louisiana

People who finish emails with the expression "Will revert." Groups of pedestrians who hog the entire width of the pavement on a busy road for the purpose of having an extended social gathering (with or without prams). Big 'kids' who drop their bikes across the doorways of shops. People who parade around with certain breeds of dog they don't appear able to control. Or who use such dogs aggressively towards others. The quantities of people who are constantly reading bizarre religious tracts on board buses, and muttering. I'd really like to ship out the religious nuts to some Religion Island in the North Sea, and stop them infesting our government, our laws, our institutions.... and our buses. :-S

It's all fiddling while Rome burns. I think a lot of people have yet to realise that 'returning to where we left off' is not a medium-long term option. Anyone aiming to do that can't see the bigger picture. But unfortunately that's the way most politicans (and bankers and captains of industry) think.

Does anyone know which is the nearest Southwark Council recycling centre to East Dulwich? I tried to find this info on the Southwark Council website but - their website has a dead link to 'find out about your local recycling centre' (404 error); - their website has a non-link (marked as a link but isn't) to borough recycling centres; Then I tried calling them, three times, but - their call centre is fairly hopeless (staff say they can't access the Web, as if that would solve their problem; their 'systems' are apparently yet again 'down'; they can't tell me where any recycling centres are in the borough at all as they don't have that information. - I was cut off twice inadvertently when they tried to transfer me to someone who might know. 50 minutes not well spent.

Stargazer, I've found they have a little trick: they lay their larvae inside the external folds of sealed packets. You may well think the packets of food (rice, couscous) are fine and they are. And then you think: where are these damned creatures coming from? Examine the closed packets and boxes closely, and you may find a little creature in the packet folds. It only takes one...

Um, moth balls can seem like a bad idea when you're in a confined space with someone wearing something that's been mothballed...

MrBen Presumably several hundred (thousand?) of those police officers will be tumbling to the ground with ailments as we speak?? Just as they did as Kingsnorth: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/15/kingsnorth-climate-change-environment-police

Who mentioned it was about your habits?

SeanMacGabhann Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I dressed as normal. Nor would I be worried going > to a black-tie do tonight. > > I'm getting the distinct impression that it's the > people who are ostensibly "at risk" today who are > the ones who want the aggro more than any > protester. For entertainment, depressingly enough How on earth are the police to justify fresh powers and increasing budgets, if they have nothing to do? Of course they are going to talk up any supposed threat. Or maybe they just have vivid imaginations.

@ Moos So you'd expect a 'frugal' MP to be taking taxis everywhere? Perhaps you too are on Planet Noggin, along with Jacqui and chums.

Huguenot has some good points. But I also find that the HSBC staff in that branch can leave something to be desired. I've had a company account based there for years, but they have recently been starting to treat me really strangely (almost like a criminal) when I want to take out my own money. I feel there are some staff there who've had a common sense bypass with added social graces extraction. And then the people on their phone service come over all cloyingly nice three times a week to try to persuade me not to transfer out all my dosh elsewhere, a consequence of their frankly ludicrous interest rates for business accounts; I believe their Business Money Manager currently offers 0.01% or thereabouts. (And anyone who has any interesting and sustainable possible homes for business dosh, away from these giants, do let me know.)

Frugal, in my books, involves = inter alia - buying your outfits from a charity shop and travelling by omnibus.

I'm a huge fan of Harold and Maude and haven't seen it for donkey's years.

Well done, Ratpack. Courage, persistence....and success! JBW are a bunch of criminals. Give yourself a huge pat on the back. :)-D

New dentists always welcome.

Well I think a bat-lovers Sunday eve visit to Syd Hill Wds is deffo on. (Yes, I've always wanted a peek in there and never knew if/when it was open.) I hear there are also bats in Dulwich Park and on the hill in front of Dawson's Heights (I'm between the two). And I live in hope of some sign in my own old ivy-clad tree... No doubt there are other bat redoubts in the locality too. And as you say, Peckhamgatecrasher, there will be social events to organise around all that bat-watching. Perhaps even an annual picnic to the fabulous bat Mecca just south of Midhurst (where they live in the old train tunnels, long since abandoned). And then the various bi-lateral visits, both national and international. Chauve-Souris Sans Frontieres perhaps. Pickle: we may need to start a stag beetle 'splinter group', as it were :-S

Bigbadwolf, I have been known from time to time to wear a hoodie. In fact I'm wearing one now. I hope you won't be targetting me ::o

Female greenfinch in the tree (robinia) at end of garden. First time I've seen her this year. All the birds seem to love this tree. I envy you your frogs, Pickle. Would love to start a small (tiny) pond this year.

Stag beetles are a feature of the area. Apparently we have more in this little part of London than any other area of UK (?) They love rotting wood. We could create stag beetle-friendly corners in our gardens...

There is of course also the Beast of Sydenham which may have had offspring by now. I'm currently interested in bats. They supposedly favour ivy-covered trees for roosting (as well as tunnels such as up the road in Sydenham Woods, and buildings), and I have one of those at the bottom of the garden. so am keeping my eyes peeled. Any bat fanciers or experts on the forum?

Or the fondue fountain

bigbadwolf, I hope that's to be directed at the pigoens, not the sparrow hawks.

Thanks Jaws. I've never been so shall check it out. And dulwichmum, aren't slow cookers a little I heart 1980? Or am I thinking of some other classic and essential piece of kitchen kit? In fact, even if they were, it might well suit the retro mood of the new kitchen...

Sparrow hawks here too, on the south side (between Dulwich park and Dawson's).

*Bob*, surely you should have claimed for a taxi?

Not me but an ex-b/f: a private jet chartered to take a few people on staff to Barcelona to watch a Very Important Football Match. And all the rest of their copious expenses for the trip.