intexasatthe moment

Things vary according to where you live ( politics ) but here in Southwark I help care for a lady in her 90's who lives alone with no mobility etc . She has not had to sell the family home and makes a nominal contribution towards the 10 carers provided by social services who call every day .

Cafes in local busy parks where they decide to close half the seating ( the half not overheated by the sun ) an hour before closing time so that they can clean it and get away quickly . And a sign ,half an hour before closing time saying " Take away only ". Pesky customers shouldn't be allowed to impede the leisure time of staff .

They do it everywhere . Thought it was just us old people who couldn't cope with it . I always personally thank anyone who hands me the coins first .

Yes ,sorry ,another vote for it's worse . Called in earlyish ( before 9 ) and could hardly move for blocked aisles that were being restocked. Have never seen it so bad . Loads of empty shelves . Plus Lordship Lane gridlocked on Sat am ( early ) by delivery lorries .

Ban on flights extended until 19.00 Mon . http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article7101380.ece

We saw a cockatiel flying in our backgarden today - land between Friern and Barry Rd gardens. Poor thing .

Agree ,what a bummer ! Surely someone mistook it for unwanted goods .But I guess you need to be careful about advertising the fact that your security has been comprimised by loosing a back door ?

Take heart Artful - I have cycled the Vauxhall Cross route to Pimlico and didn't find it too bad . I thought it was a bit stop and start ,as Lady muck suggests ,but perfectly doable . And I'm not very experienced . ( I found Camberwell New Rd the worst bit and used various routes to avoid as much of it as I could .)

How are other London boroughs - surely in same position - managing without postponing date ?

Probably not much help - it is hell I know - but when I had to get up yet again and go to my one I always used to summon a picture of him happy and smiling and hold it in my mind before I opened the door . It helped me a bit.

Could you explain /give a bit more detail about how the bicycle pool ,school thing will work ?

I'll spare you the gory details of lack of sleep but my experience mirrors Maki's. Sleep clinic when baby 10 months . Controlled crying .Some sleep . Had to repeat process after any change in routine - teeth,illness ,trips away. Maybe there's an optimum time to introduce CC ,obviously not too young when you're setting yourself up for lots of distress and failure ,but maybe not too old as well ?

This gives a bit more detail ,though no doubt it's probably more complicated than suggested. they prohibit her or anyone wishing to protest against Harris's school from doing so "in any way whatsoever, including speaking, shouting, amplified sound or by distributing leaflets" within a so-called "protest exclusion zone", which includes the school and surrounding streets. Limited protests are permitted within a 100-metre stretch near the school entrance, although the use of a megaphone is restricted to "10 minutes with no single period being for more than five minutes between 1.20pm and 2.10pm and no more than three days in any week". http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/oct/27/high-court-injunctions-protests

Protest by anyone near the school has been curtailed by an injunction obtained under the 1997 Protection from Harrassment Act ( a law designed to protect people from stalkers but now increasingly used to keep protesters quiet ). Injunctions can be obtained without protesters being informed or represented . Harris Academies used this law to obtain an injunction relating to any intended protest near The Academy at Peckham and the surrounding area. I think this kind of action by Harris indicates one of the dangers of schools ( paid for out of our taxes ) being handed over to private sponsors to run . Should you object to the way they are run (the curriculum ,the admissions policy ,the exclusion policy etc ), you will find yourself up against a governing body that is dominated by the sponsor . And should you have the temerity to persue your concerns by peaceful public protest you will find that this too can be silenced .

Personally I think opening yet another Harris Academy is nothing to celebrate . Southwark no longer has a single secondary school under it's control. Academies are not publicly accountable and you only have to look at what happened in Peckham when a relative tried to protest outside the school about what she saw as the disproportionate exclusion rates for black pupils at the Harris Academy at Peckham to realise their power to distance themselves from legitimate concerns. A protest exclusion zone now exists around the school and neighbouring streets. And it may be worth remembering that there are many parents disappointed that the mixed sex school they wanted morphed into this single sex one with what many of us believe are too many bodies on too small a site.

Alternatively ,people could stop using it .

Good points though - spaces or not .

Camberwell New Rd - wide bus lanes ,quiet ,fair bit of room for cyclists ? Honestly ? That's not my impression - but perhaps I'm a wuss !

Crikey LM ,what a star . Can't add anything to above ,yes you should go and say good bye . You must still be in shock ,you'll feel stronger when you've got your head round it. Thank you for posting .

I don't think admin allow political debate here - only questions like "my recyling bin hasn't been emptied " - think anything smacking of party political issues has to be relegated to the Lounge . Moved to the Lounge as it is a more a political debate than about specific ED issues. I will be keeping an eye on these types of posts in the run up to the election as I do not want the forum (especially the ED Issues section) used for electioneering however I understand that The Chair will be holding political debates in The Drawing Room. .

Train from Peckham Rye to Victoria is super quick .

Buses from the plough - avoid 12 because it takes ages to get through Peckham. Take 40,176 ,185 and change at Camberwell ,or stay on ,depending where your final destination is. Should be ok to get on first one at Plough ,tho depends how late you leave it .

steveo ,hush . We're all huge fans of Southwark Life ,such great value for money . And my teenage daughter just loves the down with the kids "whatever " supplement. She thinks its so coool.

I see planning permission sought to convert 208 ( "two-0 - eight " )Barry Rd into a nursery . It's on corner of Barry and Goodrich .

I thought there were a couple of posts following this one . From memory they were complaining about politicians in general and persuing the line of can we have more info about the consultation that included the question of a new crossing near Somerfield /Co op . Have they been removed ,or was I dreaming ? Admin ,don't you usually say when you've removed a post ? Have I gone bonkers ?