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 Fledglings

Today's baby-step, no. 7, is a VERY important one now we are back at work/school: laying out your clothes night before + keep doing previous steps

We are still in Zone 2 the kitchen

And today's mission is: about wiping down kitchen unit doors

Tuesdays are "free days" apparently in Flylady language - other than doing our routines that is

See you later! Wishing you high Flying!

Still here but haven't caught up and am not doing much Flying (rebel emoticon needed)

DS starts big school on Thursday so I am spending time doing nice things with him - zoo for lunch yesterday (we live 20mins away and have annual ticket), friends to play today and baking and board games tomorrow. House and mess will still be here when he isn't - sob :(

Good luck to all those with new starters. Chocolate cake and tissues will be at the ready on Thursday :)

Morning :)

Thank you stillcounting and elliepac we do have a timer on the washing machine so I can do that, I think dinner will be an issue, need to dig out my slow cooker and recipe book.

Aww feetheart my dd starts school tomorrow, it's a special school, she's just starting 3 mornings and I'm staying with her but I still feel weepy Have a lovely day.

Ooh 8am start in early Linzer hope you don't have far to go.

Today
-Morning routine
-Put together all dds school stuff-medical folder, swimming stuff, lunch box with tubes etc, spare clothes
-Clean out fridge
-Make mashed potato and prep veg
-Roast butternutsquash and peppers and chop onion and garlic for tomorrow night
-Make pizza dough
-Make fishcakes (I have a carer for 2 hours today so I try to get a few days worth of meals done)
-Clear out cupboard in kitchen
-Hoover bedrooms
-Chase people who need to pick up dds old bath seat which is currently cluttering up the bathroom

Good morning everyone

Right, up early and need to be organised today, so I thought I would log on and create a list for today that I MUST stick to, or by the morning i will self-combust!

Firstly a quick catch up:
Swan - Good luck with Ernest at the end of the week, He's pretty helpful . Bloomin burnt apple, I am going to have to try and retrieve my big pan today . I never want to see another apple ever again and as for my dreams of easy apple crumble, apple pies and apple cakes all through the winter, well, I give up!!!

Nick - Avoidance is the word! If I felt better I would throw myself into anything, but its a bit catch 22 - I do something to keep busy and stop me thinking, then wear myself out and have to stop and recouperate, so then have too much time to think!! Its not THAT long really, is it.

101 - Your mechanical expertise amazes me!! I have not got a clue about anything like that!

Feetheart - Enjoy your last few days , also MrsD and everyone else with starters this week.

Waves to everyone and sorry for not metioning you all.

Right list...... here we go:
Get DD2 off to first day back at school - Final year of A-levels. (A-level in "Attitude" would be passed with an A* at the moment!!)
Take DD3 to induction day at college. First day in a big environment like this for 2 years. Shes very nervous and already physically going downhill, just with the thought of it all, so not sure how she will cope.
Tackle kitchen which is fast approaching disaster area number 1!
Iron and sort the washing mountain fast taking over my back lounge.
GO TO SCHOOL UNIFORM SHOP and buy DS and DD4 trousers, shirts, PE kit - and not have a heart attack at the cost of it all!!!
Label the bought uniform - marker pen at the ready!!
Fill in EMA forms for DD2 and DD3 and send off (should have done this in July )
Make phone calls that also should have been done ages ago.
Go to post office to pay bill and post book for bookswap.
Take DS and DD4 for a nice pub lunch to celebrate the end of the summer holidays
Contact employers and persuade them that I AM returning to work tomorrow - and not take "no" for an answer!!

Right, I think that is about enough for starters.

Have a good day everyone.

X-posted with you Bob - hope you have a good last day with DD. IS she excited or nervous? Plan a treat for yourself for tomorrow, too.

I always plan a treat on the first day back to school as I hate them all deserting me!! Tomorrow I am having lunch with my friend, just happens to be my birthday too, so two birds with one stone, but I need it with DH being away, so no romantic birthday meal with him tomorrow. (I will work on him making up for it at the weekend, but the weekends always seem half the time when he is working away)

Right you lovely fellow fledglings, now I have waved everyone off and have a whole six hours to myself (yippee!!) I've come back to see how you are getting on.

Hi Ihatecobwebs your lists are so long you are beginning to scare me You get today's Martha Stewart award for domestic arts - your crab apple jelly sounds wonderful. Do you happen to have a recipe handy? I have a full crop atm and usually just let the woodpigeons eat them .. would be good to try and put them to use. Good tip about picking up and putting away as you go - I never go up or downstairs empty-handed ....dh must think his ties/computer chargers/odd socks/books & papers are put away by the house fairy

Hey Mini - hope you find some time to put your feet up too ...happy nesting throughout September x

Whey hey PA - we missed you - I knew you couldn't stay away for long!!!! Try, try and rest though - we are all thinking of you xxx Are you sure you should be going back to work tomorrow? Or maybe it's a good sign that you are feeling up to it. Hope the latter but strict orders from here to take it steady!!!!

Well done on the washing bonanza - the unfirm shop you describe could well be adopting Belgian shopping hours - as much as I love living here, customer service & retailing is not one of the country's strong points...

MrsD hope your dcs return to school goes smoothly. We have already had the nit letter here after only 3 1/2 days back [exasperated emoticon!!!!]. Hope your dhs gnashers OK.

MissB what a gorgeous and talented dd2 you have there - and well done on going to the gym and for finding your motivation again (even if you didn't have time to harness it!!). You are doing brilliantly!

Drools at thought of Nettie's Thorntons toffee - proper tooth-clamping stuff - love it -

LOl at Swan's "bursts of usefulness" - noted tip about slow-jelly straining - I take it it's an upside down stool and muslin bag number?

Nick have you tried rubbing your hands with sea salt and half a lemon?

Linzer hope your early start was not too tortuous this morning. Good luck with your list today.

Oh am v. of you living so close to a zoo Feetheart enjoy your last two carefree days with ds. Good luck to him (and you!) on Thursday [chocolate cake at the ready] and to your dd too BobLob - I hope it goes well for her tomorrow. Snap over fishcakes -that's what we are having tonight.

Should be my "free day for creative projects" today but all the back-to-back (not literally! ) entertaining we've been doing since we got back has put paid to that - although with luck I'll manage an hour's sewing - so it's time to knuckle down to the chores:

AM
morning routine inc dw on, wm on, s&s, master swipe done
dd off to school with yet more covered books and a million completed forms done (she was back to her sunny self this morning too which was a bonus!) done
tidy up dining table hotspot
take down party decorations (sniff)
tidy up rest of party supplies and store anything useable away
separate dead flowers from fresh
laundry, laundry, laundry ad infinitum

PM
iron laundry for office
laundry order prep
one hour sewing proj
sort out office
start decluttering basement
supermarket shop
make fish cakes
loads of admin
school run

Waves to all including those I've missed ....

x posts PA good luck to your dd3 at her induction day today - I hope it goes well for her

Your day sounds a bit frantic - try and take it steady [stern looks]

Is it your birthday or your dh's?

Morning All,

Just checking in with my list for today:

Feeling terribly guilty about taking DS to CM when I am on ML , being productive will help!

• Ironing - it is taking over my house, must be done so we have clothes to put out the night before as per babystep!
• Tidy bedrooms
• Meal plan for the week
• MW appointment
• send birthday card and present to friend
• online food shop
• start project plan for ML
• find something to eat for lunch, make dinner
• washing on/out

Banned activities:

• reading/posting on threads other than this one
• checking email/fb more than once, especially work email
• watching tv other than when ironing or having a cup of tea (Doctors addiction )
• Accidentally going to noodle bar for lunch

Must remember to:
Drink water

Right, hopefully I will manage to behave myself!

Have a great day everyone. Welcome to newbies too - you've probably been around for ages but I went AWOL!

Hello all. Am home alone with DS2 today and hoping to get some stuff done in the house. However, I also want to make the most of being alone with DS2 as he will be at school soon and I am suddenly aware of how precious this time is with him.

So, today my list is:

Play with DS2
Kitchen missions for Mon and today
Put clean washing away
Wash sheets and whites
Clean the bins outside
Unpack suitcase (finally!)
Mark DS1's Kumon maths
Spend some time tidying our bedroom (think I'll use the timer for this one)
Hoover up the spiders in the bathroom - must be the time of year as they are all coming into the house now
Collect DS1 from school
PM and evening routines

Have already done the morning routine, taken DS1 part of the way to school (now wants to walk alone, which is good but scary for me. Must get used to it though - secondary school next year), put the rubbish out (maggots - yuch!)and poured bleach into the bins to clean them. Had a cup of tea and toast.

By the way, did anyone see the article on 'Britain's top housekeeper' in The Guardian magazine at the weekend? Full of top tips about cleaning your house (although some were a step too far: I am not starting to iron sheets, for instance!) Lots of tips involving vinegar and bicarbonate of soda - must get some in stock.

Like you, MiniM, I must avoid turning on the computer. Terrible distraction!

sc - no lemon in the house (and no time to do the hour and a half trip into town lol), but you reminded me of a hand scrub of a similar nature that was lurking in the bathroom cabinet!

bob - what are dd's issues?

Oh gosh, trying to clear out the freezer to

1. defrost
2. fill with meals for when baby arrives.

I think I have just invented a scary dinner with frozen mashed potato (who knows how long it has been in there) and left over pastry.

And I have no back-up plan if it is clearly inedible!

goodness you have all been busy. no such luck here, brain is fried too. why is it that one or two bad nights = many days suffering? Must be getting old.

Today's list:
ds school run done
training done
find fabric shop done
pick up fabric done
cut out and start constructing piece urgent rush job must be finished asap done over half of top half of piece
school night evening routine
ds' bedtime rountine
early night
kick ds back into his own bed in the middle of the night

Tomorrow I must fly it is beginning to look like a complete bombsite here It is truely horrid.

So i shall post tomo's list so that i am not tempted to load up the computer first thing and lose time messing about:

kitchen: find sink and benches, shine sink, hoover floor, wash floor, Dw, pots and pans.
Lounge: Stuff for storage remove, put away lego until christmas, sort post, hoover,
Bathroom: Laundry, unblock shower drain, toilets, sink, drain, clear floor.
Landing: Laundry, remove toys awaiting return to ds' room, hoover, replace bookcase and books.
Hall: remove recyling and charity shop stuff, remove box for loft, sort through assorted stuff, hoover, remove door.
Ds' room: hoover, laundry and rubbish sweep, replace toys where go.
frutility room: finish emptying and sorting through, hoover, wash floor, arts and craft stuff.
My room beyond saving and by the time i have even half that list done i shall implode into bed for 2 days. Its on the todo list. and lets leave it at that.

Not too bad a day today:

15 min decluttering done
Mission done
Clean microwave done
Clean oven
Defrost freezers (including the one in the cellar if I'm feeling brave) done in kitchen, and organise and list contents

Also:
Routines umm...
Put away washing done but had yet more washing to do as DS managed to wet the bed yet again despite having a nappy on
Write thank you card
DD1 thank you letter
Piano practice done

Which I think deserves a glass of wine - although DH has just poured me my second glass of Sekt and creme de cassis (a sort of poor man's kir royal), which I don't object to either.

Bob We're only about a 10 min walk from the school so in theory could leave at 7.45. However, DD1 usually meets her friends at kindergarten (10 mins walk in the other direction, but I often end up driving due to lack of time) so that they can all walk to school together (another 10 min walk), hence the slightly-earlier-than-necessary start.

Evening all, am super duper tired tonight. Ds's day at new school went well as far as I can tell. I asked him how it went and all I got was "fine, my teacher's nice". 7yr old boys eh?

Despite the craziness have managed to :-

Washing in dryer this morning
Washed up this morning
General tidy this morning
Dinner cooked
Clothes out
Bags packed
Washed up
S/s bathroom
Dc's bathed/bedded

And that's me done! Apoloies for lack of personal messages over the last few days I promise I will return to form when readjust myself to normality.

Hope everyone is plans that alleys have settledintonew schoolsetc well.

Jeez, that last sentence didn't work out too well did it? What I was trying to say was I hope all dc's have settled into new schools/new school years well.

Evening all,

So, DS went back to school without any hitches and seems to have had an OK day (got about as much info out of him as you did Ellie). The most interesting thing it seems was the fact that one of his friends appeared on crutches, having broken his leg.

DD starts tomorrow, she seems totally unfazed. Was aiming for an early night, but no such luck, she has just reappeared for a wee.

I managed the following today:

Morning
Two DCs up and dressed, teeth brushed, fed etc
DW empty - breakfast dishes in it
Packed lunch assembled
Swish and swipe
DS to school on time
Take DH to dentist as by then he was feeling too unwell to either drive or walk, though he did manage to walk home
Put away Ocado order
Go to Boots and buy Hedrin
Cook lunch and dinner
Treat the entire family with Hedrin - bloody lice, be gone with you!
Clear up dinner
Two loads of washing - still to put away
Two x uniform out for tomorrow
Make DS' sandwiches for tomorrow
Play with the IPad (when I can get it off DS)

So, not too bad really. Need to go and put out the breakfast things now and make sure all the school shoes and book bags etc are ready. Tomorrow I also plan to return to the gym after a 6 week absence, gulp.

Didn't post yesterday but lurked. The whole back to school thing is simply exhausting and every waking moment seems to be spent doing something work-related :(

But - onwards and upwards! I am determined to fly and get these routines going.

Good Evening

up dressed by 7.15
S/s
Kitchen cleaned
House tidied
Ds to Montessori school
Dd to toddler gymnastics
Shopping at asda
Shopping at dunelm
Home to fill trailer full of old bitsa wood whilst dd asleep in car
Collect ds from Montessori
Take them to pizza hut
Home try tidy for nanny coming
Dc playing whilst I tidy some more
Dc bed
Fill up trailer for the skip
Oil all new woodwork in ds new bedroom
Dc clothes out and bags ready for nursery

I'm shattered again and sonsorry I've not even read back on the thread. I'm hoping to manage to get all three of us ready and in nursery/work on time something that is impossible with darling dh here!

Hope you are all ok and that I can catch up tomorrow at work!!

Hello

I sense a rather preoccupied air on here tonight - school and work being the main culprits.

You are all doing really well. Hopefully Flylady will help us avoid looking at the big picture (too scary/overwhelming) and just tackle the next small step ... and keep going ...

Respect to all of you with more than one child, who work f or p/t and/or are lone parenting too ... I don't think I could achieve half as much as you all do.

Bravo Nettie to get through that much in a day - no wonder you are shattered - sleep well and wishing you courage for tomorrow morning. You'll do it, don't worry ... .

So will you Pluto - 15 mins at a time (sorry I know I sound like a sickening American commercial for the Fat Fairy but its the only way to stay sane methinks) Willing you on from here (with wine supplied)

Spiffingly well done to you too Ellie. That's a very long list on top of work. If it's any consolation, dd back from her first day just reported that "x" (a little boy in her class) had a spider in his pants ... and that was it ...

Crikey MrsDinky not too bad? That's amazingly well done. Another night when you lot are making me feel ashamed. Good luck to your dd tomorrow.

Sorry about all your extra washing Linzer and well done in your kitchen - you certainly deserve a snifter or two this evening

Good idea to post list in advance DEM it calms the rabbit in headlights feeling of a morning - although, as you say, that list looks quite ambitious. Take it steady if you are tired and small bites remember ... (prefer bites to yucky saccharine baby-steps anyway!!)

Potato pie Mini?? Or my dh's long-lost (and fairly disgusting favourite) from his prep school ... so-called cheese pie ... grated cheddar mixed with mash in a pastry case with dollops of ketchup - high end cuisine it certainly ain't ...btw .. no guilt allowed on here about using cm ... you are pregnant ... it's more than allowed

Good going in the kitchen Nick

Hope your day with ds2/list went well Toffee. Missed the Guardian article sadly but this is a fun thread here! (Apologies to those who are trying to avoid being drawn down the whirlpool of lost time known as Mnsnet).

My day was spectacularly dreary. I started on my list. I got a call from the office. Someone was ill. I replaced them. I picked up dd, came home and burnt the fish-cakes. Today's list will become tomorrow's. That's it

Sleep well all of you.

Evening all

SC - crabapple jelly recipe
5 1/2 lb crabapples, quartered, no need to peel or core
3 pts water

Dump apples in large saucepan with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer for 1 1/2 hours or so, topping up with water if it gets stiff and sticky. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn't stick on the pan.
Set up jelly bag and strain. Leave for 12 hours or so.
Make jelly as normal, 1 pt of liquid to 1 lb of sugar.

Sorry about long lists, I just have to break things down,and tick them off, so I can feel that I have achieved something by the end of the day.

Today's completed list is not as long, due to spending large part of afternoon chatting and drinking tea with mums, while our children played together nicely!!

Up and dressed - done
DS up and dressed - done
Breakfast - done
DS packed lunch - done
Walk to playgroup and drop off - done
Make beds - done
Swish/swipe - done
Wash up breakfast - done
Washing on line - done
Cleaning in kitchen: decobweb, clean walls, clean microwave, clean Aga, clean kettle, clean on top of cupboards, clean inside of windows, clean cupboard fronts, clean kitchen table, clear out magazine box, plant care, clean counters, clean rugs - done
Room rescue living room - done
Order prescription - done
Order Forest Experience Card - done
Photocopy allotment contract - done
Create and print out poster for WI - done
Wash cleaner filter - done
Print playgroup AGM papers for secretary - done
Lunch and wash up - done
Collect DS - done
Went to friend's for mummy social and child play time
Dropped off WI poster - done
15 mins gardening - done
15 mins with DS and his tricycle - done
Picked ripe veg - done
Wash jars for jelly makiing - done
Make tea - done
Make jelly (dozen jars) - done (how can just two words take so long to get done?)
Tea - done
DS last play and bedtime routine - done
Wash up - done
Arrange for DH to drop off and DM to collect DS from playgroup as I have to take car to garage miles away - done
Wash kitchen cushion cover and pad - done
Wash jelly bag - done
Set breakfast table - done
Clean laundry away - done
Next washing load in machine - done
Today's wash on airer - done
Shred until box is full - done
Email sloe gin recipe to friend - done
Shine sink - done
Everything ready for tomorrow - done
Read mumsnet rather than go to bed early - done

Now off to bed. Why is the day never long enough? I still have a huge "To do" list, and never seem to catch up

Ihatecobwebs thank you so much for crab apple jelly recipe - will use it this wk before I lose all my harvest to the pigeons - it will be a perfect present for my mil who bought us the tree

No need to apologise about long lists - I agree its satisfying to be able to tick things off (otherwise housework can be this endless non-job that one never gets to the end of somehow and is never acknowledged) In never harms for others in the family to see how much you have done too!

Oh and don't worry about "catching up" the Flylady mantra is that you are never behind - just jump in where you are at - if that makes sense! Have a good one ...

Good morning everyone

Today's baby-step, no. 8, is [[
www.flylady.net/pages/bbd8.asp about clarifying your morning and afternoon/evening routines and starting to write them down for your control journal ]]

I think we can safely ignore the Big Tent business but good piece of advice from the FF about us not letting perfectionism preventing us from getting things done.

We are continuing this week in the kitchen zone here

And today's mission is cleaning out the fridge

Wednesday is anti-procrastination day in Fat Fairy language. And if you are interested, here are today's reminders

Keep going everyone!

Morning all,

I have an extra hour to get things done this morning, as DD2 is at school till 11 am today. Must make sure I keep off MN though, and stay focused!

Today's list:

School run done
Morning routine
Put washing away
15 min decluttering
Mission done (on Mon when I was working through my detailed cleaning plan)
Thank you letter
Post DD2's postcard to GPs
Pick up DD2 (poss. take to friend's house)
Pick up DD1
Get DD1 to write postcard
Pick up DS and then DS's friend + sister
Piano practice DD1 + DD2
Phone piano tuner
Ballet lesson DD2
Get DC ready for bed by 6 pm (when babysitter arrives)
Parents' evening

Must get on - I'll be back later!

Good morning {grin]

Nobody else up yet, so happy birthday to me !!

DD3 was really struggling yesterday after college, day off today, so a day to recover.

DS is majorly grumpy about his return to school. Always has been, but at the age of 14 I believe he should be old enough to get on with it. He is just a home bird and hates going back. Once he's there he is fine.

Managed to get the uniform yesterday, well mostly. They had run out of DD4s school jumper size. Nearly had a fit at the price. £6.95 for PE socks!!!! £22 for school jumpers, £16,50 for shirts......... Luckily I bought humungous blazers last year, so they will have to do again for this year.

Back to work today! Hopefully that will stop me feeling so useless and get me back to feeling a little bit more normal.

Out to lunch with my bestie after work, too, so nice day planned. Not sure what to do this evening as DD2 & DS have cancelled their plans because it is my birthday, so I feel we should do something special, or they will feel they have cancelled for nothing. Cant really afford to take them out for tea, so maybe a takeaway, or maybe the cinema (although I hate the cinema )

No more sandwich mountains for me this year!! Hooray!! I have discussed with all DCs and it is only DD4 who I will be making them for, so a huge releif in the mornings!! After all those years of making sandwiches. When DH comes back and works here even he is not taking them anymore as there is going to be a very reasonable staff cafe, so whoahooooooo!!!

I am rambling, must go and get some DCs up! Not used to this early malarky!

Have a good day everyone, will try and catch up later. Sorry for lack of personals!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PA :o :o

My wonderful CM came early this am and scooped DS2 away. At last I have some headspace.

Thank you for your encouragement SC A lot of the evening and am routines are in place from when I did the flying last time, so I suppose things aren't so bad really. The house isn't very tidy though. It's all the little things on the to do list that never go away that are so wearing. And dull.

Anyway, here's today's list.

Before work (leaving in 20 mins)
put load in machine
s&s

after work:
evening routines
clean out fridge (it's empty so now is a good time)
hoover hall / stairs
deal with am wm load
ironing
general tidying and putting away / hot spots

Have a good day everyone :)