The Bluestocking Womens Pub in an Adventure with Pirates!

[Magpiecomplex]

New thread. You know the deal - women's pub, men to the Staunch Ally next door.

Some of us are currently on the trail of an international seed smuggling ring, just for background information.

My mindfulness is the crochet. I usually have an audiobook in the background (currently Cecily by Annie Garthwaite, about Duchess Cecily of York who was the mother of Edward IV & Richard III, recommended by another MNer & really interesting) & Kitty snuggled up next to me for extra comfort.

Is it difficult to handle locks by yourself, @Hedgehogforshort?

Yes and working locks, managing roping in, pushing off from grounding with a barge pole and not falling in.

Many moons ago i was shit hot league pool player. I played every lunch and every evening.

it was very calming because of the focus required.

the added bonus was whooping men’s arses, I would love strutting my short arse around the table, inspecting angles, and then chalking my cue, with a slightly theatrical blow of the chalk dust.

before a killer shot and a subsequent glacial stare at my male opponent.

I have a newly acquired ratchet windlass which helps with stiff paddles.

Shoving lok gates open and shut is more about getting the momentum.

Total concentration on what you're doing is very relaxing, isn't it? I get it from model-making.

I don't have a big project on at the moment, partly because I haven't had 'life/headspace' for a while, but also because I don't have physical/housespace for anything new🙁

There's another model/miniature programme on the telly currently, but I'm not enjoying it because so much stuff is made using a 3D printer - that's fine for architectural models etc., but I don't think it's in the spirit of modelling.

I had so much fun when I was making 'The Real Bluestocking', finding bits and pieces around the house that could become tiny glasses, or pub mirrors, or books, or whatever. That's part - most? - of the fun

I take it it was after one of the male-ass-whupping incidents that this iconic photo was taken?😂

Yes those were the days….

Oh yes, the Baluchistan hound! I re-read Frederica quite recently and laughed a lot at that.

I've only got into audiobooks in the last few years, but I enjoy them immensely. I listen on my Alexa when I'm in the kitchen making dinner, and I listen on my phone when I'm out walking. I just finished listening to Kim Stanley Robinson's "The Ministry for the Future", which was excellent and featured an Irish main character beautifully read by an Irish narrator with a lovely voice, plus other sections read by different people. It was very engrossing.

I’ll try that, thanks Chickadee.

Do you have apps like Libby & BorrowBox over there? They’re attached to local libraries so you can reserve & borrow audiobooks for free.

I think i posted this before but that was what I wore in the 80’s apart from the the shirt courtesy of boiled.

Hello 👋

Sorry I've not popped in for a bit. I got behind and have been catching up. I've been reading Gosie's adventures and didn't want to miss any. Not just the episodes but all the chat around them. Thank you so much @MyrtleLion for them.

I was thinking how I could have helped. Possibly I could have smuggled her a file or hacksaw when she was imprisoned. Or I could have driven a tank. It's not something I've ever tried but I like to think I'd be good at it.

I also love the cocktails @Thehorticulturalhussie has been ordering.

Someone mentioned a cuckoo upthread. I saw one the other day. It was flying and being mobbed by a jackdaw. It had very falcon-like wings and its tail was so long it was reminiscent of a ring-necked parakeet but square not tapering.

Also saw these...cuties?

Oh, amazing, Cake.
Barn owls?

And it was me who mentioned seeing a cuckoo - at least, I think it was a cuckoo, it was a distance off, so it was a process of elimination. I know we have them around here, as I hear them sometimes.

Anyway, welcome back!

Yes, but it was much more difficult than it looks.

What beautiful owls! Lucky you!

Thank you.

Tawnies. The babies leave their nest, literally branch out, while pretty much still flightless. I'm not sure why. I've never seen it before. Barn owls might do the same.

Hello Cake, I was thinking that you and Cher hadn't been around much, but I think I saw both your names on other threads and at least one of you popped in recently, so I knew you were around-around
Ditto Boily who hasn't been around here much but I've seen her on other threads.

Nice to have you back, I'm sure you would have been very useful on the Gosie adventure - either being a cake containing a hacksaw or driving a tank, you gave yourself lots of scope there

Love the cuddly owls!

I've got to get to bed before midnight one night this week, so goodnight all! Wishing you all pleasant dream gerbils 🌙

I read audiobooks these days often at 1.25 or 1.5 speed if they don’t sound peculiar.

I read proper books on holiday because I just sit in the sun and enjoy the heat.

I think all our attention is shot because of our phones. We can have news or interaction at the drop of a hat and it’s a discipline to turn the phone off and not look at it. And of course, I listen to audiobooks on my phone.

Whenever I’ve travelled by narrow boat, it’s been the forced 4mph that slows me down. Nothing to do but enjoy the view and the travelling. I can feel myself winding down after a few hours.

I also copied all of Book I of The Gosie Chronicles into Word. Almost 33,000 words.

It now has a title, Gosie and the Hidden Symbol. The first 15 chapters will need a rewrite, but I’ll do that after I finish the next book.

That brilliant, Myrtle, what an achievement!

G'night Angle, g'night all🌛

Has Marie gone to bed yet < pulls back covers, gropes for torch> back off to other threads.

I think that’s a demonstration of the angle of repose of a heap of gerbils.😂

Goodnight all.

If I’m out for a long walk, I usually put my phone on airplane & just use it as a clock & camera. It makes it so much easier to think & to just enjoy what’s around me.

We do have Libby but I haven’t tried it out yet - I’ve had an Audible subscription for a few years and realised today that I have a lot of books in my audiobook library that I haven’t read yet. The subscription is up for renewal in October and I still have three credits left until then, so I think I’ll cancel at that point.

I dreamt about gerbils last night. Lots of gerbils. But none skilled in hospitality.