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.

Lots of sausages for dinner today - we're having them too, with roasted veg and onion gravy. Definitely autumn now!

Lost it with the boys about not eating though. What kind of children are they to refuse sausage and chips??!

Lauren - I do the beds weekly as well. Change the duvet covers every other week though cos they're a faff to wash. That way I can do ours one week and the boys' the other.

Agh!! DSs 1 & 2 are quite literally having a willy waving contest...

well, my bumble bee was v cool. everyone else was a zombie ballerina, apparently, but you can't win 'em all. she was happy.

here's a quiz for you.

how many plates does madwoman have in her kitchen to feed five people? (this does not include the 'good' crockery which is in a sideboard in the living room (no room for it in the dining room). nor does it include serving plates, or bowls. just actual ordinary run of the mill plates for sausages, seeing as you're all having them or sarnies.)

my next question is... how many plates should i have in my kitchen to feed five people? i'm sure flylady has an answer to this...

wow, nettie, i think i glossed over your wardrobe... um. is it quite an eclectic gym?

madwoman glad bumble bee was a success!!

blue at willy waving contests! Made me chuckle

nettie doesn't your feather boa get caught in the treadmill

I have a sparkling kitchen and bathroom and am having a glass of wine (don't know the letters for that one) ?

I think I'll start leaving duvets fortnightly then as that's my least ever favorite job and just do the sheets weekly and pillow cases

Bumblebee does sounds cool.

I must admit to leaving the feather boa at home and having to tuck my tutu into my pants on rowing machine.

It's all for breast cancer research and thank goodness it is the last time this month that I have to look like a crazy thing at the gym.

4 days left of dresses and glaming it up! [hgrin]

madwoman - at a guess you either have 4 plates that are mismatched so you have to eat in rotation or you have about 24 plates which are probably still mismatched.

erm need to rescue ds out of the shower and shove into bed. will be back in a bit

i have 47 plates in my kitchen.

i also counted the plates in the sideboard.

i have 48 plates in the sideboard.

i have 95 plates.

95 plates.

the ones in the sideboard match. all of them. but are 3 different sizes.

i'm not going to count the bowls.

i mean, really, all i need is a loaf and couple of fish and i'm all set for feeding the five thousand of us.

and i wonder why my house is too small.

apparently the house is fine. it's the stuff that's too big.

so. do i:

a - bin/ charity shop/ greek party everything in the kitchen and buy a new six person set.

b - select 6 of everything and leave it in the cupboard and throw the rest away/ charity shop/ greek party it.

c - select 6 of everything and put the rest in a box in the garage for spares and the 'when the children go to uni they'll each need x' scenario.

d - throw everything in the kitchen away and use the stuff in the sideboard. as we can possibly afford to break a few.

e - banish self from flylady and join a hoarders thread.

what would flylady do?
wwyd?

WHat ever she would do wouldn't be a whole load of fun. She is full of fluff. I have another option. Line up some plate that you don't want, arm kids with off-ice pucks/training balls and their hockey sticks. Do some stick handling skills training? See who could break the most. needs to get head out of hockey mode

Right ds in bed finally. I would love to say that there was alcohol. But the madness on my part last night was only driven by caffine and a natural tendancy to be a bit crazy. I find it makes life a bit more fun.

Tea was pizza and was started to be eaten when hot and finished cold after the stream of Mum Mum mum's.

Tired and a probably busy day tomo. must sleep. night.

Nettle - I was born in Essex, lived in London, then went back to Essex (near Colchester) aged nine. And I love glittery clothing, which my BestF always says shows my Essex roots. I don't wear white stillettos though.

Why am I up at this ridiculous time? Because I fell asleep with DS2 at 9pm and woke up at 2.30 and now I'm wide awake. Had a shock when I went to check on DS1 and he wasn't in his bed. Then saw him asleep on the guest mattress in the corner and remembered that I hadn't made up his bed with clean sheets yet (was going to do it after getting DS2 to bed), so he didn't have any bedclothes, poor lamb.

Darkness - hope you are sleeping well tonight.

Madwoman - how many plates [hshock]? I only have six [hsad].

Lauren - I do the bedclothes weekly.

Nettle - enjoy your pink day today (and for a very good cause, I see).

I should go to bed and try to sleep, shouldn't I? That would be the sensible thing to do. Might just have a little browse on MN first, though....

that's you stuffed then. the fems are often around late. or they used to be, anyway. and the weirdy o'seas types

re plates. i know.

am v tempted by the hockey idea, but i also know who would be tidying up... and that would take considerably longer than the actual 'game'.

Today's babystep is to look after yourself and GET AN EARLY NIGHT.

Your mission for today is making your bed properly. Just for your laurenamium .

This week we are in the the Master Bedroom.

Have a good day everyone!

Croeso nol, ellie! Glad you had a good time. Apologies if I missed the odd smiley, but it took me ages to hoover them all up.

Who are you calling a weirdy overseas type, madwoman? I was up having my breakfast when I saw Toffee's post (hope you got back to sleep in the end, Toffee) but am too tired to post at that time of day so generally just stick to lurking. I would go for option d) btw - and doesn't FlyLady say something about not saving nice things for special occasions but using them everyday. Ah yes, here it is: "Don't save little treats for yourself for special occasions. You are special every day and deserve to feel that way." If you see using the plates in the sideboard as a special treat, that is.

Have just got my six-monthly gynae check-up out of the way, but now have another two things to add to my list - mammogram and annual medical check-up (should really have made the appointment while I was there as my gynae shares her practice with the GP who I'll see for my medical). Will make the appointments after we're back from London, though. Procrastinating, me?

Welcome back ellie glad you had a lovely time away

madwoman 95 plates!!!wow!!i have 10 big and 10 small, I would definitely say option c

DD has hit an age where she can tell me she doesn't want a cuddle I've just had to wrestle one off her and now she's crawling around being independent.

Ok lists

To do from yesterday:
Flowers
Coal

To do today:
Living room hotspot
Today's mission
Check bank account to make sure Ive been paid
Walk dog

Blahh better get on with it then whilst DD is ignoring me

Whoope de whoop! More lego to solve the too much lego seems like it might work When tidy we are going to turn it into a theme park for the mini figures with different zones. Ds can then use his imagination on the basic bricks. thus less lego in bits everywhere thank fuck [hgrin]

3 more days and then halloween is over with for the year.

[hsad][hsmile][hsad]

best make the most of them then [hwink]

[hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile][hgrin][hsmile]

pst - good to have you abck though Ellie.

Oh, bugger, just lost a very long post because MN logged me out. I really don't have the stamina to do it all again [hsad].

I did get back to sleep in the end and DH let me lie in [hsmile]. DC have spent far too long on the computer again this morning [guilty emoticon], so I am going to get them to walk into town with me this afternoon and visit the library: fresh air, exercise and education all in one go [smug mum emoticon].

DS1 has a friend coming over for a sleepover this evening and has asked for them to have pizza - how easy is that ?

Hope you all have a good day. Sorry for lack of personal messages. I don't have the energy to do them all again, sorry.

Well, seeing as I clearly can't beat you I shall join you.

[hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry][hangry]

[hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin]

right, i think we'll go for option c today, with the potential for changing to option d once the living room and dining room has been redecorated. starts nov 21st. that seems a bit arbitrary, i know, but it makes sense somewhere in the deep recesses of my disturned mind! i think i'm going to pop to home hardware and get a big plastic box to stack them all in. it feels as though that's a better option than finding a (nother) cardboard box!

toffee, that sounds like a perfect friday for both you and the dcs! (not sure that a sleepover means you will be able to get an early night though!)

linzer - if it's any consolotion, i've known a lot weirdier.

today, i'm staying in all day (well, i'm going to walk the dogs first, and then whizz to home hardware, but y'know) and i am going to find the very very very bottom of my ironing mountain. and put it all away. all of it. which means i can then do a sensible inventory check of what actually fits everyone, get another load to the charity shop, and work out what we need in terms of winter clothes (but not today!) these blooming kids keep growing like weeds. i tried it earlier in the week, but was stumped by the backlog of laundry from our mini-reno . it's everywhere.

but what it does mean, is, now i have somewhere to organise all of the million different sizes of sheets and other assorted bedlinen. and i can put it on shelves in size order. i am flushed with excitement at the prospect of not having to fling sheets everywhere searching for an elusive double.

So far today we have:
Bought a shredder
Been to Hobbycraft and bought a craft lamp
Got DS1 new trainers - he'd only had the last pair a month!
Been round the Castle museum and had lunch in the café
Played in the play park
Got home and put the washing in the tumble drier.

DS1 is now playing on the Wii with DH and DS2 is having a nap.

Later I need to start on the shredding
Get boys to do a poster on What Music Means To Me
Cook tea
Post b'day card to friend's DD
Sort out the dry laundry
Chase up freegle people/offer stuff to somebody else...

Madwoman - sounds like a plan with the plates. Good luck with the ironing!

Toffee - glad you got back to sleep.

Darkness - glad the lego solution worked. I've got a box of lego doors and windows on DS1's Christmas list so he can build cool houses.

Waves to everyone else. I'm off to put the kettle on. anyone?

Thanks for the blue, much needed.

Sensible post this time. Haven't really achieved much so far. Took DS to the doc's as he has had a really violent cough for the last few days. Just viral although the doctor said he is in ridiculously good health because the violence of the cough shows he has a wonderful immune system . Was then going to go food shopping but cba so took the dc's to soft play for a couple of hours and then to a cafe for lunch. Then decided I really nba to do the shop so to Tesco we went. Am now attempting to do home bleugh in 2 hours plus I need to unpack the shopping.

Back later!

[hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink][hgrin][hgrin][hgrin][hwink]

Halloween smilies rule man.

Welcome back ellie i love snowdonia, desperate to go back and climb every mountain. (breaks into song) [hblush]
toffee ah yes im 20m up the road for the oldest town of Colchester. In a little Place with Little in the title. There are a few of them around. [hgrin]

Hugest waves and few little incidental quite quiet [hgrin] [hgrin] [hgrin] to keep you company.

sorry no more personals, house a pigsty so off to room rescue. Dmil is coming round to look after hopefully sleeping children tonight whilst i go to a charity quiz night. My team are not well accomplished. lol

Have a lovely friday night everyone.

SC rushes in - coos at Ellie's carrier pigeon - flaps wings enthusiastically at everyone and capitulates re: Halloween emoticons

I must confess to rather liking this one: [hbiscuit] [hbiscuit] [hbiscuit]

All this Halloween business is quite a strain actually. DD attends a strict Catholic school where of course it is the feast of Toussaint (All Saints and All Souls) over the coming few days and everything relating to Halloween is studiously ignored/discouraged. But of course, dd is desperate to whip out her witches costume and cut up pumpkins! Thank heavens the holidays have begun!

Welcome back Ellie. Wales sounds lovely (longing for green here too emoticon] Ta for linkiesand hope your ds's cough improves soon

Blue very intrigued as to "freegle people"???

Arf at Nettie's gym attire

Ooooh Madwoman feeling vicariously excited (is that v. sad?) about all your wardrobe purging and linen cupboard sorting. I bought an enormous linen cupboard a year or so back and managed to sort through and organise all my sheets/pillows/blankets/duvet covers etc etc that I'd bought and inherited over the past couple of decades and I can't tell you the difference it has made to my life!! (Shelves are actually labelled!) It's a real pleasure to make the beds now and visitors are at least half the hassle they used to be! Well done to you!! You have got me inspired too - I must purge my wardrobe soon. [hschock at all your plates though!!] (Was going to suggest option c!)

Darkness that is a supremely clever Lego storage solution! Am impressed! Does anyone have one for Playmobil? It's all spilling out of one huge box and everything is mixed up. DD not happy and wants to be able to access it all in a more organised way. Saw this first square shown - but not that keen on open storage generally.

Huge waves to Toffee Lauren Whoknows Linzer Feetheart Nicknacks Swan and everyone else I've missed.

Hope you will forgive the following boring lists. Need to clear my head and write it all down.

Yesterday afternoon ta da:
More laundry
Cook gallons of spag bol
Make veg & lentil curry
School run
Tennis run
Hwk supervision
Start holiday washing

Today ta da:
Morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s, boudoir tidy
Made biscuit dough x 2
Tidy entire house for cleaner inc picking up sea of Playmobil
Work work : admin + leaving do for old stagiare/welcoming do for new stagiare
More holiday laundry
More dates on calendar
E-mail to friend organising excursion/tickets etc

To do:
More laundry
Ironing
Cod en papillote for supper
More dates on calendar + forward planning
Budgeting
On-line shopping (final bits of winter wardrobe + start Christmas shopping)
Pick up dd from friend's house

This weekend:
Holiday clothes + packing
Haircut
Family bed-changing and making
Clean out gps
Put away humungous on-line grocery order
More laundry
More ironing
Office laundry (stop procrastinating)
Ring godchildren
Start decluttering in cellars
Start decluttering in home office

Yay hey - it's the weekend!! Have a good one everyone!!

Here's the thing. How the hell, oh wise fat fairy, do you actually do the home bleugh in an hour. The only logical conclusion I summise is that you live in a teeny tiny fairy sized house. Because in my poky 3 bed semi it has just taken me over 2 hours. You are a fake .

Ta da list today:-
Ds to doctors
Dc's to soft play
Nice lunch out
Tesco
Washing on
All rooms vacuumed
Living room tidied/polished/floor mopped
Shopping unpacked
Dining room tidied/polished/ floor mopped
Hallway floor mopped
Kitchen cleaned
Washing up
Bathroom cleaned
Dd's room tidied/polished
Ds's room tidied/polished
Our room tidied(well i found the floor)

To do:-
Dinner for dc's (pasta)
Dinner for dh and i (steak)
re-tidy living room
Washing in drier
Collapse with vino to watch tv

Back later.