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Meet-ups

When meeting up take sensible precautions. Meet in a public place and let others know where you are going.

WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - OCTOBER 2006 - EALING, ACTON, CHISWICK, KEW, RICHMOND, ISLEWORTH, KINGSTON ETC

720 replies

MrsBigD · 02/10/2006 11:03

Here's the general chit-chat thread for October

Synopsis please on what I've missed last week! Too pre-occupied for various reasons to wade through all threads. Thanks

OP posts:
foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 30/10/2006 09:34

Hi - I am back, having had a (seasonally appropriate) nightmare getting back - we got home at 4.45am!!!! I have had 3 hours sleep

Sue - that's great news about you going tomorrow, and I'm glad to be back in time to wish you luck. Have sent you a postcard but you will deffo be gone B4 it arrives

Happy belated brithday to the gorgeous mini-fizi

Have scanned the thread to catch up and hope everyone is well.

Spooxoky - I work f/t and DS has been in school 2.5 years now. My ideal would be to work part time. TBH I find that I want to spend time helping out at the school now and getting involved so I can share a bit of his life really. When they get to about 5, their lives turn into a whirl of social engagements, play dates, after school activities, their academic progress and learning etc and I feel its really important to be engaged with all that stuff. I personally feel they need more support as they get older and have more questions/ experiences they want you to share. So I suppose I'm saying think long term with the job hunt - get a job where they won't mind you taking time off for school assemblies, sports days etc - otherwise you might feel torn. Saying that, I'm sure all the working Mum's on here will agree with me that we feel guilty for working (and not spending more time with kids) but also feel guilty at work (when we're thinking about our kids and wheedling ways to spend time with them when we should be thinking about work)

Just get a job you ENJOY!

OK rant over, I'm going back to bed

Anyone going trick or treating tomorrow? (Is it tomorrow?)

foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 30/10/2006 09:36

ps I always get tipsy at my children's parties - its the only way I can cope with all those yummy mummies!

pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 10:54

Foxie - sounds like an awful journey, fortunately ours weren't too bad. Ds and dh have both come back with a cold (well, dh has man-flu obviously!) so he's taken ds off to his mums where he can be looked after! In the meantime, I'm supposed to be cooking all ds's food but I'm on mn instead!

Right, I will start in five minutes!

foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 30/10/2006 11:43

Pumpkin - where did you go again? Did you have a nice time?

Boowila · 30/10/2006 11:49

Welcome back, Foxie!

foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 30/10/2006 11:51
Grin
pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 13:10

We went to Spain, staying between Malaga & Torremelinos (sp?). We were up in the hills which was nice - weather wasn't too great but we hired a car so had a few days out. How was Morocco?

foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 30/10/2006 15:23

Pumpkin it sounds great

Morocco was lovely and very hot. There were a few little blips (including DD developing a really scary infection after an insect bite) but overall very relaxing and fun. We all managed to come back very tired and a bit fatter, which is how is supposed to be I think?

pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 15:35

Definitely supposed to be that way! There was a group of us and in the kitchen, the middle drawer was reserved for sweets & crisps etc! You'd have thought it would get empty because we were all eating so much of them but someone would fill it up everyday

pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 15:37

oops, meant to add hope your dd is better now

sfxmum · 30/10/2006 15:39

hello all
dd and I had a lovely muddy morning trampling around the far flung parts of Kew, saw lots of spectacularly coloured birds and squirrels, we left C&C once it got too busy.

foxi welcome back

fizi - 1st birthday parties are really for mums to celebrate getting that far without much harm done i think

was thinking of popping over to lollipop sometime this week should anyone be interested in joining be great - and yes mrsBigD i do know i should use the other thread sorry

Sue - i guess you are packing, so exciting shall keep up to date on your site - best of luck

Boowila · 30/10/2006 17:15

OMG... Sue is leavin'... TOMORROW!!!!!

I bet she's a right old basket case!

spooxooky · 30/10/2006 18:30

Hi all,

welcome back foxy, bon voyage sj. am typing while kids are watching Tarzan while eating their dinner (bad mum alert), so have 5 mins before clean up begins.

have not decided on job yet. am having more interviews this week, and next to see what my options are and then will decide I guess. Latest thought is dh goes p/t (3 days/ week) and I go full time. Only fair as I've now not worked for almost 5 years (sat and worked it out last night). How can I bullshit THAT at interview!!!

am now looking for p/t nanny, unless someone knows a nice one in twickenham area? Have registered with sharecare or whatever. Can anyone guide me on price?

Unhallowed, sorry not to get back to you. I'll cat you.

ttfn

scarysuejonez · 30/10/2006 18:36

Pack, pack, pack, pack
...
(quick sneaky look at MN)...
Pack, pack, pack, pack

pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 19:07

Sfxmum - I'm free Thursday if you fancy meeting up at lollipop?

Boowila · 30/10/2006 20:17

Guide you on nanny price? Well, yes I can. But where would you like me to begin? Live-in, experience? English or EU ascension country? Does she have a child of her own? Just let me know when you want me to shut up...

If you contact an agency for a price guide, knock 20-30% off of what they tell you. They have a vested interest in inflating the price.

I've learned so much in past 2 1/2 years I could run a nanny employer support group.

Does this mean you struck out on the childminder?

sfxmum · 30/10/2006 20:38

pumpkinpud- thursday is fine, if morning i would prefer 10.30-11 or pm around 2.30 what do you think?
let me know and i will cat you my number

pumpkinpud · 30/10/2006 21:09

Sfx - 11am would be great for us. Just so you know, my ds will probably only manage an hour there though if that's ok.

spooxooky · 30/10/2006 21:15

Boo: we talk again!! Yes, struck out on CM: they are only in West Twickenham, and I want East Twicks with school pick up. Have joined nanny share as yu suggsted in a thread to someone else not so long ago, but until next week I won't know if we want full time for 2/3 days or just 3 'post shcool' (i.e. 3.20 til 6pm), 3 times a week. I may be trying to run before I can walk but I need to know what is achieveable and at what cost, preferably before my second interviews which are next week when I'm discussing hours of work/ flexibility.
I love the jobs I'm going for (of course they may not all have me!!!) and have one offer so far, so now know it's a go-er.

Oh-er.....

sfxmum · 30/10/2006 21:19

pumpkinpud - yes thats fine i have never been so we will see what dd makes of it, we are usually at C&C most days so something different be good. best go over to the other thread

Boowila · 30/10/2006 21:24

You deffo want a gross rate, not a net one (or you could get taken on the taxes.

You might want to go over to nannyjob.co.uk and chat with some nannies directly (but some of them will quote on the high end over there as well). I'll talk to you off line about pay...

Off to bed now... ta ta

spooxooky · 30/10/2006 21:40

BED???? BUt you are my drinking buddy (where did BigKat and her sis go???)

NO NO NO, surely you are going clubbing???

scarysuejonez · 30/10/2006 21:59

Foxie a thread for you here

Boowila · 31/10/2006 08:49

Bon voyage, Sue!

foxinbubblesletsmaketrouble · 31/10/2006 09:18

Oooh thanks Sue for that link.

Found out whilst in Morocco that the prophet Mohammed's wife was 40 when they married and she went on to have six kids!!! Reckon I could fit at least another four in before menopause

GOOD LUCK SUE and BON VOYAGE!!!

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