Mrs TP

We breathe out when any bin is collected and immediately fill it with all that being stored in the house - recycling, food waste or green bin stuff - this is more than half full within 3 days of being collected. David Cameron promised a re-introduction of weekly bin collection - bollocks like the rest of his crap ... and James Barber when are you going to respond to the separate email I sent you re getting a pitch on Northcross Road Market? You are prominent on here but not so quick at responding to your emails.

The whole pilot business seems to be aimed at the council and whether or not things work for them and/or need tweaking not for us residents as users of the various services. The bags without handles are a pain, splitting or ripping if you try and stretch them over the mouth of the kitchen cadi or when you tie them up. Can't quite believe my original post has generated all this discussion but also glad not just us producing so much recycling and struggling with those silly food bags.

I know an adult Heathcliff (35-40?), who we call Heath and is in your original post - go for it. As for a middle name depends on your surname and do you really need a middle name or would you like two middle names? Think about the initials and what they might spell. My 7yr old daughter is watching me type this and likes George and Jacob. Our cat is called Trevor and we love this retro name. Names are sort of v. important but also not as he will bring his own personality to whatever name and it is the most fun frivolous part of being a parent so go for whatever you want. I have 3 beautiful girls but the most fav boys name we ever agreed on was Jeremy or Johnathan James Edward Surname. Have fun being creative and enjoy your little one whatever.

I told my 10yr old I needed her Christmas list the other night as I was going to phone Santa. She replied 'you mean you are going to do some online shopping?'. Almost busted but quick as a flash I responded that in these hard times I had heard Santa was putting in some shifts at Amazon to earn some extra cash seeing as he normally only works one day a year. Phew ... think I got away with that one - NOT!

Earlier in the year an estranged family member emailed me and asked me for my national insurance number. They claimed they needed to put it on an inland revenue form relating to their own contributions during a period I lived with them some 24yrs ago. I didn't respond as this seemed to be a 'fishing' message albeit from someone I knew. Anyone any ideas why they really might have wanted my NI number and what they could do with it?

Cheers Rosie Posy - one day I may land the holy grail of the Northcross Road pitch. Look forward to seeing your work on display - keep us posted.

Oh Rosie Posy I love you - I was in Blackwater Court on Saturday selling photographic prints (http://marketprints.co.uk) having previously been refused a licence at Northcross Road on Fridays because there are '3 other people doing what I do'. I have never really seen myself in competition with the food stalls in Northcross on a Friday. Having been through the application process for Northcross and followed all the guidelines to the letter and still a year on without a licence for there I am at a loss as to what you have to do - it seems a very odd set up. Anyway the next Blackwater Court market is on Saturday December 3rd and it would be great to see as many of you there as possible.

We had our blue bin recycling collected today. The bin was full plus the old blue box plus two blue recycling bags. Thankfully all was collected. We are a family of 5 with two pets and so perhaps do have a lot of recycling. However nipping to the local shops this morning, I saw that loads of nearby houses had also put out overflow recycling boxes / bags for collection as their blue bins were also full. Is it just me that thinks fortnightly collection is not enough or, heaven forbid, do we need two blue bins? We barely have room for the one.

Oh no please just the 31st.

Just Williams near the Goose Green roundabout do them. It is a children's shop but no doubt they will have generic 'happy b'day' ones.

I think as long as you talk to your son at the beginning of each day and explain where he (and you) is going it will be cool. Might have the usual settling in probs but I am a great believer that if you talk to children calmly then no matter how young they are or how much they do / don't understand they will get it eventually and look forward to a bit of diversity. Loads of kids go to nursery part-time and a relative for the rest of the time and what you are proposing is just half-a-step away from this. You have to do what works for you and what you are planning is consistent from week to week and will be fine.

I really agree with Goodliz that you should just put it down to bad luck. It is really annoying when you loose something or it gets damaged and there is nothing you can do - the frustration can stay with you for quite a while. I had a buggy nicked from the buggy parc at Centre Parcs swimming facilities whilst on hols there a couple of years ago and it annoyed me for weeks. I actually spotted the family who had nicked it wheeling their youngest to the car park in it shortly after it disappeared and I confronted them with my tiny tot in my arms. Obviously, they denied it and became v. aggressive (much as it was a common buggy I could see my buggy board links on it and knew it was mine) and I backed off. It was all very distasteful but you need to take the higher moral ground and let this go, particularly as you weren't there. Not great and not the solution you probably want. However if you do let this go it will be over much quicker than if you continue to pursue. Good luck.

The girl who knocked at ours told me it was a free grant. I said I wasn't interested in talking and didn't ask for further info, we then had a 'playground type' exchange of words as she stropped off - honestly it was pathetic. Funny though how I look here and see it is not free at all.

Widen your nursery search and perhaps consider nurseries near your place of work if you happy to travel with your wee one. Get your name down on as many nursery waiting lists as possible. There is a slight January freeing of places as 4yr olds leave to start those schools that still continue Jan admissions. Also may I suggest actually making enquiries with and meeting/ visiting childminders / nannies - you might be pleasantly surprised or you might not. If not you are not committed to taking a place. However these are often great temporary solutions whilst waiting for a nursery place. Many Mums are part-time these days and most nurseries are made up of part-time children. Good luck - it will work out.

This is really one unmovable feast - the 31st it has to be regardless as to whether a school night or not.

Hi Dorothy Glad you shared the moment! I also see they have withdrawn their maths scholarships until after you get in - so still not fair that they are allowed to select on music and sport but not academic ability - it is this unfairness that is bugging me. Re the order placement I think they just get fed up that it is not always everyone's first choice and for all their flag waving they are actually offering places to those who put it 2nd, 3rd, 4th. Our friend's daughter got in there on her 4th choice two years ago. Our primary headteacher explained the list order to us that if for example you met the criteria for and could be offered places at your 2nd, 4th and 6th choices then you would be offered a place at the highest ranking so your 2nd choice and you would never actually find out what others you could also have got into. The schools don't know your order ranking (but I understand will ask your child at any auditions / interviews) and can't say 'oh we will give our first places to those who choose us 1st'. I see Kingsdale had over 1600 applicants last year but that is people putting it between 1-6 and not necessarily 1st. It is a hellish process all around - go with what's right for you. Good luck to all out there and don't forget your Kingsdale X-Factor applications have to be in by 12th October - ha ha!

Just got back from open morning at Kingsdale where the head himself likened their music scholarship application process to the X-Factor - I rest my case.

Buying snacks whether biscuits or fruit and then not letting me eat them to make them last? However, just remembered from time to time I buy my kids creative stuff and then freak out when they expect me to help or make a mess and that's on the rare occasion I allow them to get said creative stuff out of the packet...

I am loving the debate my original post has started. Thanks to all for responding, great to see all the different takes on the situation. It is keeping me cheery and happy through the whole terrible secondary school hunt debacle. I had spent all summer convincing myself I would not get freaked out by it and would smile gracefully throughout and avoiding all related playground gossip. Have failed miserably. Almost had a nervous breakdown the night after visiting our first secondary school and I listen intently in our current primary playground every morning and afternoon as to what the other parents are making of it, which ranges from some not really giving a toss and literally driving past a school and saying 'yeah looks ok' to extra tuition for for grammar / independent schools. I naively thought we would be able, without worry, to apply for and get into a comprehensive school in Southwark / Lewisham with sound academic achievements and direction. Kingsdale takes a %age from each ability band - I think the %age relates to how many applicants in each band, so the bands with the most pupils whether upper, middle or lower are the most represented in the school. So essentially it is a lottery and they state that places are not offered in response to their scholarship programme. Charter goes on distance and it is unlikely (but not impossible) that we will get in. Prendergast and Haberdashers would be the music option as we are too far away for distance criteria. Have yet to visit a few others. This is the first of my brood to move to secondary school and I joke to myself that by the time number 3 is going I will be so chilled I will let her fill the application form in herself ...

So a child with above average musical ability has the opportunity to get into a particular state school regardless of where they live to access 'teachers with particular skills in that area'. However, a child with above average academic abilities has no chance of gaining entry to a particular state school to take advantage of the teaching there if they do not fall within the distance criteria / lottery banding. Either state schools are selective or they are not - it seems wholly unjust that they are allowed to select in one subject area.

How come some secondary schools are allowed to run x-factor type music auditions to allow a %age of their places to go pupils with exceptional musical ability regardless of where they live but they are not similarly allowed to select on academic ability?

Can I put my old blue box in the new blue bin to be recycled?

Thanks guys n gals. I knew someone would be able to enlighten me. Will defo stop off next time.

Drove past today and noticed funky new signs and, at a fleeting glance, what looked like vintage toys (?) in the window in the property next to Badger Bakery. Is it a new shop / art gallery? Ta.

One of mine had scars for a good 8mths after. I don't actually remember when they faded but they are all gone now, albeit 4yrs later. I didn't use anything as she really couldn't bear me to touch them. It was heartbreaking when she was so irritated by it but my mental scars have faded too with time!