September Flying, Fledglings are trying; holiday steps were slow, back to work we go ...

[Stillcounting]

Welcome to the September 2010 Fledgling Flying thread!

This is where from the 1st of the month, we attempt to declutter and follow the 30-step wisdom of the Fat Fairy, with lots of chat and support and mutual motivation along the way. (More info available here! )

Many thanks to our previous splendiforous thread leader Ellie for guiding us through July and August and to her dynamic deputy, the one and only PA. You've both made it a lot of fun!

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach (and don't worry - we are all at different stages):

• 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.

Together we can do it! All newcomers welcome!

Good morning :) feeling much brighter as dd slept better and fingers crossed hasn't had any seizures so far!

I've been looking at the FlyLady stuff but we don't wear shoes in the house. Has everyone made a folder?

This morning

-Morning routine
-15 minutes on dining room
-Make pastry

Going out to get ds haircut and hopefully buy him a coat and dd some socks/tights, oh and pick blackberries.

This afternoon

-Make soup and blackberry and apple pie
-If I get time I will wipe down the walls/skirting boards in the dining room
-Do mealplanner and online shop for next week
-Evening routine

Hope it goes ok today Nickoftime , sounds very stressful.

Good morning all,

Still getting the hang of this but last night/yesterday afternoon:

Collected kids from GPs on way home
prepped dinner
took kids to swim lesson
dinner in oven
washing on
dishwasher on
school uniform prep
ditto lunchboxes (including mine)
wiped down and tidied kitchen
ironed work clothes
school bags prepped

This morning
woke kids and got them in bathroom/dressed
lunchboxes ready
bags completed
kissed and waved bye (I go to work early, DP takes kids to breakfast club on the way to work, meaning I can leave work early to collect kids from school)

took call from friends whose panicking about suddenly being told she's got a training course TODAY, so I now have 4 kids after school and need to think what to feed them...

At work, have moved fridge to get to posters on wall
answered the phone several times
sorted my emails
sorted boss's emails (he's on leave)

To do
Sort my own papers out and ditch the crap
Empty cupboards into boxes for move
And luckily that's it for a week while I concentrate on actually working

When I get home

dye hair (sorry, way too much grey for someone of my age)
cook for 4 kids
clear out toybox ruthlessly to prep for Christmas and save some space (it's overflowing)
DD goes to guides tonight
pack DD's bag for next week's school trip
and washing, if I can squeeze it in.

Stillcounting I don't actually work in fashion, more a case of the civil service with a lot of men in uniform , and ladies, of course. Come to think of it, I'm hopeless at fashion anyway.

ooops, just realised it's getting long here.

Morning,

Feeling particularly demotivated this week, not sure why really, haven't done any missions or declutering for ages just sort of pottering alongand all the routines have fallen by the wayside with no school to be late for. However that all changes next week, so I NEED a boot up the backside.

Today's list

Finish general tidying of floors downstairs and hoover
Order logs
Washing etc
Re-establish evening routines
Get DCs to try on school uniforms
Name label the above
Find room in DDs wardrobe for hers as it is her first lot and her wardrobe is very crowded.
Take the DCs out to run around in park or similar
Take DCs to tea at GPs

SC - phew, none of that nonsense in our school, feel for you.

Bobloblaw - hello, don't think we have spoken yet. I have been on this thread since Nov with varying degrees of enthusiasm, but so far have managed without a control journal. I keep thinking about it and not doing it. Don't do lace up shoes either, or post-it notes or several other of the babysteps either.

MissB - hope you manage to fend off the boss.

Darts - hello, haven't spoken to you yet either, sounds like you are very busy! The pre-Christmas toy clear out is one of the first things I need to do when the DCs are back at school next week, the place is overflowing. Both my DCs birthdays are soon after Christmas too, so we get a massive influx of crap new toys all at once.

Ellie - good luck with hairdressers. DS used to hate it, it was a real problem, used to scream the place down, now we go to one of those child friendly places which costs more but they can watch DVDs and they love it.

Better go and start doing stuff I suppose.

Good morning everyone, im posting from work so i better keep it real quick.

Desperately need to do mission today, dining area not room walls are minging with a captial M. I really do need to get my bedtime routine sorted too. DH goes away just for 4 nights next week and i had a jolly good indication this morning of what my mornings are going to be like.

Must tell you my idea as was too busy putting away clothes last night thought id bathe dc this morning whilst they are bathing i would have shower. DD did not want to stay in bath so was out after 5 mins. Cue me shouting at husband to get up to help. After much cajoling (what age is my dh?) finally get DH out of bed to help. Cue DH sitting on toilet forever (how can it take soo long) DC brushing teeth, i think now quick shower. Just as i have reached for the shower gel DD decides she is going to join me, so does DS. DD decidesd she doesnt like it, wants to get out. Not without mummy so me 2 dc in shower one screaming the other going on about mummys large scar on bottom and asking where mummys milk has gone? .

upshot of that rather longwinded story is need bedtime routine or need to get up at 6 all next week.

anyway have
made bed
empty dishwasher and refilled
cleaned table

still to run mil dog to dog washers
bank recon
odd and sods
pick up kids nursery
have hair cut home hairdresser couldnt come so off to a salon oooo hark at me
sort out cupboard doors
either go to gym or paint ceiling of ds room carpet going in next week.

got to run have lovely day

I am having a 5 min break for a cuppa! I have been in this particular office for 8 years, and the amount of personal paperwork is shocking, eg handouts from training courses, etc. I am being as ruthless as I plan to be with the toybox.... Only things likely to be useful in the next 6 months being kept, as much of it will be out of date now anyway!

Also need to add to list,
move some money into savings account. DH is badgering me to take advantage of a good offer. (can do online)
Pay credit card bill (just need to find a mo to get to bank).

Not doing too badly today, but already knackered! (Am 25 weeks pg with DC4, so not really surprised!)
Managed to
do morning routine form 6.15-8
s/s
made bed
w/m load 1 on
sh/sink
brekkie & clear up
Get kids to new schools for first day with loads of time to spare.
Swept lounge
conked out for a bit!
But, now I've read this thread I'm determined to get the rest done
15min declutter in hall - stairs are a h&s nightmare!
finish lounge
hang wet & fold dry washing & PUT AWAY!!!
then I will have a kip before teaching 3.45-7!!
Hooray!

Love to all

I hate - ds had a whole battery of specialist when he was younger - 14 in totatl and i found that even though he was really quite young it helped if he knew what to expect from each appointment before he got there. I guess i was lucky in that i had defective patches in my youth and had seen most of the types of speicialist myself. it is a night if they wont cooperate but as some one else said (sorry i am very tired) they get into the swing of it very quickly.

I have failed with the dress to shoes, and am struggling to do anything or feel motivated. ds was late to bed and then spent a lot of the night in my single bed. So taking today fairly easy will tackle some of the stuff ignored from yesterday's list and most importantly i finally have my dentist appointment. Yay.

look after yourselves.

Oh and can tell you now. the big project that I was working on was a baby blanket for a lovely mnnetter who has just had a baby. it was from a group of other mnners who have been chatting together for well over a year. it has been delivered this morning and she is delighted. I am so glad it got there. spent most of yesterday panicking as it wasnt delivered by 1pm as i paid for and it was somewhere in the system. there was a very nice man in royal man who put my mind to rest that it hadnt been lost. Not that i am a worry wort or anything

Hi all,

Welcome to all the "newbies". Sorry for lack of messages, I will have a scroll and a catch up, but just wanted to pop my head in the door and explain I may not be around here as frequently for the next few weeks.

Been a bit poorly over the summer, went to emergency dr on Monday for reassurance who sent me to a consultant today. Went expecting at least a little reassurance, but no such luck. Basically I have a lump appeared on my neck. Have spent a morning being drained of a million gallons of blood for testing. Have to wait for an MRI scan, biopsy and return in 3 weeks for the results.

I am going from manic cleaning to keep me occupied, to then not ebing bothered to do anyhting, so flying is very hit and miss!!

Hopefully I will be back to normal soon and will fly with Ernest!!

Waves to everyone!!

oh PA that sounds very wearing - is your MRI booked? waiting is so draining - worse than any actual diagnosis, sometimes.

bob - no folder here. but for the last two months i have been tempted by the possibility

but ta daaaa - i am dressed to not lace up shoes!

and i'm off to do the school run and associated oil on troubled water before work

nothing planned tonight, so can catch up with flying and you all then (even Ernest, who i am loving the idea of ).

Good luck for the next few weeks PA and I hope you start to feel at least a little better soon.

My evening routine was pretty good last night so this morning was a smooth start back on the school run with DS1. I don't work on Friday's so if I can make the most of Thursday evening in terms of getting domestic things sorted I actually have half a chance of enjoying my day off.

To do

about 10 mins ironing (I managed a bit this morning before work)

Hot spots in kitchen and hall / car seat and push chair back where they belong after CM

supper

1 load in w/m

Paperwork

Packed lunch for DS1

That sounds truely rubbish PA. just remember if they have taken a lot of blood you will be feeling crap due to the lower level of iron in the system and the ability of the body to gets its oxygen.

I am mad. I have cleared ds' room for decorating tomo, bought the paint. now i just need to finish stripping the skirting board which is currently green and will be going white.

Finish general tidying of floors downstairs and hoover - used carpet sweeper, so still needs hoovering
Order logs - done
Washing etc - done
Re-establish evening routines - not done (yet)
Get DCs to try on school uniforms - done
Name label the above - must do, must do
Find room in DDs wardrobe for hers as it is her first lot and her wardrobe is very crowded - not done
Take the DCs out to run around in park or similar - not done, but they played very nicely at home so no need really
Take DCs to tea at GPs - done.

PA - sorry to hear about your health wories. I did actually notice your other post about it, but obviously didn't want to mention it here, glad you were seen so quickly by the consultant and pray that it turns out to be nothing serious.

Was also thinking of you today re nametapes and thinking how on earth would I cope if I had 5 lots of school uniform like you must have had at one time! With that I'd better go and get started.

Night all

Hiya everyone

My list fait kinda complie

run mil dog to dog washers-done
bank recon-done
odd and sods-done
pick up kids nursery-done
have hair cut home hairdresser couldnt come so off to a salon oooo hark at me-done look ok the test is mr trying to do it myself in morning
sort out cupboard doors-nope
either go to gym or paint ceiling of ds room carpet going in next week-neither
Also done s/s
My ironed clothes away not dh
dw loaded for morning load
Dc clothes laid out and bags by door for nursery
Swept living room floor

Still to
Sort out my clothes for morning
Wipe down kitchen tops and sweep floor

pa just wanted to say thinking of you and hope you don't have too much
Of a wait. I think you should just stroke Ernest and be kind to you.
mucky I think we should join forces in decorating. Mind you I have 4 rooms to do but I have let myself have another night off
nick hope your meeting at school went ok
hobbit well done for all the flying and for getting in some naps too
dart lol at your uniformed workers. I have so not got any idea what a dart is but then I've just found out what a maxi dress is
missb hope blagging went well
linzer we are coming over ds got his postcard wow fab train. I said I wanted to go right now but ds said it was too near bedtime . hope you had a few nice days away
ihate hope ds appointment went well today

gonna get on with cleaning my kitchen might even clean dining area Walls got half hour before UBB starts.

Waves to everyone I've missed sc feetheart bob and I'm sorry for those I missed.

Oops mrsd hiya i just knew I'd missed someone very important good luck with nametaping.. Which reminds me I've still got to find my marker.

Thanks for all your good wishes ..... see, I couldn't stay away for long, could i?

Scan appointment will either be phoned to me or sent asap, in time for me to get the results on the 22nd, nick.

MrsD - Permanent marker pen, on labels, is all I am saying .

Travelled to the school today to get the uniform... massive queue of people waiting. I was definitely not in the mood for being sociable in a queue for hours, so turned the car round and told the DCs they would have to put up with last years uniform for the first day, then I would go and get it when all is quiet. As DS considers this to be a ritual torture session anyway, he is not complaining!
I see most of yours are back at school alread. Mine not til next Wednesday. Hope your first days have gone ok, especially if it is first timers!!

DH home tomorrow, place is a mess and I am working long day tomorrow, which I would phone in sick, but its the end of month reconciliation for all the big wigs meeting on Monday, so cant let them down. I fear DH will be walking in to a mess!!

Evening everyone.

PA - I am coming round to that idea rapidly! Have done it quite a lot in the past, but always seems to fade after a few washes, then we end up losing stuff anyway. Mine start back next Tues (DS) and Weds (DD) so a few more days to get it all sorted. Take it easy tomorrow, I'm sure DH won't mind the mess.

Crikey, you lot have been busy. It's certainly back to school/work with avengence ...or preparation to that end ... lots of haircuts, name-taping and shoe-buying.

First of all PA, so sorry to hear about your health worries. Fingers and toes crossed for you for 22nd and in the meantime, try and take it steady. Sending positive thoughts and prayers from over here. Waves to Ernest

Nettie you have obviously had another busy day of it - well done for not taking your mil's dog to the hair salon by mistake. You've also managed to round-up beautifully again. Your account of showering this morning had me cackling (don't worry, we won't mention the scar ever again ).

Full marks to you too Dinky for completing your list despite feeling demotivated and in pootling mode. Hope your dcs return to school not too traumatic.

Good luck with the DIY Mucky - it's all the prep. that's almost harder than the actual painting. Well done on finishing the bbaby blanket (sounds lovely) I have too many half-finished craft projects to mention stored in cardboard boxes upstairs .. Wishing you more Flying motivation for the morrow

You sound in control Pluto - top marks and enjoy your day off tomorrow

Hope it went OK at school today Nick - [hands over golden shoe-lace award for today]

Respect to Hobbitmama for Flying whilst pregnant with dc4. I think I should wish you LESS Flying motivation and issue strict orders to kip X3 per day (at least!) with feet up and cup of tea.

Dart - that list of yours is humoungously impressive (well it would be if I could remember how to spell humungously!! ) You have a huge amount on your plate + friends' dc too. Hope you managed to get through it all. I'm with you on the ruthless paper shredding. I sorted out about 3/4 of the old papers in my home office earlier in the summer and I was amazed with some of the now utterly irrelevant stuff that I'd kept ... I tell you I shredded for England ... well in reality dd did, so much so the machine kept over-eating ... Good luck with it - you'll feel great when it is done. [Makes note to self to finish remaining 25% and not wait another 8 yrs to get it done like last time!!] PS your job does have its perks then ... I LAARRRVVVEEEE men in uniform (down, girl, down...)

Don't worry Bob lace-up shoes not compulsory on this thread. I do find a control journal quite useful though. I have my weekly cleaning schedule in it (divided in to zones), baby-steps, plus a load of emergency numbers and most-used contact details + meal plans + house and guinea pig general and emergency care routines written out in English, French and Polish so that we can leave on trips quickly - don't have to write it out each time for cleaner/house-sitter/friends and everyone knows what to do ... and other stuff such as on-line supermarket orders and receipts and a list of maintenance things I must do annually, 6-monthly, quarterly, every month, every wk etc. It just saves a lot of hassle but you need to adapt it to suit yourself. More info here!
Oh and please save us a piece of pie ...

MissB hope your boss was in a benevelant mood. Sorry. I have completely lost my ability to spell this evening. Benevolent. Benevelent. Think it's benevolent. Hope your boss was in a forgiving mood anyway

Huge waves to Ellie Feetheart and everyone else I've missed.

See you all in the morning.

PS Nettie - how's the scar?

Evening!
pa thinking about you and hope all goes well - take care of yourself.

Crappy day here - meeting with boss not great and ended up dissolving into tears (me not her!) So felt even worse then. Ho hum, tomorrow can only get better

But good news for DD1 who went back to school reluctantly but found teachers very supportive. So she has ditched Maths, is picking up 2 further AS levels (Music tech and psychology), will finish Music A level this year and stay on an extra year to do the full A levels in the other subjects. So she is much more positive and feels like she's being supported and can make fresh start after a lot of ill health last year which really impacted on her big time. Think she is very relieved plus I get to keep her for an extra year

DD2 survived her first day back and still seems cheerful :)

No more flying - went out for meal with friends :)

Hee hee sc it's quite impressive actually 13 stitches and serves as a good reminder that glass Cafetieres , carrying babies and stairs don't mix

Morning all,

So much chat while I've been away - I can't keep up! Lots to do today, so I'll post my list and try to come back later to catch up (but just wanted to say sorry to hear about your health problems PA and hope all goes well).

Unpack
Washing x?
DS to kindergarten
Routines
Mission
Food shopping
DDs to lesson
DS to doctor's for check-up (already postponed far too often)
Check DDs have everything they need for school
Update calendar
Send thank you cards

It's the last day of the summer holidays here today (although weather-wise, it looks like summer is well and truly over). At least I don't need to worry about uniform as the DC don't wear any, so the only items of clothing that need labelling are their PE kits. However, the lack of uniform is more than made up for by the wide variety of exercise books, stationery and art materials they need (it sounds v. similar to what you need SC - dozens of different exercise books, each requiring a different sized and different coloured cover; they look like little snails with their rucksacks on their bags); we must have spent a good hour or so labelling everything.

DH has just left for work (if you can call it work; he's going up a mountain by cable car and then going hiking) so must get on with a few things before the DC wake up.

Hope everyone has a good day.

Morning all :)

Didn't get on again yesterday and have no chance of catching up properly yet. Just wanted to say
PA - so sorry to hear about your health worries. Flylady sicknote duly issued, do with it what you will. Hope everyone rallies round and looks after you as well as you look after them. Your DS is a cook too isn't he? How good is his chocolate cake because I think it is essential now :)
Hope the waiting isn't too awful.

MissB - Glad DD1 is sorted and happy.
Tea and cake will probably be easier to arrange during school time. DS starts next Thursday (gibbering wreck emoticon needed - me not him!) though won't be full time until 23rd. After that I am a free woman between 8.45-3.20pm - I can, and do, fit work around me :) Probably easier if I come into town, just suggest when and where.

Got through most of yesterday's list with DS's help - he is excellent hooverer and dusterer Home visit was lovely and we got lots of time to play/read/bake/clean house together. I am really going to miss him :(

Today's list:

• DC up and out and DD to school by 8.45am without shouting - managed it yesterday :)
• Morning routine
• Hoover stairs and bedrooms - may delegate to DS
• Costco with friends to stock up and for cheap lunch
• Playing LOTS with DS before I loose him to the school system
• Make something for dinner
• Evening routine
• Sew on Brownie badges
• Early night

Must get started

Good morning everyone

(Apologies Feetheart and Linzer - you have beaten me to it this morning)

BABY-STEP 3: [[http://www.flylady.net/pages/bbd3.asp simply consolidate what we have already been doing
]]

TODAY'S ZONE INFO: 3rd and final day of being in porch, entrance hall, and dining room here! It's the kitchen next week.

(and if you have decluttered in above zone)
TODAY'S MISSION: 15-mins spent putting away coats and bags that have gathered by front door

Reminders: Friday is date night apparently and all the month of September we are focusing on our before bed routine, laying out clothes for the next day etc.

See you later!

Linzer - welcome back and am v of your dh ...I'll be thinking of you while I cover dd's 30th work-book in yet another variety of transparent paper ...

Feetheart ahhh - sniff - at your ds - he sounds so lovely

I got through all my list yesterday and I am just doing the same things today + lots of cooking and prep for dh's birthday dinner tomorrow. Car still not collected because of ridiculous bureaucratic detail. Onwards and upwards everyone.

Sorry MissBennett didn't see you there!

Hope you have a better day at work today [gives MissB's boss a VERY stern look]. Good to hear your dds are settling back at school OK.