Huggers

The books are totally brill and I'm thinking maybe the telly might pull this one off in terms of complexity and atmosphere as long as the final episode does the biz in enlightenment wow factor. The books are chronological so everything unfolds and reveals itself bit by baffling bit- whereas this adaptation is putting the first last, I think. I really recommend the books- they are unputdownable and mesmerisingly written.

'Testament of Youth', Vera Brittain's account of being a wartime nurse during the Great War centres mainly on Kings College Hospital so Nunhead would be the nearest cemetery I think for those who didnt make it.

Homeopathy worked on my dog and he was sceptic. Oh no, sorry he was septic.

I went to one of the meetings re the tram. As far as I remember, the artists thing was quite a peripheral issue, the main one being the destruction of a fairly newly built large housing estate behind Rye Lane- the one that is built with 'closes' a bit brookside-like- where the trams would be stored . I think maybe there's a difference between 'terminus' (thriving station like interchange thing bringing life to Peckham which everyone would love) and depot (big garage physically removing big part of town centre, think roads behind kings cross,possibly a bit wastelandish). There was no voting at this meeting and I personally never heard another thing about it. If the government really wants to do something they are not going to be stopped by a group of artists- look at Heathrow's planned runway and what they are prepared to run roughshod over to get that done. I expect lack of funding is behind it, after all its the whole tram system that s in doubt, not where to put the depot. Having said that, Peckham was saved from channel rail link destruction and that was a very good thing.

BBC Breaking News-The Wire is to be shown on BBC2. whooo hooo!

Bayberry was understocked and overpriced.

The school stopped being selective a few years ago so it now has the same mix of kids that other schools have- that doesnt mean it's going downhill-but it will be dealing with some challenging behaviour that would have been weeded out through the selection process in the past.How it does that and whether it will maintain its high teaching standards for all its pupils will be the measure of how successful it is.

Oh yes you're right BB, they can't use the gym. But I think its two quid a guest for the pool/tennis etc if you are under...?can't remember!

Can I also add that all my daughter's friends from primary seem to be having positive and happy experiences of their different and various secondary schools too, in and out of the borough. So much of the school thing is just hype for the parents and what really counts is how your child experiences a school.

Mamma Mia, they do operate a guest system if the guest pays for their visit.

Yes this anti-bully policy of getting bullies to be confronted by their victims seems to be implemented in a lot of schools and sounds really idiotic. Unfortunately all schools have incidents of bullying whatever they profess. However my daughter loves Haberdashers - she is in year 7. She finds it stimulating, has made loads of friends and the music is fantastic - she didnt get in on music but gets free piano lessons. She says it is still a noisy school and is not as disruption free as you would imagine and that the idea it is an idyll of academic calm is illusory. But She seems to be working hard though and being given the space and encouragement to do so and is gaining social confidence all the time. she doesnt have special needs, but I think the school's special needs unit is actually autism specialist.

Don't mock Peckham Village. I'm just off to the the darling little local grocers, old Mr Lidl.

I'm a bit suspicious there was no swearing, no 'innits' and actually quite impressive grammar from the young rascals on Poppy's bus. Perhaps those school improvements are having an effect.

Reintroduction of dog licences together with dna hair sample of dog, then -like owners of mis-parked cars- owners of non-poo picking up dog can be tracked and fined. I think this is the best idea I have ever had in my life and will now do nothing for the rest of the day.

thanks to Clazza and her wire-famine rescue mission we are about to embark on series 2.

To break up a fight, douse with water- if you happen to have a bottle on you. To make a staffordshire type bull terrier unlock its jaws, insert stick up its anus. I personally wouldnt like to try this but if your child is trapped in its jaws it's a very useful thing to know.

I found a diamond geezer kind of pub the other day by accident like you do - the Asylum in Asylum Road. Not only is it fantastically both a time warp 1950's in the best sense experience but also is very 'now' in its excellent loos. Darts, proper wallpaper, flowery carpet, brilliant. just imagine saying of your partner 'he's not here, he's in the Asylum'. worth it for that alone.

Andy and Kez, I understand your concern, but random violence can happen anywhere- when I lived in Kensington twenty years ago, right outside my flat was the horrible incident of the police taking out a completely innocent motorist, dragging him from his car and gunning him down, thinking he was an escaped convict. There were armed marksmen, bullets flying all over what was a very main road. The guy nearly died, but luckily didnt. That was Kensington! Remember horrible things happen anywhere- that family murdered randomly in idyllic Kent woods on the way back from swimming. At least we live in one of the warmest most supportive child-friendly communities in London- and I mean ED borders too, as a Peckers lady who has never found such a happy place to live before.

if you meant me Andy, I was just quoting the original posters post,

School playground? you wrote this last night 'I really didn't think arseholes like him could exist beyond chav areas ....Honestly! At this precise moment I am pissing myself with laughter. Especially as that particular barman presented as a physically revolting speciman of humanity- unkempt, smelly, poor diction etc etc etc.'' actually, not just playground but pretty slanderous. and then... ''I really think people need to get off their high horses and actually LIVE COMPASSIONATE AND MEANINGFUL EXISTENCES. ''-but giving energy to the darkness of your imaginings is negative energy, imagining the worst in people is in itself biggotted. You were making all sorts of assumptions about the barman based on his appearance. You may say 'nah nah nah' when we counteract your arguments with actually some dialectic debate and then you decide we are not prepared to discuss this possibility, but that's just your intellectual cowardice . Perhaps in medieval times you would encourage your neighbours to discuss the possibility of some poor sod being a witch. When I read you post last night I thought it was incredibly nasty but thought that might be the beers I had had and decided to wait for the clear light of day to answer.

''weak possibility'' Kuntama?in your original post you said it was your first thought and then you said it was your reluctant conclusion. Then you brought in the other 'unhelpful' patrons who failed to point out to the woman that there were tables outside. Were they meant to be secretly racist too? Maybe they were just busy enjoying their lunch/drink. Why was it their responsibility to do so? why couldnt she see for herself. When I was a young woman, the most irritating men were the ones who proffessed to be feminists and who were always being outraged and offended on my behalf. Actually they were just trying to reinforce my 'weakness' and 'inferiority' and trying to get their leg over.

Becks,I don't think anyone was saying that racism doesnt exist - East Dulwich or anywhere else. They were just saying that a barman telling someone that all tables were reserved in a gastro pub on a saturday lunchtime in lordship lane was probably not evidence of racism. Sometimes when white people project a racist interpretation onto an innocent situation they are actually being very patronising and infantilising.

A lordship lane pub, midday, saturday...? Come on! I imagine all the tables would have been reserved for lunchtime and the reservees hadnt arrived yet, specially if it was a popular gastro type pub which pub opposite post office is as we all know. Staff wouldnt give over a reserved table just before lunch. And aren't Kuntama and Becks the same person? they certainly have the same voice.

Two police vans on Goose Green right now. Could they have caught a non-pooper scooper in the act?

Hey ED Oldie, is it really true or just myth ,that the victoria line extends all the way to Herne Hill after the last stop in Brixton, in order to give trains garage/workshop space? In which case a link to the overland station has been a missed opportunity.