Remember, remember the fledgling Flyers: dusting, and decluttering a lot..

[DarknessSoothes]

Come one come all, fledgling reunite. 1st of the month and we survived the fright. Bonfire month and lets burn though the housework to prepare for the festivities of December.

As from the 1st we will be babystepping, mission and deep cleaning our way out of the C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome).

For newbies and those who need reminding here is the principles behind the babystep system.

The basic is this:

1. Do the babysteps.
2. When you do the babysteps with consistency add in the missions
3. When you are doing the babysteps and missions as a habbit tackle the deep cleaning.

This thread is a mishmash of people at different stages. The lists can look long, but look carefully, some of us are reposting lists and parts of lists from day to day.

Our motto is this: Do not strive to be perfect, Progress is progress and anything is better then nothing and my personal favourite part of the fly lady system is you are never behind, just jump in and start from where you are.

So on that note here we go. With much thanks to Ellie who lead us with amusing roundups last month.

Day 1: Babystep 1 - How to shine your sink

Mission here - this will update overnight ready for the early fledglings

Tuesday's reminders are here: It's planning day

And for those of you who are eagerly awaiting christmas here is the flylady's crusing into christmas page. Personally i did some of this last year and done some this year and it does take a chunk of the stress out of christmas.

Well now that I have suitably scared you, see you all tomo!!

SC I found that worked quite well with dd too. Sometimes she just wanted a break from family life. I suppose one could call it room service, when they call down the stairs - Mum could I have the soy sauce to go with that

For some reason our mornings are going extremely well Dd is now brilliant at getting ready for school and walks by herself. As long as ds2 can be kept off the computer he is pretty good docile too (except this morning we found a squashed banana in his bookbag which had gone everywhere. Ds1 is despatched to bus by 7.45. All thanks to DH who is very organised in the mornings and cheery with it! The children love having breakfast with him.

I feel old, arthritic, anti-social and exhausted though [after effects of Dodgeball late night at Beavers etc). Nice chat at school gate with dynamic old friend; all her suggestions for meeting up, driving to Richmond for picnics etc and I felt a bit like retreating to my bed with a cup of cocoa and a DVD. More requests from school gate friends for Jamie Oliver mornings too (cat is currently drinking out of his butter dish I would go but I can't face watching that stupid video again of him cooking

todo
pay school dinners
make fish pie? use spinach from veg box
piano lesson/practice x 2
go to school library/work

PLAN HOLIDAYS, dates in diary

All this talk of meal planning has made me think I really need to start doing so properly again, particularly as I could hardly find anything for the DDs for lunch in the freezer again. It's very full but mainly of bread; I finally dug out yet another chicken dish (chicken latrobe, whatever that is).

Just not sure when I'll have time to go shopping, however; I picked up a few emergency bits and pieces this morning, but need to do a big food shop at some point. I could go with DD1 this afternoon (the other two are at a friend's), but a) she needs to revise for a general studies test, plus do homework and piano practice, and b) she's quite likely to want to play with the neighbours, which I'd like to encourage as she doesn't have many friends outside school, and it seems a bit of a waste of time to go off shopping on my own in the afternoon! (The only time I don't really mind going shopping is first thing in the morning.) We have friends arriving from England tomorrow and I'll have to leave for the airport not long after the school run, so the rest of the day is out. Possibly Saturday if they decide they want a day out in Vienna on their own (but it won't work if they decide to do so on Sunday, as the shops are closed).

My entire morning so far has been taken up with going for a mammogram, where I was informed that I need to go annually now that I'm getting on a bit (must point out that women are supposed to start going for mammograms at 35 here), chatting to a friend I bumped into there, coffee and MNing. Twenty minutes until the two school English lessons so not a very productive morning, but at least the house will be clean (can claim no credit for this; our cleaner is here at the moment).

PA You're right; I didn't really think about how DD1 would be affected but we got back to find her still standing in the hall, still wearing her coat and hat and looking very bewildered. Enjoy your day off and hope you manage to get some DH-free time!

SC Your menu plan sounds great. I think I need to get into a routine where I know what type of meal I'll be cooking each night even if I don't know exactly what meal it will be. And I definitely need to start cooking more vegetarian meals so that I have something to eat as well!

lauren You've reminded me that I should really start looking at the missions again... well done on getting out of today's, or rather on already having done it!

swan Picnics in Richmond sound lovely - as does retreating to your bed with cocoa and a DVD.

Darkness and SlightlyCrinkled I hope you have better days today and the kids are a better behaved for you, or at the very least dont wind you up as much.

Lauren good luck with that list today

Feetheart I love those cookie cutters..may just have to buy some now.

SR - ewww..squashed banana, I feel your pain with that one. DS loves them and I tend to find them squiched or bits of them squiched on the floor which isnt too bad. I'm still trying to recover from the one I found in his toybox a couple of years back.

todays list

Ironing
Put out clothes to dry
Put clothes away
Washing up
Bathroom
wash my bedding
Sweep stairs
Hoover
Fix cupboard
make mincemeat

Going to brave the cupboard now and see if I can fix it. I tried to move it so I can plug in a lamp, but idiot here, didnt see the skiriting board trapping it and somehow have managed to rip the side apart from the leg. I hope I can fix it as I cant afford another one.

Tbh I don't think ds is going to be in a much better mood later as we are winding each other up properally. So i have booked myself a babysitter and am going out. Felt best in the circumstances as he is only being rude and stroppy with me. So i am going to go relax a bit so i am in a better frame of mind to deal with him.

right I suppose having done fuck all for 2 days means I should really get cracking.

Today i will be discovering the frutility room.

Well that is the plan anyway.

done
coffee with friend
hand washing
PLan of action for getting from Here to Point where needing to be.
1 load of bedding on to wash
book babysitter

To do
get ds to chose food for party so invite can be rsvp'ed
not kill ds and stay calm
Frutility room
more washing - including 2 lots of kit
fit kit issue
Check B&B's for sheffield
Make sure everything is ready for fri morning (out of uniform picked and thing for sending in for fair obvious so remembered)

Btw anyone no the best way to deal with snow suits that are looking a bit mucky and would benefit from getting washed? Can I just shove it it the washing machine or do i need to throw something special in with it as it is currently water proofed?

Yay I'm on a roll today!

I've cleared out the hellhole storage area. Ruth less is now my middle name!
Cooked bread rolls (cheese and onion ones today)
Lasagne meat in slowcooker
Chocolate cake baked
Done some shopping after taking DD3 to college

DH has had a long cycle - he is very appreciate that I "let" him go and didnt want him to help me - me, I just wanted him out of my hair and let me get on with it without his interference help! So I have come out looking like wife of the year!
He has just gone to collect DD3 from college.

Relaxing afternoon planned.

Its DD2's birthday today. Her first one away from home. She sounded a little down this morning . Just had another phone call from her, went like this:
DD2:Mum - HELP. There's a wasp in my bedroom!
Me: Errr soooo what do you want me to do about it?
DD2: Get it out!!!
Me: You have 2 options, tell me which one would work best for you. 1) I drop everything now and come to help you. I should arrive in about 5 hours! Or 2) Pass the phone to the wasp and I will nicely ask him to leave you alone! Honestly! Do mums have magic wands? - Do they even work hundreds of miles away.

Right off to sort out lunch for the hungry masses. (Dh after his cycling and DD1 after a gym trip, and DD3 after college morning and me being superhousewife of the century and very productive!

Darkness We've washed snowsuits in the WM as normal and they've been fine.

Ironing
Put out clothes to dry
Put clothes away
Washing up
Bathroom
wash my bedding
Sweep stairs
Hoover
Fix cupboard
make mincemeat
Sort out cupboard under stairs
tidy toolbox
Lunch - in progress.

Justonemore - don't worry, I could never get much done when I had a toddler at home either. I think that's normal. With both my boys, it didn't get any easier until they started spending a bit of time with a childminder or at nursery and then you have such a backlog of work that it's not long enough.

I would like to say that now both boys are at school my house is sorted, but, sadly, this is not the case . We are getting there, though.

Darkness - no idea about snowsuit, sorry. Maybe there is something on the manufacturer's website about washing instructions. Booking a babysitter sounds like an excellent idea.

Linzer - you sound so busy - no wonder you need a cleaner. Good that you kept your mammogram appt, even if it did take up a whole morning.

SC - that's a very impressive menu you have there!

Hi to Feet, Mad, PA, Mole, Lauren, Swan and everyone else.

I am proud to report that I managed to get both boys to school today! At last! However, DS2 was very clingy and obviously didn't want to stay at all. Quite a few of the children were clinging to their mums too. Afterwards, I had a chat with some other mums and they all say the same thing: their children say they are bored at school and none of them want to go anymore. These are all children who were perfectly happy with school last year. After the shambles of the school trip, it makes me worry. I think this is a dud year . Am considering visiting the open day of another school just to compare - not just based on this, but because there are also several teachers in the years above that I really wouldn't want teaching my son (having put DS1 through the school already, I know which ones I rate and which ones should have taken up another vocation).

DH is painting the dining room and is very grumpy. He hates doing it, but is doing it himself to save money. Luckily, he has just driven off to his roomful of unbuilt shelves and books office and is then taking his mum shopping, so he is out of my hair for a little and I can go on MN with impunity get on with my own work .

Small list of three to start with:

Put Hallowe'en box away in loft
Unload d/w and tidy kitchen
Put laundry away

PA - congrats on your productive morning and also being Superhousewife of the Century .

Molepom - compared to yours, my list of three is looking ever so pathetic .

Dont be so sad Toffee. The downside is now that I've done that, I cant be fucking arsed to do anymore. There is a grey rectangle on my tv screen and it's bugging me, but I cant be arsed to find the sodding instructions for the free view box to find out what it is and how to get rid of it.

I like your list of 3. I'm of your list of 3.

Darknesssoothes - thanks for leading this thread, and well done for booking a babysitter, definitely the best course of action I think.

Well done to everyone, sounds like there's been quite a bit of productivity? I must say I think toddler sensed the 'I'm cleaning whether you like it or not' atmosphere and happily played with big sister's doll house for 2 HOURS???!!!!
So

Put away children's clothes - DONE
hoover children's room - done
Clean kitchen and bathroom - done
Baked cake for school cake sale - done (quite an achievement for me!)

Left to do
Sort out our bedroom
Hoover rest of house
Cook / plan dinner
Ironing.. aaahh!

Linzertorte - do you ever do internet shopping? If not I highly recommend it! I only started recently but love it! The only downside is that it chips away at mumsnet browsing time!

Sorry on phone so just list but thank you for get well messages. I've lost half a stone in a week.

Tidy kitchen and dw on
Hoover dining room
S and s bathroom
Get boys to tidy room
School run
Dinner
Clear out hall
Bedtime routine
RSVP to party
Give out invites for DS birthday
Kitchen hotspot

PA - at wasp conversation!
Darkness - sounds like a plan - enjoy your evening!

Bit of a frustrating morning - failed to sell any nappies, although did sell 3 wraps, which is something. Have also had lunch in friend's café to cheer me up, done the Aldi shop and put it away. I was sort of hoping I'd come home to loads of offers of work, but no.

Now I need to do all the house bleugh that got left yesterday and put away the laundry. Much more tempting to spend the time trying to sell the nappies on line instead...

Right I have spent a lovely hour in a cafe with a large coffee, my diary, couple of week breakdown sheets and some paper. I now have a complete plan of action. One which has cba error time built into it and takes me up to December and includes everything that I need to get done btwn now and then. I feel organised but as the fat fairy pointed out in her christmas control journal being organised on paper is one thing. You actually have to do something for it to work.

Got half hour before collecting ds so am going to shower, eat and generally be a bit more ready to fly out and will tackle the tidying when he gets home as i expect a similar mood to what i have been seeing recently. And I am determined to ignore it him and channel the frustration. In the past this has resorted in major clear ups whilst he is confined to his room with his books and toys. its a win win situation as I think tbh he is as tired and emotionally drained from the events of the last few months as I am and this gives him space just to be and recouperate from it.

Nicknacks - Stop flying and get better. Seriously. losing half a stone in a week due to illness is not a good thing. Absolutely essential only!!!!

PA so did you get to speak to the wasp???? Fabulous DH handling

linzer thanks.

Blue hope your day gets less frustrating!

PA - LOVE the wasp conversation :o

Toffee - well worth looking at another school even if it is only to compare. DD def had a dud year in Yr1 as had pretty rubbish teacher, and even more rubbish head, and we didn't know any better. With DS we are much more clued up and were prepared to be stroppy if necessary. Luckily he has a different teacher who had him sussed out in a few weeks and he is loving it. NOT good to have so many saying they are bored. :( for DS and you.

Ta Da:

• Bath, hair-wash and straightened before others surfaced
• All up and out (DC with smiley biscuits hidden in lunchboxes :))
• S&S and washing up
• Washing x 2 done and out
• Photos for ebay
• Shopping 'village' to exchange dance shoes for ones that will fit. Managed to buy myself some lovely (and cheap) jewelery and a few Christmas bits too
• Hoovered living room , hall and stairs
• Swimming kit packed for DS

To do - 3 things in 7 mins!

• Clean washing upstairs
• Heap of clothes on chair upstairs
• Hotspot somewhere

Here goes..............

Sounds good, Darkness - I should really start thinking about getting organised for Christmas, but I'm still in denial at the moment.

Blue Was quite excited to see an e-mail from a client in my inbox this morning - only to discover that they were just e-mailing to let me know I'd forgotten to attach the invoice to the e-mail I sent them a few days ago. Oh well, I wouldn't have had much time for work at the moment anyway, as we've got friends arriving tomorrow. Hope you get some more work soon.

NickNacks Hope you're feeling better now.

Toffee Good to hear you got both boys to school - but not so good about the situation with DS2's year. Sounds like a good idea to go to the open day at the other school. Children here are stuck with have the same teacher throughout the four years of primary school and there's always quite a fuss if a teacher happens to retire halfway through and what an upheaval it must be for the children; I try to say that I coped fine with five or six different teachers!

justonemore I would love to be able to shop on the Internet, but sadly online grocery shopping hasn't yet made it to Austria. I sometimes feel like we're stuck in the 1970s here. Or possibly the 1950s.

PA Happy birthday to your DD. Sorry to hear she's feeling down, but I had to laugh at your wasp conversation.

Right, must get off the Internet now as I have about an hour of child-free time (DC all at friends') and I am not, I repeat not, going to waste it on MN.

Have put loads of ads for nappies on various free sites. Too cheap to pay for MN or ebay!! Have also hoovered. That'll have to do. Just about time for a before collecting boys.

Put Hallowe'en box away in loft done
Unload d/w and tidy kitchen done
Put laundry away done

Also:
'room rescued' DS1's room
put the rubbish out
put on two loads of washing, including a bag of damp festering stuff that had been forgotten (ugh)
put the recycling out
washed up
made beds
emptied bins
admired DH's paintwork at regular intervals

Molepom - lol at you being envious of my little list .

Justonemore - that's fantastic that you had some time to get stuff done. If only babies and toddlers would tell us how long they're going to give us though, so we could plan ahead...

Nicknacks - DH also lost half a stone after the sickness bug. At least it's one bonus of being ill. Just in time for Xmas too .

Blue - sorry no work and not enough sales. Hope things pick up soon.

Darkness - you are scaring me a bit with your organisation . Who's going to keep the naughty corner stocked up?

Feet - yes, I'm much more clued up this time around (no 2) as well. Will definitely attend the other school's open day in December.

Linzer - hope you enjoyed your one hour of child-free time.

Am also, briefly, child and DH free at present and relishing the peace. DH has taken his mum shopping and DS2 was collected by a friend and taken back to hers to play with her son. DS1 is staying late for his first detention. I was just thinking of having a quick nap (feel tired all the time these days) when he phoned and said he was on his way home. And by the time he leaves here to go on to his friend's house, it will be time to collect DS2 .

mornin' all.
how can my house have turned into a complete tip again in the 25 hours that i turned my back? i mean, honestly, it's just a disaster. admittedly i haven't yet cleared the breakfast things (it's 9.17am, not teatime ) but it's crazy.

right.

room rescue kitchen and dining room. dear god.
shred the paperwork that was sorted out and has now tipped itself all over the floor/ table/ everywhere and needs re-sorting.
post office
bank
gin.

ffs.

it is also blowing a gale here and we are forecast three days of snow. dd2 was blown over walking to the bus stop this morning, so i had to put her on the bus bleeding from both knees and with ripped trousers. i gave her the option of coming home to sort out knees and change but she said she was ok. as long as they wipe the tear stains off before she gets her photo taken it will be fine (oh, yeah, it's picture day... )

and i'm cross and crotchety because i've been on mn for an hour and should be doing!!!!

darkness, i am in awe of your planning! and pa, rofl at the wasp.

on, on, on.

Rofl at you lot being scared of the plan. You do know that sitting in the cafe planning was just an excuse not to be getting on and doing don't you .

good point. well presented.

still in awe of an actual honest to goodness plan though.

heads for naughty corner

my mother is due in a mo...

but there is veg chilli and homemade fruitcake

Hiya everyone!

I'm still on my phone and there's way too much chat gone on for me to remember for personals! But I did at the wasp conversation...was that pa?

My main mindee has DDs tummy bug, I found this out after she threw up over my brand new travel cot so I've been one child down most of today and had an early collection from the other which has helped towards my list...still isn't fantastic though

Ta da:
Cleaned travel cot
Washed bedding and teddies from inside travel cot
Washed mould off inside of all windows and all the glass
Washed up/dried/ shined sink
Cleaned counter tops (3 times- I counted to see how often it does actually get done)
Washed window sills
Cleaned kitchen hotspot
Walked the dog
What's for dinner (the dreaded McDonald's as a rare treat for DD as no mindees but that's a fruit bag instead of chips and the fish fingers not a burger...not very MN I know people have been burned at the stake for less!)

Still to do:
Bedroom hotspot
find dehumidifier
Put DDs shoes away
Sort her wardrobe
Put away DD laundry

Well off to the wardrobe it is then!

Leaving the boys downstairs for a moment. DS1 ate and enjoyed his wrap for tea, but said "no thank you" when I asked if he'd like one again another day. [roll eyes]. DS2 has eaten next to nothing but is still having cake. Neither of them will stop talking and there's still 20 mins till DH gets in. I just needed to escape for a second. Sorry for whinging all the time at the moment...