Pickle

Yes, Target Arms I think it was called. Reasonably recent history from memory, I think it's only been gone about 5 or 6 years.

I always just use standard supermarket freezer bags, usually the bigger ones, and have never had a problem.

There are athletics classes at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. I've just started looking into options for my son, and notice that they have taster sessions over the holiday period which we are going to try. Website link: http://www.better.org.uk/leisure/crystal-palace-national-sports-centre/page/55

Thanks for raising awareness, this is a very worthy cause. I've registered online as cannot make it on the 27th - took 5 minutes. I can't begin to imagine what your friends are going through, hopefully a donor is found soon.

Do they look infected? Personally I wouldn't take a child with pox to the doctor unless there was a complication, as you risk infecting so many people (ditto vomiting, diarrhea). Glad you found virasoothe, it seemed to provide a lot of relief for my kids x

I found calamine did nothing for my kids when they had pox. ViraSoothe gel is readily available in local pharmacies, it helped, but the main thing that worked was Piriton syrup. Good luck - this hot weather is horrible for someone with chickenpox!

edcam Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's nature's revenge on those who spell lightning > "lightening". In my defence, autocorrect is to blame :)

Some impressive lightening in the sky over towards Forest Hill at the moment

Hooray to booking a trip home, that's the best medicine :)

A DVD player and a selection of kids DVDs (even just a couple of Disney standards). We went to a holiday cottage a couple of years ago where you could book a Tesco delivery and on arrival the owners had taken delivery and put it all in the fridge etc. Very handy, and simple to do if you live on site. A bottle of wine on arrival would be a nice touch! Let us know when you're up and running :)

Wait for him to ask, don't push him into an instrument. Expose him to different types, be it on the radio, tv, or by going to the variety of family friendly concerts that happen on the bandstands in the area over summer (there's one on the Horniman bandstand at midday on Saturday that I'm playing in). If he shows an interest in a particular instrument you can take it from there - so if clarinet catches his eye, start on recorder, cello - violin etc. My son started recorder at 5, but he had asked to learn an instrument and watches and listens to me practise so knew what it involved. At 7.5 he is able to read music and understand music theory. Piano, recorder, violin and ukelele are all good beginner instruments. As a musician I think reading music early is a benefit, as later on when moving to a trickier instrument (if they want to) it's one less thing to worry about. I didn't start until I was 7, and went on to become a professional musician, so it didn't do me any harm :)

We have a Bee+ and my (average sized) 2.5 year old still fits in it with ease. It's been a great buggy, nice and compact, easy to manoeuvre, really sturdy. My 6 year old sat in it before Xmas when she had chickenpox and even she seemed to fit ok :)

That said, it's totally out of order for people to have verbally attacked you, that's a horrible situation and I can imagine it would leave you feeling pretty upset :(

I've seen it happen before, yes, many times. Personally, while I completely see where you're coming from, I wouldn't do that on a bus. Could you have given him a beaker of milk? Or used a snack or toy to distract him until you were off the bus? I use buses a lot with my kids, and do my best to keep them happy and quiet, out of respect for other people.

Spitting is horrible. Worse are the people that decide holding one nostril and emptying the contents of the other onto the footpath is acceptable. Had a guy do this walking towards me yesterday, disgusting. My irrational rage today was trying to get across the mini roundabout at Sainsburys. I'd been in the Hamlets car park, so had the right of way attempting to get to the traffic lights and onto Dog Kennel Hill. Prime Saturday shopping time, car after car drove in front of me, oblivious to the road rules. When I'd finally had enough and nosed out, I got yelled at by the driver who cut me up. Me and mini roundabouts really don't get on well.

Bindweed is more "ivy" like in it's appearance isn't it? Wraps itself around other plants rather than growing up straight as this plant seems to be?

My 7.5 year old is obsessed with a Lego character encyclopaedia he was given for his 7th birthday. I've been buying them as gifts for other boys and they seem popular. You can get a general one, or specific ones - Star Wars, Ninjago etc... so good for a boy who loves Lego, and I've found it's a great way to get my son reading for leisure. An option for the 7 year old? Our nephew turned 9 recently, and wanted "Magic: the Gathering" stuff. Absolutely no idea what it is, to be honest, but he was happy :) For Xmas he had the old school Thunderbirds DVDs on his wish list.

Personally I wouldn't use Little Clipper for an older girls haircut. I think they're great at what they do when there are little (pre-school) children involved, but for cuts that "matter" a bit more the attention to detail isn't there. My daughter was left with a very wonky bob last time we went (she sat perfectly still the whole time, so it wasn't due to her wriggling about). Her most recent haircut was at the Galleon, on the corner of a Forest Hill and Dunstans Rd, they were great. I've used Village Way in the past too, they were also very good with her. My hairdresser (Kuki) also cater for children, but it can be tricky to get an appointment as they're very popular.

I always buy craft kits for little girls, my daughter (just turned 6) loves that sort of thing, and it seems most of her friends do too. Beginner sewing (I love the Galt sets made from thick foam, easy for little fingers), decorate your own type kits (headbands are a favourite), beads/necklace kits. Rainbow looms are the current craze sweeping through school, my daughter was given one for her birthday last week and loves it, as does my son.

http://www.galvinrestaurants.com/section/61/1/galvin-la-chapelle We had a lovely anniversary lunch at Galvin la Chapelle in Spitalfields back on March. They do a tasting menu, which was amazing. Nice atmosphere, not too stuffy.

I think most cleaners will operate as self employed - responsible for their own tax etc so you don't need to worry. I, out of courtesy, pay an additional one weeks money every quarter as "holiday pay", to cover times we are away or she is on holiday.

Agree with Bellenden Belle. When I first hired a cleaner 8 years ago we went through an agency, but I quickly realised it was cheaper for me, and the cleaner would earn more, if we ditched the agency. In my experience, private cleaners are miles better than agency ones.

Can you and your partner share the week and take a couple of days each? Or do you have a family member (grandparent, aunt etc.) that could be there for your daughter? Personally I found for my kids it was a very full-on and emotional week when they started in reception, and I am glad I was there for them. If you can manage it, I think it's very worth it.

http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?29,1079915 Lots of discussion here x

I saw something similar recently at the cemetery on Forest Hill Road, the funeral cars were flanked by cyclists and lots of other followed. Very sad indeed.