JaneB

Walking my dog yesterday I was surprised to see a number of people collecting holly and other winter foliage. I doubt there are many branches with berries left in the woods. I’m all for foraging in general but it’s a relatively small space that has been transformed by the work of volunteers. Would such actions be allowed in parks? I doubt it.

Not an elk but a bell! And We?ve now found out that Nest only give you 2 hours of recording unless you pay an additional ?40 a year...which we?ve now done but of course too late. Oh well, first world problems I suppose!!

Yes, good idea. We have a Nest door elk so I?m hoping we might be able to retrieve the pics

Having had plants, pots and a tree stolen from my front garden since we just moved in a couple of months ago I naively thought a Christmas wreath would be ok to hang on the front door. But now that?s gone too. Clearly we are easy pickings but it?s getting rather depressing to think that there are people out there doing such a thing. Has this happened to anyone else?

We recently moved to Oglander Road and clearly spent far too much on our front garden! Two pots were stolen within a fortnight of moving in, 4 shrubs a week or so ago and to top it all a tree today. I've now moved the other 2 trees to the back of the house but my denuded flower bed still offers some opportunity for theft. Rumour has it that the culprit is known and not deterred by cameras. It's rotten for everyone that the street view can never be improved and really depressing that we can do nothing to stop it. I don't suppose anyone saw someone struggling to remove an ornamental tree from a raised flowerbed this morning, we think between 10 and 11?

Thank you everybody for your advice; BT phoned us today and it looks as if they have now got access to the site as they want to install the line which is brilliant news.

No, we haven?t been allocated anything as nobody knows when the exchange will be accessible.

I am not surprised that travellers are using the site as a dump as it looked totally derelict anyway. It?s my view that BT has failed in its duty to manage the site properly. It also seems to me that there must be a work around solution to the problem so exchange services could be offered via another route?

Has anybody else met the problem of BT refusing to go onto the ED telephone exchange site while it?s accommodating travellers? Apparently the majority of providers also use this exchange so we are stumped as to how we get internet access in our new home and would be very grateful indeed for suggestions as to which provider will be able to help us. Thanks Jane

I recommend Diet Chef as I find most of the meals appetising...but if you are hoping to eat the same meals as the rest of your family then it's not for you.

Thank you so much for your really thoughtful reply. I think the community centre is a great idea. My thinking is that a Sunday event (monthly sounds great) with carers means there will be a real mix of people. To be honest when it's just my parents and me I soon get bored and run out of conversation but I personally would enjoy chatting to other people's parents. A social group that families can attend with their elderly relatives would have all sorts of hidden benefits I'm sure. I would be very happy to work with you to get it off the ground if we get some more interested. How about posting your idea in the What's on section or I'm happy to?

I've started a thread in the family section on care for the elderly, getting one reply. As the other threads are all about breastfeeding and Santa I wonder if it's the right place? Any suggestions administrator?

Thank you for your comments and I appreciate your response. What you say definitely makes sense. I'm afraid none of us are churchgoers which is a pity in as much as I know about the fantastic work that church communities do to support the elderly. Growing old is difficult for a lot of people and I understand your friends' parents' attitudes but I sort of hoped we may be able to have a go at setting up something that feels a bit more like what old people might like.

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. I am aware of Southwark Carers but they don't actually offer what I am looking for. Having been a mum in the area I am struck by the wealth of opportunities for young families to meet and get together for mutual support, the conversations on The Forum being a prime example. The same thing doesn't exist for elderly people and their carers yet our needs are similar...but we are expected to rely purely on The Council or the voluntary sector for support. The notion of our community offering opportunities to each other doesn't seem to exist in this context and yet it's a situation that we are all going to have to face at some point, either as a son or daughter of an older person or indeed as an older person who is finding daily living increasingly difficult. Lots of people seem to have read this post but yours is the only reply so still thinking this is in the wrong section of The Forum! And yet this is a key family issue!!!!

Just to confirm, I'm not looking for families with chidren but families like mine i.e. elderly parent(s) and son/daughter/carer...still a family but not one with children...perhaps I've posted on the wrong thread but couldn't work out which one might be better!