I give away a lot of stuff to charity, dds clothes go to a couple of friends with small girls, but the boys' clothes rarely make it past ds2 in any kind of wearable state, so they get stuck in the fabric recycling bag which the council collects. I also love Freecycle and the local one is very active, trouble is I then can't resist picking stuff up... Although I have created a little outdoor haven using pallets and various bits picked up from Freecycle that I am tremendously pleased with. I might post a pic later if I remember.
MrsS - that would be completely brilliant re the microwave if it works - but you don't need to bring it over, I could collect as I am not far from you most mornings as dd and ds2 are still at school not too far from your gaff, I think. I live a bit beyond the bottom end of the 159 route, so it would be a bit of a schlepp with an oven in your arms! Although you are v welcome to come to the wilds of Streatham for coffee one morning anyway - maybe MI could join us.
Alto - sorry about your dd's friendship trials, I remember all that and agree would not go back to being 14 for all the tea in china. Ds1 is also having friend ishoos insofar as one of the friends he made in Y7 (he's Y8 now) has turned out to be a bit of a PITA - copying ds1's work, rubbing the other kids in the class up the wrong way, complaining endlessly about everything. So ds1 is not keen to remain close and wants to gently extract himself from the friendship, but that's hard for anyone at any age, let alone for a 12yr old boy with not the best level of social confidence. He was in tears about it at the weekend 
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