August's 1st Anniversary Fledgling Flyers: It's our party and we'll fly if we want to.

[elliepac]

Welcome to the August edition of the Fledgling Flyers where we are going to attempt to restore order in our houses, chatting as we go.

This month is officially our first birthday so we are celebrating sink shining and swishing and swiping in style!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering

For those who are curious, these are the Babysteps which we all hope will restore order in our homes and make our lives a little bit easier with lots of support (and chat, and wine, and a little more chat )

So please come and join us for our birthday party, old and new, from August 1st.

Morning, on here after all. We have been naughty! Last night DH said whats these (pointing to two bottles of prossecco in cupboard) I said they were for next week (holiday) - well they got drunk whislt watching 'Damages' (highly recommend) and now we have hangovers!

Thanks nettie PA and Mrs D - Dont get me wrong PA I still do spend money on stuff but I am much better at not wasteing it and shopping for cheaper things. A lesson from decluttering is the e actually dont need a lot of stuff!

Nettie LOL at builders ? - I'd put my saturn jamas on

PA I had a friend like that in a way, they extended a three bed to five beds, huge kitchen extension and new kitchen etc, always foregin holidays then used to get sooooo stressed when balancing working full time and trying to keep on top of a household of five - it was clear had they not had a huge extension (re-mortgaged) that she could of went part time. She ended up on sick so much they eventually got rid.

Well done PA for getting yourself turned round too. We have really learnt the value of money and hope to instill this in DS. DH and I dont feel either of us were taught very much about money when growing up - it was hand to mouth in both our houses and neither family used 'financial products'.

BLackberrying Use to love this when I was little, dont know were there is any round here? Mum used to make summer fruit pudding and blackberrya and apple pies - mmmmm yum yum

MSE well there is loads of stuff on there about batch cooking/shopping threads etc. How about I occasionally post good deals for toys (as most have DC's), shopping stuff, and toiletries. There are always deals for restuarants and theme parks on the site.

Cashback if you need to re-new insurance change any utilities etc new mobile do it through cashback it really does work you just need to be patient. At one point I had £300 in cashback this time last year and I used it to pay for holiday to center parcs winterwonderland - special off too!

So we've had out sausages

Sunday List

Washed done
Dressed *done BUT I have put clean PJ's on as fell asleep in clothes
Breakfast DH cooked
Shine Sink done
Laundry done - need to go hang this up
Boxes to garage - urrrrrggghhhhhh
Sort out 1/4 of garage -
Take rubbish to tip from above task
Cook roast chicken for lunch evening meal now
Bake banana bread - fat chance!!!

FLY OBSERVATIONS (PA dont laugh at the newbie )

I think it is counterproductive to get dressed to lace up shoes when you are not going out it creates extra washing, changing jamas often if course but they are easier to dry than most clothes

She doesnt iron - a slippery habit in this house

If she's out as a FLY celeb I reckon she has cleaner

The fat fairy logo - she needs to re-brand it contradicts her body clutter

Does loving movement mean do the ... you know LOL ....

But I do like the principles...off to do housekeeping file (not a control journal)

Hi, all! Catching up on here while DD1 catches up with Mistresses!

WOW, everyone is so busy with excellent lists - I am very impressed :)

I managed to tidy the kitchen on Friday evening though the floor needs washing. I also managed to find some paperwork I needed - no mean feat if you could see our dining table I've also got some washing done and introduced myself to new neighbours!

Like a lot of you, we have financial stresses - and are getting it back on track but it's a hard war to win - I'm managing to win a few battles on the way and losing the occasional one. Plus DH is absolutley hopeless at managing money and when I take my eye off the ball, which I did this month, we wned up skint :( So this week we have shopped on a massive budget - but it's always the week you need extras isn't it? Still, managed some food, stuff for DD2 who is going away today and a camera for her on a combination of cash, clubcard vouchers and Boots card!

Today, we've taken DD2 to the airport - she is off to Gibraltar for a week :) and I'm glad I'm not taking 50 teenagers abroad . DD1 and I are out shortly - she is doing cleaning at her work while their cleaner is away and I'm going to sit there and do some work myself, then a lazy evening I think.

Feetheart just reading back, I noticed you mentioned RL tea and cake! Sounds like a fab idea and I seem to recall that you live in the SOuthern town with the famous airport? Well, I work there so it should be easy to hook up?

Waves to all and hope you're having a good weekend :)

Hi Ladies

Just thought I'd drop by and say hello. I've been very bad - had a few potty training questions so had a look/posted on those threads, then looked at most active...it is a slippery slope!

Flying is going ok and I'm glad to report that, thanks to this thread, I'm now an automatic bed-maker and somehow DH has become one too!

House is looking ok, could do with a vacuum and I need to do some ironing though! I seem to spend my life hanging out tiny underpants to dry at the moment!

Have a great day all. I'm going to bake some bread now and then I think we're going out for a quick ride on our bikes when DS wakes up...might manage a quick snooze myself.

x

Hi everyone,

Huge case of cba today so far

Swimming lessons this morning
Trip round diy stores
That's it!! Oops this is the first day I haven't made my bed in months! Dh working tons and im feeling a bit neglected! Need to give myself kick up bum! Our work is seasonal and we are lucky if we have time each day for a small conversation and it's not always a pleasant one.

missb feetheart nice to see you both. Glad you are both doing ok.
namechange i cant find my satin jammies got stuff everywheren fab list if you have any motivation spare I'll heppily borrow it!

Grr iPhone! I want ankh app this is getting impossible! Invent even see whey immtypimh!!

Waves to all xx

Hello all. Suffering for a very late night. Was lovely though. Suffering for the simple tiling job has exploded in to a full decorating of room job. It will be worth it when done but means that what had been initially planned wont get finished. so there is a huge pile of half sorted clutter.Would have been nice to have got rid of that but does mean less work in octber. It has to be done at some point and makes more sense to be done now.

You all see very productive and am very impressed with all the berry picking. Not had chance to do anything like that so a bit of those who can.

Have definetly slipped with the babysteps and struggling to get back on track. Still trying but finding very hard so focusing on decluttering fly lady style and hope to pick up the babysteps again next month.

Just dropping in to say hello before I restart flying in earnest tomorrow! DD2 and DS will be back at kindergarten next week so that should make it easier to get a few things done.

Well, we survived the journey back home but it was all a bit of a nightmare. There was so much traffic on the motorway that I was worried we would miss our flight and DD1 was sick in the car, but we arrived at the airport just in time. In fact, it turned out to be in plenty of time as our flight was delayed by three hours - the plane had been struck by lightning on the way over to Birmingham so we had to wait for an engineer from East Midlands to come and sign it off. We finally took off after we should have arrived in Bratislava and got home just before midnight. At least the DC were so tired that we were all able to have a lie-in until 9.30 this morning, which is normally unheard of!

Back to the unpacking... as usual, I have brought back far too many books, magazines and food and have no room for everything.

Hi ladies
Didn't mean to post and run, but life's been a bit hectic here.
DH invited friends over last weekend - "no trouble at all" - well not for some people! Meant a quick trip to mother's house to collect extra duvets, pillows etc, an emergency house clean (allergy to cat hair - and we have two), and a trip to allotment on Sunday to get fruit and veg for Sunday lunch - then all the washing that comes after they've gone - oh no, no trouble at all!!

Beginning of last week was camping prep - we went from Wednesday to Friday, West Bay in Dorset. Yesterday was post-camping jobs - sorting, washing, airing etc. Carried on with this today, as we had sunshine to help the process.

So today, so far:

DH has been continuing to tile kitchen (has been at it for months) - so clearing up
Picked veg from garden - mainly beans, blanched and into freezer
Emergency hand washing as DS did not make it to loo - sofa throw and clothes, plus sofa cover etc etc (not on my list for today for some reason)
Made ratatouille for tea - courgettes again
Putting away camping gear
Packing bag for DS - he's spending next week with my mum
Putting washing on line
Getting next wash ready in machine (have economy 7 so only put washing machine on at night)
Putting clean laundry away
Sorting out DH stuff ready for work tomorrow
Cleaning doormat after cat present delivery
Retrieving and releasing second present delivery of the day
Planting potatoes which have started sprouting in kitchen potato bag
Worrying about breast lump I found on Friday night - will be phoning up for doctor appt first thing tomorrow

Hi all progress

Sunday List

Washed done
Dressed done
Breakfast done DH cooked
Shine Sink done

Went swimming at this point!

Laundry done done
Boxes to garage no, and it wont be done for ages
Sort out 1/4 garage done - sort of got piles
Take rubbish to tip from above no in AM
Cook roast chicken done - by DH
Bake banana bread - fat chance!!!

My DS has drove me mad today. DH took him swimming while I had half an hour in coffee lounge (did my housekeeping planner LOL)

Progress was abruptly halted when I found a mouse - now I have to get rid of this mouse nest before I can continue

Mondays list:

Washed
Dressed
Breakfast
Rubbish Tip
Charity Shop
DH Birthday present
DH suit to dry cleaners
Weekly blessing thing
Menu Plan
Check banking online
Pay credit card on phone
DS in Kids club
Me on treadmill
Cook chicken and veg curry

the mouse was in the garage - or I would have it on my list for Monday! LOL

Evening everyone

I have pulled myself together and have an accomplished list to post just to make mr feel better.

Blackberry picking check
Swept bathroom/kitchen floor
Mopped both
Master clean bathroom
Changed bedding and tidied up as much as possible at the mo
Hoovered hall, stairs, ds &dd room
Dw on
Wm on x2
Trip to pizza hut

Several hotspots going off everywhere. Maybe tomorrow.

Welcome back
linzer hope you get settled back in
Ok.
Wb ihate nice to see you.

To try and play keep
Mr up my list for tomorrow goes like this

Sorry iPhone won't let me type in more than a certain amount.

Get up and dressed before plasterers arrive 8am
Get dc fed and watered
Ds being working towards big reward on chart. So we are all off to Colchester leisure pool so flumes can be enjoyed (hate tunnels)
shopping for dc shoes
Home to hotspot and if weather nice put up tent and practise folding it again.

I hope everyone has a lovely evening x

Evening all,

Sounds like you've all been busy. DH has been working all weekend and is still at work, so I've been pretty busy with the DCs at home, I haven't eaten yet so am not going to stick around on here for long tonight, just wanted to say to Ihatecobwebs - thinking about you re the breast lump, I found one last year and it was very worrying, turned out to be OK though and they saw me at the hospital pretty quickly. Found mine on a Friday night so had to sit through a weekend before phoning the Drs too, why does that always happen?

Sorry ihatecobwebs I also meant to say hope docs goes ok tomorrow.

Right productive day but ot sure it counts as flying.

Lounge completely empted
Walls washed down
Skirting board sanded
Paint sheets down
ceiling painted
8 walls painted (another 10 to go including 2nd coat to be done)

tomorrows list:
2nd coat ceiling
10 walls to be painted
cut tiles for windowsil
stick tiles down
1st coat of skirting boards, door frames and door.
training.

I am going to bed shortly. But first need to stop look like i have been in an explosion in a tipex factory.

Completely missed that

ihatecobwebs good luck tomo.

Ihatecobwebs - best of luck at the drs tomorrow. You are doing the right thing in going so promptly.

Linzer - sorry to hear about your awful journey home, but I'm glad you all managed a lie-in this morning. Hope you soon settle back in.

Not a great day today - illness, rain and bad tempers all round. In particular, DS1 was being very difficult. I am good (practised) at remaining calm whilst he shouts and rages, but it is wearing. I think he may be sickening for something, as my mum has been ill for a couple of days. By this evening, I was feeling ill too - giddy, achy, sore throat, sick. We all went to bed early (though I am still awake in bed, obviously).

And it has rained since we came here, which is really annoying. Still, at least the boys are enjoying my mum's big garden and DS1 can play football whenever he likes, which he can't do at home.

No flying today, unless you count me doing all the washing up and leaving a pristine kitchen afterwards.

Namechange -I like your idea of occasionally posting deals from the ML website. I am going to start using that website a lot more to help us sort our finances out.

Also enjoyed your 'newbie' observations on Flylady .

Waves to DEM, Nettie, MrsD, Mini and MissB.

Good morning ladies

babystep, which is a waste of time!!! - reading a fat fairy email.

This weeks Zone is the bathroom and one other room, eg the offic A good one for many on here!! - SC just for you if you are around .

Ihatecobwebs thoughts are with you today. Hope it all works out ok and quickly, so that you dont have time to worry. Great to have you back on here with us after your hectic week. Commiserations about the cats presents - we seem to be having a lull at the moment, which is good.

Namechange - Have you caught that mouse? Perhaps you could borrow Ihate's cat???
Yes the "loving movement" is what you are thinking and I seem to recall a mission or somewhere along the line we are actually told what day to actually do it!!!

Linzer good luck with the unpacking. I am collecting DD2 and DS from theur camping trip today, so will be joining you with this.

Nettie LOL at your iphone posts.

MM - good to "see" you again. Hope the potty training is going ok.

MissB Hope DD2 goes off ok to Gibralta. Lucky thing!!! Who is that with ?

Toffee I agree about the Dcs learning a good life lesson when they know the value of money. My older ones are really good with nmoney now. DD4 is absolutely useless and DS it just burns a hole in his pocket. But if he hasnt got the money, he cant buy what he wants.

Hi AD, where are you? also DWM. I hope everyone comes back as we head toward normality again {ie no holidays, not sure we will ever be conventionally "normal", but thats boring anyway, and we are better than boring!!!}

So who was it thats in their Winnie the Pooh PJs this morning? Couldnt find the post this morning.

I have a deadline to meet today with some paid work that I have kept putting off, so will have to get to that this morning above everything else!
Other than that, I need to:
Do weekly shopping
Collect DD2 & DS
Cook "welcome home" curry and chocolate ice cream!

Right, keep it simple then I wont feel as if I ahve failed. If I get the work done thats all that matters.

Dont let me back on here until its done!!

Have a good day.

Morning all - catch up on chat later. Iheatcobwebs - here for you, good luck

Well I got up at 7am !!!! Yeah, have got loads done!!!!

Washed doen
Dressed
Breakfast done
Weekly blessing thing done by 9am
Launder cushion covers done
Launder curtains done
Launder cushion pads done
Paperwork into correct pile done
Check banking online done
Pay credit card on phone done
Lunch
Rubbish Tip (Trip 1)
Rubbish Tip (Trip 2)
Charity Shop (Trip 3)
DH suit to dry cleaners (Trip 3)
Sainsburys (Trip 3)
Ironing
Start Holiday food box (deadline Saturday)
Start Holiday clothes suitcase (deadline Saturday)

Finance - I have been trying to sort out specific things inc budget for holiday etc this AM as part of banking:

SKY HD package £29 per month up to £90 cashback and £50 M&S vouchers

Homeserve have up to £45 cashback for discounted sale prices ranging from £14 for heating and boiler cover inc service or £30ish for full cover inc plumbing electrical and pest control - I have checked my policy doesnt cover the blardy mouse in garage

Founf a free iphone for £35 per month with £65 cashback

Totals £170 from cashback be with me by xmas and £50 for xmas food/presents!

Oh and Anne Summer has Bustiers things greatly reduced !

Shampoo bathroom carpet
Menu Plan

DS in Kids club
Me on treadmill
Cook chicken and veg curry

Back to semi-normality this morning, although I'm finding it hard to concentrate on getting anything done with DD1's constant chatter (atm she's showing me how she drinks when she has hiccups). Lovely as it is, it starts to get a bit much after five minutes a while.

Done so far:
DD2 and DS to kindergarten
Swish & swipe
Two loads of washing
Bathroom mission

Still to do:
Fold washing
Another load for WM
Pick up DD2 and DS plus two friends
Office mission - although I'm not too sure about writing down my office routine, which is generally just switch on computer and start work
15 min decluttering in office

PA Hope the wanderers returned OK and that you're not too swamped in washing.

Toffee Hope you're feeling better today.

DEM Where do you get all your energy?

Nettie Hope you have a lovely time at the pool. I'm not keen on flumes either so usually get DH to accompany the DC.

namechange Good luck with catching the mouse!

Ihatecobwebs Hope all goes well at the doctor's. It must be worrying, but it's good that you're having it checked out straight away.

Waves to everyone else - must go and do the kindergarten run (or possibly walk, although it will have to be a brisk one) now.

I am borrowing it from the end of the week and next week. I feel dreadful tbh. But there is a strict time table for getting this done and it is a case of drink lots of caffine, knuckle down and collapse in a heap in the corner.

Done today:
Painted coving
masked off fire place
painted 7 walls. 2 were 1st coat the other 5 were 2nd coat.
finish sanding fiddly bits of door.

Yet to do. i hate decorating especially when i havent even started the orignal job that sprialed into whole room decorating
2nd coat on 2 walls
cut and fit tiles
mix up tile adhesive
stick tiles down
1st coat on skirting boards, door frame and door
2nd coat on remaining two walls.

Can I be forgiven for not shining my sink, and not doing babysteps pretty please.

** Sorry for not doing personal messages. will reread through and poke brain into action when less tired.

Fecking SKY and BT - sorry

You ok namechange?

Hello everyone

namechange I feel your pain I tried sky for calls and broadband and tv and it all went belly up now we are stuck with sky!! I hope you get it sorted but I was fuming. Sky cut off our home phone twice in the much up. Once for over a week!!
dem sorry you are not feeling good and that you still have to plough through. Definately be forgiven for ignoring babysteps!!
linzer nice to have you back. Lol at dd incessant chatter. I'm laughing whilst Incan as my two dc are already chatterboxes!!
pa hope you got your deadline done ok. I admit they were my Winnie pooh pjs
toffee hope everyone is feeling a bit better and you had a nice day

Plasterers have been and come on tons. Room should be ready for paint by end if week.

Had a lovely family day at leisure pool. Ds and dd loved it! Went shopping after and have bought dc some nice clothes! Eaten tons and waiting for another furniture maker to visit to give us a ridiculous quote for wardrobes!!!

I again have failed in looking at mission but have scheduled work tasks already so will see how i can improve.

Better stop waffling and get dc outta bath.....

Evening. feel better for a nap. going training in non training clothes. might be tempting fate a bit but I need to remember to take it easy tonight.

However all painting except skirting boards, door frame and door has been done. will do tiling tonight when i get in.

have a good one.