Hello, this is Mycroft. A few people have asked when I plan to go on the stargazing trip I mentioned. I'm going today, actually, and I've arranged with Mummy for Sherlock to go and stay with her until I get back. I thought Lestrade and John might want some time to relax, and they can't really go anywhere since Lestrade needs to be available for work.
Though my soul may set in darkness, it will rise in perfect light; I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night.
This is a picture of the inside of our balloon being inflated. I think Lestrade has a lot more of what the city looked like from above, especially the football stadiums, so I expect he'll post some of those.
Sherlock and I are leaving today, so I need to pack and wrap up my telescope now, but I wanted to show you a poem that John showed me first. It's called The Old Astronomer to His Pupil, and this is the last part, which I like especially:
65 comments:
Mycroft, hope you have a wonderful time stargazing with your friends. You deserve to, you are incredibly thoughtful of others.
And thank you for sharing those lines, they are beautiful and well worth remembering.
You are incredibly kind and thoughtful, Mycroft. I hope you have a brilliant time. Camping and stargazing.
A wonderful picture, Mycroft, and it's thoughtful of you to give John and Lestrade some time together, as well as giving Sherlock and your mom time together too. Very neatly done.
I hope the weather holds well for you and you see lots of things you want to see. The meteorite showers should be going strong this weekend.
Have a lovely trip.
rsf
I loved that poem, by the way, and went looking for "When I heard the learn'd Astronomer" (which is one of my favorites) for you and found an entire webpage of astronomical poems.
rsf
Mycroft, you are so thoughtful, it's lovely. I hope you and your friends have an excellent time camping and watching the stars; the weather's improving again so hopefully you'll have some excellent views.
Sherlock - I hope you have a lovely time with your mum :-)
John, Lestrade - enjoy :-D
Mycroft as ever you are amazing :-) I hope camping is fun and that the weather provides the perfect sky for you :-)
Greg, John enjoy your time together :-) child free time is almost as special as family time.
I hope you have fun with your mum Sherlock I'm sure she'll love to here all about your balloon trip :-)
The flat is a frenzy of packing and finding things. Sherlock has decided we can be trusted as degu-carers, though, with the promise that we'll let them out with us, not leave them in their cage all day, and give them a bath tomorrow.
Mycroft that poem is so lovely it literally (in its strictest definition) gave me chills. Wonderful. I was stargazing last night actually, my friends and I were attempting to watch the Pleiade meteor shower. I expect that's what you want to see with your friends?
We were also trying to work out star distances (one of my friends is going to study physics and she likes the astrophysics side a lot) because we're pretty strange. Hope you have a great time, and you too Sherlock with your Mum :)
I'm not sure John and I will know what to do with ourselves...
What does meretricious mean?
Mycroft, what a lovely gift you've arranged for everyone--time is so precious. Well done indeed.
And that photo is amazing--thank you for sharing it!
(For a change, a poem I'd already read! It's ver beautiful.)
Well, L, it's quite an honor to be trusted as degu-carers--Sherlock is very careful of them, and he should be. *nods*
Have a wonderful time, everyone!
"Meretricious" means something that looks attractive but has no real value, Sherlock.
L - I believe you will be positioning the furniture or something like that ;)
Positioning something, anyway.
Meretricious can also describe something which is deceptive or insincere, Sherlock. Like a candy bar wrapper that has a piece of cardboard inside to make the actual candy bar look bigger than it really is.
Is there anything special you going to take with you to show your mum, since the degus are staying with John and Lestrade? (I assume the dogs are going with Mycroft.)
rsf
You *are* going to take with you. I wish I could edit comments!
*headdesk*
rsf
You can position me any time, Danger. Or proposition me ;)
I think it being a lovely sunny day means we should get on our bikes and get the wind in our hair and flies in our teeth.
(i refuse to say which flies and whose teeth)
Innuendo, puns, yes, Lestrade is perking up already.
L - sounds perfect. Where do you want to go?
Depends how long you want to ride for... I know quite a few places we could swim in a river, if you want to go to one of those?
I want to swim in a river!
That's a lovely thing you did, Mycroft, and I hope you have a good time and perfect weather for your trip. Sounds like a great weekend for everyone, though you'll all be apart. Sometimes it's good to do things separately - helps you appreciate it more when you're together.
That would be great, yeah. And...well, anything really. It's so odd not to need to be home by a certain time.
And one day, Sherlock, you shall go to the ball. I mean, swim in a river... But you have to be very good at swimming to do that, so maybe we could start off by going to a lake or something, with no current.
Danger - about an hour ride do you? I'll pack some towels.
Perfect. I'll make us some sandwiches or something.
You do realise seeing you in your bike gear just makes me want to remove it all from you again? You ride ahead. I'll enjoy the view.
What is it about bike gear? I've been known to have the same reaction. Well, not with John as we've never met, but you know.
Enjoy your ride and swim and etc. sounds like a fantastic couple of days.
Wish me good traffic this weekend if you would. By the time you're done with your adventures I will have moved 4 states away and I'm vaguely worried about driving a rental truck 400 miles and have it break down half way there.
I hope everyone has a great couple of days of free time...Mycroft you are an incredibly thoughtful young man and I hope you have a great time camping and staargazing with your friends.
And Sherlock, Greg's right, rivers and lakes are only for people who have been swimming for a long time...we had a little boy drown in a river near us just last weekend (almost as tragic as the two (different incidents) toddlers who died because their families left them in cars in the 100+ degree heat).
And guys, I hope the "parent-time" is fun and you find a nice river to cool off in after all that strenuous getting in and out of bike gear....
Oh, and kholly - speaking from experience, as nerve wracking as it is to move yourself that distance and drive a rental truck...once you've done it successfully you'll feel great about it - I still feel pleased with myself that I managed to move 400 miles with a truck, towing a car....and that was 20 years ago...
This is heavenly.
I would go so far as to say idyllic.
Kholly - good luck! That doesn't sound like the most fun one could have on a weekend, but at least it'll all be over by Monday.
Thanks John. It'll be good to finally be there. And I think you'll be having enough fun for the both of us.
I think it's been so long we don't know how to do this anymore. Both of us keep checking our watches, as if we have somewhere to be...
But, that said, if John stops using my stomach as a pillow we probably should get back, crack open some wine and... order take away, or something :)
I'd go with "or something"....takeaway can wait ;)
He's now telling me I can't wear my bike jacket open at the top all the way home with no top on because it'll be too distracting ... think he just doesn't want to pick flying ants out of my chest hair later :)
Pretty sure that's also a good reason...
C'mon, you, let's go home and enjoy the peace and quiet. Might even cook you something.
Kholly, the good thing about rental trucks is that if they break down you call the company and they have to figure out how to fix things. But I hope it won't break down anyway. Good luck with the move!
Greg, John, I'm glad you had a lovely day. I hope the night is just as good!
rsf
Home again. I said I'd cook since its still his birthday week and he might want to relax, but but he was having none of it...
cooking is relaxing!
Anyway, can;t risk being laid low with food poisoning :D
And what level glare have you just received?
I always thought the "cooking is relaxing" thing was a myth invented by people who want me to do more of it...
SH - I ran before I could get glared at.
RR - only relaxing if you enjoy it, obviously. I don't think Danger finds it relaxing. He shouts at a lot of inanimate objects when doing it.
I was teasing a bit, L--but not entirely!
(I don't yell at things, but I do mutter a lot. And drop things about as much. :D)
RSF: My only real concern with breaking down is that the office for the apartment building closes at 4 and doesn't open again until Monday so if I miss it I'm in big trouble. I asked them if I could have my brother pick up the keys for me in an emergency, they said no. I think I've given myself plenty of time as long as nothing goes wrong.
In the meantime I'll dream of things and stuff cooked by a handsome DI.
Good luck, Kholly!
Danger's eating his chicken cacciatore on the sofa and we're watching the athletics and generally being lazy and looking forward to the bloody Olympics lane getting out of our street so we can have the windows open without the joy of constant traffic jams.
Mycroft took his phone, right?
I'd've thought so... he might have it switched off to save the battery though. Why?
that... was amazing. Jamaica gold, silver, bronze...
Just caught the race, bolt it a machine!!
I'm glad you two have made use of a rare day to yourselves :-) Have you heard from the boys? I hope they've had a fun day as well :-)
Anonybob
L - no reason, really. Just in case he wants to call us.
I can't imagine Mycroft leaving his phone behind--but even if he did...a group of teenage boys? They have connectivity! Phones, computers, mobile hot-spots, all of the above. :)
I was just watching this TED talk by Mark Applebaum and I'm not sure whether I'm appalled, amused, or stimulated. (And hey, one of his compositions has a part for Greg-the-florist!) What do you all think, especially the musicians? (Definitely including Mycroft and Sherlock, if and when you two have a chance to have a look!)
Well...once out camping, it's only going to be phones that let them communicate with the outside world. Or carrier pigeon. But I'm sure he has his, and I expect Mrs H has some sort of satellite spying on all of us all the time anyway.
Which you should remember, Johnny, when we go outdoor swimming on clear days and try to expose my..assets... ;)
Yeah, I'm sure you're right. And I know he's fine, it's not like he wasn't off at school by himself for months.
If she has satellites watching us, she's seen quite a lot already!
It's natural to worry a bit John. All the rational thinking in the world won't change that, and in many ways, it shouldn't. Perhaps find some enjoyable activity to distract yourself? After all, that's exactly why Mycroft planned some alone time for the two of you. It'd be rude not to, really... ;-p
Skinny-dipping, gents? I'm impressed :-)
Mycroft almost certainly has his phone, given the number of apps there are for finding stars, etc. And if he doesn't, I bet one of his friend's does. You could just dial the number to see if it rings in his room, I suppose, but it might be embarrassing if he answers.
rsf
Mycroft - I hope you're having tons of fun right now with your friends. You're such a thoughtful young man and a wonderful brother. Thank you for sharing that poem; even out of context, there's something profoundly touching about the final lines.
Sherlock - I hope you're having a wonderful time with your mother!
Greg, John - Carry on ;) I hope that you will take plenty of time to relax, recharge, and... rearrange the furniture this weekend. *giggling* As for the phone question, the only way I imagine you couldn't get in touch with Mycroft would be if there's no coverage out...wherever they are, and knowing Mrs. Holmes...I'm fairly certain there will be coverage. :)
kholly - I hope you made it to your new abode safely!
~A from NW
Kholly - hope your move went hitch free, and that you are now safe and sound in your new home.
Mycroft, I hope the weather held good for you and there weren't too many rocks under your sleeping bag.
Sherlock, I hope you're having fun with your mum. Have you talked her into taking your for a helicopter ride yet?
Kholly, let us know when you're settled and safe!
And John, I hope you're having fun with Lestrade and degu baths today. Wait. No, I don't mean give them both a bath at the same time! Just. You know. Separately.
I need more sleep.
rsf
RSF - do you mean bath Lestrade and one degu and then repeat with the other degu?
I'm not sure what I mean. I mean, I meant that John should have fun with Lestrade and also have fun with bathing degus, but now I am unfortunately enchanted by the notion of a soggy DI staring down an equally dripping degu.
rsf
I thought the degus take dust baths? In which case there would be a very dusty DI staring down at a clean degu. :D
RR, between you and Small Hobbit, I think I'm going to have very odd dreams tonight.
Do degus do dust baths? Or do they make their ablutions in the morning dew?
How much dew would a degu do if a degu did do dew?
rsf *studiously avoiding the double-o option*
the degus had a dust bath today. They love it, so it's no hardship. Although it did mean we somehow ended up cleaning out their cage, too.
How do you give a degu a dust bath? Just provide the dust and let them do the work, the way small birds do? Because if that's right, I can see why you'd end up having to clean up the cage. I was watching a sparrow the other day and it managed to distribute the dirt it was wallowing in a good two feet in every direction.
rsf
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