Tonight I wanna give it all to you, In the darkness

I sang this to John earlier (with obvious changes to the lyrics). Then sang it again with Sherlock's help. Then showed him the video. His eyes went huge and he asked if people really looked like that 'in the old days'. Then quizzed me extensively on exactly which parts of the fashion I might have indulged in.

I want the world to know, I would rather dance with you

Well...I haven't done much since my last blog.

Got quite a lot better. Coughed really more than I'd like. Wished I hadn't spent 30+ years smoking. The usual. Coughing gives me a pounding headache. It's very tedious. I really really hate being ill. Although being ill with John around is a vast improvement on being ill before.

I wasn't going to blog about it, but as I've been leading such a boring life these past few days - here you go. We got a 'commemorative coin' for our Olympic duties last week. Mine's still in the office, but I did take a picture of it:

...just can't tell you how proud I am.

Today we mainly cleaned the flat. Hung up Sherlock's huge sparkly bone. Argued about trapezes. The usual...

In fact, hell, given it's so quiet, and it's been (sort of) requested...why don't we have another Lestrade's Upstanding Column Of Love*

*questions need not be about love.

And here, because I fear some people reading last night's comments might think we'd gone actually insane...is Rufus Hound smashing eggs with a mallet sellotaped to his cock, for charity....

Obviously, this contains a cock. And quite a lot of confusion.

Thirteen. (Un)lucky for some.

Had a great day today. The pond is pretty much done, as far as we're concerned. Up to nature now – hope someone moves in and enjoys it!

Yesterday was brilliant too -fireworks on the river, then dinner out. It's been great weather and the mist last night seemed very Autumnal. Sherlock fell asleep on the way home, and even slept in a bit this morning.

So all this got me thinking about what my life was like a year ago, as REReader asked.

Nine to five yeah they got you where they want to

Today's been trying to the extreme. A trial my team have a big part of was declared a mistrial today, because the accused's friends have been threatening jury members and witnesses. So that's just masses of time and money wasted, and it'll now go to retrial at some points, probably with fewer witnesses now wondering if it's worth testifying.

Happily I came home to Danger having cooked a lovely meal, which made my day infinitely better. Well, just coming home to him does that anyway, but with dinner ready it's even better.

Tink's turn today.

Tink:

If you could go back in time to give yourself advice, when would you go back to and what advice would you give?

Would you ever let Sally make an actual guest post, as opposed to her popping on when you've forgotten to log off?

Has work settled down on the 'he's dating a guy' thing?

Just thought I'd slip this in here...

So, for those of you who think I deserve some sort of title for my powers of innuendo, you should watch this. It's a kid's TV programme. I used to watch it with Nicky, Danny, Sam and Rachel. I was a bit old for it when it started. But generations of kids in the UK grew up with Zippy, Bungle and George.

A distant ship's smoke on the horizon...

Still ill. Which is seriously boring, as Sherlock has pointed out. Danger is nursing me back to health though. Which largely consists of making me drink odd things, refusing to let me do anything and forming a lovely warm human pillow. Which does make me a feel a lot better.

Sadly he's actually employed as a nanny, so I have to share him.

If I had a time machine the ONE piece of advice I'd go back and give myself would be to never start smoking. It's only ever been a spectacularly bad idea.

I noticed the other day that one of you admitted finding John's blog whilst surfing for porn. HAH, I knew it. (EDIT: It was Azure. "And, yes, John, I totally was looking for porn when I found this. But aren't you glad that so many awesome people ended up here even if we found it while looking for filth?".) I rest my case.


And now, because I've been incarcerated all day....

The only place no one can bother me...

Was meant to cook curry last night - a first, for me. But instead stayed at work, staring at the walls and willing that one clue that'll crack the case to jump out at me.

It didn't.

But Danger did turn up with dinner for me, cooked by Mrs Hudson. Not quite what I had planned.

So now he knows about the case I'm "not talking about". Which doesn't mean I'm about to start talking about it. Some things in this job get to everyone. Some things get to certain people. Some things don't seem to worry you, and then you worry about yourself. Hard to keep hold of your humanity, sometimes. Hard to let go of it, others.

Makes me worry a bit about the boys, too. They both - but Sherlock particularly, being so much younger - see things, via me, that other kids don't. Sherlock loves murders. Loves the stories. And I worry sometimes that I'm making it all too much of a story, and not enough about the real life consequences. Mycroft understands all that. I'm not sure Sherlock does. Sometimes I feel irresponsible. But I don't want to scare him, either.

I don't know thinking too much, probably. Some cases do that to you, too. Sometimes you need to get out and eat ice cream and just accept that you can't save the world on your own.

As much as you all rag me for not taking compliments and all that, I know I'm damn good at my job. And sometimes that means I put a lot of pressure on myself - and my team, who are equally as good, and without who I wouldn't be half as successful - Because I don't want any case to be the one I have to send to 'unsolved' pile.

It was easy, before John and the boys. Stay at the Yard, sleep at my desk, drink coffee, eat take away, ignore the rest of the world and just focus. I didn't have or want a life outside of work, not really. Because everything outside always went tits up, and everything about my job has always gone well.

Trying to rebalance my life isn't as easy as I thought it might be. But I think I'm getting better. i just relapse sometimes.

Speaking of which, it's close to a year since I gave up smoking...there have beenn relapses on that front, too.

John, Mycroft and Sherlock are the best motivators I could have on both fronts.

Curry tonight, everyone?

Dissolutions, discord and displeasure

Where do I start.

I imagine most of you know that Bryan paid me a visit. Don't know what I can say about it, really.

I'd gone back to mine for some laundry, got in the building fine, took the stairs like I always do, key in the lock and when I turned it he grabbed the back of my collar and shoved me inside. Obviously I didn't know who it was right then, but it was never going to be good, was it? I should have been more aware of my surroundings. I should have thought he might do this. but I wasn't, and I didn't. More fool me.

LESTRADE, STOP SMOKING!

As mentioned in comments on John's Blog. This is for my own good. Don't pull your punches.

Go on, do what you like. Advice, abuse, facts, horrible pictures and stories of lingering deaths - whatever you think will help me to stop smoking. Then I can come back here whenever I'm desperate for a smoke, and be put off.


Do your worst best, bloggers.