Sue

silverfox Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Why doesn't the EDF make a charge for advertising > in the For sale and Wanted sections? surely the > days of providing this service gratis are over? > xxxxxx Probably because a lot of people would just turn to Gumtree, where the last time I advertised something it was free. Or Freecycle for things they were giving away. I prefer to use the forum because I see it as a local community thing, but if I had to pay to advertise something I was selling for a tenner, I wouldn't.

Huguenot II Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > How about me - ?4,800.00 in February 1970. > I think I must be older than Sue though.!!! xxxxxxx I actually bought my first flat around 1970, but it was with my then husband, and in Dundee. I think it cost around ?1000 or something :)) Top floor of a tenement block. We then got a council grant to get a bathroom put in, and a new kitchen. Oh those were the days ...... When we split up he stayed there and I bought the ?650 flat mentioned above. Which was subsequently compulsorily purchased by the council and combined with the flat next door, however by that time I had moved back to London. How old are you then H II?

Yes that's the correct Kids Company. My partner is about to start doing some voluntary work with them.

bonniebird Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- every coat/bag I own has poo bags in > the pockets xxxxxx Too much information, bonniebird :))

:)-D

lindylou Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- >Much of todays problems seem to come > from complete avarice. xxxxxx Lindylou I completely agree, and thanks for your posts.

Great idea skyblue, but sounds like it could be a logistical/administrative nightmare ......

I bought my house off North Cross Road for ?87,000 in 1991, eat your hearts out :)) Sorry couldn't resist it, but hey at least you're probably not as old as me! (Bought my first flat for ?650 (sic) in Dundee around 1976, with a bank loan. It had no bathroom and the bog was shared with the flat next door).

Thanks Lousmith, that's all very helpful. If it's as cold as this tomorrow though I'm not sure I fancy being outside digging a hole!!! How long do you think I have before the frogspawn hatches? (not sure if hatches is the right word, but you know what I mean!)

lousmith Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Sue > I would normally agree about transferring spawn, > though as you don't have an ecosystem established > to potentially upset I wouldn't worry. If the > spawn was impaired in any way it simply won't > develop. I have never witnessed any of the > dreadful viral infections that some colonies of > frogs are prone to in this area. I think > increasing the distribution of breeding > populations in cities is a good thing. I would say > leave 'wild' populations alone, though generations > of tadpole crazy youngsters did nothing to dent > numbers really. Nearly all ponds are in fact > man-made except in boggy, marshy places, so we > have a long history of helping frogs breed. > A pile of stones is a good way to go (or use > bricks or old broken concrete slabs for stability > under the surface and nice rocks above).You can > run across the edge of the tub with them onto the > land to landscape the edge. Frogs love to hide in > the damp crevices. I've got a few pieces of york > stone you could have which is ideal and get > colonised with moss and algae pretty quickly. Was > it you who had concerns about sun? Ideally a pond > should be in full sun at least for a good part of > the day, with aquatic plants providing the shade > essential to keep water temperature down during > summer, Oxygen levels go down when temp goes up, > but most pond plants don't thrive in shady > conditions. > Lou. xxxxxxxx That's all really useful, thanks so much. I'll get back to you once I've actually got the tub sunk in the garden - hopefully soon :) The other problem I have is that I don't have a rainwater butt (I know I know but no room) so I will have to use tap water, which is apparently another nono because of the chlorine?

lousmith Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi Sue, got a surplus of frogspawn if you want to > start your frog nursery this year. I'm just on > Barry, near st Anthony's > As with any sort of tub pond it is important to > make some kind of easy egress point for froglets ( > or hapless small mammals } that need to get out to > prevent drowning as the sides are usually smooth > and slippery. xxxxxxx Hey, that's really kind. But I've heard you shouldn't transfer spawn, but just wait for your pond to be colonised? Will check it out again and get back to you - I'm planning on installing my mini-pond this weekend, weather permitting (and hangover permitting after my Goose gig tonight :)) ). Though hoping I can dig down two feet before hitting air raid shelter rubble!!! I'm not sure what to do about the exit point for mammals. Apparently there's no point putting a ladder going from the middle of the tub as mammals go round the edges only, looking for a way out. I have read that chicken wire around the edges will help them climb out, but I'm a bit worried they may get caught up in it. What have other people done? Would a pile of stones in one corner (as it were) of the tub work?

I get lots of sparrows in my garden (North Cross Road area). I'll happily swap them for your goldfinches :)

Not sure if this counts as nature, but some beautiful Camellias out at the moment and others about to burst. Lovely pale pink one at the ED end of Oglander Road.

Excellent! I just looked up the route, and now have a memory of having tried it once when I was working in a different part of Islington, and it was a nightmare because all the bus stops were moved because of road works or something, plus the walk home from the Rye seemed like hours, so I never tried it again!

So did you get the 63?!

Ann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > > Anyone out there who give recommendations on > saving valuable data? xxxxxxx So sorry to hear about the burglary, and hope you are not too traumatised. Check out Carbonite For less than a pound a week all your data, photos, music etc will be automatically backed up and you don't have to remember to transfer it to an external hard drive (or hope that the external hard drive will not die). I once somehow permanently deleted a load of stuff by mistake and was so glad I had it backed up. And of course if your laptop is stolen again (heaven forfend) or if you change your laptop, you will be able to get all your data back with no problem.

I would not personally buy chicken which was not free range. However I'm a bit tired of people appearing to have a go at people without much money who shop in Iceland.

gedwina Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi All > > Interesting reading, I was wondering if anybody > had any ideas on a small nature pond? Our back > garden is tiny but I would love to have a tiny > pond, I think it would have to be raised as the > main part of the garden is paved. > xxxxxxxx There are various internet sites advising on small wildlife ponds in raised tubs etc - if you google something like "wildlife pond tub" it should come up. If I get a minute I'll see if I can find anything. I was looking last night, but I'm a bit pushed for time at the moment (shouldn't be writing this :)) ) My tub is 60cm in diameter and 60cm deep, but I'm hoping to sink it into a corner of my garden. Hope there will be enough sun.

The Minkey Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Sue - where are you based? xxxxxxx Off North Cross Road, so maybe not near enough to woods or parks for goldfinches :-S Hoping to get some frogs though as have just got a tub from a forum member to make a tiny pond with!

eucalyptus Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- I definitely support M&S > or Waitrose moving in - preferably taking over > from Iceland - their chicken is far too cheap xxxxxxx I guess you're not on a pension or benefits then, eucalyptus. Not everybody can afford to buy organic free range, even if they would prefer to.

You can sign up for a regular email from these people which will tell you the actual selling prices of properties recently sold in your area: www.ourproperty.co.uk Latest email below Hi Sue, I thought you might like to know that the site has been updated with this month's Land Registry and Registers of Scotland data. This month's OurProperty.co.uk email is sponsored by L&C: Sales recently added within 500m of (my postcode) Edit location 60 Crawthew Grove ?515,000 London, SE22 9AB 21st January 2011 3 Lytcott Grove ?285,000 London, SE22 8QX 17th January 2011 136c Lordship Lane ?325,000 London, SE22 8HD 14th January 2011 68 Melbourne Grove ?785,000 London, SE22 8QY 14th January 2011 22 Goodrich Road ?575,000 London, SE22 9EQ 14th January 2011 64 Crawthew Grove ?540,000 London, SE22 9AB 14th January 2011 6 Lacon Road ?576,500 London, SE22 9HE 14th January 2011 Ground Floor Flat, 115 Barry Road ?250,000 London, SE22 0HW 12th January 2011 180b Underhill Road ?170,000 London, SE22 0QH 11th January 2011 Flat 18, Halliwell Court Barry Road ?125,000 London, SE22 0HS 5th January 2011 You can search all these sales totally free of charge by going to OurProperty.co.uk. By default, every month we will notify you of new sales within 500 metres of your home postcode, but you can also watch up to 10 further areas of your choice. To do so, simply visit your custom alerts page and log in.

ianr Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I killed my first airborne house moth of the year > yesterday. And today saw, I'm fairly certain, my > first goldfinch, perching companionably just a > couple of shooots along from a brightly billed > blackbird. xxxxxxx I have seen three (what looked like clothes) moths in the last few weeks, grrrrrrr, after all my efforts at eradication last year, and I wasn't quick enough to kill any of them before they disappeared down holes etc (don't ask). It's a weekly check of all clothes and hangings in the house from now on :)) I am mightily jealous re the goldfinch, all my efforts at attracting them have either failed dismally or else I have just not been looking out of the window at the right time ..... though the niger seed does not seem to have been eaten at all so I guess it's the failed dismally explanation ..... ETA: But a blackbird has been giving me great joy singing its heart out in the morning and evening either in my garden or somewhere very near it :)

elderflower Wrote: --Given the spate of muggings/burglery that > are constantly being reported on this very forum > (and the odd murder) then I think it is fair to > say that east dulwich is a bit rough and people > being shocked by this is a bit old and silly. > xxxxxxx "A bit rough"? Oh for goodness sake, this is London. Muggings, burglaries and murders happen everywhere. It's just that not every area has a forum where they are constantly being brought to residents' attention.

I used to work in Islington and after trying loads of routes (I live off North Cross Road) found the least hassle was a 185 to Vauxhall and then the Victoria line to Highbury and Islington, or alternatively a 40 or 176 to the Elephant and then the Northern Line to the Angel and then walk or bus (I was based at the far end of Upper Street). I tended to get whatever bus came first. The 185 option was quickest, but not if I had to wait for ages for the bus! Never tried the 63 option but I don't live near the 63 route. Good luck. If I had a meeting I absolutely had to be on time for, I used to allow two hours to be on the safe side :-S

That's weird, Minder, because I found a bee on my pillow on Friday (I think), which appeared to be totally comatose, though it wasn't dead. I put it out of the window and it just plummeted to the ground. It couldn't have come in the window because it was closed, so I don't know what's going on either! But I also saw what looked like a queen wasp yesterday looking for a way into my neighbour's roof. When it couldn't find one it flew across to mine, so no doubt I now have yet another wasp's nest about to be built in my loft :-S