indiepanda

Professional decorators seem to hate it - costs twice as much as the likes of Dulux and Crown and worse coverage - at least for emulsion anyway. The people who owned my house before me painted the place top to bottom in the stuff but were too lazy to take the old wallpaper off first and sort out the poor walls. I am gradually getting the place re-plastered and painted, but not with F&B. You can get paint mixed to match it if you really love their colours.

I am not a big royalist, but compared to a lot of people who have inherited large amounts of wealth, the Queen and some of her family at least seem to do some work for the country in return for it. Not sure we'd do better with an elected president given the behaviour of most of our politicians.

I discovered the Laughing Gravy when a friend and I had plans to got the Anchor and Hope and found it closed. It's on Blackfriars Road, bit further south than Southwark Tube and opposite side of the road. Food's always been lovely, service is great and they are pretty good about letting you sit there and drink the afternoon away at your table after rather than trying to hurry you out by bringing the bill. (It's a restaurant with a small bar at the front rather than a pub)

Sue Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > SebsC Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Wow, 2 bed house on Silvester Road just been > put > > on the market for ?1.2 million!! Crazy! > > > > > > > http://www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/35897911? > > > > search_identifier=4f77c90daf70733cb3cc8550836a2354 > > > > That's a beautiful house though, judging by the > pictures ..... And the square footage listed on the floor plan is about double what you'd expect for a 2 bed place. Limited market I suspect - most people would be expecting a family home for that money. I see it more as a place for a rather cool (and wealthy!)couple who do a lot of entertaining and have no desire to have kids. Am just not sure how many people like that would want to live as far out as East Dulwich.

Better off reading up on the HMRC web site to make sure (it's surprisingly clear for a government website) but if your first and only house is the one you live in, I don't think you should be liable for tax on any equity you release to invest in a new property - you aren't really selling it anyway, just increasing the loan against it. You would have to declare the income from renting out that second house to the taxman(think you can offset the mortgage interest against the rent as well as various other expenses) and if you sold that investment property you would be liable for capital gains tax (assuming it had gone up in value). https://www.gov.uk/tax-sell-property/what-you-pay-it-on

Another great post. I am wondering what would have happened if I hadn't resisted the temptation to press the "do not touch this button" button on the right hand side though.... It's like telling even the most well behaved kid not to blow through their straw when given a glass of pop in a restaurant... temptation overwhelming!

Otta Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Suspect it depends on the Kindle. Recent ones are > basically tablets, so wouldn't be surprided if > they disturbed sleep. Kindles from 3 or 4 years > back had screens which didn't glow and were easy > on the eye. My missus often reads in bed with hers > and doesn't seem to have any problems. Yes, I have one that I got back in 2010 and regularly manage to fall asleep in bed whilst reading it. I know a lot of people think it's silly having an ereader rather than a more fancy tablet, but the lack of a back light screen is great, makes it easier to read on the beach and am sure it improves the battery life too.

kristymac1 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > joom Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Also, that the lady that > > runs French cafe is taking the building next to > > the barbers and turning it into a french > > restaurant. > > This is definitely true, current lease has run > out and she's in process of sorting out the > interior of the blue/yellow place (which used to > be a restaurant way back when?) So we will have both the French restaurant and the French Caf?? Definitely a bonus if that's the case, I am a regular at the caf?, food is nice and there's a nice atmosphere in there. Lady who runs the caf? is so sweet and friendly.

grace3 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Nope, it's down for a 24 seven 'amusement' arcade Really? I guess I will use that about as much as I did the launderette. In my view would be far better used to expand the Co-op which has the narrowest aisles and could definitely use the extra space.

ernesto Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > * warning provokative post* > > you forgot the scousers rifling your tent Oh, I know people who have had their bags / purses stolen from their tent - even when they were in them asleep. Since then, when I have camped I've chucked my valuables in the foot of my sleeping bag before getting in to go to sleep. Do any festivals cost ?300+ per ticket? Or was that cost including all the other stuff like travel / food 7 drink / somewhere to stay if not on site? I know my trip to the IOW will add up to well over ?300 but the ticket was under ?200.

uncleglen Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Giving your employees phones and laptops is just > a ruse to get more work out of them.... Oh, some jobs it's essential - I work for a consultancy firm and when you are out of the office (which you can be for months at the time) you don't always get given computers on the client's site to use so you couldn't do it without. But I know what you mean - I can recall as a kid being told that all this new technology was going to lead to a new leisure age where we could get our work done in three days and have the rest of the time for ourselves. Instead it lead to a position where you have to set boundaries not to end up working 7 days a week - and accept the potential knock on impact on your career. Mind you, I often think we've been sold a line with the whole notion of a "career" - seems like a way of getting a lot of people to work a lot of unpaid overtime under the promise you are developing your career / it will help you get on. Reality is beyond a certain level of pay, more money won't make you any happier, and if the responsibility that comes with it means you miss out on time with friends / family and mess up your health too, it's really not worth it.

Never been to Glastonbury - Isle of Wight is my favourite festival. Always feels like you are going on holiday getting on a boat to get there and can spend mornings on the beach too. Oh, and there is the option of staying in a B&B/hotel and getting the bus in rather than camping. And maybe it makes me rather middle class to like that... I have done the camping thing, and I can live with the baby wipe showers, but I don't really want to be woken up by pissed teenagers stumbling into my tent at 3am, and sometimes the loos get really disgusting in the campsite overnight - blocked rather than just a bit smelly. Am going this year and especially looking forward to seeing Fleetwood Mac. And returning to my hotel in Ryde each night...

I have a work iPhone - I use it to access my emails on journeys to and from the office and when working offsite. I think I've taken it on holiday once when there was a project overrunning where I knew they might need my input. Otherwise it gets left at home. Mind you, I don't say I will have "limited access" - my out of office says I am out to a certain date and won't be picking up emails in my absence, and refer them to someone else who can help instead. Limited access is for days when I will be in back to back meetings or at a conference / training course. I don't usually check or answer emails on weekends or my regular day off either. Things are rarely that urgent. I had a damn good try at killing myself with stress when I first moved to London (too long hours at work leading to alopecia and being signed off sick for 6 weeks) and now I accept need a proper break when I am out of the office, not one where I am always thinking of work.

Mick Mac Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Otta Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > That play for premiership teams the vast > majority > > of the time. This won't go away, and if he does > > well I still can't see a Premier League club > > touching him. > > The arrogance of a premier league fan Otta? Try > telling kids in Sheffield that they don't worship > United players. I agree. When I was growing up there my nearest football team was Southend United, and boys at school still supported them... Look, I don't think it's logical for anyone to hero worship / look to ANY footballer as a role model, but then I am forty something women can't think of anything more dull than watching a football match and don't even take an interest in the world cup, hardly a young lad fanatical about supporting my local team. Besides, regardless of what team kids support, there's been enough media coverage that many people are aware of the case - I don't like the kind of message it gives out to them if he does get a job with Oldham. Especially if this story of the girlfriend's dad paying to replace any lost sponsorship is true... One rule for people with a lot of money behind them, another for the average person. (I can't even begin to imagine what his girlfriend sees in him. And my dad certainly wouldn't be supporting me if I was daft enough to hook myself up with someone who shows so little respect to women!)

LadyNorwood Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > At the risk of being pilloried - I've been in much > the same situation as the girl who was raped > (drunk/footballer/ sexual assault) - I was drunk, > I was star struck, I was in a hotel, he was a > well-known footballer. I don't see myself as a > "victim" - I was a star struck, drunk, young woman > who put myself in a vulnerable situation - I don't > for one moment think I "deserved" it, but I am > also realistic enough to recognise that there are > degrees of rape - I wasn't beaten, I wasn't > dragged into an alleyway and left for dead, all of > which I'm thankful for.... I was culpable to a > certain extent - granted he shouldn't have done > what he did, but then neither should I. I'm not > defending Ched Evans by any means but I fully > expect the indignation and wrath of the EDF to > plummet on my head.... I don't know quite where I stand on this. On the one hand I am always a bit cautious when drinking - like to be confident I can get myself home safely and not do anything too silly. Just as I lock my front door when I go out rather than leave it open for burglars to get in. But on the other hand.... when people start to talk about degrees of rape, I start to feel uncomfortable. We all know we have a horribly low conviction rate in rape cases in this country and many go unreported altogether. I don't like the idea that you have to be beaten to within an inch of your life by a stranger as well as forced to have sex against your wishes to stand a decent chance of getting justice rather than being blamed for wearing a short skirt, being a bit drunk and "asking for it". As for Evans, as so many others have stated, it's the lack of acknowledgement for what he has done and the continuing horrors his victim is facing that make me feel it's unacceptable for him to return to what might not be a top flight football job, but still a decently paid one, and one which puts him in the position of having young kids looking up to him and possibly being able to do the same again to another woman.

Follow the green chain which takes you through most of the local green spaces - have found spots I'd never have come across without it - web site here:- http://www.greenchain.com/site/index.php My top recommendation would be going through Brenchley Gardens and on up One Tree Hill on the way to Honar Oak - love the views from the top of the Hill, and though I love the formal gardens in Peckham Rye, I also like the fact there's somewhere a little wilder so close by. If you could block out the distant traffic noise you wouldn't know you were in the city - as is also true of Sydenham Hill Woods.

How about Northern Line from Moorgate to Elephant and Castle and pick up the 40 or 176 from there to get to East Dulwich - or if it's Peckham Rye you need, 63 or 363.

KidKruger Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > But it's down to the hassle and the certainty > isn't it ? > With the LB service you're getting loads of the > former and very little of the latter. Agreed. Am willing to have the bus take more time as I walk to the start of the route, settle back in my window seat on the top deck and relax with my kindle. Much less stressful than standing on an exposed platform in the cold as the crowd builds up for a delayed train, having to get pushy to even get on, and then be squished standing up for the journey. Ok, it's not that bad every day, but far too many recently, especially as it costs more (I don't buy a season ticket).

I'd like to add to the recommendations for my neighbour, Laurant. He's recently completed a second decorating job for me and it was all done to a very high standard as it was the first time round.

I moved to ED after the forum had really got going, but I have met at various drinks sessions (including one the day after I moved here) most of the people who I think some might consider to be part of a clique. I have to say I've had nothing but positive experiences with all of them - all very friendly and part of what made me choose to settle here. I've been here over six years now and all my friends in the area I have met as a result of the forum and I can't imagine my life here without it, even though I am not that frequent a poster. Having posted on other forums in the past, I have to say the behavior here is pretty tame by comparison. There will always be in jokes that newbies don't get - but isn't that always going to be true if you become friendly with a group of people who have known each other for years? It's not designed to make people feel excluded, it's just a fact of life.

I've been making some soup for the week ahead - Abel and Cole have just introduced a soup box where they deliver all the ingredients to your door for three soups (makes 2-3 portions of each) and a recipe card for those soups for ?12.50. I expect I might be able to buy the ingredients for less in the supermarket, but it's nice getting it delivered to the door, and I know it will make me be more adventurous in my choices. The ones this week are quite varied and the first one I've eaten for lunch was very tasty.

I know what you mean about the motivation issue. I hate having to feel like I am restricting myself, even though it's obvious my excess weight is restricting me in all sorts of ways. Am a dreadful emotional eater too and get stressed far too easily so that leads to plenty of emotional eating. Maybe practicing better stress management might be the key for me... though exercising more would definitely help, not least because it boosts my mood. Am rather prone to letting work get in the way - I really have to get to bed early and do before work so I have no excuse for not doing.

I also need to shift a lot of weight - a stone in a month is pretty challenging though - most diets suggest 0.5 - 2lbs per week is more realistic. It would be lovely to be a healthy weight for my height in time for next Christmas - that's achievable theoretically (I need to shift about 3-4 stone) but having been overweight for over 15 years and having never managed to shift more than a stone at once during that time, and having always put it back on within 6 months, it seems something of fantasy. But if you start a diet thread I'll join in.

Doesn't surprise me, since the work at London Brdige over the August bank holiday trains often seem to have to wait outside London Bridge for a platform to become free. And that's assuming they even arrive on time, which they don't seem to that often. I've got so fed up I've more or less given up using the train - would rather get the bus and sit down and not have to stand on an overcrowded crowded train as it hangs about for ages for the privilege of reaching my destination a couple of minutes sooner.

I can think of plenty of places that make me slightly tense... it's just I can think of a good reason for all of them. I think the place that makes me most tense is my office though... sign I need to get a new job!!!