Sue

fishbiscuits Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > But at the same time, the "woke" middle class > liberal narrative on squatters tend to be rather > naive. Struggling creatives, victims of a > dysfunctional housing market, passionate about > respecting and maintaining period properties... Surely, as with everything (or most things) you can't lump everybody together. Some squatters will look after the property. Some won't. Some would otherwise be homeless. Some won't. Some will be "creatives" (terrible word), struggling or otherwise. Some won't. You can't lump all "'woke' middle class liberals" together, either :)

seenbeen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'm surprised at the number of people who do not > lock the mortice when they are indoors as each > insurance company I have used in the last 20 years > have specified using a BS mortice lock and a Yale > lock on the front door and window locks and at > least triple bolts on the french windows etc etc > in order to actually BE insured Same here. And my present policy requires the keys to be removed from the mortice lock overnight (understandable, but it worries me a bit in case of fire, even though I leave them in a place nearish the front door but not visible from it). I always double lock the door and have a chain on when I'm in the house.

Penguin68 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How exactly had the ivy "destroyed" the trees? > > Whilst ivy does not take nourishment from trees > (it isn't, in that way, a parasite) it can damage > trees in two ways - (1) it can compete with the > tree's own leaves for sunlight - hence reducing > nourishment and long-term tree health and (2) it > can over-weigh trees such that they become > unstable and may be brought down or damaged by > winds. For deciduous trees, which might otherwise > weather winter storms, such a weight of evergreen > leaves may be sufficient to topple them entirely. > > Ivy just on the stems (trunks) of trees and cut > away from the branches (and kept away) isn't a > problem. The ivy flowers and berries are a useful > source of food for insects and birds. I accept all that. I'm just wondering how these particular trees had been "destroyed".

bobbsy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's not as expensive nor time consuming as you > might think to have the floorboards lifted, the > void insulated and then the floorboards refitted. What sort of price would I be looking at to have that done in a through living room in a small terraced house?

applesandpears23 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- all > the ivy growing in the garden had destroyed the > trees that they said they were protecting. How exactly had the ivy "destroyed" the trees?

I have lots of sparrows using a hanging feeder in my garden.

What a great happy ending :)

I was up at my allotment quite late the other day (due to a delivery) and a bat started swooping around me :) I've never seen one so close in this country.

Nigello Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The under floor insulation would be expensive. A > much cheaper (and probably less effective) way > would be to use a special kind of bendable, thick > tape that wedges into the gaps. > https://www.google.com/search?q=gaps+in+floorboard > +filler&rlz=1C1GCEV_en&source=lnms&tbm=shop&sa=X&v > ed=2ahUKEwjflZC8mIPnAhUxoXEKHXWXBnsQ_AUoAXoECA4QAw > &biw=1188&bih=872#spd=11147586910290357765 I have used StopGap. Although it is very easy to fit, and does stop draughts coming up between the gaps, it does not stop the rest of the floor being very cold, due to lack of insulation. Admittedly I have painted floorboards, though I do put rugs down in the Winter, but due to a pile of earth and rubble in the coal hole/cellar, I can't easily insulate beneath the floorboards without taking the whole lot up, because I can't get at them from underneath :(

DulwichFox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Just a thought EDmummy ! Were you wearing it and > it came off or carrying in a pocket or something? > > Were you wearing Gloves ? If so look in the > glove. > Very good thinking!

Too big to be a wren?

BrandNewGuy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > That's a real shame. I know a couple of people > who've lived there ? the squatters are mostly > artists and musicians and I know they've > maintained the place well and been good > neighbours. A haven for impoverished creative folk > who have precious few places to live in London > these days. According to another thread, there are unoccupied houses on Dunstans Road. Just saying :)

Fair enough. Perhaps the dog's owners are permanently glued to the EDF!

Just a suggestion to the OP, but you can buy mock-ups of birds of prey to hang in your garden. Preferably move them around, otherwise the birds might smell a rat. No idea if it would see off the parakeets, but it would probably empty your garden of any other bird who might otherwise disturb you with its singing :)

exdulwicher Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > I thought robins were territorial? > > Only with other robins. They're fine sharing > feeders with tits, nuthatches, woodpeckers, > finches etc. Yes, it was the reference to "lots of robins" in the post above mine that I was referring to. I suspect it is the same robin visiting many times :)

Jules-and-Boo Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > I know you know who you are. But they might not read ED forum posts?

I thought robins were territorial?

SpringTime Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > JohnL Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > What would a Quentin Tarantino film be without > a > > bit of swearing (and violence too) > > > It would probably have more value. More value in what way? Quentin Tarantino lite just wouldn't be the same (not that I've seen any of his later movies)

:)) :)) :))

I do have mice in my garden, maybe they will come and mop up the leftovers :)

Whatever it was didn't like the marzipan. Or the icing. I am resisting the temptation to retrieve those bits :)) :)) :))

:))

:))

Something beaked or furry (I presume) has eaten the cake in the garden! So whatever it was, I'm giving them and their mates the rest of it :)

coalakid Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Christopher?s now the only decent real local > bakery left (and best for croissants!) Where is that??