December 28
From BookRookie12: Snowed in for a day
Holmes paced back and forth, like a caged tiger. The atmosphere in the sitting room hung heavy with a dark cloud of tobacco smoke that the meagre flames in the fireplace could barely penetrate.
"Holmes, don't you have something else to do – anything?" Watson pleaded from his writing desk. He coughed. "I could help you alphabetise your entries."
Holmes frowned. He continued pacing.
Mrs Hudson came up from her cooking downstairs with a tray of biscuits and tea. "The snow is really coming down thick. It's a right blizzard today. No one's going in or out."
Watson nodded his thanks to Mrs Hudson and took his tea. "It's a rare occurrence to have such weather in London. I hope it clears soon though. I do enjoy the winter white but…" He glanced over at Holmes.
Mrs Hudson gave the doctor an understanding gaze. "Just give me a few minutes to wrap a few things in the kitchen. I'll be back." She announced briskly.
Holmes shrugged.
Watson sighed.
They waited.
In a half hour, the bustling housekeeper returned with some slips of paper in a basket. "It's called charades," she announced. Handing the bowl to Watson.
"Now, each person must choose a slip of paper and act out the phrase written on it. You can use gestures but no words. The goal is to have your team guess correctly as many slips of paper as possible within sixty seconds. It's a game… the goal is to have fun." Mrs Hudson looked pointedly at Holmes.
"Since you're already up, why don't you start, Mr Holmes?"
Reluctant initially, Holmes was eventually convinced to join.
In spite of his misgivings, the expert disguise artist was a natural at charades.
The trio laughed at his impersonation of The Grinch, decorating a Christmas tree, riding in a sleigh, and Silent Night.
Doctor Watson had everyone in stitches with his Santa impersonation and a demonstration of how to make a snowman.
Mrs Hudson stole the show that day though when she drew 'ice skating' and 'mistletoe'.
The afternoon passed in a flurry of laughter.