The Bluestocking Inn, cocktails and cocoa and all

[DeanElderberry]

Opening soon in a salubrious location.

And thanks to the miraculous qualities, although we will indeed have

One-steps and two-steps and the divil knows what new steps
We know that we never would be dull again, bedad
We'll have wine, porter and lemonade.
We'll have cocktails and cocoa and all
We'll have champagnes tonight
But NO real pains next morning
Tonight when we dance at the Bluestocking Ball

slight apologies to Frank Harte

Marie the gerbils can wear whatever they like. I hope they'll be honoured, if squeaky, guests and can, for once, not have to do any serving. I have confetti...they can have some of mine!

Will they want to do some karaoke?

of course they’ll want to do karaoke.
Of course their vocal range means they prefer Alvin and the Chipmunks and the BeeGees so whether you want them to ….

I am currently almost (not quite) at my heaviest - 15st 7lb. I'm very cross with myself because I got down from a little higher than this to under 12st when DH and I got married in 2002. The American diet has not done wonders for me, but I also got down to about 193lb a few years ago and have steadily piled it on since. I'm lucky in not having joint/arthritis issues, which I put down to a supplement regime of Synflex (liquid glucosamine, better absorbed than tablets), turmeric and resveratrol every day - all anti-inflammatory stuff. Whether that's true or not I have no way of knowing, but I choose to believe it is. I really must get shot of some of it though - my BP is medicated but going up a little, though my cholesterol is fine, thanks to statins. Your diet is very effective @MyrtleLion but I don't think I could stick to it. The easiest diet I've ever found is the Slimming World one, which is how I got down from where I am now to 193lb a few years ago, and I ought to give that another try. I get so tired of counting and measuring though.

One for Pedantry Corner, where I think there'll be some hard questions asked about apostrophes..😂
edited for spelling which is [a] quite an achievement in less than 2 lines and [b] kinda ironic..

It's for the sake of fuck, so it's actually for fuck's sake.

If anyone remembers my Bakewell tart which went into the freezer to stop me scoffing it, I'm happy to report that it has survived freezing and defrosting mostly unscathed. The fondant icing went a bit gummy during defrosting, but it's perfectly acceptable.
Sympathy @Britinme, my diet has gone sideways recently and I really must get back into it.

What she said. Only in the Bluey would you find a scholarly discussion on the correct punctuation of FFS...

I concur.

Professional emails can easily trip you up. I know I often have to watch my phrasing with English colleagues, who might not understand if I recommend a course of action and add "for thon would be deadly crack".

Also, if you call in sick and say "last night I was throwing rings round me".

Hi, I hope it is ok to drop back in - I lost the plot a few threads ago and couldn't catch up and then felt I could not come back having become so lapsed but I hope it's ok to be here. I've missed the craic and am sorry not to have followed everyone's ups and downs.

I'm actually here looking for gerbils. Yarn gerbils specifically, and very specifically the creator of The Maud (was that cake? I'm sorry I can't remember, but you know who you are).

One of the MN posters who I got to know really well when I first joined the site has recently lost her 17 year old daughter in tragic circumstances and we are doing a woolly hug for her. Among other things, the family have always been very fond of keeping gerbils, and the daughter adored them, once demanding that her birthday cake feature all the gerbils, including one playing the clarinet. It would be really wonderful if it were possible to create a gerbil for her woolly hug please, if you would feel able to join in. All other knitted or crocheted contributions would also be welcome, even if they are gerbil-less. The thread is here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/5498177-woolly-hugs-a-blanket-for-lovely-wafflenose-who-has-tragically-lost-her-daughter-can-you-help-us-please?reply=150863388

If it's ok to hang around, I'd like a very stiff gin please, Geraldine, to drown my sorrows. There's a whole load of us who feel that we have known this child since she was a toddler and all of a sudden she is not there any more. I know the BlueStocking regulars know all too well how difficult such losses are, and I don't want to give the impression that my grief is the most significant, but it has hit me - and others who knew waffle well - hard and I'm hoping we will have good support for the blanket just so we can feel we are doing something constructive in the face of overwhelming shittiness.

I read the 2nd version as fuk saké, which for all I know may actually be a brand.

Eta I've just read @AlexandraLeaving 's post. I'm so dreadfully sorry. I didn't do The Maud unfortunately. I'd definitely try to recreate her for you if I had the foggiest.

You are always welcome, AlexandraLeaving, but I'm so sorry that such a sad event has prompted your return.
I'm sure there'll be lots of gerbil-themed support in memory of the poster's DD, condolences to all who are feeling her tragic loss
Please stay for a while, we're here for you whenever you need our company.

@AlexandraLeaving, of course you're welcome! New and old, regular or occasional visitor. We are here for you and with you xxx

I am so sorry you're friend's daughter died. How lovely that she loved gerbils and has one playing a clarinet. I will hop over to the thread and see if I can contribute, though a gerbil might not be in my repertoire.

Someone knitted a beautiful Maud gerbil for Swashbuckled's blanket. I will backtrack over the threads and find who, unless she tells us before I get back xx

@AlexandraLeaving it was knitted by @ifIwerenotanandroid .

The original post is here:
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/womens_rights/5365180-the-bluestocking-invoking-split-pea-annexe-b

Thank you @MyrtleLion and sorry for misremembering @ifIwerenotanandroid. The Maud is so very splendid.

I think I would like to add a pint of fuk saké to my order, please Geraldine. It sounds just the ticket for the day that's in it.

I just read the Woolly Hugs thread and it is very sad. I read that the lovely 17 year old daughter donated her organs and there are people walking around alive now who wouldn't otherwise be because of the beautiful gift of her organs.

This morning I literally finished listening to The Story of a Heart that told the story of the 9 year old donor and recipient of a heart transplant. It was really moving and it really is a gift to donate after death.

I read it too, Myrtle.
I might take a look at my stash tomorrow and see if I have any suitable yarn.

@AlexandraLeaving I've just seen your post but will have to come back to it. 💙

I'm sorry for the loss of your friend's daughter @AlexandraLeaving . I am not a knitter, but I'm sure the wonderful crafters both in the Bluestocking and elsewhere on Mumsnet, will produce a beautiful Woolly Hug in her memory

@AlexandraLeaving , so sorry to hear about the loss of your friend’s daughter. I’ve read the Woolly Hugs post, and will order some yarn in the morning.

@AlexandraLeavingso sorry to hear about the loss of your friend’s daughter. At 17 too - how sad for her life to be cut so short.

Welcome back @AlexandraLeaving and so sorry to hear about this tragic loss.

So sorry @AlexandraLeaving
I will do some knitting, I pop over to the wooly hugs thread and let Knotty know.