between his eyebrows, little frown when he's trying to understand all the symptoms. A knowing nod, hands clasped together, maybe leans forward...

And then he's all capable and businesslike and utterly assured as he examines and listens and taps and investigates.

I bet none of his patients imagine him looking like this:

Did I tell you I was 25, and did I mention that I loved you since the other night.

Two twenty five titles in a day. Gosh.

Right. Well. Let's go with Anon's question.

Have you ever been attracted to a woman? Or if the answer is no, which would be a short story, do you prefer to bottom or top with a man?

You really don't have to click to read the rest. I'll be over here, waiting for a barrage of questions from Sherlock. Or John. Or you lot.

All I ever wanted to do was lie around in bed with you, I was only nineteen, only nineteen.

Innie asked what I think of when I hear 'Luxurious' or 'indulgent'.

So, lying in bed this morning, chatting to John about what to do all day, it struck me that that, now, is sort of both. Just being in bed, with nothing specific to do.

I love the feel of soft cotton on my skin, especially when it's warm. I really like being comfy and warm. It makes me feel safe.

Whenn I was little and all the madness that was our house got too much for me I'd climb into the cupboard where Mum stored the sheets and towels and stuff - warm from the immersion heater - and just burrow into it all. The house was often cold, we were often cold, and this was like a little safe cocoon where I could escape everything.

So although it doesn't sound much, I think of warmth and softness as being luxurious now. But not in a fur-rug-in-front-of-a-fire way. I mean, that might be nice, I don't know. But I prefer to be wrapped up in something. It's why I like old baggy jeans and fleecy soft hoodies, I suppose.


Indulgence for me is all about food and drink.

Dessert wine is truly indulgent. Rich and sweet and perfect. Or really good coffee. Perfectly cooked meat, and most important, time and good company to enjoy it all.

Time, I think, is the most luxuriant and indulgent thing of all. And something my job frequently drives home is the fact you need to enjoy it whenever you've got it. As such, today has been a perfect mix of a bit of a lie in (thank you Mycroft), a long, luxurious breakfast of pastries and coffee, then ice skating and a wander around the Natural History Museum. The best company, the nicest day. Wonderful.

As I posted the other day - "Time Goes, you say? Ah no! Alas time stays....we go.'

You don't know what you're missing...

Just because you all seem to think I'm mad for getting up early. But the other day I went into work, then headed out again on a job, and this was the sight that greeted me. Like London was under a big pink fluffy blanket.

Better than looking at the inside of your eyelids, right??

I'm not very good at doing clever things on here...

here's a song I like. I'm not very good at finding things on YouTube. It's the first one he sings. I'm teaching myself to play it on the guitar. YouTube is brilliant for that - being able to listen, over and over, picking out the sounds. I can't really read music very well, I've always done it this way. Far easier than having to put the needle back on the vinyl over and over, I tell you. Plus I can change the words to 'Pretty amazing Danger'.

Thunder, Lightening, a little bit...exciting?

Excellent things about today:

• John.

• Proper thunder/lightening/rain storms.

Repetition, reputation, replenishment.

Spent all day knocking on doors (well, walking up to doors and demanding to be let in) of various businesses on this murder case.

It's going quite well. We're fairly sure the net is tightening nicely. It's just a LOT of work. Everyone who doesn't let us in we get a warrant for. I've got two of the team living at the court to get them for us. Although now word is spreading, most people don't bother giving us the runaround.

Birthday Boy!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, JOHN HAMISH DANGER WATSON!!

Everyone, I'm sure you'll all join me in wishing Danger the very happiest of birthdays.

And I shall risk Sherlock's ire ("the blog is for murders not boring stuff!") and say that I'm the luckiest bloke on the planet, because I have John in my life. So happy birthday, John, here's to the next 40 years.

Getting a man in.

I never sleep well on the day before nights. No matter how much I tell myself I should try and start my body adjusting, it just doesn't work.

So this morning I got up with the boys and Danger, we got everyone off to school/tutors, and then headed out to get some supplies.

Once back at the house things got very hot and steamy. And Danger helped me strip (or we helped each other strip, I suppose). Peeling back the layers was very very satisfying. And quickly followed by exploring some cracks and some careful filling.

We have loved the stars too fondly to be afraid of the night

So, new poll. I know that's not a very exhaustive list, and Mycroft rolled his eyes at me when I named it that. But I do enjoy a good heavenly body.

Last night the Royal Observatory at Greenwich held one of their Observing Evenings. So it seemed only right to let Mycroft get along there and have a look through their massive telescope [A 28-inch refracting telescope] Shit! how do you even DO that, Mycroft? I'm typing - it's scary to see words I'm NOT typing coming up on the screen! Stop it! Get your own blog if you want to.