Pugwash

My grandchildren when little loved dips (cream cheese and chive) hummus, with breadsticks, crisps, carrot sticks, sliced cucumber, red peppers. Rarely ate sandwiches at parties as had them for packed lunches. Cubes of cheese were another favourite. bananas, Satsuma segments, apple slices etc - if you want to splash out have a chocolate dip.

You need to meet several child minders to judge their approach. Also need to take in consideration location of CM - on way to work? near home? Ages of other children being cared for, how long have they been doing the 'job' What is their approach re food, outings meeting up with other children etc.

The Gardens have changed their catchment area so should look on their website first.

Since I have had no replies I assume that no former 8th East Dulwich Brownies still live in the area.

My friend had her bag stolen some time ago from under her grandchild's pram in the smaller St. Christopher's shop, she reported it to the shop who had said at the time there had been a spate of handbag thefts as so many people in such a small space it was difficult to keep an eye of everyone.

I wish they would give an indication when they are opening up.

8th East Dulwich Pack met at Emmanuel Church now Christ Church in Barry Road. Looking for 'old Brownies' to invite to a special celebration tea/reunion on Sat 22nd November. Please PM me with contact details so that I can give more information about times etc. Or reply via EDF

Some may be in the car park - this morning there was around 12 cars waiting turn to get into the car park blocking the access road for considerable time. the parking wardens are always on the prowl around Kings several times a day and will ticket blue badge holders if they go over their allocated time. I saw one car with a wheel lock on it despite the blue badge and clock.

I went to LL carpets to get a quote for hall and stair carpet - I wanted a runner - they quoted ?90 a metre. Went to EJ carpets in Forest Hill, and got carpet and stair runners for about a third of price. Engineered wood click lock in oak, underlay, beading, pipe roses for room 16 x 16 feet. ?1189. However - over estimated by 2 boxes so will be selling these on EDF when I get round to it after putting the room to rights with all the furniture which has to have felt pads put on them

Our daughter went to Orpington - various styles of property with wide range of property prices. Area around Orpington station, Tubbenden Lane very nice. All depends really where you work and mode of travel. Parts of Beckenham are equally affordable.

Settled on engineered wood flooring from Mafkildea Unit 11 Malham Road Industrial Estate. SE23. Recommended by a work colleague who used them for her kitchen/dining room and has ordered more stuff to do other rooms. Very helpful staff member who also put me in touch with floor layer who did measuring up. Everything was delivered within 2 days of ordering and being fitted this week.

Complain to PALS

My youngest daughter was referred by our dentist to the dental practice in Parkhall Road SE21. She was under them for 3 years as had to wear a brace. They specialised in children and teenagers. She is now 28 and has only ever had one filling

Child observation is a requirement of Social Work training - I did 3 hours a week for a term in a nursery of an 18 month old child. It is surprising what you notice i.e the interaction between various adults/carers and 'your' child. I would imagine observing a parent and child is more fascinating, as an outsider you can see the differences over a period of time I see my youngest grandchild ( 6 months) roughly every 6 weeks as she is not local, but I can see the changes and the developmental progress more clearly than her parents.

Barry Road and some of it junctions have had various improvements etc. over the years to reduce speed. Speed humps are a no due to buses. Traffic lights at both Upland and Underhill Junctions to reduce some speeding. Speed cameras might work. I live on Barry Road and travel down it most days by car and am always amazed that some drivers want to overtake me when I am doing between 20 - 30 mph as there are buses in front of me which I know are going to stop and I may or may not be able to safely overtake them due to on coming traffic.

It is not in the woods but in the road off College Road.

Which end of Hindmans is it - as I am trying to visualise where it could be? Is it the side backing onto Barry Road?

I have diabetes and have to do fasting blood tests. I used to go to Dulwich Hospital in the morning but after waiting 3 hours one day and informing my GP about this, I now have the fasting ones done at my GP surgery. As a non insulin dependent diabetic - it was felt too dangerous for my health to not have anything to eat for 15 hours (You cannot eat after 8 pm or drink after 10 pm except for water and medication) Since I work in Kings, I go for an ordinary blood test around 3 or 4 pm as less busy then. Last time got seen in 10 mins.

As with primary schools, getting your first choice of secondary school is a lottery. A work colleague wanted her child to attend a school which was around 20 minute bus ride away, got given a school miles away - 2 changes of buses. Did not win an appeal. After 2 years, eventually transferred her daughter to Harris at Crystal Palace - this meant that the younger child automatically was accepted at Harris. Both my daughters went to Sydenham Girls although 13 years difference in age, both received a good education and both went to University ( one to teach, one doing psychology)

We recently stayed a couple of nights at a Sussex Hotel which is about a 10 minute drive away from our daughter's home. This was the 3rd time we stayed. In the evening of the first night our bathroom was covered with tiny flies, dropping down dead everywhere and we had to rinse out the bath to have a shower in the morning. My husband mentioned this to the staff and suggested that there was something wrong with the ventaxia in the bathroom. Got back that evening, clear from the smell and cleanliness of the bathroom that someone had tried to sort out the problem. Same thing happened overnight. We were leaving the next day anyway so hubby mentioned the problem again and suggested that it was fixed properly before the next guest. Hotel said that they would like to give us a small refund for our trouble, which hubby accepted. He was astonished that they returned the cost of one night's stay ?72 - had only expected ?20 or so. We will be using the hotel again but had we made a big fuss and public outcry about the flies, I would have been too embarrassed to show my face there again. Sometimes you have to complain, but if done correctly, i8t does not ruin a business.No way would I have demanded a refund or freebee

The Community Centre invites all the local primary schools to send classes down during the day - over the past few years we have had - Goodrich, Goose Green. Heber, St. Anthony's and St Johns and St. Clements, Gumboots Nursery, and any local nursery are welcomed to attend. Local child minders also bring their charges down. The centre, at the weekend is fully booked during the day with dance classes, football sessions, and on Sundays with 3 church groups and a community group - so no space. Please mention the farm to your primary school to check that they are taking some of the children.

Do you have POA for the relative transferring the property? There are 2 types of POA - one which a person who has mental capacity wishes for some reason or other for an attorney to manage certain aspects of their finances etc. This is usually done where someone is abroad for some time, or the person is physically not able to attend banks/financial institutions etc. Or if they want someone to set up a loan agreement etc. Not used so much now - tending to be for short term basis. If you have a POA set up and that person no longer has the mental capacity to give instructions and understand the implications of various transaction - the POA is invalid and you will need to apply to the Courts of Protection to seek a Deputyship Order. If you act under a POA to deal with financial or property affairs - you could be classed as acting fraudently as the person (donor) does not have the mental capacity to issue instruction and understand the implications of the transaction. If you have Enduring or Lasting Power of Attorney, once the donor lacks capacity to understand and manage their financial affairs including property, the EPA/LPA needs to be registered with the COP so that the attorney can act in the best interests of the donor. Records of all actions and expenditure need to be kept as COP can request oversight of accounts. I would be very wary if you have LPA/EPA for your relative and you have the property transferred to you and your brother's name as this is a conflict of interest and could be classed as a criminal act should anyone query the transfer. This also could be considered under Safeguarding Adults guidelines and Social Services could be asked to investigate - they would also probably involve the police. A transfer of property to another person, if made in the 7 years prior to that person requiring a care home, could also be classed a Deprivation of Assets and the Local Authority are within their rights to count that property as still belonging to your relative. I know gifts of money are exempt from tax is under ?3000 pa. If your relative remains in the property after it transferred to yourselves - there are other implications. Should a legal judgement be made against you and the property is required to sold to pay back some debts then your relative could be homeless.

Once again the East Dulwich Community Centre is holding an Open Day from 10.30 - 2.20 pm. Come along with the children to see the animals. Join in the taster exercise session run by Divine personal Training 12 - 12.30 pm. Refreshments for sale.

If a council tenant - they have set 'rules' which their tenants are supposed to stick to!! Some years ago in the council flat next door, there was a Mum with 2 children under 7, who would regularly throw food, toys and general rubbish into our back garden. At the time. my elderly partially sighted aunt was living with us and she was hit on the head by a shoe being slung over the fence by one of the kids. Approaching the Mum, I explained that my aunt had poor sight and could easily trip over objects being thrown over. Mum said kids will be kids you cannot stop them throwing things. I started collecting all the items thrown over - food, rubbish, clothing etc and spoke to their housing officer who came into the garden and agreed that this constituted harassment from our neighbours as had been going on for several months. neighbour was advised that if she wanted to keep her tenancy she had to control her children's behaviour more.

Would not touch a ex council property anywhere. I know someone on the Kingswood Estate (pensioners) who were charged ?33,000 for their share of the works around 8 years ago. They could not find the money so Council put a legal charge on the property.