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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Fulham Pedalos: Has DH gone mad?

54 replies

PollyWasRight · 11/08/2023 19:32

Last week DH said that he was going to lay a 7 1/4"-gauge garden railway in the back garden of our Fulham alphabet street terrace. As we live in an end terrace we have a substantially larger garden than any other similar such property in Fulham.

Anyway, and as one might expect, I gave DH an unequivocal NO to laying a garden railway for a variety of reasons. Not least that I didn't want to be serving flapjack and never-ending pots of tea to a menagerie of anoraks and "YouTubers" who would no doubt want to visit every Saturday morning.

So DH has come up with his next brilliant idea:

"Fulham Pedalos"

That's right.

Small pedal-operated pleasure boats operating from a shallow lake in a Fulham back garden.

DH tried the old psychological trick on me to make it appear like he was giving me an option: would you like the pedalos to be black swan or white swan?

"Neither", is what I said.

DH said that he has done his research and that the only restrictive covenant on the house is to "not keep pig swine or other such malodorous beast" on the property. DH implied that as I was living in the house we had breached this covenant anyway, but that's an issue for another time. Apparently a pedalo lake does not require planning permission.

DH also said that it would be a fantastic opportunity for our DS5 and DD3 to learn about running a small business-that's because he is planning to sell tickets on a Saturday morning, but also organic goat's milk ice cream made by his old school chum who had a mental break down in his twenties. DH is corporate lawyer and otherwise has no discernible friends, so I have to tread carefully.

AIBU to say no, DH cannot excavate a pedalo lake in our back garden?

OP posts:
PermanentTemporary · 11/08/2023 19:33

👏

Cocomelon2023 · 11/08/2023 19:44

i live in this area and I don’t care what you say about being an end terrace house - the gardens are not big enough 🤣

missmollygreen · 11/08/2023 19:49

Cocomelon2023 · 11/08/2023 19:44

i live in this area and I don’t care what you say about being an end terrace house - the gardens are not big enough 🤣

But the OP had the biggest garden in Fulham!

PuttingDownRoots · 11/08/2023 19:51

Pedalos are soon last century.
Paddleboards or a giant inflatable course.

Howmuchfurther · 11/08/2023 19:53

He would be making the garden out of bounds for the children

RoseAndRose · 11/08/2023 19:54

How does he propose to compete with pedalos on actual lakes in nearby parks?

Maybe a model boating lake instead?

Theredfoxfliesatmidnight · 11/08/2023 19:55

I don't have an answer for you OP but I do love your writing style

DarkPsy · 11/08/2023 19:56

That was, erm, middle class. Can't he just buy a fast car or get a hair transplant for his mid life crisis?

HarlanPepper · 11/08/2023 19:57

Is it me, or is mumsnet being extra weird this evening?

thenightsky · 11/08/2023 19:57

Ah, lovely thread for a Friday night. Reminds me of MN of old.

What is an alphabet street?
Our house covenant says we can keep swine, but only one.

We can also take as much firewood out of the woods as we need.

Merryoldgoat · 11/08/2023 19:57

I don’t care if this is true or not - it’s brilliant.

And commutable for me…

ArbitraryHaddock · 11/08/2023 19:59

Would he get planning permission?

Sigmama · 11/08/2023 19:59

I like the cut of his jib

ShitaBrick · 11/08/2023 19:59

A pedalo lake does require planning permission. Sorry.

IkaBaar · 11/08/2023 20:00

When I was young a relative of mine had a similar ride on miniature railway in their garden. It was fantastic! It went over their pond, so both projects might be doable!!

Hawkins009 · 11/08/2023 20:00

I've seen gardens with train tracks and they are quite cool.

Mamette · 11/08/2023 20:02

Ah, lovely thread for a Friday night. Reminds me of MN of old.

I thought that too.

OP, will he be charging for the pedalos because if he does then he will need PP.

AngelinaFibres · 11/08/2023 20:05

Hawkins009 · 11/08/2023 20:00

I've seen gardens with train tracks and they are quite cool.

I had a small bungalow with a big garden. When I sold it an elderly gentleman bought it. The house was the ideal size for him and he built a railway in the garden.

Hawkins009 · 11/08/2023 20:06

AngelinaFibres · 11/08/2023 20:05

I had a small bungalow with a big garden. When I sold it an elderly gentleman bought it. The house was the ideal size for him and he built a railway in the garden.

They are quite intriguing when built with the garden and scenery etc

IHopeYouStepOnALegPiece · 11/08/2023 20:15

thenightsky · 11/08/2023 19:57

Ah, lovely thread for a Friday night. Reminds me of MN of old.

What is an alphabet street?
Our house covenant says we can keep swine, but only one.

We can also take as much firewood out of the woods as we need.

It really does have an old school MN feel about it doesn’t it. Good times 😁

TregunaMekoides · 11/08/2023 20:19

You'll have people throwing bricks through the windows thinking you're the club house for the local wrong uns

Cyclingforcake · 11/08/2023 20:28

The alphabet streets are a series of streets in Fulham off Fulham Palace Road from Putney bridge towards Hammersmith with street names in alphabetical order. (Sort of - a few are miaowed out).

Cyclingforcake · 11/08/2023 20:28

Oh for an edit button. Missed. The only miaowing is from the local cats.

LittleRedY0shi · 11/08/2023 20:39

This could be a ploy to get you to reconsider the railway - it's not as bad as a pedalo lake.

TiaraBoo · 11/08/2023 20:40

Can he suggest a side hustle for me?