Vickster

crystal7, have you asked your childminder if your child could be given breakfast there? I don't know what the deal is with childminders usually, but I think with nurseries the children are given breakfast so I would imagine it is similar. My son has milk when he wakes up to keep him going, and then our nanny gives him breakfast after she arrives, and it makes all the difference as to me this is the most time consuming bit of the morning routine.

EDmummy very reassuring to hear your experiences. As I have recently had a change in career direction, and want to wait for a while, we are realistically going to have a minimum of 3 1/2 years between. That is assuming all goes according to plan, which as many have experienced, is not always the case. I have been concerned about 4 years + gap, but it seems to have worked out perfectly for you.

Moos I am a full time working Mum too! It is interesting to see a number of current and ex City lawyers posting on this thread, so I will put my 2 pence worth in. I went back to work full time when my son was 6 months old, and we have a nanny 4 days a week (my husband looks after him on the fifth day). I found a nanny that I had absolute 100% confidence in, and therefore have not been in a position where I have ever worried about him, as I would not have been able to do my job if I was. My work was pretty full on before I went on maternity leave, but when I went back, in the midst of the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the life of a restructuring and insolvency lawyer (which I am) was pretty grim. Restricted hours in a transactional department are not really an option, although my old firm did offer me four days a week I decided that this would be difficult to manage in practice. After a year of working ridiculous hours, I decided to move firms and become a professional support lawyer. This is so far working out perfectly - dramatically reduced hours but with as much job satisfaction as I had before, just in a different way. I am currently happy working 5 (normal!) days a week but might consider going down to 4 if we were to have another child. I agree that the older they get, the harder the decision to go to work will be. The partner I worked for in my previous firm is not able to be there for her children for things like homework and when there are issues with other children at school, and also gets the inevitable "X's mummy picks him up from school why don't you?" My view, rightly or wrongly, is that when they are small, as long as they are cared for and loved, then the person who is doing that is less of an issue provided that you trust them.

HMRC and the majority of employee claims (other than (1) salary claims - up to ?800 per employee (2) employee holiday claims, and (3)certain unpaid pension contributions) are not preferential, so would get put in the unsecured pot with everyone else, but it is true that these claims would water down what is available for unsecured creditors.

Unless there is any way it could be argued that the deposits were ringfenced or held on trust by the company, those who have paid deposits will be unsecured creditors in the liquidation of the company. The liquidator should write to all known creditors of the company, asking them to submit claims in the liquidation. You can contact the liquidator, which according to Companies House is Mr Hasan Mirza, Alexander Green, Curzon House, 64 Clifton Street, London EC2A 4HB Tel: 0207 183 9500, and ask for the relevant forms. The liquidator uses these forms to establish who should be paid what out of the assets of the insolvent company. What you will receive will depend upon what money the liquidator realises, and how many other creditors there are and whether any of these other creditors have secured or preferential claims, as these rank ahead of the unsecured creditors.

I second Simply Childcare. They have a pack you can buy which will answer loads of your questions, and make doing it without an agency seem pretty easy.

Sorry, just seen this ClareC, we haev the Tommee Tippee SureSound

We have the sensor pad and found it fantastic as it reduced middle of the night paranoia as you could look over and see the little green light flashing and be reassured that everything was ok without needing to get up and check. It did occasionally go off as a false alarm (we no longer use it as our son is over 1) but as soon as it picks up movement again which is usually only a couple of seconds it starts to flash green again (with an additional red flashing light to tell you it has been tripped) and the alarm stops.

Arnica tablets (homeopathic remedy) every three (I think) hours during labour (if you remember!) and one a day afterwards for a few days. Reported to help brusing and healing post birth, and while I can't attribute it to them directly, I found they really seemed to help.

Hi Big Jim My husband looks after our 14 month old son every Friday. PM me if you fancy meeting up with him at the swings etc. Victoria

It was locked as I thought of that. However when you pressed the keys the screen lit up and there was a particular photo on it as a screensaver. I guess that will be the best form of owner identification for the DIY bloke.

I found a blackberry in it's case this morning on the corner of Dunstans Road and Forest Hill Road near the traffic lights. As I was late for work I didn't have time to take it to the police station, but have left it with the owner of the DIY shop on the corner. I hope someone claims it. Victoria

Siduhe Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > vickster, I believe "harbingers of doom" is the > preferred term... ;-) Yes, fair point....

Have I found another (probably also hugely overworked) restructuring and insolvency lawyer in ED? Siduhe, if Foxtons were indeed in administration, I would hopefully also have got wind of it.

This thread has really made me giggle, nice to know I am not the only person who has made a total fool out of themselves at an office party. At the first christmas party I went to at my old firm as a trainee solicitor I got totally wasted on free champagne(having been a student for 5 years I took full advantage!). My memories of the night are suitably vague, but I have been reliably informed that the partner I worked for had to take me home in a cab (as I was too drunk to go on my own) and then get me into the gated development I lived in at the time and put me to bed with the help of my flatmate. He then left to go home amd found himself locked out of our flat, but locked in the gated development, and had to scale the security fence to get out, injuring himself in the process and leaving him stuck in the wilds of Salford at 2am with no cab prospects in sight. I still cringe thinking about it 7 years later! Needless to say, I dcided that qualifying into that particular department might not have been my best career move.....

Is this the old Tivoli amusements place?

Oh give me strength. I have until now never felt the need to rise to the families/singles debates that have raged on this forum for far too boringly long to remember. I moved to ED several years ago in my twenties with a great career, no children (and no plans to have any at that time) and loved living here. I now have a child, still have a great career and still love living here. I also never recall feeling the same animosity towards families when I had no children that I see on this forum all the time, and I don't think ED has changed that dramatically since I was childless. Let's face it we all grow up, and, shock horror, probably might start a family, so if you are thinking of moving here to enjoy ED in your twenties, would you not rather it was an area that catered for the potential next stage in your life as well, rather than having to move again? Particularly pertinent given current market conditions!

First day back at work today after maternity leave, first foray back onto the 63 bus from Froest Hill to Farringdon Road. Young man entertained us as far as Peckham Rye station with very loud hip hop played through the speakers of his mobile phone. Even this short distance was enough to get my blood pressure soaring. Walking is looking more and more attractive....

I am pretty fast but have short legs so I think an hour and a half is more realistic as I live about half way up Underhill Road. You are right though, good for the days that I don't make it to the gym (i.e. every day!)

Sean Is it really 60 minutes walk to the city? I have often considered it, but thought it would take considerably longer. What is your route and whereabouts in the city (I need to get to near Moorgate station)? Vickster

Quite reassuring to see that crime in ED is generally average compared to the general rating for Southwark which is above average. That is until you look at the figures. 2 crimes (burglary, robbery and car related crime) in each of June and July. Seems unlikely, as I think more crimes than that have been discussed on this forum alone! Also strange that the area around East Dulwich Grove is above average. BBC Article on Crime Maps

I second Chez Bruce, hard to get in but well worth it.

I have had the pleasure of a meal at the Wankee Seafood Restaurant on Lamma Island in Hong Kong.

Where are the official East, South and West boundaries?

boosboss Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Vickster Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > the bust stop on Forest Hill Road > > > > Welcome to the area. > > NMust keep an eye out for that one B) Whoops! Note to self - must preview posts.