A peacock from the park, photo by Mycroft. And L sent me one of his cockney fox, for anyone who was wondering what it looked like...
This post is going to have very little actual content, just to warn you. Apart from the pictures. Which I didn't even take.
Sherlock is completely manic about being off of school, bouncing off the walls, sometimes literally. Races with the dogs, playing with the kitten until she is worn out (which takes some doing), dissecting a stick of butter (don't ask), inserting cloves into the middles of all the grapes (you can ask, but I have no answers). Mycroft retreated to his room by two this afternoon, and I don't blame him. Of course, maybe it was tactical, since I did then get a short break while Sherlock sat outside his door and demanded to be let in.
S: Let me innnnnnn.
M: No.
S: Whyyyyyyy?
M: Because.
S: Whyyyyyy?
Repeat ad nauseum. If it was on purpose, Mycroft, thank you. I sat down for five minutes. It was lovely.
105 comments:
The holidays are wonderful aren't they John ;-) I'm sure we had every toy the kids own out on the living room floor at one point this afternoon!!
Great photo Mycroft :-)
How lovely, a peacock in full display! Good shot, Mycroft.
And thank you for the cockney fox photo, John--I was trying to imagine it and coming up blank!
I think there's something about "not school" that just gives kids an extra energy boost--I guess they just can't tap each other's energy the way they can that of adults!
OMG, that fox is adorable! Poor John, you're being run off your feet by pets and boys, and a moglet who is trying to assassinate your husband.'
Were the peacocks also calling territory? We were at the Milwaukee zoo some years back, and the peacocks could be heard all over the property.
That fox is the cutest thing.
Green blood cannot be healthy for your body. But I'm glad to know there is medication out there for those who suffer so much.
I am trying to imagine the chemical reaction that leads to green blood. I'm not good at chemistry or medical stuff, so maybe a LeHolmSon can help, but I know it's red because hemoglobin contains iron, which reacts to the oxygen it's carrying around. So I would imagine...either something in the meds is bonding with the iron instead of oxygen (which doesn't seem like a good thing), or something's binding with the oxygen and causing a third reaction that goes green.
Or maybe it's aliens. Could be aliens.
Ella
Check out this BBC article Ella, it goes into the chemistry a bit.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/6733203.stm
My sympathies John, on the non-stopness of it all. Thank-you and their takers for the pictures.
And moments of silent appreciation for Mycroft and for Sally, each of whom contribute in their own special way to my day's store of smiles.
The verdict should be in soon on DI Lestrade's survival to see a new day. Hope my optimistic belief that Maftet the small but powerful wishes him no permanent harm is borne out.
fA
Ella, your aliens theory is tempting, very tempting.
Now that I did my googling, what I want to know is : does the green blood smell any different? That was not addressed in the couple of articles I read.
fA
The University of Western Australia has peacocks. Well the Arts Department does. They stroll around the various courtyards and walkways and make absolutely hideous noises. Especially at exam time.
http://www.arts.uwa.edu.au/faculty/peacocks
I think small boys racing dogs inside a flat could be a bit hectic...
But given enough park room they should be able to wear each other out. Especially if the Dogs of War are smart enough to tag team him.
(Mycroft might have to teach them that for their own good)
after posting that I find the peafowl have their own webpage...
http://www.uwapeacocks.net/
Thank you Rider, that webpage was very entertaining. Because of course I needed to know all about peafowl at the University of Western Australia. Much more important than writing the email I should have sent two days ago ;)
Anyone else find that the amount of time spent browsing the web is in direct proportion to the importance of what they're supposed to be doing?
Maftet has spared me.
Sherlock has not.
We made John breakfast in bed this morning and let him sleep in and so there i'm not annoying.
SH- In my case, web surfing increases in proportion to my desire to avoid the task, not necessarily its importance.
In other words, works just like all my other procrastinatory behaviors. ;-)
Glad Maftet was merciful.
Sherlock, I suspect exhausting is a better word than annoying. Most adults simply do not the energy of a young man your age, and then we spend so much of our energy on our jobs and the chores of daily life that we're comparatively easily overwhelmed.
fA
That was a very nice thing to do, Sherlock. (Pretty much the opposite of annoying, for sure!)
You're not annoying, Sherlock, and you don't need to make me breakfast in bed or anything else (although it was very nice, thank you). You're just the way you should be, and I wouldn't want you to change, all right? I could just do with a bit more energy some days.
Problem was that John was first leapt on with offers of breakfast before 6am... He did get breakfast at a far more suitable 8ish.
And you were being annoying to Mycroft, kiddo. I know you're excited but other people are allowed to do their own things!
Well you should tell Mycroft he's boring and wrong because he is. When are we going?
What did you make for breakfast, Sherlock? Captcha suggests "gluten Ribena," but I'm almost certain it wasn't that.
Mycroft is as perfect as you.
We'll go as soon as John has said goodbye to Maf. A few hours?
You seem very confident I'm not going to smuggle her along in my jacket.
Sherlock, it was lovely of you to do that for John. As for Mycroft, honestly all teenagers basically lock themselves in their rooms, away from everyone else. Most remember how to have fun again after hitting 17 or so.
You seem very confident I'm not going to smuggle her along in my jacket.
Okay. I'm re-evaluating my position that L. is delusional as to the power the cat has over you, John. Perhaps he's only slightly exaggerating.
Greg, I apologize for doubting you.
fA
It far more likely that she'll try to smuggle herself along in John's pocket!
I'm sure that's a great relief to you...
We're here and we left Maftet asleep in the sunshine in Mrs Hudson's flat and John gave her box and her treats to Mrs Hudson too and it would be good if she could come too but she might get lost. I told Mrs Hudson she still had to take care of my degus and not forget them because she's got a cat.
I'm sure Mrs Hudson won't forget the degus Sherlock she's been getting better and better at dealing with them hasn't she :-)
I hope you all have a great time away
Also, most cats do not like riding in cars, so Maftet might have been very unhappy on the trip.
That was very responsible of you, Sherlock, reminding Mrs. Hudson about Argon and Mercury. I'm sure she wouldn't have forgotten, but it doesn't hurt to politely remind people of things, just in case.
Have a good time, everyone!
The advantage of Bluetooth headsets for communication is that they can be turned off.
I presume from that comment that Sherlock provided a running commentary of the journey.
Hope it all goes well.
Yes. And he's already attempted to scale the heights of the conservatory and a tree.
We are now having quiet family time...it's not very quiet.
But we have discovered that Sherlock has NEVER done a jigsaw puzzle before. Apparently they're stupid... he's scowling at it very hard.
Bet he gets good at jigsaws quickly. Hope the spatial/visual challenge doesn't go from stupid to boring too quickly.
Enjoy.
fA
I love jigsaws--I used to make up ways to make them harder (like mix two sets together) when we had easy ones, and then moved on to harder ones (like a picture of a mass of jelly beans, that sort of thing). Very soothing, when done alone. I wasn't interested in speed, just in quietly putting them together and taking them apart again--I think because it was a good way to think or daydream with no one asking me what I was doing, because look! I'm doing a jigsaw puzzle!
and finally...a sort of calm descends over the house.
I think John's asleep in the corner.
I am impressed by his ability to sleep and not spill the tea he's holding.
I think they teach it in the army.
Or medical school...
Just like they teach young bobbies to gulp down boiling tea and coffee and eat faster than can be good for you, Hmm, Orio?
Sounds like you've all had an amazing time.
Yeah, it's nice being here, even for a little while.
Going to lever John off the sofa I think. See which he thinks is the worst option - looking after all the kids, or coming to see my Mum tomorrow.
Do you want me to come along or would it just make it worse?
I have no idea.
Want to wait and see how many adult-life-forces Sherlock eats for breakfast, see what we think then?
Yeah, all right. Sounds like a good plan.
We could take him with us to see her, but we'd have to declare him a weapon f mass destruction in a place like that.
Can you imagine the havoc he'd cause in a stolen wheelchair or mobility scooter?
(And can Ijust say when I first read "Do you want me to come along or would it just make it worse?" I thought you meant 'to bed'.... and was very confused. Then realised I hadn't written that part in my comment, just vaguely implied that's where we should head.)
Can you imagine the havoc he'd cause in a stolen wheelchair or mobility scooter?
I think I can, yes...
Ha. We should head to bed anyway, implied or not.
Hoping your day goes well. I hope you don't have any business to thrash through, this is just a simple visit to your mom. I hope she can allow herself to be/show that she's glad of your visit. If she's determined to be unhappy, that's her choice. Neither your choice nor your responsibility.
In the end, you're visiting for a bunch of reasons/people more important than her feelings or behavior. Her son and son-in-law (if he goes with) are visiting because you're decent people and she's your mom. Because Nicky's a good sister. Because the grandchildren (I include the Holmes') should see that you try to be decent to your family members, even if they make it difficult. (Just as, worst case, they'll see you draw boundaries with family members who are so toxic they lose the right to your time & emotional energy.)
I'll be thinking of you all.
fA
As someone who also had a grandmother who could get quite nasty (mother of 4, yet she would only be getting along with one child at a time, for periods of time which could last for years), I'm somewhat familiar with this kind of situation.
My advice is to not let anyone guilt you into anything, even visiting, if it just causes angst and pain for you. Her behviour over the years has caused this, both her poor health choices, and how she treated her own children. Boundaries need to be set, just like with children. She's an adult though, and her behaviour should reflect that, as should the consequences.
Have a good time with your mum Greg and however many members of your family you take with you and good luck with finding enough entertainment in the rest of the day to slow Sherlock down a little ;-)
Cheers. Everyone's gone on a walk. Leaving John and I to enter the lion's cave...
Hope everything is going well!
About as well as expected. We're back with the others for lunch before heading home. Sherlock has triumphantly announced he's eaten ice cream before lunch.
I hope that means reasonably well, at least.
Ice cream is good ANY time! ;)
She now acknowledges John and the boys. But only to blame them for my lack of visits now I have a 'new family'. Obviously I'd be here all the time if I was sad and lonely.
Well, you kind of do. One that loves you, respects you, and cares about you. One that doesn't berate you, or use emotional blackmail.
(And who even makes her Mothers Day cards!)
Some people can't let themselves be happy, for whatever reason. The glass is always half empty, (or dry as a desert), never half full.
That's not your problem. 'Cause you can't ever fix it. Sad. Glad you have John by your side, Nicky, the boys, and all the rest of your family.
Also glad Sherlock's had a banner morning!
fA
Yeah well she sure is determined to be miserable to me. I hope she's happier the rest of the time.
Maybe being miserable to you makes her happy? Which would be all kinds of messed up, but not your responsibility. So just assume you made her day, and skip off with the family that makes you happy. :)
RR - Hit the nail on the head.
Greg, my mom had three ways of showing love: complaining, criticizing and working her ass off for her kids. She was not raised in a family that taught her any differently. We knew she loved us because of that third thing. So we tried to do differently (so did she, but as she aged she reverted) and we knew that (for her):
Complaining meant she didn't know what else to say, or she was afraid to tempt fate by acting like she got what she wanted. Complaining you didn't do something *enough* was her way of telling you she was glad you did it.
Criticizing meant the world is a hard place, and she wanted to tell us what to do to meet it better prepared.
Obviously, you & your sibs had a different deal, growing up. We also got the thing where she worked her ass off for us, and she was a pretty fun (if highly critical) person outside of family relationships. We all have different broken bits.
You're a good person to keep trying with her. You get to draw the line and stop where that is just too damaging for you. I loved my mom and was incredibly grateful to her. But after I was 24 I never lived closer to her than 1500 miles away. I felt and feel like I owed her more than I gave back. But I couldn't have spent any more time with her than I did without spending too much time in a place in my head I refused to be, long term.
You're doing better than the family you grew up in. Rather spectacularly so. That's about the best kind of emotional success most of us can expect.
fA
I can't leave the others to deal with her. Especially not Nicky.
Anyway, back to London to grab an hour of sleep before doing nights.
Oh. I didn't mean "skip off" permanently, just after you see her.
Have a safe (and un-fraught!) trip back, and good luck with the napping.
I reiterate: you're a good man.
fA
I was responding to fA, RR.
And it's not so damaging now, it used to be, when I didn't have the support I do now. So I suppose I'm glad I didn't walk away then.
Off to work on no sleep. Don't tell the criminals ;)
Maftet has her claws stuck in John's jumper and he's trying to get her out but she's trying to get away now and Mycroft's gone to get the cat treats from Mrs Hudson to see if she'll sit still then.
Welcome to chaos, gentlemen! :)
I take it she was climbing John as a greeting?
No she was on him and then he wanted to get up and make us food and he picked her up but she was attached and wouldn't let go
And now she doesn't know how to let go?
Yes. Sometimes she isn't very good at being a cat yet because she can't meow either she looks at you and she opens her mouth and it isn't a meow and maybe she didn't learn it from her parents and even though John is good at teaching I don't know if he's good at teaching how to be a cat.
Teaching a cat how to be a cat does sound like a tricky sort of thing for anyone who isn't feline. Hmmmm.... Maybe show her YouTube videos of cats meowing?
Can't blame her for not wanting to let go of John.
And she doesn't think she's a cat. She thinks she's a goddess, so she wouldn't relate to other cats.
What are you having for dinner, Sherlock?
That is a common cat mindset, so you just have to find like-minded cat videos to show her... ;)
Apparently kittens are what it takes to draw me out of lurking. :)
Silent meows are adorable! My first cat had me well-trained: he'd look plaintive, silent meow, and oh, look, there were suddenly treats in my hand. It's a powerful weapon.
My cats now are not silent. One is very not silent. I would recommend not teaching her how to meow. It's much more restful, if dangerous. :)
-Anne
We had vegetables and potatoes and sausages and garlic. I'm going to teach Maftet how to meow. I asked John if Maftet gets to sleep in your bed tonight and he said I couldn't tell you. I said she should have grey fur if she was really like you.
A general public notice: I am not replacing my husband with a small orange cat. Promise.
Jolly good. The Met wouldn't want to buy the new chair she'd need to sit at my desk.
Oh John, what you are doing is quite clear. Not even married a year, and some young thing has caught your eye....
I'm not jealous. I get to sit in a van with a DC all night. It'll be great.
Did John at least pack you something to eat?
If you had Maf instead of the DC she'd just purr and put you to sleep. It's better this way.
We didn't have much time once we got home, and not much food in. Never know, he may have slipped some nuts in ;)
Or cat treats.
Danger - I take it you have managed to remove the moglet from your jumper?
She is no longer unwillingly attached to me. And there might be a DI treat in your bag for later.
John, you know Greg can't allow himself to sleep when Maftet is near, she'll finally accomplish her goal of getting rid of him!
AK - definitely, alone on a deserted road, with only criminals nearby! She'd probably get them to dispose of the body...
Exactly my fears.
Thought of you today, Greg. My 10 year old had to do the 'beep test' in phys ed. She reports that she's quite healthy but two people had to go home early because they made themselves ill.
Made me wonder what the recourse is, should someone fail the test?
Danger, I'll save the excitement for later.
Glad Maf has thought better of being permanently attached to your sweater. Or maybe she was trying to destroy it...
Good for you, Sherlock--I'm sure you'll make a fine teacher for Maftet.
Have a good night, everyone--and Shabbat shalom, have a lovely weekend!
...What is the beep test?
Kestrel - I think they get another go. Up to 3, I think.
I am so bored.
AK - test where you run between two fixed points as intervals between bleeps get shorter and shorter.
I'm sorry the lack of criminal activity means you're having a boring night Greg not that I'm really hoping you get anything too bad to deal with.
I'm glad your visit to your mum is out of the way without too hard a time :-) I hope nicky and her lot were suitably entertained by you and your lot :-)
Good luck with your evening John.
Huh, life got considerably more interesting by a fox jumping on the vehicle and having a sniff about.
I have now had a close up view of a fox's undercarriage.
I think a fox's undercarriage is only worth a viewing if it's of the silver variety. ;) I'm sure John would agree, even if he's currently tempted by pussy galore. ;)
Hope your evening goes quickly without any more flashers in action. :)
Flashers would liven the place up no end.
Is it morning yet?
Technically, it is for you, here it isn't even 8pm yet.
going to have to get coffee soon.
Just remember to smell before you drink...
Of course... Although... Nope can't say that even in the wee small hours.
Seems cruel to not only keep the police force awake all night but to bore them to tears with it. Though I imagine that's better than a number of alternate possibilities involving the criminal elements.
I saw a show tonight by the touring company of Motionhouse - a "dance theatre company" from the U.K., Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, to be precise. Worth seeing at cut rate prices, I'm not sure I'd be so enthused had I paid $35.00 for my ticket. Amazingly fit, those young people.
As long as the husband is packing DI snacks, I refuse to entertain any thought that Maftet will come between a Doc and his DI. Sentimental, that's me.
fA
It'll be better tonight. And good morning, all.
John brought coffee and a cat to me when I woke up. Cat followed me to the toilet. Slightly off putting.
Good morning! (It actually is morning, to me.) It is starting to feel early-summery here.
Hope all's well for everyone.
Ella
Anne - welcome, sorry, just thought about your comment, as Sherlock is lying on the floor miaowing away at Maf. I think you're right about being better silent...
Sorry, but that is an adorable picture! Sherlock, good job!
very summery here today too, although I did not get outside much. I had a ticket to the National Theater "live broadcast" of War Horse at my local cinema, which was amazing and I highly recommend it. A highlight for me personally was that John Tams arranged the songs for it so there were some that i knew from singing with my morris folks, and others that felt very familiar. I wonder if there is a cd of the show... the lead singer was amazing. And of course the horse puppets were astounding.
Teaching Maftet how to be a cat reminds me of two books, The Silent Miaow, by Paul Gallico (with lots of lovely photos by Suzanne Szasz) and The Abandoned, also by Paul Gallico, both of which I read and loved as a kid. I wonder if you can still get them from a library...
S
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