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WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - MARCH 2007 (REST OF) - from Acton to Sunbury everybody welcom

494 replies

mellow2 · 15/03/2007 22:54

Hi,

Got this started 'cos I think the other thread is going to run out before the end of tomorrow.

OP posts:
2Cute · 21/03/2007 22:37

Foxi - Feel free to ignore my yesterday's post (Only kidding!) Just wanted to know if you did or didn't get my text yesterday???

XOXO - Forgot to say, DEFINATELY appeal because even if it means that it's a week/2 weeks into the term, (apparently) some places do become available. Keep fighting! Will keep fingers crossed for you.

Paddlechick666 · 22/03/2007 08:07

bluddy hell it's snowing!

stay warm out there kids!

nopudstilleaster · 22/03/2007 08:09

morning all

Sue - I cannot believe your brother . After all the time you spent with his children and surely he'd like them to have a good relationship with their cousin?

Paddle - have you looked at Brentford? Tbh I don't know what your budget is but there is lots for sale here at the minute, especially 2-bed cottages. Fingers crossed dh shows up this weekend.

Paddlechick666 · 22/03/2007 08:19

pud, yeah i've got a 5 mile radius of isleworth going on.

until i sell the other place i won't actually know what i can afford but essentially on my salary it won't be much!

i am definately going to explore the housing association thing again - it's how i bought my other flat so i know it's a good option. but you can't escape the fact that mortgages on HA properties are limited ie: not very good deals, so the mortgage payment on top of rent can be in excess of £900 pcm.

that'd be less than the repayments on a substantial mortgage but you can't get anyone to lend you that amount on my salary.

catch22 really!

the other option of homebuy looks quite good - you raise 75% then get a government loan for the remaining 25% thus never paying rent. the government have a 25% stake in the property and get 25% of any profit when you sell.

Foxie, I need your consultancy on this one LOL!

Sue, brothers are twits sometimes. I love mine dearly but he's an arse tbh! just last weekend he proclaimed i was spoiling dd and insisted on chasing her around growling in a very deep voice and couldn't understand why she was frightened!

hardly used to much men around as it is, him teasing her doesn't help.

and to be frank, i have serious issues with his parenting but keep my mouth shut. he's had custody since they were small and he's done a good job but not the way i'd do it.

anyway, i'm rambling. i'd say ring him up and be perfectly frank in telling him his attitude to his nephew stinks. no real need to point out what a good aunt you've been - just tell him he's got to step up to the plate as an uncle now.

i'd be furious if my bro said "oh my two are teens now i can't be bothered with a baby".

mind you, he does think dd is a cutie and i think he was a bit upset that he'd frightened her. he really enjoyed taking her to the science museum a few months back.

ps: is this the same bro who gave you chinese take-away for mother's day lunch?

nopudstilleaster · 22/03/2007 08:29

I know two people who went the housing association route, my SIL did really well out of it but when my friend sold theirs they barely had enough to buy their next house. I think it depends on where you are - SIL in bucks and friend in Earls Court!

suejonez · 22/03/2007 08:40

paddle - yes same brother at the chinese takeaway. The same one that I've cooked Christmas lunch for over the past ten years - git! I'm calmer this morning but still think he's a selfish tosser - he's got more of my father in him than I realised.

suejonez · 22/03/2007 08:42

paddle you should also shop around for mortgages becasue some companies are willing to lend you more an an ability to pay basis than straight forward times salary. I have a great broker if you want his number - he got me a mortgage wehn I wasn't even working!

suejonez · 22/03/2007 08:49

Paddle are you around at all this week (remembering that your selfish mum insisted on going on holiday)? I'm around most of today as I've taken the day off to pick up my new car this morning and not picking DS up again until 4ish. Have a gazzillion things to do but could be tempted to a childfree lunch if anyone is around...

Foxie - I could help with school pick up this arfo?

Paddlechick666 · 22/03/2007 09:02

i think i'm going to do okay out of my property but always think if i owned 100% how much better i'd do!

it's all relative tho eh. and the HA housing on offer in London isn't particularly child friendly but then it's that or a highrise hell on the 8th floor in hounslow........

sue, will check that number with you. i have got a fabulous mortgage broker as well. he reckons i'm looking at a max of £180k worth of property - assuming i've got a reasonalbe down payment. not enough to buy anything decent around here.

i don't want to buy less than a 45% share in anywhere either.........

i'm home with dd today - switched days off - prob heading to snakes & ladders this morning then home for lunch. welcome to pop over but it won't be childfree i'm afraid!

was WFH tomorrow but now have to go to the office to get laptop fixed.

trying2bgood · 22/03/2007 09:09

Would you ever consider leaving London?
I am a big fan of London, but am beginning to think perhaps it is time to move elsewhere or at least consider a quieter part of london, is there such a thing?

Sue - what have you decided to do about your brother? Could your mum have a word?

Paddlechick666 · 22/03/2007 09:14

hi t2bg, i tried leaving london early 2005 and it was a disaster!

i really love where i am now, had things turned out differently dh and i would be buying in this area. for now tho i need to find somewhere for me and dd.

hence keeping the possibility of renting out whatever i buy as i've done previously. hence also not really wanting the HA route again - it's a bit of a headache when you want to sub-let in that scenario.

i am considering somewhere like High Wycombe tho as it'd be commutable for work but half the distance to the grandparents which would be useful in terms of childcare. but i know no-one there and would lose touch with all my friends here - MN and RL!

MrsBigD · 22/03/2007 09:21

Only just got round to catching up

SJ that brother or yours needs a good kick up the wazoo! What a selfish

Trying2Bgood... I can highly recommend moving away from London

Can't believe it's snowing again!

2Cute · 22/03/2007 09:25

Morning everyone

Paddle - Sorry to be a bit thick but didn't realise you were moving, how come? Are you getting a place just for you and DD or is it something for the 3 of you? Mind you, seeing as they're proposing to raise interest rates considerably to stabilise (maybe even drop) house prices, it might be a good idea to wait unless your selling up and moving in which case it wouldn't matter to you either way really. I'll keep a look out in the local papers to see if there's anything. Under NO circumstances look at Hanworth/Feltham/Ashford (you probably know that already).

2Cute · 22/03/2007 09:27

Ele - Tesco do Thomas shaped cakes (quite cool really) that you can just pick off the shelf. You can either ice DD's name yourself or get letter candles to spell out her name.

2Cute · 22/03/2007 09:30

Cross posted paddle. I'm really to hear that and would hate to have you move away mate! Right, let me know what your budget is and an idea of what you're looking for and I'll have a fish around.

sfxmum · 22/03/2007 09:32

morning all

am trying to find the will to go out, maybe lollipop or something, weather not helping.

paddle mrsR keeps raving about Ruislip maybe worth a chat/ visit.it is commutable.

foxcub · 22/03/2007 10:18

Sue - wanna do the school pick up????

I'll give you a ring!!!!!!

2cute - sorry I realised last night I had ignored you twice but I'd turned the PC off and was too tired to switch it all back on again.

I'm in a strange place atm and just about coping - have horrible flu and neurotic about feeding, so am only responding to things I need to do in order to survive (like people offereing to get me meds, or take kids to school etc). I'm so worn down and sick atm

I've got your DS's pressie and card here for you too. How about we meet up at the end of next week? I just need some time to get Monti's feeding in order, as am having some difficulties with the old boobies atm, which makes me nervous about feeding in front of people ('cos it hurts basically)

Sue - I think you brother has some of MY Dad in him - completely fucking selfish and mean minded. It really makes me cross reading about how you've taken and interest in your nephews and neices but you're not getting the same in return

In our family there is an invisible pecking order: anything my older sister does is "very important and significant" and gets discussed with great reverence, anything our baby sister does is "an acheivement" (she's a bit of an under acheiver) and anything I do is completely bloody insignificant (middle child syndrome). Do you think there is a pecking order thing going on here - your siblings think their kids are more important than yours, 'cos they had theirs first and have "been there, done that"?

Your brother has the same attitude as my Dad towwards small children but is more honest about it. I just can't believe he can be so blatant and rude though!! He should be bloody offering to help you (as should your sister) - not rocking the boat and making life difficult!

Even if he thinks that (about spending hols with small children) he could have just made a plausible excuse not to attend, rather than be so hurtful.

And wouldn't his DD's like to spend a holiday with their cousin surely? I bet they love DS!

What does your Mum say about your brother's comments?

foxcub · 22/03/2007 10:20

paddle - have you looked at ham, hampton, teddington?

decafskinnylatte · 22/03/2007 10:31

Hi all. Just wanted to pop in and say hello. I've been around a little while but am new to this thread.

I'm in Twickenham and about to be a full time SAHM to my ds (4) and dd 23 months, having recently given up my full time job so will be looking for playmates to while away the summer!

Bumped into xoxo on Richmond schools thread recently, being in a similar position myself. I feel for you hugely. I've CATed you with details of the private school that my DS will now be going to. Grrrrrr. Am still seething...

MrsRecycle · 22/03/2007 10:55

Hi everyone - gosh so much to catch up on.

Foxie - sorry to hear boobs are still sore. If you need a sounding board, give me a call. Hope ds1 is a lot better.

sue - total shock at your brother - I think its an age thing. My bro is 38 and cannot get enough of ds at the moment. Oh - he's single and good looking if anyone is interested!! Just a shame he doesn't have much money.

pc - you could always do a 50/50 share with my sis. It looks like she's splitting with her dh and won't be able to afford much - she only wants a 2 bed place as well. Also, as sfx says, you could consider Ruislip. I do love it here and it's not too far from my mumsnet friends .

oxo - sorry to hear about the schools - we have no problemm with our local, very good school - it's undersubscribed due to alot of parents being based at RAF northolt and moving a lot. So don't know much about appeal process.

ele - happy birthday to dd.

pickmeup - sorry I've never got round to responding to you - it was a week when ds decided not to sleep for 5 days. If you want a lift next time I head over to Richmond way, let me know and you're welcome to come along.

Well my news - I went to the Museaum of Childhood in Bethnal Green on Monday with the school - it was brilliant. Problem is I spent the evening in school teacher mode, dictating to dh. Talking of dh, still not back at work after snip. He's got an infection and is on antibiotics. He's in a lot of pain (hahaha).

My new AP is flying in today so I've spent the last few days trying to clear the junk from her room. So I should be back on the social scene next week, if anyone's up for a meetup.

sorry if I've missed anyone in my catch up! puds - you feeling better?

nopudstilleaster · 22/03/2007 11:24

Hi MrsR, feeling a bit better today, still bunged up but not as achey. Poor ds had to keep himself amused yesterday and at one point, when I kept drifting off, came over and patted me on the arm to make sure I was awake

He's in nusery this morning for his second settling in session, picking him up at 12.30 and I don't know what to do with myself now

nopudstilleaster · 22/03/2007 11:25

foxie - sorry to hear you're not feeling any better, hope you pick up soon.

MrsBigD · 22/03/2007 11:44

Paddle I had missed the bit that things with dh and you don't look great. Sorry to hear. As for not knowing anybody in High Wycombe... yes you do... ME is a bout 10 mins drive!

2Cute · 22/03/2007 14:34

Puds - Sorry to hear you've also been ill. How is DS settling in? He's really social so I'm sure he's doing great. When do you start your working from home job?

Foxi - Really to hear things haven't setlled yet. Hope you recover soon so you can get into a routine and feel human again! Is your DH being helpful? It must be difficult with him being back at work.

Welcome Decaf!

xoxo · 22/03/2007 17:05

hello all.
Hi again decafskinnylatte. Besides coffee, do you drink? If so, avoid this crowd as they'll just drag you into the gutter....

Am constructing my appeal papers. trying VERY hard not to say Fuckwits, but it's just so appropriate...

Good luck with the knockers Foxy. Keep up the meds - I cried when they stopped after dd - I still miss them...
Banish yr brother until he grows up Sue.
2Cute: The whitton schools I was referring to are the ones still available (suprise suprise). Any good schools are long gone. ... so if you're keen... I suspect you won't be, unless you want to equip 2cutejunior with a tattoo and a flick-knife