summer frickin holidays

[mightyroar]

Is anyone else reaching for the gin with the breakfast cereal due to the joy and delight of full time summer holiday parent duties?

who's turn is it to have a go with the blue water pistol, pink bucket and yellow watering can? how long will each turn be? will the world then be fair? Can they have an ice lolly before breakfast?

then my neighbour complained about the noise of the kids in the garden in the afternoon

In their own garden? In the afternoon? in the summer holidays? Just how sorry should I really be?

[Pierre]

not sorry at all! They're children, damnit, playing and making noise is what children do. Unless they're doing it at 10pm, I'd say your neighbour is being an ar*e.

If they do have boundless energy, local councils and leisure centres often have holiday playschemes and sports courses. I remember learning to trampoline one summer holiday...

: P

[citizenED]

At times, dear mightyroar, yes the summer holidays can, at times, seem like squabble city central. Ice lollies before breakfast? Don't you know that the answer is "no". The answer is always "no". Parenthood is one long soliloquy of "no"s.

More to the point, though, are you thinking of heading to Dulwich Park for the Forum Picnic on Sunday? Not heard from you on that thread and it would be nice to meet some other forum parents.

[HonaloochieB]

mightyroar Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Is anyone else reaching for the gin with the

> breakfast cereal due to the joy and delight of

> full time summer holiday parent duties?

> who's turn is it to have a go with the blue water

> pistol, pink bucket and yellow watering can? how

> long will each turn be? will the world then be

> fair? Can they have an ice lolly before

> breakfast?

>

> then my neighbour complained about the noise of

> the kids in the garden in the afternoon

>

> In their own garden? In the afternoon? in the

> summer holidays? Just how sorry should I really

> be?

I suspect the answer was in the queation MR. I'm guessing your kids are pretty young, so don't see it as your problem. If there's not a some tolerance when it comes to the children playing in the garden during the summer hols then you're entitled to feel a mite put out.

I don't know your neighbours, for that matter I don't know your good self, but unless they have particular reasons, such as infirmity, illness etc then the usual, reasonable (the easiest word to apply, often the most difficult to define. 'I'm being perfectly reasonable - the fact that you're not makes you a complete bastard') rules should apply i.e. your kids not shouting from dawn to dusk and insisting your neighbours arbitrate over the bucket and watering can debates and them allowing youngsters a bit of free rein.

There may be a case for acknowledging their complaint however, and finding out why they're finding the disputes over water pistols etc not to their liking. Though I'm sure you've probably done this.

The gin before breakfast? Of course with a good measure of tonic.

Ice lollies before breakfast? Very long 'ice-pops' will keep the youngsters occupied for some time. Especially if you insist that they open them themselves.

Better still if you can go back in time to 'George's Stores' on Waterloo Road circa 1963 and bring back a supply of 'Jubblies', those solid ice pyramidical style slightly flavoured slabs, you'd be doing yourself, the kids and the neighours a great service.

At least half an hour to get the seal open, an hour to work the tip of the 'lolly' through the gap, two to three hours to consume the iceberg and a minimum of an hour and a half recovery time while your jaw thaws out.

At least that's how I remember it.

[TillieTrotter]

Blimey Hona, I remember that shop. Are you from around that area?

[HonaloochieB]

Was for a chunk of childhood TT. We resided in Quinn's Buildings on Waterloo Road.

I went to St George's primary school.

[TillieTrotter]

I went to Charlotte Sharman but good mate (who now lives on NC Road) went to St Georges. We used to play against you at netball and football. Small world hey!

Where were Quinns buildings?

[PeckhamRose]

I am appalled at the neighbours being upset at the noise from the kids. I would be oh so nice to the neighbours try and make them feel guilty. Have a cake making afternoon and offer the nice cakes to your neighbours. If the kids are old enough and the neighbours very old enough, tell them you are thinking of taking your kids to first aid classes which could be very useful in the future....

[mightyroar]

good idea peckham rose.

and citizened we are off camping (which will keep the neighbours happy!) so we cant make the forum picnic.

[Keef]

I love the summer holidays simply because I have to use buses on a very busy (4 schools) route in the mornings, and it is heavenly for these few weeks!

Sorry, that's rather selfish I know :-$

[HonaloochieB]

TillieTrotter Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I went to Charlotte Sharman but good mate (who now

> lives on NC Road) went to St Georges. We used to

> play against you at netball and football. Small

> world hey!

>

> Where were Quinns buildings?

Apologies to everyone else, while me TT reminisce.

Charlotte 'Shite' Sharman eh? That's what certain elements in St George's used to call your school.

How old is your mate? What sort of vintage are you yourself if that's not too personal?

The buildings were opposite Webber Row I think without checking. They were demolished a long time ago, probably as some sort of slum clearance.

George's is still there I think.

[TillieTrotter]

We were the posh school I'll have you know. I also sent my daughter there a decade or so ago and they still had the same Headmistress. I'm '67 vintage but my mate is '70. My old nan lived in Webber Row most of her life. Maybe we need to start our own thread as this could be fun.

[mightyroar]

and another thing. Today in crystal palace park they had a bouncy castle- ?1.50 for 5 mins and a bouncy slide thing- ?2.50 for 5 mins.

let me say that again.

2 pounds and fifty pence for 5 minutes. per child!

Daylight frickin robbery!

[HonaloochieB]

mightyroar Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> and another thing. Today in crystal palace park

> they had a bouncy castle- ?1.50 for 5 mins and a

> bouncy slide thing- ?2.50 for 5 mins.

> let me say that again.

> 2 pounds and fifty pence for 5 minutes. per

> child!

> Daylight frickin robbery!

Frankly MR I'd get them back to f+cking with the neighbours. At least with them you're in your own home and getting your council tax worth.

I'm of an age that I can remember when a chap could get a great deal more than 5 minutes bouncy sliding for an outlay of fifty shillings.

But perhaps a story best kept for one of those reunions with ex schoolmates who went on to become mercenaries.

[Tony.London Suburbs]

Done any bouncy sliding lately Hona?

[dukesdenver]

HonaloochieB Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Better still if you can go back in time to

> 'George's Stores' on Waterloo Road circa 1963 and

> bring back a supply of 'Jubblies', those solid ice

> pyramidical style slightly flavoured slabs, you'd

> be doing yourself, the kids and the neighours a

> great service.

> At least half an hour to get the seal open, an

> hour to work the tip of the 'lolly' through the

> gap, two to three hours to consume the iceberg and

> a minimum of an hour and a half recovery time

> while your jaw thaws out.

By the late 1970s 'scissors' had been invented and the nice lady in my local post office would very obligingly open ours for us. Of course with a nice big opening at the top you had to be careful not to squeeze too hard or else the whole thing would shoot out and land in the dirt. No problem in those devil-may-care germ-filled days, though - a quick rinse under the nearest tap and you'd eat it anyway.