The Gerbil World Cup at the Bluestocking!

[Magpiecomplex]

New thread.

No pushing at the back, please, we have plenty of scones and kilts for everyone.

Back in the patisserie.

She's Gillian's sister.
Being bossy and overbearing runs in the family.

I’ve just been ordering chicken & tuna cat soups & a catnip plant with accompanying pot & compost. Hopefully it will be here for the weekend & Kitty can supervise the repotting.

Morning all.

Yesterday my May wildflower-and-nature walk with the local primary school finally happened. Most of them seemed to enjoy it. Some of them even remembered things from the autumn walk, notably the 'pretending to be a rhinoceros' game played with wild rose thorns. I also made sure all of them now know of the existence of grass blade squawkers - most of them managed to make one, and the others will probably have picked it up by now. I'm sure their families appreciate me putting them all in touch with nature.

And today I am going on a Bus Trip with the next village over (where crafts and the coffee morning happen). I got savagely bitten by wildlife on my right buttock yesterday, so will take my trusty tube of Mepyramine maleate cream with me in the hope that it will stave off the irritation sufficiently that I don't spend the entire day frantically scratching my arse.

Happy days.

Get well soon, @DeanElderberry’s right buttock.

Thank you @EmpressaurusKitty

My itchy left elbow sends its condolences, Deano.

Horsefly, I think, but knocked off before it injected too much of its horrible saliva.

Both of my itchy forearms also send sympathies to Dean and Edith. Matching itchy red bumps and no idea when I got bitten or by what.

Also congratulations on your educational wildlife talk Dean.

In summer I always carry a bottle of insect repellent and a tube of antihistamine. We’ve found that applying the latter immediately after a horsefly has sawn in can make a big difference. The buggers tend to go for DH in preference to me so he’ll be dancing around swatting while I excavate my bag for the spray and cream.

I AM FUCKING EXHAUSTED. And the work is just piling up.

I like the job, the pay’s ok, I’m appreciated & I know there will be an end to this stage. I am lucky.

But right now I’d just like it all to go away please.

I am fluttering off to New Jersey today, to be there to see my DGDs graduate from middle school and elementary school respectively and to celebrate DS2’s 40th on Sunday, when DH will drive down to join us, bringing DS1, which is a birthday surprise for DS2 and will be an even bigger treat when he discovers that his very wealthy BIL has bought tickets for both of them to go to a World Cup game. Home on the 26th, dropping DS2 at the airport in Boston on the way. Should be a fun time!

I tend to go straight for the antihistamine tablets if I get bitten - I get massive wheals from even the smallest bite, and the creams just don’t touch them. My sympathies to @DeanElderberry’s right buttock.

And Gardenia, Geranium, Godetia and Globeflower in charge of the planting?

I take 180mg of fexofenadine every day, whatever the season. I also take Beconase every morning and night from May to September. It’s easy to think hay fever doesn’t bother me but if I let up, it comes back even stronger.

Afternoon all. Bar gerbil, is the chocolate milkshake bowser (double-walled for thermal insulation) available? I'll have that please. If not, I'll have an iced chocolate, extra large, extra ice, extra fast.

I'm a tad warm.

Pan Galactic Gargleblasters for everyone! MrPasta and I have paid off our mortgage today!

I’m home, & Kitty & I are going to have a relaxing evening with The Blanket (nearly finished the top row of cats) & a Georgette Heyer audiobook.

Congratulations @PastaAllaNorma!

That calls for extra special cocktails! Congratulations!

🎉

Well done to the Pastas.
The gerbil choir are tuning up to "Oh Happy Day". Ting.

Congrats, I remember that feeling and it’s so liberating. I will graciously accept a PGGB thank you 🍸👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼😊

Which Heyer audiobook? I've only listened to two. Supposedly Richard Armitage has narrated one or two but I haven't found those.

Nb - Discovering he was gay broke my heart - he's been my fantasy husband for nearly 20 years. However, my camp and delightful hairdresser has come to an agreement with me - he'll marry Richard, I'll marry Hugh Jackman for him [what a sacrifice] and we'll have each other over for dinner dates.

Cotillion, read exquisitely by Phyllida Nash. My favourite. I get them from the BorrowBox app, though you do often have to wait for the popular ones.

Ah, that's one I have heard - I love BorrowBox too.

I haven’t read any of hers, I’m not sure that I would like them but I perhaps should try. As long as it doesn’t have a happy ending.
I use BorrowBox and Libby as I am a ghost borrower at a few UK library authorities and yes you do have to wait but I don’t find it a problem.