cactus

When growing up, we used to hard boil the eggs, but wrap them in layers of onion peelings first, followed by a couple of layers of newspaper tied tightly around with string. We added a few more onion peelings into the pan and boiled for 10/15 mins. The results were lovely, marbled patterns in deep red, orange and yellow, we used to keep them for about a week before eating them, or rolling them down the biggest hill on Easter Sunday. I think that is a northern tradition however, have yet to meet anyone else who did the same!

I'm tempted to have my 6 year old vaccinated, he's been exposed to chickenpox on at least three occasions but has never caught it, unless he had such a mild dose that none of us noticed! I managed to avoid it as a child, but finally caught it at university when I was about 23, I was horribly ill for a week, completely flattened with flu like symptoms and almost missed my final exams because of it.

I will give it a try, thanks.

I view the forum on my laptop at home, and I'm unable to see phone numbers on orginal posts or those sent via pm. I bet there's a glaringly obvious answer to this, but I can't work out why they seem to be blocked/disappear. Any ideas?

I think it may also be due to the fact that pre-school children don't begin to move up through the levels until they are 5, someone correct me if I'm wrong! Therefore once the spaces are filled in the first term, these children probably remain in the class for the whole year with few spaces becoming available, and yes, existing children have priority booking. The next term/10 week block, starts week beginning March 14th, so the enrolment day for new children should be very soon.

I live in Altima Court too, we had no water around 10pm last night, but it came back on around midnight. Management agents said it was a fault with the pump, but didn't have any other info. We had this problem several times last year, hope they've solved the issue once and for all!

Yes, I'd be keen for my 6 year old to try something like this.

I'm keen to find out the same information. I looked on the Woodcraft Folk website earlier this week, and although it does list the Southwark groups, there's no contact information available.

My 5 year old is currently doing beginners/level 1 at Dulwich pool. I think we've done 5/10 sessions so far, and the children have mostly been 'swimming' half widths, front and back, using floats. Last week the tutor took each child back and forth without floats, by holding onto their fingertips and asking them to kick, then for a few seconds she let them try alone, the results were a bit mixed! Anyway, I'm not sure how it will progress, and if any of them will be swimming a few stokes alone by the end of the 10 weeks, but I'll keep you posted. My not so tall 5 year old can just about touch the bottom of the pool on tiptoes, which seems ideal, he's worked out that he's safe, but keeps on kicking/moving just in case!

No Brockwell Park display this year - due to budget cuts apparently. Very disappointed since we always go there. Crystal Palace may be the closest to E Dulwich.

I used Simply Childcare to find an after school nanny last year, worth a try if you haven't already used them. If I recall correctly, you pay a one off fee to register with them for 1 month, they you can place your own ad and also look through the existing list of people offering childcare, the agency were really helpful and I found someone almost immediately. I agree with womanofdulwich, extending the hours and paying a little more worked for us too.

Definitely pleasure, and hey presto I have a social life and interests. I had a technical/editing tv job in my 20's & early 30's, and now I've retrained and have a more creatrive career which should see me into old age, can't imagine retiring, and probably won't be able to afford to anyway. Unless I want live in a tiny flat with a one bar electric fire in old age!

The babysitting agency, Sitters, can sometimes offer daytime childcare. You register and pay a quarterly fee, approx ?15 I think, then you pay an hourly rate on the day, usually around ?6/?7. Worth a try.

My auntie, Frances Fiddler, except she was known as Fanny.

Hi there I've also got some pre-school toys to donate. I don't have a car, but live opposite Goose Green if you would be able to pick them up sometime.

I only have experience of using the agency Sitters, who charge double on NYE. We used them last year in the absence of friends and neighbours, and paid ?14 per hour.

What a dreadful incident to witness, poor cat and poor owner. Our cat Billy was killed on our front doorstep two years ago by a French Mastiff. The owner told us that his dog was on a strong leash, which broke when it caught sight of our cat and made a dash towards it. I think cats can usually dart out of the way, but ours was cornered in the small front garden. The dog's owner tried to intervene, but it was too late, but then he did the decent thing and ran to the local vet for help. The vet came straight away but poor Billy had died from horrendous abdominal injuries. I have mixed feelings about the incident, the dog's owner was deeply shocked and he had tried to help, but I still wonder why some people keep such powerful dogs which can barely be controlled and are clearly dangerous towards other animals and maybe people. They should always be walked on a lead and/or muzzled.

Recently I bought an item from ebay which never arrived, I'd given up hope after about 10 days, but the seller suggested that I check with the post office just in case they had it. I went along to Silvester Road, thinking it was a complete waste of time and there it was! There had been no card left with us, so I guess from time to time this kind of thing does happen, definitely go and check.

Hi there My boy started at St John's this week, and so far so good. We only visited for an hour on Tuesday, but his first comment when I collected him was, 'I've already found my girlfriend Mum, she has hair like this ( he demonstrated pigtails I think) and skin like mine' I asked if he had played with her or spoken to her, but he said no. So like many men I have known, he'll probably just admire her from afar and saying nothing to her for the next 7 years! He's also very keen on the tidying up bit.

I know this has already been mentioned, but walk, walk, walk, if you can. It really does help to jiggle the baby into position. I walked from Brixton Hill to Dulwich Village on my due date, which was probably about 4 miles round trip, then I went into labour that night! At my midwife appointment the day before I was told that the baby wasn't engaged at all and not to expect any action any time soon, I know each pregnancy/mum/baby is unique, but give it at try. All the best.xx

You could try First Steps Montessori or Mother Goose, both on Upland Road, opposite Goodrich school, about 15 minutes walk from where you are. Both are likely to have longish waiting lists, but if you're flexible about days and looking for a part-time place, then you might be lucky for January.

I remember how tough the early evenings could be with a young baby, my partner and I lived apart for the first two years of our son's life, so I was usually alone for that part of the day. Similar to Woof, I'd run a bath and leave him kicking around on the floor for half an hour which often worked a treat. Or having a bath together was a relaxing way of whiling away a bit of the long evening, though not exactly a break I know. I had a Tiny Love cot mobile, which played different tunes and would hold his attention for quite a while, I think I bought it from Jojo Maman Bebe. Also at around 12-14 weeks, babies do seem to become more interested in the world around them, and they will start grabbing at toys and objects, which increasingly keeps them absorbed. Good luck.

I'm free once the schools break up around mid July, so I'd love to join in, weds in Peckham Rye sounds like a good starting point. My boy is 4.5.

In 1996/97 I lived opposite Goose Green, and during that period the green just seemed to be a rather muddy patch used mainly as a thoroughfare for local people, fair enough. I left the area and moved back two years ago, again living opposite, and was pleasantly surprised to see the fenced off area being used by the community, for games, picnics, sunbathing etc . The whole of the green just seemed more welcoming than it was a decade ago, or perhaps my memory is hazy....

Michael P - no not fluffy at all, prickly yes, but not on here, too scared of the terrier like forumites!