As it turned out, there was no sanctioned dressing up at school today. Sherlock just wanted to be a bat. We told him no. Or, Greg told him no. I was going to say yes because what could it hurt, but it was pointed out that if one boy showed up dressed as a bat and no one else got to have costumes, it might be a tiny bit disruptive. Sometimes I forget things like this.
He was a pretend (sulky) bat all the way to school nevertheless, but Mrs N said he didn't give her any trouble once he got there. After school, he was an improvised bat, with dark trousers and a large, flappy black hoodie of L's.
And then...pumpkin carving. Enormous knives, flailing limbs, potential loss of life or eyeballs. Sherlock and L carved, and I started sorting the seeds from the pumpkin guts, which is genuinely one of the most disgusting things I've ever done and I should've worn gloves. It's the way your skin gets afterwards when it starts to dry on you, like it's sucked all the moisture from your fingers and coated them in an impenetrable shield of water repellent so you can't wash it off.
But in the end, triumph:
70 comments:
That's a pretty impressive pumpkin!
That pumpkin is awesome, well done you lot :-D
Some days I wish I was the kind of parent that 'forgot' that kids are supposed to fit in at school, Sherlock is lucky that he has you to offer the fun element to things even though sense does have to prevail in the end ;-)
I hope you're all having a nice evening.
Anon & anonybob - it looks pretty good, doesn't it! They did a great job.
Some days I wish I was the kind of parent that 'forgot' that kids are supposed to fit in at school
It's probably a reaction against my own childhood. Or I'm just completely inured to him being different animals and it doesn't even seem strange anymore...
I don't know which it is John but watching how you and Greg encourage Sherlock to be himself in every way he possibly can be while ensuring he understands that there are times when he has to conform to expectations of others is quite an inspiration :-)
What anonybob just said!
That is one scary-looking pumpkin--how on earth did you get the cuts so clean and even?!
That pumpkin does indeed look very terrifying! I wouldn´t want to see it in a dark corner while walking home at night...
You must have dealt with worse things than pumpkin guts as a doctor!
L - you would think, wouldn't you? It was the way my hands felt afterward, like they were made out of sandpaper.
Well we shall definitely have to make sure they're not sandpaper-like before bed!
I dunno, I just don't mind laying down the rules to him. No matter how much he looks at me with his bottom lip sticking out like a shelf and his big eyes under his curls. Cold hearted, me.
It's all right, they're only sandpapery on the inside.
Ha. You're good for him. :)
The bat has declared himself nocturnal and won't go to bed...
I'm a protected species you can't make me
Protected species need their sleep. Go and brush your bat teeth.
I'm certain protected species need extra protection from fireworks too, right? Kept indoors, quiet and safe, no bonfire night excitement...
Bat boy is now in bed, glad to report.
The logic of the argument was clearly compelling...
That's good news Greg. I'm glad you two are going to have some bat free relaxation time ;-)
Yeah.
Can't help but wonder what sort of 'trick or treat' chaos I'll find waiting for me at work tomorrow.
...think it's coming to find us.
Noisy possible-teenagers-possible-uni-students. John says I'm not allowed to go down there and tell them to shut up and piss off because I'm too comfortable...
I'm not a fan of trick or treating for small children but I really hate it when it involves teenagers!!
You are extremely comfortable...
AnonyBob - I'm not either, and we don't get any little kids around here, not the right sort of area.
But we do get drunk teenagers, apparently... and drunker students.
I just don't like to think of people like Mrs H getting scared (although she'd probably either invite them in for cake or give them a piece of her mind!)
The little kids were out, with their parents, when I was picking Tiny up from nursery at 530 and I didn't really mind them but the many knocks between 8 and 10 I could very much have done without! I might be a killjoy but having my door knocked on once its dark is the one thing that freaks me out AND it wakes the kids!
Over for another year now though I guess :-)
Check out your local police force next year, AnonyBob - lots now have signs to print out saying Trick or Treaters Welcome/Not Welcome - to help old folk etc. who don't want their door knocked. It seems to work, in some places.
You never know Greg, by next year I might not be quite such a wimp but thanks for the suggestion :-)
John says I'm not allowed to go down there and tell them to shut up and piss off because I'm too comfortable...
It's important to have a good set of priorities. *nods*
We live in a dark corner which apparently deters everyone. Too spooky I presume ;)
AnonyBob - sorry, I didn't mean to suggest you were being wimpish! (Or were old...).
Seems to slowly be quietening down here, so John is safe with me as a pillow for a bit longer. Although do have to go to bed...
Some years I get tons of trick-or-treaters and run out of candy, and this year I had 3. I checked around to see if my town had declared "official" hours for trick-or-treating in the Sacred Oak, but as far as I could tell they didn't. This was very important two years ago when we had a freak snowstorm the weekend before halloween and there were still branches and wires down in every neighborhood on halloween itself.
My goodness, this is my 5th Halloween in this house! How time flies.
AftSO, who is tired from being up so late last night listening to the Red Sox win the World Series
RR - sorry, just seen your question. We just made it with sharp knives, that's all...
SH - encourage the spookyness, definitely!
That's some very careful cutting, L, I can't do that!
I didn't think you were suggesting I was wimpish Greg that's an opinion of me I form all by myself ;-)
I hope work doesn't have too many troubles hanging over from yesterday and that its as good a day as possible :-)
Ha, well, I think you're wrong, AnonyBob.
This morning I have stabbings, threats to kill (farmed them off to uniform, no idea why they got sent up here in the first place!) one serious fight and the whole force will spend time clearing up criminal damage and minor assault complaints. Glad it's over for another year!
RR - i thought it was nice to carve. Nicer than cleaning the seeds, anyway ;)
Sherlock is absolutely fascinated by me sharpening my knives. He sits and watches like I'm on the telly or something.
I think it would be lovely to be able to carve like that!
How do you sharpen knives?
I had a migraine for Halloween. And in my neighborhood it's best to sit on the steps if you want the trick or treaters to stop. But I managed. I don't mind teens trick or treating if they've made the effort to dress up, or can give me a suitably creative answer when I ask what they are. One of them told me they were dressed as a Muggle this year!
I hope you're feeling better, rsf.
Muggle, brilliant!
I really like that pumpkin, its scary! It sounds like you all had a lovely Halloween, despite loud teenagers trying to stir things up a bit.
I dressed up at work yesterday, which was nice in that it let me play a bit, and also brought a smile to patients who were otherwise not having a very good day. I had one women tell me she had been ready to be grumpy until she saw me, and then she couldn't help but laugh.
After work I handed out candy at my mom's, dressed as a zombie. I was a bit worried I might worry some of the little kids, but they just told me I looked neat.
It sounds like you're having an 'interesting' day Greg I hope you're all getting stuff sorted :-)
RR - whetstones for sharpening, steel for honing.
*googles videos*
It looks tricky, they do it so fast in the YouTubes!
Mycroft is learning how todo it too
Danger, off Sunday til weds
That'll be nice :)
I felt like we could do with it.
Probably. Maybe we can go and see Mycroft on Sunday.
Yeah, be nice.
Love you. Got some great stories from today's round of interviews, might make you laugh.
I love you too. Can't wait to see you.
Also, I should warn you I'm working tomorrow - Mrs Holmes is taking Sherlock out for the day.
Yeah? Might get to see you then. You can always come and do official police business in my office ;)
But you'd have to put up with my taste in music...
Mrs Holmes is taking Sherlock out for the day.
I bet Sherlock is really excited about that. :) And I'm sure a nice block of time off will be a Good Thing.
Have a great Saturday, all--Shabbat shalom!
I thik i can manage that :)
Leaving. Can I get anyone anything?
A guy at Sainsbury's in Brighton was dressed as a robot last night :)
http://instagram.com/p/gI7p8sIMnQ/
I hope that link works.
Ha! I particularly like the fact that he's trying to wear his coat over a cardboard box...
I started sorting the seeds from the pumpkin guts, which is genuinely one of the most disgusting things I've ever done
I know Lestrade said this but...didn't you put your hands inside dead people in medical school? I think that would beat pumpkin guts for grossness, but we all have our own internal rankings of disgusting, I suppose.
Ella
I think the pumkpin innards were more...sticky and gluey on the hands.
I do presume he always wore gloves at med school/when needed. And blood doesn't form a waterproof layer on you!
Still, he was the one wanted pumpkin seeds ;)
Ella - pumpkin innards are completely different!
You had a call out yet, Danger? (Obviously not expecting you to answer this if you're on one...)
And did Sherlock actually explode before his mum arrived, or did he just whirlwind around the flat like a banshee....
I've just got done with one. Do you want lunch?
Sherlock only barely did not explode. He told me they were going to Borneo...
Borneo for the day, huh?
Lunch...would be good. I might get called away, but I'm free-ish at the moment.
Hope your job was okay.
Well...it wasn't terrible. I'll be there soon. How's your day so far?
Not bad. Went to see those kids earlier. Pumpkin has regained consciousness, seems to be okay. Two different cases who've been convicted are trying to go to appeal..the usual.
Sherlock asked if those kids could come over for the weekend. Not forever, he wanted to make sure I understood, and they couldn't go in his room, but he'd show them his mummy book and the bones Molly gave him... It was very sweet.
Ha, not sure how they'd take to him - but it's very nice of him to offer.
Readers, there are few sights that raise the spirits more than your leather-clad husband walking towards you with a big smile. Mmm. That'll keep me going the rest of the shift.
"Ella - pumpkin innards are completely different!"
But...but....dead people, John!
(Reasons Why I Am Not A Doctor Or A Serious Crimes Detective, #327)
Hope you guys are having decent days, with lots of coffee and/or tea.
Ella
But gloves! And honestly bodies aren't that bad once you get used to them.
Ella - I'm okay with your average innards. But when you find one that's really liquid and rotting...you can't ever shower for long enough.
yeah... forced to choose, gloves or no gloves, I think I'd have to go with pumpkin guts, and leave the dead people to doctors and DIs. :) I do generally wear gloves when dealing with any kind of winter squash, and it's very reassuring to hear that other people have the same experience with them that I do.
S
Erm... I thought that one of the advantages of being a medical professional was that the gloves were always on tap, running hot and cold? No medical gloves for pumpkin carving?
(I'm not in medical, but I hang out with biologists, who will always provide a spare box of gloves if I ask nicely. Gloves are handy around the house for oh so may things.)
*many
Olli - I didn't know it was going to be like that, or I would've worn them, believe me! Next time, next time...
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