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!

Hoover up and down - down done, up postpones till I get more hoover bags
Dust front room - done
Excavate clean kitchen counters - doneClean bath and basin - done
2 x washing - 3rd lot in
Take DCs to tennis and ballet after school - just off to find their stuff

Also done

Harvested last sack of potatoes
Pruned cherry tree (only 2 branches, was getting sick of having to bend double to get up the path to the shed where the tumble dryer is)
Tested smoke alarms - I know I go on about this, but it is important
Shredded a bin bag full of bank statements etc
Booked tickets to take DCs to see Room on the Broom at the theatre at half term.

Off to the shops for the hoover bags now.

Darts - welcome back, I was thinking of you (and PA) while I watched the darts Grand Prix last night. You've just reminded me I need to book blood donor session again, had to pull out last time as was on ABs.

Swan - well done on the fridge etc

MiniM - massage is an excellent thing to have on your list (sure that would cover 15 minutes of loving movement).

PMPY - mission done before going to work, top marks!

piano practise done
shelf re-organised and cleaned done
thankyou letters written and posted done
dd taken back to school after morning off done

We're down in Devon Nettie and dd is not a good traveller.

My morning and evening routines often merge Linzer

I love guineapigs too SC too many foxes etc around here though.

Oooh MrsDinky have you got a recipe for lambshanks? I've promised dp I'd try cooking them. Just going to go and test my smoke alarms too.

Wow Swan that's a mega list, you put me to shame

You've reminded me Darts I must try to book to give blood again, although I was sent away last time.

Well done PMPY it's so nice to come back when everywhere feels a bit more done/clean :)

Hello Marmite

Today
-Morning routine done
-Put online shop away done
-Make leek and potato soup for tea done
-Clean worktops/toaster/kettle/microwave done
-Clear out fridge done
-Scrub kitchen floor done
-Argue with medical supplies man done
-Packed dds things for school tomorrow done
-Clean kitchen woodwork and window sill done
-Evening routine
-Sort and put away washing

Hope everyone is having a nice day :)

This is good in either oven or slow cooker bob

2 x lamb shank
1 tbsp olive oil
large onion finely chopped, ditto 1/2 carrot and 1 garlic clove
100ml red wine
100ml beef or lamb stock
100ml passata
1 tsp sugar
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme or rosemary

Brown the lamb shanks (optional but adds flavour), same for browning the veg.

Simmer the red wine for 5 mins to drive off the alcohol.

Add everything to the casserole dish, cover dish, then either
Slowcooker - 2 hours on high then 2 hours on low, or all day on low
Oven 140C for 2 hours, if possible turn thtr lamb shanks every half hour or so.

Excellent thank you, I've added it to my meal plan for next week :)

Oh gosh! Thank you SR you've just reminded me that the most important thing I had to do today was defrost the freezer...

right, I'm on the case!

beetroot soup & potato bake done/doing
ds2 homework done all two mins of it

now need to pick up 2 dcs from Gaelic footbal
and go straight to swimming pool
and squeeze in a bit more of ds2's piano practise first

bb tomorrow

Bob I think you'llfind you've done a lot more than me!

Tuesday is a mad day around here. I am still in training clothes despite having finished training at 1pm. Just not had chance to stop.

Today's list
Get ds to school with lunch, in uniform and with all stuff done
training done
Enquire about new blades done
Stop off at the material shop for stuff for mock ups done
Pick up ds done
Take ds to get glasses fixed done
Bank done
Cook tea
Do something in the house
early night

I have a tip on how to find music for routine but it is a case of trawling through you tube thus i will end up getting lost in there are some point.

Need to hit the house and crisis tidy tomorrow. Plus need to get a few bits finished off project wise.

Will try to catch up later but as i dont want the computer on after 8pm I will probably catch up tomo. Hope you have lovely evenings.

Bob - nearly forgot, if using a slowcooker stick in a heaped tbsp of flour to thicken it up.

Evening All

Thanks MrsD I'm always on the look out for new lamb shanks/slow cooker recipes! Here is my own personal favourite Moroccan Lamb Shanks although I would also recommend adding a tablespoon of flour (even if not using a slow cooker in this case).

How are you feeling today PA?

Here is my progress report:

Drop off DS - done
Butcher - done
Massage, yay - done
tidy breakfast things - done
general tidy upstairs and downstairs - done
declutter kitchen cupboards - 1 down 3 to go
washing on - done
washing out - done
ironing - done
online shop - to do
select items for storage - done
online retail therapy - in progress
menu plan for rest of week and weekend (guests) - in progress

I really don't know where the day goes!

Ellie I agree about upstairs being another realm. In fact in the pre-FLYing days junk was generally chucked up stairs if we had guests coming for the day. It still is to a certain extent but I do feel like there is marginally less clutter these days - although this is just for the next 8 weeks and then I'm sure the chaos will return!

Yum - love all the lamb shank recipies. May buy some for the weekend.

Just got back from work so hoping to do a bit more flying after tea.

Hopefully back later to catch up :)

Okay, I haven't quite managed to complete everything:

Today:
Morning routine done
Work (definitely a case of work related CBA, that I'm dealing with....)done
shopping on way home (dp collecting dcs)done
print papers for meeting done
book blood donor session done just waiting for confirmation
attend meeting done (all two+ hours of it...)
evening routine done
dishwasher done shared with dp while we chatted
buy new shower onine for electrician to install. - still looking online, have narrowed it done to two but need sizes.

Treat - a short while on youtube playing music, etc.

Darts: i am stuck in you tube hell at the mo as i am trying to find 1:30min of non vocal, lively grownup music.

Well no further forward, but no further back with the dishwasher on and sink wiped if not shined. Living room tidy too, which is a plus .

Am going to have to get my act toether soon though as I have half a house full of stuff to ger rid of over the next couple of months

General wave to all!

Evening all,

Some busy lists today

Teasing is in Youtube hell, hope you find your way out soon,

Darts meanwhile has been in Youtube heaven, and done pretty well with her list

PMPY has maintained the status quo, which is pretty good on a work day

MiniM has had a well deserved massage

Bob has done about a week's worth of missions in the kitchen

Swan has been flying about all over the place ferrying DCs around as well as sorting out the fridge and kettle

Linzer has vowed to spend a bit less time on MN (I need to do that too)

SC had a migraine, hope it has cleared up

Waves at Ellie, PA, MissB, Tigger, Nettie, Nick, Toffee, Feetheart, Seeker, SaharaS, Ihatecobwebs, Desiretochange, Pluto, Namechange100 and anyone I've forgotten.

Although I got a lot done today, will be out and about a lot for the rest of the week, so productivity will no doubt decline.

Feeling a bit tired too, the DCs are being hard work at the moment, overtired from school I think, we are getting a lot of temper problems, plus aggravating each other, competitive behaviour etc, I have been losing the plot a bit with them. Had the car journey from hell back from tennis/ballet tonight, with them both screaming their heads off in the back of the car, luckily only 5 mins drive, I did manage to stay calm in this instance, but am finding it hard. Need to try and do better.

Links in a minute

Wednesday 6th October

Hotpsots. A good one this one, a bit of hotspotting goes a long way to making your house seem better in my opinion.

Mission. Scrub those taps!

Reminders

See you tomorrow.

Hotspots even.

MrsD dcs being hardwork too! Had one of those screaming heejebee journeys last week after swimming, vowed never to take dd swimming on Tues again, and today we went again and they were fine. Unfortunately they then behaved extremely badly when I was out at PTA meeting and dh was putting them to bed...He blamed the Simpsons, [which was my fault, because I said they could watch the Simpsons if they didn' scream in the car ]

Potato bake was delicious though
and PTA meeting surprisingly enlivening
The sheets are changed - hurrah - did doubt when I was going to fit it in, but have managed

notdone
shirts
baptismal cert
supervise violin

Darts - difficult to decide on showers. I remember finally buying a shower only for the plumber to tell me it had inferior hinges - I think it is the little bits - the seals, etc that are so difficult to gauge if one is not in the profession. Of installing showers I mean.

....with a little bitta this and a little bitta that and shake your bum.....

Gosh youse all been mighty busy

Today I have
Cleaned sink available kitchen worktop
Made bed
S/s
Deposited ds at montessori
Shops for wallpaper paste and coffee
play and stay for Dd who is really missing big bro Tuesdays and didn't want to stay
Home to lunch
Start to gather things for trip
Pick ds up
More packing
Tescos forgotten bits and petrol
Dh packed car
Watched old videos of Dd birth date
Now languishing in bed.

Tomorrow
Drop dc nursery for sometime in the morning
Do local school open day
Pick dc up then off to Thomasland

I'll wish you all a great couple of days will probably do some lurking as I am addicted love you guys.

I see your birdy song and raise you

and

and that is just some of my list to be reviewed my brain is fried.

Morning all,

Just flying by to post my list. It's pouring with rain here this morning so it looks like DD1's class walk will be postponed yet again - which means a shorter morning for me, as I'll have to go into school for the English lesson. Am still struggling with limiting my time on MN - I usually check the threads I'm on after I get back from the school run, and somehow find myself still here an hour later...

Anyway, list:

Morning routine
Mission
15 min decluttering
Send school photo to grandparents
Letter
Phone friend re birthday party
Buy presents for DD2's and DS's friends (DC now have four birthday parties to go to over the next week or so; I have the feeling my birthday - on the same day as two of DD2's friends - may get overlooked amongst all the parties!)
Make appointment at dermatologist's (do the check-ups never end?)
English lesson
Help DD2 find pictures of animals for school
Help DH to unpack from his trip to London (not that he actually needs any help, but I'm itching to see what he's brought back!)
Afternoon and evening routines

That's more than enough for now; will try and come back later to catch up with everyone!

Morning all, I have about 2 minutes! Very busy day today, leaving now and will only have 45 minutes at home now before getting back after football practice and having to serve dinner . My morning routine is done and I will do my evening routine later, if I have time this evening I will tackle a kitchen hotspot.

Have a lovely day everyone :)

tfd prodigy Mozart remix is the one. Brill scary men picture much better than silf like contortionist

Morning all

Busy day here
Dc off nursery
House rescue
School visit
Shower
And Thomasland

Maybe not quite in that order. I'm trying to look at school visit that I'm interviewing them [nervous emotion] but nekkid is not the way to do it!!!

Have good day

Only shouted once at the DCs this morning, DS refusing to wear his coat despite pouring rain.

They both say their wellies are too small so off to the shops for me again later.

Morning routine done
put on 2nd lot of washing
Play tennis
Go shopping and meet former colleagues for lunch, haven't seen them for a few months
Pick up DCs
Try to be a nice mum
Evening routine

What size wellies Mrs D as i have a size 10/11ish sat here (black with spiders on with glow in dark bits on side) which have barely been worn that you are welcome to if they will fit.