ChavWivaLawDegree

I forgt to add that I'ma bit low after Christmas and won't get paid for another month so would be really grateful for a few quid. PM me for my bank details. Thanks

Hehe, I think you may have uncovered a very rich vein of sheltered gentlefolk, here in East Dulwich.

Of course, Microbite, but having a massive mortgage is not owning and puts you in a more precarious position than someone who has a secure council tenancy.

I submit that i am subsidised by noone and that just because my rent has increased by less than private rents, this does not prove you are right. The private sector became the hostage of speculators who hated the competition council housing gave their investments so their friends in govt did their best to destroy said competition. It is the private sector who are in fact the recipients of subsidies in the form of massive bail outs by the rest of us. So there.

My heart bleeds for them Macroban!

My landlord is pretty good actually - but then I'm a bitch if they don't meet their statutory obligations! Social housing is stigmatised because it's been changed from 'council housing for all' to 'council housing if you are a broke/homeless/gay/single parent on crack'. Not so stigmatised when they sell it off tho, hmmn funny that. I'd love to own my own home, but I want about 20 acres with it so until I can buy the home I want in cash, I'm happy to pay ?100 per week for a 3 bed hse with front and back gardens and a garage, thanks. If my proprietory rights in my house ever come under threat - i.e. about to be evicted or sold to developers etc, then I'd use the law to fight to keep it or buy it for whatever pitance they would try to sell it to the developers for. I have no interest in buying at market value or becoming one of the hordes of enslaved mortgagees as I have a secure tenancy and can pass this to one of my kids when I don't want it anymore. Not having title deeds in my name does not mean I do not have proprietory rights over my council house. I still have the right to buy in any case. Lets see how many of the population with their newly aquired property rights are as secure in their homes as I am when the banks start recalling their loans early. You do not own your property until you have paid off the mortgage, so I would rather be in a council house than 'own' a house in negative equity or have a mortgage that can be recalled at any time.

I always like to believe the best in people and am a bit of an optimist regarding the human race, but I also remember that Hitler and other horrible murderers are just people too, so am not often suprised by the bad things people do.

I feel old!!

What is it like? Traditional or more contemporary? I like All Saints in Peckham, but like to check out different churches.

Your post just made me cry. I hope they are all comfortable with supportive family. It's frightening to think that it could have been so much worse. My 10 year old gets loads of stuff at Christmas from her Dad and we will be sorting out the older stuff, toys and clothes etc after Christmas, so if you have no space and they could use any of it, I can store it in my loft or garage.

When I moved from Elephant to ED, I missed my old church and have only recently found a church I really like (in Peckham actually). They are doing lots of lovely things over Christmas, including a Christmas Day Feast for people who have no-one to share Christmas with. I was just wondering which churches other ED'rs like to visit over Christmas and why.

Haha, no way you were born after 1979, where you? When I came to London in '85, there were huge numbers of empty council places and I was part of a huge squatter community, many of whom were given tenancies in 'hard to let' areas such as the Rockingham Estate. Is there even such a thing as a 'hard to let area' nowadays? I doubt it.

You did, pre-Thatcher!

I'm just glad I've got a council house - Never did buy into that mortgage yourself to the gills crap to get on the ladder. Bloody glad about that now.

Midnight Mass tonight anyone? Happy holidays x

Haha, how to ruin a good book!

Another eye closer was the poems of Robert Frost (I think that was the boring Yank poet's name) which I had to read for my English Lit O'Level. We did Merchant of Venice and Lord of the Flies too - but I loved them!! Eng Lit's equivallent of slasher films! Also with Hardy I hated the whole weak stupid female crap. I would have preferred the heroine (can't remember what book it was - is there one with a woman called Bessy?) to stick a pitchfork through the rich abusuer dude's throat.

I hated it - don't know why. Loved Shakespear so it's not a fear of dusty old writers, I just couldn't stand all the long descriptions in Hardy. Put me to sleep and made me lose interest in the story.

I hated Thomas Hardy at school - what a load of flowery old crap.

Off till Monday 5th Jan!!! Yippee First time in my life I've ever had annual leave (which my son finds hilarious) and sick pay. Wages still a bit crap - but happy to try to climb the greasy pole for the first time in my life if I get paid to be at home!!!

Me and ten year old daughter walking past, "Why are all those people queing so far down the road, Mummy?" "Because they are scared they'll be doing Christmas from LIDL next year, hun."

Yeh that's the one. Brilliant book.

He's gorgeous.

I loved the Hobbit as a kid too - but found Lord of The Rings too wordy when I read them afterwards. Read all three and enjoyed them, but started skipping big chunks of boring flowery description to get to the story.

i remember a mad psychological thriller called when the mermaid sings by some McCormack guy. Haunted me for ages. My favourite book recently tho was alcohol's a gas about turning grass clippings and stuff into fuel but all in a lovely organic and holistic way!