Autumn leaves, crackling fires, quokkas and puffins at the Bluestocking.

[SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]

A new thread - with apologies to the gerbils for leaving them out of the title.

Mmm...

Many years ago DH had a health scare and op; while he recuperated MiL and FiL came up to stay having decided they should look after me so that I could look after him. The care very sensibly included getting me an eclair everyday to keep my strength up. (He didn't really need that much looking after but I wasn't complaining!)

You have the perfect ILs. Don't tell the rest of MN!

Well, they're dead now... yeah, they were good ILs and grandparents, but oddly, not such good parents; if DH was on MN he'd be on the Stately Homes thread. People are complicated!

If anyone wants to join me, I'm in the snug with Colin, the cats and as many of the other beasts that can squeeze in. If someone wants to tell the Staunch Ally that Bonfire Night is on the Tuesday, the fifth 😡

I've closed the shutters and the curtains. That's keeping most of the noise out. We've got lots of snacks. The gerbils have been a bit skittish but they're wearing earplugs now and that's helped.

I'm with you cake.
Enough with the noise outside!

The Fire and Rescue Service our way are doing a quiet fireworks night.

Still bright and colourful, but no one is allowed to go oooh aaaahhh.

Fireworks are illegal here but people still smuggle them in (often from Northern Ireland) for Halloween. Friends who work with an animal charity were upset this morning that several dogs that got spooked still hadn't been found. I don't know whether the things are getting noisier, but make sure all the beasts are safe indoors for the next few days.

I’ll join you, Colin and associated menagerie in the snug. Worn out by very long journey & somewhat uncontrolled bored-angry (bangry? sounds weird…) posting elsewhere, so keen to relax with real chips & virtual cats now. And Netflix.

Catiette always a good idea to step away when the blood pressure starts to rise. Feet up and rest a while.

Exactly. The chips have possibly raised the blood pressure further, but the important thing is, it feels like they've lowered it (much more relaxed now for having eaten first "meal" since this morning!) so that's the main thing. Right?🙃

Sorry, forgot the chips.

There you go.

Bottom left gerbil is adorable!!! I want to sweep her up and protect her from the fireworks (I mean, even the humans clearly think they're too loud!)

And now middle dog is my favourite. There's definitely ooh-ing and aah-ing that wouldn't be tolerated chez @larklane17's Fire & Rescue Service's bonfire happening right there. Or possibly more aaaargh-ing...

Now I look more closely, I do worry about him and the dog to the right in the chokehold. (And I think she may have three hands? Or one of the two that's very large...)

And the dog to the left looks terrified.

And fireworks are a dog's worst nightmare...

Hm. I put it to you that, despite the deliciously distracting chips, your cosy scene does, in fact, depict a pair of sadistic dognappers.

One of our two cats has failed to come in. The other was hiding under the bed. Damn you, fireworks.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. S/he'll be under a bush somewhere waiting for things to settle before scooting in. I've been there... I actually kind of wish they'd limit fireworks to just 4th, 5th and 6th or something, so cat parents can plan ahead better. Like Christmas, they seem to kick off earlier and earlier every year.

Cat returned, phew. He looks a bit wide-eyed but is happily troughing Dreamies.

It's a fair cop. But blame the AI, because I asked for tirribly naice, friendly images & it's given us dogs being throttled & squeezed, a burning candle masquerading as a drink, & several types of rodent but NO GERBILS!

I can't talk. It's taken me this long to find and try a free image generator, and the result is nothing on yours. @FuzzyPuffling, really glad to hear your cat's happy again. In celebration of his safe return...

OK, so maybe in a few months I'll have worked out how to post an image, too. Imagine a cartoonified cat with a Dreamies carton that looks suspiciously like a McFlurry from a Russian McDonalds, including a straw that seems to be both a sparkler and also spitting out bits of biscuit.

If you can.

On reflection, it's probably just as well I can't post it...

Mine is hiding under the bed because of the fireworks, having spent the last two days hiding under the bed because of the builders. Damn you, fireworks indeed.

Mind you, he loves his food & out of pity for the poor little guy, I've been giving him something extra yummy when he emerges. I just bought some tiny tins of lusciousness to help next week. Not sure they'll last the weekend at this rate.

Another attempt...

@Catiette when you post, click 'Add image' under the big box you type in. You'll get a box underneath that says '+ Add image (up to 6mb each)'. Click that & it should bring up your list of files or downloads. Choose your image & double click or one click+whatever it says bottom right.

I really want to see your picture after that description.