fmay

The cheese shop on lordship lane

Ok thanks!

Hi, Can anyone tell me how I get my posts to say 'new' when I start a new thread? I though this happened automatically but it never works for me. Thanks.

Geez shows how you can get the wrong idea whilst I was there yesterday paying for petrol when that black car swerved into the garage, screeching tyres and the guy working there raised the alarm saying 'not again'... I legged it out of there so fast hearing sirens all over the place, assuming the two things were part of the same, assuming they were related incidents, and now find out I was unduly freaked out whilst the car at the front had been smashed before then. There was me worried I'd have my number plate picked up on CCTV and be contacted for evidence. Pretty funny now I look back on it! That said, shootings and gang crimes do happen around that area so no wonder we can get paranoid. Not to be laughed at.

Thanks, I managed to book through kids week.com.

How on earth do we book this? It sounded great when I read the add on this forum recently but none of the three phone numbers provided work and we've had no response to our e mails asking to book a place....furthermore, the ad has since disappeared. Strange!

Yes, I have to tidy before the cleaner comes so she can deep clean properly (can only afford to have her help a couple of hours, every 2-3 weeks) and otherwise I hoover, usually twice a day, mop floors and do at least one load of laundry and ironing (3 small kids!) every single day, weekends too. The cooking and clearing up from meals is, of course endless.... Then there's squeezing in phone calls, apts, paperwork etc, around chauffeuring small people around to school and nursery and so on. Yes my other half does what he can to help when he's off work at weekends, but I have to say, it's usually easier to just do things quickly and properly myself ;-) He is somewhat messy so only adds to the workload! I tend to feel like a hamster on a wheel but I have to be up early and super organised to make everything run smoothly for the whole family otherwise I would be seriously stressed out in utter chaos each day. Busy family life I suppose. I feel I should be grateful for being in a position to be able to look after the house and the kids myself, but it would be nice to get a break from it occasionally. Never enough hours in the day. My fault though, I have friends who can sit and sip tea or watch tv in the evenings with mess piling up around them but I would never be able to relax with lists of chores left to do! At the end of the day, nobody forced me to have 3 babies in as many years so I can hardly complain eh!?!

We have 3.... Just 4, 2 and 8 months.... Utterly exhausting, sometimes very stressful (with no family nearby to offer extra helping hands) but largely 'happy chaos!' My older two are lovely with the baby and our family just feels complete now. I am enjoying baby number 3 more than I did the first two as I am so relaxed and organised after having two already in the past 3 years....and perhaps because I know she is my last (I'd have more if we could afford to!)so I'm relishing every day whilst she's still a baby. Thumbs up for 3 from me!

My son starts Goodrich pre-school in September and I had ordered sweatshirts from reception but never heard back from them before the school closed for holidays! I've found online sites that sell the sweatshirts with Goodrich logo but their delivery would not arrive until after the start of term. Is there a uniform shop locally which sells the sweatshirts/hoodies? Also could anyone tell me if the boys trousers should be dark or light grey? I assume a couple of pairs/2 polo shirts/2 jumpers is sufficient for a child doing half day weeks? Thanks!

Definitely fly direct if possible. Worth every penny!

I measured 3-5cm under all the way through my three pregnancies, had a small neat bump and everyone kept saying 'a nice small baby'... But they were all big, my second 9lb2 and third over 8lb too. These belly measurements don't tell you much. I obviously didn't have masses of water or extra fat, my small bumps were all baby, as they say. Beware growth scans tend to be wildly inaccurate too. I know a couple of ladies who were terrified to be told they had huge 9-10lb babies but they were just over 7lb at birth!!

You are perhaps our new neighbours? The house next door to us has just sold, on Hillcourt Road. I think it's a great street to live on. Quiet, being a bit away from Lordship Lane, but close enough to walk everywhere- Dulwich park, Peckham Rye, the strip of handy shops on Forest Hill and it's only a brisk 10/15 minute walk to the lane itself, with great places to shop and eat. Parking is rarely a problem and the people we chat to on Hillcourt are all very friendly, look after eachother's cats etc, most neighbourly! I never even notice there is a large estate just up Donkey alley. We've lived here for about 5 years and never had any problems or unsettling behaviour in the area. You do get people doing school drop offs to Goodrich at 9am each day, but that only causes a jam on the street for a short time during term. Mostly mums stopping their cars in the middle of the road, parking all over the place!?! Probably the most noise and disturbance would come from my energetic toddlers! Welcome to Hillcourt Road. Hope the move goes well.

It is quite ridiculous to suggest money is not a consideration when deciding how many children you can 'afford' to have. They still need some quality of life, to be fed/clothed/housed and cared for and none of this comes for free. If it was only a question of luxuries, such as big cars or private schools, I would love a huge family....but we have to be realistic of our limits!

Kefalonia is sooo beautiful, you will love it. Brave going with a little one though, it is very hot and quite spread out in terms of driving around cliff tops if you want to visit sites like Myrtos beach (may have spelt that wrong, sorry!). We hired a car just for a day as it was so tiring driving around. Car window blinds might be a good idea, our hire company didn't provide them. The sea is lovely and warm to swim in too. I'd imagine you'll spend most of your time playing on the beach (Get some buckets/balls etc from a local mini market, they all had a selection of beach toys). I was pregnant when we went and found it best to get out of the sun for the middle part of the day. Most of the restaurants serve typical Greek fare. It is really pricey for meals out but if your toddler will eat fish/meat with rice/pots and salad you won't have a problem. I didn't notice separate kid's meals especially. I would probably take your own formula if you use a particular brand. I avoided Greek salads because I was worried about feta, but wish I hadn't bothered as all my pregnant friends continued to eat Greek salads on holiday in Greece! Try the Stifado and Kefalonian meat pie...delicious! Definitely take pregnancy notes. Enjoy!

....Apologies for mis-spelling of Copleston :-)It appears that they are separate groups. One in the church on Copleston Road- has anyone been, do you just park on the street there? The Albrighton Community Centre seems to be in the estate opposite Sainsburys. Again, any good?...and where can you park?

Hello all, can anybody clear up my confusion over these playgroups please? Are they separate things or the same group?...I cannot seem to find the Albrighton Centre (driven around and around the streets oppposite Sainsburys, off Dog Kennel Hill) and where on Coppleston Road is the Coppleston Tuesday morning group please? Is it in the church there? I'm sorry if I'm being really dumb but I can never find either of them or anyone who knows where they are and would love to try new groups on a Tuesday morning during these rainy weeks. My two are one and three, I presume they would be suitable? Thanks!

Great, thanks

Is Tippee Toes softplay on at the Herne tomorrow?- some confusion over polling days?

Only had good experiences, been quite a few times now for lunch- lovely staff (though sometimes a bit slow) and good food too. Bit pricey but isn't everywhere in this area?? Hope they take note of these negative comments because it's a great spot and shame to put people off with rude staff.

...You might find that you find the newborn incredibly easy after getting used to being busy with and older, more mobile child though. I appreciate the 'calm' of my baby now. Just a thought, on a more positive note!?!

Erm, yes I often find myself having to cook entire family dinners/lay the table/clear up etc whilst breastfeeding the newborn in one arm, at the same time....and I also put her on a towel on the bathroom floor, or in her bouncy chair whilst I bath my toddler and get him ready for bed. Lots of sling wearing as well so I have hands free to clean the house or chase after the eldest in parks and so on. Fun fun fun!!!

Ladies, not been 100% this week so I'm not sure if I'll make it in the morning (especially with my rowdy toddler with me) but I will see how I am in the morning. Please go wherever you guys want to meet up and I will check the forum tomorrow to see where you are.

Congratulations Emma, would be lovely to meet the new arrivals!

Think I can do this Saturday. Will have toddler with me though so will probably be a quick visit. Please can people post if they are not coming on the morning of the meet because the last couple I have rushed to get there to find nobody else, or maybe just one or two other mums had bothered to turn up. Perhaps would suit people better in the avo instead, maybe 3ish?

yes I can actually make this one, 10.30am Green & Blue.