Mumsnet threads you can't stop thinking about

[Thyroidy]

Happy New Year!

I'm still off work and getting bored. Looking for some good threads to waste a morning diving into.

What threads have stuck with you since you read them on here? Any with particular good advice? Funny or just plain scandalous also welcomed!

I know it been mentioned but fair to say I think about Pamela regularly. Such a brave lady . I hope her son and husband are ok🙏

Bloody hell, I bet the time simply flew at their family get togethers!

True. But quite honestly I didn’t pay any attention to who said what.

@Ohwhatfuckeryitistoride Bloody hell, I bet the time simply flew at their family get togethers!

Oh yes. I shouldn't have thought of this blasted Boswell business because having gone back to look at those threads - it's annoyed me all over again. Read this post below from the second thread as indication of how invested people got in solving it and the whole thing - WHICH WAS INCORRECT IN THE FIRST PLACE.

BoswellsLastStand · 04/12/2018 21:42

This is a repost of my summary from the last thread. There have been a few more theories since then on the last few pages but I can't be bothered to updated it:


IS THIS A FAIR SUMMARY OF THE THEORIES SO FAR?

For context the posted "joke" is:

There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps.'

Various Punctuation Variations
(some depend on the revised version posted by OP as the version written out by the best friend which had a second "and" in it.

1. There once was a man called Boswelland Forshort.They called him "Bos!". And he walked up the post office steps.'

His name is Boswelland Forshort. They called him Bos and he walked off because he ignored them - it not being his name.

2. There once was a man called Boswell Forshort. They called him "Bos!", and he walked up the post office steps.'

His name is Boswell Forshort. They called him Bos and he walked off because he ignored them - it not being his name.

3. Thereonce was a man. Called Boswell for short. They called him "Bos!! and he walked up the post office steps.'

His name is Thereonce. He was known as Boswell for short. They called out to his "Bos" but he walked away it not being his name.

The four letters pun

4.There once was a man called Boswell. FOUR SHORT they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps.'

Bos is four letters short of Boswell.

In addition some theory about him getting more letters from the post office.

The Boscombe Down Theory

5.There once was a man called Boswell. For short they called him Bos, and he walked up the post office steps.' But did Boscombe Down?

@Pipnik's niche Wiltshire theory that the joke leads to an unspoken punchline

But did Boscombe Down?
(Its a military site in Wiltshire)

The Story Cut Short Theory

6.You expect you're going to hear a proper story but it's cut short. So
'There once was a man called Boswell.
For short: they called him Bos... And he walked up the post office steps'. I.e. They've missed out the whole story to cut it short and skip to the final sentence.

The Mornington Crescent Theory

7. The joke is that there is no joke but you have to pretend there is and that it's funny.

The Designed to Provoke the question "What For?" Theory

8. Listener asks "what for?" To lead to some response about the letters "W" "e" "l" "l".

An unidentified visual joke theory

9. Based on the friend saying "it's better in person" a theory that this "joke" is like that game when you pass the scissors crossed or uncrossed by the "joke"/"secret" is not that the scissors are open or closed but that the person passing has their legs crossed or uncrossed.

Thus that the teller has to do or signal something that gives the "joke" an additional meaning that we do not have here.

General load of bollocks theory

10. Total wind up by the friend based on fact no amount of googling gives any indication of any similar joke.

Is that everything? I gave up at about p. 20 and read the last page?

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3442896-I-NEED-MORE-ABOUT-BOS-WELL-solve-a-riddle-part-two?reply=83084640&utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=share&utm_source=copylink

I was looking for this one!

@Lwrenagain omg I remember that post! I remember looking at the website and feeling absolutely revolted. I really
hope she is ok.

My most memorable ones are from many years ago 2011 ish when I was going through my first pregnancies and miscarriages and became addicted to being on here. The first Mumsnet death I was aware of was someone called Magic8Ball and everyone was posting really kind things about her. Then there was the RecurrentBuns thread for people having recurrent miscarriages, I remember many of their stories including one who had given birth to twins very very early and they didn't survive.

There was a mumof2teenboys or similar whose 18 year old died of a sudden illness and also a mum who was in the news because her toddler girl died when the mum had left her for just a few moments, as we all would have, and her DD had climbed up on a chair and got caught in the blinds' cord. This really struck me as my firstborn was the same age at the time, The way she said she missed the weight of her when holding her will stay with me forever. Sorry mine are all miserable! I do remember the fun ones too like Penis Beaker and Yoni Massage.

Just coming back with one of the weirdest and most baffling: My kids' dad fed them badger www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mumsnet_classics/3425075-My-kids-dad-fed-them-badger

Mum asking for thoughts following her ex feeding her kids badger for lunch.

There weren't many posts, all in a deadpan style, all the hallmarks of a troll, but replies hilarious & it's now in Classics. The last two posts from OP were just ... fantastic!

I mean it’s definitely a real dead badger and looks like a real rabbit ear. It’s one of those threads you hope is trolling…

@EarringsandLipstick that dead badger thread is sooooooooooooo funny. I've not seen it before.

10/10 for the person who posted about the "Sett menu"

The comments were priceless. MN at its finest. I often read some posts & marvel at how witty posters can be!

@MrsDoylesLastTeabag she set up an Instagram page for people to follow from the post. It’s called fiveyearslefthere. She posts every week or so.

I often think about the threads about tunnockteacakes(?) husband, really really sad. I'm sure she is the same poster who has a famous brother.

Cutted up pear was one of the first threads I read, I thought it was very funny. The posts that are also likely trolls but generally harmless like the trex, yoni massage, sistine Chapel, snapped and farted I also found funny, mainly for the replies.

Pamela been mentioned here a lot. She touched so many of us. Someone said on another thread they saw her obituary so was def true. I never saw it but would like to have 💔 I was staying at the Hilton Hotel on Friday night and was having a drink in the room and listening to an eighties channel and a few Prince songs came on and made me think of her 😘

@paulaparticles I have sent you a pm.

There’s a very recent one about how the uk won’t be affected by climate change; floods, tornados and stuff like that. Hope she’s following the actual news this week.

Ignore ignore ignore !!!
I posted on the wrong thread 🤦🤦🤦..
And too late to edit 🤦🤦🤦🤦!

Ah if she sees this I hope she knows now she's got supporters x

The ‘I am Angela Hernandez’ thread.

Somerville’s lovely gardener dating thread.

Was it @cogitoergosometimes

I've been searching for this one for so long! What was the poster's full username please?

I too read posts on Mumsnet and marvel at how witty some posters can be @EarringsandLipstick.

This is the latest thread, but not been updated by the OP for a little while. I really hope she and her son are OK. Page 11 | To think someone must be able to do something - part 3 | Mumsnet

I remember this.