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

[mellow2]

Brand new thread for a new month.

pc you can have one of ds I don't think i'll need 2 in s'pore

Hi pc! Bloody typical I've just packed my winter stuff away! I knew I was tempting fate.

MrsBigD - thanks for the invite - I'm not sure if we're be around that weekend - I'll get back to you by the end of the week.

Quokka - I was going to pop round with dds to see Stitch today but if you're busy they can wait until May. Might be better anyway as dd2 will want to take him home there and then. Do you need a hand with sorting stuff out? I can pop over one day next week - it is one chore I really do love doing and have often said I'd love to go into business sorting out other people's houses.

Don't think I can do a meet up today as I have to take ds1 to be weighed (he didn't put on any weight last week ). He's still only 14lbs and he'll be 8 months next week. Oh and I seem to be spending most of my time emailing prospective au-pairs only for them to not reply.

ah! MrsR it's your fault then eh?!

quokka, that would be great but don't want you to get too enthusiastic and do yourself out of stuff!

2 of everything is handy in case of accidents or illness.

my sister is trying to tempt me over to Aus for a holiday.....

having flat valued at the end of the week and if the news is good then i might just do it!

Go for it pc - where abouts in Australia? Talking of sisters pc, mine is looking into part-buy, part-rent as it looks like their marriage is finished. Do you know of any good websites/housing associations?

paddle I admire you even considering taing DD off to aus. I thikn I am traumatised by my return flight from Kaz and it was only 7 hrs and really DS wasn't that bad.

IOW is the furthest I plan to go for a few years (particularly as dS has kazakh passport and needs a visa for everything which is a pain in the neck)

where is she looking MRsR?

Paddle - that's a huge amount of weight to lose in that period of time! Damn woman, go buy yourself some chocolate cake when you go to get your bread.

Mellow - I need to pop into K'ston to get some bits and peices so can't meet today unless you fancy coming along for a shop?

Sue - If its any consolation; I NEVER get a lie in even come flu, migraine or tiredness. I'm the one that always has to drag self to DS's room in the middle of the night. DH's reason: He needs his sleep so on weekdays he can function at work and weekends at hockey. Chocolate problem, woman you MUST keep an emergency box topped up like I do. Must admit that the vast majority of photos are with me in them.

The toaster in pool idea didn't work, though its given my hair great volume!

She lives in Chertsey but is prepared to move out a bit if she has to.

definately go for it paddle. Fingers crossed that you get a good offer on your place.

2cute,
I can't ever resist an invitation to shopping. What time are you going?

quokka,
I wouldn't mind coming round for tea tomorrow either. I think dd would love to see ds2. What time would suit you?

i am very tempted - haven't been back in over 5 years and i'd love to see my old mates.

also my old boss who might well be able to offer me a job........

it's sydney altho tbh, if i'm going to migrate i'd prefer NZ.

MrsR, part-buy/rent is a great option but not necessarily the cheapest as I have discovered.

check out this link

there's deff property about altho IMO it's not particularly child friendly property.

also, mortgage options are limited and the rent plus service charge on top really add up.

my outgoings on my flat are nearly £900 pcm which would be the equivilant of a pretty hefty mortgage. when i bought I couldn't raise more than 100k mortgage tho so i didn't have much option.

nowadays it's a lot easier to borrow more - so i am seriously considering compromising on the property just in order to be able to buy outright (as it were). it will be a stepping stone property tho.

but having said that, part-buy/rent is a great way to get on the market. i am hoping to have a fair few grand as equity 3 years down the line....

btw, i have a great IFA who i can thoroughly recommend.

2cute, i've tried chocolate. doesn't work. feel sick if i eat, feel sick if i don't

have you tried vey chilled ready made custard - put some of those Minardex childrens liquid vitamin/minerals in it. Contains iron as well as vitamins.

Quokka, are you thinking tomorrow am or pm? Can only do pm as we're off swimming in the morning.

Am around this pm if anyone wants to meet up

Paddle 10kg in 2 months is a bit much especially if you haven't been trying. Second the 'go out there and get yourself some nice chocolate'

As for Aus... go for it! Granted it's a long flight - we did NZ when dd was 18 months old and as she didn't sleep a wink neither did we. And be prepared to get up at 0200 for the first week there ;). My mum has asked me to go on holiday with her again this year... cruise around the Caribbean (sp????) and Florida. Going by the way dh was after last holiday I'm not sure whether to go or not. He says it's ok but then again he had already forgotten the drama after the last holiday... decisions decisions!

MrsR... would be great if you could make it as long as I know about 1 week ahead that's fine. Just need o plan the shopping. No quick popping down to the supermarket here LOL

Paddle, if you can't do chocolate, what about ice cream?

paddle - or Tescos special carrot cake? the weight loss I must admit, but not the stress you've suffered which has caused it ... let us know what your GP says.

Quokka - will text or post in morning - shall we look at sometime between 12-2? Will feed kids before we leave.

what happened to the sun then?

might trog up to kew retail with DS1 and DD as Dh is home so can "baby" sit

OK where are you all???

can anyone recommend someone to lay stone kitchen floor tiles for us?? I plan to get rid of our gross kitchen "carpet".

Want someone cheap and neat

I don't know anyone personally but I do have a couple of numbers you could call.

no help on the stone flooring Foxie but might see you at Kew later if you're still there.

doubt dd will sleep till about 1:30ish today.

dr gave me drugs and a sicknote for a week. much as i would love to go sick it's really difficult with dd here all day thurs/fri with grandma.....

times like this i wish she were in nursery FT!

Paddle - time for Pingu me thinks!!!

Monti will feed at 1pm, so we will probably leave here about 1.45 - walk to kew - will be there from 2pm until about 3.30pm. Text me if you're there maybe and we can hang out for a while.

Sure DS1 would like to see your DD

oxie - I will text you my cleaners number - her husband is fine at laying tiles and is self employed buidlre/odd-job man. No English though so you need to explain to her and she will explain to him.

Awww paddle, wish I could help you somehow

pc - wow thanks for all that info. She did do part buy/rent with her 1st husband and they lost out (about 16 years ago). But like you she won't be able to get a massive mortgage and needs a bedroom for her 2 dds. Sydney or New Zealand - I am envious. Meant to say I think your weight loss is due to working/studying/etc. I always lose weight under these circumstances. Now you're back at home (and Mumsnetting) you'll be snacking more and put it back on .

Well good news - ds has put on half a pound in a week. The HV reckons he was weighed wrong last week and is really happy with his progress.

Well I've really thrown a spanner in the works - just been chatting to my neighbour and we're getting SNOW and FROST this Friday. Better get out in the garden and top up my tan .

thanx Sue

actually i quite like the weight loss LOL. i have just lost my appetite a bit really i suppose. some days i eat heaps, others i just can't be bothered.

pud, thanks mate. tbh, if i did go sick i'd have no idea what to do all day. probably just moon around feeling even more sorry for myself!

mrsR, sorry to hear your sis lost out 1st time around. was that at the boom/crash period?

my IFA reckons I could get about 180k worth of property if I get the deposit I'm hoping for.

i could go the max and try for a maisonette with garden around hounslow or go for something ex-local authority on the 10th floor in roehampton for considerably less. or go back into shared ownership.

forgot to mention that my share is currently 45% and obviously the rent is pro-rated accordingly.

bet your sis could easily get 25% share of somewhere but then the rent will be around £500ish i expect....

if i go shared ownership again i wouldn't want to go anythign less than the 45% i have now iyswim.

homebuy might be a better option for your sis.

foxie, you are the doyenne of this stuff. what d'you reckon?

dd not sleeping yet - will text when I get to Kew tho it is a bit of a deadzone for mobiles.

mediation @ 9am tomorrow but dhh (dick head husband) isn't responding to texts......