Spongey

First time I went there, I got my first good view of the hill from Crookes down through Bole Hills and into Rivelin Valley. And I thought to myself, no wonder I always got bright red and winded when I climbed up there on my way home from a walk. That's not a hill, that's a cliff face.

From the sound of it, these incidents are all very concentrated into the area between Upperthorpe and Langsett Estate. Local nutter on our hands? We seem to be one of the few people on our road who doesn't have a cat (always said it's impossible to walk from South Road to Langsett Road without seeing at least one of them). I like having them around despite the frequent midnight cat-fights and territory marking in the flowerbeds, but I imagine some people aren't so happy with the high kitty concentration in these parts. I'll keep an eye out.

You are a very good friend, it takes a lot of confidence and close support for people to get out of a situation like that. Best of luck to all of you. I think St Luke's Hospice charity shop in Crookes and Oxfam in Broomhill have furniture, lots of clothes too. They're two of the bigger shops that I know.

Well, yes. Dartmoor and the Serengeti also make me happy, but Sheffield doesn't put me right on their doorstep. Its proximity to the Peaks is something special about Sheffield, and it makes me happy to live here ------------------------------------------------------ OP, if you take the time to examine this thread and others, I think you'll find the number one answer is "complaining".

The views, the views, they make those bloody hills worth it! The fact that if I want to walk from A to B, chances are I can hit several parks on the way. All its cute little independent magazines. There are always some interesting birds around if you have your ears tuned into their calls. I don't come across many bog-standard blue tits and sparrows, but we seem to have stacks of goldfinches and long-tailed tits. A lot of its history is still evident, even if it's a slightly scruffier history than somewhere like Oxford. Signs carved into old buildings, soot-stained bricks, remains of the mills the valleys, even the derelict factories. I didn't come from Sheffield originally, but my grandparents did, and it's nice being able to imagine what life was like for them here. Wish I'd been able to have a conversation with them about it, there'd have been much to learn. ...Unfortunately Sheffield doesn't have the kind of jobs I'm looking for, so chances are I've got to go Going to miss it!

You forgot the Hendo's! A big, chunky soup with lots of different types and textures of veg is lovely at this time of year. Don't let anyone tell you it's not a complete meal, make it substantial enough and you won't need a bread substitute either. I made mulligatawny the other night- lots of veg with curry spices, thickened up with red lentils, then some ground almonds thrown in at the end to make it even creamier. Top it with some yoghurt or grated cheddar and a dusting of chilli powder, then try not to burn your mouth with impatience!

Is that butcher in Broomhill still there, near Select and Save? I went there once as a fresher, reeling from the price of chicken breast in supermarkets, and bought a load from him- it came out more expensive than I'd expected, but seeing as each breast was so large that it lasted me two meals, it was worth it!

Lovely idea, good on you! Maybe ask some churches, I know that Philadelphia church collects food. I can guess what the argument was about, but I could be wrong- this is SF after all where a question about gardening can turn into a heated fight about whether to bring back hanging.

They should put a (non-flammable) viewpoint at the top of the ski slopes. Best part of that area is the views, I'd go up there more often if my walking route didn't take me through some areas that can feel a bit unsafe (the railway bridge on Rutland Road is nasty on foot, stinks of human sewage and very badly lit. Plus last time I went up there were a bunch of 'oodies vaulting the fence into the old brewery, and some charming men in a white van decided to holler at me)

Oh, THAT'S what that random square of tarmac up on Parkwood Springs is for! Mystery solved.

My plants have been fooled by the recent mild weather- had poppy seeds springing up from the soil and spring bulbs trying to germinate. They're in for a shock...

Obstruct the entrance with something that an animal would find easy to move away (a few light sticks, some string, etc.) and leave it for a couple of nights when the weather's fairly calm. See if it gets disturbed. If not, it's probably vacant. Other clues you can look for are tufts of hair caught at the entrance, roots growing through the ceiling that have stayed short because of chewing/repeated breakage by an animal, nearby droppings and an apparent path or compacted soil leading to the entrance.

The reason I frequently hear cited for why Chinese students seem to spend a lot of time behind closed doors is it's a huge jump from their education system to ours. China tends to make its students learn large amounts of knowledge by rote, so they can struggle to adapt to UK universities' greater focus on argument, discussion and independent research. I think if I was trying to wrap my head around that kind of transition, on top of language barriers and moving to a new place, I'd be a bit introverted too. Always found Chinese students very pleasant when studying alongside them, a lot of them really make an effort to see the sights of the UK while they're here and are often much better travelled than I am within my own country! They absolutely love the Peak District, and you'll appreciate the dirtiest, most moth-eaten sheep with new eyes when you see an inner-city Chinese kid first lay eyes on one.

This'll be it: http://www.bummit.co.uk/

People seem a lot less keen to set off fireworks tonight! Wonder why...