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 always took it to be a warning to nubile young things not to investigate stamp collections owned by dodgy old gents.

That being said, the old gent stamp collectors of my acquaintance were both, in their different ways, delightful.

<dons face mask>
<looks in on Boily>
Still alive, I see.
Though you are almost invisible past the phalanx of attentive rodents and one large mustelid.

Goodness! A cliche in every line.

"Spoken from the heart" though, "in the true spirit of friendship", no doubt.

Rosie could just get away with giving everyone one of her red panda smiles.

Rosie is in a tizzy. After some lovely cuddles Gesundheit came and got her to go and start getting ready for tonight.

But she's unsure of her speech and she doesn't know what to wear and and and she wants to cry.

Oh Rosie.

I very rarely do Awww but Awww.

Rosy doesn't need to wear anything, but crocs would be a gracious nod in the direction of a famous local aficionado, and a paper hat from a cracker would be seasonal and stylish. And, of course, her 'for chassis' medal, they aren't just for gerbils.

I'm going to have a word with DH about our bedroom. We would have room for a baby grand piano (no autocarrot, not a pizza) if we knocked through the dressing room and suffering from a cold would be so much more tolerable with somebody softly playing Chopin Études in the corner.

Yeah but... it was a 'comedy' song and people laughed at it...
Sorry, I've come over all 'PC gone mad'😒

We have room for a grand piano in our bedroom. But I can't get it up the buggering stairs.

She has gone with your suggestions.

She's currently downing red wine like its grape juice and Gesundheit is just making some last minute alterations to the speech.

She is suddenly feeling much more calm.

As a child, we had a grand piano in our dining room.
My dad used to take a break between courses to play a bit of Bach, or Mozart, or a hymn!

Bed OR grand piano in our bedroom. I'm going to keep the bed, sleeping in/on a grand piano doesn't sound terribly comfy.

There is a beautiful and bright moon tonight. I thought of it lighting dear Swash's way safely home - yes, thank you Pedantry Corner, I know it's really headlights🙄
and it reminded me of the Mary Chapin Carpenter song, 'The Moon and St Christopher:'

When I was young I spoke like a child, and I saw with a child's eyes
And an open door was to a girl like the stars are to the sky
It's funny how the world lives up to all your expectations
With adventures for the stout of heart, and the lure of the open spaces

There's two lanes running down this road, whichever side you're on
Accounts for where you want to go, or what you're running from
Back when darkness overtook me on a blind man's curve

I relied upon the moon, I relied upon the moon
I relied upon the moon and Saint Christopher

Now I've paid my dues cos I have owed them, but I've paid a price sometimes
For being such a stubborn woman in such stubborn times
I have run from the arms of lovers, I have run from the eyes of friends
I have run from the hands of kindness, I've run just because I can

But now I'm grown and I speak like a woman and I see with a woman's eyes
And an open door is to me now like the saddest of goodbyes
It's too late for turning back, I pray for the heart and the nerve

And I rely upon the moon, I rely upon the moon
I rely upon the moon and Saint Christopher
To be my guide

I've only just discovered this recording she did at home, during Covid. I love it.

I hope the Moon and St Christopher have got you safely home by the time you read this, Swash

That's beautiful Marie. 😍

Yes, beautiful indeed, Marie. I didn’t know whether to click thanks or love.

I didn’t know that song and am so glad to be introduced to it, in such a calm and gentle version.

I showed this pic to DH because I knew he'd like it - but now he really, really wants one of these IRL.

I'm glad you liked it💙
Mary Chapin Carpenter is a wonderful songwriter - there's a whole group of kind-of 'country' women songwriters who are really excellent - Trisha Yearwood, Cheryl Crowe, Lucinda Williams, who returned to music after a serious stroke , Martina McBride who wrote:
She came down to the grocery store
She said, I wanna buy a little carton of milk but I don't have any money
I said, hey, I'll cover you, honey
'Cause the pain's gotta go somewhere
Yeah, the pain's gotta go some place
So come on down to my house
Don't you know that
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain in the world
Love's the only house big enough for all the pain.

On the subject of the big bright moon - how are you doing, Sionnach? keeping well? I'm sure you'll agree 'it's a wonderful night for a moondance'

I've been out all day and I come in to be faced with tatty teddy! Those really creep me out. I'm not sure if it's the hypoxic blue noses or the Frankenstein's monster-esque stitches. <shudder>

I suspect that's why they were being sold cheaply in job lots!

They do still work as plates. I'm sorry for going off on one. It was a bit of a shock. I'd forgotten that wretched design was a thing.

I hope everyone who's feeling poorly is soon on the mend.

<switches main pub lighting on>

I know you've all been waiting patiently in the dark for a while for the Christmas (internal) light switch on.

There will be an unfortunate delay due to issues with the star of the show.

Oh Rosie.....

We have a wardrobe bought in one house which we can't get up the stairs in this one. It now stands in the hall, which thankfully has room for it, and is used for coats, with its shelves storing our collection of games. It's an ill-wind...

…and that’s my earworm off again

Our house is the first house that DH and I have owned so we didn't have anything to move into it. Nobody had lived in it for ages before we were given it so DH, DFiL, DMiL, 2xDBiL, my Mum and Dad and various friends fettled, furnished and filled it for us.

I have a vivid memory of installing the cherry wood wardrobe in the second bedroom: the bedroom window was removed completely and the wardrobe was hoisted up on a Manitou fork lift.

Oh those simple days.