Bellenden Belle

I was approached by her on the corner of Bellenden Road/ Maxted Road on Saturday - she was tearful and told me she needed two pounds to buy milk for her three week old baby. I refused but felt awful about it.

Bit sleepy this morning so removed your poke... then realised who you were, so have now added you as a friend. Looking forward to playing you soon!

Definitely would like to come along to one of your meets... couldn't make it this weekend - evenings are best for me. As for Facebook I am the one with a ginger haired man next to me - oh and I am on Pete's friends list as we are hoping to have a game soon (no doubt he will thrash me!)

Hee hee... nice one ultraconsultancy!

No - my comment wasn't actually concerning the grammar. My problem was with the actual content. Which was neatly summarised by Sean's comment. In short sell me your food by all means but don't tell me shopping at your store makes me a better person.

Mmmmm, not sure if I enjoyed being lectured so aggressively when I visited the website. Have a read of their About Us page - struck me as rather self righteous without really offering much hard evidence of the partnerships they have actually created in order to provide an "old neighbourhood shop by your neighbours". It may prove wonderful but I am feeling a little sceptical - it feels like a rather cynical marketing exercise to me. feel I may annoy some people with that comment but I am merely commenting on the impression I get from their website, this is not a reflection of my instore experience.

"penalises the less well informed" "the people this will effect the most is the wealthy" As someone who has paid IHT on my mother's estate I would just like to point out the inaccuracies of these two statements. IHT doesn't necessarily penalise the less well informed - unfortunately when cancer came knocking my mother simply wasn't in a position to say "Hang on a moment Grim Reaper I just need to get my finances in order". She was barely past retirement age - she wasn't at an age when she would consider downsizing and spending her money - she literally thought she had years ahead of her. She was caught out not through ignorance, but through cancer - hardly fair, is it? We weren't a rich family. My parents were both very sensible savers - father a greengrocer, mother an irish immigrant who left school at 16 but worked hard and did well, particularly when left as a single mother when my father died. We lived in a modest house in unexciting Southgate. Hardly the landed gentry. My mother was devastated when she realised her savings were going to go to the tax man and there was nothing she could do. As far as she could see all the sacrifices she had made - not having holidays; not spending a fortune on meals out, not having new clothes - all those small things which her generation had been brought up to believe was worth it for security - amounted to a bill for Gordon Brown. What did she want most at that final point in her life? To leave knowing that I was secure and settled . Am I a rich brat bemoaning my tax bill? I hope not - I would rather have parents here today than a nice house in Peckham Rye (truth is I still couldn't afford East Dulwich and I still have a larger mortgage than my parents ever had). Do I believe in inheritance tax - possibly, even still - but not when the threshold is the equivalent of a 3 bed house in Southgate or a two bed flat in East Dulwich. Affecting the rich? I think not. The less well informed? No - just the unfortunate.

I've heard very off-putting tales about the customer service at tcc - can you reassure me?

I've been to Sema Thai since the refurb and I found it very unspectacular. But then, it is really hard to find a good thai restaurant. This is no better, no worse than many I've eaten in - I just wouldn't bother returning.

I am thrilled at these developments... rather less exciting is a locksmith opening on the building which has the beautiful mosaic on the corner opposite Fenton Walsh - I peeped in the window and saw walls and walls of keys - still, if they do shoe repairs it might be handy. Very excited about the Vietnamese - and the pub as well (I looked at some reviews of their Clapham place - venison sausages and mash, mmmmmm.) I hope Lucius and Richards survive too - they are such lovely people and I think they offer the best fry up around.

If anyone is up for a game this week let me know...

Oh my goodness - no, Alan Dale - thank you about the tip on the folic acid - but that wasn't an announcement of my attempt to conceive - it was one of the many thoughts that swim around my head when thinking about my ten, twenty year plan! I think hubby would be rather disturbed to hear my intentions first on the EDF!

In an ideal world I would love to stay in East Dulwich. BUT I think our big dilemma will come in about twelve/ thirteen years time when our children (yet to be conceived I hasten to add) are at secondary school age. Having been given a good state education myself I don't think I could limit my children through my own preference for a particular area. One thing I know is that nothing would send me quicker to the grave than to move to a seaside "retirement" town. I intend to grow old disgracefully in good ole London town.

I once attended a training session on this subject by a psychotherapist. He put forward the thesis that actually when suicide was illegal on the grounds that it was "murder" it wasn't such a ludicrous suggestion. He suggested suicide was inevitably an act of agresssion - often towards a parental figure; so that in taking one's life, an act of revenge is undertaken. This was backed up by transcripts from his patients who revealed that their suicide fantasies included being watched by the parent as they killed themselves. But that does not mean we should ever underestimate the pain these people are in. Or where their problem stems from.Sadly far too many people don't access the help they need - or indeed know what help is available to them, hence the tragic loss of life - both for them and those left behind.

I would love to play scrabble on facebook with someone! Invite me - I can be found under the name Caroline Downing... I can't make ths Thursday but would also like to join face to face scrabble in the future. Many thanks Bellenden Belle

My mother was from Leitrim, near Sligo - but I have always considered myself a Londoner at heart.

> Peckhamgatecrasher Wrote: > Except the restaurant on the corner opposite this > bookshop. The tables had bars between their legs, > going corner to corner, that makes it impossible > to get close enough to the table to eat, as you > can't get your legs under the. Pity, food does > look nice. I was so excited when that restaurant re-opened. I had heard wonderful things about the place when it was the Peckham Experiment and really wanted a good place to eat on my doorstep. Well! Mediocre overpriced food - basically restaurant prices serving pub grub. My favourite part of the experience was the delightful view I had of a video advertising the menu on continuous loop above the bar so that throughout my meal I could glance up, look at the tacky 70s pictures of staged food and wonder if a different choice would have been more inspiring. But hoorah for Bellenden Road anyway - Friends of Fabrics is terrifc, Pettitou, Review, Lucius and Richard; Casa.... love them all and the bollards too!

I know, i know it's been a while.... I've moved offices and it's a nightmare - the whole world can see my screen! Downright inconsiderate I think...

My favourite wedding song story was a couple I know who decided they really couldn't be doing with a first dance and decided to go straight into the disco... unfortunately as Shaggy's It Wasn't Me came on the speakers a small crowd formed around the two of them and they were forced to dance and smile their way through the most inappropriate song ever. Hubby and I exited the chapel with Bring me Sunshine from Morecombe and Wise ...

There are new plays at the Traverse by two excellent writers - Enda Walsh and Rona Munro. Enda is sometimes not for the faint-hearted, but is usually highly original while Rona writes particularly gripping drama. Ooooh, I am very tempted to go now, though I promised myself a year off from my usual 18 shows in 4 days!

One of our cats came from Battersea and I agree, the place is great. One tip they gave us to help the cat settle: try simple cat body language to indicate you are relaxed and friendly. So lots of stretching, yawning and slow blinking at the cat. It might be that poor Missy just thought her new owners were too docile, lazy, or short-sighted to be a threat, but she settled in a treat!

Held my barbecue - as previously discussed. Neneh Cherry's ribs soaked in jack daniels and coke (or at least her recipe for them) went up in flames - they were probably about 90% proof - otherwise highly successful. One vegetarian turned up - and was delighted with his veggie burgers cooked on my George Fornby Grill (we did have another bbq on standby but it seemed like overkill for just one). Have spent all of today nibbling leftovers... sausage anyone?

http://www.southwark.gov.uk/YourCouncil/CommunityCouncilsSection1/Communityfund.html Just if anyone wants a peek.

Always fond of a luvvie fest... Snorky often makes me chuckle - I like a maverick. Sean MacGabhann always makes the effort to contribute to threads - a friendly, thoughtful voice always (oh and a Rufus Wainwright fan to boot). Dulwich Mum of course - our very own mascot And far too many names which crop up, making me smile, think, and wish I didn't have to get back to work.

Oh - Asset - I'm sorry I wasn't criticising at all; just asking a second opinion! I think I shall buy two normal permanent ones (one for veggies, one for meaties, and then maybe one disposable one too... 20 people didn't feel like a lot in my head, but if they are all hungry I could get savaged (though obviously not by the vegetarians)!