WEST LONDON MEET-UP THREAD - APRIL 2007 (Part 2) - Acton to Sunbury everybody welcome

[mellow2]

New thread as the old one has run out of room.

MrsR - feeds about 10.30am so that would be fine

hey stepford surely you must know what a quokka is then?

Paddle - Sorry about DH being a prat! You've been the patient, compassionate wife so me finks it is definately time for some ball bashing!

Mellow & anyone else who's interested in nurseries - Found an amazing nursery today. Asquiths in Teddington. They are the only nursery this side of London to be given an "Outstanding" rating by OFSTED. Spent the morning looking around there with DS today and it had a real feel good factor about the place which is more important than oftes ratings IMHO. The children were all really happy, alot of attention given. The babies rooms were clean and well-equiped. When any child was in need of a cuddle/attention, it was promptly given.

Sugar, laptop battery about to die on me....

hey quokka...sure do.. have done my dues getting blotto on rotto!

dh's family live in a suburb called palmyra, near freemantle. we always stay in freemantle which i love.

if i could get anywhere near him then there would be some ball bashing believe me!

Asquith's in Teddington was the only nursery I would consider for dd when we were looking.

But it was £64 per day and I calculated that a nanny share would work out cheaper. which it did financially but not stress-wise!

oh I love that pub on the beach and getting sloshed while the sun goes down, with peacocks and quokkas roaming around.

When we were little my sisters and I used to leave mum at the bar (not every night - but most) and go and get fish and chips and jump on the trampolines and play mini golf .

There's an ASquiths in Kew I beleive but also breathtakingly expensive. I loke my CM (tahnks Foxie) and she is much more flexible and £10 a day cheaper which adds up at an alarming rate.

If I had put DS in that nursery then between childcare and mortgage and general living (not extravagantly) costs) my outgoing would have been more than my incomings. Can you beleive that - a finance director of a London (admittedly small) company can have a average 3 bed semi and one child in part time childcare and not afford to pay all the bills. I find that so shocking. Such a dmanign indictment of childcare and housing costs in London.

As it is my finance are nicely poised between happiness and precarious disaster depending on whetehr the house ever needs something doing or the car or my teeth...

better start saving for your teeth Sue, age cometh.

LOL

but you are right and i find myself in a very similar position.

without dh's maintenance i would be better off on benefits....

The nursery ds goes to is also good with cuddles etc, and is cheaper than Asquiths, but still pricy! Dh actually wants me to switch ds from a Monday to any other day as he hates paying for the bank holidays!

oh don;t Paddle have already had a ceramic overlay on one and need my wisdom tooth taken out. Have told my dentist that wisdom tooth will be coming out on NHS or not at all! (It needs surgery as too close to the nerve to do at dentist)

paddle, thanks for the advice re bike seat. We've gone for the reclining one and he's knocked the price down when I told him I could get it cheaper!

quokka...sigh...wish i was there now
sue..quite agree with your thoughts on shocking cost of living in london.
have just sent you an email, btw
having a really niggly morning..chasing money owed to me...chasing plumber not turning up to fix our leaky loo (nice)..and everyone i've spoken to today has been in a really prickly mood..AND NO, IT'S NOT ME...

just replied stepford, could we both pay off our mortgages off the back of a kiss and tell story from me on intercountry adoption? If so I would be prepared to make stuff up

Paddle - Flippin heck £64 a day?! Think I'll keep DS at his cheap and cheerful playgroup for a while longer!

Paddle/Puds - I was contemplating getting a bike with seat for DS as I need to get fit and rely far too much on the car. Reason I haven't so far is I'm a bit scared of being so open on the road, feel much safer in a car. Any words of advice??

Afternoon all,

I spent all day sorting out a short order for the Spring/ Summer collection. Fingers crossed they'll take me as a customer.

Quokka,
Link from Ministry of Tourism on Second Home scheme

If you're interested I could send you some info about new property developments. I've got family who know people in the biz.

in all honesty 2cute, we're just planning on using it in parks and along the river. Can't imagine I'll be roaming around on the roads much!

Dh has just bought a bike & I've just got mine serviced at a new shop in Brentford and they seem pretty good, definitely know their stuff.

Quokka,

I've had a look at the T&Cs for the Second Home programme. The terms seem draconian.
But that's Malaysia for you.

thanks for that mellow, will have a good read tonight when the brats are in bed

£64 a day - fecking hell!!!!

Childcare in west London must be the dearest on the planet!!! I do know its much cheaper in other parts of London from friends who live elsewhere.

Sue/Steppy - I kind of agree but don't forget we live in Richmond - one of the dearest places in the UK. Can't agree its average but do agree that the cost of housing in London is a bloody outrage!!

I have to keep remiding myself that the reason I'm skint is becaue I choose to live in Kew - nobody made me choose to live here

Lets all go an live in Ham then eh?

The most expensive nursery in Brentford is £61 per day, the rest are all around £55, which is still bloody pricey!

hmm, quiet last night!

Must go start work now

where is everyone?

CoV - if you are out there can we arrange a cuppa for another day? Am feeling a bit overwhelmed - realising I have a house full of small boys tonight; two visitors tomorrow am and pm, a full day monday at babycafe/post natal excercise (Ha Ha), various small boys visiting each day next week etc...even DD has a play date next week here...why do I do this to myself?

I seem to go from being Billy no Mates one minute to complete manicness the next!!!

I think it's great that you make the effort to be out and about.

I haven't seen anyone all week (except shopkeepers of course ) and I'm dying for some grown-up chatter.

Is there anyone who would like to meet up this afternoon?

mellow - mostly its people coming to me and the house is a tip