Roll up, Ladies and Gentlecreatures, the Bluestocking has been redecorated

[DeanElderberry]

Here for your delight and delectation is the hostelry by, for, and about wise, intelligent, creative and kind women, their assorted avatars including (but not limited to) a remarkable beetle, an astute android, a wise cake, and an assembly of companion creatures and animal assistants.

Food and drink available in abundance, all with remarkable non-damaging qualities.

Males may congregate in the nearby Staunch Ally and sometimes visit the stableyard to view outdoor performances by the gerbil waitstaff (who need to be distracted after the moment after that terrible 'misunderstanding' about the meaning of safe sex).

last thread here if you need to know why the Quokkas need some extra cuddles, and why the Cabybaras are being particularly efficient just now

www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5273255-the-bluestocking-all-gerbils-welcome-must-have-own-frou-frou-skirt?

I can knit or crochet while watching TV, as long as the pattern's fixed in my mind. I find that a lot of documentaries (especially historical ones) are better treated as radio programmes anyway, because the visuals can be more distracting than enlightening. I can also play some computer games while listening to (& even part watching) programmes. I definitely have two different bits of my brain which both need to be occupied - if I try to watch a documentary on its own, I start thinking about other things at the same time.

When Astrid comes on, I do sigh mentally when I realise I'll have to put the crochet away & give it my full attention but it's always worth it. And I, too, love using what French I have to understand it & see where the subtitles differ.

@MyrtleLion In some respects the biggest danger to humankind from AI might be that it could direct energy to itself rather than for other purposes as it would determine that was the best use.

Memories of early sci-fi: Hal in 2001, the computer in Dark Star, the one in Colossus...

All this talk about multitasking by knitting while watching TV while crocheting while posting on MN while thinking about AI reminded me of the old Peggy Lee song:

I can rub & scrub till this old house is shinin' like a dime
Feed the baby, grease the car, & powder my face at the same time
Get all dressed up, go out and swing till 4 a.m. and then
Lay down at 5, jump up at 6, and start all over again
'Cause I'm a woman! W-O-M-A-N, I'll say it again.

It was written by Lieber and Stoller [anything hummable that wasn't written by Lieber and Stoller was probably written by Goffin and King!] who probably never rubbed and scrubbed an old house in their lives, but I think it's rescued by the 'grease the car' line in the middle of all the 'women's work'.

God i love that song who sang it…

The most famous version was by Peggy Lee.
edited to add

Tomorrow I will venture out in the world. I will carry my recently-received Tunnocks tote bag, as a subtle marker that I am a Bluestocking visitor.

@ifIwerenotanandroid wrote
When Astrid comes on, I do sigh mentally when I realise I'll have to put the crochet away & give it my full attention but it's always worth it. And I, too, love using what French I have to understand it & see where the subtitles differ.

I thought, how skilled, my French is definitely not up to that, but now I think about it even I notice some differences. It’s over half a century since I studied any French, and things move on.

Ds1, ddil and the twins are on their way home. The hard work really starts now.

The roller-coastwr defeated me. Having spent 8 minutes putting two pieces together, I spent the next 20 minutes trying to put another piece on and failing because I had to go back and fit the first piece again!

So I constructed War Zone 1942: Lane Warfare this afternoon.

The Magic Library book nook awaits...

That's lovely Myrtle.

Whatever you say, Smokey!

Ooh la la!

I remember Hal, but not the others (sheltered life? Poor sci fi consumption?) so I had a quick google and they suggested The Borg in Star Trek (hive mind, no sense of humour) and The Matrix, from which there is No Escape

Thats the one thanks

That's great news, Woley, good luck to DS and DDIL, they really have their hands full

And brilliant work as ever, Myrtle. It's funny that something was too difficult for you so you thought oh darn it, I'll just do something really easy-peasy like... War Zone 1942: Lane Warfare, which actually looks really complex

I'm amazed at how quickly you accomplished that, @MyrtleLion

It was just bits of wood slotted together. A few fiddly bits. A small circular piece of wood that just literally disappeared. Barely even got out the glue. When they arrive I can tell by the size of the packet how long it will take and this was a small package.

I bought the roller coaster for about £1.99 and didn't realise it was so tiny. I won't bin it. I'll get on with it if I run out of models.

The new book nook is a big project. It's another "magic" example and this one doesn't have anything printed on the boards. I'll have to cut out all the wallpapers and stick them on - even the big name and pattern on the outside.

There's a lot more cutting out and folding than other models. I think it will take at least a week, but I have a lot of things on next week so it may be longer.

Me and the hound have come away for a long weekend; just arrived after a very long drive (I mean sail, but can’t do that crossy-out thing) straight from work.

Thanks for the pics of The Staunch Ally @ifIwerenotanandroid. I had read it being referred to but hadn’t given it much thought. They look clean, so that’s good.

I have poured wine; my first in a while. It is white but hasn’t had time to chill. I am coping (staunchly).

I have come here, to a little pirate cabin by the sea.

I will walk along the beach tomorrow.

I will probably have chocolate soon, and another glass of wine. Because I'm on holiday, innit.

The hound is asleep on my bed. Bugger knows why; he slept the whole way in the car! Still, that's hounds for you.

Damn, too late to be a stowaway. That sounds perfect.

Aw @ErrolTheDragon you should’ve said…

That looks positively idyllic Swashbuckled , and it must be such a relief to be able to put down that Swash and take a break from all that Buckling
Enjoy!
But can we all come along next time - a Works Outing please?

We passed a place out in the sticks this week with a notice by the gate saying "Hut for sale".

I was tempted to buy it and move it to the grounds of the Bluestocking but sadly in the real world it wouldn't have fitted on the roof rack.

Swashbuckled Thanks for the pics of The Staunch Ally ^. I had read it being referred to but hadn’t given it much thought. They look clean, so that’s good.^

The pics are at ifIwerenotanandroid · Yesterday 01:05.
They do look clean - I bet c'est leur mamans qui font la lessive*😄

A couple of them esp the twirly-moustache guy top right seem to think their glasses have handles like tankards, which is a bit delusional ..
but I dunno - maybe 'clean' and 'delusional' are sufficient in a random French bloke?😂

*['Mum Does The Washing' Joshua Idehen if you haven't seen it yet; opinions are mixed so I didn't link to it]

Those French lads look very sinister and unhuman, maybe because they all have the same face but slightly different hair.