ClareC

Happychick rescue battery hens and rehome them, and they deliver them. We rescued 6 from them last June, they are really friendly and we get up to 4 eggs per day which has continued through the winter. The urban foxes are far more bold than the country ones, and seem less well fed!! I don't think it's the country ones being driven into towns, it's the towns being built onto countryside that is the issue. The London foxes are so many generations from the original country foxes I would be surprised if they could survive in the country now. Foxes killing because they are hungry is nature, there is no difference to them what the kill is. I find killing for the sake of killing harder to understand. Foxes and cats seem to share that trait!

LondonMix Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Red Devil's post is the only accurate one. While > you need a partywall agreement (this is a > technical document prepared by structural > engineers) your neighbours do not need to be > supportive if you are extending under PD rights. > A typical ED terraced dormer conversion needs less > than 40 cubic meters. If the roof is hipped end of > terrace / semi detached, you'll need to convert to > a gable in addition to the rear dormer which will > use more of your volume allowance. > > You need to make sure your loft is suitable for > conversion (has enough height). You can search > for Southwark Planning Portal to see what has been > done on the road (even when converting a loft > under PD rights, many choose to get a certificate > stating it's lawful from Southwark which helps > when selling and you can see their architects > plans for the loft and the volume calcs). > > > Good luck. If your neighbours are not supportive the costs of agreeing terms are borne by you and potentially involve up to 3 structural engineers - very expensive and time consuming. Far easier to check the neighbours are supportive before you commit. Technically you don't need neighbours consent, if they object there is a hefty cost implication.

I would recommend talking with one of the reputable loft companies, you could even organise for them to meet you at the house concerned. I used Marvin Skyers of Skyhigh builders, he has had lots of good feedback on here (I've never seen anything negative)and is very customer focused - I'm sure he would help you (let him know you know me). Definitely make enquiries as to what the adjoining neighbours are like and maybe even sound them out before you commit. Good luck

There are no right or wrong reasons, it's what is best for your family and the cicumstances at the time. A friend of mine always intended to have 2 children, this was changed to 2 plus when her eldest was born with downs syndrome. She didn't want one sibling to shoulder all the responsibility in future years when she and her partner have passed away, likewise, she accepts that you cannot count on a sibling doing what you would hope therefore 3 or 4 was her intention. Number two was born with a 17mth age gap which is hard, she may have rethought her 'plan'. If only everything were black and white!

You do need a third party wall agreement though so the neighbours need to be supportive!

You don't need planning permission, unless the house has already been extended more than a certain percentage.

We buy our meat from Kent Veg box (they do meat boxes too)- all farmed in Kent! A large quantity comes from Monkshill School for the deaf. Really good quality and reasonable! They do fish boxes too, all caught locally.

It's expensive in London. Far cheaper outside if you don't need access for a while.

I do it manually too, totally don't understand why anyone would bother bidding any time other than the end.... Surely your just pushing the price up. Don't see how it is immoral..... If a seller wants a particular price they can set a reserve or not use an auction to sell.

I second that Austria far better value! Both countries lovely but the current exchange rate makes Switzerland v expensive!

I would just hire from Geneva airport (@ 1 hour away)as would fly there. Just specify the car has winter tyres and include snow chains. Easier to hire from the Swiss side rather than the French - its much easier to find when returning the car (there are surcharges if you return to the wrong side). Another alternative would be to drive to Chamonix - you would need to buy/hire snow chains though.

Chamonix is fantastic! Best to have a car though as the ski areas are not linked. It's a real town rather than a ski resort so plenty to do if not skiing.

If your planning the move to be long term check out schools. There are a shortage of places and the catchments are tiny!

susyp Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > My 4 year old and I have a pact to live together > for always. > sigh. > susypx Like :)

I left home for Uni at 18. Went back for the first and third summer holidays, did an additional year at Uni and never went back after that. My parents kept my bedroom for me but at some point my younger sister moved into it. She left home @ 21 I think. Always know I can go back if I needed to, get on well with my parents but definitely wouldnt choose to live at home!

Thankyou Pickle, that's a great suggestion.

What would every 5 and 7 year old boy love for Christmas? Desperately trying to think of something my two nephews will love. Thank you Clare

I have a boy and girl just 15 months apart, they do both play with everything but the girl errs to pink and dolls (totally not my doing, I avoid pink like the plague) whereas my son loves tractors and cars. That said, my son also loves pushing a buggy round and loves his cuddly monkey, my daughter loves watching the dustcart each week and has done for as long as she could walk! All small boys love the buggies in my experience.

He was undoubtedly in the wrong, im just shocked at the sentence in comparison to others. I believe the mother of baby P got the same sentence. So sad for all concerned.

I agree, especially in comparison to the much leaner sentences handed out for intentional crimes.

Polly D Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Having watched Friends With Kids this afternoon on > a wet maternity leave afternoon I found myself > thinking "sh*t, parents can seem soooo > self-absorbed, and so very tired and grumpy". > Since it's a little late to turn back now I am > vowing to be extra chilled out with child no 2. > > Anyway, you don't want to know about that but just > to add: I have friends with and without children. > When it comes to, let's say weekend social events > in ED, the ones with kids will suggest > kid-friendly sociable activities based sensibly > around communal nap times, thus ensuring as many > people as possible are happy, be it running round > the park & playground, with a coffee after for > grown ups and beans on toast in the cafe, say in > Peckham rye park, for the kids. Great, might be > some minor tantrums, bit of mess, me wincing with > guilt at the bloke on the next table with his iPad > and shattered peace...and so on. But knowing that > what's usually best is putting the kids to bed and > settling down for the evening with wine and the > telly at home, disturbing nobody. > > However, when friends without kids suggest Sunday > lunch, or similar, my heart sinks a little. I know > it won't work, I know my son wants fish fingers at > midday, not roast dinner at 2. I know he'll get > bored, no matter how many books and toys we bring, > and we won't really be able to chat properly. Some > days we are really lucky and he's the picture of a > well-behaved child (asleep) but I'm on tenterhooks > wondering when the sh*t is about to hit the fan. > But I say yes to these invites because a) it's v > nice to see my friends, and b) if I say "oh that > won't suit my 'darling son' aren't I going to be > accused of being precious? Totally agree Polly D, very true! We eat out with our two (age 1 and 2) fairly frequently but always go at times to suit them, generally lunch time @ 12 when they are soon to be hungry but not tired. we always choose somewhere child friendly too, ideally with fast service. We reserve the more adult restaurants for evenings we have a babysitter! It really isn't fun going somewhere inappropriate and being on tender hooks! I think it's good for children to eat out but totally agree you need to be considerate to other diners. On the odd occasion one or both have misbehaved we have removed them from the restaurant and left ASAP! I can only think of this happening twice, both times on holiday and attempting an evening meal albeit early!

Hobbycraft

I'm hoping to book a week's skiing for my partner and I plus our children. They will be just 3 and nearly 2 when we go. I really want to book but my partner thinks it's no holiday for them at this age, not so much the 3 year old as we can start her skiing but the nearly two year old will definitely be too small to start learning. My view is we ski half day and spend the other half with the children playing in the snow etc it will be a lovely family holiday and an introduction for them to skiing. His view is it's no holiday for them to be in Childcare and it's a waste of money to be paying for lift passes and Childcare each day that you only use half of (baa humbug). I'm mad on skiing and have skied a lot, he likes it but only learnt after we got together so doesn't have the same passion for it. Is he right? Has anyone done this and would they recommend?

My nephew started at 3. Most ski schools seemed to take them from 4 but they did agree to take him if he took to skiing OK. He did, unfortunately the class happened to be children all 7+ so we opted for him to have private lessons instead. He got on really well and enjoyed himself. At that age they are not strong enough to ski all day though so you do need childcare in addition to ski school / instruction.

I stopped using nappies at night within a couple of weeks of my daughter being clean in the day. I bought some training pants which are effectively towling knickers that have a little more padding which we called night time knickers. Less mess if there is an accident but we have only ever had 2 accidents at night anyway - maybe its a case of having a nappy so using it whereas the trainer pants are not at all nappy like. I used the absorbent pads you put under the sheet, you could then put another pad and sheet on top to save stripping the bed.