Nero

Any chance of opening on a Friday in the Warehouse? Saturdays are likely to be busy. Nero

I was heartened to see two police support officers walking past Mirhash. Then I was disappointed to see two more following about 30 yards behind. I did think about askign them why they had to do the beat in fours, but then couldn't be bothered as I feared they might take it the wrong way. Nero

It has been quiet. Where I live it is practically silent, save for the odd car. Would someone who likes this kind of thing and is knowledgeable please post up when the winds are in our favour? It'd be nice to have that kind of good news every now and then pop up on the forum! Nero

It's been doing pretty well. Lots of batteries in it whenever I go. Well done Southwark! Nero

The 12 and the 63, 263, 197 can get caught up in Peckham, where the police and the usually super-efficient traffic wardens don't ticket the lorries and minivans that quite often park on the yellow lines. When there is a jam it can take a looooong time for the buses to get through. Nero

Do they put Marmite on Twiglets? I love Marmite, and I've tried Vegemite, too, but still like the former. Nero

Hey! There's a group of mentally-disturbed, dirty-looking unfortunates who spend their day drinking and smoking and swearing. Let's start up a 21st century equivalent of a public stocks by writing about them on an internet forum and inviting others to add their vitriol. Everyone's at it! I mean half of the London media world is taking enormous pleasure in humiliating that Max lad who's off to India and Thailand by splashing their bile all over the Guardian comment board, so let's have our own version - you know, think local and everything. Nero

This is a difficult one. He has served the time, but he's also still benefiting from his misdemeanours. You can't undo the gains he got through drugs, so even though he's been banned, he'll always have that unfair advantage. Nero

Too middle class for our Louisa.

An attempt to burgle the chiropodist on Woodwarde Road resulted in at least ?1000 worth of damage. It happened in the last week. Also, several properties on Barry Road have been burgled in roughly the same period. Nero

It's getting off topic, so I'll veer it back. The organic place is good, but do they sell Montezuma chocolate? It's British, independent and, to me, better tasting than Green and Black's. It's about the same price. You can get it at SMBS or online. Nero

Nice pubs, shame about the kids. (Please don't let this be the start of another thread on this subject. I include it knowingly and with full understanding of its potential ability to upset and enrage.)

Why not just talk to her. Tell her, very calmly, that she is making your life a misery. Look her in the eye and just tell her. Don't raise your voice and stay dead calm. It'll unnerve her as she might be expecting a big row, or you to dissolve into tears. Don't plan it, just do it when she's least expecting it. You really have little to lose and whatever happens, at least you will ahve been in control, you will have initiated the conversation on your terms, rather than her having power over you. Senapods are laxatives. Nero

It's just business reality. Hopefully, new business will arrive and they'll have a better plan/ethos/customer service etc. I still think it's down-at-heel - why don't the shopkeepers ring the council and get the graffiti removed from their protective screens? I honestly don't understand that attitude, and as a result, don't give businesses who can't be bothered with their appearance my business. Nero

Oh for heaven's sake. Ditch the over-priced flowers, the meal neither of you wants to eat and just be nice to each other. Christmas, Valentine's, Easter, Mother's day, Father's day, Hallowe'en - they're all hyped up to massive proportions. Do you need Hallmark 's validation for your emotions? Time and attention is worth more than money, at least on this day. Nero

Better than Forest Hill for knicknacks.

If you have proof that she is spreading the rumour, such as an email or a taped conversation, then I would confront her. If not, then do what MM says. She sounds peculiar, and to wreak revenge on her would put you nearer to her character-wise than you'd probably like to be. Rising above it might be all that is left to you to do. Nero

Yup, the Americans are insular. But so are lots of other nationalities, and the level of ignorance in our own dear Isles is often staggering. Are the kids in our state school system globally aware? Are Mr and Mrs Jones in their Spanish retirement ghetto plugged into the world's sockets? I lived in the US in the 80s and it was brilliant. Going from Stockport to Orlando in mid-winter, well, who wouldn't be impressed? I found the people there to be genuinely curious and interested in abroad, but not passionately so. They were happy to get on with their lives, and what is wrong with that? Unfortunately, the US has gone from being an icon of can-do positivity to a reviled, imperialistic fortress, but the reality must be somewhere in between. If the Americans are ugly, then what are we for behaving like yappy terriers, putting up our dukes and sniping at them sneerily? I think some people get off on American-bashing, but what is that if not, in part, a kind of mirror beligerance? Nero

umbrella

Why not Brussels, from where you can get teh train to Antwerp and/or Bruges? I think a Eurostar fare to Brussels might include the fare to either one of those. Or you could get the sleeper up to E'burgh, from Scotrail, or go on it one way. I just priced a sleeper up there midweek and a 1st class seat back on the east coast main line for ?88. Not bad when you consider a sleeper saves on the price of a hotel. Nero

SE22 is now corporate lawyer and banker country - they are working in a US culture and increasingly living it - hence lots of people here for whom money is completely divorced from reality or value. It is hardly that, franglaisia. There are a few around, but it SE22 doesn't have that feel. Try Fulham or Clapham for that, or the village. To keep it on thread, I agree about the grocer's shop opposite the Bishop. Cheap and cheerful. But EDD is very good when it has sales on. Panettone for a fiver? That's good, eh? Nero

Louisa speaks sense! Cheese on toast is great food, and is cheaper than pizza. Louisa, why not set up your own Welsh Rabbit takeaway? I know you how like those bunnies. Nero

It might be easier for you to convince people of the realities of car ownership in a popular suburb of a major capital city, namely that it is as unlikely as it is desirable that a resident will be able to park his car outside his house. If that gets through, then there'll be no need for CPZs. Nero

The two men who work there were held up at 6 this morning. They had a meat cleaver held to their throats by two attackers, who made off with some three-hundred pounds in cash, and cigarettes. The police came and looked at the CCTV but, as of about 6pm, hadn't returned to take the tape away. Nero

Well, well, well. Here's little old me, waxing lyrical about how cute and wholesome I thought the Drum was, with its great sarnies, good beer and accommodating staff. Talk about innocent abroad. All the while it was a steaming den of iniquity. Nero