is mumsnet a safe space for me?

[rexrabbit]

would you say mumsnet these days is a safe space for a non-transphobic lesbian with children to hang out?

It's entirely possible your husband was in there. 😆

I'm so looking forward to telling him!

My brave little dog and I once battled a badger for a hedgehog . We won but dang - badgers are fearless.

Boiledbeetle · Today 20:23

But what if I can't! It's just too risky, just put me in armbands if I'm near a pool!

Oh come on! We all know that it's a scientifically proven fact, proven by science, that identifying makes it fact.

I say scientists, but I may have meant Pink News. I'm easily confused.

So pleased that the conversation has turned to squirrels as we can now talk about safety again. I wonder if others are aware of the Schiphol squirrel incident?

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/airline-killed-440-squirrels-in-giant-shredder-1087522.html

I'm from the West Country, Brizzle to be precise andi have still never heard "that's the badger". We used to say "that's the bugger" though. Maybe with a Bristolian accent they sound similar? I've seen a badger, sadly it was dead at the side of the road near where my sister lived in Devon. I never realised how bloody big they are!

All this talk of squirrels reminds me to take peanuts with me when I go to the New Forest tomorrow. I'm hoping if I befriend some squirrels and crows there then they will communicate somehow with the ones here that I'm good for food and then I can finally have crow friends. All the crows near me sit and caw but they never want my peanuts.

But but but... Aren't you twelvety meters tall with a wingspan of lots???

Nope. Small swamp dragon with stubby wings.
(I realise some poor souls may not have read Guards, Guards by the late great Sir Terry Pratchett, further explanation would be a spoiler for when you rectify this.)

What the fucking fuck?? How is SHREDDING animals the most humane way of disposal? Also, I feel like I am about to go down a rabbit (squirrel?) hole to find out what the difference between Chinese, red, and grey squirrels.

@MagentaRavioli that was a bit of a conversation stopper .

Oh my days that is horrific! Poor little mites😭.

I went a few years ago to Formby where there's a relict population of red squirrels. I had some peanuts 🥜 <-- was walking along, saw a squirrel, we made eye contact and it scampered towards me. I crouched down and offered it a peanut. It ran up to me, put one of its little paws on my hand and took the peanut off me. Its little paw 🐾 😍

Damn sight better than that time a grass snake slithered over my bare toes.

I don't think MN have ever nor would ever put a FWR thread in Classics.

Your vegan reminder that maceration is a legally permitted way to kill day old male chicks.

As you were.

Born and raised in Dorsetshire. Everybody I know says "That's the badger" meaning "that's what I mean" or "that's right" or "that's the thing I was talking about". I have no idea what the origin is.

You may fascinate a woman by giving her a piece of cheese

NOW we’re talking. Can I put in a word for the Trois Vallages triple cream cheese? You can get it in Waitrose and it’s lush. But now I’m thinking of cheese, I remember I’ve got a rather nice blue in the fridge and I made oatcakes yesterday… <wanders off to fetch supper>

I've lived in Cornwall, Devon and Somerset and never heard "That's the badger".

This is not a safe space for a vegan. Triggered.

Yeah, I know. 😬 it’s just a very good example of how seemingly sensible rules and processes (preventing zoonotic diseases, incentivising correct paperwork) can be enacted to achieve an effect no-one actually wants. But the system fails to stop itself.

Very relevant for a number of topics discussed here. (Sorry about the squirrel sadness though.)

Let us know his reaction. I hope he's flattered 😃

I will update!

I wonder if we could nominate the first trans widows thread for classics?

.

There is vegan “cheese”, if you really want to do that to yourself.

I just googled spider reproduction because I wanted to share some fascinating tips. But I found very detailed footage of a male bird-eating spider cleaning those 'fascinating tips' and another one making his sperm web and now I don't know how I'm going to sleep.

Anyway, that footage was horrible, but this is quite interesting.

WARNING: does contain mention of sexual dimorphism. And spiders. And spiders shagging.

Also 'complicit cannibalism'. And spider world seems to be rather female dominated!

Squirrels have very hard, sharp claws. I found that out by the vicarious hard way... daughter was 5 and we were in Saltwell Parkark, eating nuts. Grey squirrels approached, so I dropped a few.

Emboldened, more arrived, so I squatted low and held some out on my hand, squirrels came up and took them.

Daughter wanted to try, but was too nervous to squat low enough and one climbed her leg, she was wearing a short summer dress. She stood up in shock and Mr. Nutkins kept climbing and ploughed her leg from shin to thigh.