Beryl20

Hi, My friend Clancy has 2 tickets for "Chic" at the Royal Festival Hall + 2 tickets for "Studio54" afterparty. I'm posting this message on her behalf because Clancy lives in Fitzrovia, so no EDF account; poor lamb. CHIC: This Saturday, August 3rd 2019, 7.30pm, Royal Festival Hall, 2 tickets @ ?90.00 each (face value); front stalls centre. STUDIO 54 PARTY: This Saturday, August 3rd 2019, 10.30pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall, 2 tickets @ ?50.00 each (face value). ...Meltdown...Funk... If interested, please call Clancy on 07973 695943

...I couldn't have put it better myself, Poch.

In these topsy-turvy times every vote for Labour - far from giving May a bloody nose - will be claimed by May's government as a vote of support for its policies; its Brexit policies, to wit. This already happened last year after that 2017 general election, with the hard-right MPs crowing about Labour voters' support all over the media so I'm neither guessing nor speculating what Friday's right-wing headlines will be - should Labour vote do well tomorrow. ...Seeing as to date Jeremy Corbyn either imposed a 3-line whip on his MPs to vote with the Conservatives on anything Brexit, or ordered them to abstain, not a hard claim to spin.

WoW, you two made short work of that - congratulations. ...Draws on an e-nicocig*.... *I was cool once; not anymore, obvs.

Local elections have always been ?the? traditional time to concentrate main parties' minds. And, as Brexit is the only game in town, this local election will be watched more closely than any other I can remember and, as I'm a dead-centre remain voter, I'll most certainly not care to give succour to either ideology-constipated extremist Front Bench. Brexit is very much a local issue anyway: government's own economic analyses show Brexit will harm every part of the land = this will inevitably translate into shortfalls in local funding.

The Bishop used to do a truly stellar roast - I've not had Sunday lunch there in a while, so I cannot vouch what it is like now, but I should think they have a reputation to uphold.

My favourite turquoise string of beads just fell to bits in my hand: would anyone know of a local-ish restringing service? I'll be sooo grateful, thanks in advance, Maggie (and Beryl-the-cat)

My favourite turquoise beads just fell to bits in my hand: would anyone know of a local restringing service? I'll be very grateful, thanks

Mark Newlove of Newgas Boilers LTD is my new go-to person for all my "gas safety certificate" needs. Knowledgable, reliable, personable and - not least - reasonable rates. Good boiler-related pro tips thrown in for a bonus point. Highly recommended. [email protected]; 07971824567; www.newgasboilers.com

A lovely guy and a brilliant, affordable carpet fitter. I know because he's just done four jobs for me - two of them: stairs & an awkward nook were tricky. Dave Bassom: 07867 974124

I called Dave to advise on a suspect looking patch of damp and can't recommend him enough. Prompt, friendly, and above all: knowledgeable. Talked himself out of a potential job while putting my mind at rest. His number: 07932 505589 now forever in my little black book.

A family member is expecting her first baby (girl) later this month and I'm looking for a pressie... Ideally, I'd like to find a stockist of fun, creatively designed - but cosy - baby clothes; either in our neck of the woods, or on line. - My two daughters are now in their twenties and so it's a long time since I paid any attention to baby wear, but when they were little I bought them a lot of OshKosh. Any recommendations gratefully received!

Hi, Thanks very much for your offer, great news. Galina's next coming to mine Tuesday morning, I'll show her all the kind offers of work then and we will be in touch - she's had several offers here (both open- and private messages). Your offer sounds very convenient for her; both the day of the week and the number of hours. I hope it'll be ok to give you her answer then (Tuesday lunchtime)? - I do find it hard to discuss stuff on the phone with her - language! Maggie

Hi - I caught up with Galina on a train, en route to a job, so couldn't talk very well; also with the background noise. She'll phone me back tonight. Yes, interested :) Maybe you could PM me more info and your number? Maggie

Hi, I'll catch up with Galina later today - this may work well; the previous message needing 3hrs and you needing 2hrs, all in close proximity, thank you! - I'll be in touch 'soon as. Maggie

Hi Gaby, Thanks for your answer. It is not much, but indeed every little helps, so she'd do it, if you like, on a temporary basis, until a more regular job comes along. Because it is indeed a smaller job than she is looking for, it'd help if you lived not too far from the Bellenden Road area where she cleans for me. Please let us know if this arrangement would suit - here, or in a private message: my phone's somewhat on the blink and it'll take me a few days to find time to get it properly sorted! Maggie ('Beryl' is my cat's name...;)

My cherished cleaner is seeking additional hours (one family she works for is moving away). Galina is 40-ish years? old, ever cheerful, with the heart the size of a whale, but her bonhomie won?t swamp you. She is Ukrainian, trying to keep her family (2 adult children + husband) going in her war-torn, economically defunct country. I employed Galina last Christmas via an ad on the EDF, placed by another satisfied employer who was also moving away. Since, Galina has 100% lived up to her glowing reference: She is very hard working, never stops for coffee breaks and such (a non-smoker too), very efficient and very reliable ? in ten months she never missed one week of work. Galina is available for an immediate start: preferably Tuesday mornings or/and Friday afternoons. She charges ?10 an hour and 4-5 hour long sessions would suit her best. She doesn?t mind travelling to other parts of London for work if need be. Any suggestions/offers of work gratefully received ? I?ll pass them on immediately. Galina?s English is rudimentary: while it is quite sufficient for the job she does, she?s not confident of talking to strangers on the phone in case she should misunderstand something.

This sounds excellent. I may cry for joy if everything works out! Thanks again, I'll wait for your DM.

Hi again: RELIABLE and THOROUGH is what we're looking for (no ironing, by the way). We don't mind which weekday, or what time of day the cleaning happens as long as it DOES, once a week, bar genuine once-in-a-blue-moon emergencies. Nor do we mind waiting for her till after the New Year: we have persevered with our current arrangement for over a year, so another six-eight weeks won't matter as long as we can see the light at the end of this particular tunnel and also so that we can give our cleaner a decent length of notice. Our current cleaner has simply taken too much on and isn't coping. One of her jobs is looking after somebody's children; as you can imagine, every school holiday her schedule with us falls apart. We'd only take on a recommended cleaner - this being a private house - but our friends' cleaners are all fully booked and we haven't viewed turning to a cleaning agency for help as an option. You obviously treasure your cleaner and have gone to the trouble of advertising on her behalf, so I see this as a recommendation. The house is a typical terraced Victorian affair: 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large sitting room, a medium sized kitchen. it's situated between Peckham Rye station and East Dulwich Rd. 4 hours a week @10 an hour is what we've been paying, so no problems there. We are a household of 3 tidy-ish professional women (no children) who would rather pay a cleaner to do the loos than discuss "whose-turn-it-is." We all have (coincidentally and serendipiteously; not the reason why we share the house) Polish backgrounds and we all can speak a smattering of Russian, or at least understand quite a bit of it. Even though the language of the house is English, we all could communicate with your lady in some form of pidgin Polo-Russian (I'm FAIRLY certain!)and I, for one, would welcome the opportunity to practise my linguistic skills, gulp. So this is what your lady would be letting herself in for. We're not time wasters, we are genuinely interested, so please do have your Tuesday conversation with your lady and let me know the outcome! Maggie

Once a week: yes. 4 hours @ 10 an hour: yes. January: yes. I even speak passable Russian, so language not an issue. BUT: we are on the East Dulwich/Peckham Rye border (closest train Peckham Rye), wouldn't it be too far for her? ...Looking for a new cleaner, because our current one keeps letting us down: not turning up without as much as an explanatory text and her cleaning leaves a lot to be desired. Maggie

Hi: I've got a spare ticket for tonight's festivities at The Gowlett pub, if anyone's interested. Face value ?15. To be collected from Nutbrook Street; tel: 07931359394

Goodness, I was in The Victoria last night; 9 - 11pm; for a quiet supper with two friends. Didn't see any police vehicles or ambulances screaming past...?

I drove past Warwick Gardens half an hour ago: - SOCO people robing up in their white suits...