civilservant

I agree - a primary school prom is an especially weird idea. Dressing "formally" at age 11? Whose idea? Where are they the new 'thing' in town? Seems like a classic example of the creeping ITV-isation of popular culture. I wouldn't want my daughter at a school that supported this kind of thing

Annette Curtain Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > We did suffer with mice here (before he came) > though not any longer. In all, he's just doing > "cat-stuff" and loving it. We too had a mouse problem until our pup arrived. In fact, he's rubbish at chasing mice (I saw him watch a mouse scamper across the room in front of him, while he gazed at it with mild interest) but THEY don't know that and stay away... > And for those 'pussys' that do break the rules, > i've got a GIANT PUMP ACTION WATER PISTOL You tell them, Nette!

DJKillaQueen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > A: Cats bury their crap. > > B: Most cats are pretty useless at catching birds > and squirrels have never been the natural prey of > cats. A: Maybe the cats that crapped in my garden could be trained by a crap-burier cat? Oh, I forgot... cats can't be trained As for B; having watched a pair of cats savage a baby squirrel in my garden, which was then left to die, and having had to deal with bird carcasses before my small daughter saw them, I can be excused for being very sceptical about this claim I'm generally inclined to make excuses for animals behaving 'badly', but cats test my patience, as do people making excuses for them.

DJKillaQueen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > You seem to think cats and dogs are the same. They > are not. No indeed. A handy guide for the perplexed below: Dog: dog craps in street and owner fails to clean up, this forum hears about it before the night is out Cat: cat craps in someone else's garden/street/etc - owner supports cat's freedom to dump anywhere Dog: dog attacks squirrel - this becomes headline news on this forum, eliciting cries of 'tsk tsk' and 'barbarians' Cat: cat kills defenceless squirrels and small birds - owner supports cat's freedom to 'be itself' Since our neighbouring cats moved away, we've had a (very welcome) population explosion of squirrels and small birds. So if any cats visit my garden, they will have to discuss their right to roam freely there with me or my dog.

What SJ said I originally wrote in support of LC against what I thought was some rather silly criticism. But of course the gag means that you can't check that out any more... And I won't be going out of my way to sample their wares any time soon.

having rammed white hat on head and waded into the fray all guns blazing, now see that fellow Forumites have been quietly toiling all night long to support the Forum's right to free speech and to diss those who would not be dissed http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?20,915483,page=1

Siduhe, thank you for the link. I hadn't seen it as I rarely venture into the About this Forum section. Very interesting to see the names of the only two (or is it three, Admin?) businesses which wanted their names to be made off-limits.

I've recently been involved in a discussion on this Forum about a certain cafe on LL. There was an exchange of views, in which some forumites reported their personal experience of eating there or working there. I now find that the relevant thread has been deleted, never to be seen again. But at the same time, I see very critical posts about other ED businesses, many of which I would recommend on this forum. These posts are also based on reported personal experience. But they are allowed to remain. Could anyone, possibly even an Administrator, explain - preferably in words of three syllables or less - what we can and what we can't discuss on this forum?

I'd go with all the excellent advice on here already - but I've never learned to manage tights, even at my advanced age! Anyway they grow out of tights at a rate of knots. I suggest that when the weather gets too cold for a skirt, you put her in trousers. There are some decent styles for girls available on-line at M&S and Next. Or do what the trendy set at my daughter's school do, which is wear leggings under their skirts, with socks.

Mnh, thank you for the planting distance table. I'm intrigued by the idea of apple trees in planters along the street. A nice idea, but sustainable? Given the need for constant vigilance to keep planters watered, and since the safe planting distance for a small apple tree is less than 5m - and also in light of this report http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/18612661 - wouldn't it make more sense for the trees to be planted along the pavement, in the ground, by the Council?

cheese and crackers eaten standing up in the kitchen

thanks, all - very enlightening!

a warning - my daughter went through the obligatory pink phase at the time that we re-decorated our house and so her room was painted a pale pretty pink (Farrow & Ball no less) she has now outgrown the pink phase and shows signs of goth-ish leanings, although not yet 9 needless to say, the pink bedroom is no longer in favour, but it's going to be a while before we can afford to redecorate!

has anyone actually confirmed that the contents of these bottles are what they are rumoured to be? OTH, if it's supposed to be conceptual art, it's been done before http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist%27s_Shit

I think I understand - so do they share a single street door which leads into the shared hall? Or are these the houses with two narrow front doors side by side, in an entrance where one might expect to find a single (albeit quite wide) street door? I ask because my Googling has brought up precious little info on the subject

aah, that's better I'm not bothered as long as the holes in the bread aren't endangering small furry warm-blooded creatures

I've often wondered how a half house differed from a semi-detached house. Are they split in two vertically i.e. like a semi, or horizontally i.e. like a layer cake?

Nice try, Nette But what happened to the rabbit's EARS? ::o

Annette! Please! Desist! This is the stuff of bread-based nightmares! (and I actually dislike cats!)

Tree surgeons and sycamores already dealt with here - http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?30,894040,900462#msg-900462 I would recommend Hamish. The council is not interested unless your tree is the subject of a TPO (or Tree Preservation Order to the un-initiated). But as it is a despised sycamore, it is unlikely to be honoured with a TPO. Since I'm in the mood to be expansive - here's the Woodland Trust on sycamores - http://www.naturescalendar.org.uk/wildlife/factfiles/trees/sycamore.htm They have one or two good things to say about them. And here is a nice picture of a finch eating a sycamore seed. http://www.uk-wildlife.co.uk/greenfinch-eating-sycamore-seed-redwing-and-fieldfare/ So not really to be despised after all.

We inherited four large sycamores when we moved into our house. We now have two, one of which is less than 10 feet from the house, while the other is about 40 feet away. We plan to keep these, because they provide shade, screening from road/neighbours and are also very attractive to garden wildlife, especially squirrels and birds. However, we don't want any more, as they've been expensive to manage (getting rid of two and keeping the others trimmed regularly so they don't drip sap everywhere. So we keep a vigilant eye out for the seedlings - the squirrels help by eating most of the seeds, and any seedlings that manage to escape them and germinate aren't really that difficult to catch and pull out early on, are they? One of the things that I like most about SE London is the amount of greenery, especially large trees, in residential areas, not just the parks. Sycamores need a lot less space and care than oaks, elms etc, so are a reasonably good compromise if you want a tree.

I agree! You did the right thing. If people challenged this kind of thing more often, then litter louts might feel less able to talk back, threaten etc. Race etc has nothing to do with it - I've seen all sorts drop litter, if they feel they can get away with it. e.g. young woman on the Tube finishes can of Coke and choccie bar - presumably her breakfast - and leaves can and wrapper on the seat when she gets up. I point out her litter, she replies "I am not a cleaner" and flounces off...

An additional vote for Battersea Park zoo, especially for tiny children (under 5). Alternatively, try Vauxhall City Farm, which is just around the corner from Vauxhall station.

Totally agree too

Example of lack of unmet demand - last weekend when we went to the Ritzy to see MIB3, we were the only people in the (main) cinema. That is, until the lights went down and a lone bloke came in and sat RIGHT IN FRONT OF the smallest member of our party. But that, as they say, is a whole other thread.