October's Fledgling Fliers: Seasons of Mists and Mellow Flyfulness

[elliepac]

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.

Morning all!

Your babystep for today is to read some sink reflections.

Your mission for today is clearing out cabinets.

And today is anti-procrastination day. The rebel in me always wants to procrastinate on this day just because i am not allowed to .

Have a good day everyone!

I need a lie-down - bad night's sleep due to too much 'stuff' going round in my head and have just spent the last half hour chasing girl cat and dead shrew out of the house........repeatedly. She managed to beat my barricades Mark 1, 2 and 3.
A 'fly-on-the-wall camera would result in me being sectioned I think - many shots of mad woman pursuing small cat whilst waving arms and yelling 'get that fecking shrew OUT of the house'
We now have a stand-off - barricade Mk 4 is holding and she is sitting outside kitchen door looking hurt and eating said shrew. Yuck.

I should be working but I CBA so am making apple and quince jelly instead, thinking about making chowder and home-made bread for dinner and might photograph more stuff for ebay.

Will investigate shrew innards first..............................its going to be an eventful day

Full on procrastination here too........

Well during babies nap time I cleaned out the bathroom cabinet AND washed the glass on the front :-) going to sort medicine cupboard in the kitchen while the kids are having dinner and are strapped down! I'm sure the novelty will wear off eventually but it's fun sorting and tidying

I need a list! Tons to do today:

Sort out laundry (DS1 had no clean school trousers this morning )
Accounts - found paperwork. Remind DH to do the sums!
Bathroom mission and cleaning
Dust
Mirrors
Tidy bedrooms
Clean sheets on beds
Ironing
Filing
Pick remaining veg - frost coming tonight!

Does anybody know how long we should keep stuff like utility bills? Our filing cabinet is bursting at the seams! Some people says 7 years, others 20 () and the HMRC site is utterly useless on the matter...

I don't keep stuff like utility bills all that long, only stuff relating to tax, such as bank statements. Maybe chuck utility bills after a year or two. I keep that annual statement ones though, and make a note of all my meter readings

Back to ASD group for ds2 again, last session.
As usual far too much to process. And none the wiser about how to conduct my daily existence

[eats large packet of salted almonds, then feels a bit sick]

Suppose I should start chopping up that forest of briars rose now..

[finds gauntlets]

Today dh and I have been mulling over a strange missive from the school which asked us to spend the week monitoring our child's homework and exercise books. Just when I thought I would lay off interfering!
Dunno what to think now...totally confused.
Is it a personal letter directed at us? Or a general edict to do with school standards? And just this week, no other?

Feet hope headmistress had some feedback for the parents in your year. Yay for jelly and chowder. Still can't stop remembering the Crumpety Tree.
Toffee hope ds is feeling better this morning.

N.B.
Linzer yes, Oxfam Ealing shop still stocks stamps (the one on Uxbridge Road) I checked on way home. Little packets though.
I watched Miss Pettigrew Lives For The Day yest with DH in a vain attempt to break the monotony of washing up, It was Great. A fairy tale though.

Swan - thanks for asking, and thank you to others for good wishes.
Head didn't tell us what I wanted to hear (that FABULOUS male teacher the other class had last year was going to be drafted in) but I was expecting a little too much I think.
What she did say was that DD's teacher has resigned and the class will have HLTA until Christmas whilst they recruit someone else. She promised that the HLTA (who seems very good) would be well supported, the children seem to really like her and the TA in that class is fabulous (and asked to be with them again this year after seeing them through another rough year last year)

There are HUGE issues with discipline that need to be addressed in the year group as a whole and I think the head is now more fully informed about the history they have had to endure. She is also aware that she has a very vocal group of parents who need to see action not just words now - me possibly being one of the most vocal though DH spoke up too.
I think she did the right thing calling the meeting (and dragging the Chair of the Governors to it!) and has done the best she can at the moment in rotten circumstances (though I still would have preferred DD to have the wonderful teacher)
Watch this space.

I have made jelly, chowder and bread and have an hour to 'do things' before setting up and helping to run refreshments for parents evening. Can't decide whether to make telephone enquires I have been avoiding, hoover or look up photos I need for a Christmas present. Maybe I should start with the phone call and see how I go.

Thank you for checking for me, swan - DH will be relieved to hear that the shop is still going. Perhaps they were just out of the bigger bags when you were there (someone like DH had probably been in and bought them all up).

Am still struggling to stay on top of the housewórk, in particular the washing, but spending every child-free minute on the computer isn't conducive to having a tidy home. Have decided (yet again) that some serious decluttering is needed. Although probably not until November.

Done
giant rose branches off neighbour's side, still have to chop it up into bits though [sigh] and managed to upset hardworking stressed neighbour in process because I sneaked down her alley without ringing her door bell (she works shifts so was worried about waking her and had told her I would be doing rose on Thurs And she didn't want it cut down anyway although it is my rose, so that it is all a bone of contention....Still large plant left now, we have compromised...[several weeks of discussion of rose already between us as it was pulling fence over]

right I am [semi]pleased about that! But, have come back on here because I really don't know what to tackle in next 45 mins before pickup.
cup of tea to stop me feelign a bit shaken

todo
laundry put away off landing of doom
sink?

Hands over a to Swan. At least it's done now. One for you as well Linzer. Oh and you Feet, and anyone else that needs it.

Just spent two hours gardening when I should have been working but the weather is so beautiful. Was a bit worried about my back going again but it's fine. Off to school now for another meeting about DS, he seems to be doing fine so far in Yr 3, but they have agreed to add quite a lot of stuff to his IEP this year so I want to make sure we are all in agreement about what the priorities are etc.

Hmm, how's the list going?

Sort out laundry (DS1 had no clean school trousers this morning blush)
Accounts - found paperwork. Remind DH to do the sums!
Bathroom mission and cleaning
Dust
Mirrors
Tidy bedrooms
Clean sheets on beds
Ironing
Filing
Pick remaining veg - frost coming tonight!

Not too bad, but have wasted way too much time on the pooter and now have to pick up the boys.

swan - Miss Pettigrew is rather wonderful, isn't she? Have you read the book?

WhoKnows - thanks for thoughts on paperwork. I need some utility bills for tax records and was reading horror stories about disputes with companies going back decades, but I think I might need to add "buy shredder" to tomorrow's list. We've got at least 2 broken ones. Sigh.

i was not chasing any cats. girl or otherwise, this morning, i can assure you!

i wrestled a couple of labradors on the way to the bus stop (they were mine), but def no cats, and no shrews .

right, i have to stay in all day waiting for the delivery, so i am going to have a leisurely breakfast and then set to. mostly i intend to iron. but it will be wonderful when it's done.

it took ds1 three hours to do his really very simple homework last night. he is very bright but just can't focus. at all. parent teacher meeting on friday. dh is starting to mention home ed. i am ignoring this until after friday although for the first time i am beginning to wonder if it would be the best thing for him. i've always been the one who thinks he's better off in school, but now i'm not so sure.

i've read flylady's 'me' pages. tick. don't intend to bother again. or buy the book. (has anyone got it by the way? )

Well I didn't know she had a book! Wouldn't it be the same as the things online?!

Blue yes read book about 4 years ago..for Book Club, quite different film in some ways but in essentials similar. Dh pointed out that Miss P was familiar actress from Coen bros.

Well, I was very glad I went to ASD group today because I used all the techniques mentioned to deal wth Ds1 (who supposedly is NT) who was having an absolutely screaming tantrum after school, kicked sister, swore generally had a hysterical breakdown. And it worked, and I stayed calm, whilst not giving in to his demands,, but staying understanding. We were talking today in group about the way parents deal wth violence from their kids, and how comforting them the wrong way prevents the zero tolerance message getting through, at the same time you need to understand WHY they are getting in such a rage.

Poor lad was reacting to something that happened at school, and not wanting to be told to do anything (like homework, which he had only one piece of, which he felt could wait till after halfterm)

Madwoman yes the Home ed debate is constantly playing in my mind, think for now I'm not sane enough to attempt it, nor sociable enough to "spread the load"

Oh there's a film of Miss P. That's something to do while I'm off.

Thank you for all the congratulations. I promise I'm taking it easy and getting lots of snuggles. He's a very snuggly baby. So far we've had a night of no sleep, feeding every hour, and last night was good with 2 lots of 3 hours sleep! He's slept most of today too, even though we've had visitors and he's been passed around a lot. I hope he sleeps tonight.

He's currently laid on my lap fast asleep after a feed. I'm giving him a breather before I start tormenting him hoping he'll feed again so I get more sleep tonight.

I've managed to do one load of washing (which my Mum put on the line.)
5 minute room rescues upstairs.
Tidied the bookshelves in the lounge (it's a whole wall and a HUGE hot spot.)
Cleared off the hot spot on the welsh dresser (mostly papers.)
Been to the hospital (Dad drove) to take up a thankyou card, chocolates, and to collect my phone charger.
Went to DD's parents evening (she's a joy to teach [proud Mum emoticon] :) ) A complete change to last year when it was all about the fact she didn't talk... ever... now she's a chatterbox.
Followed by collapsing on sofa completely exhausted. School is literally across the road, but the cold air and walk was too much for me.

My only other possible task is to sort through a carrier bag of paperwork from the hospital, Bounty packs etc, binning the junk, and filling in the important things (registering him & tax forms.)

An early night is far more likely than paperwork.

OH I might do the bathroom cabinets too while DD is in the bath, simply because I've been wanting to for ages. I did the medicine cabinet yesterday by fluke.

Swan that sounds really interesting, I'm glad you were able to use it all to good effect with DS1.

Madwoman / Lauren I think a few of us have got the Flylady book. I bought it about 3 months ago after hearing other people on here talking about it. It is much the same as on the website, but it is really useful having it all together and in the order you are supposed to go about implementing it. I have been on this thread 2 years next month and had never really got beyond the babysteps / occasional mission stage till I bought the book, then it all just clicked and I am Flying much more efficiently (not 100%, but much closer). It is somewhat gushing and full of testimonials though. I just found that I was only ever clicking on the mission and babystep links from here and it was a really long time since I had explored the rest of the Flylady website, my home blessing was confused with my crisis cleaning, etc etc. I took the book on holiday and read it right through and it all suddenly seemed a lot clearer.

Still got lots to do here, DH has been ill today and has been resting on the sofa or in bed all day, so I'd better go

Whoknows I think I might see if my library has it and have a little look before I buy!

Have commited to adopting a 9 week old rabbit, which would normally be fine but I already have a 7 month old springer spaniel...I can see rabbit murder happening and 3 traumatised children!!hmmm we will see!

MOrning all! Sorry for lack of round-ups at the moment but am so busy with work that I am struggling to keep up!

Your babystep for today is laundry. This is one that if I don't do I get ridiculously behind.

Your mission for today is here.

Have a good day everyone! Probably won't be back today as it is my 10th wedding anniversary today so I suppose I should spend some time with DH tonight .

Right, sensible Flying day today

Whoknows - v interesting about book, I've been here for nearly 2 years too and could do with some added oomph. Have had no interest in cutesy language book up till now but I think you have sold it too me :)

lauren - just hope bunny is Rambo/Were-rabbit and puts puppy in its place

I need a list that actually includes Flying today:

• Morning routine - S&S, washing on airer (yesterday's got left on line overnight so needs to stay there to thaw/dry ), washing up, cat litter, sweep kitchen floor
• 15mins in living room - worst room by far and I'm having a Neal's Yard Remedies party early Nov so need to get it tamed
• Salmon out of freezer and prepared for DC's dinner (DH and I get leftovers from yesterday )
• Few emails
• Hoover
• Start to put stuff on ebay
• Into town to pick up parcel, buy Playmobil present, buy face creams (and hope they are part of 3for2 in Boots) and look for coat in Debenhams (have sale and I have vouchers:))

That will do.
Have a good day everyone

Happy Anniversary Ellie, enjoy this evening :)

to NOT too

Happy anniversary Ellie!

Quick update to keep the motivation going:

• Morning routine - done
• 15mins in living room - done a bit
• Salmon out of freezer and prepared for DC's dinner - done

Off into town now, must not get too distracted by nice things in shops :)

Well I've done todays mission, and a wash load. I was very pleased with myself until I went into the kitchen to do dinner and found a full tub of liquid softener all over my floor, I had put it in the cupboard with the lid not on properly and it's leaked all over, all over everything in the carrier bag and cleaning cupboard...that's this afternoons job then!