Sue

Thanks kiera :)

pinecone Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue, why do all your posts begin with a row of > x's? xxxxxxxx It's to help distinguish what I've written from the post I'm quoting. I only do it if I'm quoting someone else. I sometimes find it hard to disentangle posts and work out who was/is saying what, so I think maybe other people might find it hard as well. I'm probably completely wrong :)

snooks Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > hello I very rarely complain but this centre is > terrible, unprofessional and no idea how to treat > OAPs. Ive been poorly with very swollen glands, > intense headaches, perspiration and loss of voice. > It was a reall effort to get there but I had an > obliging and thoughtful cab driver who tokk me, > waited and brought me home. All this only to be > told it would take 2-3 weeks to clear and to take > ibuprofen (not even a prescription for that) very > very shabby treatment xxxxx Sorry to hear you are feeling so ill, it sounds horrible, but did the GP not tell you what you have? Because unfortunately, there are indeed some things for which the only cure is time - sometimes longer that 2-3 weeks. I've had them! They are a pain! (no pun intended). If you think you have something more serious, then perhaps ask to see another GP? Otherwise, I'm not quite sure what else the GP could do if her diagnosis was correct and there was no other appropriate treatment? What could she have done which would have been "more professional"? I'm sure she would have given you a prescription if you'd asked - possibly she forgot that you would get the ibuprofen free on prescription, because for most people, these days it would be cheaper to buy it over the counter than to pay for it on prescription? Also perhaps she thought you would already have it at home? Also, I don't mean to belittle what you saw as a poor experience, but I'm also an OAP and I don't expect to be treated differently by a GP just because of my age? Surely poor treatment is poor treatment (if it is) however old or young you are? If you are feeling very ill, it's hard to get to the surgery whatever your age, unfortunately :( I hope you feel better soon.

Thanks kiera, in fact I've just investigated further in my existing tub and there are some small creatures alive in it, so what I think I will do is temporarily put the new tadpoles in there until the water in the new-to-me Belfast sink has had time to settle. I can't remember what I put at the bottom of my tub, I think it was just gravel. Should I be using clean sand, or garden soil in the sink? Instead of or as well as? I've googled but that has just confused me further :)

louisemurray Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue, Keira is quite right. > If you fill whatever you are going to use today > and let it settle/evaporate. By Tues/Weds when > you get some toadpoles and plants they will be > just fine. > Louise xxxxxx Oh dear, I was away and only just seen this :( Only just going to move the sink into position and fill it :( I do have some stuff somewhere which is supposed to sort the chlorine though, will try to find it.

Deleted because I'm beginning to doubt my own memories :))

Loving all the suggestions :) For purely selfish reasons I'd like a pound shop or a Lidl :)) but sadly it's far too small for either. So I'll settle for a reincarnation of the Dream Machine .....

jimmah Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My pond is full of small bugs, shrimplike things xxxxxx Yes, my tub has been in previous years, that's why I'm a bit concerned. I've just acquired an old butler sink, maybe I will use that as my pond instead and put fresh water in it :( But then water from the tap isn't good either because of the chlorine, oh dear :(

DaveR Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Because there are > so many houses that have suffered subsidence in > the past there are plenty of insurers who will > take on the business, but you are unlikely to be > able to find them from comparison sites, so you > need to do old fashioned ringing around. xxxxxx Yeh that's what I had been doing. Anyway, I'm quite happy having almost halved what I was paying, without having had to pay for an up-to-date survey. A sign-off from 2001 would not cut any ice with any underwriter, I suspect. It certainly didn't impress any of the people I talked to earlier in the week. I've kept full records of all the technical reports etc - but it was thirteen years ago :)

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > We had a subs claim just a few years back with the > same insurer.. Xxxxxxxxx So how come you are able to get quotes from other insurers to be able to say you are leaving? Most places won't touch anywhere with past subsidence claim with a bargepole so far as I can see :( Sorry for odd formatting am on phone!

*Bob* Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > These places are just like everywhere else. If you > don't ask, you don't get. xxxxxx My case was somewhat different. They knew I couldn't get insurance elsewhere because of the history of "subsidence", albeit from 13 years ago. So they had me over a barrel and didn't in the least have to reduce my premium. In fact I wouldn't have been surprised if it had been increased, and I would have had no option but to pay it ....... Or else be uninsured, which frankly would not be a great plan :)

Amazing good news! I realise I am the only one interested :)) but hey I have to share .... After several long conversations yesterday and today with my existing insurer (the person concerned was extremely helpful and went well beyond the call of duty), and apparently a referral to the Chief Executive, I have been issued with a new policy as "new business" with the present underwriter, with better cover, and for ?446 instead of ?732 :) Which normally I wouldn't have been eligible for because of what they are now saying was a "subsidence" claim in 2001. So polite persistence pays off, I guess. Having kept a note of the conversation I had with them last year, and the person's name, helped I think. So I have saved nearly ?300 a year. Hooray! Must resist the temptation to rush out and buy something :))

henryb Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I can take a while. You should have midge larva at > least. Does it have oxygenator plants in it? xxxxxx Yes, I get them from The Goldfish Bowl in Oxford when I'm in Oxford. Can't remember what kind they were, but they were OK for outdoor ponds. But I did also have a solar-powered fountain to help with oxygenation. Sadly late last Summer something (I presume a fox) dragged the floating bit out of the tub, together with the pump, if memory serves, and ate a huge chunk of the floating foam pad! So I think it's probably (bad word meaning ruined). I may be able to get a replacement pad, but I think the pump gets wrecked if it's out of water :( ETA: It's the second one I've had, so I'm not too keen to spend money on another one. The first one, something also removed the pump during the Winter, and unfortunately I didn't notice until Spring.

louisemurray you're a star. I will PM you! I'm slightly worried there might be something wrong with the water in my tub, as although it's not stagnant there doesn't seem to be anything at all living in it at the moment, ie no little pond creatures that I can see. Is that normal for this time of year? I wouldn't have thought so. I have had builders next door who have showered sawdust all over the garden, and I wonder if anything could have got into my tub? The mirror thread person has PMed me to tell me that I am a busybody with too much time on my hands. This for politely suggesting that the purchaser of a garden mirror should site it carefully to avoid stunning or killing birds. Charming. ETA: Oh, I see she's called me a "stalker" (???) and a busybody on her thread, as well.

oops posted in error sorry

Laddy Muck Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You are right re. mirrors, Sue...sadly the little > birdies tend to fly into glass too - so I try not > to clean my windows during the breeding season. > > Anyway, "my" newts are bonking like mad > again...rabbits appear celibate by comparison! :)) xxxxxxx I've heard if you put stickers on glass windows it deters the birds. Especially if they're in the shape of a bird of prey silhouette! Good news about "your" newts. My tub has had no frog visits this Spring :( So no spawn, and no tadpoles :(

Somebody is selling a garden mirror on here. I posted (politely) advice from the RSPB about the dangers of garden mirrors to birds - who obviously don't realise they are mirrors and fly into them - and my post has been removed. Great. ETA: Just noticed that in fact the original thread with my posts on is still there, but the seller has started a new one. So apologies to admin for my thinking that it was admin who didn't care about birds, and bad thoughts about the mirror seller :(

http://www.ifood.tv/network/fox_meat

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Yes- it is not good when they send their kids to > your school for a couple of weeks and then clear > off. The ones I have experienced are put in > classes according to their age and are below the > reading age and deficient in Maths and become > disruptive since they/their parents do not care > about their education- and they have a detrimental > effect on the other students- but equal opps and > all that bleeding heart liberal bs.... xxxxxx Oh, how very charming. I'd rather be a "bleeding heart liberal", as you put it, than be like you :(

Underhill Road or East Dulwich Road???

Oh well, it seems like I am stuck with my present insurer - unless I want to pay for an up-to-date structural engineer's report to say there is no further ongoing movement. But on the bright side it seems that my present premium is reasonable, so not worth the hassle or expense of getting a report, I think. Thanks to everybody who offered advice!

Thanks so much for this, I had no idea you could have acoustic glazing put in old sash windows, I shall contact them immediately!!

ljohnson Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > hi,I saw them too, absolutely disgusting xxxxx Why do you find them disgusting? Rats are very intelligent animals and it's not like these ones are living in your home!

I tried to attract goldfinches with nigella (niger) seed for ages, and in the end gave up. Maybe I'll try again! Not going to encourage dandelions and thistles in my tiny garden, I'm afraid, though may plant some nigella flowers :)

Oddono's - We recently had ice creams at Marine Ices at Chalk Farm, and it made me realise how lucky we are to have Oddono's in ED - much much nicer ice cream, quite a bit cheaper if memory serves, and much better service :) And totally agree with Treeview re ToastEd's salted chocolate tart, if that was the one with the raspberries too - probably the most yummy thing I've eaten this year so far :) Oh, and let's not forget to say Positive and Nice things about Foxy for starting this thread :))