Alison

All good thoughts emanating from this house for both of you Sol, his Dad and Alison xxx

Space

Off to bed now because I'm home checking for this boy early tomorrow morning. Please wish the fabulous lad and his potential forever lady Becky luck RMQ: Why doesn't every household have Litmus paper in the cupboard?

Added myself, apparently successfully.

Doesn't everyone have Litmus paper? And what a tonic you are Dr Helen! I will try this on Sol's Dad (he survived my attempt on his life the other night - unsurprisingly really as I couldn't actually be arsed to make it in the end) and use him as a "control" before giving this a go on myself. Many thanks for according time and trouble to this on my behalf.

I suffer from rhinitis and have done for years. I take Beconase. When I said "no meds" I should have said "no new meds". I don't think it's sinusitis (like I know anything) because I've got no face pain and haven't had a headache for yonks. I've ruled out catarrh and anything else I can think of too.

I don't know what that is Helen but I've got some Litmus paper in the cupboard - would that do if I spat on it and what would it tell me? Seen, been and replied on behalf of Sol Cholesterol? I haven't a clue. The pins and needles don't seem serious enough for a GP bothering. How did OH get on today Theresa?

I'm just a thicko Wendy - like that's news to anyone Ignore me. Nice to see it's because there aren't any threads though RMQ: I've had a peculiar metallic taste in my mouth since Sunday morning, located specifically somewhere towards the back of my tongue. It remains unaffected by anything I eat and everything I eat is tainted by it. No new fillings, no meds, nothing. It's not the end of the world but I do like my food and it's beginning to spoil my enjoyment of it - even sweets/cake/biscuits/chocs. The only other thing I've noticed (different) is a dead and slight pins and needly numbness from time to time in my left arm. Any ideas?

Where's the Poundies In Need thread gone? I hope I haven't missed anything and this post is not an insensitive one but it's the first place I look when I log on.

Sol already fancied the pants off Flora but the nail varnish has clinched it - he now knows that she is his soulmate! How should he go about making a formal proposal Sarah? p.s. what is the brand and shade please? p.p.s. If you've got any sense and have no wish to spend every foreseeable Saturday evening painting toe and ginger [sic] nails, don't bother replying to any of the above

Over the past few months I've progressed from a midget point and click through to nice looking larger sized point and click latterly to an SLR. I'm practising a lot at the moment so there's rarely a time when I've not got it slung round my neck, ususally with a lens the size of a road cone attached to it - don't ask me what it's called, I haven't a clue. I think the previous owner used it to take photos of the moon I'm aware that it's a lot more conspicuous than my other cameras though and now ask if I can take pics in certain circumstances. The subjects have so far been extremely flattered that I've wanted to take photos of either them, their family or properties so maybe you can just get the snaps you want with a smile and a bit of common courtesy? Charm usually wins the day in my experience (of any situation, not just camera related) and the promise of a print or an e-mailed attachment of the results has worked well for me. Yesterday morning I asked permission to take a photo of a local garden. I asked because the bloke is elderly and lives alone. He might have been alarmed to see someone peering over his wall taking pics, wondering what they were up to (and perhaps frightened that I could be a burglar taking photos of his statuary with a view to nicking it to order). Ditto my local churches - they're unlocked during daylight hours and there are valuable items there so I've asked the churchwardens if it's OK, which of course it is, because I've asked. A bit of common sense, courtesy and charm should get anyone through. I'll report in the Manky Bits thread when I get my first black eye for being cheeky! The friend who sold me the second hand SLR camera is a 20 something single bloke, a professional/amateur photographer. He says he feels like a perv - although he most certainly isn't one - if he's out and about taking random snaps and children not known to him happen to be in the frame and I find that very sad. I'd never have thought about it until he mentioned it. Men must face a lot of dilemmas that women never even consider.

I’m with you all the way on the perfect parent thing Jacqui but I’m sorry to say that we’ll have to agree to disagree on the other bit of the above. I know too many people (just one person would be too many) who have suffered physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their parents. I’m not talking about misguided ideas of punishment either, these are acts of intentional cruelty. Sadly, some parents and their ways really are wrong. I also have a friend in the police force who works on the child protection squad. The amount of parents that she encounters who are far from “trying to be a good one†or “just trying in different ways to others†is both heart breaking and terrifying. That seems very different from going on holiday with young children in the company of similar families though then not wanting your kids to be with you during the evening while you socialise and share a meal with friends. As I’ve said before, I won’t condemn the McCanns for leaving their children alone that night because I don’t know the facts. For all I know they might have done it for what they believed to be the most positive of reasons, albeit that it obviously went horribly wrong. I’m not condemning them now for wanting grown up or “us†time as a couple (if that was the reason the kids were left, which of course it might not have been), I just can’t understand why anyone would choose a family holiday as the time for being romantic and couply or raving it up and getting tiddly with their mates. To my way of thinking, it would be the equivalent of me and b/f taking Sol to Little Dumpledale then bogging off for dinner in a restaurant without him. Not that we’ve been there (yet) but the point of a Little Dumpledale break would be all about the 3 of us spending every moment together.

Well at least there's been one bright interlude in an otherwise dreadful day - NOT!

Oh Marion, I hope you manage to get the right sort of injunction sorted out very quickly Sorry to hear about Bruni Bru Theresa and hope all goes well tomorrow at the vet Good luck to your OH too.

I must admit that I expected Fugee parents to reply to my post telling me that I don't know what it's like to have kids (which of course I don't), what pains they can be and how nice it is to get away from them sometimes. I'd have completely respected such opinions too because I haven't the first idea how trying they must be at times. How nice Greytgirl, Kathy, Cheryl and Jacqui to see that it isn't just me who can't comprehend bringing a life into the world - and then not wanting to spend the most enjoyable of times with them It does seem strange but I thought it might just be me not "getting it". The thing is you love them so much Cheryl that it's a pleasure and privilege to have them around - as you're already looking forward to on your forthcoming holiday - not a chore

Sending good wishes to you and Archie for tomorrow Nige

I suspect that it's only a matter of time before the programme makers come up with "Pimp My Prostitute" quite frankly, looking at the way TV is going these days

I'm not a parent so probably just don't understand at all. It's months since I posted here and I still refuse to judge the McCanns because I don't have all the facts. I don't regard anything generated by the media as reliably factual I'm afraid. Maddie's disappearance is something I think of often though and the thought that comes back to me again and again is: "Why would you not want to take your children out for dinner with you?" On holiday in a warm climate, relaxed atmosphere, al fresco meal with friends, no school tomorrow: I'd have thought it would be a pleasure to take the kids along with pushchairs for them to kip in if they got tired and a cosy blanket to put over them as evening fell and they started to nod off. That's what my folks did with my sister and I in similar situations when we were that age and it was something the whole family loved doing. That's what I do with Sol when I'm out with friends (I put his blanket by my side so he can snooze when he's had enough of playing) and it's such a pleasure. I wouldn't enjoy the evening half so much without him. I don't understand why the McCanns wouldn't have preferred their children to have been with them - isn't that what you have kids for, to enjoy spending time with them? (particularly on a family holiday)

Oh Phebe, I am sorry to hear this. Please send love to Patchwork Cat - and take care of yourself

Sorry, just a dash in and out tonight as I'm off to kill my lodger Do you suppose that Teg Helen might make me one of her special cakes if I end up in prison? I may just grab a cocoa, go to bed and fantasise about it - less effort

I have PMd you Matthew and you should be able to log in and post now Alison x

I have a great deal to ask on this matter but am too tired now. Will someone PM to remind me please? It relates to a rescue dog who I am currently trying to rehome

Ian (although he tells me that this should be spelt "Iain") Cognito at least until the morning. I daren't divulge the code name he chose for me - witty but very rude in a double entendre stylee

Well the guerilla tactics last night went brilliantly and were more fun than I can say. We had two way radios and everything - it was fab Sol chose the code name "Ian Cognito" for our covert mission. I seldom question his choice of outfit but tbh, for a secret operation, I'm not convinced that a coat of many (vibrant) colours and a red balaclava were the quite right thing. I'll discuss his reasoning with him in the morning. We did't get arrested though, which is both a relief and a suprise. Too tired to find it, but take the "phew" smiley as a given.

Well I can't recall who suggested Coombe Abbey as White Lodge Walk venue but thank you - it's a brilliant place! As usual, it was eventful. No nuns, firemen or men in odd shoes this time, just the requisitioning of a mobility scooter and an ice-cream man being mobbed by hounds Claz Claire travelling in style with Skye (below) Matthew with his lovely dog Ginger from the Coventry RGT and another random ginga Crazy Claire, James and Marge with Whistler and Cherry. Cherry is just recovering from surgery to remove a lump from her back leg which is healing beautifully. We know this because she ditched the dressing half way round in the woods! Some of the gang pausing for a chat Claire's scooter was requisitioned for a mercy dash to help this little girl who had hurt her foot. White Lodgers to the rescue! (The shot in a million that I missed was Cherry & Spike's Dad Keith hurtling back on it - a classic moment but unfortunately not one that was captured on film unless anyone else managed to catch it). Yay, the treats are on Daddy Beastly! Apologies to Chris (Yeti) if I've got this wrong, but I think that Mr Whippy gave up collecting cash in the end and simply dished up freebies. If I am wrong please let me know as SoI owes you for at least 3 cones! Did any humans get an ice cream (or even a sniff of one) by the way? Thanks everyone for a really enjoyable afternoon. It ended with three bits of fantastic news: Aron has gone home to loaf on his forever sofa chez Christine, Amanda and Siani have signed Quinn's official adoption papers and Dick has been reserved pending a successful homecheck! Perfect. Thank you again to all who've helped make my day