Dorothy

Yep. That's why I added the disclaimer! But I really will try to go, it would be a scandal if the velodrome ceased to exist.

Put a disposable liner in the nappy. Catches 90% of the runny stuff. Come on, lets face it, it just takes a little bit of effort.

And for the terminally confused: There is a short booklet from Southwark, which I'm sure will be delivered to you (have had mine already), which explains exactly what goes where and is illustrated with photos of extremely pleased looking householders putting the correct rubbish or recycling in the appropriate bin. Am sure you'll get the hang of it.

To everyone worried about nappies: Shake the poo into the loo and flush it away, you mingers. Perhaps the fortnightly bin collection will encourage more people to do this. I was horrified, when my children were in happies, at how few of my fellow disposable-using Mum friends could be bothered to do this and were quite happy to leave a weeks worth of child poo festering in their wheelies.

Was also going to recommend Sophie And The New Baby. It is a really lovely book and deals with the bittersweet aspect of having a new baby in the house for a little girl. Just like mumof3girlies, I can't really think about it without getting sentimental! I would offer it to you but I've already given it away to another mum with a girl who had a new baby boy. My daughter was pretty lovely when my son came along but I do remember her saying to me (when her brother was about six months old!) "Mummy, when is he going back to the hospital?".

I will bring my two children - if it is not raining!

He might just need one rasher of bacon for a recipe (a base for a soup or pasta sauce, I would hazard a guess) and is exercising Iron Will in not buying more than one.

It is my birthday today. Please form an orderly queue with your drinks/cheques. Thank you. >:D<

Was driving past the row of shops where Springers used to be yesterday and witnessed a respectable enough looking woman dump a small paper carrier bag full of rubbish out of her car into the gutter. She was looking about to see if anyone had noticed. She had a small white car, like a Nissan Micra or similar. I felt a sudden flash of intense anger, like I wanted to really really shout at her for being a filthy mare, but was driving so couldn't slow down. But, really, how could she?

They will come and deliver but only if you order an awful lot of it. Like a lorry load. Can you club together with neighbours for a big cheap delivery? You don't live near the top of Upland Road do you, by any chance? :))

What are people planning to do about their gym membership fees? My husband is lucky to be able to use the gym during quiet periods when most people are at work but he could not go on all the machines he wanted to use this afternoon. So he wants a refund or reduced fees at the very least. Only Me! when you said "I asked for a refund last night & left. Very disappointed." - what did they say? Was it just a refund for last night's session?

No coffee shop that I have ever been to in England can do the sort of white coffee you are given if you ask for a cafe con leche in Spain :(. Which is, I think, a double espresso with a little steamed milk added at the counter, not on the side. Somehow, to me, that is the perfect coffee. Lattes and cappuccinos are white coffee with far too much milk. Flat white purports to be the type of Spanish or Italian white coffee I lust after, but I think the milk has to be hot to achieve this.

Lee - any chance you could make your posts a bit shorter? I'm potentially interested in what you have to say. But can't be arsed to cut through the waffle.

It is a great place to live. I sincerely hope it never gets as expensive as Muswell Hill and Crouch End! What brought you here then Tonyo? Sounds like you'd never heard of ED before you moved here. Am curious. Or nosey. One of the two.

I used to get the District Line to work in Chelsea and never found a quicker way than walk and bus to Peckham Rye (30 mins from my part of ED), train to Victoria (15 minutes) tube to Sloane Square, walk to work. Door to door 55 mins. So I'd add another 10 minutes on if I were going to Hammersmith.

Its a bit close around Tower Bridge area. I would go Camberwell, Vauxhall Bridge Road, Victoria, Park Lane, Edgware Road, turn rightish and head for Camden. But I would also double-check that that's still congestion charge free before I set off. Just because I did it like that a while ago doesn't mean to say the boundaries haven't changed since then.

When my son was in the really crucial early days of potty training, I used to take his potty with us everywhere. Just the normal one, not a "porta potty" whatever that is. One day he needed to go on Lordship Lane. So I sat him on the potty (it was just outside Somerfield, for reference) and he didn't produce just a nice little wee, oh no. He had the kind of turn out that prompted him to declare "Oh I feel much better for that". So, what to do with the contents? There were NO options but to put the potty in the back of the Zafira (along with the shopping I might add) and drive home very carefully. Is there a Burger King in East Dulwich?

There are no public toilets in East Dulwich at all. I have boycotted the toy shop in Dulwich Village for more than four years now because they would not let my 3 year old use their toilet one day. Yes, I know, regulations, health and safety, yada yada yada.

Thanks everyone. I knew you'd have some good ideas. I think we might see what Dulwich Sports Club has to offer and, if not, then we'll do the Pizza Express thing.

We want to have a largish party - maybe 15 children, boys and girls, so don't want to host at home! I've looked at Jags gym but think it might be too babyish for my big boy. Anyone been to a really good 7 year olds party lately?

Thats the one! Still funny (and the other photos were jolly nice too). Thanks for finding it.

Perhaps I'm imagining things, but I'm sure I saw a thread on this forum once which featured a series of comedy shoe photos. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? I'd love to see them again.

Oh sympathies Sheridan. This has happened to me, too, although 10+ years ago, in Ulverscroft Road. It hasn't put me off having plants in pots and window boxes in the front garden since - they don't cost a huge amount to replace. Its such an odd thing to steal though - bulky, heavy, dirty, not easy to get away from the scene, and worth hardly anything to sell on. I can't fathom it.

I think there is also a book called Poo Goes To Pooland, which I have seen recommended on a well-known parenting forum :))

I was dumped by a bloke called Colin who played on my local pub darts team. On the last night of our three week relationship he took me to the pub to meet his team mates and to introduce me to the fine game of darts. I'd never played it before, I was only 17. He must have been oh about 20. Anyway, I beat him - so that was curtains for us.