Chartwell

Hi Shambles The law prohibits the employment of children under the age of 14 (Children Act 1972, section 1(1)) other than where the child is an employee of his or her parent or guardian and is performing light agricultural or horticultural work [do you have any hay that needs harvesting??] on an occasional basis. In this latter case, a child of 13 may be employed. 'Light work' in this context is defined as work that will not jeopardise a child's safety, health or development, nor be harmful to the child's attendance at school or participation in work experience. However, children in their last year of compulsory schooling may undertake work experience as part of their education provided that the employment is approved by the local education authority (Education (Work Experience) Act 1973 as amended by the Employment Act 1990, section 14). Generally there is guidance on the employment of young people over the age of 16. Am happy to post this if you are interested...

I had my hair cut there yesterday and Ken was telling me about his holiday in Turkey and that he was looking forward to his 'holiday' on Sunday at Peckham beach - it clearly still amuses him after the millionth time of telling - fantastic! BTW, worth a visit as well for him showing off his teeth that have been given an overhaul in Turkey and of which he is very proud and smiles broadly and gleamingly at all of his customers.

Dear DM, It would seem that there might be a rush to your door to present the glass slipper. I do hope that your delicate foot might be seen under all that taffeta... C.

You can't beat Ken's Barbers on East Dulwich Road, next to The Green. Fantastic hair cut all for ?10.00 including tip, less than half the price I was paying in the City. Ok so you can only understand one word in ten during the time one's in the chair, but that's half the fun.

Dear DM, How marvellous! Clearly a dress like that has a number of other uses too, besides being stylishly iconic, it can be a small childrens wendy house, it can dust the skirting boards as you swish about the lounge... Shall we dance? C.

On Tuesday morning the rising sun was glowing orange through the trees of Peckham Rye park and there was a layer of mist just hovering above the grass and people wending their way to work were silhoutted against this beautiful backdrop. It was really gorgeous. So who cares what it's called when you can experience that, pretty much at the end of the road.

Mark Ronson has a version of The Smiths 'stop me if you think that you've heard this one before' out which is excellent. I love the line "And the pain was enough to make a shy, bald, buddhist reflect and plan a mass murder...'

There are two prefabs along Underhill Road. New flats and houses were built around another prefab - which I heard belonged to a 93 year old woman and she was going to be offered the first flat when the building work was finished! I haven't heard whether she got one - it must have been hell to have a development grow around you.

Where men are required to wear a lounge suit, women have a much wider choice. Generally it means anything that's pretty smart. A day dress, a trouser suit, a separate skirt and top - I would say anything short of a King and I style ballgown!

Alas DM, Top of the Pops is no more - so no exercise for DB on that front. It will be all air brushed videos on VH1 for him now. C.

Here's Daniel and his sister, Natasha. I've always thought Daniel comes across as a bit smug . Has any one spoken to him and can prove me wrong?

spadetownboy Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > do you need a scarecrow to keep the birds away. The worms have a very safe three storey house which protects them from the weather and any thing that might want to eat them! It feels a bit odd to be adding a bit of frippery into this heavy (but very worthwhile!) discussion. Maybe if I got glowworms it would help with the whole lightbulb debate?!

Thanks for the link Capt_birdseye, I have the GU10 spots on two floors in my house and it's great to see that there is a green alternative. I agree about the lights in offices, I think to some degree there is an attitude that someone else will switch them off. Every night I turn the lights off in my office and also the printer - although I have been told that it affects the network in some way - not that it's stopped me doing it. It seems to me that there is no reason to leave the lights on all night. Driving through Westminster very early one morning I noticed that the spotlights which usually light the outside of Parliament were not on - so perhaps that is as a result of a green initiative? I wonder how many more places in London switch off at a certain time?

Dear dulwichmum, Were your new bag a basket you could combine the pics and have a chicken in a basket! (yes, I will be appearing out of season at the end of the pier in Southend) However, I imagine the only basket you might have would be one that sits on the front of your bicycle - used on the days you're not using the Prius. C.

Dear dulwichmum, Can you post a pic of your chucks when you get them? As much as I would like to have chucks at Chartwell House I don't see it happening any time soon and so would love cluck (sorry couldn't help it!) over someone elses. C.

Dear dulwichmum, How kind of you to say so, thank you M'am. C.

I hope that your balcony doesn't overhang the street, Mikewbate! The worms need very little attention and seem to thrive very well on the organic bananas that they get fed as I never seem to be able to eat them fast enough before they go off - the bananas that is, not the worms.

Dear dulwichmum, What a great idea to have chucks - your very own fresh eggs and you will be teaching the children skills in animal husbandry. At the risk of sounding as though I have a fox obsession - I hope the Egglu is fox proof - I'm sure that must have been one of the first design features when the idea was first thought of. Don't get a cockerel though! In Key West for NY and there they keep the scorpian population down and, therefore, are protected and roam free all over the place. They cock-a-doodle-doo'd to each other from 2.00am onwards every night!! I would have strangled them if I could of got hold of them! C

I have never come across the term jazz mag. Not wishing to lower the tone any further - but I'm going to - did jazz mag start out as something else? An 'i' replacing he 'a' in jazz? Or is that something altogether different?

We have a wormery which is great for recycling all that kitchen waste (including teabags). It produces great compost and some rather putrid liquid that when added to water is just fantastic for the plants - forget the baby bio. The worms are also great for when kiddies come to visit as they seem fascinated with them. Also worms are perfectly fine when you go on your hols as you don't need to put them into a kennel or anything... It was bought from Wiggly Wigglers and they have loads of great green things...http://www.wigglywigglers.co.uk/ We also have a water butt and have another one waiting be fixed to the wall - although one attempt has already seen the drainpipe break! I hired a Prius a few weeks ago to go to Norfolk and like Huguenot found it great. It was also my first introduction to Sat Nav which I thought was fab - almost worth buying a car for!

Dear dulwichmum, You are truly a woman of exquisite taste. I can only imagine what rare and exciting skins your shoes must be made of. Chartwell

I'll continue to shop at the Cheese Block and have long since learnt to expect good produce and efficient service...and should be grateful for that.

Dear dulwichmum, Was that a swipe from a moc croc handbag I felt? I didn't think it could possibly be true...and so pleased that you are able to throw it in the wash should anyone splash it with any undesirable liquid thinking it fox fur! Afterall Lordship Lane is harbouring lynchers of non-respecters of Fantastic Mr Fox! Chartwell

Well, one of George III's son's did live with his mistress in ED, so one never knows, the Queen might come 'home'.

Hillcourtcouple, at least you have shown remorse for the South African answer to pest control...and perhaps switch to Ocado online from now on! DM - mink? Really?!