fuzzyboots

Ah - well I shall investigate the deliveries from NX then! Thanks Jeremy :)

Sounds fab. Kodaly inspired methods are the way ahead :)

Just to let you know, I was shocked to learn that the Happy Birthday song is actually copyrighted (!) - which is why TV channels, etc., have their own birthday songs. I imagine that if you're selling a service that includes the Happy Birthday song, you could fall foul of PRS issues if someone were feeling like being difficult. I was looking into using songs likes this recently and the whole licensing with PRS is so confusing and the prices are not even listed on their website and their categories didn't fit what I wanted to do that I have totally given up on using copyrighted songs and have decided to write my own!

I echo the Superkids recommendation - my youngest did their lessons at a primary school in Beckhenham (it's not too deep) - so it's quite a commitment - but the classes are small and the teachers brilliant.

Does that not mean I have to go to New Cross though?! Or have I (quite probably!) misunderstood how their delivery system operates? Peckham is actually quite tricky because I run on such a tight timetable in order not to have to drag the kids shopping with me (for my sanity and purse's sake...) and I can't honestly envisage me walking their with my glamorous shopping trolley (and back). Or lumbering around on a bus with my goodies!

They deliver from New Cross. Not from Peckham, I believe. At least, that's what the sign in the East Dulwich shop says.

Moreover, given all the recent media stories of escalating food prices to come this autumn/winter, Iceland will be the only place I can remotely afford (and even that at a push). Grumble, grumble, etc. And, for someone who is, frankly, pretty rubbish at mental arithmetic these days, it really helps me a lot that many of their prices are in ?s and .50s.... ;)

I would be gutted to see Iceland go - and frankly, would be forced to use my car to drive more often to the nearest LIDL and Aldi. It saves me huge amounts on my family food bills in comparison to other local supermarkets. Whilst I LOVE M&S food, it is but a mere aspiration for me and mine to actually be able to afford it. Or I could stop eating, I suppose.

As a resident virtually backing on to the pub, etc., I was alarmed at the late licence application. I'm self employed however, and do appreciate anyone making the effort to run a business and bring income/jobs/services to the local community. I would like to comment though that not ALL of the residents affected did BUY properties next to the pub - I, for instance, am a private tenant and many local (i.e. potentially affected) properties are local authority owned. There is less of a "choice" to live by a pub when one is a tenant (private or social). Just saying.

Power is back on in Darrell Road - to be fair it wasn't off for long. Still twitchy about it going off again imminently again though.... :s

Just happened to me. Darrell road. At the cpt/great exhibition end of the street. Totally unimpressed as this is the 3rd time this year. Sigh.....!

Third one this year. Or is this one just me?! Trish

OP seems to have abandoned the thread?!

Damian H I agree. I was dancing in my seat to entertain a toddler behind us in McDonald's in the old Kent road on Sunday and somebody else seemed it worthy of filming without asking me. I am secretly hoping it might go viral ;)

I completely appreciate that but sadly data is unable to travel distances like that :(

Oh he looks gorgeous - but I'm not sure my friend would be able to travel 55 miles to go and view him and it looks like he really would prefer to live WITH children rather than have them as visitors. Sigh/gulp ...

Lucky dogs, I say Tallulah71 - do they sing with you? I LOVE dogs who sing along to music :)

Yes Jeremy, I completely agree. It is vital to know and understand the basic characteristics, instincts and behaviours of your breed of dog, so that you can make them happy, healthy, sociable and safe. To not know what you're taking on in your dog would be downright thoughtless - a dog MUST have the right home and circumstances and a knowledgeable, committed owner. I desperately want a family dog - but I rent and therefore owning a dog is not an option currently. I am continually researching what the best kind of dog for our family circumstances/lifestyle would be though, in anticipation of the happy day when we can have a dog. Edited to add - also, my youngest (the one who witness the attack) is not quite ready for a dog in our home, although Morph and Croi have been very helpful in teaching him to respect and care for a dog. He's not yet able to stop himself from fussing at a dog, so he needs to mature a bit before I'd expose a dog to his enthusiasm and all the love he has to offer a canine companion in our home - it wouldn't have anywhere to escape to! The poor thing would be overloved!

Yes Gidget, you could well be right about the owner. I'm afraid I tend to take things very much at face value, so I find it hard to discern when people's motives are other than genuine! Just passed on the news to Dara about Blue's owner and the websites with the lovely dogs and am popping over to her shortly. I have fallen in love with one of them already - who needs lots of tlc and is very affectionate. So I shall be lobbying Dara ;) - she has already completely rehabilitated one extremely nervous German Shepherd into a trusting, affectionate, playful companion and I'm sure she would be the perfect new mum for this new dog - a Lab/Lurcher cross :)

Good news everyone - Mark has found the owner of Blue and has his contact details. Mark says the man is very shocked and wants to apologise directly to Dara, which is positive. He is also getting a muzzle for Blue. I've also received a couple of really helpful pointers in terms of rescue dogs/rescue centres who might have Dara's next forever dog - thanks so much. There are a few beautiful and likely looking characters - so please cross everything folks! Trish/FB

Awww shucks Tallulah71 :) too kind :) Maxxi *looks round shiftily* - I have been accused of serial whistling. It becomes addictive and after a while, you just don't know you're doing it. Apart from when people tell you to shut the f**k up with the f**king whistling, of course.

Thanks again everyone for contributing and reading this thread. I shall be seeing Morph's mum tomorrow morning and will help her to read your posts again. I shall also be visiting Mark Newell, the park ranger, and the neighbourhood vet centre and discussing matters with Morph's mum. Civil legal redress may be available in principle, but neither Morph's mum nor I can afford legal fees, so that, unless there is a pro bono legal angel reading this, is very unlikely to be feasible - which I have to say, seems very, very unfair. She still has a bill of ?300 or so to pay to the Vet Centre for the emergency care they gave Morph on Friday immediately after the attack, which of course, has to be a priority. She is heartbroken - and, without encouraging vigilante type behaviour - I would ask any dog walkers (or anyone interested, actually) to let this irresponsible dog owner know of the horrifying consequence of his dog's action, if they should see him in the park. Obviously, I don't want anyone to get into any sticky situations or to put themselves at risk of any sort - but I do want him found - because I think he should at the very least, refund my friend for the costs his dog's actions have incurred. Morph's mum was already planning to get another dog as company for Morph, and she is now looking in earnest for a new dog (NOT a replacement for our little darling friend). She is looking for a male labrador - so if any of you know of one looking for the most loving home, where he would receive 24 hour love, affection and company, with at least two walks a day with devoted walkers, then please contact me via PM. She is very experienced with dogs - this is the first time in 18 years that she has not had a dog, and she is very experienced at training them and teaching them good manners and behaviour. All of her dogs have been an absolute delight to everyone who has met them - including my daughter who was absolutely terrified of dogs before she met Morph and his friend Croi who was an enormous black long haired German Shepherd. Thanks to Dara's calm, loving dogs, my daughter has learned to love dogs - and I never thought that would happen! If any of you reading this were witnesses to the attack on Morph, I should be very grateful if you would contact me via PM, too.

Aliborg - I am no longer a commuter, so I am not familiar with this man's singing. From your original post, one thing strikes me - that noise pollution is difficult for you (and I'm sure for many people, actually). Sadly, living in London, I don't think you will readily find a remotely affordable place to live that is peaceful, which makes me wonder if you are a newcomer to city life? As a formerly rural girl myself (Cornwall), I can fully appreciate how noisy life in the city is in comparison with rural/provincial life. However, of all the things to find aggravating, I have to say that a busker (however good or bad he may be) would probably be low on my list of noise annoyances. I actually find the level of noise my own children make far more aggravating - largely because (also as a single mother)it's inescapable. Perhaps your journey to work is the most peaceful part of your day and perhaps the singing man rudely interrupts your reverie?! I'm sorry you're disturbed by it. I think the human voice raised in song (however inaccurate) is the most captivating, intriguing and, mainly, beautiful sound. Is it his physical appearance that you find disturbing? If he were dressed up to perform, would you find his warbling more attractive or quirky? I'm interested to know why you find singing tricky, you see? Do you sing yourself? I sing a lot, and anyone who's attended my Sing and Sign classes will know that I'm far from the world's best singer - but I sing with passion and enthusiasm and it makes me feel well. I think singing has a major contribution to make to individuals' mental health - and perhaps this man's singing raises his spirits in a way that nothing else can. If so, then I say to him sing up and I say to you, sing up too and release the joy of song into your life :) Trish/Fuzzyboots

Hi all, It is very heartening to read your support and views about what happened to our darling little friend, Morph yesterday. To be honest, we're all just reeling from the suddenness and the huge loss we're feeling. I will indeed go to see Mark the Head Park Keeper and report the incident to the Safer Neighbourhood folks and the RSPCA. I would like to clarify to everyone what happened: The dog in question was with his other dog companion and they both ran up to Morph and invited him to play with them, using play bows and bouncing. Because of the size difference between Morph and the other dogs, he crouched down with his ears down and I think that Blue, the offender, interpreted this either as submission or that Morph must, as mentioned above, be "prey". This was not an attack where the dog went tearing up to Morph with the clear intent of attacking him. It was a game that went horribly, horribly wrong. I have described Blue as a staffordshire terrier, because that is the nearest description I can give with my knowledge of dog breeds. I am questioning my identification of him as a Staffie, because I've been looking them up on the internet and this dog seems to be leaner and taller than most of the staffie pictures I can see. He had a slim face and his body is lithe, not stocky. Maybe he is a cross with another breed, or simply a breed I don't know about. If anything, I'd probably now describe him from memory as a cross between a staffie and a boxer in terms of his physique, although his chest was not as deep as a boxer's chest. He and his companion were in very good condition. I had seen their owner carefully washing Blue off at the water tap at the loos at the Cafe Car Park entrance when I arrived there with Morph, so I actually assumed that he was washing off muddy splashes and would be on his way out of the park, not on his way into the park with his dogs. If this dog is a Staffie, then from what I understand of them, they are NOT generally a threat to humans and indeed they are very affectionate with humans. When we saw the lovely vet, Amber, at The Neighbourood Vet Centre yesterday, she was very clear that Staffies are brilliant with humans and absolutely rubbish with any other dogs. She mentioned that her very own dog had nearly been subject to an attack by a blue staffordshire the day before, but that at the last minute, the blue dog had been distracted by a squirrel, so the attack didn't happen. I do not believe that whipping up concerns about children's safety is really helpful or accurate. When I ticked the dog off, he stood very obediently in front of me waiting for my instructions. Obviously I feel very strongly that all dogs of this breed and nature MUST BE MUZZLED at all times in public. I will post some more when I've had a chance to speak to Morph's mum again. Thanks for your support - I can't tell you how much it means to Dara and me. Best wishes Trish/Fuzzyboots

The paparazzi wouldn't exist if photographing people in public were illegal! And what about all of the CCTV and the police filming of protestors, etc.? I seriously doubt the police would be doing it if it were illegal..?!