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!

Blue I am on linkedin, although I haven't managed to really get in to it yet. I have noticed that people I've met are looking at my profile though.

Ouch Yes. Very Much So

Haunted i am always suspicious of EAs with low valuations who just happen to have the perfect buyer waiting in the wings. Could they be trying to rush you into accepting less than the house is worth for a quick sale? How much was the valuation down by?

SC don't feel bad. Remember my bottle bank trip of last week (the fun never stops here!)? That was prompted by a hugely embarassing experience when the meter reader came round and I had to get a step ladder out of the kitchen cupboard so he could read the meter. I couldn't get in to the kitchen cupboard as the floor was so covered in empty wine and beer bottles. In our defence the glass recycling is only collected once a month and we had missed a month, but nonetheless there were basically nine square meters of bottles with the step laddders lurking at the back. I was as he came up behind me and peered in as I toppled bottles everywhere.

Anyway very little flying apart from routines, but I did pick up the new car, which is quite nice and have done quite a lot of household admin. DH has room rescues the living room and cleaned out the old car so all is going fairly well here!

Night all, sorry to those I've missed. Must. Go. To. Bed!

grrrr lost message

Hello everyone

done everything on very short list.

wig shopping with mil went well, she now has two lined up for when she looses her hair. She is doing really well and feels not too bad, fatigued really.

Ds came back from school with a good behaviour sticker, he had got to amber and back to green by end of the day. swan yes im not sure what to think, apparently it is him and his friend who spend most of the time on the traffic light system. Most of me thinks that it is good for him to learn what he can and cant do. I certainly know he is being cheeky, rude and answering back at home so not outwith the realms that he is doing the same at school too. She did say he was doing really well and had mastered and knows lots of his sight words already.

Ds has a rotten cough and has been up and down most of the night, poor little fello. He was around mil earlier too....she says its fine but id feel heck of a bad if dc gave mil a cold and she got a bad infection. She said she could get the same at the supermarket without even trying.

On the pampering babystep, i am all set for my ball on saturday and drinking and dancing with my girlie friends is where ill be pampering myself. Cant wait.

mc good luck with supply day

i cant remember anything else about anything [brain dead] so humungous waves, sorry for no personals.

youse are brill

Hi all,
Sorry I'm sitting here giggling after reading about all the utilities people having to scale mountains of washing. They should think themselves lucky you don't have any concealed unexploded devices from WWII under your laundry piles or crocodiles. I mean, lightweights! If a pair of smelly socks upsets them, they should be looking for a new job!

Sorry just checked my post about the bank, it is an absolute stream of consciousness. I wasn't in best form after the hour on the phone. Things got cancelled, nobody told me, that's the story in a nutshell, oh and they are blaming each other!

Just wanted to update my list [tiptoes to list]

Tumbling some almost dry washing still to do tonight DONE
water plants DONE
water/feed outside plants DONE
Still no new babystep (sticks fingers in ears and closes eyes)
find out how to cut back blackcurrant
find out what to do with strawberries, something to do with runners?? CHECKING OUT LINKS THANKS SC
plant some bulbs
tidy up tubs
washing in DONE
get something for DS's tea at friends DONE
5 minute room rescue sitting room DONE
5 minute vacuum sitting room
5 minute declutter bookshelf

Morning all. Sorry, didn't manage to get back on here (again!) last night.
(Justine (Mumsnet) was v. good on QT btw!!)

Thanks for your kind words about the cable man. On reflection, he ate one of dd's after-school pancakes so he must have approved of the state of the kitchen at least.

MC GOOD LUCK TODAY !!! - We are all with you in Fledgling spirit!

Arf at Pushme's 9 sq m of bottles . Now that is what I call a proper amount of recycling!!!! Enjoy your new car!

And arf at Rowingboats unexploded devices!! Hope you sort out the banks - it is v. distressing when that sort of thing happens.

So glad your mil wasn't feeling too bad yesterday Nettle. Hope your ds had a better night last night.

Blue a belated 'happy birthday' to your dh. Hope your back recovers soon.

Swan at your ds2 and his teapot impression. Yes, will definitely have to think of something more exciting to drape over the keyboard next time ...

Whoknows well done for sticking to the routines and the daily Shred!

Haunted well done for carrying on with uni work despite current preoccupations. There are so many factors involved in moving house aren't there? It's just so complicated (partic. where dc and schools are involved). Good luck with making your decision. And look after that back of yours!

Waves to Ellie Toffee PA Feetheart CY MissJ Linzer Messy Ouch Oops Nicknacks Droitwichmummy AlicevanW Ihate Hattie Fuzzled Brokenwingedflier Dizzy and everyone I've missed

Off to gynaecologist now for appt on correct day (I hope) ...

Back this pm

Have a good day everyone!

*

Today's step, no. 23 for Friday 23rd September is: here

We are in zone 4 all this week (the master bedroom) here Next week is the living room btw.

Today's mission is here or it will be, once site updates itself.

Friday is the day Flylady does miscellaneous chores and paperwork. Misc. stuff could include cleaning out car, cleaning out handbag, pet care, returning library bks etc.

Friday night is date night.

*

Morning. For a rare morning I am awake the first time the alarm goes off and not reluctantly after about 5 hits of the snooze button. feel absolutely shattered though and have a day of many miles.

morning routine - up, ds up and breakfasted/lunch school run
dye boots to original colour to revive them
hairdressers
blackpool
afternoon - school run, ds changed, shove ds into car
ds to contact drop off point
Training - SC this training is more pamper then work and virtually always a lot of giggles
sleep

Good luck MC
hope you all have good days!

Morning all,

A rather frustrating day yesterday - apart from the English lessons, which went well; I'm definitely finding it easier now that I've got a bit more experience. Spent most of the day trying and failing to get hold of a friend to a) check that her DD knew she was supposed to be walking back with DD2 after school tomorrow, b) talk to her about English lessons (if I can persuade her to send her DD with another girl on Fridays, I'd have a space on Tuesdays for another boy from DD2's class - but she's not keen as she thinks they'd distract each other). At any rate, she finally phoned back this morning - when I was out on the school run and had forgotten my mobile. I phoned her back but she only had time to confirm that her DD did know that she's supposed to be waiting for DD2 and said she would phone me back in half an hour. I went out for my run, safe in the knowledge that she wouldn't, and indeed 1.5 hours later she still hasn't phoned.

Frustration no. 2 yesterday was having to make a special trip to the paediatrician's to pick up another speech therapy referral for DS as it still hadn't been received by the health insurance company in Vienna on Monday. Receptionist said they weren't allowed to issue another so soon after the first, but ended up giving me a duplicate. Gave it to DH in the evening to take into Vienna. He said he also needed DS's health insurance card, which was nowhere to be found; I must have left it at the doctor's. To cap it all, he also discovered that the approved referral had arrived in the post earlier that day (before I'd been to the paed) - all that time wasted. Grr.

Lovely but unreliable friend finally called back and I've just spent 50 minutes on the phone to her. Must now phone paed to check whether DS's card is there, and go to pick it up if so.

To put all my frustrations into perspective, it's the funeral this afternoon. Can't imagine what my friend must be going through.

Will be back later to catch up with the thread properly over coffee, but really must get off MN now.

Pushme reminds me of my downstairs loo - we have a glass recycling box behind the door which occasionally overflows, one day a lot couple of the bottles fell over and sort of got stuck sideways, creating an almost perfect doorstop - I managed to push the door open about 2" and then had to do a weird maneuvre with a bent clotheshanger to try to hook the bottles out of the way! Good thing we have another loo upstairs!

Quick list -
Clear up from breakfast
One load of washing in on timer
5 minute Room Rescue living room
5 minute Room Rescue kitchen
Blitz downstairs to look 'nice'
Dress in decent clothes (!)
Meet mum & cousins for walk round town
Find sleeping bags/airbed in attic
Pack for DD's camping trip tonight - REMEMBER POT NOODLES

Frustrating morning getting ds2 to school, trying out visual timetable (words written on front door of all the things he needs before he leaves house) but seemed to set him off into a especially irritating mood, where he went round in circles and did not organise anything.
There is talk of Formula 1 on Sunday, which is preoccupying him I think

Done
violin practice dd
washing in
washing out
breakfast dishes

Ds1 is here still as we are off to physio now, relaxing in a way not to have such an early start, but he also requires organising [sigh]
We just finished the D & T homework...just lists of materials that things are made from, no craft thank goodness

Linzer thought of trying to coordinate health insurance as well as all other stuff I lose; I take my hat off to you. And best thoughts to your friend at the funeral.

SC good luck at doctor, hope she/he has positive news.

Didn't get back on here yesterday, day seemed to be one stress object after another, so I gave up on doing anything very productive, and just "survived" until bedtime.

• DS decided he didn't want to be at school and had a meltdown in the classroom. He wanted to "play", but they start the day with "early work" which he finds hard so doesn't want to do - generally colouring in a picture and practice writing letters. I peeled him off me, gave him to his lovely teacher, advised her to keep hold of him!, kissed him goodby, said I would be back at pickup and left. Didn't feel good doing it, but I wasn't going to say he didn't have to do what the others were going to be doing, or stay with him for the day.
• Major roadworks in village meant getting to work was a hassle.
• Work in panic mode, as Director had left dept supervisors to do their job for once, and they hadn't - so Director and I spent first part of morning helping prep bar for 20 breakfasts.
• Phoned school to check DS ok, apparently he was cross/unhappy until midmorning.
• Tried to get home after work, found that they had missed out our house when telling people they wouldn't be able to use vehicles to access their house, so I ended up having to abandon car on the verge in the middle of the roadworks and walk home. Was told I could move car after 6pm. Phoned DH and warned him.
• DS had meltdown when he saw me at pickup - angry with me for not letting him have his own way this morning. Poor teacher was bewildered, she'd not had a child do that before - she said he had been fine all day once he had settled down.
• Email from aunt saying she has breast cancer, and asking me to phone my DM (her sister), after she had phoned her to give her more details.
• DS decided he didn't want the tea I was cooking (sausages and mash as he usually likes them)

Kind of gave up on the day at that point!!

Right, so today has to be better

Done
Up at 6.30 as friend had a childcare problem, and needed me to have them from 6.45 - 7.15 as she was working nights, and her DH needed to go to work early
Tidy kitchen
Tidy living room
Get DS up and going
Morning routine
Washing on line
Email work
Move car so I can get out of the village today (will be refinishing tarmacing this section of the main road today)
Take DS to school
Sort recycling
Make jelly
Sort personal paperwork

To Do
Zone cleaning/declutter
S/s
Make beds
Hotspot
Clean washing away
Handwashing
Filing
Comp finance
Lunch
Reading/craft help at DS school
Pickup
Town - library, banking, shopping
Cook tea
Tea
Evening routine
Washing on airer
Clean washing wasy
Treasurer notes
Lottery paperwork
Investigate house insurance
Mending

Just back from the doctor's, who did indeed have DS's card (thank goodness). I managed to kill two birds with one stone by also making an appointment for DS to have his tick vaccination, so that's one more thing to tick (no pun intended) off my list.

swan Sorry to hear you had a frustrating start to the day; hope physio goes OK.

oops I used to be allowed pot noodles as a rare treat. but DH has banned me from having them now

Ouch I vaguely remember the days when I used to feel awake when the alarm went off. Here's a to keep you going.

SC Hope gynae appt goes well (and that you are actually seen this time!).
I can empathise with your experience yesterday, as the gas man always seems to call round to read the meter when the cellar is at its absolute worst - piles of stuff on the stairs waiting to be taken down, piles of washing everywhere (the WM and dryer are next to the meter), etc.

But look on the bright side - at least you didn't offend anyone. Here's my embarrassing tale from yesterday to cheer you up: I was next door in our neighbour's garden talking to her about the speech therapist; she said how brusque she'd found her and I agreed. I asked her whether the speech therapist is German, she replied that it sounded like it from her accent, and I said, "Oh well, that explains a lot." I suddenly realised that our German neighbour was gardening only about a foot from the fence that separates her garden from the one that I was in; (Austrian) neighbour and I looked over to her garden simultaneously and had to stifle our giggles. I'm really hoping that the German neighbour was engrossed in her gardening and didn't hear. (No offence swan; I've just had a few bad experiences with unfriendly German officials - years ago now, though; I was pleasantly surprised at how friendly everyone was in Berlin last year.)

nettle Hope your DS is feeling better soon. Can understand you feeling guilty about your MIL but you obviously didn't know that your DS was going to come down with anything so you really shouldn't - like she said, she could pick up something anywhere.

Blue A friend posted something on Facebook recently about LinkedIn seeming like a boring FB where people make their jobs seem ridiculously fancy, which made me smile. Apparently it can be very good for networking, but I've never used it - you'll have to let me know whether you find it useful (although I seem to be spending more time teaching than translating at the moment).

Good luck MC, hope all goes well today!

Linzer - hope the funeral goes as well as these things can. Your poor friend.

Ihate - what a dreadful day you had yesterday. Hope today is better. Also, hope your son settles more happily at school today. It's horrible when teachers claim they have never seen a child meltdown before - she can't be very experienced then, can she? Your son had obviously been containing his feelings all day and only felt able to let go once he saw you.

Swan - violin practise before school? I'm impressed. All your talk of the trials of homework is worrying me: DS1 starts getting homework in October.

Oops - at the glass doorstop.

Ouch - good luck with your day of many miles.

Played a trick on DS1 this morning. He's off school (INSET day) and going on and on at me about scary films he wants to watch (that apparently everyone else in his class has seen ). Eventually, he persuaded me to watch the YouTube clip of the scary video from 'The Ring' to demonstrate to me how brave he was. For those who don't know, in the film anyone who watches this video receives a phone call afterwards telling them they will die in seven days. After I'd watched the clip with him (very reluctantly - I really hate things like that), I went into the kitchen to get my tea and secretly rang our phone from my mobile. DS answered it and looked at me in horror when there was no sound. Then I picked up my mobile and whispered down the phone to him and he realised it was me and burst out laughing. But he hasn't asked to see any more scary clips since then...

Still a bit coldy, so am going to have a coffee to wake myself up, then try to get my arse into gear and do some jobs. I need a list...

Coffee
Morning routine, including washing on
Kitchen - room rescue and hotspot
Ring man about broken oven
Wrap present
Bedroom - room rescue
Find DS2's journal for childminder (in messy bedroom?)
Find control journal (disappeared two days ago - I'm lost without it. Also in messy bedroom, maybe?)
Ironing
Phone the place we went to on Sunday to see if they found DS2's missing coat (hope it's not cold this weekend. Neither of my children has a coat - DS2's has disappeared and DS1 has left his at school)
Lunch
Drop present and journal off at childminder's
Visit friend for tea and chat

Was also going to take DS1 to the doctor's, but couldn't get an appointment. He has eczema on his arm, which is getting worse. I've been using some cream from the chemist, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good. Anyone have any tips?

SC - sorry to miss you out - and you our esteemed leader too! Good luck at the gynaecologist's today.

Linzer glad lessons went well and that you found the all important card. Are tick injections something specific to Austria or is it something I should be worrying about here? (Or is it just a good precaution if you hike a lot perhaps? Or go riding along forest paths???) Didn't know such a thing existed tbh.

Had similar situation with dd yesterday when she said something unintentionally rude (but honest!) when passing a house where the resident was within earshot. When I told her to keep her voice down, she said "oh don't worry, no one can understand English" and I had to inform her that actually, probably over 75% of people over here can and NEVER to assume that.

I hope the funeral this afternoon goes as well as these things ever can . That poor family.

Oh no Ihate so sorry to hear about your aunt . I hope your Mum is OK too - that's v. distressing news to have to hear about your sister. And sorry you had such a frustrating day yesterday altogether. I think I would have given up long before the sausage and mash stage. Hope ds felt better about school in to school today. Good luck with all your tasks and hope you manage to avoid the wet tarmac!

Swan I hope your day gets better. Am v. impressed by the early morning violin practice btw. Good luck at the physio and thank you for early F1 warning!

Oops arf at wine bottle overflow. Have fun with your friends in town!

Ouch good to hear you have time to fit a bit of fun in for once and a bit of pampering at the hair salon.

Just back from doctor's too which was helpful (thank you Swan) in as much as I learned a lot more useful information and not helpful inasmuch that some of that information conflicted with what I had been told by my gp/cardiologist. Overall though, given that none of this is an exact science, I feel better about the decisions I am making/path I'm taking etc. (I think )

x posts Toffee

Good scare strategy !!! And good to see tea with friend on list too!!

Hope you find the coats!

Don't know much about eczema, only that when dd had a little behind her knees when she was much younger, we found an oatmeal bath to be quite effective. You just fill a bath with warm (but not too hot) water, and crush about two mugs of natural rolled oats in to a powder (I used a blender but I think you could use a rolling pin/plastic bag at a pinch) and chuck in. Soak child for approx 15 mins then dab dry rather than rub off with towel (idea is to preserve soothing oatmeal on the skin).

Must step away from the screen now and try and impose some order on this pigsty the second floor ...

Ooh, that sounds a good plan, SC. I know that the doctor once prescribed a soothing cream with oatmeal in it. I'll give that a try later. Thanks.

Swan - have just received the homework booklet from DS1's school. I can see we are going to be busy...

SC As far as I know, you shouldn't have to worry about tick jabs in Belgium - I think it mainly affects Austria and southern Germany plus parts of eastern Europe. Here, it's recommended that everyone is vaccinated as you can pick up ticks anywhere - even in the garden - although it's more likely in long grass.

Yes, it's always dangerous to assume that people can't understand English (unfortunately I was speaking in German yesterday, so the neighbour would definitely have understood - am just hoping she didn't hear!). Unfortunately my ILs are among the very few who can't, and whenever the DC speak to me my MIL automatically assumes that they want something to eat and leaps up. But my MIL's attitude to food is a whole other topic!

Toffee Your trick made me laugh; sounds like it may have been quite effective in discouraging your DS from watching horror films, at any rate!
Re eczema, we've been prescribed a lot of creams by the paediatrician for DS (who has dermatitis, which comes and goes) but none of them seems very effective. Last time I was at the dermatologist's, she recommended La Roche-Posy Lipikar Baume. I've only used it a couple of times so can't comment on its effectiveness, but we've got about 10 sample tubes and I'd be quite happy to send you one if you'd like to try it out.

Must go as DD2 has just arrived home...

Back from physio...trek to hosp etc...trek to school to drop ds back etc...had a row with him on the way back about crossing the road, only to read the free local newspaper (on the way home on bus) mentioning that the junction we had our "dispute" over was the most dangerous junction in Ealing!!! Mums are always right must show him that article this evening to make him laugh..

toffee arf at scarey mum
and I think a timer is what you need for homework too, as we got a bit bogged down.

cobweb big hug and a hug to ds too. And to your aunt. Hope jelly sets!
Now I have loads of small black grapes in my porch and I'm wondering what to do with them...wine might be a bit too complicated, could I make some sort of grape jelly preserve with the juice? Any hints or suggestions welcome.

done
stocked up at butcher next to ds school and have meals for weekend planned.

Another problem has come up with Secondary School. Ds1 appears to be picking on someone in his class, from what I hear (could be biased) from his old school acquaintances. I bumped into one yesterday who relayed the information that Ds1 was bullying B. He had heard this from the only other ex-primary school mate in Ds1's class.
Ds admits he has been imitiating B to make fun of him, because "N bullied me in primary school and he was really popular", and because "B is really annoying"
I posted a thread in Secondary Schools about it. If anyone has any advice, please post there..
The chinese whisper aspect of it is the most difficult to unravel

Hair dressor was not pampering it was a recut to try to fix the fuck up she did the other day she made it worse I am about it.

Ds is off school ill. I am grumpy. i hate having to interact with people when I was expecting to have some lovely time to myself and my own thoughts. Must update my list but cba to scroll back to find it list in short:

Up and ready for day - me and ds done
Phone ex and conflab as to what to do about ds then notify school done
Hairdressors - least said on that matter
first long trip done
kit fixing last stage done

left to do:
pack ds stuff for his trip to his dad's
drop ds off
training -absolutely shattered but can't wait for it tonight.

Need coffee and sleep. sleep not an option so more coffee it is.

Will leave fresh pot over here -->>

bugger what the hell was that crash?

Coffee done
Morning routine, including washing on done
Kitchen - room rescue and hotspot done
Ring man about broken oven
Wrap present done
Bedroom - room rescue
Find DS2's journal for childminder (in messy bedroom?) done
Find control journal (disappeared two days ago - I'm lost without it. Also in messy bedroom, maybe?) done - yes, in messy bedroom
Ironing
Phone the place we went to on Sunday to see if they found DS2's missing coat (hope it's not cold this weekend. Neither of my children has a coat - DS2's has disappeared and DS1 has left his at school)
Lunch done
Drop present and journal off at childminder's done
Visit friend for tea and chat done

Too many spiders in this house at the moment . Going online now to find out about anything that will get rid of them.

Thanks for the offer, Linzer. That's really kind, but I don't want to put you to any trouble (you have enough to do!). I have looked up the lotion you mention online, so I could order some. Also, I need to stop letting DS use soap in his bath too - I know that's obvious, but I haven't really being paying attention and have only just noticed how awful and red the eczema is.

Toffee my eczema is much improved since I chucked away all the liquid soap and went back to bars of soap.

It would honestly be no problem for me to pop some in the post for you, Toffee - you'd be helping to declutter our bathroom cupboard. It's ridiculously full of small bottles of one thing and another, mostly ones that DH has liberated from hotels. I'll PM you.

Ouch I know exactly how you feel about not getting time to yourself when you were expecting it; I get very grumpy about that too. And how annoying about the haircut.

swan Sorry to hear about the school problems; I'll have a look at your thread later when I have a bit more time.

The funeral went as well as these kinds of things can go. It was inevitably very sad - just heartbreaking to see the 9 year old girl and her mother sitting at the front; I don't think the DD had really taken in what was happening. It was a very modern service in the small chapel at the cemetery - no vicar, just a choir singing gospel-type music/spirituals (very strange to hear them being sung by a group of mainly middle-aged Austrians) and a few speeches. The last one, from his former - elderly and initially rather staid-seeming - boss, was very moving: it started off very formally (he referred to him as "Dr X" rather than by his first name), but he kept having to regain his composure and virtually broke down at the end. My friend, on the other hand, was amazingly composed - I already knew she was very strong, but I just don't know how she held it together (she was obviously struggling towards the end when everyone went up to offer their condolences). All just so, so sad.

oh, this is my favourite mission! (i'm picking and choosing ones that i think might help lol)

today's list:

dw
wm
mop floors
take back kid's library books (i had a bill for them yesterday feck)
doctor done
mission!
thrift shop!
arrange babysitter
call poss riders and arrange scheduling
update website and fb

sleeeeeeeeep