The Bluestocking: it's the season of mulled wine, conversations about pineapple and, of course, gerbils. Confused? You will be...

[EdithStourton]

Welcome to the anarchic and marvellous women-only on-line pub, the Bluestocking. The booze won't give you a hangover, the cakes won't make you fat, and the conversations are fascinating, covering knitting, health and safety, the Muppets and anything else that comes to mind.

Climb Peak Woo, have a cuddle with Rosie the Red Panda, and watch out for capybaras busy with any necessary building works.

Welcome in (and name change at the door if you need too).

Oh, what a relief, it's water guns. I quite like those. And backgammon.

I only read physical books when Im on holiday. Mostly it's audiobooks. I think it's because, like everyone, screens have screwed up my ability to concentrate. Which is my excuse.

I play games on my phone or read news articles do it was more that I was lying awake but very uncomfortable, trying to work out what I should do. I remembered I always used to get up - they say if you can't get to sleep after 20 minutes, get up and then try again later.

I did get back to sleep at about 4am and slept till nearly 9 o'clock so I don't feel too bad.

To be honest I suspect it's entirely due to the strong antibiotics screwing up everything. Fortunately it doesn't happen very often now. Today is six weeks post operation so I'm halfway through!

Trying not to worry that I haven't had a follow up appointment for the Orthopaedic clinic due next week.

Thank you to whoever mentioned Elizabeth von Arnim earlier on this thread. Hadn't heard of her.

So the guns were all toys, & the gerbils just think they're mighty warriors. Well, that makes more sense.

Completely inane to say I hope you feel better soon, Myrtle, but I really do.

Keep on keeping on, @MyrtleLion . You'll get there. Maybe contact the department & ask about the appointment?

If you're a closet soppy thing like me, the BBC2 film of Enchanted April with Josie Lawrence and just about everyone else is brilliant, as is the book.

Her wider writing comes with the usual caveat of the occasional throwaway line that expresses prejudices of the time, of course, but I get the impression people here don't need to be warned about that.

I'm going to struggle to get used to not being able to edit. Bite fingers before posting.

Thanks - I googled her & liked the sound of this:

'At the time, von Arnim was chiefly known as a writer of light comic novels, although her satire was also serious and often acidic, especially when applied to the relationship between men and women within marriage.'

You can edit for a short time after posting: use the 'meatballs' top right of your post.

Gun-totin' gerbils? 'Are you feeling lucky, punk?' doesn't sound quite so scary at barely-audible frequencies, does it?

Myrtle, I hope the appt situation is clarified soon, having to keep track of everything is an extra burden when you should be able to focus 100% on getting better!

The name Elizabeth von Arnim has sent me to my bookshelves to investigate, as it sounds familiar...

I think they're nerf guns. The sponge 'bullets' are probably something biodegradable.

I like to think the jerboas are to the gerbils like your cool 😎 cousin who...does something cool. When she flies in for a brief visit they get all unnecessary. Fortunately her visits are quite short. Small doses are best otherwise the eyerolls start.

Hello @LordEmsworthsGirlfriend I've got a backlog of about a billion books tbr, so if I'm wondering round with my fingers in my ears, please accept my apologies. I don't mean to be rude 🙂

I'm glad the gerbils have eco-friendly nerf guns only. Being very anti-gun, I would have to remonstrate with them otherwise.

I notice there are no oranges in the capybara pool. Do they need a top-up? Do they get clementines at Christmas?

Luckily they've never been paint balling so are unaware they are basically using those and nerf guns!

I would imagine a 16th century feminist philosopher might have some of her work on her shelves.

Every time I call it rings out 😢

Not inane at all! Thank you!

It's been a slog. Ankle fusion in August and resulting visits to A&E, then the wound became infected and reopened and I had to spend 18 days in hospital having had two operations (one delayed four times). Now six weeks through a 12 week course of two sets of really strong antibiotics, one being burgundy coloured that turns all my bodily fluids orangey red. Burgundy is my favourite colour but it's gone a bit far. I've even had to get whitening toothpaste because my saliva has stained my teeth.

Fortunately I'm not working so I can rest and recover at home with a clear conscience.

I've just found the best tip online. So much so I'm going to take up running in the New Year...

"I run every day for 30 minutes, if I miss a day I add 30 minutes to the next day.

This has truly been a game changer, tomorrow I’m supposed to run for 3 weeks."

🤣

I was just crumbling a ginger biscuit on top of my pudding, for a bit of crunch. I had a sudden memory of Abbey Crunch biscuits. Anyone remember them? They were rather tasty. They would have been perfect for my pudding topper.

I do remember Abbey crunch biscuits, @Swashbuckled - they were very buttery, if I recall correctly.

We have got to replace the gas fire in our front room - the fan motor has died, and it is at least 17 years old, so the parts are not available any more. The British Gas engineer who came, advised us to replace it with an electric fire - more environmentally sound, cheaper to run and cheaper to maintain - but I do rather like the real flames of the gas fire. That said, I haven’t seen an electric fire in action for decades, so maybe they are nicer and less artificial than they used to be - do any Bluestockingers have any experience, please and thank you.

Woley, have a look at the Optimyst range. Looks like a log burner. There’s a water tank in the system that you refill. This creates steam and, with the lighting and heat, the steam has the appearance of smoke and flames. Very realistic.

If that feels like too much faff, you could look at Optiflame. Not as realistic, but good nevertheless. There will be videos of these online.

Both are made by Dimplex.

I always say somebody here knows something about everything, and Swash you have just proved me right again.😁

It looks like you don't have to lose the cheery flames, Woley🔥

I will do - thank you @Swashbuckled! The Bluestocking always has the wisdom we need.

The British Gas engineer who came, advised us to replace it with an electric fire - more environmentally sound, cheaper to run and cheaper to maintain

That’s interesting. I always thought it was the other way round for running costs. However, I was probably told that 40 - 50 years ago and things have changed a lot since then.

We thought we had a coal effect gas fire when we bought this house. Before we moved in we had the whole house decorated. I went over one weekend to see progress. They had painted round the fire, which was fine, but I saw an electric cable that had come out the back.

It was an electric fire hung on a bracket on the wall!

I took it off the wall and placed it in the middle of the carpet. Decorators never said a word but painted the wall beautifully.

😂😂