*Moving to Saffron Walden, Essex , in August - does anyone live nearby?*

[SaffyCat]

I am moving from Surrey to Saffron Walden in mid-August with my husband, 7yr old son and 1yr old daughter. We don't know anyone in the area yet and I would love to meet other local mums (am happy to drive a few miles) and also to find out about toddler groups/recomended family activities.

[SusieHughsie]

Hi Millarkie,

What is with school secretaries and doctors receptionists? I had a similar experience when calling a school for my daughter, nearly gave her a piece of my mind and then remembered that we really would like my daughter to get a place there.

Regarding a child friendly cafe, Gluttons in SW is really nice and no one seemed to be too upset when Noah protested about sitting in a high chair and Amelia knocking over her milkshake twice.

Feeling anxious about our move too, but know that it's for the right reasons. Not looking forward to packing and unpacking though!

[2boysmacca]

We now have a very large Starbucks

[Millarkie]

2boysmacca- when we first visited SW it was a Sunday and it looked sooo dead compared to our London 'burb. We were desperate to feed the kids and wandered about and ended up in a friendly cafe. Fed the kids but still had dh whinging that he would only move somewhere if there was a 'proper coffee shop', came out of cafe, turned round corner.....saw Starbucks!..decided we could move there after all
Oh, and I could tell you what I do but you would fall asleep at the keyboard it's soo boring - it's healthcare related, very specialised and there is a tiny unit at Addenbrooke's so I have a hope of eventually getting a position there.

[2boysmacca]

Starbucks has only been open a week. You saw Costas

Agree, it is dead on Sunday and something that is very hard to get used to but now I quite like it

[sophus]

Don't go to Starbucks! Support the independent cafes and shops in SW - they deserve it far more than some horrible american chain.
Rant over - can't wait to meet you all. I don't commute as am lucky enough to work in cambridge but used to and never had a problem apart from the usual commuting gripes.
Just had my 13 wk scan so feel a bit more official now. I will be looking for a nanny share once i actually get round to having the small thing. So am watching these discussions keenly.

[Millarkie]

Hey Sophus - I share my nanny at the moment and have been looking (in vain ) for someone to share a new one with after we move, so let me know if you want any info on nanny employment etc
At the moment I am interviewing for an 'afternoons only during termtime/ full time in holidays' nanny since I can't justify having a full-time nanny when my children are out of the house a lot of the day and I work part-time.
2boysmacca - hmm..must have been costa then

[2boysmacca]

sophus, normally I would agree with you but child friendly and good coffee don't blend well. Kim's, well they ain't friendly, Gluttons has to have the worst coffe in SW (but good for meals) Cafe cou cou is by far the best but have you tried to get a buggy let alone a double one in there? Duffy Moons is good and we often go there but Starbucks, has everything you need for a quick coffee with 2 kids

[nearlythree]

Totally agree with Sophus, Starbucks is a bloody disaster. Carphone Warehouse have just turned up too. Soon SW will be just another homogenised High St of chain stores, unless we support the independents now. I'd rather drink s**t coffee in Gluttons than give a penny to a grabby expolitative company like Sbucks.

(now you know why I never go on meet-ups! )

[2boysmacca]

Get it off your chest love! It's these relocating Londoners that want to change us

I do support local business honest, always buy from the butcher, always queing for 30mins for my veg on a Saturday, but there are some things you cannot change, the desire for a Starbucks coffee I'd be in Cafe Cou cou every day for their hot chocolate if only i could get my buggy in and use a highchair

[2boysmacca]

Cooeee, anyonea round?

ds1 got his finger trapped in the fire door handle today at nursery. He was sobbing when I picked him up. We had to go shopping and he was so upset, "I want to go home mummy" He soon recovered after half a bag of buttons . I did feel guilty when ds2 was looking longingly at his brother This is only Finn's 2nd bag of buttons to date - his 1st bag was last Easter and me and dh ate them cos I felt he was too young

[2boysmacca]

Whoops! Wrong post. 1 glass of wine and I'm all over the place

[Millarkie]

Aaah poor lad . Both my mum and MIL were not impressed when I reminded them at ds's first easter that he had not and would not be tasting any chocolate eggs - he got a toy bunny and a book instead IIRC. He's now 5 and my mum still got him a fluffy toy instead of chocolate this year, whilst my personal battle to keep him away from the stuff was lost years ago
For what it's worth we use our local independent coffee shop here - it's just that on that particular day it seemed like everything was shut and dh had had a particularly poor cup of coffee. He is a serious caffeine addict.
We love the fact that SW hasn't become a 'cloned high street' and promise to support the independents (but not the butchers because dh and kids are veggies )

[luciemule]

hi saffycat - i bet your 7 year old ds would love the Duxford Air Museum (sits next to the M11 south of Cambridge) - it's a great day out and also the zoo at Colchester is, IMO, the best zoo I've been zoo and we'll be buying annual tickets once we move to suffolk in the summer.

[nearlythree]

I'm from Romford!

[SusieHughsie]

Chocolate makes everything seem better, that and wine!

[nearlythree]

Coming back to the everything closing on a Sunday thing, yes, most shops shut (except Tesco ) but there are loads of things to do. There's Mole Hall Wildlife Park, Wimploe Hall Farm, Hatfield Forest, Audley End House, AE Railway, the toy museum and castle at Stansted, Hedingham Castle, SW museum...

[SusieHughsie]

Hi Nearlythree,

I'm from Newbury Park, just down the road from you! We are moving up to SW in May.

[nearlythree]

I've been in a village nr. SW for 9 yrs now. I love it but we might be relocating to the West Country.

[nearlythree]

Btw there are loads of ex-Londoners around here - the bloke over the road from us grew up in the next road to dh!

[SusieHughsie]

Small world! Why the move to the West Country?

[nearlythree]

I love it there even more than SW and dh is about to set up his own business that could be located anywhere. As he no longer needs to commute this might be the ideal time to go, before dd1 esp. gets too settled at school. Plus we've had a horrible year and think a fresh start may do us some good. But we haven't decided, we both have ill dads who are still in the Romford area and have to consider them too.

[Millarkie]

Nearlythree (or anyone else) - what's Mole Hall like? We're looking for somewhere not-too-stressful to meet up with 1 or 2 potential nannies - ideally somewhere we can have a cup of tea and chat, and also where the children will be amused, ideally outside rather than a noisy indoor place. Would Mole Hall be any good? Failing that, does anyone know of anywhere else? - a local pub with a children's play area would do.

[nearlythree]

Mole Hall is lovely but doesn't have the best of coffee shops. However, if it's not too wet/cold it has a fantastic play area which will keep the dcs amused for ages whilst you sit and chat on the picnic benches nearby.

[Millarkie]

Thanks nearlythree - Mole Hall it is then

[englishspringer]

Hi all,

Been off the chat for a couple of days - little one had to go to A & E, had to move out of teh house for a couple fo nights due to the builders and their lovely opps we forgot to tell you you'd have no heating and water!

Only 5 working days left until i go on Mat leave - can't wait. going to The Roise this afternoon for a last scan to check for C section dates. i swear i live at that hospital.

I would be intersted in a nanny share if anyone else needs one. I am looking for one from January 2008 (full time )G is going to school in september so during the day it will just be the baby until he gets home) - we are getting another au pair as well as we are both not home by 6pm. Both work in London.

About the last bus thing - i have never understood that, we have 3 people who pay us £15 a week to park their car on our driveway - we are about a 1 minute walk from the station so good for them and good for us.

i'm going to ratn as well - was born in London, work in London, went ot boarding school in London, work for an American Bank but DO NOT do Starbucks - they are like Tesco and before we know it they will have taken over, pushed all local business out, exploited their staff and suppliers - i love the scones in Cou Cou, can't stand Gluttons, over priced, pre-cooked food, rude staff and a man who hates children (he drinks in our local pub)