sugarmouse

Well it was a very bad washing day - three loads isn't normal. My five year old is still wearing 'night nappies' and managed to wee on our bed the night before during story time (night nappy leaked) then without telling me, took the npy off and went to bed without one on, waking up three hours later with a soaking bed. But that's another thread - (please do PM me if your five year old constantly wets the bed) Believe me, bedsheets normally get changed, um, once a month??! Or, as Mrs TP says, when they get weed on! Yes, I don't think our house layout helps - small 30s terrace, open plan lounge - if one area is messy, the whole downstairs is. And yes, husband isn't as good as he could be but he works very long hours. I certainly don't think I'm as good as I could be at getting the kids to tidy up - it doesn't seem worth the aggro. But I'll try and be better from now on. I'm with you Canela - I can't stop cooking as actually really enjoy it. Point noted about double portions though. Love the idea of tidying up on a Sunday with a beer, though. Thanks everyone!

I've just sat down for five minutes before picking my bigger one up from school. Since I dropped him off this morning, I've done a Sainsbury's shop, put on - and hung out - three loads of washing, cooked a stew, taken the three year old swimming, talked incessantly to three year old, played Twister with three year old, made a few boring but necessary phonecalls to banks etc, washed up. And the result? I'm crabby and the house is still an absolute tip as I've not had any time to actually tidy up. And I've not even had time to wash my hair. Now the big one's coming home and I know it's going to get even messier. Is this normal? I can't work out how I can constantly do housework and yet still live in a pigsty. Short of getting a cleaner (which I can't afford), what does everyone else do - give up and live in happy relaxed chaos? Give up cooking evening meals? Do other three year olds and five year olds create this much mess or do some help tidy up? Just curious as feel SNOWED UNDER with housework!!!! (work three days a week too) Any tips appreciated!

You could buy my wobble bike - see my thread in family classified! http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?25,1097654

I'm no longer technically Dulwich - after living there for 8 years, we've slunk off to Sydenham where we could actually afford a house. But I still buy and sell regularly on the EDF as it's such a brilliant forum - the Sydenham one isn't half as lively and doesn't offer the same quality of stuff. But I do always try and offer to deliver within the ED area rather than let Dulwich-ites rough it out here in the badlands collecting my goodies!

A group of us have booked to go to the comedy night at the EDT tonight (Thurs 28th) but we're one ticket short. Does anyone have a spare ticket we could buy - we'll throw in a pint to say thanks! Let me know and we could meet you on the door. Ta! Louie

I'd like to second a recommendation for Dave Franklin and his team. He's just finished painting our pebbledashed house white plus picking out the black beams and doing the front door and all window frames. He quoted me an all-in price, started the following week and finished on time. My husband and I are really pleased with the result - he did absolutely everything including painting a grey plastic pipe black to match all the other pipes. He even suggested - without us asking - that we keep back some money for a few days in case we spot any snags. Very good work - has made our tired house look sparkling!

The same thing happened to me and I rung up about it. Apparently they don't have to put one on your car anymore - presumably to stop people claiming they didn't get it. They just have to post you one - lovely I know!

Miaow, Sue! I'm talking about people who can't afford ?500k for a terraced house like me and I'm not sad about it, I've just moved where I can afford and am pretty happy here. Not only can I get into ED in 10 mins, I now go south and visit Beckenham and Crystal Palace as well. I have to say, even if I won the lottery you couldn't tempt me back to ED!

Come to Forest Hill - you can get a 3 bed house for that! Only 10 mins on bus to Lordship Lane and better transport links with new Overground Line. Problem solved!

That might not be tinkers, that may be foxes! Only say that cos I left my pooey trainer on the front doorstep to be cleaned overnight and it had gone the next morning. I assumed a one-legged thief had taken it but my mum suggested a fox and sure enough, a few days later, I spotted the trainer in the garden of the derelict house opposite where the local foxes live. Another reason not to leave anything outside!

We live just past Forest Hill and there's a white van with a wife and husband team who come round actively looking for stuff left in the front garden. We left a ladder and some wooden doors we were planning of taking to a door shop outside a few weeks ago and we just happened to look out of our window to see them giving them the once over. We went outside and they did have the grace to ask if they could have them - we said no. Our neighbours have reported the same thing happening and I also saw the same van in ED taking a pushchair (to be fair, it did look shabby and abandoned). Just saying I think there are some people who are actively looking for stuff to take from front gardens so everyone watch out and don't leave anything outside you don't want to be pilfered! Of course we forget sometimes and I feel really sorry for your kids Bawdynan. PS. My friend also lost her pushchair from front garden just near Peckham Rye

Maurice just came round to our house on a Sunday to fix a broken stop tap. He was an absolute legend - all of the comments above ring true - he's got a lovely manner, was on time and charged a really reasonable rate. We'll definitely keep his number for the future. Thanks again Maurice!

I got the same reply. My elderly neighbour had specifically asked me to buy her an organic chicken breast from there and when I asked to double check it was organic, they said the same thing - that it wasn't organic, only free range. Their website just says they specialise in 'free range and organic meat' which is ambiguous I guess as it can mean that some stuff is just free range and other stuff organic, not that all meat is free range AND organic... If you're really bothered, I guess you'll have to ask every time.