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.

Evening all. Nothing achieved today though am going to the cinema in a mo! I leave you with an ample buffet and cheese and pineapple on sticks for and and sausage rolls and egg sandwiches for nettie
Back later for cake and wine!

Rabbit Run, renamed "Bucks palace" has been completed. Fingers are shred to ribbons from fixing the bloomin chicken wire! Cant wait for arrival of the royal rabbits on Tuesday. Off to choose some special treats, toys and food etc tomorrow.

No flying completed today, just the essential dishwasher, washing machine routine. Wrapped up loads of presents for DD1, who is 19 on tuesday. Will have to do "next day" postage in the morning, as I am sooooo disorganised.

I have also managed to nearly read a whole book today. I have blubbed my way through it. Its a real tear jerker, and just what I needed today as I am all hormonal and needed a good blub, so the book was a brilliant excuse!!

Right, off to catch up with the DC and perhaps read a little more

Hope you all had a lovely Sunday, and Ellie I hope the cinema was worth the wait, after all your false starts and not as disappointing as MrsD s trip to the cinema.

happy birthday (hic) I like bucks fizz (hic)

been a nice day but a bit if a flop at same time. I'll start with my list maybe I'll feel better.

get up-done
strip beds-done
remake beds-done
wm/dw-done
shine sink-done
s /s-done
visit in laws-done and playpark and lunch
make lamb chops a la jamie Oliver-disasterous. Lamb was ok lentils and crenels fraiche disgusting! So stressful as dc were arguing over playdoh implements so has
d to stop and restart all time.
put up tent in bag garden so can practise and to practise folding it again-nope

not too bad I also made someone (sorry forgot who) recipe for honey and oat biscuits, very nice but definately looked homemade maybe I'll cook them in a muffin tin next time so they look more like biscuits.

Dh came home and we all went to the pier and ds went on some rides. Dd too little she very dinky and like her feet hasn't grown much since September!!! Think seperate trip for ds would be fairer all round.

I'm gonna wave at everyone in a I've drunk to much buck fizz but think you are all fab way and slope off to bed whilst promising I will get a morning and evening routine in place as this is my 5 month of flying.

Have lovely evening back tomorrow.

Thank you ellie, much appreciated. Life is pretty fabulous atm. so wearing an old name.

Sounds you had nice bit of pampering getting to read a whole book PA

Havent managed to get to sink to shine it yet But have almost discovered the kitchen under the chaos. I am tired so i am going to do the one babystep i always struggle with and go to bed early. I will set the alarm and try to finish tackling the kitchen before ds gets up. hopefully he will sleep through and thus be less fretful and tearful than today.

Hope you have all had an enjoyable sunday!

And as for my list most of it was done when it first got posted. But here is the final version:

Shine sink
DW 2 loads done
Cook giant vat of risto using up the mushrooms that need eating and to save cooking tomo done
Washing 1 loads done
teach ds how to play othello. done
hear ds in reading another book for the library summer reading challenge. 2 books done and third started
Water potatoe done
tidy kitchen floor done
Make carrott cake with ds done
Hoover kitchen done
Kitchen benches half done

right hope to catch up tomo (computer permitting) night

Well I did say my list was one for an ideal world...
ironing thought about it but didn't get to it
another load (or 2) in WM done and dry
empty DW done
cook chicken and freeze half all cooked plus some mince. Cooling now ready for freezer in the morning
finish house blessing - dusting, wipe down doors & light switches, throw papers away, empty bins all left to do. DH did vacuumming on Friday and I changed the beds yesterday done bins & papers
s&s on way to bed
shine sink it was clean until my cooking fest and now there are some pans in it waiting their turn in the DW

not a bad day considering DS and I have been to the park and made chocolate surprise cake - help yourselves

Good morning everyone

it's a lovely damp kinda day which is fine by me as we are trapsing through furniture stores to try and find a wardobe system that doesn't cost so much that my dh turns and bolts outta the door never to be seen again.

Also to
dw/wm
tidy and dejunk dd toy chest
mop living room floor
clean suspect marks (play doh) on couch

i think that will do.

Bbl

Morning all. You will have to forgive the lack of links this morning as laptop is playing up so am posting on phone and haven't figured how to do links on it yet. The babustep today is GETTING DRESSED TO LACE UP SHOES and the mission is to SPEND 15 MINS SWEEPING AND TIDYING HALL AND PORCH.

My day today consists of finishing off house rescue by sorting our bedroom and then will be able to crack on with routines and also getting ready for holidays. Am going to be bad parent this morning and mostly let smAll children watch tv. Then am going to my mums this Afternoon to harvest some veg that ds has grown with her .

Better get moving
Have. Good day'

Good morning everybody

I failed misarably on my first day but I did get a few of the jobs on my list done. I made a good start on the garden while we had a break in the rain. (its rained constantly fow over two weeks now) The garden is looking much better and my grass is lovely and green again.

DH was fishing all day so I left the dishes for him to do. Go up this morning and they are all still there

So when I get home from work I will

wash dishes
shine sink
washing machine on
tidy hall
mop through

Will check in later. have a nice day

we're having a pj day here with carrot cake for breakfast. Am going to get up now.

List for today:
Hear ds read another book done that's all six now so he has finished the challenge. determined little toad.
Unload DW
Reload DW
Washing
Finish discovering kitchen
Shine sink
Library trip to get stickers
wash kitchen floor
hoover lounge

could go on but hopefully will getthis lot done first.
catch up later.

Mid-morning coffee break! Having a very productive day here. This morning so far I have:-

WM on
Tidied/cleaned DD's bedroom
Tidied/cleaned DS's bedroom
Tidied/cleaned our bedroom (still got lots of junk in it but we are so short on storage and a lot of it is to go up to loft)
Tidied/cleaned bathroom
Cleaned landing

Am now going to get downstairs tidy and then start marathon task of putting all clean washing away. It has accumulated ovwr the last week because the bedrooms havent been tidy enough to get to the wardrobes .
ALso need to make lists of everything we need to take on holiday so I can be relatively prepared for Saturday. Am putting DC's into the CM on Friday so I can get everything done in peace and quiet.

Lovely start to day as I received a text to say a friend had just had a baby boy. She was several days' overdue and had just been booked in for an induction, so she will be very relieved. Can't wait to go round and get broody over the newborn.

Felt so ashamed at my sluggish day yesterday that I made sure I was off to a flying start this morning. So, having fed and clothed the DC, I parked one in front of the computer and the other in his room listening to a new audio CD, whilst I -

unloaded DW
reloaded DW with breakfast stuff
put the washing on (loads of sheets)
swished and swiped in bathroom
cleaned the loo (including the bowl and surrounding floor - yuck) with bleach
tidied up the sitting room - put papers in recycling, put toys back upstairs, plumped up cushions and put throw back on sofa
made all the beds
picked up DH's smelly socks and put in washing basket
admired shiny sink (did it last night)

Phew. Am feeling very virtuous now. Still have to -

hang washing up
wash baby clothes to donate to new baby
unload tumble dryer (with yesterday's stuff)
put all the washing away
iron new school shirts
buy bread
make packed lunches
find library books
go to bank and pay money in for holiday
go to library and get reading certificate for DS2 (DS1 (10) refuses to do the reading challenge this year, sadly. It's his first time not doing it. He says it's not cool )
mark DS1's Kumon maths
tidy up DS2's bedroom in time for his playdate tomorrow
do today's mission in hallway (including polishing front-door brass - meant to do that before MIL arrived)

Team - well done on the garden. Sorry about the dirty dishes though.

Good luck everyone with all your lists. DS2 has just finished watching his 'Wiggles' DVD and is coming up the stairs. Time to go.

Ellie - wow! I'm impressed! Thought I'd done quite well until I read your list.

Bugger, bugger, bugger!!! Bad day!! bad day!!! Bad day!!

Phoned tax credits and apparently I did not pass their security questions - FFS name (der!!) DoB (der) address (DERRRRRR) anyway after a bit of a rant i have been summonsed to the local tax office to get this sorted out. I am panicking. I feela s if i have been caught doing something I shouldnt have done. How on earth could I have got our ssecurity questions wrong - I KNOW i didnt!!!

ANyway rant over. But I cant think straight now, so I have ababdoned the shopping and we will live off whats in the cupbnoard today. Managed to post ddS present, but am a quivering wreck.

I know this sounds really daft, but I am suspicscious that they think something is wrong. It just doesnt make sense.

Ok I am not making sense now, so will pop back later and let you know how it went, if I m not in a prison cell, that is,........

Lunchtime!

pa am sure it is nothing to worry about but that won't stop you worrying, hope it goes ok. My dealings with these people have always been rather fraught to say the least so good luck.

toffeefudge I have also amused my dc's with DVDs this morning but it does mean I have got loads done and even done the mission! Well done you!

dem it is so wonderf to hear you sounding so positive.

Well I have now made downstairs presentable bs am beginning to sort the washing into piles. Am going to watch neighbours and then get it all put away apart from those bits that need. Ironing have also got to get a chicken on to roast and pop over to my mums so a busy afternoon!

Thanks ellie - it makes such a difference that ds is coping so well with life. he is an absolute delight to be around atm. So happy, so helpful and so kind. makes me want to cry just thinking about the last year or two.

Kitchen - i nearly have one. I have even evicted the diy stuff that has been in residence on one bench since christmas and predating that in years. Just need to finish washing up and shine my sink and wash the floor. Then there will be one room that sparkles.

As for the rest of it, well it will have to take its turn.

Hellllloooo!!

Happy Birthday Fledgling Flyers one and all!!

Sorry I am a day late for the party but am admiring the bunting (very Cath Kidston I'm sure ) and am happily munching on PAs chocolate cake and Nettie's remaining vodka melon balls. Is it too early for ask for more alcohol?

Last batch of visitors (9 in all) have finally left and I've a few days before we are off travelling again.

Meant to get down to proper Flying again today (dd at riding) but must be honest and confess that I have spent it writing e-mails, nattering to friends on the phone, stroking the guinea pigs and snaffling ham and gherkin rolls ...

Will start again properly tomorrow ...honest

Looking around the house though, compared with last year, it's pretty dammned good. Still loads to do and I'm still debating with myself whether I am going to continue just doing steps in September or whether I have decluttered sufficiently (finally!!!) to graduate to baby-steps + daily missions ... depends how I get on in between trips this month.

But all in all, a huge thanks to you all fellow fledglings for supporting me through the worst. My house was in a truly pitiful state this time last year - truly, truly pitiful .. cluttered and depressing and dingy .... and I am now seeing real changes and it's all down to this fine thread. So thanks everyone ....

IN the meantime...

Humoungous (sp?) thank yous to Ellie and PA for new August holiday thread - love the title!!

(I'm volunteering for Sept if no-one else objects)

Great to hear things going well for you DEM

PA good luck in sorting everything out with tax office (sorry you've had such a stressful time with them today -don't worry - one of us will bake you a cake with a file in it!) and congrats to your dh on his last day at work and the first days of your new chapter. (Groan at 'Buck Palace' btw - very impressed by your DIY skills though... am contemplating a bit of guinea pig-related construction myself ....may need your advice!)

Congrats on your impressive list Toffeefudgecake - you are really trucking

You too Ellie - congrats on surviving end of term and good luck with packing

Teamcullen no talk of failure allowed here!! If you did just some of the things on your list then you are doing well. Good luck with following the baby steps throughout August.

Sympathies for your dh in furniture stores Nettie I always get panicked in Ikea if I can't see the exit ...(especially when they've changed the lay-out for the 18th time!!!) Hope you find what you want.

Hello Mummy - great to 'see' you - your cake is delicious too!

MrsDinky well done with your washing marathon, sorry to hear about your boiler/electricity problem. That's not a nice thing to have to come home to.

ArmedandDangerous (love the nickname btw) not sure we have said "hello" yet - apologies am on here only intermittently this month so am getting confused - a warm welcome to this thread

Feetheart am admiring all the plum action going on at your end - having similar blackcurrant bonanza here. Hope you enjoy the festival ...

Toffeefudgecake - it's really good when your Flying efforts are "noticed" by your nearest and dearest - a testament to all your efforts - hope your head is a bit better today

Nickoftime - very envious of your "prairie" atm- despite travelling for much of this month I can't seem to escape traffic ... hoping to see some green later this week

Linzer hope you enjoyed your time in Blighty. Did you stock up on your annual quotient of M&S underwear? (It's always our first stop.)

Must go and muster up some energy to slap dinner on the stove ...

In the meantime, huge waves and celebratory (gold- trimmed) microfibre cloths to one and all - and to anyone I've missed - including Optimistic, PushmePullyou and everyone else whose posted on the thread during the last twelve months.

Here's to the next 12 ....!!! We can do it!!!!

[Said whilst raising vodka soaked melon balls to you all ] in the nicest possible way of course [hic]

See you in the morning ...

A good day today. Took boys out and paid some money into our holiday account, then took them to the library for an hour. Chose lots of lovely books, including Vol 5 of the Lemony
Snicket books which my son likes me reading to him at bedtime (I like it too).

Back home, I switched the telly on and thanked CBBC for its afternoon schedule because both boys were transfixed whilst I did more chores, ie.
washing
emptied tumble dryer
put baby clothes into WM
did the mission (spent at least an hour on this, polishing brass, wiping the door down and dusting off cobwebs. Felt like a 30s housewife. Oh, and sealed up a spider hole [saw it scuttling in between the floorboards, so had to get some polyfiller])

The children did go a little crazy during my hall-cleaning session, but at least they were playing with each other, which is rare (six-year gap). They are now running around naked, shrieking with laughter.

Must be time for that evening glass of wine now...

Still - am so glad to hear Flying on this thread has really helped sort out your house. If nothing else, it helps you prioritise and focus on what you have achieved, rather than what still needs to be done. I am definitely seeing an improvement in the house. If I could get rid of more clutter, I'd be doing even better.

Ellie - you have done loads today! Isn't TV wonderful?

PA - good luck at the tax office. I'm sure they won't lock you away.

Dinnertime for my naked children now. They look like a couple of cherubs.

Evening and hello everyone!

Just been ordering veggies for growing this autumn to celebrate DH chopping down a tree that's been annoying me for some time.

No need to do today's mission because DH did it on Friday when he vaccuumed so short list from me tonight:
IRONING!
clear ALL washing up
1 load in WM
shine sink
s&s
bed on time (was awake till 12.30 last night finishing my Terry Pratchett)

There's some Pernod trifle for anyone brave enough. Enjoy!

Hi folks,

What a stupid day!!! I would not believe this of this so-called intelligent, sophisticated country.
So, this morning I phone tax credits to tell them DH is no longer in work. Get asked all the normal security question, Dob, NI No, DH Dob, DH NI no, Postcode, address ..... then the address we lived in 10 years ago!!! Then the date we moved!!!!!! It was getting stranger and stranger, then she said, "sorry you have failed the security questions!"
Cut a long rant story short, I had to go to the tax office with my passport and I ma asked what colour my first car was and told I could now phone and I would be "passed".

Relieved that it is all sorted, but dont the tax workers have anyhting better to do?

Rant officially over!!!

So, due to all my panic I have done very little else today.

I've just cooked chocolate brownie..... yum, better be quick if you want some...
Went to visit my mum and dad and did the weekly shop.
Will try harder tomorrow.

Ellie Hope your busy afternoon was good.

SC Mahoooooooosive waves to my fat fairy friend!!! (not calling you a fat fairy, you understand!!!) Great to ahve to read through your typically long post!
I will try to upload some photos of "Bucks palace" over the next few days.
Collect rabbits tomorrow - YEAHHHHHHH!!!

Large glass of ANYTHING needed here tonight, so ahve a good evening everyone and catch up more tomorrow. Waves to everyone.

Evening everyone. Am feeling a little smug today as have tidied and cleaned the vast majority of the house and it is all now presentable though still a lot of deep cleaning needed iykwim. However enough done so o can get up tomorrow and set about my routines without having to do a major tidy first. Had a nice time at my mums this afternoon where dc were very proud of their vegetables (have put some pics on profile). Came home earlier than planned however because ds complained of feeling poorly, I think it was just massive over tiredness and he was asleep in bed by half six which is unheard of for hi
. Still on phone so you will have to forgive lack of individual posts, laptop should be back from fixing later tonight so will do round-up in morning.

SC bless you - armed and danagerous and DEM are the same person I have a very bad habbit of changing names when life gets a bit rubbish, I also have a bad habbit of falling off the flutters threads. I will do better this month.

I have done
shined my sink. properally to the fat fairies standards
Discovered the kitchen
Washed the floor
several loads of laundry
made up several kits of lego and constructed the start of what will no doubt be a very long list of missing lego parts
finally given the 2nd coat of paint to a mirror frame
trip to library to return books and sign off the completed reading challenge.
Pick up some basice bits of shopping

Ds is mithering to get on the computer and as he has been good am going to let him use it before bed. back in a bit to catch up.

Evening all,

Well, unpacking finished, just need to air sleeping bags on line tomorrow (didn't want to do it today as we were out and didn't want them to get wet, it has been cloudy here today).

However while we've been unpacking washing etc, the house has deteriorated very badly, it's a tip TBH, so babysteps and decluttering for me for a bit I think. Spent 20 mins today just tidying the back garden, it looked more like an explosion in a ToysrUs than a garden, but much better now.

Plus, for the first time since September I've got some paid work to do the next couple of weeks too. Which is good, but not the best timing with it being the school hols.

Anyway, hace read through the thread now.

PA - I feel your pain re Tax Credits, they're a bl"*&y nightmare, filling in those annual returns is a nightmare, our income fluctuates a lot, so we always seem to be paying back what we got the previous year, doubt if we've had value for money in terms of stress caused. However, I do hope you are soon phoning them up again with news that DH has found work.

DEM - good to see you back in your old name, although I'm always impressed with the originality of your alter-egos.

DWM - hate Pernod, hate trifle, so I'll pass I'm afraid. DH on the other hand would think that to be a marriage made in heaven.

Ellie - well done to you on the house front

SC - thank you for a year's worth of Flying and friendship, without you none of us would be here today, etc, etc. Oh, and love the vodka soaked melon balls

Waves at Toffee, Nettie, Nick, TC, Linzer, MiniM, Feetheart, Swanriver, MissB, Chairmum anyone else who is there.

Good evening everyone

battery going on phone!! Aarraagghhh

I love Pernod I'd love some please dwm ooo that is organised for planting. I dream
of a veggie patch one day! Got all sorts of seeds but 4yrs old now
dem so glad your are having good time at mo. I'm just about keeping up with nicknames
ellie well done on house remodel that's fab. Not long till holibags what did you think of the monkey on toy story?
pa glad tax office sorted blubbering eejits (no offence to any tax workers oot there)
toffee lol at your cherub nekkid dss and your right on days when you feel like you've accomplished nothing it's great to post and realise you have.
sc nice to see you and enjoy vodka melon balls they are jolly nice, better than vodka jelly I'd say
teamcullen hope you had a good day at work and I'm sure you did brill on your list

how did I do
Visited furniture store booked a design visit then spent rest of the day doing very little shopping whilst trapsing unhappy children around.
dw/wm-done
tidy and dejunk dd toy chest-nope
mop living room floor-done
clean suspect marks (play doh) on couch-not yet
also tidied ds/dd bedroom
bathed dc
tidied living room and kitchen
went to weight watchers put on 1 1/2lbs
trying not to eat for duration of big brother then bed!

Nite nite

Oh dear, you are all being so good, I seem to have stepped off the wagon before I have even got started this month

I have spent the last 48 hrs in a plum-soaked haze! We now have 10lbs jam, lots of yummy compote, 1 1/2 pints plum sauce/ketchup, 5lbs Spicy Plum Chutney and a fair quantity of Plum vodka. And there are still at least 3lbs of the things to stone and do something with It is wearing a little thin now and the whole street smells of vinegar

Luckily DC have been very good at entertaining themselves today as all I have done with them is take them to Bookers and Sainsburys I did feed them fish pie though so they will forgive me a lot

Tomorrow isn't looking much better on the Flying front as we are off to Bedford in the morning to do all the paperwork and hand over keys to NEW TENANTS At last!
After that (and a trip to the bank to lodge cash) I think I will be on too much of a high to do anything sensible so it could be the Beach Pool and chips!
Flying will start resume on Weds

Should go and get some sleep but need to sort out forms etc for tomorrow.

I've left out some jam for the early risers. You will have to wait at least 3 months for chutney and vodka

Hmmm, slight overkill on the emoticon front, maybe I should go to bed