L's still asleep. In a last ditch effort to keep Sherlock from waking him, I suggested we build a pillow fort. Sherlock needed the concept explained to him, and then he got this look of wonder on his face and I knew I was in trouble.
An hour later, all the furniture is pushed round to serve as walls, every pillow in the flat is employed as either floor or interior dividing walls except the ones L is currently sleeping on, and all manner of blankets, sleeping bags, rugs, things... Lots of things. Everything, possibly. It's like a tornado went through a soft furnishings shop and dumped it all here.
Only it was a very careful tornado and seems to have laid everything out in a maze. I know Sherlock and Mycroft are in here with me somewhere. But where?
An hour later, all the furniture is pushed round to serve as walls, every pillow in the flat is employed as either floor or interior dividing walls except the ones L is currently sleeping on, and all manner of blankets, sleeping bags, rugs, things... Lots of things. Everything, possibly. It's like a tornado went through a soft furnishings shop and dumped it all here.
Only it was a very careful tornado and seems to have laid everything out in a maze. I know Sherlock and Mycroft are in here with me somewhere. But where?
100 comments:
Right...I might have to send the dogs in. If I could get to the dogs...or even into the room.
You are devious and wonderful. Hopefully the boys worked together to achieve maximum architectural splendor?
Good luck at the rugby match!
(And Sherlock, L is right - givrn that yoyr address is very properly unknown to all of us on the internet, I can't send you presents. But I can and will post birthday wishes for you on one of the blogs.)
Sounds almost like you guys risk getting lost in the fort, unable to find your way out in time to get squashed to bits in the rugby...
John you are the best nanny ever. I was never allowed to use more than one sofa's worth of cushions when building a fort. It's so limiting.
Oh, god, blanket forts are the *best*. One of my friends had parents who were really fond of bridge, so we were able to make epic, rabbit warren blanket forts that stretched across the entire ground floor by setting up the folding tables at key structural points. Well done, you boys!
Also, if I'm reading innie's comment correctly, you've got a birthday coming up, Sherlock? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Good luck in the match today, G. and L! ::waves homemade pennant::
Innie - it looked better built than the rest of the flat.
KHolly - sofa cushions, mattresses, camping gear, tables, chairs, duvets...you name it, that fort is built with it.
KayKay - you (and everyone) can keep completely up to date with Sherlock's Birthday Countdown here:
http://www.timeanddate.com/counters/customcounter.html?msg=&month=09&day=21&year=2011&hour=08&min=24&sec=&p0=136
It kept him quiet though didn't it? And they enjoyed it.
(I was never allowed more than one sofa's worth of cushions either.)
Absolutely. Very quiet. And it was a masterpiece.
Although I did wonder if I'd ever see any of you again.
You liked it much better once you got in it with us.
I would happily have moved in and lived in there until it was time for us to go camping.
Although we might have had to slightly strengthen it to cope with the dogs - they're not exactly delicate.
Maybe you need one at the yard, for team morale.
I'd never get them all out of it to do any work.
We should go soonish...feeling...um...ready for it?
Ready...ish?
I want to go now! John, can I look after your bag with all your medical things in it? Can I put stitches in someone, or if there's any bones sticking out of anyone can I look?
You can look after my bag, but you're not putting stitches in anyone. You haven't had nearly enough practice. And let's hope for no broken bones, all right?
But I've never seen a proper broken bone that looks broken and I want to.
I know. But it would hurt the person who got it very much.
Have you seen one that doesn't look broken?
Only Lestrade's ribs and they didn't look like anything was wrong with them at all except there was a bruise and everyone gets bruises and he said they weren't really broken just a bit.
Well, I second John's hopes that nothing will get broken today.
You can talk to Molly about gory things though, I'm sure she's got lots of interesting things to tell you.
Ah, I see what you mean.
You wouldn't get a good view anyway I'm afraid. You'd need to stay out of the way. And regardless of broken bones, stick with Mycroft or Sally, all right? No running off.
I won't. Lestrade said I'd never be allowed to come to things like this again if I ran away and I want to.
Good.
(L - thanks.)
(This will clearly only work if he doesn't find it 'boring' though...don't thank me yet.)
It doesn't seem likely that this game could end up boring even if there are (hopefully) no broken bones and (sadly) no random kissing.
I'm wearing my black and white today in the hopes that your team wins!
And that pillow fort sounds amazing! Great nannying, John!
Currently losing.
if someone in the area has a bolt gun, pop by and shoot me in the head? I'm knackered!
only sight of Danger in rugby kit keeping me alive.
Currently losing... I'm knackered!
Look on the bright side, at least it's not raining :-p
(I'm assuming that there's no injuries sufficiently bad as to have piqued Sherlock's interest)
Don't give up, Lestrade! Every minute counts! :D
As for your epic fort, I guess it was a bit like he one in "Community"? XD Except, that one was a blanket fort. :P
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsdq37a1JoU
(Tried to find better clips, but couldn't, sorry. :P)
We're done. We bloody won! Down at half time, but we came back in the second half.
Broken wrist piqued Sherlock's interest, although he was sad there were no actual bones-sticking-out-of-skin. But he had a nice time with Molly. As did Mycroft.
Off to shower, then pub to celebrate!
Well done :-D And no celebrating in the shower; even the most broad-minded of your colleagues might find that a bit uncomfortable :-p
Glad Sherlock and Mycroft enjoyed themselves.
I don't have the energy to celebrate that way!
Too battered and bruised, too unfit. I will probably manage to lift a pint.
Yay! Comebacks are always good. Enjoy your celebration. (Will there be "boring" kissing?
Congratulations!
Cranky - with this crowd...no, not yet. There will be boring kissing when we're home, I'm sure.
And thank you, all of you who were cheering us on!
(Sherlock did say "You HAVE to win, for the INTERNET!" at half time.)
It's not fair, I wasn't even allowed to properly see the broken wrist. And now I'm not allowed to try Lestrade's beer either. It's boring.
"You HAVE to win, for the INTERNET!" Does that mean your blogs have now been outed as well?
Sherlock, trust me, you're not missing anything by not getting to try beer. It's gross.
Congratulations on winning! It sounds like you had a great game.
That fort sounds amazing! The most my brother and I ever got to use were the two couches and the cushions and pillows that came with. You're an amazing nanny, John.
Sherlock, I don't think you would like the taste of beer. It's very bitter.
Does that mean your blogs have now been outed as well?
I doubt anyone who's not already reading them knew what he meant, fortunately. And he said enough odd things during the course of the game that probably that one didn't raise a lot of eyebrows.
Pip - not amazing, think I just never grew up properly. :)
I doubt anyone who's not already reading them knew what he meant, fortunately.
Well...I think he then explained it to Molly. Who did seem interested... But no one else. And Molly'll probably love them...
After practice, I don't think he can come out with much that's 'odder'.
You can try beer at home, but not at the pub. And I do doubt you'd like Guinness.
And home is where we're heading right now, Sleepy.
You never know. He likes marmite.
I don't think he can come out with much that's 'odder'.
Depends on your standards of odd.
I'm not sleepy!
Kids are meant to like Marmite! Guinness is....less child friendly. But anyway, he can try some at home.
Sherlock, you look sleepy. Which means we're going home, and you're going to bed. Once we recover your bedding from the fort.
I want to sleep in the fort! John can I please? I'm not asking you Lestrade, you'll say no.
I tried Guinness at home when I was about Sherlock's age; hated it. Changed my mind when I was older :-)
Nameless - yeah, I don't suppose many kids like alcohol at first. I didn't, either.
Sherlock - glad that you know me that well.
And he said enough odd things during the course of the game that probably that one didn't raise a lot of eyebrows.
Ah, the hiding in plain sight approach. Good one, Sherlock!
Sherlock - what is this, divide and conquer? You're not Julius Caesar, you know. If Lestrade says no, I'm saying no as well.
But you're the Nanny! Lestrade's just a DI! And sleeping in a fort isn't something you can be arrested for, so he doesn't even count!
Pleeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase?
(And he didn't say no. I'm not going to ask him, so he can't say 'no'.)
No.
Why?
Because.
That's not even an answer!
It would be good practise for camping. You should let me.
Because asking me something because you think Lestrade will say no is not an okay thing to do.
But he might have said yes.
And you're in charge, because Mummy chose you.
Lestrade might have said no to building the fort this morning, but you didn't ask him and we did it and THEN he thought it was good. So I should sleep in it and then he might think that was good too.
Sherlock, you said it right there. John's in charge. So stop arguing and get your pyjamas on whilst we find your bedding.
I DON'T WANT TO.
...If you look for his pillows, I'll go and dig him out from under bed. Deal?
Sherlock, you've been good all day, what's brought this on?
Yeah, no problem. Be up in a minute.
I think he's just tired. It has been a long day for him.
I'M NOT TIRED!!
Why does being tired immediately lead to loud protestations of not being so?
I'M tired, Sherlock, I can tell you. Don't you want a good night's sleep so you and John and Mycroft can do fun things in the morning?
NO! You're going back to stupid work tomorrow!
I've been at 'stupid work' every day! Just while YOU have been getting the sort of sleep I now want!
It's two days, Sherlock, and then we'll all be going camping. I'm sure two days will fly by.
Now if we tuck you in, you are NOT to get back out of bed, right?
I'm sure he'd like to say NO again, but I've got the phone now.
Five minutes to tuck him in, five more and we can be in bed as well.
Good.
I'm knackered, and feel like I've got the hoof-prints of the entire City pack on my back.
Shelock, I bet you have tried moaning and whining before and it didn't work then. What makes you think it will work now?
The definition of stupidity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Didn't think you were stupid.
L - I know. I'm impressed you're still upright. I was half expecting you to fall asleep during the match after this past week.
That's actually the definition of insanity, not stupidity.
I sometimes wonder if he's insane - but never if he's stupid :)
I think he just likes to test us. Being 5 is so unfair, afterall, and it's not as if any of us have ever been 5...
Danger - nearly did at half time. But the adrenalin kept me going on the pitch.
Rider - We've all had a hard week, and it's not realistic to expect him to have the emotional control of an adult, no matter how smart he is.
Right, bed. Thank god.
Hey, good on you guys! Glad you won! I wore my black and white fishnets as that's all I have in that particular color combination. Oh well. It's the thought that counts, yes?
For when Sherlock awakens and is permitted on the internet again:
I'm not a fan of Guiness myself, Sherlock. But, I have a friend who brews beers and root beers for faires and such. He makes amazing stuff. You and Mycroft, might try brewing your own root beer (with John's supervision).
http://www.greydragon.org/library/brewing_root_beer.html
This is a very traditional recipe. It's simple enough, but it allows a lot of room for experimentation in flavor and carbonation. Just heed the warnings - keep things very clean and do NOT use champagne yeast. And oh, it tastes good.
Up NSY!
Bronwyn
Okay - English boy here - what is rootbeer? we don't have it here. Ginger beer, yes...I'd ask you if they were similar, but I don't know if you have ginger beer?
I hate root beer, it's got a very distinct taste and it's one of those things that you like or you don't.
Sherlock, worse than being accused of being tired is what my mum used to do. She would say you were tired and when you disagreed she would say it was written on your forehead and trace out the word tired on your forehead and when you said that it wasn't she would say it was invisible to children. It was so condescending and when you're tired and argumentative the last thing you need is someone making fun of you.
Congratulations on the win, guys! That's awesome. Sleep well!
I must be tired too. I thought Bronwyn's friend brewed beers for fairies.
*laughs* Brews beers for fairies. Well considering some of the costuming people wear to faires, he might as well be.
Root beers is a non-alcoholic, very distinctively flavored fermented soda. It's similar to ginger beer, only the primary flavorings are wintergreen and vanilla. It is a love it/hate it kind of thing, but honestly, most kids love it because it tends to be very sweet and usually somewhat creamy in taste. Though, not as creamy as cream soda. It's very rich and perfect for drinking cold or for pouring over scoops of vanilla ice cream to make root beer floats. A very American drink, really, but it's still lovely. If you want to try a store-bought version, I recommend Hansens or IBC. Barq's if you can get it.
Mmm, root beer.
Bronwyn
Hah, root beer. Lestrdae, it's a very American soda, originally flavored with the roots of the sassafras tree - hence the name. The Germans I know say root beer tastes like dishwater, and most other Europeans I've met think it tastes like toothpaste, because sassafras is sometimes used to flavor toothpaste in place not-America. I personally can't imagine sassafras-flavored tooth paste, because it would be like brushing my teeth with soda!
One of my Irish cousins loves root beer but can't find it anywhere, so the last time she visited I greeted her with two six-packs of the really good stuff.
Bronwyn, you're right, it's very American, maybe that's why I don't like it: because I didn't grow up with it. I love floats, with Diet Coke, I love the ice crystals that form where the ice cream hits the soda. Having said that, I love Diet Doctor Pepper which is also incredibly American but it's delicious.
for pouring over scoops of vanilla ice cream to make root beer floats
Such things in Australia are called "spiders"....
(we don't drink root beer here, so spiders are usually made with lime or orange or whatever fizzy drink you have lying about)
I didn't realise that Bronwyn didn't write "fairies" until I read Small Hobbit's comment. I may need to get either sleep or new glasses :-p
Azure - I struggle with the idea of ice cream and coke together. Not sure why; my husband like them though, so maybe it's just me. I think I'll stick to Guinness :-)
(the catchpa says "desirees", in which case, we're definitely talking Guinness)
Mmmm, ginger beer. Lestrade, now you've made me want a Daro and Stormy (gingerbeer and dark rum -- lovely), but since it's Sunday night I'll refrain.
But no, rootbeer is nothing like that. It has a darker, earthier taste, and can be quite a bit sharper on the carbonation, depending on the brand. Like Bronwyn, I'd recommend Barq's if you can get it since it's not as sweet. Of course, all North American pop is sweeter than what you can find I. Europe (not a good surprise when I moved back to Canada!) but Canadian is less sweet than American (different food regs = less sugar/corn syrup. I travel a lot between both countries and it's bizarre how different something as fundamental as Coke tastes).
TL;DR. Rootbeer is tasty, rootbeer floats with vanilla ice cream in are great (though I think coke floats taste better).
I am going to murder this phone. DARK and Stormy. In Europe.
Congratulations on your win today, and for thwarting the demands of tired!Sherlock. Makes me think of a quotation from Good Omens (ask John ;)): Some police forces would believe anything. Not the Metropolitan Police, though. The Met was the hardest, most cynically pragmatic, most stubbornly down-to-earth police force in Britain. It would take a lot to faze a copper from the Met.
(given that the quotation is alluding to a run in bt the police and a rather snarky demon hurling himself toward their blockade in the burning remains of his car... Well, on the level of potential destruction, that seems positively Sherlockian....)
Congrats on the win! (Though "ow" on the broken wrist; I'm hoping it wasn't too serious?)
Hmm...and now suddenly, I have a craving for ice cream and a fizzy drink... :)
-A from NW
X - I can't drink coke, but I'm always on the lookout for Mexican coke which makes it way into the states (usually in Mexican oriented groceries). It's made with real sugar, rather than corn syrup, and tastes so much better.
Oh, no, no, no. No Barqs, No A&W. If you want to try good root beer, get Sprecher's. Its bottled by a cmpany in Milwaukee, and it *the best*bar none. Made with cane sugar and natural flavors. So tasty.
And we do have gingerbeer...matter of fact, I just picked up an interesting 4 pack of ginger beer made with a 125 year old recipe. Less sweet and more herbal than most modern soda, which is what most soda tasted like back then.
And congrats on the match!
(Also, feel lucky, Sherlock. My 5 year old goes to bed at 8pm every single night.)
Well, root beer is really a generic name. Originally, root beer was flavored with any convenient root or extract. It really popularized during the massive westward migration of the 1800's in the U.S. and not all spices could be found all places. Thus root beer has traditionally been flavored with everything from the most common wintergreen/vanilla flavor to cherry, anise, cinnamon, fennel, peppermint, spearmint, sarsaparilla, nutmeg, clove, honey and ginger. The flavors depended mostly on what was easily available when brewing. All of the varieties were originally called "root beer", though the most common varieties branched off and gained their own names. For example, leave out the wintergreen and double the vanilla and you have cream soda - very similar to the Italian cream sodas. Add orange extract, and it's orange cream soda. Replace the wintergreen with cherry and you have an early version of Dr. Pepper. And they all started as "root beers". Cool, huh?
Mmmm. Cream soda!
Bronwyn
For an absolutely AMAZING root beer you want to find a place that has 1919 on tap. They don't bottle or can - the smallest they go is mini-kegs. I know you can get a regular keg just like you can beer. It's brewed in New Ulm, MN in a brewery that decided root beer was the way to keep in business during Prohibition, hence the name. I have never had better root beer, and I'm something of a connoisseur. (Well, I've tried a lot of brands, anyway.)
And congrats on winning the match! My brother-in-law played rugby in college but I never actually went and watched. I think I'm too much of a wimp to enjoy watching such a potentially hurty sport.
Well you obviously all have very string feelings on the root beer subject!
It sounds a bit sweet for my tastes. But if we see any maybe we'll try it.
Being outside North America, odds aren't really in your favor on that one, but I wish you luck. Everyone should taste it at least once. :-P
TTFN,
Bronwyn
As evil as they are, when all else fails? Amazon.UK.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=root+beer&x=0&y=0
Amazon.com and .UK are some of the few places I can find good ginger beer without paying an arm and a leg.
This is why I love living in Dallas. The stupid number of international supermarkets. I can find almost anything with little-to-no-effort.
TTFN,
Bronwyn
There are a lot of american import shops here.
I'm sure Danger will have tried Root Beer, he can cast the final vote. Not really sure I want to introduce the boys to anything which will then be exoensive to get hold of again. Although they'rer not really into fizzy drinks, so maybe we'd be safe.
How're you two feeling this morning, after being stepped on by half the City of London police? Not too many bruises, I hope?
(Can't say I find the sounds of root beer appealing, but then, I can't stand Dr Pepper, which sounds like it might be sort of similar)
Root beer is SRS BZNZ around me at least. It's just one of those things. Everyone has their own brands and regional preferences. But cold root beer and hot salted popcorn are the stuff hot summers are made of. Though I do love a good ginger beer now and again as well.
Mmmmmm.
Bronwyn
Congrats on the win! Hope you're not too stiff (in a bad way) this morning! I've made cupcakes in your honour. Well, I made cupcakes for my belly, mostly. But partly in your honour. They're spice flavoured, with chopped chocolate sprinkled on top. Yum! I shall eat them and think of you :)
Thanks everyone. We're not too bad - bit battered and bruised.
Ro - you shall have to raise a cupcake in our honour, if you can't get them to us to share :)
Bronwyn - cider is serious business (i think that's what you mean?) where I'm from.
Are you from Normandy or Brittany ? XD (being French, cider = one of those two regions, it's an automatic mental association. Serious business indeed.)
Um...I'm half Italian, half Somerset. So the cider loving gene is all English, I'm afraid. Lovely Westcountry scrumpy.
See, you say cider and my first thought is "apple? cranberry?" because around here cider is a hot, mulled non-alcoholic (usually) fruit juice. Then there's HARD cider, which I assume is more akin to that which you are referring.
In any case, it's all serious business I assure you. ;D
Awesome possum,
Bronwyn
Yeah, but I bet you don't drink it in small ceramic bowls ^^ (I was joking of course, it's like when I discovered as a kid that other countries than the UK still have kings and queens : there are stuff you just associate with one place, even if it makes sense it exists elsewhere)
The root beer we had tasted like Dandelion and Burdock. Not sure it tastes the same outside of the US though.
We have American friends who stock up on ginger beer syrup over here (Australia). It's a lot stronger than what they can get at home.
mmmm Scrumpy. Knock you flat on your arse.
We can't get the side of the road stuff out here even though we live in an apple growing region (oddly called Orange) because of the alcohol regs.
We do have a local cider and perry brewing company though.
Glad you guys won.
Hope you don't pull up too sore in the morning.
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