WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - JANUARY 2007 - from Acton to Sunbury everybody welcome

[MrsBigD]

Time for a new general chat thread

HAPPY NEW YEAR

sfx, yes you're probably right but again Thatcher did a good job of decimating the Unions too.

Union became a dirty word in the 80s. As a result despite my not being a tory I have had a suspicious attitude to unions. I joined ours as soon as I got back from maternity leave tho.

Agree totally with Foxie, Labour are willing but not able. i am terrified that Cameron will manage to get office.

at least the museums are free again under labour.........

oops sorry Foxie, cross posted!

was in middle of post adn someone expected me to do some work!

i think we can talk politics but let's leave the religion out of it.

it's good to discuss this, gets my brain thinking again.

;-)

Think I better leave this debate before I annoy my lovely west london friends. Why?

1. Maggie saved this country from financial ruin. Higher funding leads to higher taxes. So how high would they be if Maggie hadn't made those cuts? Manufacturing has gone elsewhere because it's too expensive here in the UK. That would still be the case if MAggie had never existed.
2. I hate unions -- especially when nurses can't get to work because tube train drivers who make more than her have decided to strike.
3. I better go now before you all kill me. Bye bye....

uwila you are in essence right about all you said and clear debate is clearly needed but we are not getting it from politicians.
i come from a completely different point of you of course being a pinko and all that
i do worry about the huge divide between rich and poor (even leaving out extremes)even though you can't legislate equality

Yes, sfx, I too worry about the rich poor divide. The government takes care of the very poor (not to standards of luxury, but they do get the basics) and it leaves the working class with not enough to live on. It's the people in the middle who are being robbed.

But, I personally am scared that Cameron might not get in. If the alternative is Brown (I'm still in denial about this being enevitable) then you can rest assured our taxes are going up up up....

I'm really fucked off with Labour actually. We both work in the public sector i.e. have ordinary jobs. We pay 40% tax and are broke all the time 'cos of the cost of childcare and housing. The Tax Credit system has sent us into financial crisis with its incompetence. Labour means well re equal opportunities (specially with all the women MPs they forced into government in 1997, which was a great thing IMHO and has resulted in better maternity packages and family friendly policies) but cannot deliver on efficiency and improving public services. I've been a Labour party member since 1991 and used to be a local authority councillor. Thatcher did a lot of good in terms of tackling the bad practices and corruption which used to exist in local authorities (like selling of tenancies etc, empty properties etc)but also did massive damage to the NHS and Education.

Mind you I support grammar schools, so don't worry about being unpopular Uwila LOL!!!

I support grammar schoold too.

I think we actually have the same complaints, just different philosophies on the solutions.

The cost of living here is too high. Let's face DH and I are both educate hard working peopl, and if in two years time I still can't afford to get on the property ladder... well, then I want to leave. I've mentioned this to him, but I think he thought I was joking.

What is the government going to do when all of us who couldn't get on the property ladder are ready to reture and we don't have houses to live in? They ain't seen nothin' on the pension crisis.

So, who wants to move to Romania then?

What's the weather like - oh and do they have good Catholic schools LOL ?

Would you settle for Greek Catholic, which I'm guessing is some sort of amalgamation between Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic?

Not sure where the vampires fit in.

Vampires are quite sexy - that would be a good reason to go to Romania

wow, you guys have been having a right political chitchat.

Don't hate me but as a greenie I support any policy that 'encourages' people to get out of their cars - sorry! I, however, think it is disgusting to raise the cost of travelling on public transport at the same time! I am pro-unions but am sick to the back teeth of london UG staff going on strike! I was also a labour supporter but gave up my membership in 2000. I am now a Lib dem, they may never win but at least they have policies I can support!
I am also peeved that a third runway is being built in Heathrow. However, I think life is still pretty good, love london and have no plans to leave anytime soon!!!

hark - we also had big probs with tax credit people and ended up owing them money due to their inefficiency and computer probs. Luckily I kept a record of every conversation I had with them and wrote a long letter to them, I said I would pay back the money and then detailed what they had done, the result was I did not have to pay a penny back as they had to admit it was completely their fault!

T2BG - I may have a chat with you about your experience with the Tax Credit one day. They claim we owe them £4.5k!!!!!

I went to Susan Kramer our MP.She's Lib Dem and I was very impressed with her - she was lovely.

...Wouldn't vote for them though LOL!!!!

re tax credits, this is good to know dh just filled in a form because when he checked it came up that we are entitled, now that we are on one income alone. but most people i know have had problems with them.

tax credits have had our case frozen since 6 weeks after dd was born when they claimed they'd overpaid us and asked us to pay a ridiculous sum back.

it's still ongoing but i have been assured it's their error and we don't have to pay anything back.

ffs, we had no income from Oct 05 to Sept 06 apart from SMP - and let's not start on that one again!

useless fuckwits - scuse my language!

actually i came to post for Nanou!

Nanou, thanks for all those lovely clothes.

dd is loving her froggi bib and so i am because it's huge, catches everything and is WIPE clean!

also, she'll be wearing one of the gorgeous little dresses when we go a-vistin the VIP deputy womens' minister on Tuesday. The corduroy red/cream pattern tunic dress.

we had a bit of a trying on session yesterday and i'm putting quite a bit by for later in the year when dd has grown a bit longer of arm and leg. and hopefully her Pooh Bear tummy has shrunk a little LOL.

oh and MrsB, Bruin is doing my head in! DD adores him tho, he is most popular toy to share her new chair with!

I'm with you on the public transport. I think it would be a good thing if more people get onto public transport and get out of their cars. It is a more effecient system for the masses who are able. Obviously, some people can not use the system, like sick or elderly. Or even people whose lives/careers require them to have a higher level of security like leaders of nations.

In fact, I wish we lived closer to the city primarily because transport links in Sunbury don't really cut it for me.

PC so sorry your dd loves Bruin so much. Hopefully the batteries will die soon
Do you still want to talk about family portrait?

That reminds me... Uwila, weren't you supposed to pick up your frames a few days back?

I just went through my wardrobe to start bundling up stuff for the move. Came across 2 size 16 blazers (you know suit jackets), one in black and one in dark blue. Nice and long so hide a multitude of sins . I love them but they're too big on me now that I've lost baby fat (and before you kill me it took me over 2 years)

Anybody interested? If not no worries I'll just give them to the charity shop. I'm sure one of the ladies working there will grab them

Mrs D - I'd love to try them on as I'm size 16 - were you really a size 16 once????

Listen you lot, we only have five people for the next meet up:

Saturday 20 Jan, 7:00:
Uwila
Foxie
MrsBigD (who is leaving us sniff sniff )
OXO
Puds

Would more people be able to come if it was on 26th??????????

Had my bookclub today which was fun. Also got old double buggy out and am washing it. The seats are a bit fungussy, but hey.....have washed them and will dry clean them me thinks. That should get rid of any fungus.

I wonder what is more harmful to a newborn - a bit of fungus or traces of dry cleaning fluid?

Am making up a drawer for LO full of newborn baby boy clothes [aaaaawwwwe]

ps - the meet up is also MrsD's leaving do don't forget - so we need to give her a good send off....

i think dry cleaning stuff is pretty nasty some baby gear specifically says 'no dry cleaning' but not sure the range it applies to.

quite tired today spent day struggling with migraine, never nice, need bed soon.

that's what I suspected SFX - anyone else know?

really sorry but deffo can't make either 20th or 26th. just can't get childcare and also having toe op 22nd so expect to be a bit challenged in the mobility stakes.

foxie, no idea about dry cleaning but i guess it makes sense they use some pretty vile chemicals.

am deffo up in the loft this week to hunt down any newborn stuff i can find for you. i know that snowsuit is up there.

pud, haven't forgotten the foot muff - will look for that too.

mrsb, i don't believe you were ever a 16! bruin is my 2nd child now y'know! i have to cuddle it to please dd. YES to the portrait, will ring you asap. prob tomorrow as i'm at work and therefore able to do personal stuff LOL!

sfx, hope the migraine is better. i am self medicating white wine and green and blacks.

about to check on dd, her bottom is so sore poor mite. i gave her medi-sed tonight, just 3mg and it seems to have got her past the coughing. she was off by 7:30pm so hopefully she'll go thru as well.

;-)

ps: can we just take a moment to be ious of Oxo who's on her way to sunny climes.....

I've got a favour to ask: can anyone put a link to Sue's blog on this thread for me:

"Ante-natal clubs :due MARCH 2007-thread no ?????"

It can be found under the ante-natal threads.

I want to show Sue's journey to my PG friends but am too incompetent to do the link

[Mega grovel emoticon]

Next time one of you lot comes round for a cuppa, you must show me how to do links

Paddle !! Can we have a minutes silence then to visualise Oxo lying on the beach - the cow!!

Where did Oxo go on hols BTW?