Saffron

Silly typo- The film is genuinely funny though!! :-D

Mr Blandness Builds His Dream House Gas Light Wait Until Dark Ma Vie en Rose La Hain Dark Crystal Ghost in the Shell Tank Girl Solaris Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil (though the book is better, deffo worth a read)

Not quite as pronounced, but my 6.5yo is very similar. The worst part is that when DH is tired they wind each other up, and it ends in tears and shouting. I think it gets worse prior to a developmental leap, then easier again for a while. But honestly we've been struggling in vain for while, so this better be a really flippin' big leap. I've got no advice on where to go for help, but I just wanted to offer sympathy. xx

A gentle giant! xx

On Sunday we went to Wavelengths Deptford. For a pool that just had a renovation a couple years ago, some parts were not in a great condition, particularly the lockers and poolside changing. But, the water was clean and not cold. There are two big slides for older children and a small slide for younger children. There are also waves and a bubble fountain. During wave session, the parent-child ratio is very low. BeSt to call if you're uncertain. Their website is notoriously incomplete. You need to bring your own floats etc. There's also a cafe, and soft play. xx

I searched a few old threads but none were definitive, plus a lot of the pool info was out of date due to renovations etc. Great idea to start a new one. Curious to see what gets added! :)

Bone marrow possibly could be shipped to the UK, but this would risk the sample becoming degraded or contaminated in the process, which significantly increases the risk that the process will fail or lead to serious side effects. xx

Nevermind terrible 2s, or traumatic 3s... We now have the stroppy 6s with Little Saff. Everything is a drama. There are screaming fit of tears at the drop of a hat. Her teacher says she's one of the most popular children in class, but she comes home wailing that nobody plays with her?! At home, 'Please' and 'Thank you' have apparently gone on permanent holiday, and there doesn't seem to be any indication when they'll return. Listening skills have fallen to an all time low. Do I have to wait until she's 16 to take up my statutory place in a sanitorium, or can I self-refer for early entry? I asked Hubbie if we could take her to the recycling centre to trade her in for a different model, but he said due to cutbacks, they're no longer accepting kids. Mothers of strong willed daughters, tell me it's going to be alright!

Wavelengths in Deptford.

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Is that legal (filming people without their > consent and posting it online)? Generally yes, afaik. However, it depends on the circumstances. If the person can be said to have a reasonable expectation of privacy (such as in their own home), then no, it is not legal. If the material is used for commercial purposes without consent, that is also not legal. Still a weird and unneighbourly thing to do though, even if it's legal. :-/

I love Toni & Guy for really amazing cuts and colour, but they are rather expensive. He could get a free cut from the Toni & Guy Academy. How long is his hair? He might be able to donate it for children's wigs (Little Princess Trust, or similar). They usually require 10 to 12 inches braided. xx

People do use the park, also surrounded by diesel fumes... we should be doing more about the pollution, so that it doesn't spoil enjoyment of our current and future outdoor spaces all year round. xx

Have you thought about having an au pair? You could also ask if anyone at the nursery would be interested in picking up extra hours. Some nursery workers do wrap-around childcare. It depends on their shifts etc. xx

That means they're fairly healthy then. Hopefully that also means they're growing quickly and might be easier to move on sooner rather than later!

Congrats, and how lovely to have all the children coming. :) I recommend the Bedlam Bunch, who are organised by Ros Parker. http://thebedlambunch.co.uk/ We have had characters from the Bedlam Bunch at school events and my daughter's birthday party. I've also seen them working together in their group format at festivals, and the children are really enchanted by their work. With two or more entertainers working together, it's easier to accommodate the different ages. You can also customise your entertainment package to include creative activities. Good luck, and have fun! xx

Agreed, depending on the age of the cubs, it might be difficult to convince them to re-den. However, have a look at the webpages for The Fox Project: http://foxproject.org.uk/deterrence/ In the meantime, have you tried diatomaceous earth for the fleas? I'm not sure where to buy it locally, since I haven't used any in a while. You can definitely buy it online. It's safe to use around children and pets, and it's easy to apply to lawns and garden beds. I've used it really successfully in the past. Worth a go? xx

There may be some recent ammendments, but there's basic fairly current info here on EU regs: http://www.justasoap.co.uk/blog/selling-your-products/

Chief Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Provence? I'm tempted. We're looking at moving out of London completely. We'll never buy anywhere in London, and the rent is killing any ability genuinely to save to for the future. Such a shame. It'll probably be SW home counties for us, since University of Hawaii isn't currently hiring in my field!

No worries, I had the same panic earlier this morning! I hope St Ds is fun. I've no personal experience with them, but it looks nice and is reasonably priced. And (more?) importantly, the hours are good. I had to pass on several interesting camps that were only doing half days, which is no good for us, or were a little bit more than I can afford atm. Air Craft Circus youth camps look like fun but are more expensive. I might look into this in the future though, because Air Craft seem like great group. My daughter adored their interactive activities at a festival last year. The staff were so deeply engaged and supportive of every child. http://aircraftcircus.com/ If anyone knows of a good summer session for dance/drama/singing, I'd love to hear more. So far all the theatre and music workshops I've seen didn't really fit the bill for us because they were too short. xx

Not local, but it might also be worth looking at what Imperial College has on offer. I think they have all-day science camps starting in August. My daughter did the Christmas camp last December. It's not cheap, but it was totally amazing. It was well worth the money and the experience, even if you only do it as a one-off. Imperial is actually pretty easy to get to on public transport. Camps and classes for children are booked through Richer Education. I found their staff to be lovely. http://www.richereducation.co.uk/

I've just booked my 6 yo at St Dunstans for the May half-term camp. More stuff here: https://www.familiesonline.co.uk/locations/london-south-east/things-to-do/activities-clubs-and-classes/school-holiday-playschemes-workshops-and-daycamps-se-london

English case law does appear to support non-written contracts as enforceable where acceptance has been given, in this case money. I'm not saying I concur, simply that this may be the premise under which the police initially turn away such complaints. I think this is clearly criminal behaviour on many counts, but it may take strenuous complaints to get police action. I think don't even engage these criminals in any way, even if they are on your property. Phone the police and report it as a crime in progress. Of course it's very easy to be caught off one's guard, and easy to look back and say things could have been done differently. So, all-in-all it's good to hear that you weren't physically hurt S. Hopefully the police will take this seriously if you persist. xx

Thanks redjam, that looks very useful, and the proximity of the playground to the road would hopefully give the applicant a really strong case!

first mate Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Doesn't this constitute some sort of trespass and > criminal damage to property? Signalto that is > awful, I feel very sorry for you. I think once any money has been exchanged, then it's considered an informal contract. Police refer people to Trading Standards. However, perhaps if enough people continue to report it to the police, a better criminal case can be built? I agree that it should be considered trespass and criminal damage. Imagine if you climbed up on the roof of Parliament and removed the gutters, then demanded money?! Hmmm, actually with a fluorescent vest, a clipboard, and a ream of meaningless paperwork, you could probably make an expenses claim... :-/

The play park gates in Ladywell Fields are self-closing. Look at the design next time you fancy a trip to Ladywell. Perhaps the gates can be replaced with similar, though you'd likely have to fundraise for it. xx