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 have had the flu jab and I take montelukast to keep infections of my chest, so I hope I will be ok. I can't bear to think I might be very ill during next week when I have three sessions with the prospective employer and a cardiology appointment.

I also hope the antibiotics are still working because if they've failed, I'll be back in hospital.

Fingers firmly crossed for the best possible outcome @MyrtleLion.

Um, I'll stay behind at the Bluey and make a lovely high tea from when you all return from the matinee.

I'm not a fan of Dickens, and have a particular loathing for A Christmas Carol. It used to be read to us at primary school at the end of every autumn term by the deputy head, who had many virtues but could be a real bastard if he thought you were slacking (and, consequently, somewhat persecuted my bright, sparky, cheeky and very dyslexic friend). Couple that with the depiction of disabled child as pitiful, and I was done with it - I knew a bloke who was a wheelchair user and pitiful was the last thing he was).

(My turn for 'PC gorn mad' today, Marie!)

<de-Scrooges self>
<returns to the duties of the day>

You've got the weekend to get better before next week hits.
Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery.

Keep fighting that lurg, Myrtle! It's really unfair that you have yet another thing to have to fight off, but I hope you do so, quickly.

I've sent the nurse gerbils to yours.

Would you like the grand piano gerbil sending as well?

The bugs this year are just taking the piss!

I scanned through the thread titles on FWR this morning... and while I should be used to the insanity that results in cases like Sandie Peggie etc etc etc, it still retains the power to blow my brains.
'Bristol council bans women who raised trans issues form meetings'
'Councillors discuss why the shouldn't use the word women'
And dear Jolyon at it again.

A publican of my acquaintance recently posted a reel. The internet, he said, has shown us that the 'village idiot' trope had vastly underestimated the number of idiots in the world. There are FAR more than one per village...'
I feel his pain.

For my sins I was watching the Your Party conference, and apart from old people - not all of whom I know - trying to relive past glories that were never that glorious at the time...

...there were an awful lot of young people who were very obviously using political activism as a coping mechanism for their mental health struggles.

A good society would help them learn to live in the world. In the society we've got, they'll probably end up as councillors in Bristol or Brighton or Camden.

Off on another tangent completely, do any of you ever get a sudden overwhelming urge to run away? Because I've got it now, today.

A real-life version of the Bluestocking would be the ideal destination, of course.

Also, 'Be good, sweet Maud, & let who will be clever'.

... ah, on googling it I find it should be 'sweet maid'. I remember ages ago hearing one of those very Radio 4 programmes about word play & someone told a rambling story about a woman who owned a property called Clover Cottage which a young man wanted to rent from her & she was refusing, & someone said to her, "Be good, sweet Maud, & let Hugh Willoughby 'Clover'". Groan. Quite why that's stuck with me, I've no idea.

It's a £114million Euromillions tonight & I'm in. If I win I'm definitely setting up a real version of the Bluey - well, as real as it can be. A country retreat (but convenient for the right sort of town/city) for ladies of a certain age & outlook, with a grand piano, a knitting room & a zip wire.

Have a better one, Cher.💙

Great idea!, Fuzzy! Tiny Tim needs a bit of work, but otherwise, 5 stars.

There's a picture to go with that, obvs., but MN is having a quick fit & won't put it up.

£114 million will be enough to find someone who knows how to train gerbils to do silver service.

We may have to make do with humans. Can't afford gerbils anyway - they priced themselves out of the market last night. They don't get out of bed for less than £10 million.

It's not just you.

💐

Luckily that's 10 million gerbil pounds.

In human money we are getting a bargain. It's 10p!

I have felt like that many times in the past, but I consider myself fortunate to have found my niche in life at last - it's only taken 70-odd years!

A long weekend somewhere warm would be nice though - preferably with waiting gerbils.😁

I've got my Euromillions ticket.

It had better be me. Or Android.

Fingers crossed for everyone. I've not actually got a ticket but, I reason, that doesn't actually decrease my chances of winning by much.

Yes please! The grand piano gerbil can wear evening dress from the 1920s and play lots of Noel Coward songs to cheer me up. There should be a piano singer sipping cocktails from a martini glass.

I put £25 a month into premium bonds instead of buying a lottery ticket. Greater chance of winning and I keep my stake.

Now, don't you go bringing harsh realities into the Bluestocking. It's going to be me or Cher. Or both of us. Definitely.

Probably a better idea - have you won much?

I did win £25 earlier this year. But one day it might be the million.