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Welcome to the Bluestocking! It is celebration time for everyone!

501 replies

MyrtleLion · 13/10/2026 18:05

Welcome to The Bluestocking, the best (perhaps only) online women’s pub. The sign on the door says CELEBRATION, in glitter, and the gerbils have been told they may use as much glitter as they like.

The champagne is flowing, and it is the good kind. Every bubble is perfectly fizzy, every glass is bottomless, and nobody wakes up with a headache or a vague memory of singing to a coat rack. You may toast as many times as you wish and remain entirely clear-headed, sharp-witted and ready to explain your point again, louder, with hand gestures.

The gerbil crew has gone all out. There are bunting-laden tunnels, a tiny brass band that knows many tunes and play them with total conviction, and a head gerbil in a waistcoat who will announce your achievement to the whole room if you hand over a sunflower seed. Several gerbils have been practising a synchronised pouring routine. Two of them have already collided with the canapés, and the canapés are fine.

Whatever you are celebrating, a win, a finish, a survived meeting, a Tuesday, pull up a stool and raise a glass. The corks are popping, the confetti is mostly staying in the building, and everyone here is on your side.

Any curious menfolk are welcome at the Staunch Ally down the road, where they are invited to cheer from a respectful distance.

Cheers, everyone. The next round is on the gerbils.

Previous thread is here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5582462-the-bluestocking-where-we-look-forward-to-good-things-happening-both-soon-and-later

The Bluestocking, where we look forward to good things happening, both soon and later. | Mumsnet

Welcome to The Bluestocking, the best (perhaps only) online women's pub. Nothing in the food or drink can harm you, everything is served by a very ent...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5582462-the-bluestocking-where-we-look-forward-to-good-things-happening-both-soon-and-later

OP posts:
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62
Magpiecomplex · Today 15:01

Thehorticulturalhussie · Today 14:48

Our tiny friends have proposed that they will only eat as much wood as can be magically replaced overnight providing that we arrange for cocktails on tap, which seems reasonable. They assure me that the men were abandoned to their own devices many miles away, having been found to contribute very little to the colony.

So we are accommodating the first ever renegade group of female termites and I think that that’s rather special, they had been searching for us for ages. So solidarity because

Termite
Women
Are
Women

I love the little beaded handbags! Hopefully the males from the colony find an equally warm elcome at the Staunch Ally.

Thehorticulturalhussie · Today 14:48

Magpiecomplex · Today 14:34

Agreed. According to Wikipedia termite colonies are roughly equally split female/male. Also apparently they're a type of cockroach!
Nina and Naomi will need to consult with Gourmet in the kitchen to find a suitable alternative diet. I Can't Believe It's Not Termites, possibly.

Our tiny friends have proposed that they will only eat as much wood as can be magically replaced overnight providing that we arrange for cocktails on tap, which seems reasonable. They assure me that the men were abandoned to their own devices many miles away, having been found to contribute very little to the colony.

So we are accommodating the first ever renegade group of female termites and I think that that’s rather special, they had been searching for us for ages. So solidarity because

Termite
Women
Are
Women

Welcome to the Bluestocking! It is celebration time for everyone!
WearyAuldWumman · Today 14:37

I think that I've got all the pins and extraneous wiring out.

I nearly yanked out the wire leading to the porch light. Oops.

I'd better hoover up the bits now. (Lots of paint flakes.)

Magpiecomplex · Today 14:34

Thehorticulturalhussie · Today 14:32

I'm not at all comfortable with the numbats eating Tiara, Tallulah, Thea and their much loved family members (several thousands of lovely ladies I believe) It's against the principle of interspecies collaboration and mutual respect that we have adopted. Even the Vixens managed to restrain themselves.
And anyway it's The Bluestocking, any damage will self-repair.

Agreed. According to Wikipedia termite colonies are roughly equally split female/male. Also apparently they're a type of cockroach!
Nina and Naomi will need to consult with Gourmet in the kitchen to find a suitable alternative diet. I Can't Believe It's Not Termites, possibly.

Thehorticulturalhussie · Today 14:32

I'm not at all comfortable with the numbats eating Tiara, Tallulah, Thea and their much loved family members (several thousands of lovely ladies I believe) It's against the principle of interspecies collaboration and mutual respect that we have adopted. Even the Vixens managed to restrain themselves.
And anyway it's The Bluestocking, any damage will self-repair.

WearyAuldWumman · Today 14:28

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:02

I have a vague memory of seeing compression tights before, are they any use to you?

I'm stuck with wide fitting shoes anyway, I just have wide feet plus a bone spur on one big toe. There are places which make nice shoes in wide and extra wide.

I've tried the tights - if I can get them on, typically they're not tight enough; if they're compressive enough, then there's the same difficulty getting them on.

I used to wear shoes from DB WideFit etc; then the ortho chap told me that they were unsuitable because my heel is still narrow - he told me which catalogue to use to order my trainers.

I now try to make sure that I always have a plain pair of all-black trainers so that they don't look too out of place.

My running trainers are bright purple - it means that I don't mix them up and waste them by wearing them for scuffing about the garden.

Magpiecomplex · Today 14:23

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 14:18

Well, that should solve the termite situation. So win-win.

Elcome indeed. Didn't realise we had termites. Well, not us personally, I assume, I assume it's the building. Although, if they're female termites (do termites do the eusocial mostly female thing, I suspect they do) should we be giving them names beginning with T and embracing them as fellow Bluestockingers?

Thehorticulturalhussie · Today 14:23

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:04

Wow! Who knew we were in the middle of the Sahara?!

No wonder The Virago keeps running aground.
We're going to need a smaller boat.

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 14:18

Magpiecomplex · Today 14:01

Numbats are adorable! Nina and Naomi will be moving in to the Bluey ASAP.

Well, that should solve the termite situation. So win-win.

Welcome to the Bluestocking! It is celebration time for everyone!
MyrtleLion · Today 14:15

AsWithGlad · Today 13:56

Ooh, someone I admire very much (former friend and colleague) now has a family interest in a distillery somewhere people go for holidays.
Does it describe itself as “artisanal”? 😆

Aren't they all artisanal these days?

I can't even tell you how it describes itself as you'll know where we are. 😂

OP posts:
Magpiecomplex · Today 14:01

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:51

.... but DH says it's a shire cowhyena.

We just discovered numbats today, via a puzzle in the Independent. Much cuter than a cowhyena.

Numbats are adorable! Nina and Naomi will be moving in to the Bluey ASAP.

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:58

I need to finish the gerbaubles today, & post them tomorrow. I'm putting it off because I'm a coward & scared it will all go wrong I've just cut up a load of veg to make soup, & my hands still smell faintly of it. That, or they sent us parsnip scented soap in last week's delivery. At least I've washed my hands so often while working, that they no longer smell of garlic.

Meh, I'll do the crochet & sewing later. It'll be fiiiiiiiiiiiiiine.

AsWithGlad · Today 13:56

MyrtleLion · Today 13:43

*shoe inserts

We're about to tour a distillery.

Ooh, someone I admire very much (former friend and colleague) now has a family interest in a distillery somewhere people go for holidays.
Does it describe itself as “artisanal”? 😆

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:51

.... but DH says it's a shire cowhyena.

We just discovered numbats today, via a puzzle in the Independent. Much cuter than a cowhyena.

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:48

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:47

What on earth is the animal on the pub sign?!

.

Nobody Knows GIF
Magpiecomplex · Today 13:47

ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:42

I always had my suspicions.

What on earth is the animal on the pub sign?!

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:46

MyrtleLion · Today 13:37

Oh that doesn't sound pleasant. My orthotics are show inserts to cushion my feet. I'm in constant pain when walking so they reduce the pain and minimise my limp.

I've also discovered that I'm eligible for an Access to Work grant which means I can get a taxi from the railway station to the new office and reclaim the fares. But it takes 37 weeks to assess the claim 😥 As I'm starting work in less than four weeks my claim will be a priority.

And much as we love this hotel, the sofas are stuffed with feathers and my asthma has been triggered. 😫

Our holiday cottage in the summer was full of feather pillows, feather cushions, feather duvets etc. Fortunately I was living on a steady diet of antihistamines for the incessant bites anyway, I managed to find two synthetic pillows and it was too hot for a duvet anyway. You have my sympathy Flowers

MyrtleLion · Today 13:43

*shoe inserts

We're about to tour a distillery.

OP posts:
ifIwerenotanandroid · Today 13:42

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:04

Wow! Who knew we were in the middle of the Sahara?!

I always had my suspicions.

Welcome to the Bluestocking! It is celebration time for everyone!
MyrtleLion · Today 13:37

MoistVonL · Today 10:14

I'm sorry about the diodes, Weary.

Marie, trying Patrick Grant's Community Clothing. They sell properly red socks.

Myrtle, I wear orthotics as well - in my case, very similar to a Girdle because they are compression shorts to support the hernia where my c section scar split. They are the most unsexy thing imaginable.

Oh that doesn't sound pleasant. My orthotics are show inserts to cushion my feet. I'm in constant pain when walking so they reduce the pain and minimise my limp.

I've also discovered that I'm eligible for an Access to Work grant which means I can get a taxi from the railway station to the new office and reclaim the fares. But it takes 37 weeks to assess the claim 😥 As I'm starting work in less than four weeks my claim will be a priority.

And much as we love this hotel, the sofas are stuffed with feathers and my asthma has been triggered. 😫

OP posts:
MarieDeGournay · Today 13:33

MoistVonL · Today 12:48

And I found Puffling's!

Puffling! I wonder how our dear FuzzyPuffling is these days?
Sending hugs via a friendly quokka 💙

Welcome to the Bluestocking! It is celebration time for everyone!
Magpiecomplex · Today 13:04

inkymoose · Today 13:02

Yes!
also here ///wimp.frowns.maddening
and here ///blues.stocking.pubs although that second one looks a bit too hot for me!

Wow! Who knew we were in the middle of the Sahara?!

Magpiecomplex · Today 13:02

WearyAuldWumman · Today 12:59

Unfortunately, I've been told that I have to wear one that goes all the way up my thigh. I don't actually need it for the other leg, but unless I'm wearing the single stocking under trousers I'm going to look weird otherwise.

Compression leggings for the win, in my case.

I have a vague memory of seeing compression tights before, are they any use to you?

I'm stuck with wide fitting shoes anyway, I just have wide feet plus a bone spur on one big toe. There are places which make nice shoes in wide and extra wide.

inkymoose · Today 13:02

ErrolTheDragon · 16/10/2026 15:54

I think I’ve found some of you

estimated.classics.including

Yes!
also here ///wimp.frowns.maddening
and here ///blues.stocking.pubs although that second one looks a bit too hot for me!

WearyAuldWumman · Today 12:59

MoistVonL · Today 12:22

I have both black and what is a sort of toned down American Tan. Bloody hideous things, but awfully useful.

Unfortunately, I've been told that I have to wear one that goes all the way up my thigh. I don't actually need it for the other leg, but unless I'm wearing the single stocking under trousers I'm going to look weird otherwise.

Compression leggings for the win, in my case.