Kelpie

A Jay appeared in our garden yesterday evening and is still there now. Quite large and healthy looking but seems (to my completely ignorant self) to be missing his/her tail feathers which is perhaps why they’re hanging about. I’ve left out some seeds and water but not sure what else can be done? Any keen ornithologists or wildlife carers nearby?

Rosyposy, flag to have found you! Have sent you a PM.

A bit late to post this, perhaps, but maybe it will be of some use. My mother witnessed an incident at Goose Green roundabout on 24 October at about 10.30am. A man was crossing at the Zebra crossing in front of her, pushing a buggy. A Mercedes saloon came through the roundabout and didn?t stop, hitting the buggy (containing a child) in the process. The driver continued although they must have known they had hit something. Had the man not retained control of the buggy there could have been a very different outcome. He was understandably very shaken. My mother gave him what she knew of the registration number, but not her name or contact details. I suppose neither of them were thinking clearly at the time. If anyone knows this man, please let him know he can get in touch via the forum if he is pursuing this through the police. Thanks

Having seen lots of great feedback for Jovaner, we recently asked him to do some painting work inside and outside the house. Jovaner is professional, well presented and to say he has high quality standards is an under-statement. The man is a perfectionist! Those walls didn?t know what hit them. He also took the time to point out where we had a leak, not directly related to his work but very helpful. I highly recommend Jovaner, I?ve found it so hard to find a reliable, high quality decorator. We will definitely be using Jovaner again.

You can close the cover of the iPad to avoid the light and audiobooks will still play. I?ve also recently discovered ?guided access? so they can?t sneakily open any other apps, or change the volume. On iBooks you can set the audiobook to turn off after a certain time, or at the end of the chapter ... though this doesn?t prevent the canny one from turning the story on again if I don?t retrieve the device.

Thanks, this is helpful. I hadn?t heard of Tigersharks. We?re in Australia at the moment so the children are already swimming pretty well (for their ages). For the baby, I?m happy to be timetable driven - she?s not exactly swimming laps yet! The three year old is doing ?real? lessons now. She?s only a level or two below her five year old brother who is doing backstroke and front crawl. I?m keen that they don?t lose the good start they?ve made in swimming so I?m looking for low ratio classes with good teachers who can talk to children. Sounds like Tigersharks or JAGS might be a good place to start. Anyone have any tips on how to get into JAGS classes or will it really be a 6am queue one morning?!

We are moving back to Camberwell in a few months, after two years abroad. I?ve missed the good old EDF! I will have three children who need swimming lessons, something I didn?t tackle at all before we left the UK so I?m fairly clueless. The children are 5, 3 and 1 and the older two have learned for two years already. I recall being told at JAGS sports club that people queue from 6am to enrol there ... this was enough to put me off even trying to join up! I would love to know where are there good lessons for small children (5, 3 and 1 years)? Are the Dulwich and Camberwell leisure centres any good? Is it really very difficult to get into lessons at places like JAGS sports (and is it worth it?) Thanks so much

Tumble at the Albrighton Centre on Tuesdays and Thursdays (?2 per child) is also very good, and still on during the holidays I believe.

A bit of a different idea but what about South Africa? I spent 10 days there on the way to Australia four years ago (admittedly without children then) and there are loads of things to do. There's very little jet lag between there and the UK and the onward flight to Australia is relatively painless. Having flown all the other routes mentioned that's where I would go for two weeks. Japan is another option but I haven't stopped there yet and don't know what it would be like for children, also cold in January. Cape Town is amazing in summer, the beaches are great and so is the food - and there are safari parks, table mountain etc

I would give them a call rather than just turn up, they're always super busy and you'll be disappointed if you go to Guy's as the maternity unit is at St Thomas'! I have had a transfer experience. I was planning a home birth last year, shortly after moving house from Kennington to Camberwell (yes, yes, absolutely crazy idea) so I had arranged to transfer from Tommy's to King's. It's fairly straightforward but you have to do your booking appointment and bloods etc again. My midwife at Tommy's arranged the transfer with the King's midwives personally. My experience was that the transfer of care seemed to go smoothly but the baby then came early and I ended up in hospital at Tommy's (as I was still technically under their care). The midwives there were fab, but the ones I met at King's were too. That said, apart from a pre-term delivery I didn't have any complications.

I have a basic tommee tippee (model 1082) - receives in basement when baby is several floors away in attic and even stretches to next door if we pop over for a drink! It was one of the cheaper ones but recommended on which? I think.

I flew back from Melbourne in January with my seven month old son. I wasn't using formula, but ... they didn't make me take any liquids for the baby out of my bag at security (i did have some formula with me in case something drastic happened to my milk supply). Also, you'll find all airlines carry some formula (and baby food) on board in case of emergency. I would recommend taking ready made from the UK for both trips, personally. Formula is nowhere near as easy to get hold of in Australia as it is here as breastfeeding is much more entrenched. Woolworths and Coles are the two main supermarket chains in Melbourne but neither of them have much of a range (I did have a look when I was there as I was struck but the massive difference in aisle space for formula in Oz vs the UK).

Great service - prompt, efficient, courteous, reasonably priced, conveniently timed - from Alan at 1,2,3 Chimney Sweeps today. Great to see a family business that's been around so long still thriving. I would highly recommend Alan.

I'm off for a few weeks on Sunday but would have loved to finally meet the people on this thread. Can we do another meet up in the new year - deep dark winter will have set in by then and I'll need afternoon vino to look forward to!

If numbers are dwindling at the Monday sessions, is anyone up for something mid week? Wednesday is always a bit of a dead day for me ... pub lunch is good, or a walk in a park (when it's not raining ... or snowing), coffee in the Dulwich Park cafe or similar. "Loving" the fireworks ... really helpful when I'm trying to keep a four month old asleep! Grrr.