Back to Fly school for September Fledglings

[substantiallycompromised]

Welcome to the September 2011 Fledgling Flying thread! Hang up your microfibre cloths and park your buckets here!!

[Sorry - I've namechanged again - but remain SC]

This is where from the 1st of the month, we attempt to declutter and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy language and a surfeit of e-mails) with lots of chat and support and mutual motivation along the way. (More info available here )

Humungous thanks to our previous thread leader Blue for navigating us all through the August school holidays...and for doing it so consistently and well!!

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach - and don't worry - we are all at different stages. Some of us (SC stares at feet) -are even embarrassingly stuck at decluttering stage after two years

• 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.

All newcomers welcome!

Hellllooooooo!! Well thank you to all you lovely ladies for your birthday wishes.

Ellie and Rowing I could almost hear you singing it to me!

Coo - hope the first day for DS went well.

Rowing - if you are old and decrepit, then so must I be. I feel like a spring chicken, me!!! - talking of chickens, yesterdays visitor got frightened by the pigeons, mad a massive amount of noise, waking everyone up, then took a short of leap off the windowsill and over the fence back to the neighbours garden with a earsplitting cluck!!!!

BES - Hope hte optician wasnt too expensive. I have just had to get some variofocals granny glasses, which were mega expensive but quite revolutionary because I can see!!!!

Swan - I am sure this year will be better than last year. I cannot believe how good I am feeling now compared to a year ago.

Oops - know what you mean about the cat. One of mine is hating the fact that our back door is now closed because of the cold because it is left open all summer and he is used to going in and out as he wished. when he is in he wants to be out and vice versa! Grrrr!!

Someone arrived...... will return....... will post this now sso I dont lose it.

HAAPPPPYYYYY BIRRRRTTTHHHDAAAYYY PA

(In case you didn't see my midnight greetings)

Hope you are having a lovely time!

Sorry everyone. Having work crisis/finding a crucial letter for dd extra-curric crisis. Back later!!

To Do

Vacuum Hall and Sitting room
Dinner - mince to cook started bolognaise, but need to buy tomatoes...
Might as well get milk as well

washing out done
hang washing done
washing in
new load in
pack DS's football stuff for later
lunch done
vitamins mostly done
Check babystep for day 7 put out clothes
check emails
transfer various appointments into diary
quick look at carpet cleaners very quick
do recycling bin
take ds's glasses round to school - done

Ah, found the crucial letter in paperwork jungle. email needed an extra dot in it to work... have assembled satisfying pile of rubbish off desk too
hope you find yours SC

chickens are characters. Friend with them said it brought new meanng to word "pecking order"

Just adding to my previous to do lost for today (havent actually done anything as have only just got in)

Sewing repairs x3

Hello everyone! How are you all?

[Hope PA is well in to the champagne by now ) Your cake is delicious btw!! Relieved chicken clucked happily home ...

[SC hangs up bunting in naughty corner and cracks open a few bottles ]

Need to catch up with what's been happening presto pronto ...

Swan glad you found yours!! (And hope you resolve padlock connundrum soon too!) I haven't found my vital letter but I have contacted the relevant person and dd's tennis doesn't start um until, 6 Oct but at least I have longer to find that vital sheet of A4!! I really am going to have to get my act together. I thought I was prepared for this back to school business and (as you say lower down the thread) I'd forgotten just how much the paperwork has to be in order and how meals assume a greater importance and how you need cast iron hwk/bathing/uniform routine - although your hwk regimen sounds particularly demanding. Pathetic with only one child - need to improve!!!

You've done some fabulous cooking today Swan Do you cook ahead for the freezer? It all sounds delicious (v. organised too).

It turns out that Flemish toast contains cinnamon and apples btw

RowingBoat well done re: your list. [Bet I am older than you and that my tummy is a lot fatter/more wobbly than yours !! ]

Blue am intrigued by Fips ...

Messy sorry you have a house full of patients - hope they recover soon

Ouch hope it's not a burn-out day and that you don't have a headache - take it steady

oops it's certainly an adjustment isn't it? I'm finding the house quiet too ...(although I rather like it that way I'm afraid!) Well done on your weight loss and aw re: the cat

Wow ¨Whoknows congratulations on your town in bloom prize and your school garden sounds amazing!! What a great achievement on both counts. Mornings and nights definitely closing in here too with a distinct whiff of autumn in the air ...

Coostoon how did your first EVER school run go??? And how was your dd's first EVER day at school???? Hope it all went well. Personally, I don't think you are being pfb at all but I am lucky enough to work p/t only school hours during school terms. (I get the impression you are in similar position to me - own business etc in which you work too - sorry if I have this wrong). DD found school tiring for first few years and I liked her to be able to come home for snack/relax before bed. If it's any consolation, it gets a lot easier when they get older. Now dd is eight she has opted to stay one night a week at hwk club. And I have a baby-sitter for her one day a week. So, if you want to, you don't need to change your routine that much or for very long. Just a couple of years or so if manageable. The time goes really fast.

Going to post this, do something with dd and then be back to finish in a bit ....

Ok to resume catch-up ...

Sorry Coostoon got that wrong didn't I? meant to say how did your dd get on at nursery and your ds get on at school? (Hope that's correct.) I hope they both had a great day!! Oh and I hope YOU have recovered from your manic day yesterday. Talk about stressful!! How on earth did you do it???

Messy (again) you did loads yesterday so don't feel badly about not being able to get so much done today

You too Nicknacks 10+ hours of cm-ing plus accomplishing anything Fly-related is a mahoosive accomplishment in my book! Well done!

Huge waves to Ellie Haunted Silvery and Madwoman

and to Cinders (hope you are feeling better) Fuzzled Feetheart Linzer CheerfulY and anyone I may have missed

DD not feeling too well so had better get back to her ...

See you later!

Happy Birthday, PA!

DS1 is still having a good first week at secondary school. I am stunned. Someone seems to have swapped my son for a 'normal' boy! He phoned on the second day after school to ask if he could bring a friend home. He and his new friend spent ages playing on the computer together.

Then he told me, last night, that he was taking his new friend out for a milkshake after school today to celebrate his friend's birthday (using money his Grandma gave him). And then he was going back to his friend's house. Er... this is the boy who could barely leave the house a few months back, let alone eat dinner at someone else's house .

He turned up a few minutes ago to change his clothes. He had two new friends in tow. They are all completely different sizes - it's hilarious. You wouldn't believe they are all the same age. Anyway, they have gone off to this boy's house now, promising me that they would cross the road carefully (I couldn't help reminding them ).

What has happened to my nervous wreck of a boy? I can't believe how well this week is going so far. He is loving the independence of walking to and from school on his own and seems to really like the school itself.

Swan - glad to hear your son is getting on OK too. I can't believe he has been given homework already though. DS doesn't get homework until after three weeks.

As for FLYing.... I have been keeping up my routines and spent yesterday evening typing up new pages for my control journal. Today, I threw away the old pages and replaced them with the new ones. I have listed my morning, afternoon and before-bed routines, plus a 'Get ready for school' list. I have also printed out a basic grocery list, so that I won't forget stuff like loo rolls when I do shopping. I have also included Flylady's crisis cleaning list and detailed cleaning zones list (which I have never done ). I seem to have given up decluttering and doing the missions, though. I never seem to have the time.

I am also still getting the boys to bed earlier than before, which is easier now that DS1 is exhausted from secondary school and means that I get a bit more time in the evening .

Incidentally, two friends have commented on my house looking nice recently, although neither was sure why. One asked me if we'd redecorated. So the Flying is definitely paying off at last.

I can't keep up with this thread at the moment, but it's good to see it so busy.

It looks like wine o'clock to me....

phew, 4th time lucky! Dh came home safe and sound as planned, at exactly 4.30. So, what with one thing and another he is at home exactly an hour later than primary. Methinks this is quite nice

Dd and I had a nice rest, read a story together
and I was able to conserve energy for Ds1 when he eventually turned up.

He is doing his homework straightaway, although it must be said he used his emergency money to buy sweets again so does not need any fuel or decompression chambering

Nettie hope it went well! If you are anything like me you will be chafing at the bit to get things in his bookbag, homework, readign books, little tasks. Just enjoy not having anything in his bookbag for now....

TOFFEE how is it going????I feel several years older after last few days...

x-post, Fab!

So far ds has brought no friends home...I feel I think he's still trying to get away from the old ones

xposts [slugs ]

flaps wings at Swan - so good your dh is able to be there at the "witching hour" between home-time and supper

Toffee I'm so sorry!! How could I have forgotten you???? [muddled-head emoticon]

That is such fantastic news!! I'm so happy for your ds and you - knowing all the worry you went through earlier in the year. You both deserve this so much! It's great he is relishing the independence and meeting friends too ...simply BRILLIANT!!!!

Well done on the Flying front also!!

Got to go!

SC - no, don't worry, I haven't been on the thread for a few days so you had no reason to include me in your round-up.

Swan - my son is spending his money on sweets every day too! I have realised there is nothing I can do about it. For him, it's all part of joining in with the other children. I'm sure your son will make friends in his own good time, don't worry. I think, after so long at home with me, DS is just desperate to be with people of his own age again!

The school have given DS the most wonderful diary to organise all his work in, by the way - his very own 'control journal'! It appeals to my Flylady/list-making side and I think it makes him feel very grown up.

right. have now reached crisis point re organisational skills (or lack of) again. and dh is muttering under his breath about me taking on too much. again. last night was a crazy mish mash of running from one meeting to the next, with no time to fly, and expecting someone at the house at 0830 this morning to sort out a voluntary thing.

there is no room here to get organised! aaargh!

right - help me declutter and sort this nightmare out. dh vetoed bashing a hole in the wall under the stairs to make an office space. the only other alternatives are converting the garage (which i don't want to do as we live in canada ffs, and it's -35 in the winter, and we have to plug the cars in or they don't work) putting a really small desk and shelving in the hall cupboard upstairs (tis a small walk-in, but no windows etc - the size of a large wardrobe - and suspect would be really claustrophobic) or getting a bigger house (probably can't sell this one - nothing moving and i haven't got a job yet so prob no mortgage big enough on dh wage) ideas? please?!

how do you deal with really small houses and busy families? desperate for tips, please! 3 kids (two are sharing) in a 2 bed with a single room basement (dd1's bedroom which also houses the laundry...)

i know the answer is de-clutter. i do, i do. waaaaaah!

right, i have sorted out the dining room finally though. ta da indeed.
and the laundry is on.
and so is the kettle.

How absolutely wonderful to read your post Toffee. I am soooooo pleased for you and DS1. It sounds as if life has fallen into place nicely for him. Long may it last!!!
Thanks for the - enough for everyone!!!

Well, I can now let you all into the secret that the madstalker discovered. We told DD1, DD2 and DD3 this morning and will tell DS and DD4 before bedtime tonight.
Our interview next Thursday is for DH and I to go abroad and do some missionary work starting next August/September. DS and DD4 would come along with us, the others will be staying here. We might start out in Singapore, then move onto Cambodia, maybe. We are really excited by the whole thing. Lots to think about, lots to organise. We will be giving up our jobs and going as volunteers for 2 years to start with.
You will probably all think we are mad (what's new! )

Absolutely no flying taken place today. Nothing....nada.......zilch!!! I have had people coming in all day, lovely to see lots of friends, but good grief, it was my first day of being semi on my own for the last 8 weeks. I havent had 2 minutes to myself today!!!!

Off to get DH's tea. Normal service will resume tomorrow.

good evening

checking in quickly before settling down to watch Torchwood.

pa yum for the cake Thank you. Wow that is exciting. I hope ds and dd4 like the idea too. Wish you both the best of luck for Thursday
whoknows well done on award and bumper harvest. How cool.
swan thanks i agree routine good idea. Didnt have long between getting home and 5.30 picking up dd from nursery. Hope you managed to get organised today. You did make me as i was quite disappointed about lack of info/books/etc in his book bag (did you read my mind). So was he i think
sc thanks for advice re routine. Im hoping we can do some reciprocal childcare when we get settled in. You are right work in own business, unfortunately have an office and streams of customers so not possible to choose hours too much. I'll get there. I just might be grey by the time i do!
toffee so great about ds. Im so chuffed for him and you.
Humungous waves to everyone who ive missed.

tada list.
up/dressed/wm/dw/bedmade/clothes laid out/dc bathed/dh home/work bleurgh/ school run done (im a school run mummy)/mission of cleaning kitchen tops/birthday present for this weekend and next weekends parties wrapped/ ds birthday presents wrapped.

DS had a 'fine' day at school and was extremely tired. I didnt really expect him to be as he normally does 8.30-5.30 at pre school. Maybe the 5.30 start didnt help. He played in the big playground, had burger and chips for dinner and pudding on his dinner plate. He was by this.

I however was a nervous wreck and spent a good part of the day crying i never thought i would be like that. But i think its a combination of things getting on top of me. DH away. In office on own, struggling to do mil work as well as my own. Another notification from hmrc to say we are being penalised for late payment of paye (prior to me taking it over, i feel i have to add). In the past two days i have not completed one single work task from my list and my work routine is so way outta whack ive no idea where to go.

Ho hum ill try again tomorrow morning. Tonight a good nights sleep is in order so to Torchwood and Bed.

Good night, have a good night all

Evening all.

That's such good news, Toffee!
PA - how exciting too. No, fortunately my eyes haven't changed very much and I can keep the same glasses.
SC thanks for round-ups when you've got so much on in RL! Fips is a monkey, and a book and the subject of an email I had to send, if that helps at all...
Nettle - ((hugs)) and . Hope tomorrow is better.

Right, ta-da!
Boys to CM (and indeed back again)
Laundry
Catch up on house bleugh - hoovered and dusted, swept floor x lots
Rescue spare room/office - well, improved it
Seller's application to declutter via NCT sale
Prepare meals for 2 days
Print and post work invoice
Post anniversary cards for bro and SIL
Minor food shop
Book new Zumba class - grr to teacher for changing times so I can't get to the one I'm used to...
Call dentist
Chasing emails
Fips

Nesbit
Start decluttering utility room

Still to do tonight
Clear kitchen window area for builder
Organise swimming things for tomorrow
Clean laundry away

I think i am going to come to hate thursdays. they are crazy. Ds was so tired today he was in tears and has gone to bed without meds.

Also done today:
finish sorting kit
training
New admin associated with training.
ds showered complete with hair wash - he has an adversion to showers but too late for bath
Re-hang ds' bedroom door
1 load washing
tidy ds' room

Am shattered. Not burn out standard but ready for bed already tired. So think I might just go unload car and crash.

List for tomo:
Up
school run
Laundry - general
Wash ds' bedding
pack ds' stuff
tackle my room
make pack up for tea
school run
drop ds off with his dad

In two minds whether to go training or chill out with a film. Will see how i feel tomo I think.

Sorry no personals tonight.
night.

Evening all

Brilliant news Toffee, so pleased for him. And your DS1 Swan, they are doing so well.

This is all very encouraging for me, as I think we may well face problems with my DS at this stage too. I mentioned earlier in the week that he had an appointment with the paediatrician, I spoke with her on the phone today and she has given him a diagnosis of Asperger's following her assessments this week. Which I have mixed feelings about, on the one hand I have strongly suspected it since he was about 3, and I know that having the diganosis is going to be helpful in so many ways, but it's still sad, and TBH it makes me feel that he must be quite badly affected to be able to be diagnosed with it this easily at a fairly young age (7),whereas I had always though he was quite mild. However, he is managing OK in life so far, so we will have to see what the future holds.

Anyway, PA - ooh, how exciting! What an opportunity! I don't know anyone that's done it before, but wow. What an opportunity for DS and DD4 as well. WIll have everything crossed for your interview.

Nettie - sending you a little hug, you've got an awful lot on at the moment, I'm not surprised you shed a few tears today. Hope HMRC don't give you too much grief.

Keeping this short tonight, this has been quite a rollercoaster week for me and I'm feeling a bit wrung out what with the news about DS, back to school, starting the Shred and my first week of completely adhering to Flylady ever (woohoo - might be a different story with next weeks zone which includes the DCs bedroom for me, can hardly get in there for clutter).

Ta-Da

Morning and evening routines
Clean all kitchen counters - even moved the microwave
Ocado order
DCs to tennis
Work
Shred

Nesbit - nothing!

Hi all,
sounds like we are all quite glad it is Friday tomorrow.
My ds is settling back into school now, but he had a horrible first couple of weeks, or rather I did. It has improved though and I feel my happy boy is back now, apart from the 6/7 year old stuff.

It has been a crazy day, not really been enjoying the routine, perhaps I should skip babysteps and start doing the other stuff.
How do you guys fit bigger goals into the fly stuff, kind of in between the missions and zones and all that?

Whoknows I like that you have now just got 'evening' and 'morning' routines, do you know them off by heart now?

My boss at work has been really stuffing up the timetables recently and now I am being emailed by people asking where I am, when my boss has, wrongly, put me down for duties. She actually volunteered my services to another campus and then forgot and told people she didn't know where I was. What on earth do you do with that????
It's actually quite upsetting because I'm not that organised, but I'm not THAT disorganised and people must think I am a complete flake.
Sorry just wanted to get that off my chest!

Ok
here's my list
washing out done
hang washing done
washing in done
new load in (this includes hot washing some 'moth' things. [shudder]
pack DS's football stuff for later done
lunch done
vitamins mostly done
check emails done
transfer various appointments into diary still to do
quick look at carpet cleaners very quick done
do recycling bin done
take ds's glasses round to school - done
go and get ds's glasses from school - done
babystep 7 get my kit out for tomorrow
put on washing load
iron ds's stuff for tomorrow.

First Whoknows.
It really knocked me for six, our diagnosis, although initially I was pleased. His behaviour over next few months deterioated to the extent that I wondered how I ever thought I could avoid thinking him ASD. But I suspect it was all part of the "breaking away" process - your bond with them breaks down when there is intervention and you get this "official" label, and you have to work quite hard to remember how much in tune you were before. I really had no problem at all wth ds2 before he was 7, I remember feeling he was just perfect if a bit quirky. Now I feel much more watchful and ever wary of his behaviour in public - not a good feeling...Anyway I suspect this is just a phase and the old bond will return...Also I don't think your ds must have Asperger's "really badly" to have been diagnosed at 7 yrs, it just means that your paediatrician was very good (unlike our gp who spat us out once, and it took CAHMS a year to diagnose)

SC not dh!!!! It was ds1 who came home at 4.30 when I was expecting him...sorry major misprint... Dh slunk in as usual at 7pm but was relieved to find a whole array of different suppers on offer...
Dd decided to have a tantrum over strawberry count (ds2 got 10, she counted only 9 on her plate) and Ds1 decided to have a screaming fit (luckily shortlived) when I corrected an error in his biology homework. No, plants are not green because "they are moss", but because of chlorophyll...(it was in the textbook so quite easy to see answer)

Otherwise good.

Madwoman obvious solution is put more clutter in garage, or convert garage, and insulate? Cabin in garden as office? I wish I had a garage.
Nettie you are brave to have got through such an exhausting day. Big hug and boo to HMRC. Dh always used to throw those penalty thingies in the bin " I don't owe them anything...it's all bluff"

Toffee I've just read in Ds's Homework Planner aka Control Diary that no boy is allowed in a retail outlet on a particular road after 8.35. I suspect that this means they are only allowed into one particular sweet shop (which probably pays a retainer to the school next to bus stop. Certainly it seems to be part of the whole social process of getting on the bus to go into shop and buy sweets. I feel an email coming on because I thought there was a tuck shop at school which sold only healthy snacks on your school lunch card, but Ds1 does not yet seem to have discovered it.
Padlock finally worked, very nice email back from Yr 7 admin lady saying he seemed in very good spirits in school, and she would act as a locker if he had a problems again.

waves to anyone else Blue Silvery Messy and anyone I've forgotten

PA that is wonderful news. Every missionary I've met has been inspiring and you will be too. And most important they all loved what they did. What do your children make of it? They must be quite excited at thought of having house to themselves give or take a few mad chickens harassing them!

Forgive me dc for I have sinned....

My sink is shiney...and erm...erm I am in bed...

I did sew up one pair of trousers...but only cos I want to wear them tomorrow...

I think thursdays are going to be a bad day...

rowing I don't think I'm ever going to solve the big organisational issues, I suppose it's just a question of blindlly pressing on and keeping some tricks up our sleeves, and enjoying the things we are good at in the meantime not feeling like we've failed miserably
I just can't get all the things done most of you seem to manage, let alone the cleaning as well
This evening I felt really pathetically pleased with myself for sorting ds1's sock drawer out whilst I chatted to him... and putting his duvet cover on whilst he did his homework.

Good evening everyone. Sounds like it has been tough day for the majority on here and the reality of back to work/back to school is taking its toll.

A bit of may be in order I think ...

Tomorrow is another day and all that ...keep going everyone.

Baby-step no 9 for Friday 9th September is here It's an important one about decluttering a few minutes a day.

(NB Newcomers: please don't be tempted to enter in to the Big Tent)

Tomorrow is the last day in Zone 2: The Kitchen (September 5 - 9) here

Friday's mission will appear here once the website updates itself

Friday is the day for paperwork and misc. tasks such as cleaning out your handbag.

PS Sorry if my links were confusing yesterday. Didn't update Wednesday for Thursday [middle-aged brain emoticon].

Swan, thank you, it helps to hear about someone else's experiences. I have felt paranoid about Ds's behaviour in public for a long time, he doesn't cope with frustration very well and also is somewhat oblivious to other people's body language. We've been fortunate with the system, I had him referred via the school nurse who was helpful and the paediatrician has been very kind and understanding. My main pre-occupation at the moment is with who to tell or not tell, how to tell, how to explain, etc etc. Going to try and switch off from it for a few days and regroup, hence all the Flying and shredding enthusiasim, it's all a distraction. Well done on your small steps, I have found that I am much more likely to just spot and deal with small ckores now than pre Flying when i just ignored them all. LOL at sweetshop retainer.

Rowing I have had the morning and evening routines in place for about 18 months, so they are pretty well ingrained now, although I have added to the morning one a bit this week. It's the rest of it I hadn't been doing, just been having random attempts at decluttering. It finally clicked when I read the book last month, and I have now got a weekly routine too, which puts most of the jobs into Mon and Fri because I work the other weekdays. So I have home blessing on Monday, Tues/Wed/Thur are one bit of detailed cleaning/decluttering or mission, Friday is hoovering, ironing and paperwork. That's the plan anyway.

Forgot sneak-peak if you want to look at tomorrow's mission now:

here