Still Blue, Still Stocking: The Bluestocking remains open in 2021

[ErrolTheDragon]

I've nicked a title, opened the door, dusted off the bar.

Come in and drown your sorrows, celebrate or just hang out in good company.

My sympathies too - DD came back from nursery with blue paint in her hair so I fear she may be on the road to wokedom already...

I an making eggs Florentine, if anyone wants some. For some reason my Hollandaise sauce comes out perfectly when made virtually. (When I say "eggs Florentine" I mean a pint of hollandaise with a soldier-crouton and a spinach leaf garnish - let me know if you'd prefer different proportions.)

In other news, my autocorrect suggested "jedward" and "hagfish" instead of hollandaise and garnish - so for anyone who'd like something a bit more nouveau cuisine...

Drooling at the thought of eggs Florentine. (But definitely not at the thought of Jedward or Hagfish).

Sympathies to all with woke scold university age children. I've been hoping my nearly 16yo will see the light, but it sounds like university may only intensify the wokery.

The eggs and salmon were just what I needed - and the lake of coffee is powering me through.

Emphatically do not want "jedward" and "hagfish" in any form. They sound like an educational plus a Phys. Ed instructor at the gulag in which we'll all find ourselves some day if the portal to Badley F should fail.

I wish tranquillity to all those of you who are dealing with a Greek chorus of wokescolds.

Love the phrase "wokescold" I'm definitely going to use that to her, next time she starts on at me!
And yes, I wish she'd stayed on in the house she shares, tbh and if I get any more from her she'll be told to go back there, pronto.

Jedward and hagfish might be acceptable if smothered in enough Hollandaise.

Commiserations for those with wokescold children. How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child ...

Oh yes I've had a proper scold. On Friday letters from the ONS replying to my letter about including Sex in the census questions arrived, addressed to me, DH and DD2. As I remember I printed off letters from the campaign, shoved them under DH and DD's noses and told them to sign before posting. DD2 doesn't care.
DD1 is outraged and threatening to write a letter (which she will make DD2 sign) to retract the original letter!
Because of Covid this is the only time she's been home for a year and when she goes back to Spain it'll probably be another year. DH is her number one fan and misses her terribly. When her quarantine is done she'll be working again for a lovely local pub group who have been great employers to both DDs so hopefully she won't rub them up the wrong way.
Last summer, with all the BLM statue toppling etc she wrote to the MD pointing out that it was inappropriate to have one of their dining rooms named after a local slave trader. I told her it might have been more appropriate to send words of sympathy for troubles to the business due to Covid etc but anyway the MD has always valued what a hard worker she is and sent her a lovely letter agreeing with her which made her cock a hoop and she worked there all summer when they reopened.
Personally I'd rather employ DD2 who once spilt gravy down the backs of several diners in a row ruining a £2500 suede jacket along the way. She's always happy and fun and easy going.

So I might bring her along later as an honorary member and let her tend to the camel and top up glasses. I adore eggs florentine and so does DD2.

Aww, as an eldest sister who was desperately, earnestly, fervently into various hopeless causes as a teen, I do feel for your DD1. I recall doing a pub collection for orang-utans once, it was quite surreal. I guess it's good that she is sticking up for her beliefs, mistaken as they may be.

I shall have a cold beer in the garden, and some prawn cocktail crisps while I wait for the storm.

I have written to my MP re yesterday’s judgement. My cusp-of-wokeling daughter told me today that she’s going to write to her school’s PE leader to ask when girls will get the same choice of activities as boys. I am a bit proud. I agree with Arabella although I am now even more nervous about what lies ahead in the wokescold years. If I can raise a daughter who’s not afraid to speak up for what she believes in, I will have achieved something. Even if her something opposes my something. Ask me how that’s working out in a year or two…

Since our most recent conversation on the topic, I get the impression that my woke 15yo has at least understood that my views are actually not in any way motivated by hatred, 'phobia' or intolerance. So we're back to largely avoiding the subject, but perhaps with a bit less underlying indignance and hostility. So I'm thankful for small mercies.

That's good, Turned. Perhaps one of the things that can make a difference is for girls to be thoroughly aware that feminism and equality isn't a won battle, and to engage in girls' and women's rights. If they then in that context also want to support trans rights (I'd hope supporting LGB would be a given anyway) then all well and good. It's blinkered one sidedness and dismissing women's rights and concerns which is problematic, isn't it?

Coffee’s on and I’m making pancakes. Blueberries, bacon & maple syrup, bananas…

Thanks Turned.

Thanks Errol. Clearly I need more coffee.

I remember reading something along the lines that 'I want a child who is confident enough to speak up when they see injustice and argue the point' - just - not when they're arguing with me.

Not easy to raise a child with a strong sense of justice, for sure.

Range of pastries, breads, cheeses, meat, fruit, granola available - I shall scrabble round and see if there's any of yesterday's salmon in the fridge.

I shall drink coffee, nibble pecans and some cheese.

I've no problem at all with people arguing for justice, I prefer a certain decorum to be maintained and all parties are to avoid #nodebate or mantras as a substitute for thought.

Dd is very much in the be kind camp, doesn’t seem to understand that the definition of non binary for example can differ

She is very much of the opinion that non binary means that you are bith a man and a woman not that you don’t’feel like either

I’m kinda leaving her to it

she came back from a club she does a few weeks ago and told me there were two non binary children in the class…fair enough

She came home last week and was very disparaging about another child that came in that day saying that she was non binary and her pronouns were they/he…..apparently (according to dd) she isn’t non binary, shes only doing it because the other children are doing it

Dd is soooooo close

Just had a granola bar as i was hungry after reading the thread

Coffee and pastries please. What a lovely source of treats there is here.
I've just spent a delightful time chuckling over the AIBU quit while we're ahead thread (which MNHQ in their wisdom are about to delete sadly).

I've got a full fry up on the go if anyone wants some. And hash browns in the oven. No black pudding though, hate the stuff.

Am feeling a bit despondent after the prisons verdict and essex uni apologising for the findings of the report. Bacon, mushroom, eggs and fried bread might help.

SirSam Black pudding with fried tomato, fabulous

Don't be downcast, the sunlight is doing so much (mind you, the way I felt yesterday was just awful)

Sure she'll get there, Rufus!

Granola? I had leftover curry and a banana muffin. Not all on the same plate, obvs.

I've got the usual tapas items plus some cheeses, tortilla, and various stuffed peppers.

I shall be drinking slightly bitter drinks and nibbling away soon while the evening is warm.

Bluestocking is a much-needed sanctuary from the war on women.

I used to have a woke 15 year old, I currently have a GC 17 year old. lazylinguist your story is familiar to me, that is how mine began to shift point of view.

Small mercies can grow into great blessings.

There is hope.

Oh that does give me hope, DaisiesandButtercups - thank you!

The good chefs Mark & Spencer have been in my kitchen (day off for me) and the microwave has just pinged - anyone? Tastes ok if you wash it down with plenty of wine

I've brought a big steaming bowl of tagliatelle with olive oil, a squeeze of lemon juice, crispy pancetta, little broad beans just podded from the garden, basil and a load of parmesan and black pepper. I think I'll have a large glass of white with that.

Just coming in from communing with the camel (socially distanced obvs) to cheer you up a little with news from a teacher friend of mine who is constantly dealing with gender-fluids but who reports that the majority of the kids she teaches are totally fed up with all the attention-seeking and posturing.

Maybe the tide is turning a little bit. Keep the sand bags coming gals.