October is here, leaves are swirly, Fly with the Fledglings if your sink is surly

[MrsDinky]

Welcome to the October 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 September thread leader StillCounting for guiding us through the traumatic back to work and school period with lots of support and guidance!

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!

Thank you all for being so nice, we had known for a few days it was coming but I still felt like I'd had all the air knocked out of me. DP is utterly devastated. We're not sure yet Toffee half his family were there, his remaining family have now gone out. I know they're having to deal with the police and coroner before they can sort things out fully. There will be something over here, he had so many friends and people who loved him :(

Today
-Get doggy things done
-Two loads of washing done
-Clean bathroom done
-Hoover through done
-Risotto half done

DS is playing lego, DD is sitting on my lap and I'm feeling reluctant to move her, may try to do a chistmas order :)

Very wet cold walk in Kew Gardens,
now absolutely knackered
and returning to manky house not much cop making cup of tea

friend and I were on economy drive in Kew, (whch usually sucks you dry £wise) she gotin for free on my visitor's voucher, we went by bus to avoid £carpark, then we religiously stuck to our picnic supplies for between us what was 7 kids. (Always bring extra biscuits) But we did miss sitting in a nice dry cafe

Bat your ds sounds v. helpfula nd grownup. I'm not sure I've even ever folded one of ds's socks myself

Bob I'm sorry you have all this to deal with.

I did no housework this morning. Will try and sweep floor now, finally bought the replacement broom.
and wipe table [zzzzzz]
supper is baked potatoes, tuna, baked beans and vegetables from veg box which I need to unpack [zzzzzzzzzzzzz]

Tea is easy here - we had sausage, mash and onion gravy yesterday. i always make far to much mash so have got into the habit of making cottage pie in the same go. So it is sat int he fridge waiting to go in the oven.

list update:
kitchen - washing up, unload dishwasher
Errands - library, post office, bank done
Phone calls
put away clothes
ironing
shredding
load recycling for tip run.
Put bin out
Decluttering in lounge 15mins
Sort out art stuff
Decluttering in bedroom 15mins
shopping
Ds' project work done

Must drink some coffee or something and discover some motivation

Not done too badly here today.

Morning and evening routines done first time in a while!
All fed and watered done
DD in bed done
Full day of paid work done
Mission done
Living room tidy done (well enough at least!
Washing and dishwasher done

Still to do:
Online shop
Go to bed!

Good evening everyone!

Bob for you.

Fat fairy update from me:

My plan was to sort out the dump cupboard. 3 bags of rubbish and 5 bags for charity shop. Not a bad start . I cant do any more until DH moves some furniture, which I know he will refuse to do, but physically impossible for me at the moment. Pleased with today's effort, but have paid for it this afternoon and now need to crash into a analgesic haze!

Mahoooooosive waves to everyone, old and new.

Evening all,

Bob - so sorry, a similar thing happened to my DH (one of his oldest friends died in a car crash) a few years ago, it was just awful, I do feel for you all.

Swan - shame about the weather today, I haven't been to Kew for about 20 years, but used to live quite nearby and loved going there.

PA you take it easy.

PMPY - that's not a bad list considering it includes a full day's paid work.

Bat - I so wish DS would eat that sort of food. Pizza/pasta/curry, that's all he likes.

Bat / Toffee - my DS is 6.5 and we started pocket money a few months ago (also for DD, who is 4. I'm not doing money for chores, as my two are not particularly money orientated and don't think it would work, I think they would quite possibly call my bluff and not bother about the money. They are expected to take their plates from the table back into the kitchen, lay the table, put their dirty clothes in the basket and tidy up as requested, it doesn't always happen but I aim to keep nagging being consistent.

Feetheart - hope you managed to get the animals fed.

Toffee - last year I did baking with DS's class (cookies) and had the same problem remembering what belonged to each child. The school gave me a little whiteboard, I divided it into 2 halves for top and bottom oven shelves and wrote each child's name in the position of their pizza on the tray, and put each set onto a labelled paper towel when they came out, you could do similar and have labelled paper plates at the ready. It worked really well, they all got their own cookies back.

Waves at Darts, MissB, MiniM, SC, Linzer, Nick, Ellie, Nettie, Iahtecobwebs, Pluto, Sittinghippo, Just13, Imhere, Scout and anyone else.

We've had quite a busy day, took DD to tennis club this morning (indoors luckily). then took them 10-pin bowling with friends this afternoon. DS dropped a bowling ball on his foot which is now black and blue but made a speedy recovery.

Er, Flying. Not done much (feeling like a bit of a fraud as am supposed to be leading the way!) but I did manage to clear the ironing pile tonight.

Wednesday Links

Babystep. What's for dinner?

Mission. Dust those knick-knacks.

supper went smoothly
read Guardian
kids to bed, stories etc [triple zzzzzz]
also prepared some cream of celery soup for dh and am insanely munching raw veg to reduce the veg box before I depart for Eire tomorrow

dh has given up and ironed his own shirts!

recyling
table
sweep floor
hang out washing
put new load on
finish loading dw

Well done PA! Sounds like you have succeeded in achieving something

Right tomorrow's list.
Clear car out
pack car (must remember pot of bulbs!)
ds contact drop off.
ds' bedding
something productive.

I have been lost into the computer and doing business stuff research. been looking at business cards, sticky labels and product labels. Have submitted design for client approval. must then get costed this week. Have also been designing the company logo. Must get round to considering website info this week.

Eevning all

pa thanks for popping in and letting us know how you are getting along. Hope the rest of your treatment goes smoothly and you get some r/r too
bob sosorry about dp friend. thinkingof you all
om nice to see you.
pmpy yeah a little fellow. brill how exciting. Can we thread highjack and suggest names. id go with Titus [hgrin]
mm your lil fella ive named "Horacio Marmite" [hgrin]
feetheart glad you had a fab weekend with your mum
toffee pizza party idea. Make them spell their first initial in sweetcorn on top. [hsmile]
swan totally agree whining much easier out than in. hope you enjoyed kew gardens. Used to work round there. beautiful place.
mrsd sounds like a lovely day minus the bowling ball. Stuff the flying [hgrin]

monday was awash with dh trying to make peppermint creams with dc. mess everywhere. DD devekipment review went well. they were astounded at her constant chatter [proud mummy emotion] but concerned at her height dropping from 75th centile to 9th then lunch and banking. spent all evening budget planning and am agog at our outgoings but hopefully being this stringent will prevent us getting into overdrafts again.
today we have been at dr to express concerns over centile difference. all been logged in case of further dropping. (i felt sooo silly going in as touch lotsa wood i really dont think there is any issue she is just dinky) then trapsed round the halloween shriek week at the zoo. DD screamedso loudly when frightened in haunted mansion.returneed home very soggy to slow cooked (not followed resourceful chefs recipe) spanish chicken which was disgusting [hblush]
dc in bed and i went to get changed for gym and lay down on my bed for a minute and fell fast asleep [hblush] [hblush]

house is bombsite extraordinaire and no evening routine stuck to. Off back to sleep in a minute. Hope you all have a lovely day.

done
recycling
table
floors swept
brief hall rescue
dw on
washing put out to dry
cats found
rubbish
sink - no
washing up
check flight time in afternoon
passport in handbag
retrieved oyster from anorak to handbag
hung up wet anoraks
brief fridge rescue of old food
veg away and box folded

yes - Nettie bombsite here too, glad I'm leaving tomorrow
what was wrong with spanish chicken?

*Bat resourceful business woman

I wouldnt go that far swan

swan used chicken thighs whole sauce was a greasy pit of fat! Yuk can still taste it now! Have fun in Eire

Last-minute packing here as we are off to stay with my mum this morning. Trying to pack, get kids to dress and leave house in tidy state as we are having friends over for Hallowe'en the day we come back. Leaving in 20 minutes.

Thanks for all the pizza ideas!

Will try and check in from my mum's. Have a good day everyone.

done
[after brief depressive interlude LOL]

dressed x 4
found mobile [yay! two weeks missing] in ds2's thunderbird knapsack which was at bottom of hall chest - I was clearing out old apple cores
checked plane time
passports
recyling x 5 and last of old food in fridge
dh has done dw
tidied playroom (now they are scattering Halloween crafts overit
packed (minimum)

now need to shine sink
get some money/take kids out briefly
more potatoes for lunch
ring mum
washing on
make beds dcs
hoover playroom floor?
riding trousers pack for dd

have a good time at your mum's Toffee
Nettie hope you have lots of customers this weekend.
take smelly old swimmign stuff out of car

swan and toffee have loads fun!

I am hopping around haven't heard from my pg dsis since 1.50pm yesterday and noone is talking!! Aaaarraagghh I've tested her to ask if she is in labour and if she is can she stop just a minute to send me a text and let me know. [hgrin]

So unfocused I don't know what to do!!

texted even

Hello everyone!!! Hope you are all OK.

So sorry I was absent again. Just diving in and out again. RL seems to have taken over a bit and Flying has gone to pot. Have two days to get ready for hols (Toussaint half term next week) and haven't even started the washing yet!!! Arrrggghhh!!! Feeling quite chipper though because:

• dd doesn't have mono (yippee!!)

• made Euros 260 at church sale last Sat (minus Euros 15 for stand, 2 coffees and a bag of chips for afters!!) so not bad going!

• things looking up on job front (current p/t job = utterly tedious) and possible plans brewing for job change

So sorry I don't have time to leave everyone personal messages but noticed the following on my quick scan of the thread:

PA so glad you have some (reasonably definitive) news at last and that the consultant you saw at least made sense this time. No wonder you have been feeling rotten! It's so unfair that you have to go through this and a bit of a bummer that you have to have an op (to put it mildly!!) but I'm glad at least that some progress is being made. Take care of yourself x

Optimistic Yee!!! Hey!!! Did I see you lurking there in the broom cupboard. Great to have you back!! You were missed!!

Ellie so relieved for you that the Ofsted outcome was good - quite right too after all that hard work!!!!

Congrats on your beautiful boy to come Pushme

Swan if it's any consolation, I lose my specs and my mobile at least three times a day!!

Mahoosively mahoosive waves to everyone else including MrsD Linzer Batbrain Bob Darts Nettie Feetheart MissBennett PurpleWednesday Tigger MiniM Toffee Namechange Just13 and everyone I've inevitably forgotten

Quick "admin" note to MrsDinky.

Yikes! Cannot believe it, but November is fast approaching!!! Thank you so much for doing such a great job and keeping us all focused on Flying throughout October (and for keeping track of what will be 720++++ posts!!!) Everyone has done brilliantly this month.

I'm off on hols this Friday evening (29th Oct), returning following Sat 6th or Sun 7th Nov.

Having the brain of a sieve, I can't quite remember what we arranged but are you OK (or was it someone else?) to carry on throughout first week of November and then I will be happy to do last three weeks of November plus first week of December. (Can't sadly do rest of December because have loads on then.)

Changeover date therefore = either evening Sunday 7th or Monday morning 8th Nov. Is that OK with you?

Also, does anyone have any good ideas for new title btw??? Can anyone improve on ....

Remember, remember, 'tis the month of November, time for Flying, de-cluttering .... the lot!!

(OK that last bit is a tad weak to put it mildly)

I leave it in your capable hands MrsD!!!!!

I will hopefully pop in again before I leave ...if I ever emerge from laundry pile ....

I am feeling utterly unmotivated (is that even a word?) now that we're back from our holiday. We had a lovely four days away, but it's a bit disheartening to return to the usual clutter. I know it could be far worse, but I seem to spend most of the morning washing, tidying and attempting to declutter, but the house still rarely looks half as presentable as I'd like it to.

Anyway, am trying to stay positive and hope to be back to normal soon - tomorrow is another day and all that!

I did come up with a thread title for November a few weeks ago, but annoyingly can only remember the first half of it (which is very similar to SC's suggestion):
Remember, remember to Fly in November

Have been racking my brains for ages trying to come up with a second half, and this is my best effort:

Remember, remember to Fly in November: shiny sinks, room rescues and zones

Hmm... definite room for improvement!

Right, time to fetch the washing that has been lingering in the dryer since this morning.

Bob So sorry to hear about your friend; what a tragic thing to happen.

SC Well done on the church sale. What's mono btw?

Nettie Any news from your sister?

Toffee Have a good time at your mum's.

swan Hope you have a good trip too. (Any advice on dragging oneself out of depressive interludes welcome!)

Much prefer your title Linzer. Let's use it!

Mono= mononucleosis or glandular fever (Epstein Barr virus). Usually in adolescents but there's been an outbreak at dd's primary school.

Try not to get disheartened with the Flying btw! (Easier said than done I know but it took me at least 1 yr of intermittent Flying before my house started looking significantly better. And there's that awful lead-up stage where it looks worse before it gets better ifyswim. We are all behind you !!! Can you have a big chuck out prior to St Nic's visit? (Remember you can't clean clutter - makes note to self too!!)

I know that your dh is a bit of a hoarder ... could you try and put a couple of boxes of his stuff away and see if he notices ... then if he doesn't notice after six months or so ... you know what to do [hwink]

Thanks for your encouragement SC - I was wondering whether to post at all as I just felt so fed up with everything (and also felt guilty for moaning as I really don't have any serious worries), but you've cheered me up. [hgrin]

Your idea is a very tempting one - I'm just sure that DH would notice that things were missing eventually (albeit not for several years!). He still hasn't quite forgiven me for persuading him to part with all his old primary school books, as he wanted to compare them to what DD1 is doing now. He has two big chests of drawers and a bookcase downstairs full of stuff - professional journals, photographic equipment, folders and folders of school and university notes, etc etc - and it's starting to smell very musty, but I don't dare to get rid of it.

At least all his things stay in their drawers, boxes and shelves, though; it's a different story with all the DC's things, and the amount of stuff they have is a constant source of conflict between us. I remember you gave me some very good advice before about managing all the DC's things; I really must be stricter about the one-in-one-out rule. At least DH has agreed we can get rid of the Lego Duplo as DD1 has moved on from that stage and the other two have never been very interested in playing with it.

It's reassuring to hear it took at least a year before Flying made a noticeable difference to your house, anyway; maybe there's hope for me yet. [hgrin]

just a sluggish visit. feeling really yucky today and not been home long. crawled into bed with a supply of cold fruit juice for sore throat.

thread title suggestion:
Remember, remember to Fly in November: Fledglings exploding in activity

If no-one can remember who volunteered to look after the thread, I will dip my toe into the role if you like. It might help me keep up with the thread

Sorry had to lose the halloween name it was beginning to annoy. feel much better for that.

Bat.

Hello everyone

I have been baking like a mad women!

Today has been a totally away with the fairies demotivated kind of day (note to linzer it's de motivated) [hgrin] Hee Hee sorry I couldn't resist pointing it out to one of our proofreading team