We had a lovely day out at the Boat Race, which mainly consisted of beer, pub food, walking, and listening to the boys argue about boat design. Apparently Oxford and/or Cambridge should hire them because they could do it better, and the boats would go faster and tip over less often. At least if Mycroft was in charge.
I'm not so certain Sherlock would improve the stability at all. He really wanted to see someone go in the water today, or really wanted to go in it himself. Which would be unfortunate since he doesn't know how to swim.
Mycroft can (or says he can - he doesn't usually lie, but in the interests of showing up his brother, who knows), but swimming lessons for both of them might not be a bad idea this summer. Maybe we could even all get to the beach at some point. With frisbees. What do you think, L? I wonder if the Dogs of War can swim. I suspect they'd figure it out soon enough. Maybe they could be trained to retrieve errant children who get in over their heads.
I'm not so certain Sherlock would improve the stability at all. He really wanted to see someone go in the water today, or really wanted to go in it himself. Which would be unfortunate since he doesn't know how to swim.
Mycroft can (or says he can - he doesn't usually lie, but in the interests of showing up his brother, who knows), but swimming lessons for both of them might not be a bad idea this summer. Maybe we could even all get to the beach at some point. With frisbees. What do you think, L? I wonder if the Dogs of War can swim. I suspect they'd figure it out soon enough. Maybe they could be trained to retrieve errant children who get in over their heads.
42 comments:
I'm having a pretty nice day anyway, but something about the image of you, Lestrade, the boys, and the pups all at the beach just made me smile so hard. Yes to the swimming lessons! (My mom never learned to swim or ride a bike - girls weren't allowed to do either where and when she grew up - and she wants so much to do both. She made damn sure her kids had the opportunities she lacked.)
Swimming! Every kid should at least attempt to learn to swim (although I never understood why it was classed as a winter sport at school. I want to swim when it's hot, dammit!)
From what I've read the dogs will probably try to follow Mycroft regardless of if they can swim or not.
It sounds like you all had a lovely day :)
Swimming is fun! Also rather important, what with that whole not-drowning thing. Here in California, we all got free swim lessons in public school. It's been very useful, since I like to go puttering about in boats, on large lakes.
Does England have nice beaches? I've only seen Irish beaches, but those are quite pleasant.
Everyone should know how to swim- especially those of you who live on a damn island. It's just common sense. :)
I've been learning since I was wee. It seems to be best to learn young, as those who try to learn as adults always seem to be shy and/or have phobias by that point.
Beach sounds like a great idea. Swimming sounds like a great idea. Swimming at the beach in the UK sounds like we need to hope for a hot summer, and get down south, at least to Dorset, maybe further into Devon or Cornwall? You mentioned camping the other day, so maybe a swimming/beach/camping combo could be arranged?
Swimming lessons definitely essential before much sea-swimming though. I'm confident in the water, and we could kit the dogs out with buoys or floats for child-saving purposes?
And GO OXFORD!! What a win - made my day just a little bit better (and it was damn near perfect anyway).
I would definitely vote yes on swimming lessons. It's fun, good exercise, and could save their lives some day.
Oh, and the dogs probably know how already. It's like genetic or something with the canine set.
I want to go to the beach!
If you take them to the beach you have to promise to take a photo of the structurally sound engineering work of wonder that Sherlock's sand castle is likely to end up being. (Assuming Mycroft will be too old for such things.)
Seconding the sandcastle photo request!
I'm not a very good swimmer (too many ear infections as a child meant I never got the hang of putting my head under), but I love messing about at the beach. Especially with a boogie-board - those things are so fun! But I do wish I could swim better. Maybe I should sign up for lessons at my local pool.
You know what's curious, ocean-swimming doesn't seem to be taught to kids who are learning to swim. I mean, not that you need special strokes or something. But it seems that if you're teaching people to swim, you should teach them about things like rip currents. I learned about them growing up because my family were big beach goers, my mom is a very strong swimmer and she took care to teach us how dangerous the ocean could be and how to keep safe.
Don't know that you can count on everyone's parents to know that; I don't recall anything ever being said about it in my many swimming classes though.
Lindsay, I'm pretty sure most kids don't get taught anything about sea swimming in the UK.
I grew up near the sea, so I know the specific dangers of the local beaches, and about the general dangers of the ocean, but I'm more than happy to ask locals for any advice - or stick to beaches with lifeguards.
Mind you, a lot of the sea around the UK isn't that inviting, when it comes to swimming...
Amy and Kholly - if we head to a sandy beach any time soon, we'll be sure to provide you with pictures of sandcastles. And perhaps architectural drawings, too.
Oh absolutely the boys should learn to swim. One cannot do buoyancy experiments on one's siblings if one cannot swim oneself. Around here, most of us learn to swim very very early simply because it's amazingly hot. (It was 80F yesterday, and last year we had 100 days over 100F.) Totally worth it.
Also, and I invite everyone else to weigh in here, but I firmly believe that proper sandcastle building depends mostly on the proper consistency of the sand. I like damp (but not wet) and fine grained. Anyone?
Toodle-pip,
Bronwyn
Absolutely, Bronwyn.
I would not call the sand at my local beach exceptionally fine-grained, but it is, in my opinion, excellent building sand.
You have to have the right placement on the beach to have proper sand dampness. And tides are very important too, no good trying to build structures when the tide's going to come in and sweep it all away!
Re: beach dangers, does anyone else have experience with sneaker waves? They come in low and quickly and can sweep you off your feet and pull you out to sea before you realize what's happening. Very scary!
maybe a swimming/beach/camping combo could be arranged
Sounds brilliant, I've never been camping at the beach. For the swimming I was sort of fantasizing about Mallorca, but I suppose that's unlikely.
Beach camping is awesome! I love doing it. Messy, gritty and a heck of a lot of fun. Though, voice of experience, don't check the daytime temperatures when planning. Check the evening and night predictions. There is nothing worse than coming out of the water at dusk, eating dinner and then being both damp and cold all freaking night. Yeesh.
Also? Beach camping means food-onna-stick. Marshmallows, bratwurst, pineapple rings. All roasted over a fire. Nummy!
Toodle-pip,
Bronwyn
Mmm, food on a stick. I've never had pineapple over the campfire but I bet that would be amazing!
Also amazing: food cooked in coals. Best potato I've ever had was one we sliced longwise into fourths, filled the gaps with onion slices, and cooked wrapped in foil in the coals. Om nom nom.
All sounds good - we'll have to beg, buy or borrow some camping gear and check out some likely spots.
UK beaches aren't really known for their sand, but I'm sure we can find something suitable. And there shoulde rocks, too, for rockpooling. Then the boys can play God with some poor unsuspecting eco system.
Danger, did the army teach you much about campfire cooking? i hope they did.
They taught me a lot about opening packets and tins. I don't expect that'll be much help. The Marines taught me how to make s'mores...
I don't really know what a s'more is. But I get the feeling they're sweet, wildly unhealthy and Mycroft and Sherlock would love them.
I can probably remember some basics. At least you'll know how to put up a tent. Right? And opening packets and tins will be essential. We won't be snaring rabbits or bringing down livestock to butcher. (no, Sherlock, we won't).
I can definitely put up tents, build fires, etc. Probably in my sleep. Possibly even reheat beans and make coffee. Oh, and catch fish, gut and descale them and so on. Just can't cook them. You wouldn't want me to try.
What happened? Were you off sick the week you did the cooking part of the process? Or did Army Doctors always get paired with chefs...'You cut it up, I'll cook it.' I'd have been nervous if I was one of your patients...
I'm certain we'll have shelter and won't starve. We just need a time and a place (and the Gods of the weather to smile upon us.)
The thing about the Army is that you do everything in groups. I wasn't just cooking for me, I was cooking for other people. After the first time, the other people involved rose up in revolt and I wasn't allowed to try again.
How did you learn to cook anyway? It's a long way from making sandwiches for your younger siblings to some of the things you've made for us.
I spent a few holidays in Italy, with my family.
It was kind of odd, I suppose, looking back. Basically I didn't ever really know my Dad, once he walked out on Mum, but his family were completely mortified by what he'd done, and they made a lot of effort to stay in touch. Sort of a guilt thing.
So I've barely said two words to him my entire life, but I knew his mother and aunt and my cousins quite well. Still keep in touch, even now.
They taught me a lot - well, me and Nicky, we were almost forced into it - but it was fun, too. Our Nonna couldn't believe it when we first went there and had never had fresh pasta. She saw us as a project, I think! Each year we'd do a bit more.
And I enjoy it - when I've got the time. Got very lazy when I was on my own. Worked late, ate crap, didn't care. You lot are good for me. Well, when you're not feeding me Chinese...
Oh, please do feel free to cook for us more often! Any time. I mean that, really.
I see the boys picking it up from you, a bit. It's really nice to watch. Do you still see them - your family in Italy, I mean?
Ohh! Easy beach cooking! Get a big onion for everyone (you won't use all of it, but that's okay). Cut them neatly in half and scoop out the middle, leaving a nice thick rim. Chop up the scooped out parts and mix them with a couple or three pounds of ground beef, ranch dressing mix and some pepper. Then pack the beef into both halves of the onion, put them back together and wrap them snugly in two layers of foil. Put the foils packets in the coals of the fire and leave them for 20 minutes or so before checking them. Between 20 and 30 minutes and voila! Burgers! (Or if you're like me, you dig out the potatoes you've wrapped in foil and stuck on the other side of the fire and voila! Stuffed baked potato!)
Toodle-pip,
Bronwyn
I shall try to cook more often. Some evenings I just want to fall into a coma and sleep, though. And Sherlock with knives is more worrying than half the scrotes I arrest. One day I'm certain I'll turn around and find him trying to dismember one of the dogs. (No, Sherlock).
I still speak to the family on the 'phone. Haven't been over for a few years. But they enjoy poking fun at me forgetting how to speak decent Italian. I think Nicky went over a year or so ago.
Thanks for the tip, Bronwyn. Sounds good. And even Danger might manage to cook it. Or help, anyway. Anyway, hey, Danger - what do you mean the boys are picking up the cooking - you should be, too!
Not me, I'm a hopeless case!
No you're not. Christ, if you can perform surgery you can definitely learn some cookery. I mean, I have to learn first aid, and I'm no doctor.
Can I stay over on Weds? I'll go home, pack my stuff for conference, then come over?
John, I'm going with Lestrade to see all the policemen and do the crime scenes. Mrs T told me. But we can make birthday cake when we're back.
Sherlock, don't you think you ought to get permission from John before you decide to go out of town with anyone? Why wouldn't John already know about it? John would worry, I think if you didn't call him. And who is Mrs. T?
Toodles-pip,
Bronwyn
Sherlock - Are you really? Have you asked Lestrade about this?
Mrs T is my teacher. She said I didn't have to come to school on Thursday or Friday. And that's when Lestrade's going to talk to all the police officers, like he did with me and Mycroft, and show them crime scenes. So now I can go with him. Lestrade's nice and he won't mind, and John lets him look after us, and anyway, everyone kept saying I should go, in the comments the other day.
I'm not going right now. John has time to pack me clothes and then I'll go with Lestrade on Thursday in the morning.
L - Of course you can stay over. Any time.
Re: cookery, I think you're overestimating my motivation. I've got you and Mrs Hudson and probably Mycroft, maybe even Sherlock in a few years. Can't I stick to simple things, like setting broken bones and removing small internal organs? I am going to make those black-eyed peas though. She said you don't even have to turn the stove on. I'm fairly certain I can manage that.
Sherlock and L - ...All right, we need to talk about this.
John, Lestrade says it's nice I'm so interested. And it means we won't make a mess in the kitchen, if we're allowed to do it in front of the other policemen. Maybe I can make up the murder, and Lestrade can be dead again, and they can try to solve it. I'll ask him if I can help tonight. And I don't even mind talking in front of them. He seems scared to talk in front of my class, and I do that all the time, so I'll probably be better at it anyway. He can tell me what things to talk about.
Hey, whoa, hang on...this is the first I've heard of this. Sherlock, whilst I know you probably would enjoy this conference more than I'm going to, you won't be allowed to come - I don't make the rules. And secondly, it's not like me telling you and Mycroft about things, it's all very very boring, long meetings, sitting still and quiet, talking about policy, not policing. It's all the things you hate most. Really.
John, I don't know where he got that idea from.
D'you want me to bring my guitar over on Weds? Or when I get back? I may be too busy Weds to play anything. Depending on how the bloody seminar is going by then. I'm in the mortuary right now, probably won't really be in the office much today.
Ahh. I didn't know Mrs. T was your teacher. That explains much. Though, why don't you have school Thursday and Friday?
Toodle-pip,
Bronwyn
Her name isn't really Mrs T, but it's a long name and some people say it wrong, so we call her that.
And I don't have school because she said I didn't, and John said I have to listen to her and do what she says, even if it's stupid. And she asked what I was going to do, so I said go with Lestrade and talk about murders to policemen, and that Lestrade was dead in the kitchen the other day, but now he was going to be dead with lots of other policemen. And I told her it's really interesting, and that he tells me about good murders in bed, and she said that was interesting. I told her the one he has at the moment is fun because it's like a puzzle, with no arms or legs or a head. And she said she would definitely talk to him about it. Which will be good, because then I can talk to her about it in the day.
...Sherlock. We're having a talk after dinner. About things you can say at home and things you can say at school. And tomorrow apparently I'll be speaking to your teacher. Again.
Sherlock, please, for my sake, don't refer to any murders as 'fun'. Interesting is okay. Fun is not.
Look on the bright side, John, at least she's met me and knows what I do for a living. Otherwise we really could be in trouble.
But they ARE fun.
Not for anyone involved. We'll have a discussion about this. Right after John has a talk to you.
*whispers to Sherlock* Murders aren't really fun. But they are the hardest puzzles in the world. For the people who die though (and the people who love them) it's not so much fun because in order for there to be a puzzle at all, they had to lose someone they loved and that's the worst kind of losing, I think. Losing just so someone else has a puzzle.
And remember, Sherlock, most people don't think in puzzles and questions. They think in emotions and appropriate public behavior. You have to learn how to say what you want to say in a way they'll understand and that isn't too awful to them. It's like visiting a foreign country. You have to learn the language.
Best of luck Sherlock,
Bronwyn
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