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!

Waves, yawns and stumbles off blearily. Will catch up properly tomorrow while the boys are at the CM...

Evening everyone

I see I have 25 pages of thread to catch up on, so please excuse a lack of personal messages tonight!

Back from holiday, which was lovely. New Forest wine and fudge in the naughty corner for those that would like some. My parents came and stayed for a couple of nights and very kindly took DD and DS away between 630 and 9 each morning so I could finally have more than a two hour stretch of sleep. Felt almost human for a couple of days there.

Both have made up for it since with hourly wakings between 2 and 6 every morning

Moreorless got on top of the house before I went away, so managed to come back to a fairly clean and relaxing home. Hooray! Then gave DS couscous to try for tea in a fit of overambitious baby led weaning enthusiasm and immturned the kitchen floor into a beach!

Ta da
Lots of dishes washed
Lots of washing done
Kitchen cleaned
Blackberry ice lollies made with DD and subsequent mess cleared up!
Kitchen floor swept
6 weeks of bottles to the bottle bank (an embarassingly large number )

Work tomorrow so only flying will be routines and (hopefully) putting away at least some of the laundry mountain!

What a day. I am not fully settled back into the routine of work/school yet. But! It was a lovely day weather-wise and my house smells of cleaner instead of dog hair. :)

Finish laundry
Swish and swipe
Clean bathroom floor
Dishes
Shine sink
Clean stove
Wipe down cupboards and counter
Organize living room shelves
Tidy living room
Tidy dining room
Clear off table (MAJOR hot spot)
Sweep and vacuum
Vacuum carpet
DS's homework to preschool on Wednesday
pack DS's folder for preschool tomorrow (immunization forms and emergency contact list)
shake out dog bed and rug
sweep and mop entryway
wash and replace sheets and pillowcases
get to work/preschool on time (we'll see )
get to bed at a decent hour
lay out clothes the night before so not running around frantic in the mornings

Back to The Massive List...FIL is coming over to watch DS after preschool tomorrow so things have to be at least presentable. Sigh...

Dd been rampaging through the house since 2.25am

CNettie - much sympathy

Cheerful - I haven't got back into school/work routine either, hence grumpiness yesterday as everything threatens to take over.
I will try to be more positive today.

I'm going for 3 things at a time again as it feels slightly more achievable

• Find rest of banners for Boot Sale (this Sunday) and put up
• Email people re Boot Sale and Autumn Fayre to get volunteers
• WORK - bank rec, invoices, random stuff

Hopefully will be back to tick those ones off and add new ones later.
Waves to everyone :)

So....close....

I have to keep updating my progress so I feel like I'm getting somewhere!

Finish laundry
Swish and swipe
Clean bathroom floor
Dishes
Shine sink
Clean stove
Wipe down cupboards and counter
Organize living room shelves
Tidy living room
Tidy dining room
Clear off table (MAJOR hot spot)
Sweep and vacuum
Vacuum carpet
DS's homework to preschool on Wednesday
pack DS's folder for preschool tomorrow (immunization forms and emergency contact list)
shake out dog bed and rug
sweep and mop entryway
wash and replace sheets and pillowcases
get to work/preschool on time (we'll see )
get to bed at a decent hour (Sooooo not going to happen; I'm staying up til the wee sma's cleaning :) )
lay out clothes the night before so not running around frantic in the mornings

Good morning all

Well DS was tossy last night while we were up, so I decided to skip my bed and just sleep beside him on the inflatable. He slept right through, so did I and now we're both happy and chirpy (although he's now giving me nap indicators).

I have very little to do today as the house was gutted for guests yesterday. So, my list today looks like this (pinching CY's way of listing! ):
Up/wash/dress/breakfast DS & I
En-suite Bathmats wash
Dinner out of freezer
Tidy bedroom
Sort washing out ready for machine
Washing
Lay away washing (if dry)
Work
Clean en-suite when DS naps

And that's it.

Now must find DS as there's a wail

Hi all
Hope all is well. Sympathies to CNettie, I only went to bed after 2.30 last night as no sign of dd2 sleeping. Eventually I gave up and tookher into m y bed hoping she would sleep, but no, she threw herself around the bed the whole night so neither myself or dp had a good night sleep :( Then dp took dd1 to school so I could have a lie in but my Nan rang at 9 to say not to come today, she has food poisoning so that's off. Oh well.

PuashmePullyou is 6 bottles really that much? Have often had to go with mil to take her bottles as she is embarrassed having so many ( 3 bin bags). Perhaps her excesses have coloured my thinking!
So since I got up after 9, my list looks like this
Up and dressed
Beds made and windows opened
dishwasher emptied
tumble drier on
kitchen cleaned after breakfast
sitting room, kitchen, hall and bathroom hoovered
bathroom deep cleaned
more walls washed (I never noticed how dirty they were )

Still to do
Clear off mantlepiece and shelves and kitchen table
sort out bags for charity shop
Pay rent
Email LL asking for rent reduction
Collect DD from school and talk to her teacher re stolen pencil case
bribe DD not to cry the whole way home as we cannot visit my Nan
Make after school and evening routine posters with DD
Make dinner (turkey curry)
clean up after dinner
uniform and lunch sorted
bedtime routine
bed at a reasonable hour (hopefully)

BBL when I've more things to check off :)

Morning all.

Lovely and sunny today and still no work, so mustn't spend all day MNing!

Ta-da!
Stripped beds
Washing on line
School/music/CM run
Updated profile on work site I hardly ever use...

To do
Veg away
tidy bedroom
filing
dusting
mirrors
bathroom clean
clean bins
sewing
ironing
book Zumba if feel up to it/Wii version if I don't!
remake beds
general de-cluttering

Hmm, better get cracking, but I might have a first...

Great progress on the list CY!
Hi PMPY - glad you had a good holiday.
Strong for Nettle and much sympathy.

Morning all

Welcome back Pushme
Nettie hope mouth gets better soon

Hello to all other flyers. OK So i'm back in a much more positive mood today. Was a little deflated by full day of interview yesterday and then feedbak that was soo positive on how great I was only to be told I hadn't got it as someone else had a hobbie that would fit with the school (Ok maybe not quite a hobbie, but you get what I mean). Today is onwards and upwards.

Ta Da list

• Parcelled up 4 parcels
• Been to shops for stationery requirements
• Been to post office to dispatch parcel
• Email re ebay purchase pick up
• DD to school with required reply slips
• Cleaned kitchen surfaces
• Shined sink (as I didn't do before bed) [embarrassed]

To DO

• Washing x 2
• tidy end of settee of paperwork
• Clear aware bag mountain in hallway
• hoover lounge
• attempt some of ironing mountain
• Further work on job apps
• Pick dd up from school and take to karate
• Whats for tea?

Oh I bought flylady book off amazon and it came yesterday so hoping I can get some time with that too. Have also been up since 4.30 with DH who couldn't sleep so may try and grab an hour.

Back later - Hope you all have a good day

Morning all,

Welcome back PMPY
Hope you feel better soon Nettie
Sorry you didn't get the job MC but sounds as though it was just unlucky that someone else fitted better. Enjoy the book, it has made a huge difference to me, I had just been tinkering round the edges to a large extenet till I read the book and it all just clicked.
Messy - hope you manage a bit of rest today
Cheerful - good list!
Fuzzled - glad you are feeling chirpy
Feet - we've got our first PTA meeting tonight, not feeling very up for it at the moment but we usually end up in the pub, so that's not so bad.
Linzer - of your weather, very autumnal here now, I need to get the winter duvet down from the loft soon.
SC - sorry, didn't mean to make you feel bad about the wrong zone, I did know it was the bathroom etc this week (thanks to my brand new control journal!). I had meant to declutter DD's bedroom yesterday, but because she was poorly on the sofa and I wanted to sit with her, I decluttered that room instead, hence wrong zone, nothing to do with your links!

Anyway DD is much better today and got through the night with no more mishaps, although just before she went to bed there was a spectacular vomit that encompassed two white towels and a pink scarf from her dressing up box. We hurriedly threw them all in the wash at 60 and lo and behold two pink towels on the line, which is funny as you had been discussing wash separation. MIL never separates but as she only wears manmade fibres in sludgy colours it doesn't seem to make a lot of difference. I do whites once a week (twice since I started shredding, getting through a lot of sports bras and vests), one lot of reds/pink and several lots of dark colours a week.

So today,
Morning routine done
School run with DS done
Work - been in and fetched home work and laptop (DH worked at home this morning)
Shred - done

To do
Work
Entertain DD
Try and declutter her room again
School run
PTA meeting
Evening routines
Bit of detailed cleaning / mission in bathroom.
Lots of washing and drying

No need for you to feel envious any more, WhoKnows - it's now pouring with rain here. I hadn't noticed at all, so the washing got soaking wet and I had to make an emergency dash to pick up DD1 and a friend on their way home from school (they'd got about halfway). Luckily it was still quite warm and sunny for DD2's first ever walk home alone. I cycled to meet her and couldn't work out why she was standing stock still when I first spotted her - until I realised that there was someone with a dog in front of her who had also stopped (she's terrified of dogs). Dogs aside (she said she had to keep stopping and starting), she got on fine; I think I was probably more nervous than she was.

MC Glad to hear you're feeling more positive today. Sorry about the job; it must be very disappointing, but it sounds like you couldn't really have done any more and made an excellent impression.

SC Hmm, not really sure why we didn't have a washing machine - I think my mum saw it as an unnecessary extravagance. (I don't know how she coped; I remember her washing all the nappies by hand too.) Later on, she claimed she didn't have room for one (despite a large kitchen plus utility room), although did start taking all the washing to the launderette when it got too much for her. It was only when they moved house a few years ago that my parents finally got a WM - included in the house, as was a dishwasher, which has revolutionised my dad's life (he no longer knows what to do with himself at Christmas!).

nettle Hope you're feeling better today.

Must admit I'm struggling a bit with FLYing at the moment; I find it quite demotivating that I'm rarely able to finish my morning routine, let alone fit in the decluttering and/or mission. So for the moment, I must confess to more or less ignoring my usual routine (although most of it does get done at some point) and focusing on tidying up and decluttering downstairs. The constant tidying just feels relentless, but I've moaned about it on here before so will try to restrain myself for now.

Anyway, done so far (posting to make myself feel better):
5k run
emptied dishwasher
hung up washing
tidied hall, living room and kitchen
taken two boxes of paper down to recycling bin, discovering missing ?30 worth of vouchers in the process

Still to do:
supervise homework doing
speech therapy exercises with DS
get DDs to write cards to GPs
remind DDs to do piano practice
Shred
DD2 to ballet
tidy bedrooms, home office and playroom

Afternoon everyone. Won't go in to all the details but I am feeling stressed today. Lots of things happening at work, school and home that I have no control over and all I can do is seethe and gnash my teeth!!

Suffice to say there are situations in life where you make great efforts to play it fair and stick to the rules and plough doggedly on etc etc and then someone just comes in and rides roughshod over it all without so much as a bye-your-leave... added to which dh is starting his serious travel schedule again tomorrow...shouldn't complain but heigh ho ...

Whoknows - you are up on the clock by decluttering in ANY zone (partic. when looking after a poorly child)!! My roof and cellars are looking worse than ever ...and as for the home office ... I don't think I am ever going to get there. (Problem is getting rid of stuff once it is decluttered - recycling/rubbish laws being so strict here - so it is backing up on the landings.)

So happy to hear your dd is feeling a bit better today and that she was OK in the night.

I think I may be too obsessive/over-zealous separating the wash (ie have a cool white wash and a hot white wash, a cool dark wash and a hot dark wash and lots of separate colours in between and woe betide anyone who interferes with my system ... [cue maniacal cackling]

Good on you MC and your renewed positivity!! Interviews can be such an effort can't they? There'll be another occasion soon when it's your skills/hobbies that match better but I know up until that point the processing can be a bit wearing. Good luck with your plan for the day - it all looks extremely well organised.

Blue It's nice to have a bit of a breathing space from work every now and then. 'Profitez!' as they say over here ...

Poor you Messy you must be shattered! Good luck with getting through the day and hope you can catch up on sleep tonight. Agree with you about recycling wine bottles, goodness, we have carrier-bags full! I'm always clanking down the street with them ....

Fuzzled chirpy is good (despite the inflatable!) Glad you caught up with sleep!

CY I'm impressed! Truly brilliant progress!

Feetheart I feel the same as you felt yesterday ie grumpy!! Thought I was all organised but I'm really not and I'm just, well, bored by it all atm. May have to try 3 item approach... As thread leader, I'm not allowed to lose faith in the system am I??? Glad you are feeling a bit more positive today though.

Oh no CNettle you must be shattered too! Poor you ...

Yay Pushme [SC stuffs 3 large pieces of fudge down the hatch] great to have you back and to hear you had a lovely time. Glad you got a bit of a rest too albeit only two days - holidays with wee ones are never totally relaxing are they? V. impressed you can back to shiny house though!!!!

Right, I'm going to stir my stumps and try and summon up the enthusiasm to do something productive...

Keep going everyone!

Yay on vouchers Linzer I know how you feel about flying. I want to keep doing it as I know it gives me a focus but I'm feeling like I need to clear before I can attempt missions etc. I'm hoping the book will renew my enthusiasm for the fly-way of keeping on top of it all.

I've been chasing my local LEA supply agency today and have found out I have an interview for them in 2 weeks time, so that is good news (Although I wish it was sooner). I've also put in an app for another one and spent an hour trying to get the heating to switch on. Now I'm warmer and had lunch I'm going to get on with the cleaning

SC just wandering past and had to stop and hand out and to make you feel better. Sorry it's not going your way.

Right, off again to go for lunch and then a nice walk with DS. Well, walk for me and push for him.

x post

Linzer gosh your mother was obviously a v. diligent housekeeper. Handwashing nappies is a true labour of love. I couldn't live without my appliances. My dw would be the first thing I would try and save in the event of a fire, after dh, dd and the guinea pigs ..

Ditto re: Fly struggling. I think I am losing faith. Although it's entirely my own fault if I Nesbit all the time. Any system won't work if you do that.

(Not your situation I know - I think you are being far too hard on yourself as it is simply not possible to do all the school runs you do and fit in all the necessary housework. It just isn't!)

Well done to your dd2 for valiantly avoiding the dogs and getting home safely!

x posts

Thank you Fuzzled [gratefully snaffles and and pours one in return] I shouldn't complain ... I really shouldn't.. so fortunate in a billion ways ... going to follow your example and get some fresh air and exercise and clear my head...sunny and blustery here ... my favourite weather!

MC that's terrific news that you already have another interview lined up and well done with your application. It's good to keep the momentum going ...

Think I may follow your example and re-order another Flylady book too (mine literally fell apart). I also feel as though I am moving swathes of clutter from one place to another ... need to get rid!

See you later everyone and thanks for letting me vent (yet again!)

Good morning. I'm exhausted BUT:

Everything is done on my Mammoth List except the vacuuming. Everyone was sleeping so I didn't want to wake them and now I've got to get ready for work.

Have a lovely day!

linzer mind you, I can remember numerous weeks in my childhood when the clothes were washed in the bath.... our washing machine was always breaking down under the strain of bedwetters and four kids! I'll say it before and I'll say it again, all one really needs is a mangle to survive no washer

SC I do love a boil wash!
Hope you come in from theouter darkness soon (wailing and gnashing of teeth etc). You are really very kind to look after us so well, despite everything going on. You must be the Angel of the office too, as well as the Hearth.

done
ASD meeting. Thoughts whirling in my head. Mainly other parents telling us about their children's difficulties. Like being in a telepathic chain and then also thinking guiltily, gosh my child is easy in comparisonThinking a lot about holistic side of dealng with ASD, and linking to my own ASD tendencies too, which put it in perspective. Runs for six weeks, so it will be helpful I'm sure (apart from annoying trainee pychologist who kept interrupting to give her opinions. Whereas professionals of course kept quiet, and listened to parents, all 20 of us!)
Did shopping on way home in attempt not to slump, and quick burst of pseudo meal planning
Friend comign to coffee now, so incentive for quick burst of cleaning.

nettie how is tooth this morning? Do you get lots of sales at this time of year?
Yikes, cat has managed to bring whole phone system crashing down! There, that gave me anasty fright.
Time to go. Blue enjoy a bit of free time before work comes in again. SC good feedback

Hi all,
sorry for not being very prolific, still working on the routine and flying etc... but can't really do the whole babystep a day thing.
I seem to be the proud owner of a bit of a morning routine [smug face] but we will see for how long!!!??

Here's my list of done and not done for my own reference...

Washing out done
new load in done
washing up done
S&S kitchen done
S&S bathroom done
extra clean in bathroom done
bin out bathroom
bin out kitchen
recycling out done
clean recycling bin almost done (bleaching at min)
brekkie done
vits almost done (I can't take them all at once - bleuch)
hotspot done

still to do
put away clothes
cut some plants back
put some details on 2, skeletal, Ebay listings I put on last night
get ds from school
park and chat
go to work
get ready for work (first)
washing in
check babystep 8

I'm thinking a morning routine could be the washing up, swish and swipe kitchen and bathroom and hotspot, do you think that would do for a basic morning routine? I don't always have washing to put out, so that could be separate.

Am I being dim? (well I am, but...)

I can't see FlyLady's book on Amazon UK.

Anyone who's bought it post me a link?Pretty please?!

Fuzzled It's here.

Grr, must learn to be more assertive and less people-pleasing. Back in a minute when I've calmed down.

Oh dear, SC, that all sounds very frustrating - and bad timing with your DH's travels starting up again too. I hope the situation can be resolved in some way. And sorry to hear you're also losing faith, although I completely agree about no system working if you spend all your time Nesbitting, which I'm afraid I'm all too guilty of.

MC Good news on the interview. Yes, maybe I should reread FlyLady's book for inspiration too - come to think of it, I didn't finish the final few chapters when I reread it over the summer so must do that asap.

rowingboat That sounds like a good basic morning routine. I have washing as part of my morning routine, but obviously ignore it if I don't have any to do.

swan I still remember my grandmother's tales of fingers getting trapped in mangles, which rather put me off the idea of them.

As for the cause of my frustration (which I'm sure is nothing really compared to yours, SC), we now have DD1's friend here until 7.30 pm. She asked me when I dropped her off after school whether she could come over later this afternoon, and I said yes, if her mum said that was OK. So she phoned me later to ask whether she could come over at 3 pm; I said that was fine.

Her mum has just dropped her off, asked how long she could stay - I was about to say I would bring her DD back when I collected DD2 from ballet at 5 pm, when she said that she and her DH were going to the dog-training place from 5 to 7 and would be back at about 7.30 pm, otherwise she would have to collect her before 5 pm. I said that I would bring her DD home just before 5 pm as DS goes to bed quite early, in fact they all do, and they're quite tired at the moment.

She agreed BUT THEN I said at the last minute "but if it would really be easier for you, your DD could stay while you're at the dog training place" and she said "well yes, it would be easier". So now DD1's friend is staying until 7.30pm, which means I'll have to give her dinner, and I really try to have the DC in bed by 7 pm on school nights, and and and.... And last time I took DD1 over there to play at 3 pm (ages ago), her mum said I should collect her at 5 pm so that her DD could do her homework afterwards. And this was the mum who cancelled on me once without bothering to phone me (her DD just told DD1 that she couldn't come). And DD1 wasn't invited to this girl's birthday party, despite inviting her to hers (if that makes sense). And her mum is going to be away next week and asked if her DD could come over for a few hours then as well. Oh, and DH is still away so won't be around to help with bedtime tonight.

Grr.

Linzer I had this issue once with DD's friend visiting on a school night, her mum rang full of apologies but she had been delayed and wouldn't be here until 9pm. DD was utterly miserable the next day if she didn't get her full whack of sleep so I told her friend she was a Deputy Mummy and made her a little badge, and she helped DD get ready for bed AND read her a story (well, they giggled together over a book IYKWIM). Then at 'lights out' I told DD that the 'two mummies' were going to clean up the house, and we tiptoed out. Then I took her friend off into the living room and told her In Strictest Confidence that after DD was in bed, I actually sit and watch tv for a little while, and so we snuggled on the sofa watching Disney.

Apparently the friend took great delight in 'spilling the beans' to DD the next day about what Mum actually got up to after lights-out!

Today:
Morning routine
2 loads laundry
deep-cleaned sofa (all cushions off, vacuumed & damp-ragged to remove cat hair and biscuit crumbs)
Sorted mountain of paperwork under coffee table

To do:
Help DD with homework - actually required to do this as she has to write Back To The Future with me and DH as the parents!
Put clean clothes away
Sort cupboards/fridge for big shopping delivery tomorrow.

Sounds like you dealt with the situation really well, Oops. The thing is, if it had been anyone else I probably wouldn't have minded - and 7.30 pm isn't really all that late, as the other mother herself pointed out - it's just that I'm still annoyed about a couple of past events when I felt DD1 was let down a bit (it was the lack of apology that annoyed me as much as anything). OTOH DD1 hardly ever has friends over and they're playing really well together, so I don't want to discourage it (it's not like DS having friends over, which is often quite exhausting). Also, with DD2 now at ballet and DS at a friend's, it gives me an extra hour to get on with things (DD1 on her own would normally be hard work, as she's either bored or wants to watch TV/play on the computer so needs quite a bit of distraction if I don't want her to spend the whole afternoon doing so).

Update on list:

supervise homework done
speech therapy exercises with DS when he gets home
get DDs to write cards to GPs
remind DDs to do piano practice done, but they haven't done it yet
Shred done
DD2 to ballet done
collect DD2 from ballet and DS from friend's
tidy bedrooms, home office and playroom
invoices