chuff

worked in islington for a long time and lived very close (archway). Hated it and never ever felt safe walking around on my own especially around the Kings/Queens heads bit. I think it has changed a bit since then which was 6 years ago but still I wouldn't go back there unless it was essential. LL doesn't seem big enough to become like Upper Street or have the transport, theatres, clubs, huge council estates etc. I hope it stays as it is chuff

stiletto heels scraped down the shin then jabbed into the foot arch is quite a good way to get someone to back away. chuff

sorry meant to say that they might have been younger than 16 and still at school. Young girls always look at least 2 years older than they really are in my opinion.

It might be worth reporting the attempt and the descriptions of the girls to the local secondary schools: Harris, Charter, Alleyns, Jags etc just in case they recognise them and maybe do something about it?

thanks CWLD I won't be doing copper nails or the ring thing to my problem tree though. chuff

fractionater - What is the copper nails thing? I thought ringing was the only way to really damage a problem tree. We've had an arboculturist visit us quite a few times as we have a dangerous tree right outside our side door leaning over the pavement. It has demolished the drains, cracked the main water supply to the house flooding underneath without us noticing and causing rot which means the back of the house needs the joists replacing. There are huge cracks everywhere and it is now pulling the adjacent house with it. All this from one tree and a bit of dry clay. Our arboculturist told us that the tree has to go, it is an ash tree that will continue to grow quickly and if we get any more dry summers will cause further damage. He assures us that Southwark will re-plant a suitable tree in its place and that there are many trees that cause much less damage and are much nicer on the eye. As far as old trees go though, even if there is an insurance claim against a tree it is very unlikely to be removed if it is older than the house it is affecting, so the lovely big old oaks that are around should be safe from the chop. There is also a tree on Zenoria Street that has been hanging onto the road for years, that really should go to. All that said, I love trees me.

We have booked to go soon as we are celebrating a special occasion and thought it would be a nice treat. I am really looking forward to it as we don't get the chance to leave the children behind and enjoy a good meal that often. chuff

oh no catcher, which part of ED do you live in? I'm hoping that they haven't ventured over my side just yet. crosses fingers. chuff

I feel sick now and keep thinking about the spiders living at the back of the airing cupboard getting bigger and fatter and hairier eeek.

They definitely let ladies in as I have met people that attended a few years ago.

Oh dear I hear what you're saying Lozzyloz. My 2 year old also can't stand spiders and will scream if there is even a fake one on the tv. I think I am going to have to brave it and do something similar (maybe with just a toy one) as I don't want him to end up having a real phobia about them. The unfortunate thing is that the whole of our household feel the same so I can't even give that particular job to anyone else. I am certainly not going to pick up one of those 'things' in catchers garden though.

I'm not against spiders, I know they do a good job getting rid of the flies but they still give me the creeps and I will avoid them and their pesky webs whenever possible. It's the big fat lumpy back bit that makes me want to vom. chuff

we've had those green disc things, they are flat bugs with a slightly pointy front if they are the same, about the size of a 5p piece. they are the brightest green too and we've noticed them over the past few years in our current garden and house before. We seem to have a massive slug invasion at the moment too, some of them are 5 inches long just oozing goo around the place. I still don't want those spiders though, I certainly won't be looking out for them and it makes me glad that I have a cat who eats anything remotely spidery or bug like. am itchy just typing all this chuff

yuk yuk yuk I saw a report the other day somewhere that we are finding quite a few new spidery visitors due to the warmer climate. They did actually mention a variety that were found on the south coast being in London so maybe you are right about the Segestria Florentina. Hope they aren't in my garden. shiver. chuff

great, glad she's back chuff

I hope she's already home but if not she's probably just hiding and watching everything. In my experience when cats first go outside they tend to stick to the outside perimiter and work their way inwards, so maybe try looking along the nearby fences. You will probably have to call her in a really silly high pitched voice too before she responds, I am convinced that cats have an evil sense of humour and relish the chance to get you caught out singsonging in the middle of the street. My 5 month old cat went missing for ages today and I ended up in most of the gardens in our road. She turned up in the end absolutely fine and full of fun. Good luck and a speedy return for mogmog chuff

Yes, We were living in forest hill at the time. We only changed schools because the new school was on our doorstep and we are trying not to use our car unless absolutely necessary.

Fairlawn is fantastic, my kids went there before we moved and I don't have anything bad to say about it.

I was born in dulwich 1969 and have been here most of that time apart from a few years north of the river.

Most of the CofE schools only allocate half the places to regular churchgoers and the rest is down to how close you live. unless you were completely opposed to your children being exposed to the church, why wouldn't you send them there, if it was a very good school and very close to where you live? I am an athiest and am not likely to change my views but I am happy for my kids to learn about everything around them and make their own choices later in life. I would be very surprised if either of them decided to join the 'happy clappers' but if they did, then that would be fine with me. Also my eldest has moved from a non church school in year 2 when we moved house and religion seemed to play just as big a part in everyday as the CofE school. Just my opinion.

I thought that before Thistells, Le Chardron was a butchers. chuff

Sillywoman, glad to hear it's going well at Charter. I have actually heard some very good reports over the past few days from people around the area. Seems like it is becoming more popular with the 'locals'. Not sure if this is good or bad! would be good to hear from you as the year progresses and get some more feedback for the future. chuff

I too am worried about the secondary school situation, we have charter very close but it gets very mixed reviews, kingsdale is the other close school and as much as the facilities have been hyped I just don't think I could send my kids to a school that needs security at the gates. chuff

I agree with you about the bullying thing scruffy mummy. I don't know very much about Goose Green Primary but I know their nursery is very sought after and oversubscribed. I wouldn't want to send my kids to st Anthony's unless we were catholic anyway. I would prefer a non-church school but dvis is our nearest and we are happy with it.

We definitely wouldn't have applied if church attendance was compulsory and I would find it difficult to name a parent I know or speak to that attends at all. Maybe it's something people keep to themselves? or maybe there have been less church based applicants over the past few years and the open places have grown. There is of course the Roman Catholic school on Barry Road, St Anthony's, which I've heard is very good. I would assume that church attendance is essential for admission though. Out of the E Dulwich schools heber does seem to be the most popular right now, Goodrich is good if your child is average but under/over achievers are not that well catered for (a school governors' own words) and Dog Kennel Hill gets lots of good press from other parents I know.