I feel like L posted this already in the comments somewhere, but in case he didn't, here is Rufus the pigeon chasing hawk of Wimbledon. And if anyone knows who's doing the voiceover, I would really like to know. He sounds so familiar.
One of the first times Sherlock watched tennis with me, one of the commentators talked about Federer's dislike of Hawkeye, and Sherlock was convinced for days that Hawkeye must be an actual person, because who would dislike a computer system, that just wouldn't make any sense, right? I have a picture he drew somewhere of Hawkeye scowling. He had an eyepatch I believe.
We have Mycroft home again with all his things, all over the living room, and all his dogs, also all over the living room (and Anthea, not all over the living room). He said there was no point taking it all up to his room as he'd have to bring it down to wash most of it tomorrow, which I think means he's turning into an actual teenager. Also his shoes have formed a nest with L's by the door to trip unwary newcomers.
And now I should probably get to bed. L and I have been up talking about the op he has coming up, which I mention only as an excuse for being up so late because I know you lot will worry otherwise. It's...not ideal, but nothing too bad. And of course if it goes well, the result will be a very good one, so fingers crossed.
153 comments:
Hoping everything goes well, and y'all get some well-deserved time together, Doc. Is that Jeremy Irons in the ad? Somebody similarly whiskey-voiced, at least.
I'm glad you were up together, not trading anxiety-induced wakefulness. I hope you avoid the curse common to medical folk of knowing all-too-well what the most unlikely worst case scenarios are and struggling to focus on the more likely good outcomes.
Of course I hope it all goes well, and quickly.
Mycroft's return sounds quite familiar. It's amazing how much more home-like even the best home feels when all the right people are in it.
fA
It does sound as though your home is feeling very lived in just now! :)
Even "nothing too bad" is worrying when it's you or someone you love, so I'll just wish you the best results and a speedy recovery.
Thanks for listening. And understanding. And just...being the person who I can talk to.
Mycroft and Sherlock and I took the dogs out at half six this morning :)
John and Maf stayed in bed. Although Maf made the epic journey into my warm patch.
I'm really glad you two have each other, that sort of support is the most important thing and just being there for each other in times of need is all you could want. I'm sure your op will go well, Greg and you'll be in good hands both during and after. :)
I'm glad you're all together again, even though the house is full, it's a good kind of full. Welcome home Mycroft. :)
Have a great day everyone.
Hope you guys have all had fun being back together again, I'm sure John enjoyed the lie in too. Have you all been out and about today or staying home and settling in.
There's an hour left before the start of the first of today's matches so if mag is around today then you still have time to get your entry form in for the next game of this stage of the competition. Sally has already submitted her form so the rest of us are good to go. Thanks :)
It's lovely being together again. We've been to the allotment and we've had a walk together as the washing machine churns away with Mycroft's gear :)
There's nothing quite like having everyone together is there :-) I'm glad the weather has been good enough for you to get out and about together and that a late night last night hasn't made today feel like hard work :-)
Enjoy your summer holidays Mycroft you've certainly earned them with your hard work this last year :-)
Isn't Hawkeye the one John looks like? Blond and muscular and slightly scowly?
One of the dogs just tried to sniff Maftet. She got lifted up onto his nose. In the ensuing escape the dog came off worse.
I probably look more like the tennis one than the Avengers one.
I'm interested as to why Sherlock thought someone who makes judgement calls on err...balls... would have an eye patch? Is it because missing one eye would super-hone the other?
Perhaps because the name isn't Hawkeyes?
L - I never asked him. I'm sure he'd have an interesting answer though. Maybe it sounds like a pirate name?
Maybe. To both of those.
I'm so tired...but the footy is about to kick off...
I believe there will be more dribbling on John's shoulder than there will on the pitch during the next 90 minutes.
cheeky.
Although it's not a very exciting match, either, not helping.
Careful, Mycroft. You're old enough now to pay for damages to keyboards from unexpected laughter at your comments...
Ooh, it's getting a bit more interesting now.
Daft question, Lestrade - when you first mentioned an op, I assumed (from other comment on the blogs) you meant something work-related, but now I'm not sure? Whichever, I'm very glad you're able to talk to John about the difficult stuff, I know that's been something of a journey for you.
John - With all this talk of Hawkeye, I'm making myself feel old because my first thought as "but John doesn't look that much like Alan Alda" :-p Jeremy Renner, though, yeah, I can maybe see some resemblance :-)
Nameless - It is work related. And...well, yes, having John to discuss it with is helping immensely. I can safely say if it had been Bry I wouldn't have been mentioning it at all outside work! He would not have been understanding, to put it mildly.
This game has picked up, but I really need to go to bed! I'm going to be a wreck tomorrow.
YEEEESSSSS!! Well done, fantastic goalkeeping from Costa Rica. Brilliant for them to go through.
Well 4 people managed to get 5 points each out of these 2 games, but only 1 person got a full house of a perfect score in both games and that was John so well done. :)
The scores on the doors today are:
Joolz, REReader - 47
anonybob - 45
Lestrade, Z - 44
Sherlock, ro - 43
Small Hobbit, Paula, Nameless - 41
MT88 - 39
mag, John - 38
kholly, graham22 - 37
Desert Wanderer - 35
Lancs Anon, Piplover - 32
Sally - 25
KT - 20
The fixtures for Monday are as follows:
France v Nigeria
Joolz 1-1 France, Lestrade 3-1 France, Lancs Anon 2-3 Nigeria, Small Hobbit 2-0 France, MT88 0-2 Nigeria, Desert Wanderer 0-0 France, kholly 0-1 Nigeria, Z 4-1 France, anonybob 2-1 France, graham22 0-1 Nigeria, mag , Paula 3-0 France, Nameless 3-1 France, Sherlock 2-1 France, REReader 2-1 France, ro 2-0 France, KT 1-3 Nigeria, Piplover 1-3 Nigeria, John 3-1 France, Sally 2-2 France
Germany v Algeria
Joolz 3-0 Germany, Lestrade 3-0 Germany, Lancs Anon 2-2 Germany, Small Hobbit 2-0 Germany, MT88 2-0 Germany, Desert Wanderer 2-1 Germany, kholly 1-0 Germany, Z 3-0 Germany, anonybob 4-2 Germany, graham22 1-0 Germany, mag , Paula 3-0 Germany, Nameless 2-0 Germany, Sherlock 3-1 Germany, REReader 2-1 Germany, ro 3-1 Germany, KT 1-3 Algeria, Piplover 2-3 Algeria, John 4-1 Germany, Sally 3-2 Germany
Good luck everyone. :)
(You can still re-join at any point, mag, if you want to fill in the form)
Joolz - as long as I don't catch up to Sherlock...I'd be in so much trouble!
Hmm, very true, John, you'd never live that down. ;) Sherlock is one of the people who got 5 points out of those games though so he did almost as well as you did so well done Sherlock. :)
I'm with John this morning. Mornings should be banned.
Maybe I can rearrange my paperwork mountain to hide me sleeping behind it
It's just not fair when someone steals the hours between bedtime and get up time and you're still expected to work all day is it! :-(
Good luck with getting through to home time :-)
Nameless - as far as I'm concerned Alan Aldi is the only Hawkeye.
And thank you for asking the daft question I wanted to ask.
Ha, I'm not having my sixth toes removed or donating a kidney or anything. But it's nice to know you all care!
Doc, how do you feel about talking about your time in the Army right now?
I feel all right about it. Why?
Did you ever have doubts that you were doing the right thing when you were in?
You mean in a larger sense, were we right to be there and doing what we were doing at all? Or my specific role?
In the larger sense, which would lead to your smaller role as a cog in that machine. And not Afghanistan in particular, but the way the military functions, the requirement for absolute order, the obedience, being a tool of a government who may or may not have the better good in mind, etc.
Yes. I mean, I had some doubts when I joined, though they weren't as clearly defined as they were later on. I think the requirements for order and obedience are a necessity if things are to function as they're meant to - a body being controlled by one brain, as it were - especially with such a large military spread out across the world.
But that assumes that the brain always knows what it's doing and that the men and women in between are not actually human beings but machines. None of us are capable of perfect obedience. And, also, good leaders are required on every level, not just the top, for things to function as they should, and good leaders are hard to come by. There aren't enough now, and there weren't enough even in the much smaller armies of the ancient world.
So I suppose what I'm saying is that the whole structure has fundamental flaws, but I don't see any way to correct them, because we're all human. And that's without getting into the purposes for which the military - any military - is used. It's become, or maybe always was, a political tool, and I don't think most politicians are even capable of defining a clear objective before they send people off to fight. Or maybe they just don't care to try.
Either way, it leaves the people on the ground, the cogs in the machine, struggling to do their best with the knowledge that some amount of failure is inevitable and that we'll get orders we feel are wrong and be left fighting against our own side or our own hearts.
That said, I would still join up if I had it to do over again.
...Well, that was more than I meant to write. I hope some of it was useful. Is there anything you want to talk about?
be left fighting against our own side or our own hearts.
God, you're incisive.
I'm leaving the Air Force. Or, rather, I've left. Tomorrow is my official last day, though my last day in uniform was 6 Jun (D-Day, somewhat....interestingly, I suppose). I'm heartbroken and relieved all at once.
I'm sorry, and I'm glad for you. I know it can seem like the end of the world, even if it's your choice. I'm more pessimistic than anyone who's had my luck has a right to be, so I hope you'll believe me when I say that every ending is the start of something else - not in a pollyannish way but just as a simple fact.
We think we're settled into one thing forever, but that's rarely the case. Clearly you've learned that more easily than I did. :) Good luck, though I don't think you'll need it.
Hey DW - you're in the midst of one of the most wrenching voluntary transitions a person can undergo. Be easy on yourself, use all the coping mechanisms/hard won knowledge about how to keep yourself functioning & in a good emotional place that you've got.
I'm enough older than you to know for observed fact that we're almost all too stringent in our expectations of ourselves in navigating change. Smart, capable people (you) can be the hardest on themselves. Try not to be.
(Forgive me for butting in with stuff you know. Couldn't help it.)
fA
Good luck, DW. I hope you find a new place for yourself in the world.
Thanks, guys. I've landed on my feet, squarely in England. I'm moving to Stafford, which will be some kind of new chapter. I think I might have to change my handle, though. Midland Wanderer?
Lestrade, how do you feel now that you're working for The Man?
(I'm trying to distract myself from becoming emotional, in case you can't tell.)
Good luck with the change DW :-)
I hope you don't mind, DW, if I say that I admire that you not only realized that what you were doing wasn't working for you, but also did something about it--both of which are decidedly non-trivial. Best of luck finding your new path in life. :)
Good luck, DW. If you ever want to talk, I'm here as well for you. We may have been different branches, but we're all from the same family, yeah?
Best of luck in your new path, DW.
I think, overall, frustrated, DW. If I had to pick one feeling. Sorry really busy to go into it more.
I love my job, and I hate it, and everything in between. But having done it, if I stopped, I know I'd feel guilt. Intensely.
To move to a less exalted plane of commentary, Kvitova is now my single remaining viable player on the women's side. The slow crumble is officially a collapse! The men's side is still a slow slide.
I am now curious to see whose picks were more on target.
fA
Good luck with the change DW. I'm sure you will cope, although be wary of the M6, it can be a nasty beast. And as others have said, go easy on yourself. So often it's not the big things that trip you up, because you prepare for them, but the small ones. And we'll all be here cheering you on.
On a more personal note, hopefully that means you'll be around more, and the level of innuendo will go up. And I'm glad you're here, because otherwise I'd be bottom of the tennis chart ;)
Goal for France.
fA
I'm happy to be your Mississippi, SH. And wouldn't the level of innuendo go down?
DW, that is quite the American reference considering your current home! Folks will be looking at you with furrowed brows.
fA
Ah, fair point, fA, though I'm still Stateside for the moment. Movers come next week, and I'll be in Germany next month before moving permanently (?) to England. So.... I'm happy to be your Sunderland, SH?
And Murray kindly concluded his match right as I have to go back to work. Enough pretending to be a huge sports fan.
fA
So, Sunderland is England's depressingly underachieving city/region? I learn something every day.
Happy travels, DW. Good luck with the move.
fA
There's a lot of England that could be accessed of underachieving. Much of it unfairly, probably.
I think it's only the past few years, DW, that I haven't felt a fraud in...most aspects of my life, really. Especially work. Still do, in some ways. But I do think it's the right place for me. And I hope id have the courage to change, if I didn't feel that way.
If it helps, it seems (purely from the outside) to see the right place for you, too. And even if the Yard isn't, John and the boys are. How'd your op go?
John and the boys do seem to be distressingly good for me :)
Op ongoing.
Perhaps that's why I'm a bit...down on it all. Probably have answered differently if it had been just after a great result. I can honestly say I'm hating every minute of this op.
Tennis Day 7:
Highlights include RAIN, the last American going down, Murray and Djokovic going through, Bouchard taking out Cornet, who just took out Serena, and did I mention all the matches canceled due to rain?
Points!
No change in the WTA numbers.
ATP:
John: 116
Greg and Nameless: 114
fA: 113
Ro: 111
Joolz: 109
Becca: 102
REReader and Anonybob: 96
Lancs Anon: 91
Small Hobbit: 86
DW: 83
No double perfects today but 4 people managed it in one of their games and 3 of those got 2 in the other game too so good points for SH, RR and ro.
Today's table is like this:
REReader - 52
Joolz - 50
anonybob - 49
Lestrade, Z, ro - 48
Sherlock - 47
Small Hobbit - 46
Paula, Nameless - 45
John - 42
MT88 - 41
Desert Wanderer, kholly, graham22 - 39
mag - 38
Lancs Anon - 33
Piplover - 32
Sally - 28
KT - 20
The fixtures for the last 2 games of this stage are as follows:
Argentina v Switzerland
Joolz 2-0 Argentina, Lestrade 3-2 Argentina, Lancs Anon 3-1 Argentina, Small Hobbit 2-1 Argentina, MT88 1-0 Argentina, Desert Wanderer 1-2 Switzerland, kholly 2-1 Argentina, Z 3-2 Argentina, anonybob 2-2 Argentina, graham22 0-1 Argentina, Paula 1-2 Switzerland, Nameless 2-1 Argentina, Sherlock 3-2 Argentina, REReader 1-0 Argentina, ro 1-1 Argentina, KT 2-4 Switzerland, Piplover 1-2 Switzerland, John 2-2 Argentina, Sally 2-2 Argentina
Belgium v USA
Joolz 1-1 Belgium, Lestrade 2-2 Belgium, Lancs Anon 1-1 USA, Small Hobbit 1-0 Belgium, MT88 2-0 Belgium, Desert Wanderer 1-2 USA, kholly 0-1 USA, Z 2-1 USA, anonybob 1-0 Belgium, graham22 0-1 USA, Paula 2-0 Belgium, Nameless 0-1 USA, Sherlock 3-1 Belgium, REReader 0-1 USA, ro 2-1 Belgium, KT 3-3 USA, Piplover 1-1 Belgium, John 1-1 Belgium, Sally 2-1 Belgium
I'll be putting up a new entry form for the Quarter Final stage after the games are finished tomorrow and you'll have til Friday night to fill them in please before the next game starts.
Good luck tomorrow :)
I believe that we will win. That is all.
Well,,DW, I do have the US to win their next match... ;)
I hope we win, but Belgium is looking pretty good.
L., I hope there's a good outcome to sweeten the process. And that it's over soon.
fA
((DW)) all the best for your new path. I'm not in any way qualified to speak of the military except as a taxpayer, but having been through some big transitions in life, I know that one needs to give oneself time to adjust. It's rarely as simple as turning the page on the calendar. It helps me to think of "breathing in and breathing out", ie, there will be times I feel like I'm moving forward, in the direction I want to go, and other times I feel like I'm backsliding or spinning my wheels. I have to accept that it's not "good" or "bad" but all part of the process, and keep the goal in mind so I get back on track as soon as I'm ready.
I'm so grateful for the insights you and the lads and everyone here has shared, and the smiles as well.
S
Everyone is very quiet today--I hope it's because everyone is busy having a very good one!
I got my tennis results emailed to me, and if I understand it correctly, I have no picks left to cheer for... :D
(On the women's side, that is.)
You and me both, RR. No one I picked made it out of the fourth round.
On the plus side, that's partly because there's been some good matches in which strong players were defeated. It's not just that I was making some kinda random guesses!
fA
Oh wait, I missed one. I can root for one lone player, Kvitova. Though I predicted her losing her next match, so it's a one match reprieve. ;-)
I was pretty much making random guesses--although I went more with the seeds on the women's side, a mistake this year!
I don't think I've got anyone left in the WTA either.
Nice whilst it lasted!
And now Nadal's out I suspect my abysmal tennis results just got worse.
...can someone tell me what's happened to my husband's tennis scores???
I don't really understand the scoring on this thing, but I THINK if you picked the right winner for a round, but the match was against a player you picked to lose in the previous round, it doesn't count. But I'm not at all sure.
Rafa's out, that's what happened. Unbelievable.
...Glad I didn't pick him to beat Federer in the semis now, even though I was pretty sure he would.
Want a hug? You look like you need one!
I fear USA will beat Belgium.
I don't mind that much. It gives Federer a much better chance of getting to the final. If he doesn't make it now, he really has no excuse.
does he still get given cows?
Want a hug anyway? I could do with one.
I think he does, actually. The granddaughter of his original cow or something?
Always.
So when he retires he can set up as a dairy farmer? Surely his cows' offspring is already his? He must have loads by now...Maybe should start calling him Heiferederer instead of Federicorn.
So far, so good.
I am getting the distinct impression, though, that by the time this game is in the 2nd half, the Belgians will be outrunning us decisively. Perhaps I am wrong. Perhaps we will display such skill it won't matter.
fA
Oh, not good.
fA
I think the Belgiums have you licked for pace and skill, but I think the USA are playing very well.
I do think, watching it so far, they'll catch you on the break at some point, then park the bus.
Yeah, I think you've called it, L.
I'd be pleased to be wrong, though.
fA
I absolutely cannot believe we're still holding that 0 - 0. Lot of struggling going on out there.
fA
everyone on the pitch is managing to do everything but score, that's for sure.
exciting 0 0 draws don't occur all that often do they?!!
TIs going to be another late night though!! do these teams not know that football should be over by bedtime? ;-)
It certainly has been non-stop and everyone is trying so hard. It'll be really harsh if it goes to pens, I'll feel bad for whoever doesn't make it.
anonybob - I know what you mean, I don't think I've had an early night since this started!
Holy cow. What a struggle. Been a while since I've seen so much voluntary road rash (turf rash?) incurred.
fA
I am going to sleep for a week when its finished Joolz ;-)
Great goal.
But I wish they'd done it 5 mins ago, so we could have gone to bed!
Oh dear.
fA
You sound like an old person, Greg. ;-)
Know what you mean.
I feel like an old person!
Same here!
You've even got a little electric heater on your lap - or she sounds like a generator, anyway, amount she purrs when you stroke her.
ooooh, and that might be all over now.
I know, she's making me even sleepier.
She has you under her spell.
I've a feeling this might get worse for the USA now...
The bullet proof resiliency of 19 was a long time ago! (Hell, for me, 40's starting to look pretty far back there.)
Goal! This is what I thought the last 30 minutes of regular time was going to look like, to be honest.
fA
No offence, US, but please don't score again! I don't want penalties!
This one was worth the price of a ticket! Wringing all the drama out of it.
fA
Your wish for an earlier night must have surpassed your wish for points then Greg cos 2-2 was your prediction. ;)
Ooh that was close...
Is 'doing his nut' a technical term ;)
Absolutely.
And yes, desire for sleep is stronger than for points!
Unlucky USA, you played really well.
Here's the link if anyone wants to do it now before heading off to bed.
http://www.carryon.org.uk/worldcup2014/index.php/survey/index/sid/416423/newtest/Y/lang/en
Bugger, I haven't done the name. I'll re-do it, sorry, give me a minute.
if anyone wants to do it now before heading off to bed.
The spirit is willing, but sadly the flesh is...asleep ;)
Oh! You meant the predictions! :)
Sorry about that. Try this one now, thank goodness there were only 4 games to add. ;)
http://www.carryon.org.uk/worldcup2014/index.php/survey/index/sid/489986/newtest/Y/lang/en
I haven't managed to see a single match so far, since they start at 2am my time. Now that we're in to the second week of Wimbledon I won't be seeing much of that,either, as it starts now at 10pm my time, since there are fewer matches to squeeze in :(
Well done to local boy Nick Kyrgios, who I think I picked to lose in the first round! I guess it's probably just as well that I can't watch the women's games, as I think I only have about 3 players left in play (damn you, Li Na!).
Hope you're all sleeping well :)
Well we had 4 perfect scores today, 2 in the first game - MT88 and RR and 2 in the second - ro and Sally, so well done all of you.
The table for the end of the last 16 stage stands as follows:
REReader - 55
Joolz - 53
Z, anonybob, ro - 52
Sherlock, Lestrade - 51
Small Hobbit - 50
Paula, Nameless - 47
MT88 - 46
John - 44
kholly - 41
graham22 - 40
Desert Wanderer - 39
mag - 38
Lancs Anon - 35
Piplover - 33
Sally - 32
KT - 20
So well done to RR who is still in the lead at the end of the second stage. Will she carry it through to the final or will she be caught as I see Sherlock is sneaking back up and is now in the 50's too and tied with Greg. With 6 points available each day there is still everything to play for. :)
This is the link for the next stage of the competition if everyone could fill it in by 5.00 pm (GMT) on Friday please which is when the next game starts. Thanks. :)
http://www.carryon.org.uk/worldcup2014/index.php/survey/index/sid/489986/newtest/Y/lang/en
You might not be watching it, but you're doing well in the competition, ro, joint 3rd so that's brilliant. :) Shame everything is timed badly for you though, and we thought having it finishing at midnight/1 am was bad enough. ;)
DW, wanted to add my good wishes for your transition.
Hello everyone!
Sorry for the late update, I was in hospital with my dad who was having his gallbladder removed. He's now home and resting comfortably.
Tennis today: Big news is Rafa Nadal and Maria Sharapova both going out.
WTA:
Greg in the lead!: 113
Ro: 111
Becca: 107
fA: 105
Joolz: 102
REReader: 98
DW: 97
Anonybob: 91
Nameless: 85
ATP:
Greg, dethroning John!: 139
fA, close behind: 138
Ro: 136
Nameless: 134
John: 131
Joolz: 129
Lancs. Anon, Anonybob, REReader: 116
Becca: 112
Small Hobbit: 111
DW: 98
Well, this happened on Wikipedia a little while ago:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Brfpmp6IUAASzDP.jpg
It's been fixed since, unfortunately.
Ella
That's great Ella! Our team does owe him a lot.
Hope you're doing well these days.
I am shocked to see John's tennis score slide so. Don't really trust it will stay there. I've got Federer & Djokovic making the final, so I'm hoping results will support that.
Night all. Good sleep to those still in sleep hours, local time. Again, good luck with the special op, L.
fA
Becca, best wishes to your Dad for a speedy recovery.
Joolz, I presume we're doing the same as last time: final score prediction plus winner. Thank you for doing all this. You'd think that by now I'd have some idea of who to chose, but no. Decided to go for a wild card and when I'm the only one to get it right I'll get lots of points and no-one else will. Cue manic laughter.
L - had you only ignored the football and gone to bed at a suitable time you could have done it by the time Joolz posted ;)
My Women's scores will now drop through the floor as I've got no one left in.
Never really done well scoring with women ;)
If we had to go out, what a way to do it, hmmm?
Thanks for the good wishes, S and kestrel (and everyone else I missed). And I hope things turn out for you and yours Becca.
I had some joke about Lestrade dethorning Doc, but it's too early in the morning.
Dethroning, not dethorning, though I'm sure that happens on a regular basis 'round there, too.
(Bonus points if I got you to sing "Every rose has its thorn" Lestrade)
Roses are red,
But their stems can prick,
I love John in bed
Because he has a big...heart.
Ah, poetry...
Ahh, tennis. Down to one player on the women's side. Going with the presumed favorites in today's men's matches. See how that works out. The players at this level are just so good. I wish I could see all of the matches, instead of just bits and pieces.
L., the smile/grin/smirk I imagine on your face certainly elevates your poetic efforts.
Becca, thanks for updating amidst your family stuff. Glad your dad is back home.
fA
You like poems!
You and Mycroft up to anything?
It's flying ant day!
That's definitely being up to something!
Eventually I hope for a bit more info about flying ant day.
fA
I wish I could see this match. Radio is just insufficient. Federer can take the match right here, but he's not doing it.
Thank-you Mr. Federer! Good effort from Wawrinka.
fA
I was worried there for a minute.
Federicorn sorted it out in the end?
I see Murray is out.
He did, he's through to the semis.
Oh dear. Poor Murray.
Any ideas for dinner tonight?
I've got to work nights -or late, anyway, on Friday and Saturday. I might just come in late and work until midnight or so, maybe.
Do you want me to cook? I could make that beef and broccoli thing.
Late because of the thing?
...Maybe I do overuse the word thing.
yes to both things.
On the way home now, text if you need anything from the shops.
Poor Murray my foot. I was counting on him for one more round!
To be fair, Dimitrov played really well based on what bits I heard.
fA
fA - I was too. He gets so much pressure about Wimbledon though.
L - no, I think we're all right on things, thanks love.
I had him being beaten this round...just by completely the wrong person, who was knocked out ages ago. :)
Yes, I can imagine there's pressure. I've already seen photos of the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge looking distraught while watching the match. And that's on a US sports web site where the royals are not usually considered of interest.
fA
Sherlock, why was it flying ant day? How were the flying ants? Please, inquiring minds want to know.
Because one or sometimes two days every year all the flying ants come out and fly crawl about and sometimes fly and get squashed lots and it was today and maybe some will do it tomorrow too. They're really really big much bigger than normal ants and it's because they're trying to mate and make new colonies.
Where do you go to see flying ants? Do they need any special habitat?
fA
right now there's quite a few colonising my bike helmet, horrible things. They are everywhere today - at least, they are in London. I assume up North they'll arrive later.
Thank you, Sherlock, that is really quite interesting. One day a year (or maybe two)! I wouldn't have thought that was enough time.
Maftet has caught three already.
What does she do with them?
*blinks* I would not have thought they were very tasty. Although, I've read that people eat chocolate covered ants... (I don't!)
She eats spiders too.
Protein?
That's so interesting! I don't know if we don't have a big flying ant day here, or if I've just never noticed. It makes me think of cicadas, though, and how they suddenly all appear. Apparently this year a couple of the cicada groups that only emerge every 17 years are out.
Do you guys have cicadas in the UK? I love how they sound falling asleep in the summer.
Sherlock, it sounds like you like flying ant day. I'd have thought they'd get stuck in your hair!
Maftet the Huntress. Bet it's a good day for her!
fA
She just likes catching things. The dogs probably taught her to eat anything within muzzle-range.
We don't get a lot of cicadas - I don't think i've ever seen one, but I think it's possible for them to be here, if you see what I mean.
Flying Ant Day reminds me of The Horrific Week of Raining Poisonous Caterpillars in New Orleans.
Ella
I have never heard of raining poisonous caterpillars. Is this an annual occurrence, Ella?
fA
Not quite annual...or I think the caterpillars are annual, but their severity/numbers varies. There's a species of moth that lays its eggs in oak trees (of which there are many in New Orleans), and the caterpillars that hatch are covered with furry spines that have a stinging poison. For people it's just uncomfortable, but one of my aunt's cats pawed one once and her paw was swollen and unusable for over a week. When there's a huge amount of them, they fall out of the trees and cover the sidewalks and the streets so that it's hard to walk without stepping on them (or driving over them). They're big enough so that they're visible trying to escape from your car's tires as you splatter them. It's quite gross.
Ella
Ella - eeewwww!
fA
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