If your house is calling May Day, do not fear: May's Fledgling Flyers are here

[LinzerTorte]

Welcome to the May edition of the Fledgling Flyers' thread. Thank you to Nettie for her splendid leadership of last month's thread.

If you're living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), this is the thread for you! We follow the tips on the FlyLady website in an attempt to restore order to our homes, but advise against signing up for the e-mails; all the information you need is on this thread.

Each day, I'll be posting the links that will enable you to do any of the following:

• start or repeat baby steps

• repeat babysteps and do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

More information about the babysteps is here.

So please join us - there's always plenty of chat, tea, cake, encouragement and the occasional to help us on our way!

Just popping on quickly to say it's lovely to see you back SC. I get the wiggly red lines when typing a post in Firefox too and assumed it was a spellchecker. Re the iron tablets, do you take them on an empty stomach? I always feel nauseous if I do so, but I'm fine if I take them just after breakfast.

DD2 is asking me to help her fill in a friendship book so had better go - will be back later!

Waves back at CHB

Thanks for welcome back

Yes, Linzer, red wiggly line is indeed spell-checker. It thinks I should be writing in FRench, disappears if I press "verifier l'orthographe". Am taking iron told iron tablets on empty stomach on waking - half an hour before breakfast. Can put up with side effects IF they hurry up and ruddy well work!!! Feel anxious about being solely responsible for dd when I keep thinking I'm going to pass out - not a nice feeling!!

Off to eat supper and watch Harry Potter

Enjoy your Sunday evenings everyone

SC I found that I could only tolerate iron tabs on a full stomach (after evening meal) otherwise came straight back up. Avoid tea/coffee at the same time (affects absorbtion), I also too calcium at lunch time as this boosts absorbtion. Hope you feel better soon.

linzer your local pool sounds lovely (agree at qualms about chatting to friends and neighbours while scantliy clad, Iam still trying to forget an excrutiating swimming party where I had to make conversation with a school Dad dressed in skimpy speedos in a very shallow toddler pool ).

swan LOL at 'How to talk so your husband will listen' now that would be a book worth reading!

Had a nice walk this morning, followed by ironing and completion of Roman costume (hurray). Quick lap of the park with Ds on his new/patched up bike. Seems ok.

Just popping by to wave to SC.

DH working this weekend but then DS has commandeered the PC whenever I have tried to get on. I give in for a quiet life!

Not much flying going on but I have done some gardening, baked a cake, cooked duck for me & DS for Sunday lunch - I love duck but somehow have never cooked it before
Cake hasn't gone quite right, but its nothing that a load of buttercream won't hide

Need to declutter some space in DS's room for the lego models which are cluttering up the mantelpiece lounge to go in then find the sink...

See you tomorrow

Just back from a lovely day out with friends. The children ran off and played, leaving the adults to chat and drink . Perfect. Oh, and there was a very sweet and gurgly baby to cuddle too.

SC - welcome back! I'm glad to hear that you have finally solved the wobbly text issue.

Swan - I like your book title too .

Scatty - congrats on completing the Roman costume.

Linzer

CHB in the naughty corner

Am definitely sending DS1 to bed early tonight as he has been rude and grumpy all day (but, fortunately, not with his friends). I am getting so fed up with his eye-rolling responses to just about anything I say. When I watched a film last night (set in the 50s), the children were incredibly obedient and polite. The boy called his father 'sir'. I'm beginning to think I've gone very, very wrong somewhere....

Another nice sunny day here, so we had a barbecue with my ILs. Also renewed my spirit by going out for a run (now on Week 3 of Couch to 5K) ? I wasn?t planning on going until tomorrow morning, so think I must be getting addicted.

Another short round-up tonight:

Toffee caught up on both sleep and ironing, enjoyed a day out with friends and decided she is probably living in the wrong decade.

SC found that Firefox solved her juddery text problems but her iron tablets are making her nauseous.

CHB was spotted in the naughty corner (and also spotted on FB in a lovely dress ).

scatty has completed the Roman costume and was suppressing memories of a speedo-clad dad.

DWM has been struggling to get on the PC and has cooked a duck.

Hope everyone else has had a good weekend.

Hi all! Just flexing my newly-found non-juddering text!! Rather embarrassed now that it took me so long to sort out when the solution was so simple! Just had so much on that I couldn't quite focus on it properly ifyswim (pathetic though that sounds)

Linzer am VERY impressed by your running - hats off to you!!!

Toffee huge sympathies with eye-rolling situation - I let dd stay up a bit later than usual as dh is away - and I paid the price because she was grumpy and rude afterwards and still complained about going to bed. As a result I've insisted she stays in her bedroom tonight and doesn't come in to ours (as is usual when dh travelling). Much protesting all around and I am a "horrid" mummy again ...thinking of your 1950s film ... I may have to insist she calls me Mater from now on...

Huge waves back to Mummy!! Gardening, baking and roasting duck sounds like the perfect afternoon. Peking style duck with pancakes and plum sauce is my all time favourite food. Jamie Oliver has brilliant recipe. Pancakes surprisingly easy and fun to make with dc) Also love cold duck with celeriac and potato mash. You've got me drooling now ...

Scatty thank you so much for calcium tip - had no idea about that - will eat more cheese!! Also heard vit c aids absorbtion so am trying to each loads of fresh veg and salads. Am avoiding tea & coffee. Anyone know how long you have to take them before you feel a difference?

Arf at your speedo-clad school dad in pool btw. Totally share the horror - .. we are regularly invited to a Flemish colleagues's home (have not even met his wife yet) to partake in a sauna with them and their other friends .. fully starkers ....as I said to dh (who was equally horrified at the prospect) those days (if they were ever present) are definitely gone .... ... and what a first introduction it would be ....

Sleep well and 'see you' tomorrow everyone ...

Sounds like a lovely day Toffee and glad your text is staying still now SC.
Impressed by the running, Linzer, which reminds me that I need to book Zumba tomorrow...

Also tomorrow, I'm trying to get back on track with routines and baby steps, and a bit of post-holiday decluttering. DS1 is back to nursery for a week, and then it's half term! Blink and he'll be starting reception!

Just wanted to say hello and a big thank you to Mumsnet for pointing me in the direction of the FLY Lady.

I still feel on the verge of being overwhelmed but now feel that I can invite people over without having to spend days hiding the junk.

I am still only fluttering but as DS1 2 and 3 get older I am sure FLYing will be easier!

Morning went well (First H C at church) Yes SC I was catechist, so was bobbing up and down to make sure children went in right direction, and worrying my outfit was too low cut It was a lovely lovely service, packed church, and the children were very sweet. In our parish there are another 5 more First Holy Communion Masses over next few Sundays ..so as you imagine they need lots of catechists - I wouldn't say I am very knowledgeableMy own children I left behind Dh took them to the park, and then cooked lunch (for once [grumble]
Unfortunately he did not clear it up but was otherwise very nice all day

SC at sauna
and commiserations with poor you and the pills and lack of energy

I spent an hour cuddling dd at bedtime, she claimed she was too ill for me to leave At one stage we heard a rustling sound from next door..."There, you see" she said accusingly "A (ds2)'s awake!" (not surprising considering the volume of her moans) There was a terrible scene when they all decided to do music practice at the same time..dd sat on the piano stool so ds2 couldn't practice, then she hit ds1 with her violin.

Scatty The shallow pools are the worst.

Done
shiny sink
swept floor
hoovered playroom
dw
hung out washing 3 times
decluttered playroom for 5 mins, and got ahead with home bless in there...

made a list of things to do for tomorrow - all the little things
put out dd's clothes
found half the clothes for boys..will stll have to find trousers

made ds1 tidy his room a bit

planned where woodpile should go
argued about possible extension [again] probably easier NOT to have one

Droitwich I'm with you on the difficulty of finding a home for Lego models..(always look forward to moment when their wings/tentacles drop off)

Evening all, just fling by really, I have been AWOL so much that I don't know where to start with personals. However I have skimmed through the thread so I just about know what is going on.

House is fairly orderly tonight, have managed quite a lot of tidying and cleaning today, plus a couple of hours gardening with DD (she loves it and is very helpful, she was cutting the long grass with her child scissors today for me). DS on the other hand is driving me a bit nuts at the moment, he never stops talking and seems to be totally unable to occupy himself without adult intervention unless he is playing on the Wii or watching telly, whatever he is doing he constantly wants someone to watch him, or play with him, or listen to his rambling commentaries. He isn't always like this, I guess it's a phase, but it's hard work. He just cannot seem to think of anything he wants to do that can be done alone. He and DD are winding each other up a lot at the moment too, so not playing together very well. Luckily DD will play in her own imaginary world for hours, I am just very grateful that at least one of them can do this!

Morning. Have a good day! Time to get moving. Its mornings like this that make me grateful for hot and cold running water. Nothing likes a shower and cup jug of coffee to wake one up.

have a good one.

Morning all,

The babystep today is to add an afternoon routine to your day (and to your control journal).

We're in the master bedroom this week. The missions are still on last week's at the moment, but today?s mission will be here later. You can also find out what's in store for the week by looking at the Sneak Peek.

Today is Monday, which means Weekly Home Blessing Hour.

Haven't been here in awhile

Personal stuff has been a bit chaotic, and my house was getting worse and worse...I sent out an SOS to a good neat freak friend, and she will be over tomorrow morning to help me chuck things in the dumpster and tidy up. I got a bit teary eyes with gratitude.

I'll come back tomorrow to report progress and try to catch up on the thread!

You're up early, CHB. I never feel fully awake until I've had my shower and coffee either.

WhoKnows That sounds very similar to the situation in our house. DD1 is not good at occupying herself, relies on the TV far too much and witters away to me constantly, whereas DD2 will go off and play on her own for hours. DD1 knows just which buttons to press to wind DD2 up and DD2 completely overreacts; it drives me mad. I'm hoping that things will get better now that summer's here and they can play outside more, but yesterday it just meant lots of screaming and crying in the garden and me hustling them indoors before they disturbed the neighbours.

swan I have a couple of friends planning extensions and it seems like very hard work - worth it all in the end though, I'm sure.

lorissparkle Glad FlyLady is helping with the CHAOS. Feel free to pop on the thread whenever you like.

Blue Good luck with the post-holiday decluttering today. How old is DS1? I still can't quite imagine DS starting school next year, as I still think of him as my baby.

SC at your sauna invitation!
I hope the iron tablets start working soon. I had anaemia in my early twenties and have been taking ferrous sulphate more or less regularly ever since - I'm afraid it's so long ago that I can't remember how long it took before the tablets started having an effect.

Right, must go and do the DC's snacks, have a shower and then get them up.

Must post a list to force myself to get on. The missions have now been updated and today's is to spend 15 minutes getting rid of the clutter or cleaning under your bed.

The FLY Spot Alert is to wash your comforter or bedspread. We don't have either of those and I washed all our bedding yesterday, so that's one less thing to do. The less said about all the clothes lying around in our bedroom, however, the better. There doesn't seem to be a mission to deal with them this week, so I'll just have to make it part of my 15 minutes' tidying/decluttering.

This morning's list:

Morning routine
15 min in master bedroom
Mission
Recycle paper
Update CV and send to agency

There are a few more things I could add, but I want to keep my list short and manageable. Am also not sure whether I might have to work this morning; I accepted a job on Friday afternoon but the agency thought I have translation memory software, which I don't, so I'm waiting to hear whether I should go ahead with it or not.

x posts earlier CheerfulYank - glad you're getting some help from your friend; she sounds lovely.

Morning all!!!

Bright and breezy here ... dd left for school half an hour ago with baby-sitter ... and I'm at my work station trying to wake up without caffeine. All well in the world just slightly worried about dh getting back at end of week now second Icelandic volcano has decided to erupt.

Crikey CHB, Linzer you are both up very early ...agree about hot water being essential in the morning though ...do not feel fully awake until I've dunked my head under the shower. Thanks for links/steps!

Swan five more HC masses to come ... I thought I was being good volunteering to 'tutor' a single class of 4 English-speakers ...I can see your wings sprouting from here!!

Tis great it is working for you Loris

Good luck with clear out tomorrow CheerfulYank - you'll have the collective power of us fledglings behind you!!

Before work (done):
dd and me up, dressed and off
s&s and master swipe
dishwasher on
washing machine on
sitting room tidy

To do after work:
hang out washing
empty dishwasher
recycling
clean kitchen and downstairs cloakroom
dust and hoover sitting room and hall
clean out gps
afternoon/evening routine
homework/supper routine

attempt 15 mins decluttering in office and 15 mins decluttering in basement

Huge waves to Whoknows, Blue and everyone else!! Have a good week everyone!

Early training done
will to live or move none.

will be taking up normal resisdence in the naughty corner me thinks.

Hello SC

...and everyone else

Mostly planning on home blaghing today. might have a go at the mission as well and maybe a trip to the tip.

I'm feeling much more energised this morning, and feel like I might actually get something done...

SC It's just one group of nine children (with three of us looking after them!!!) Angel's wings definitely not sprouting. I think Dh would divorce me if I helped at more than one HC Mass (although he liked my outfit Next week we will just attend as normal parishioners.

Done
homebleugh started : dusted ds1's desk, changed our sheets yesterday, collected up some washing, hoovered playroom yesterday

List looks like
kitchen
entertain dd who seems to have flu I have told her she has to stay in bed with no telly whatsoever - she is reading Jacqueline Wilson
quick tidy children's bedrooms

tackle last bit of alley
take bikes out of shed and review the tangled pile of rusty metal therein
stack firewood in woodpile area find an area first!

that's enough for now!
oh and cancel dd's singing lesson as she is ill

Whoknows and Linzer Ds1 is lovely but he winds up ds2 and dd deliberately because he is bored. (He needs a soulmate friend of his own age, and I think that's why he is desperate to get into world of Secondary school)Ds2 requires constant attention from DH to function, although he can play by himself on occasion when it is only Mum! He drives dd mad, who is desperate for him to play with her I don't think any of them last indoors/garden for more than an hour before we have to take them OUT somewhere. Sometimes they play better together when they've had a whole morning of exercise. I find the noise of them arguing/bickering/whining quite awful - I just want to hide from everyone or go on a very long walk!