ninbi

Five minutes and you're in Dulwich Park via Fireman's Alley entrance. Excellent butcher near Forest Hill station. Peckham Rye park easy to reach too. Once you work out your public transport links you're OK (8 years in and I'm still experimenting!) - that's the biggest downside. But one of the biggest pluses for us is our kids go to the Dulwich schools and we didn't have to pay Dulwich village prices but we can walk, cycle or scoot the school run - result!

Hi Uns I called Green and Teggin and was really surprised to find that they charge ?250 for a first meeting which is the design consultation - there's no opportunity to meet first to see their portfolio and whether you get on creatively, whether they understand your needs etc They also said they're really busy and only want a job that will cost ?100k build! I have no idea how much the build will cost but they said that unless it's a ?100k budget and the job interests them then they're too busy. Wow, they really must be busy!!

BMy feedback's a bit dated as my children are now 6 and 7 but both my daughters attended First Steps from 18 months until they were 3 - they loved it. I cried when they left, they took such good care of them.

Great idea, only thing is, what do we do with the rest of it?? It's a ridiculously towering height of over 3 metres - we're not that tall!!?

And thanks to the person who PM'ed suggestions of painting cricket stumps, goalposts and hanging a basketball hoop on the wall - it's tempting, but maybe a bit too mischievous!!!

Loving the canvas idea. Where does your mum get them from GinaG3?

They showed us the plans, we asked them to reduce the wall height, they refused. Their own architect asked them to consider reducing the wall height - they refused. The planning officer asked them to reconsider, they refused. We asked again when it went up and we saw how truly awful it is, they refused. Anyway, you get the picture. So now we're trying to make the most of a deeply disappointing situation. I'm buying bamboo!!

Have you considered the local independent schools where class sizes are smaller?

Thanks Enjoy, that is a great link - lovely.

ooh a vertical wall garden sounds lovely. Thanks for that, and for the plant suggestion.

Our horrible neighbours have just had a kitchen extension built, leaving us with a huge towering blank wall that is 2m wide x 3.5m high, right along our boundary line in our back garden. We used to have a lovely view of trees and a nature walk to that side so it's deeply upsetting, but it's built now so we're trying to think of what the best use of it could be, or how best to decorate it, especially given how high it is. Is planting the best option or can we do something more imaginative?

My daughter needs a tasselled fez for a Day of Wonder at school on Tuesday. Yes, I have left it far too late but any ideas on where we can get one (or how to make one!!) all greatly appreciated.

Thanks - we were thinking of renting somewhere for 6 months while the work's done which I'm sure the children will think is an adventure. Although DH did suggest that we camp in the garden while the weather allows it - and I'm not sure he was joking!! Would any of you recommend the architect or builders you worked with?

Peckham Food Bank or Dulwich Helpline are fantastic local charities and both very deserving of local help.

yes thanks, I PM'ed you yesterday. I'm just canvassing for as many viewpoints as poss!

We're thinking of buying a major "no heating, needs rewiring, roof needs replacing" project of a house. Has anyone else done this and how do you manage it with children, and if you work too? Or is it impossible to spin all those plates? What's the best way to attempt it - use an architect who brings in their own builders or find your own tradesmen? We remodelled the interior of our current house and we just got a surveyor to draw up plans which saved us money but I wonder if we wouldn't have got some better design ideas if we'd used an architect? Also we used builders who didn't do decorating and the gap between the two meant the "blame game" was employed by the people coming in, and the "the decorators will sort that out" was used by the trades leaving us. If we do this it needs to be least stress but we don't have endless amounts of money to throw at this! Does your experience tell you something different? I'm really keen to hear how different people managed it! And very keen for recommendations too! Many thanks all!

Things may have changed but when I was looking at St Anthonys three years ago, the receptionist laughed me out off the phone for daring to ask if they accept non-church goers. She told me that she couldn't remember the last time they took local children who weren't the right religion. Unless you go to the right church you may find that applying to this school is a a waste of time. You may find it more useful to look at John Donne (sp?) or one of the local primaries that actually do take all children from the local area, not the ones that just take the state funding and then discriminate against the children on their doorstep. Our children now go to the independent schools in Dulwich which I can't recommend highly enough - they are brilliant. But the catch is obvious!

Hi My daughters aged 6 and 7 would like to start violin lessons. The older one already plays piano, the younger has no other instrument. Can anyone recommend a teacher? And is it best to hire or buy violins, and if so, where from and which size and make?? Thanks all

It's lovely to have a local toyshop that the children can go to and spend their pocket money, but so much that they sell can be found cheaper elsewhere. Grandma found a toy ?22 cheaper elsewhere earlier this year and yesterday I found that the Sylvanian Families Ambulance being sold for ?44 in Just Williams is ?27 in Argos. I would rather our money go to support a vibrant local shop, but it's hard when the prices differ so much!