The Bluestocking: All You Need to Know About Risk Assessments, Jazz Hands, Battenberg and Sourdough (But Were Afraid to Ask) - and gerbils. Lots and lots of gerbils.

[MyrtleLion]

Welcome to The Bluestocking, the perfectly overblown, gloriously chaotic all-women’s pub where you can have a bit of a lie down if you need it.

Expect serious debates on musicals, cake and knitting, and whimsical musings on women’s rights and why the world’s on fire (again), all under the calm supervision of our support staff: gerbils, capybaras, and the occasional quokka on secondment.

The alcohol won’t get you drunk, the pastries won’t make you fat, but the conversation will digress, and that’s the point.

Remember to namechange before posting if you’re sometimes someone else.

I’m tempted to be naughty with that last sentence but shall resist.

Yesterday walking by the canal a hymn line came to mind ‘the rushes by the water we gather every day’ - quietly evocative of a bygone custom, would this have been for strewing the floor or what?

Oh Fuzzy, I'm so sorry. The unexpected deaths if the apparently fit and well are always blindside you.

We will be thinking of you and your DH.

Very very sorry to hear about your loss, Fuzzy, you and DH must be in shock at suddenly losing someone who was obviously dear to both of you

Our middle grandson (the one who is doggedly job-hunting) was at university in Lincoln, where the cathedral is host to graduation ceremonies and other major university gatherings. I couldn't go, but watched the livestream of his graduation last year. Such a magnificent building.

Oh, Fuzzy, I'm so sorry for you and especially for your DH who must feel utterly shocked and bereft. My DH's best friend of many years was killed in a road accident and it knocked DH for six for a while. Deepest sympathy.

Much love to @FuzzyPuffling & her DH . 💙

Well, this being the Bluestocking I'd guess it's a heavily disguised Mother Whiskermas - but you'd have to ask the gerbils. They plough their own furrow.

I'm so sorry @FuzzyPuffling. Take care 💙

I was judgey, but kindly. As in, hmm, I don't know her as well as I thought - but each to their own.

Thank you for restoring normality.

We’re here when you need us 💐

So sorry, Fuzzy 💙❤️

I'm very sorry for your trouble Fuzzy. Sympathy to both of you.

Much love and sympathy from me too, @FuzzyPuffling.

Thank you all x

I think thatching for rooves, fuel, bedding, animal feed perhaps?

So glad we can draw a line under this now and put it behind us.

So sorry for your loss @FuzzyPuffling

It never happened.

Zut alors!

ze Belgian Leonard Cohen.

Magnifique.

Going back a few pages, I wanted to add a couple of mishearings -
some kind of works do a few years ago, a confident woman was being mentioned and apparently what was said was "she's notionally king of Ireland" (actually "she's no shrinking violet").

A rather weedy boyfriend of a friend of mine said his favourite tune when he was younger had a chorus that went "he's a nine stone Cowboy"

Long past bedtime. Luckily I had a couple of naps earlier.

Hugs to fuzzy. So sad 💙

Rushes were dipped in tallow to make (very inadequate) candles, so maybe it was that.
I'm not sure they were used for feed - cattle tend to graze around both reeds and sedge.

Yes I think you're right about feed @EdithStourton
It was a big industry for the fenlanders but I guess for house materials mostly. I guess in those days Wicken Fen to Cambridge was a long trek for market days!

An East Anglian accent?