2026 Stash & Grab Virtual Pub

[Serinde]

A bit late opening this morning. The chimps decided they were indeed going to enjoy a noisy libation ahead of the bells. All set to rights now, and I'm having a large pot of tea.

[Mabel Figworthy]

I'll join you in a cuppa, with some of the left-over Christmas goodies (chocolates, biscuits, stollen, lebkuchen....)

[Serinde]

Leftover stollen? I'll help with that!

[Serinde]

Just a reiteration of some rules for talking politics in the Stash & Grab:
Be polite
Keep within the law
Check your facts
Golden Rule definitely applies

[richardandtracy]

Just a reiteration of some rules for talking politics in the Stash & Grab:
Be polite
Keep within the law
Check your facts
Golden Rule definitely applies

What a terrible disappointment.
Though, talking Politics often seems to be the conversational equivalent of detonating a hand grenade: a hand grenade which hurts lots of people. That is a very unwelcome outcome, and never desirable.

Regards,

Richard

[Serinde]

I find that, in an ideal situation, talking politics involves an awful lot of listening. In any case, I can't remember very many times when politics reared its ugly head here.

I am currently enjoying my morning cup of tea in the company of a sleeping marmoset.

[richardandtracy]

Erm.

Is this normal morning company for you? Cat or dog is sufficient for most people, but a Marmoset.. definitely unusual.

Regards,

Richard.

[Mabel Figworthy]

It takes all sorts, as they say!

My lovely support animal has decided to be an office cat this morning, abandoning me for the master. Oh well, at least it reduces the amount of fur I'll be taking out of the house clinging to my dress....

[Mabel Figworthy]

The sort of office cat she would like to be:



The sort of office cat DH allows her to be:

[fccs]

Jackson (cat) never joins me at my desk..until today. I was trying to work on my taxes (UGH) and he decided he had to jump on the shredder, up onto the scanner, and then across my desk. I would love to be able to read his mind....or would I????

[Mabel Figworthy]

[geekishly]

Joker taking over my lap cushion that I use for arm support while stitching.

[richardandtracy]

Gorgeous.

Regards,

Richard

[Serinde]

Is it just me, or is the site really, really slow? My coffee's getting cold waiting for it to load (well, I exaggerate a bit, but not much).

[Mabel Figworthy]

Pretty speedy for me at the moment.

By the way, celebratory drinks all round - the Netherlands came third in the Olympic medal table, which isn't bad for a small country! OK, we did it all in pretty much one discipline (although longtrack and shorttrack skating do I think count as two separate ones, but well, they're both going fast on skates) but Im still proud of our athletes!

[Serinde]

And so you should be! I always root for the Orange in the skating disciplines! The UK did really well, too (pity about the curlers, but silver isn't shabby at all).

[richardandtracy]

Agreed. Well done Netherlands.

Thought the UK did pretty well for such a snowy country..

Regards,

Richard

[Roland]

I couldn’t really get into the Olympics this year. I usually enjoy watching the figure skating, but not so much this year.

I did love watching Alysa Liu (USA skater), whether she was skating or cheering on her team, she is what the Olympics should be. So much enthusiasm.

[richardandtracy]

She was exhaustingly excited all the time..

We watched a lot of skating online (Orianna got a subscription to TNT) and that was amazing. However, by the end the skaters were looking very tired with many having gone through the Team event, Mixed and singles events.

Personally, I enjoy the downhill & super G, and was so saddened for Lindsey Vonn that she crashed out so early in her race. On reflection, she shouldn't have gone with an injury, but I can fully understand why she did.

Regards,

Richard

[Serinde]

I can understand why Vonn wanted to, but I'm mystified as to why she did, already carrying an incompletely healed injury. What were her coaches thinking of, apart from the medals and headlines? That leg was mangled in the process, and I can't for a minute see how that was worth it. But I'm not a sporty person, so that probably explains it.