Sue

What a terrible shock for all of you, but how lovely to have some good news on here in a thread about an accident!

I used to work at Dulwich Hospital many moons ago, and I sometimes saw Great Spotted Woodpeckers from my office window, which was at the back and overlooked the wild ground by the railway. Well, only one at a time, so maybe it was always the same one :)

The wind may have been re-distributing litter, civilservant, but there is still noticeably more of the litter after the bins/recycling have been collected, wind or no wind. In my road, anyway! As far as litter after the North Cross Road market is concerned, I know there are already a few litter bins in that road but I think there should be more. I don't know how often they are emptied, but sometimes I have seen them overflowing. Of course people shouldn't just drop litter, but I guess for some the temptation is just too great if there's nowhere immediately obvious to put it.

ianr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I've spotted the occasional early house moth in > the last week or two. xxxxxx Sadly so have I. Keeping a close eye and making sure my stocks of moth repellant/killer are plentiful! Don't know where they've come from as thought I had solved my moth problem!

woodland Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > They are parakeets. xxxxx Parakeets don't have red tufts on their heads - not the ones we get round here, anyway :)) Green woodpecker: http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/Images/uploads/Content/Birds/GreenWoodpecker.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.arkwildlife.co.uk/Information/54/Green_Woodpecker-C-_Identification-C-_Habitat_and_Food.html&h=635&w=400&sz=21&tbnid=pVjh7bsyR-W5YM:&tbnh=102&tbnw=64&zoom=1&usg=__5aBclCI7jWn8XONRNtVPSwsFMF4=&docid=2BlFzcdSJRp-nM&sa=X&ei=y0RkUYblLISX1AWKo4CAAg&ved=0CDcQ9QEwAQ&dur=1796 Green parakeet (I think this is the right one?): http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.free-pet-wallpapers.com/free-pet-wallpapers/free-pet-desktop-backgrounds/554152970.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.free-pet-wallpapers.com/Birds-pet-wallpapers/Parrot-birds/Aratinga-holochlora-green-Parakeet.html&h=1003&w=1254&sz=192&tbnid=ipzogWpf_rv3-M:&tbnh=93&tbnw=116&zoom=1&usg=__DuI0Gy7jb0wUYuwwKid9SQDMLXg=&docid=KHYxS-jAnaJtXM&sa=X&ei=_0RkUcWHCeWa0QWhwYAY&ved=0CD0Q9QEwAw&dur=1749 Also see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Green_Woodpecker and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingston_parakeets

KidKruger Wrote: - > One day my Dad, when emptying my pockets for > laundering my trousers and coat, found acres of > sweet wrappers xxxxxx You must have had extremely deep pockets, KK!! Sorry to hear of your traumatic experience though.

I expect other people have received a letter from councillor Rosie Shimell asking for views about the local dirty streets and the cut-back in street sweeping from fortnightly to monthly. I've just replied on the following lines, and I'd be interested to know what other people think. I live on Ulverscroft Road, and I think that the litter problem is not so much to do with the reduced frequency of street sweeping (which I was not aware had been changed as long ago as 2010) as to do with the bin men (and they are all men so far as I can see) dropping litter. I may be wrong but my perception is that after the rubbish has been collected there is a lot more litter lying about. A little time spent by the refuse collectors (or whatever their official title is) in picking up what they have dropped would surely be more cost-effective for the council than changing street sweeping back from monthly to fortnightly. The council could also consider a campaign asking people a) not to drop litter (good luck with that) and b) to keep the pavement and road outside their own home clear of litter, even if they have not dropped it themselves. The council could also provide extra litter bins. If I pick up litter elsewhere than outside my own house, I may not want to cart it all the way home, but I also feel embarrassed putting it into somebody else's green bin.

Ann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > On another subject is anyone else disappointed > with the (lack of) daffodils on Goose Green this > year? > > We know we've had a harsh winter but the daffodils > in other public places seem to have survived; you > can count the blooms on Goose Green! xxxxxx I haven't seen them yet but it's possible they're a later-blooming variety, or else there is some other reason why the ones on Goose Green are flowering later. I doubt very much whether the weather would affect daffodils so much that they wouldn't flower at all. Some of mine are only coming into flower very gradually, with only a bloom or two as yet and mostly still buds. ETA: After much googling (mine not the frog's), it seems that the frog in my tub is hibernating. I never knew that some types of frog hibernate under water. So much for my creating cosy potential hibernation places at the back of my garden. I just hope I haven't caused him to expend too much energy in having to re-hibernate :( I can see him spread-eagled at the bottom of the tub, now I know he's there (apparently he will be a he and not a she). He looks very dead but apparently that is indeed how hibernating frogs look. If the water starts going manky I will know I have killed him and he's decomposing :( so let's hope it doesn't. Good news about the woodpeckers! Lovely to hear a blackbird singing again at the end of the day, despite the cold.

Huguenot Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Interesting one Alex K / nashoi :) > > 'They' to denote a singular individual of > indeterminate gender has been in use for at least > 500 years. > > I continually catch myself on it because I'm > unsure whether I'll be understood. So sometimes > it's s/he and sometimes just 'they'. > > Good quote from Shakey: Arise; one knocks. / ... / > Hark, how they knock! ? Romeo and Juliet > > Popular usage would signify it's acceptable, and > I'd we can accept 'thou' (singular) being replaced > by 'you' (plural) then we'd have to accept 'their' > referring to the possessions of an individual of > indeterminate gender. > > So I think Sue clears it on that one! xxxxx I think "their" is far less clumsy than "his or her" in the sentence I used - but really, does it matter? I assume that everybody knew what I meant :) Which was exactly the point I was making ...... :)

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Think we need something more practical like a > Greggs or BK. xxxxxx There's a Greggs-like baker just over the road already ..... ETA: Sorry to take the bait :)

That was worth venturing into the drawing room for!

Thanks all. Fascinating thread!

Ta. I won't enter into a discussion of relative merits! As promised I will leave your thread :)

Thanks Oh dear that's bad about the wait and lack of heat. I think they do do mostly delivery because as you say they are a bit off the beaten track. Interested to know where you prefer the food? All a matter of personal taste and who is cooking, I know. Plus unfairly if you have one or two bad or so so experiences you tend not to go back. When I say you I am talking generally, obviously! Then I will leave the thread and never darken its doors again (probably) :)

Sorry to gatecrash your thread, but wondering what you all thought of Swadesh, because I (mostly ) like Swadesh but it's often almost empty ...

What a brilliant video! Love the sound effects! My poor solitary (Ithink) froggy is really missing out on the fun :(

Collins New Lovelies! Brilliant!

The new Clock House menu seems very very similar to the new menu at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. In fact the Sunday menu at least looks identical. Which bodes well because we had a lovely roast dinner - beef - at the Cutty Sark a few weekends ago (apart from the "honey roast" beetroot which appeared to have been boiled and not roasted ....) Haven't been to the Clock House yet since the refurb, but liked the Cutty Sark refurb. Of course that has a major advantage over the Clock House because it's on the river :) Did I dream it, or wasn't there supposed to be a Scandinavian influence somewhere in the Clock House food? Can't see it, but maybe I just have a stereotyped idea of Scandinavian food as being mostly herring .... Edited for typo.

rbarber1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > This photo can also be found on the Mary Evans > Picture Library. The lady is called Cissie and the > photo was taken in 1910. xxxxx Do you have a link to that? That's really interesting :)

Do you have any from London music halls eg Vauxhall?

Yes, there is a pile of bricks :)

computedshorty Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > At break time had to drink our milk through a > waxed straw, > a third of a pint of cool milk, was the rule of > the Health law > From a little glass milk bottle with a very wide > necked top, > a lid was made of a waxed inserted disc, pushed in > to pop. xxxxxxx At our school in Winter you could also have warm milk ie said little glass bottles shoved in a sink of hot water :) Also two whole biscuits for a (old) penny or a load of broken biscuits for a penny :) God, how did I get so old that my childhood is history? AAAARRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHH.

Louisa Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- Ie written a short email to TfL and > am awaiting a response as I couldn't find anything > on their website regarding the application and use > of potentially toxic materials. > xxxxxxxxx :)) :)) :))

I'd be interested in buying one, depending on the price! Had you thought of just advertising them on here? Or asking one of the stalls on North Cross Road on a Saturday whether they'd display some for you?

grumpyoldman Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I am sorry to say, but it appears that the > standard of education on this site is going down > hill rapidly. > We have people who represent us as elected members > who are unable to spell or use a spell check > before posting. > > Can forgive grammar but spelling even as a > dyslexic is unforgivable. > > Can we at least get a proper standard of education > on here? xxxxxxx WTF? You are indeed living up to your forum name. If somebody can communicate reasonably effectively, what does it matter whether their spelling and grammar meet your stringent standards or not?