Nero

Fruit bowls - foibles?

Why not just not use 'basically'. It is much too overused, and hasn't been supplanted by anything else since the 80s.

Gradely! Another Ann Twacky user. Where is she from? I also like demic, which means broken, unfit for purpose, and florry, for old-fashioned clothes. (As in, 'Them kex are dead florry.')

Ann Twacky, which is northern for old-fashioned, and is a bastardisation of 'antique'. Hardly anyone says it nowadays, not even Corrie characters. Nero

I've become a bit more involved in the community and have been able to get my points of view across on certain issues, but have also become more addicted to using the internet, which I see as a downside. I think I get riled more by certain things as I know now that others do too and that when I vent, there is likely to be support for that venting, which makes me feel even more self-righteous! Nero

Tessa Jowell replied to me regarding the post on the closure of the pool at the school. There is irony in hte fact that the school wants to use Dulwich baths once it shuts its own pool down. Laugh? I nearly choked. Nero Details of plans for the Harris Girls' Academy site are contained in the planning application for a new teaching block here: [planningonline.southwarksites.com] I have also received a response from Southwark's Head of Leisure and Well-Being about their plans for alternative provision - in the context of the loss of facilities whilst the Dulwich Leisure Centre is being refurbished: "There is little alternative provision for people who currently use Dulwich Leisure Centre - if this were not the situation then the business case for the investment we are making would be weakened, substantially. Bearing this in mind, it is inevitable that we will not be able to accommodate the needs of all users whilst the leisure centre is closed for refurbishment. It is a short-term inconvenience for a long-term gain and I hope most people realise this. We will do our best to minimise the period of closure and disruption and to provide alternatives for as many as we can but if people could easily use other facilities instead of Dulwich, they would already be doing so. "Our first priority is to try and provide swimming for the schools and we are looking into how we can best achieve that. We will also make provision for other customers to use our other leisure centres for swimming, gyms and classes - it cannot be as convenient as using Dulwich (if that is their local centre) but we will do what we can to make it as easy and attractive as possible. Where we can provide additional venues and activities within our budget we will do so but the Council's resources are not un-limited. "Harris Academy does not have a pool that [can be used]. They, themselves, wish to use Dulwich when it is refurbished and have been speaking to me about this. "We registered our interest in a temporary pool with the ASA as soon as the announcement was made - in Summer of 2007. Indeed we were the first authority in London to do so. We are exploring the options for such a pool but there are issues of venue and cost which we are trying to resolve. "We are speaking to Alleyns and JAGS about use of their facilities. "We are also talking to other schools which may have facilities that we could use . "We are in the process of finalising the build programme. When that is completed we will be in a better position to finalise alternative provision and to inform customers of our plans."

Sergio is a decent man. The younger Latin American is pleasant, but there is one who is grumpy and even angry. He's tall, a bit balding, about 40ish. Generally, it is a good place, but it seems less fun than it used to a few years ago. Nero

I have a wren that comes to eat all the little insects off a budleia (sp) bush. I'd never seen one on the bush until it came a few weeks ago, and was going to post about it, but then read that they are really common. Can't be that common if someone else is remarking on it. Nero

Ok folks, let's deconstruct what Boris said. He's alluding to unsavoury old-world values and words to satirise Blair and the Queen. He is not racist, but he's referring to racism. So Boris is not racist. He's a loundmouth, but that's what politicians are. Ken is not good for London anymore. The GLA needs a good shake-up, otherwise it will end up like the GLC. Nero

Ken is drunk on power. He thinks he can do what he wants, is profligate with his cash and is a crony magnet par excellence. Boris will be on his best behaviour because his Tory betters will need him to produce results so that they can oust Brown and co in a few year's time. Boris for Mayor! Nero

This is useful Bill Bryson is spearheading a new campaign to get people and councils to clear litter. The above link is very interesting. Nero

David, I'd agree with you about it being alright having our own version of Beijing if the j sound in English was routinely pronounced as a zh, but it isn't. With that being the case, the pronunciation is just wrong, if you ahks me.

For the record, the correct way of saying Beijing is with a j sound as in 'jogging' and not a zh sound as in 'pleasure'. So many people say it incorrectly and it's a personal bugbear. Amaze your friends with this generally useless bit of information! Nero

What is Camberwell baths like? Is it 33 yd or 25 yd? (Don't reckon it will be metres given when it was built.) Nero

It used to be 50p, but then it went up to a quid. That's really grabby and damaging to the Dulwich Estate's reputation. A pound is not a lot of money, but for there to be such a brazen rise of 100% shows contempt for the users of the 'service'. Nero

It is disappointing, especially after the Vietnamese coffee place decided to pull out of Peckham a few months ago. Real shame that things people want aren't able to set up shop. Nero

Found it, thanks. It had fallen out of a trouser pocket. Nero

Much improved

Got my bill from nPower for gas the other day. Given that we were away for a good few weeks of the billing period when we turn the heating right down, and that the boiler was kaput for another three weeks, it was an expensive bill. So, I got my roof lagged for ?274 quid and am expecting a ?100 cashback voucher soon, and I filled the cracks in my floorboards with Gapseal (fantastic stuff) and am switching off the heating and water earlier. My motivation is getting more money in my wallet as I hate the idea of giving it away for no good reason to a huge organisation. Nero

Lolalola, Before I came to ED I lived on a tube line, so buses were new to me. I'd say that you should invest in an Oyster bus pass (?13.50 for a week) which will mean you can jump on the first one that comes and then get on the one to take you to your final destination later on. I get on the 40 or 185 down to Camberwell and then swap to a 171 or 68 if I can't get a 176, which goes all the way from East Dulwich, down thru Camberwell and Walworth and up to the Elephant and over Waterloo Bridge. The 63 would be great for you if you choose to live anywhere nearer to the Peckham Rye side. Even if you don't, you can catch any of the above and then swap to the 63 at Elephant. IMHO, the timetables are good for first and last buses only. Generally, the bus service is good (if a little dirty and littered). Nero

I am Friern-ish, living on Goodrich. Anyone for Goodrich? Nero

There's a chance that my partner's wallet hasn't been left at Green and Blue, where we ate last night. I won't know until I ring them. In the meantime, if anyone spots a black wallet, with a small white star on the front, please could you let me know. There's ID in the wallet. Hopefully it'll be at G and B or somewhere in the house. Nero

But her columns are her way of doing her bit, maybe? Anyway, I like her as she's sometimes reactionary and yet has a social conscience. Cf John Humprhys (whose THE GREAT FOOD GAMBLE I am reading right now).

It's all circular! But I agree with her sentiments about all talk, no action in society in general.

People are good at grumbling about everything, yet they won't lift a finger to change anything. Way to go, Pol. Has she been reading the EDF? Nero