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We have appealed a couple of tickets in our own road and had them overturned both times, we kept getting scary letters about escalating fines (to ?180), which we just ignored because we had written contesting the original fine. Saw an article a while back with statistics on the proportion of appealed fines that are overturned, and Southwark had a very high proportion, so well worth pursuing. When you write to them, send it by recorded delivery so they can't claim they never received it (they tried this with us, hence the escalating fine letters, we were able to prove that they had received our letter).

Really sorry for the person who got hurt, hope they catch the man. I totally agree with Sue and others about the dangers of "women should not go out at night unaccompanied" lines of thinking: it implies that it is somehow partly victims' fault if they are attacked at night, also that women need protecting more than men, when men are actually much more likely to be the victims of both muggings and violent crime. I once did a really good self-defence course where the basic message was if they are trying to take material things, let them have them without argument, but if they are trying to hurt you, fight back if you can. In practice, though, how you react in the terrible moment is unpredictable. My 80-odd year old Grandma and her 70-odd year-old toyboy were recently mugged in Spain and they chased and floored the attacker and pinned him down until the Police arrived - not advisable, but it was just what they did in the heat of the moment.

Teenie drinks in Leeds in the mid-90s: Taboo and lemonade. Sickly sweet, used to interchange with martini rosso and lemonade. Snakebite and black. Stomach-stripping. "Blastaway" (castaway and lager I think) - this was served at a place with a revolving dancefloor on a "drink as much as you want for a fiver" night - mayhem! Two-dogs / Hooch lemonade. Pernod and black (when could afford it). Brought-back-from-holiday-by-parents-Ouzo and sprite (very bad night when said parents had hidden all the booze in the house but this was found in the cellar) "Cripple Cock" cider. Did what it said on the packet according to a friend who pulled a seemingly gorgeous hunk.

Dulwich park is lovely, no probs with the dogs / bikes etc. the only problem is that the "duck pond" is full of nasty sky-rat pigeons instead of ducks and people still feed them. Bring back the ducks!

Thanks guys, think I will go the slow but cheap route!

Apparently the jubilee line won't be operating on Saturday between Stratford and Green Park, incl. London Bridge, with the dreaded rail bus replacement "services" running instead. The Victoria line is closed all weekend. Have got to get to Heathrow by 8.45am, urgh.

The same place of the hot mulled wine is advertising that it sells "real" wine. If only I had drunk less real wine and more pretend wine this year, I could fit into that little black dress.....

The butcher, fishmonger, organic grocers etc are all a lot more expensive (though much nicer) than the supermarket, but if you choose carefully you can get good stuff reasonably. There are lots of lunch deals when eating out and some places (e.g. Locale) do weekday evening deals as well. The deli is expensive but usually has free taster samples, especially on Saturday, and a bargain table with stuff at half price or less - it's especially good in January where you can get posh chocolates, panettone etc.

TFL website is rubbish when it comes to trains, they never ever give you good train options, its journey planner thing is set up for tube and buses only.

There are never enough good single men, caffiene addict.

Ooooh, many more places to try, fab! I feel it is worth braving rude staff for quality brownies, though it seems very wrong that people who sell sweet goodies should be sour-faced and quibbling over tuppence. They should all be smiley and pink-cheeked with bosomy aprons, urging you to have some more because you're looking too thin. Ralphation and Brendan, how about sharing those recipes? Though am not finding that baking is money-saving: am making a lovely chocolate mud cake for my brother in law's birthday and the ingredients have cost at least ?10, 100g of 70% cocoa solids dark chocolate is ?1.68 in Somerfield, and caster sugar ?1.99. Am bound to destroy kitchen, get really knackered and frazzled trying to bake cake / get baby to bed / be general domestic goddess and end up rowing with my husband: should just stick to buying brownies really.

Sorry to be thick, but what is Street Car? Thought you were referring to an am dram version of the Tennesse Williams play.....

Have recently eaten a very large number of brownies in ED, which can be soooooo good or a sad let down with follow-up guilt. Since it is vital to get your money and calories' worth, I thought would share my findings on these and other sweet baked goods. ED deli: my favourite, very chocolaty indeed, but too rich for some. Also do excellent carrot cake. Bakery stall on Northcross Road on Fridays and Saturdays: very nice and also large, big enough to share. Flapjack things also delicious. Green and Blue: bit disappointing, dry and not enough chocolate. But like some of their other cakes. Bakery stall outside Moxons: terrible, taste of wholemeal and damp breadcrumbs: wholesomeness in a brownie is not good. Likewise their fairy cakes which am sure must have been made with lentils. The Cheese Block sometimes has nice meringues, v.good with whipped cream and any kind of fruit. Couldn't believe how many cupcake stalls were open last Saturday, but not complaining!

Agree that you'd be lucky to find anywhere that would refund for the decorator. I have always had good service there and it is a very useful shop as it stocks loads of different stuff.

There was a cannabis factory in Hansler Road a few months ago, the helicopters had been buzzing around a lot and the place was raided one morning, it took them all day to take away all the plants in a big van. The police use helicopters with thermal things to spot houses using excessive power (apparently they had tapped into the mains this time). But some police forces now have thermal things that are hand-held by police officers, which obviously cause less noise than helicopters!

I recently gave birth at Kings and had bad experiences with the pre and post-natal care (or lack of). Some important issues with my pregnancy were not picked up by the three Kings midwives I was seen by in the weeks prior to and on the day of the birth. These were only identified when,after some scary developments when I was in labour, my husband kicked up a fuss because we knew something wasn't right. I eventually had an emergency caesarian and was taken into the post-natal ward at night. I was left in a bed all night holding my screaming baby in my arms when I couldn't feel my legs and was groggy due to the sedation etc. I rang the bell to ask for some help, to be told that I needed to stop my baby crying by breast-feeding, which I was attempting but failing to do. The baby continued to cry all night - probably keeping all the other poor women and babies on the ward awake - and none of the staff came in to help. I asked for the baby to be put in the crib by my bed (I couldn't get up to do this) and was again told off because she was crying. In the daytime the staff were clearly busy, and there was a general air that you shouldn't bother them and that you were on your own, but some were helpful if approached. At night, they were really intimidating. There was no help whatsoever with any aspect of caring for the baby, showering, getting around etc., even for women who had had complicated births and were in pain. The bathrooms were dirty and had blocked toilets. All in all, it was a frightening experience.

There is a blue plaque for the lady who invented the A to Z - she seems to have lived there all her life. And Enid Blyton lived up near the library.

I recently had to pay ?6.50 in the Black Cherry for a (50ml) gin and tonic.