For the usual fee - plus expenses

Apparently talking lots during meal times makes your kids more confident. We don't have a problem with that. Although sometimes a problem with not talking with full mouths...

Private Detectives are finally going to be regulated - although I'm unsure if it will work. But still, a step in the right direction? Maybe?

And people who are suspected of domestic violence are going to be banned from owning firearms. Excellent, in my view. A whole raft of new measures are being brought in to help the police either refuse rights to own guns, or remove guns already owned, if evidence/report of domestic violence come to light. As well as to privately interview other family members about the person' suitability to own a firearm. About bloody time.

On the subject of rules and regulations, here's one John found:

...yes.

Here's a picture of mine from yesterday. This isn't a problem we usually have when casting footprints, but my poor SOCO yesterday was having a nightmare!

(And no, it wasn't at Sherlock's school. Although I've perhaps foolishly promised Sherlock we can cast our mouths sometime... foolish because I bloody hate that stuff! But...well, he asked nicely. I'll see if Danger wants to volunteer instead. Probably not the first time he's had a large amount of something pink going hard in his mouth... ;) )

The boys made us breakfast this morning, and let us have a lie in. I needed it - at some point last night I'd managed to get the sheet we sleep under tucked around my face, and when John rolled over and it tightened I woke up with a massive adrenalin surge. Which woke him up. We both laughed about it... once we'd both got over our respective shocks!

Then we headed off to swim. Sherlock is determined to master every major stroke before next term.

We've done a bit of allotmenteering, tidied the flat a bit, walked the dogs, baked biscuits and eaten big baked potatoes!

Don't leave me stranded here

Dinner has been made and devoured. Scones have been made and protected from thieving little fingers, attached to bodies which can't possibly still be hungry! Honestly, I actually think Sherlock is the first person to have a black hole inside them.

Sherlock seems a lot better today, after yesterday. He was...oh, I don't know. It's a lot to take in, given his uncertain start in life, with people coming and going all the time.

We made scones this evening - well, he made them, I just reached things from high shelves.

Spot the odd one out...

Don't you think it's sometimes wise not to grow up?

Happy Birthday Sir Mick!

The plants in my last post were chickpeas. The pods are weird - like green bubbles of air, but inside somewhere is a little chickpea or two.

I've had a lovely day today - well, I'd prefer having more John in it, but you know, can't be helped! He was called out early, so I had the boys to entertain right from the off :)

We had pancakes (don't hate me, John!), then I really wanted to get some guitar practice in, so I strung up loads of wool from the bannisters to the wall (sorry about the sellotape, Mrs H...) and challenged Sherlock to get through it all like lasers, not touching any, as if he was robbing somewhere. To encourage him I promised him an ice cream sundae if he managed it.

Anyway, lots of arguments and 'You touched it!/no I didn't!/Yes you DID' conversations later (I'll get bells to put on the string next time, cheeky little theif.) he got there, I'd had a good hour of guitar playing, and we all headed to the park before the dogs got trapped in the web.

And curse Sir Walter Raleigh, He was such a stupid git.

I feel like I just can't shake off feeling tired this week. Which doesn't make Greg a very fun boy. And moody, actually. Grumpy, tired and very short of patience.

Sherlock's butterflies have started hatching - we were getting a bit worried about them, but now they're emerging, all crumpled, and drying themselves off before fluttering around the tank thing we have them in. Tomorrow I think he'll need to be persuaded to let the first batch go.

He also needed a lot of persuading to go to bed. I think he's persuaded John they should all go swimming tomorrow. I'm fairly sure he'll develop gills any day now.

We've had some good results on the policing front this week, which makes me happy. As well as far more obsession in the office with royalty than usual. Mainly because money was changing hands... Although now there is a large photograph of Hugh Laurie in full regalia on the noticeboard... sorry Ma'am...I did remind them you're the boss ;)

Ummm...what else, what else... My mind is incredibly blank.

Oh, have a picture/quiz.

Someone is growing these on the allotment. I had to ask what they were. Any of you know? Winner gets... dunno, a feeling of vast superiority?

Anyway, we might try to grow some next year.

That sounds wrong...grow some of that particular plant.

An now...I'm sure there was something else I was going to talk about. I don't know.

Got a whopping four days off next week. Told the boys to suggest what we should do with our time... Sherlock wants to go to the Large Hardon Colluder. Or whatever it's called. I thought it was shut down now for a bit? Not that we'd be going there if it wasn't! I think he may be pacified by a trip to the seaside. He wants to eat eel.


Oh, and he's pretty much decided on his wedding 'outfit' - he wants a shirt to match the lining of my jacket (purple), black trousers and maybe a black waistcoat. He'll look incredibly smart.

Walking in the sunshine town feeling very cool

Yesterday was okay. Somewhat strained. Nicky was a complete saint again, assuring Mum (and me) she'd help Mum around and keep an eye on her if she wanted to come to our wedding.

This morning there was an almighty thunderstorm - made the house shake! So I had a cuddly John on one side, and Sherlock decided to leap on us, so him on the other. Me valiantly trying to go to sleep...but no hope, with Sherlock outlining ever more insane plans for the day.

Today was...hot. And there were dead bodies and mortuaries and endless searches of areas in the blazing heat. It's not great for the state of bodies either - we're not used to decomposition in this sort of heat. Not something we usually deal with. Plus prepping appeals on old cases, all sorts.

One of the other DIs took a proper header down the stairs at the weekend, and looks like he's been on the losing side of a serious fight. He sent us a photo, so we knew he wasn't laying it on!

Err..other news. It's a boy! The press finally have something to talk about. I'm kind of sad that the news wasn't announced first on the easel, but via social media. Anyway, best of luck to them all.


Anyway...things... chatted to an old lady today, in the course of enquiries, and while we were chatting, she told me that sometimes the Chinese would attach these little whistles/flutes to pigeon's tail feathers, so when they flew they made soft whistly noises. You can find some examples on YouTube. Fascinating the things you find out about.

Other news...apparently it's against company policy for McDonald's to serve someone on a horse in
their drive-throughs.

Thanks for all your help with Sherlock's question the other day...I now feel like I know even less than before about vaginas.

In return for your help, have some cupcakes which look really quite disturbingly real at first glance.

Don't click if you're in public, or with small children, and care about what people see you looking at!

I'm not doing it for the money, or for the chicks.

Well, little Jess is no longer very little. She crawls about, chews things, makes lots of loud noises, and is generally inquisitive and energetic.

But she still lets her uncle have a cuddle when she wants a drink ;)

She's absolutely brilliant - loads of hair, too! She had a great time at her party, with a whole load of other little rug rats, all scattering about over the grass and picnic rugs.

There were quite a few older kids there, too, so we had a game of footy, and various games of tag and things. The dogs love a good game of tag. I'm certain we would have all got grass-stains, had there been a single blade of grass left alive in England ;)

We gave Rach and Mum their invites to the wedding. I'm...not even going to discuss Mum's reaction.

Well, I probably will, but not now. Might go and see her tomorrow morning, before we head back to London.

...and children respected their elders.

So..hotter again! Was 32 here in London today (89.6F). People fainting all over the place, particularly the tube. They get hundreds of people keeling over down there on a warm day. Used to get called to some of them, when I walked a beat.

Still, by tomorrow morning it might have dropped to the low 20s. Maybe. but not in the city, I wouldn't imagine. Just in time to heat up again :)

Fashions - always questionable - are becoming truly hysterical. Roads still melting. Railway lines buckling. Tempers fraying. Lots of people drowning.


The dogs are loving the ice-sticks, though. I've promised Sherlock I'll get some ice-lollies on the go in the freezer tonight, too. And we've given the degus some ice cubes to play with too.

Sherlock really wanted to go to a watery park tonight, but it's way out of town, so he's going to have to wait.

I'm gearing up to see Mum at the weekend. Sherlock doesn't want to. I've tried to sweeten the general deal with promises of paddling pools. I'm not sure he's buying it.