Lynne

I can now say that Miles is the exception. Prompt, polite, punctual. Makes you feel like keeping him secret in case he gets too busy for next time.

I've even had people doing the work and then never sending a bill

Do I hold outdated values, or is it normal for tradesmen not to bother to return calls? I've wasted some time leaving messages with several companies, then giving them a couple of days to respond, but waiting in vain. OK, it's a little job but a call saying "sorry we're busy," would seem to be polite. What's the point of them spending money on advertising if they don't reply to a question? And self interest might suggest to them that I'm unlikely to ever use them if I want a big job done, or to recommend them to anyone else. As this Forum proves, word of mouth is a valuable asset. Finally got someone coming tomorrow, and if all is well, I shall broadcast his praises here.

People hanging about waiting at the Chener Books stop with no sign telling them that there aren't any buses coming from LL.

The snag with hard kitchen floors is that if you drop anything, it breaks, while lino gives a least a chance of it bouncing. This includes hips, in the case of older bones.

An assistant in Sainsbury's told me that the police have (unofficially, I presume) refused to get involved and they have had to demand police action when someone was taking a whole trolley's worth out. So, yes, I think it perfectly possible that one could do all one's shopping at very little,in any, cost.

Teachers work longer hours than we think

I found it dreadful when I had a series of appointments at Lewisham Hospital, as that's too far from the train to be viable.

Back to the wretched 185, what's the best way to Lewisham then? The 484 is entertaining if you just want a bus ride and have nothing else to do for an hour or so

Getting round St. Dunston's on the 185. I once got off and walked past the jam and got on a bus 5 buses ahead of the one I'd left, only a few hundred yards further on.

The person who stole a woman's wallet from her bag while she was handing in several bags of donations on Tuesday can feel even better about themselves.

We found a concrete block when we first dug our garden. It had R I P scratched into the concrete, which was interesting. But there didn't appear to be anything underneath..........

I think there are too many stops, and yes, I can hear all the arguments in favour, but on some stretches, like the two stops between Denmark H Station and the stop by the school, two seems a bit much. And the journey to Lewisham on the 185 makes me want to start chewing my own feet.

I.m completely opposed.

A distressed woman got on the bus last week by the library, rushing back to the bank to cancel her card. I wonder if she'd had the same trouble.

I complained to Royal mail about non-delivery and the pile of mail I saw being sorted on the road.and have had an e-mail saying they're looking into it.

Complained to Royal Maul and got an e-mail saying they're looking into it. I did it to make then aware of the problems everyone around here seems to be experiencing

Tried to complain to Royal Mail. "I'm sorry, all our operators are busy" or some such. Website a joke.

Two PO vans and several postmen with the mail in lots of boxes actually being sorted on the road at the junction of Worlingham/Crawthew this morning. The box on the wall stuffed full of mail Then, surprise surprise, we get our first delivery for days with a heap of mail up to a week old. What is happening here?

It's a farce, except it's not funny. The machine doesn't explain the steps, the lady demonstrating who got it to work took longer than it would have done just to do the transaction at the counter The screen of the machine is too low and difficult to read it the low light. The queue was nearly out of the door. All in all, it's a mess.

Got our insurance through Aviva. They wanted a new survey, but even factoring the cost of that in, we saved a great deal compared to our old insurer, who we'd had since we were underpinned.

Thanks, MarkT

Does anyone know when the next Give and take recycling event is on?

How sad. Was she the lady who owned the lovely house and garden on the corner of Crawthew Grove - I know she moved to Shropshire?