December's Fledgling Flyers: Christmas time, swish and swipe and wine, flyers sing to the fat fairy rhyme.

[elliepac]

Welcome to the December Fledgling Flying thread.

From the 1st of the month we shall be decluttering and taming the chaos using baby steps, missions and zones. A great big thank you to DEM/DID who looked after us last month and did a fantabulous job

We are not strict followers of the fat fairy and take some of the babysteps wearing shoes indoors with a pinch of salt. Also advise against signing up for the fairy's emails.

All are welcome, jump on board for one of our three methods of chaos attack:

1. Baby steps
2. Baby steps and 15mins decluttering in current zone
3. Re-inforce the baby steps and daily mission

This month the fat fairy is gearing up for the feastive period. So I shall also post the christmas mission for those who wish are brave enough to look.

In here the motto is:

*"No perfection! Do what you can, but be realistic about what you can do."

Happy flying.

MOrning all,

Quick step post from work!

The babystep for today is preparing your control journal.

The mission for today is here.

Muchos thankos to mrsd for the round-up last night!

Back later.

busy day ahead

sainsburys
Room rescue front room
Washing on
Empty DW
Friends here for coffee at 10.15
out to lunch with different friends
Nativity play
Home, usual stuff

Better go.......

morning. so far today i have woken up feeling like i have actually slept and had a pleasent time getting ds to school and got ds to school on time

However, having done the school run i am ready for a nap. But the plan today is:

wash rug
rest
ironing
school play
put all clothes away
christmas cards with ds
play a board game or two with ds
finish sorting paperwork
early night.

Slow and steady i think is going to have to be the approach today. The new combo of drugs are bothe helping me feel better and making me feel like i want to curl up. Hopefully in the long run (by the weekend) I will be feeling human.

Btw it freezing out there!!!!!!!!

nettie it may just be my children that did this, but I suspect your dd just enjoys the attention she gets from leaving early. If you like going, I would continue, but for her alone it might not be necessary for health and happiness.
I think there is something to be said for long extended periods not doing much, bit of fresh air, bit of indoors, bit of gentle socializing so children get a bit better at pottering. In our house I'm afraid only boys have mastered this. Dd needs a friend (used to work with her twin but now he's too different from her) to potter with and has done from early age.

Surrounded by MESS. Christmas cards everywhere (dcs are writing frantically at breakfast - they are so keen at breakfast Advent calendars, derelict waterbottles which they claim leak, unused bits of uniform drying, cereal bowls and DD Oh dear, can't potter with her around can I? Telly ban continues, so she is listening to pop music instead

BIGTIDY
sink
worktops
table
xmas stuff in a big bin liner
recyling AARGH two weeks worth
laundry away
make all beds - change dd's
hoover upstairs

hoover downstairs
MOP FLOORS

Nettie - I would knock it on the head if you don't feel you can leave after half an hour! How old is DD? Probably her level of concentration is for half an hour!! You can always try again when she's a bit older...HTH

Bit of a silly day today:
Got to wait in for TEsco
Got to take DD in for Controlled Assessment even though she feels awful
Trouble is both need to be done at the same time Cue Grandma just recently back from Cuba in her ballet pumps!! (you have to read a much earlier post to understand this one...)
Wait for DS to deign to call to tell me he's on his way.
Look at Carol music and work out what I am going to say in between
Bite my nails and worry a lot this afternoon
Get my roots done (not a good look)
Sing carols and hope it all goes OK ....

(v v nervous emoticon)

I'll pull myself together in a minute and get on !!!

PA - sorry, but I had to laugh. I know that I have all this to come, but hopefully it is still a long way off. (And I wouldn't be laughing if it was one of my DC either!).

To whoever asked me if bicarb of soda works on the fridge - yes, it seems to. No smell and it looks clean . Cheap too.

Thanks to the costume-making last night, I had to shelve most of the rest of yesterday's list, so here it is again, with today's additions:

Put two loads of washing on, including MIL's stuff
Swish and swipe bathroom
Change towel in b/rm
Check all Xmas presents and work out if I have bought enough and equally for both boys done
Write some Xmas cards
Put tumbledrier on
Put some washing away
Take MIL to Christmas concert at school
School run (nb snack for ds2)
Dinner on (easy stuff tonight)
Take DS1 up to school again for evening performance (steel myself for the battle of wills over this, as he doesn't want to do it)
Put clean sheets on our bed done
Put clean sheets on MIL's bed
Hoover partly done
Tidy our bedroom
Wash up & put away
Bath and bedtime routines for DC
Evening routine (lay clothes out, etc)
Early bedtime for me

Swan - thanks for the advice on the angel costume. Luckily we didn't have to make wings and I discovered why this morning - apparently, they are stars, not angels! Anyway, I have done it and it may not be the most beautifully sewn costume (and the bottom is definitely a bit wonky), but it should survive a couple of performances at least.

No time for further messages, but happy flying to you all.

more invites posted postcodes looked up too!
recycling done
table cleared
dd entertained

a feeling of panic is descending dd keeps interrupting me...must try and involve her. She is on sofa with duvet and books, but keeps getting off it

Quick update:

Put two loads of washing on, including MIL's stuff done
Swish and swipe bathroom done
Change towel in b/rm done
Check all Xmas presents and work out if I have bought enough and equally for both boys done
Write some Xmas cards
Put tumbledrier on done
Put some washing away
Take MIL to Christmas concert at school
School run (nb snack for ds2)
Dinner on (easy stuff tonight)
Take DS1 up to school again for evening performance (steel myself for the battle of wills over this, as he doesn't want to do it)
Put clean sheets on our bed done
Put clean sheets on MIL's bed
Hoover everywhere except DC's bedroom done
Tidy our bedroom (yeah, yeah, that's reeely likely)
Wash up & put away
Bath and bedtime routines for DC
Evening routine (lay clothes out, etc)
Early bedtime for me

Also done: emptied all the bins and threw away ds2's festering urine-soaked pants from the bucket in the bathroom because I really am never going to get round to washing them .

And: dismissed very irritating man at door just now trying to pretend he wasn't asking me to change power suppliers when he clearly was . Why do they always think you have all the time in the world to listen to them?

Forgot to add to above list: must put on lots of make up for school concert so that I don't look about 10 years' older than I am (mind you, walking in with an 81-year old might help me out ).

Toffee glad I'm not the only one who does that with pants

For OM and Toffee DH came home from work, walked in the room, looked at offending hole in face and walked out the room again.
It was a very similar scenario as when I last had a hair perm in 1989. The message was louder than a fog horn with no words being said!! - I have not had anything quite so drastic done to my hair since!!

Anyway, back to fatfairying!:-
Done - ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!
I am still making every meal for the old dear across the road. Helped her have a bath yesterday and that is my limit of energy being used.

I am managing to cook tea for the family now, but other than that I am sat here doing a puzzle of a gorgeous pussy cat . Wanting to get on with a cross-stitch I am doing, but have run out of a vital thread, so will send DH to the shop tomorrow.

Still no Christmas shopping done. Just can't get into it al all. Must kick myself up bum!

Sorry for lack of personal messages, but massive waves to you all

PA I think you've done a lot of essential things there! Well done.

done (feeling a bit discouraged, but I suppose it's something
decluttered a few kitchen horror spots (now it looks messier than when I started)
persuaded dd to do Hama beads need to iron next
served dd lunch in special thermos
hung out one load of washing put on next
tiny bit of piano to escape dd when she was being particularily demanding I think it soothed her nerves though
she is now listening to Oliver music

sink still full of washing up
dw still unloaded
table still crumby/greasy
floor still sticky crumby so PRESSING ON before pickup

I said i needed to take today slowly and bloody hell i didnt mean this slowly.

wash rug - NOT OPTIONAL MUST BE DONE TODAY!!!!
rest slept all morning
ironing
school play done
put all clothes away
christmas cards with ds
play a board game or two with ds
finish sorting paperwork
early night.

morning all!

went AWOL yesterday as RL decided to throw in a few fast-balls. dh has pretty much decided to hand his notice in on friday, (this is not as bad as it sounds - he won't actually leave until march - long notice period and plenty of time to find new job!) so wanted to sit down and go through dates etc etc and look at pension numbers etc. and talk about recruitment consultants etc etc (he's been in contact with one recently but has another couple he is going to speak to), and then my friend at work got an amazing job opportunity but realised she had about 6 hours until the deadline and no cv. so guess what i was doing until midnight last night... ho hum. dh is now desperately excited and i'm starting to fret about new schools. again. i knew it was coming though. and am even a little bit excited at the prospect of choosing our own destiny, lol.

so, today, is flying catch-up day! i managed the bare minimum yesterday, but as i have the day off work today (dd1 is getting her braces fitted) all is well.

dw
wm done
brownie bag done
confirm cub camp dates
put up kitchen table (it's leaning against the wall with no legs...)
dd1 braces
secret santa dd2
secret santa work
secret santa guiders (am i the only one who is getting faintly bored with the amount of desperate secret santa-ing going on of late?!)
grocery shopping
craft eqt shopping (cubs)
make soup (for dd1, whose desperate excitement is about to wear off, i fear)
dance (maybe - decision pending)
deliver last of cub popcorn
get the blardy fridge out of the dining rooom
get all the furniture back in the right place

read everyone's news - i feel like a hamster on a wheel and i need a nice cup of tea and a catch-up.

Systems - glad I'm not the only one too

PA - sorry to laugh. If we are still on these threads in seven years time , when my oldest is 18 and comes back with a pierced lip - or worse! - you are entitled to laugh at me too. By the way, you are doing wonderful work with your neighbour. I hope you aren't tiring yourself out - you are still meant to be taking it easy, aren't you? How lovely you are to be taking her meals every day though and helping her with her bath.

Well, have been to DS1's Christmas concert. He managed to get up on stage, which was an achievement in itself as he finds it utterly terrifying. He said he felt sick all the way through. The next tricky bit is getting him to perform again this evening (he's only a carol singer in a group!), but DH has said he will stand at the back to encourage him.

Still to do:

Write some Xmas cards
Finish tumbledrying MIL's sheets and stuff
Put some washing away
Dinner on early(easy stuff tonight)
Take DS1 up to school again for evening performance DH to do
Put clean sheets on MIL's bed
Tidy our bedroom (hahahaha)
Wash up & put away
Bath and bedtime routines for DC
Evening routine (lay clothes out, etc)
Early bedtime for me

Off to find Playmobil Santa for DS2 now. It's not in the Playmobil box so it could be anywhere.....

Quick post while I have escaped upstairs to check some work that arrived today (on a bank holiday!) and needs to be done this week - it's not too much, fortunately.

Today I have:
Put washing away (my only flying achievement )
Made Christmas cards with DD2
Written all my overseas (i.e. outside Europe) Christmas cards
Failed to keep the DC under control during a visit from a retired ex-colleague of DH's
Taken DD2 to ballet rehearsal
Failed to find a sympathy card at the supermarket as it didn't stock cards at all (and it wasn't even a particularly small supermarket)
Been amazed that shops open at all on a bank holiday, which they don't usually
Helped DD1 to revise for a test

I shall make a fresh start on the flying tomorrow, once work is out of the way.

Toffee Well done to your DS; I hope that, having done it once, he'll find it a little easier this evening. DD2 was also very nervous about playing at the concert yesterday and kept telling me that she wasn't going to, but I managed to encourage her in the end and I think she felt quite proud of herself afterwards. It was me who asked about bicarb of soda btw - now just need to find time to clean my fridge!

madwoman It all sounds very exciting, although I can imagine you're a little apprehensive too. A nice cup of tea is always good - DH always laughs at how it is the answer to any problem but it is very soothing, I find.

swan Hama beads - aargh! Need I say more? But at least I know what they're called now (silver lining and all that).

Deck You do need to take things slowly; the fact that you were able to sleep all morning shows that your body needs it. Now continue taking it easy until you're better!

PA Your DH's reaction reminds me of how my Dad reacted when my Mum had her ears pierced in her early sixties. You'd have thought she'd had her nose pierced - he was not happy.

OM Good luck - you'll be fine!

Well, that wasn't such a quick post after all... Must go and have a glass of wine something to eat now; DH will probably be wondering where I've got to. On second thoughts, he's probably guessed.

Evening all,

Toffee - it will come back to bite you on your bum!! I will hang around for seven years, just to have a laugh be supportive!!

Linzer - at your mum. What a spunky lady in her 60's!!

Feeling so incredibly guilty!! I have been looking after this lovely old dear for a week. I had begun to think that she was "enjoying" her inability to get out of bed and having me running around after her. Her sons live nearby, but seem to time their arrival and departure to avoid meal times, so it has all been left to me. She is very posh and had been brought up in a manor house with lots of staff to accommodate every whim, so she does have .... errrrr..... a certain way, shall I say!! I have just gone over for her evening meal, and as I was leaving she gave me a rather large cheque!! I asked her if she was paying for a year in advance, she said, Oh no, just for the past week!! Right, I am now never going to work again and i will keep her ill and in bed!! Unfortunately she is so old, it can't go on that much longer, or I would be planning my retirement!!
She is a lovely old lady !!

Freezing cold out tonight, so I need a hot toddy and a few nibbles. Anyone want to join me? On me, I can splash the cash tonight!

Note to self for tomorrow.... I must start thinking about Christmas!! No more head in sand - I am running out of time!

Oops, fell off, luckily you turned up in most active!

Tomorrow's list:

• DS1 to CM
• feed DS2
• wrap presents
• feed DS2
• wrap presents
• feed DS2
• wrap presents
• collect DS1

I'm sure there are some other things in there somewhere!

spent virtually all day sleeping. not taking the med that knocks me out tonight and just crashin. ds did christmas cards and has been fabulous this evening.

will catch up another time. night

**

evening all,

Managed everything on my very short list, had a lovely lunch out with friends and enjoyed seeing the DCs in their Nativity play.

Not going to stop and chat as I am determined to finish Christmas cards, waves at everyone, see you tomorrow.

Done in addition
Beavers helping with ds1 and ds2
Arranged for someone to take dd to Brownies
pickup from Brownies
petrol in car
dw unloaded/reloaded
cooked pasta with sausages & veg fo rkids
shared a small omelette with dh when he returned at 9.15pm
bathed twins
set out uniform for tomorrow
NO SCREENS all day for kids
piano lesson ds2 with others in tow
sent off more invites
put out bin!
sorted cake tins and measuring cups and found loads at back of cupboard - I knew I had tartlette tins and madeleine moulds
shiny sink sort of
Changed flowers in vase/shortened stems etc

PA you deserve cheque! Don't look gift horse etc or feel guilty. Time is money.
I think you should tell your dds it as moral lesson about how you expect them to cook all your meals when you are old, or you will give the kind lady who looks after you all their inheritance

PA yes dire warning a lot of Lego is out of stock now

Have just spent an hour and a half wrapping presents! not quite 'cruising through the holidays' - still have a lot more to wrap and buy - but it's not Christmas Eve - so I have achieved great things

DS1 did the second performance! Am so proud of him. It's actually the first time he's managed it. He said that the mistakes in the performance (there were some wonderful clangers) made him laugh and forget his nerves. He was a different child afterwards, with no trace of a stomach ache. Funny, that!

DS2 was still awake when I arrived home and wanted a cuddle from me. Whilst we cuddled up, he told me a great long list of things he wanted for Xmas - unfortunately, I have forgotten most of them already . Might have to have that conversation all over again.

Cooked for DS1 when we arrived home, then put him to bed and poured myself a glass of wine. Rather lost control of my list after that, so it looks like this:

Put two loads of washing on, including MIL's stuff done
Swish and swipe bathroom done
Change towel in b/rm done
Check all Xmas presents and work out if I have bought enough and equally for both boys done
Write some Xmas cards
Put tumbledrier on done
Put some washing away
Take MIL to Christmas concert at school done
School run (nb snack for ds2) done
Dinner on (easy stuff tonight) done
Take DS1 up to school again for evening performance (steel myself for the battle of wills over this, as he doesn't want to do it) done
Put clean sheets on MIL's bed done
Hoover everywhere except DC's bedroom done
Tidy our bedroom did a 5-min tidy
Wash up & put away
Bath and bedtime routines for DC done
Evening routine (lay clothes out, etc) done
Early bedtime for me failed again

The dining room and kitchen still look like a bombsite, in spite of all my work today. What is the point of it all, really? I feel as if no matter how hard I work, the house will still look a mess. Am I fighting a losing battle?

On that cheery note, I shall go to bed. Night all.

Toffee I have only just finished tidying the kitchen [sigh]
it's the blooming meals isn't it...every day

well done ds1 and sweet ds2!