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).

I'm doing Tumbling Blocks in dark teal. Feather and fan is lovely, but I decided against a lace pattern because I don't want my BFF's DGS2 to catch his tiny fingers in the holes.

It's 150 stitches in Aran and will be hundreds of rows, which is probably the most I've ever knitted. The Walrus's scarf was 300 stitches but not many rows.

If I survive it, I might try a proper throw for myself and feather and fan will be in the running.

When my dad did long drives we would ask where we were going.

"There and back, to see how far it is. If it's not very far, we might go again."

We honeymooned on Madeira and went to a Madeira house reveal of the new year's bottle. During dinner, we were served glasses of vintage Madeira that cost hundreds of pounds. Not bad for £95 a head.

My parents used to say that if we were going for a walk. I still do, especially if it’s something like walking along the towpath with no defined destination. With the advent of fitness trackers it’s rather literally accurate!

Hello Boily! I have to say, you've looked better. Hope you get rid of the cold soon. 💙

I didn't ask Gemini for your companion, but there he is & I thought I'd leave him in. 💙Have a good journey.

Soz.

Whole plate below

I'm fine.

Honestly.

<pretends to faint>

I think you’re hallucinating.
I mean, would anyone really want someone playing a grand piano in their sickroom?

Hope you are better soon. I had a sudden onset streaming cold for about 4 hours last night but seem to be mostly OK today, so I hope yours goes the same way. Hot toddies help.

C'mon, you're just too p!ssed to know you've got a cold, aren't you? 🍹🍹🍹

Gloria and Gaynor's hug shift has finished. Send two more, but the more rotund gerbils this time.

Flying squirrels will do if two are still awake.

Mine's been the same. I was awake at 3.30 this morning but only had a headache. Finally nodded off and woke up at 7 sneezing coughing and having to blow my nose repeatedly.

Now it's all stopped.

Bizarre.

But just to be safe I'll hang on to the nurse gerbils, the piano gerbil and the hug gerbils/flying squirrels.

<flops onto the bed dramatically>

<nurse gerbil mops brow>

Have we met?

Nah. Unfortunately I promised to be auntie's taxi service this evening.

This seems like a clear case for Rosie!

I hope it's not flu. This year's variety is Flu A which is very bad. Lots of people in hospital.

Hot chocolate bowser in the warmest Christmas-free snug please 🥶
Assuming Glühwein, Gingerbread and Garland haven't covered every square inch of the whole place in tinsel yet.

I don't know what the other F&S earworm is, but I've got this one now:
'Bagel plate/You've got the cutest little bagel plate'😁

Gosh, 'Have More Madeira M'Dear' hasn't aged well, has it?😬It's interesting that it sounded very 'off' right from the first time I heard it, which is a very long time ago, so it's not a case of 'you can't say anything these days'.

Sorry you are very unwell, Boily, it sounds like such a rotten cold that it required bigly letters, so you have our bigly sympathy

Safe journey, Swash - listening to nice music as you drive? Any earworms for us?

This is how concerned little...um...what was she called, ultimately? - was when she heard you weren't well, Boily.
She sends hugs

Dear CardinalSDTGWolef,

I am sorry you are having a flare-up, and even worse, an exciting time!

Love and hugs,
OhsoslowSloth

x

I always assumed Have some Madeira M'Dear was supposed to sound "off".

Maybe the gerbil pianist is playing an arrangement of the Four Last Songs, to highlight the fact that it is a really really bad cold, deserving of a lot of attention and sympathy...

Harriet the husky rat?

She is ridiculously cute!

Harriet will do nicely!
Yes she is lovely, and you can see how worried she was to hear you aren't well, she's as sensitive and caring as she is cute