September Flegdgling Fliers - Part 2!

[elliepac]

Here is the second part of the thread ladies which is much needed because we chat fly so much

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!

[OuchPassVodka]

Evening.

today was not successful but did sleep last night.
Morning = dealing with ds who had 101 reasons why he shouldn't go to school. Real reason was a hatred of writing. Meeting set up with the school to tackle this.
Dealt with basic household matters with other occupants of the house and napped briefly this afternoon.
forgot to ring the dentist though.

Feel like death. too hot, virusy and really really achey. PLus i have loads of new bruises that I am not entirely sufe i know where come from. I want my bed. Haven't actually done anything today and no intention of doing anything tomo.

For those who asked about the knitting: some scarfs for christmas presents with the new style wool thingys that make frilly scarves. Perfect for the elderly female relatives that don't really need or want anything for christmas.

I feel like death and ds is being clingy. I want my bed but will have to settle for a few hundred games of monopoly deal before his bedtime. flying fail.

Hope you are all having better days. night.

[coostoonettle]

Evening all

Serious cba here tonight

not even got a list! rebel emotions

pa congrats on Cambodia job so exciting
linzer Definately panic stricken rr here too before cleaner arrives
swan love imagining ur someone else's cleaner. Might try that for motivation.
nicknacks at electric people getting shirty. We had that where 6 months after moving put despite monthly meter readings being provided in the 5 yrs there that meter was wrong and we owed £4500 cue cancel dd with bank! Except bank paid it anyway hope you get it sorted and get your complaint in. Bloody jobsworth!!!

I'm having another early night and hoping for more motivation/energy tomorrow.

Hope you all have fab day.

[rowingboat]

Hi all
ouch, I hope you are feeling better soon. Have a sleep if you can.
Quick review of stuff a
To Do
Morning routine - all done
washing out - done
wash duvet - summer one done in machine, Winter one now on line sodden
clean washing machine - done
dinner pork? Souvlaki? ended up having tea at friend's
ds's sport stuff to school done
ds's glasses to school - grr! done
Find ds's jersey at school somewhere found - at school found
text friend to meet before school done
new washload for tonight - towels done
hotspot done
wash windows sitting room 1 done
put food out for birds done
5 minute room rescue bedroom done
5 mins declutter bookshelf decluttered a drawer instead
lunch done
vits done

Things for tonight
do at least 10 minutes on exercise bike - have been too tired to do this recently
read a bit about Joomla 20 mins
check emails
get clothes out for DS and me tomorrow.

[elliepac]

Evening all. Finally sat down at 9pm. No time to for personals as am afraid I have to go and do more work . But I have read everything I promise and sending big love to all who need it and big congrats to pa.

Have been relatively good today. Have kept to routines and house is relatively tidy.

I did mean to say earlier in the month that I am willing to lead in October if sc wants a break and no-one else has a burning desire. Been a while since I took my turn!

Better go and plan a lesson on the Dissolution of the Monasteries.

Back later.

[substantiallycompromised]

Evening all. It's 10pm already and I'm going to try and get an early night so posting links and doing round-up at a reasonably civilised hour this evening.

Had a bit of a slow start this afternoon but speeded up as the day got cooler.
Still going to need to do a bit of a headless chicken run around tomorrow before new cleaner starts.

Ta da:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s, boudoir swipe
1 load of laundry drying in sunshine, second lot in (sofa covers)
small supermarket shop on way home
bought dd new white ankle socks (can't find old ones)
bought yet another leaving present (should keep a stock of these in present cupboard - sorry fact of expat life that as soon as you meet nice people - they up and leave)
salad for lunch (although as dh has just popped home I doubt it)

To do:
ONE HOUR DECLUTTERING IN HOME OFFICE (desk, table hotspot, present cupboard) NOPE
office laundry order [started]
dh's shirts done
make supper (veggie Thursday) and soup for Sat at same time. done
Make fish pie for tomorrow done
school run done
hwk supervision done but fraught and some still left to do
dd doctor after school done all fine
make two phone calls done one
French study NOPE
exercise NOPE
stop trying to kid myself I am going to get all the above done! done!!

Tomorrow (before work):
bit of v. early hwk supervision
more laundry
tidy playroom
one hour decluttering in home office

[substantiallycompromised]

Baby-step for tomorrow, Fri 30th is here check your calendars

Last day tomorrow in sitting room zone here

The mission for tomorrow will appear here once the website updates itself.

But you can get a sneak peak at it here if you want to.

Friday is for paperwork and miscellaneous tasks in Fat Fairy world.

And of course Friday night is collapse in front of telly wearing baggy tracksuit bottoms and scaggy t-shirt date night.

That week went quickly didn't it?

***

[substantiallycompromised]

What have you all been up to today then?

Ellie has been good again (where will it all end I wonder? ) has been Flying high, is planning a lesson on all things Cromwellian and has very kindly offered to lead this thread next month!!! [Brill - thank youuuuu!!!! ]
Rowingboat has worked her way through a superlative list (inc washing duvets) and had tea with friends
CNettle could not be a*d!! (Sure she did loads as usual though.)
Ouch was feeling rough but soldiered on and entertained her ds at the Monopoly board (hope you manage to get a good sleep tonight too). (Scarves sound lovely btw.)
PA had a "relaxing" day off (NOT) that consisted of chauffering teenagers about, cooking and cleaning for her mum and dad, nearly running out of petrol, going through the same routine all over again, cooking toad in the hole and then going out to a meeting!! Which all sounds rather stressful. Hope you can get a bit more time to yourself tomorrow and hope your ma feels better soon too (and that you can persuade your dad to get the support he needs)
Blue had an errand and shopping day (very of home-grown raspberries and fennel harvesting)
CheerfulYank lived up to her nickname and worked cheerfully through her list (hope your ds's picture day went well)
Swan had a productive SENCO meeting, worked in her school library and bought rugby boots
Linzer had less time available than anticipated but found that she had meal-planned rather well!
Droitwich felt a bit better (good to hear it - ) and got to grips with bed-stripping and washing
MC completed lots of errands and tackled her understairs cupboard of doom

Huge waves to everyone I've missed!

[swanriver]

Ellie how exciting! I really do want to know - somehow we never got taught that bit of history. Even doing a tiny bit of RE homework with ds1 the subject popped up, really quite glaringly...Thomas a Becket shrine and all that...Quite extraordinary if you think of H8 just snaffling the lot.

O, rats, ds1 has got up again, after saying he was so tired he had to sleep.

off to resettle him, he says he is too hot.

[swanriver]

kitchen tidied, it looked so terrible at 7pm that I was relieved that dh wasn't gettingi back till later. still not back though
various admin tasks done to do with dcs
no homework - well it is all piling up for weekend but seems to be lots of art, make a model of a cell, 6 different designs for propellers," shading"

had a good day in school library, although house was even more of a tip than usual as a result

of course the monks were greedy too (hastens to add)

another child has appeared complaining of being too hot...

sorry no personals will have to go and deal with banshee.

[Makingchanges]

sc i wish it was a cupboard, in fact it is virtually a room. At least I can now see tge floor.

No time to stop had a bad evening and still need to do paperwork for tomorrows interview. Grrrr

[CheerfulYank]

Done

-Swish and Swipe
-Breakfast for me and DS
-Picture Day enveloped filled out
-Picture Day clothes chosen
-Bins out for garbage day (and back in)
-Dog out and fed
-Arrange preschool payment
-Purged Magazines
-Pay some bills
-Lunch
-Make hair appt
-General tidy (a very general tidy )

• Nag Politely remind DH to hang up DS's new curtain
  

-Bring DVD back to rental place...apparently I only brought the case back yesterday...
-Get off work early and pick DS up for his picture
-Dinner
-Work at cinema
-Find decent clothes for DS to wear tomorrow: DH is taking the day off to take him to Renaissance Fair and there will be lots of pictures :)
-Figure out what I'm wearing tomorrow

I probably could do a bit more, but honesty I am going to sit and watch a DVD with DH and eat the popcorn I brought home from the cinema :o

To Do
Dishes before they take over the house
Vaccuum
Scrub floors
Dust living room
Wash tote bag and bring it to school
Get leaf bags
Take clothes to church donation box
Get DH to put fans and air conditioners in storage
Wipe flat surfaces
Strain and store stock
Bung chicken in slow cooker

[coostoonettle]

Good morning

sc thanks for your round up and your version of date night. Loving it!

My list in an attempt to be more productive

Get up/dressed/breakfasted
Dc up and dispatched to nursery and school. Dh and I to work.
Move washing on
Put ironed clothes away
Declutter in lounge
Take photos of unwanted ebayable items ready for eBay session Saturday.
Find frock for Saturday. I am wearing a frock each day of October to raise money for cancer research. It's Definately a challenge

Hope you all have lovely Fridays.

I'm going to pop back after being super productive later.

[substantiallycompromised]

Oh laaaawdy

[SC runs around like a blue arsed fly mad person for next three hours in anticipation of new cleaner]

She is going to see everything, isn't she? [sob]

Good luck with interview today MC

Sorry no more personals - will catch up this afternoon - have a good day everyone and enjoy the sunshine if you can!

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

In case I don't get on again later, I would like to say sorry for not being around as much as usual this month, thank you to SC and Ellie for leading the thread and agreeing to take it into next month. I'm quite happy to do another month again soon. Also thank you to everyone who has spoken kindly to me about DS and his Aspergers and thank you all for being so inspiring! Have some for your table as Flylady suggests.

This has been my first whole month of proper Flying. I finally (18 months in, actually nearer 2 years now) wrote my control journal routines out at the end of August and have by and large stuck to them, particularly the new improved morning routine and home blessing. My sink has been shined every day this month (I hadn't done it for months really before that), my bathroom has been properly swished and swiped (had only been doing the toilet) and it has really made a difference. Still very cluttered in places though.

Todays list:

Morning routine - done
School run
Shred and shower
Tip run
Coffee with friend
Errands in town
Lunch
Detailed hoover of lounge
Hear reading at school for an hour
Do some gardening at school
School run
Take DCs to dentist
Tea
Take DCs to funfair which is opposite the the house
Takeaway
Collapse

[substantiallycompromised]

What a lovely post Whoknows!! It's really good to hear how the Fat Fairy system is making such a positive difference to you and your home.
Hope your ds is thriving and that you are getting all the support you need.
Thanks for volunteering to lead thread at a later date too - that would be great!

I am going to take inspiration from you and follow your example next month and try and do the baby-steps and decluttering properly!! I know I sound like a broken record but I've come through a bad bit and, like you, I'm ready to revamp my routines and start again. Planning to spend less time in the house but be more focused when I'm here.

One hour update ...

Ta da:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s and boudoir swipe done
write leaving card for someone in office and attach to present done
bit of v. early hwk screaming supervision done
grey load out and hung up done
cool white wash in
cooked mushrooms to add to fish pie tonight done
tidy playroom
one hour decluttering in home office
sort out ironing piles
iron four items of clothing

Better get on ...

[swanriver]

Nettie now that's a wonderful idea - the frocks.
I am wearing one today, by chance, as it's so hot. In green.
Problem with frocks is the washing.

Beautiful day.
House/garden tip.
Dh has insisted ds2 stay at home today [grr]
Off to coffee with him at friend's, pre-arranged.
Cleaner coming, and I wish she wouldn't, as I haven't washed enough ironing (so to speak) and like you SC can't bear the thought of having to explaining how to deal with clutter to her/hide particularily revolting things.

done
dropped ds1 at school with violin, PE kit and knapsack. Unbelievably heavy. Half way through journey he insisted on jumping out and getting on the bus with his "friends" (although he said they were all mean to him on the bus , so I met him outside school (incognito - opened car door and handed him his heavy stuff as he went past...) Nice to get out first thing!

[Makingchanges]

Morning all

Swan I love that DS jumped on the bus and you took his heavy things to school - you made me smile.
Nettie good luck with the frock month. Nice especially when the weather is nice like this. I should where dresses and skirts more I think, although I don't feel I have the shape, legs or tum for them
Whoknows lovely post. Don't worry that you aren't around as much as usual you are still very much an important part of this thread.

Well I dropped DD off at school and staryed for the MacMillan coffee morning that they had organised and chatted with one of the other mums. A lovely start and something that previously I would have avoided.

I've spent the rest of the morning looking for the paper part of my driving licence which I have just found. (After staying up till late looking for it)

To do

• Tidy lounge. 15 minutes pick up and put away
  
• Tidy kitchen - 15 minutes clearing off and putting away things on side
  
• Grab a quick light lunch
  
• Interview (Check I've got all forms and paperwork before I go - and map)
  
• Pick DD up from GPs who are collecting from school
  
• Watch Dora's ballet adventure - DD has been pestering about this since it was advertised about three weeks ago and I have had to promise to tape it and watch it when we get home.
  
• 2 x washing loads
  
• More paperwork filing
  
• Clear top of fish tank in lounge
  
• Help dd finish tidying her bedroom that she started on her own on Tuesday.
  
• Spend some time with DH who was away again last night
  

OK best get some clearing done as got to be gone in a couple of hours. Have a good day everyone

[swanriver]

coffee went well, and I'm sorry to moan about the cleanign lady because she has done a wonderful job of restoring me to comparative sanity this morning.

done
food shopping
dealt with ds2 (not in a good mood)

MC I've lost that bit too! Well I think I have the paper part of the lost licence. It's probably with my passport, somewhere safe
Glad your coffee went well too, this is the day for coffee and frocks isn't it...possibly fading to G & T's in the afternoon...

I'm having stuffed vine leaves out of tin for lunch. And will tackle washing pile now that I've bought some washing powder.

[swanriver]

I mean I have two licences, the old one which I've lost the id of, and the new one which I've lost the paper bit of..

[elliepac]

Good afternoon all on this beautiful day . Am sat here at my desk recovering from a slightly tricky class and trying to think of a new thread title for next month. Am failing miserably. All ideas gratefully accepted.

Back later on!

[elliepac]

Where's nettie when you need her? .

[Toffeefudgecake]

DH's last day in paid employment today - and, therefore, my last chance to spend hours browse MN for a few minutes in between all the other very important jobs I have to do . As I am meant to be helping him set up his new business, we have decided to share the housework out and DH said he wanted to take over the laundry! I did point out that this meant two loads a day, hanging the stuff out on the line and actually remembering to put it all away, but he said that was fine. Oh, the innocence! He's also going to be doing half the cooking.

And he has accepted that the Flylady routines work, so we'll be sticking to them. Only now my Monday morning 'home blessing' will be done in half the time because DH is going to do the floors.

At least, this is the plan...

DS1 had a bit of a wobble yesterday. I had a call from him at 11am. He was hiding in the loo at school. He said he felt ill and begged me to come and get him, but not to tell them he'd phoned. (Not sure how he thought I would explain the fact that I'd turned up).

Anyway, I did go to get him (receiving increasingly frantic texts from him every few minutes) and we had a chat with the woman who he's meant to go to if he has one of these 'wobbles' and agreed that, next time, he would go to her rather than phoning home. Once home, DS let slip that he had eaten a whole bar of 'Toxic Sludge' (an awful sugary, chemical, manufactured sweet) for a dare, then had a jam doughnut and a baguette - and then, surprise surprise!, had felt sick! He blamed it on the baguette, but I did point out that if he ate loads of junk his body might suffer. Hopefully, he's learned his lesson and will be more careful from now on. At least he's eating though - he wouldn't eat at all when he started at school.

WhoKnows - I'm glad to hear Flying is working for you. Hope things are going OK for you with DS. Ahh, lovely.

Swan - what a nice mum you are! I do feel sorry for my DS when I see all that he has to carry to school, although he doesn't seem to mind it himself. What's this about a cleaning lady?

MC - sounds like a great start to the day.

SC - thanks for your leadership this month. Good luck with the decluttering. That is definitely the secret of keeping the house nice. I can tidy up downstairs so much faster when there is less stuff around.

Coos - good luck with the superproductivity!

Cheerful - I like your plan to end the day with popcorn and watching a DVD with your DH. Might do the same myself (er, with my own DH, obviously.

My ta da list so far today:

Woken up by DS1 at 7.20 (maybe going out to the pub on a Thursday night is not such a good idea) done
Breakfasts done
Lunches made done
School run done
Yesterday's washing up done
Shined sink done
Unloaded d/w done
Wiped kitchen counters done
Swept and mopped floors done
Put washing on done
Tackled hotspot in kitchen done
Emptied kitchen bin done
Put recycling out done

Having had my MN break, I'm now off to hang the washing out and start on some ironing.

[BlueEyeshadow]

So far this morning after dropping DS1 at school, DS2 and I have played games, put the washing out, been to get new canvas shoes for playgroup (reducing the trauma by getting the same design as the old ones), returned DH's cycling shoes which fell apart the first time he put them on, and had lunch out again.

The boys aren't going to know what to do with themselves when this week's over and we have to go back to eating at home all the time...!

The fitter reckoned we'd have a functional but unfinished kitchen by the end of today, although that was before he discovered a whole load of new problems in the utility room...

Still, DH and I are going out this evening!! It will be a relief to get away from it all.

Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine. :) Good luck for the interview MC.
Ellie - sorry, no inspiration. Something about blazing into Oct maybe?

[Toffeefudgecake]

Ellie - you hadn't posted when I did my post - sorry to miss you out. Thanks for leading next month. Maybe a Hallowe'en theme for next month's thread? (fearsome Flyladies, batty flyladies, witchy flyladies).

Blue - enjoy your night out with DH.

[rowingboat]

Hi all,

Whoknows that is great news about sticking to the control journal etc... It is always good to hear how other people have got on with Flying.
I did babysteps a couple years ago, then gradually did less and less flying until I lived in an absolute tip. My morning routine is really quite solid now again.
One of my to do's was getting my, inherited, Blackberry on Orange unlocked. DP's brother gave me the phone because he hated it.
I just wanted to carry on with my Vodafone sim which is Pay and Go. After feeling very confused about what to do I found a website called free my blackberry and they sent me a free code (it's not my contract so I wasn't entitled to request it from Orange). I can't believe it was so simple to unlock, so now I have my old number and I'm thrilled. Don't really know how to work the phone yet, but.... I think I need to get out more!
Does anyone else have a Blackberry? I'm wondering about the calendar and organising bits of it, whether they are any good?

To Do List
Morning routine
washing out
new load in
picnic for DS at park - boiling!
Sort out phone - unlocked!!
Make snack for work
go to work
Get shopping later
phone school about Halloween
have a powernap - not getting to bed very early at the moment.