tiddles

was that the last episode? it seemed a bit sudden

which is part of the fun!!

I am so angry about this - I loved his programme! what a bunch of wallies. I actually phoned to complain and the response was marvellous "we will log you complaint and it will be made available to the customer response team and you will be contacted within ten days" how? I asked, "by email or letter which would you prefer?" actually I want a phone call. I'm afraid that is not available the complaint is passed to Capita (heart sinks) who will log blah blah blah" Capita, the same wallies who deal with alot of southwark misinformation!!! anyway, am going to start listening to radio 5 live now. grrrr

these are absolutely cracking!! well done for channelling your creativity in such a way. There are so many mums who are thrashing around trying to work out what to do now they are at home with the kids! sorry if it is pigeon holing you but they are very 'living etc' - there must be an article in groovy kids artwork here!

they sound fab, out of interest what are they laid onto - if you have underfloor you must have a concrete base?

Ha, I want something that hoovers and mops at the same time!!

not sure whether this should be in this section or the main, but I need some inspiration for my hallway floor - which accomodates the busy traffic of a family, bikes, pets etc - so that completely rules out carpet!! We have horrible mismatched floorboards which even if sanded down are going to be rubbish. what do other people have that can deal with the heavy traffic that a hallway endures?? all suggestions gratefully received. while I am here, I am quite keen on a household tips and advice section (the sort of things your granny or capable aunt would know!), but I am not sure whether the family section is the right place, or the main board which seems to be more wide ranging.

Gosh how horrendous for you, and made worse by the idiotic reaction of the owners!!! Sounds to me like they know exactly what the problem is but won't address it. Really hope Tilly is ok and I reiterate what first mate says. Re the off lead area, I thought that the main tarmac ring was ok, as is the outer wild footpath, but the inner areas around the ponds were on lead (there are usually notices on the entrance to paths where a dog has to be on lead) interested to know if this is correct or not!

hi there - just a note to say that Lidl still have loads of pumpkins for ?1 if you need one (and no I don't have shares in the company)

interesting points all round. London mix, I find your input interesting, and whilst understanding your point, I have a real problem with the traditional grammar school system that was the norm in the uk. Children were separated out at age 11 as to what their academic path would be. Pass the exam, and you get onto the escalator of opportunity - yes brilliant if you pass the exam (esp if you are from a deprived background) however, fail, and you were pretty much cut off from alot of opportunities and probably given second class teaching. I feel that most people flourish, acadmically, at different times - some at age 5, some 8, others 10, others 14, 16 and so on. There are thankfully lots of stories of people overcoming the odds and doing fantastically well - brilliant. However there are loads of people who, I expect, have always felt cheated because they 'failed' at 11 for whatever reason. I am all for streaming, but within comprehensive schools so all children are challenged to their ability, but I like the idea that that brilliant maths teacher mr smith gets the best out of his brilliant pupils, and gets the best out of his less able pupils also!! Let's give all children the best facilities, and let them all rise to the challenge. The grammar school argument always seems to be to let the best children flourish. However everyone thinks their child will, of course, pass the exam. If everyone moved to the areas that have grammar entrance exams then the schools cannot just soak them all up like a sponge - the numbers will be limited and the pass grades will be increased leading to alot of disappointment and consignment to the scrapheap of lots of able children. So then this leads to lots of extra tutoring by those parents on the ball(or can afford it) , and those bright kids whose parent don't know how to play the system lose out - so the social mobility thing falls on its face. I say this as an eleven plus failure who was supposed to pass (oh the emotional baggage) who through luck and circumstance went on to get a good degree etc. Lots of people like me would not have had that second chance. I feel passionately about good education for all. Also, I think if your child is really super bright, make those flipping private schools on our doorstep give your child a place for free and make them justify their non VAT charitable status!! There was an interesting piece about grammar schools on the vanessa feltz programme a week or so ago, and many of the secondary modern pupils were phoning in to say how poor their teachers were. This is exactly my problem with idea of a first and second class system. apologies for hijacking this thread to go off road!!

I am tempted to write via the email links given above but am concerned about being labelled difficult or worse, struck off their list (I should hasten to add I have no previous 'history' ) which I believe makes it tricky to be taken on elsewhere.

I must admit I too am getting sick of the hoops one has to jump thro to see a doctor. When I mentioned to the receptionist that how tricky it is, I was told it was a nationwide problem and the phone was put down on me. Once one has an appt, the doctors are great but this queing outside in the morning lark is just not on (an not always practical with small children and school run) I am seriously thinking about changing now even though we have been with them for sixteen years.

yes tread very carefully with anything to do with southwark - they are an absolute nightmare. all contact is via a call centre, there is no continuity so, as we have found, things drag on for months (currently six) and there is no one answerable. Emails are not replied to and everytime you contact the call centre, nothing has happened, and the poor minion logs everything on the system to absolutely no avail. next time you call, there is no record of your many frequent calls. The only human I did manage to talk to re costs, told me that they cannot tell you how much any work will cost ( this is for a privately owned but southwark leasehold flat) until the end of next year when they send the bills out, but they cannot tell you what they have been quoted. Sorry to be so pessimistic, but it is only when you realise the enormity of their incompetance that you realise it might be worth thinking about a bit more. best of luck

Yes as a parent of two children there I watched this with great interest. I am certainly not defending any cheating practices. I think the pressure schools are under to 'perform' can only be to blame. No doubt after all this, ALL schools are going to be on their best behaviour as westof points out. I too was cheesed off with Tessa Jowell - Kingsdale did not want to become an academy and did so very reluctantly since there was no information available from the powers that be as to what the alternative would if they did not. Lastly, my children are incredibly happy and motivated. I really do not want any upheaval at the school or politically motivated intervention for the sake of scoring points.

actually I am quite glad - it was beginning to spin out of control again and was getting rather bizarre!

Southwark council used to have a list of their registered childminders. might be worth starting there. good luck. returning to work is stressful enough without worrying about childcare!

that's why the trains are so great! 10 mins to city from peckham rye a further 5 - 10 mins from london bridge to charing cross, or get the fast train to victoria then up to oxford circus. When I lived in tooting, it was almost an hour on the tube to the west end and you would wait at kennington for a charing cross branch train). I find the transport links here far superior. (I have always hated buses tho so never do them) People had never heard of east dulwich and would never venture to south east london when we moved here twenty years ago. Let's carry on keeping it a secret before the prices get even more bonkers and the dreaded chains change the face of our high street for ever ( I'll amend that to affluent chains as I like iceland and co-op along side our independent shops and the marvellous 'cookwank' shops that as a laydeee, I absolutely adore)

yes I too have just discovered iceland!! lots of the basics (and branded) at good prices.

what about the baby pool at peckham leisure centre? I could be out of touch, but when mine were toddlers, the sessions where the pool was made very shallow was perfect - because they could stand they had the confidence to start swimming and were soon whizzing about like seals. apologies if that pool isn't open any more!!

now if it had been a state school beating a private school, that would have caught my attention!! Yes well done to ALL the hardworking children at ALL the schools.

I have def noticed the dog scratching again despite regular dosing with advocate. The cats seem to be fine tho! we have a can of the stuff from the vets, bit I am always really cautious about using it as I worry about the effect on the animals (and us actually) esp the small rodents in the house ( and i mean hamsters not just the mice the cats bring in!!) I really daft to be worrying about the effects of the fumes on the animals - am I being overly concerned?? I always read the labels and they really push the ' keep room closed for 2 hours and then aerate thoroughly:"

I'd like to see how Charter and Askes would respond to such a demand!!

what about describing something as a genuiune imitation?? That way everyone knows what it is.

there is a difference between the occasional bark and relentless barking from the same dog especially when it wakes you up in the night. You get to the point that you are in a constant state of agitation every time you hear one bark waiting for the onslaught to begin. I say this as a dog owner who used to live near a relentlessly barking dog!

yes a bit of an odd response from i*rate about a perfectly reasonable query. I completely sympathise with anyone suffering noise pollution (and the angst of hearing a dog barking and worrying about it)