fledglings falling out of the nest thread

[IceColdBitchy]

Ok So a new year a new thread.
You know the ropes flying the fledgling way.
Decluttering 15mins at a time in each zone.
Babysteps and missions.

Sunday is renew your spirit day and seeing as today is new years days I hope there aren't too many evil hangovers in existance.

Babystep 1: shine you shine. yes we know this one but do you shine it the fat fairy way? cant remember? check here

And for a treat as it is sunday no mission.

Oh and can i just may 2012 bring you productive decluttering and flying so your houses step closer to those of your dreams and house work no longer be that evil monster that dominates.

No going out for lulnch as I have to take DS1 to the dr (if I can get him there - he's in a state of anxiety about that too now ). However, lovely friend is buying us lunch and bringing it over to me . School are being absolutely lovely about DS being off again and have suggested he goes part time for a bit to build up his confidence. I can't fault them.

I haven't even had time to wash my hair this morning (or use my BBH, Linzer), so am not looking very glamorous for my birthday. I was going to dress up and everything, but I'm in jeans and a jumper instead.

Sorry to hear you are all ill, Linzer - hope you get well soon.

Just a quicky as I need to do a bit more WAH job than usual but still, the overtime is nice - I'm just sneaking on while a program runs and I have to sit and wait.

Well, yesterday was so good in some ways, and absolutely shite in others.

I got the bathroom cleaned, lots of baking done, a lovely walk with DH & DS along the beach and all was lovely... BUT I bent my thumbnail back and caused my nail bed to bleed trying to open a frozen Velux window. I also took a gouge out of my toe on the stair gate as I pushed it and it bounced back and the stoppers at the bottom bit me. Then I stubbed the toes on my other foot on the bed as I overbalanced wildly trying to change my jeans off quickly so I could deal with DS. And then, to cap it all off... I smacked my jaw with the car door and I suspect gave myself a little bit of concussion - certainly felt sick and dizzy and eyes weren't focusing quite correctly. Still feel a bit wonky today (headachy) and my eyes aren't great, but I have a history of my eyesight changing quite rapidly (seems to be almost overnight, although it's probably just it changes slowly and then gets to the point where my eyes can't cope anymore and I suddenly notice it IYSWIM), so this may be my normal change and it's just the bang that's made me notice it. Will monitor things and go see the doctor if it doesn't improve as I don't think I can get anymore free eyetests as I've had about 6 in the past 4 years Either way, I now look like I've been punched on my jaw and I suspect will get a few looks from people when I'm out and about

Now, pity party over, and I can get on with my ta-da list!
Morning routine done
DW emptied
Stairs and upstairs hoovered (zone 3 relevant for me )
S&S done (including upstairs bathroom)
Bedroom dusted still to be hoovered
Set of drawers in study emptied, reorganised and stuff binned
Stuff for dinner out and defrosting

This afternoon, I need to do:
Dust of DS's room once he wakes
Quick trip to the top with the stuff from the study and the recycling
Chop vegetables etc for dinner will do when DS is having his tea

Not planning to do much else as my control journal says I don't have to - the dusting of DS's room is the final bit of my deep clean of Zone 3 - and worryingly it didn't seem to take me much time at all. Admittedly, the bathroom took ages yesterday, but I suspect doing a daily S&S will make it quicker and quicker.

God I love being organised and clean! Right, back to the actual paid work!
Have a lovely day everyone!

OOOH! And a HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Toffee

Hope the birthday fairies bring you nice gifts.

I posted just then but it has disappeared, grrr.

Happy Birthday Toffee

Hope everything gets better soon Flying

Hope everyone gets better soon Linzer

I have an untidy house full of new birthday presents to find homes for and a tax return to complete, so I'm off, see you later.

Happy Birthday Toffee

no flying here really either. I have been asleep.

swan I was also reassured that my friend had problems with discipline at the FC class as it made me see I'm not alone in having to (and sometimes failing to) cope with rowdy children (although I do like to mutter about how the youth of today have no respect for their elders ).

Blue I no longer give birthday cards to family members who I actually see on their birthday (i.e. DH and the DC and sometimes my ILs) as the Austrians don't give/send cards to people they see regularly and I've come to see it as much easier in many ways (although I do like sending cards to distant friends).

Toffee Hope the doctor's went OK and hurrah for lovely friends. A friend of mine brought us a care package of bread, bananas, soletti and coke this lunchtime (along with mountains of schoolwork and homework for the DDs, which she kindly picked up from school for us).

Flying Ouch, poor you. Still, if bad luck does run in threes at least you've got it all out of the way now... Hope your eyes are OK again soon. I'm having problems focusing atm but think the contact lenses I ordered may be too strong. I really must make an appointment to go and see the optician.

Must now try to muster up some energy to tidy. At least we don't have to go out anywhere this afternoon as I've cancelled the piano lessons as well as tomorrow's two English lesson. So nice to have two afternoons of nothingness planned.

Flying - owch, that's a really painful succession of injuries . It sounds as if you are too busy to concentrate on yourself properly. Hope all the injuries heal soon.

Linzer - what a lovely friend, bringing you a package of goodies

Thanks for my birthday wishes, WhoKnows, Bitchy, BlueEyes and NickNacks.

Well, I did make it out for a pub lunch in the end, as DH turned up at home again at midday, bringing work back with him, and so I was able to leave DS with him. Managed to get DS1 to the dr in the morning . The dr prescribed something to help DS's sore tummy (which he thinks is stress related, of course), so I'll start him on that tomorrow and hope it works.

I've had lots of lovely happy birthday wishes and presents, but, to be honest, the best present I could have right now would be a sleep. DH has promised me that he'll let me have a nap when he's finished work.

Hiya all!

Get well soon linzer

Glad you got out for lunch in the end toffee and hope you get some sleep

Take it easy flying! But well done for getting everything done that is in your control journal!

I feel like I haven't stopped yet and I still have home bleugh and some paperwork to do when DD goes to bed and havent sorted DD wardrobe as im waiting on storage bags to be delivered but I do have a small ta da list:

Hoovered
What's for tea? Sausage casserole and mash
Washed up/dried/shined sink
Swept and mopped kitchen floor
Painting tots
Walked dog with kids to park
DD bathed and ready for bed

Both kitchen and living room hotspots seem to be staying put out for now

BB tomorrow!

happy birthday toffee!

dw-done
wm-done
put away laundry
mop kitchen floor and stairs
bank
call and change exercise class (time clash) - done
call and arrange cancellation of dd2's x-country class (it's -35 with wind chill!!!)
dd1 ballet
dd2 brownies
dd1 pathfinders
call and change hair appt

my kitchen hotspot has migrated to the desk but i'm trying really hard to keep it down. the coins are taken care of by the ugliest green plstic piggy bank in existence, which i keep moving and dh keeps putting it back. [grr] it makes me cross every time i look at it. and now we've painted the walls red it looks even worse! i might hide it today and replace it with the nicer one that lives on the shelf in the living room....

Just flying by.

HAppy Birthday Toffee. I hope you are have a celebratory , but not too many

Flying I hope today has been a better day for you!

Outofbody -35!!! I have just been packing my suitcase for the frozen depths of Germany. That is going to be cold enough!!

Right, I am packed (almost) and ready to go! DH is lucky to be alive today and even luckier to still be married to me! He has driven me crazy!! His words to me this morning were "I will do whatever you need me to do today, just ask" Arrrr how sweet. I asked him to go and get the money changed for euros. I needed £200 changed plus the train fare from Frankfurt which should be around 150 euro. SImple!!!! Noooooooooo. Good job I checked! He had just got 200 euro. That is it!! SO he had to go back down to town again. Not happy!!
Then I told him to put all his clothes for me to pack. Put them all in the suitcase only for him to have a go at me because he had nothing to wear tomorrow!! Grrrrrrr!! And tomorrow we are off first thing to spend 2 weeks together with a load of strangers and we will probably drive each other crazy before Wednesday tea time! Fun fun fun!

Sorry I have not been around a lot. I have been very busy getting ready for tomorrow. I know I won't sleep tonight. I can't eat today I am so nervous. Now I have just sat down for a little relax and DH has decided to do a last minute check on things and is winding me up!!! Must go to commit murder get him off my back!

Have fun everyone. I may dip in while I am away, but absolutely no flying, so I will just be here for the chat. what's new

Evening all,

I'm feeling much better this evening, so have managed to get some tidying done so that it doesn't look too awful when DH gets back. DD1 is back to normal as well, but I'm not sure yet whether DD2 will go back to school tomorrow; we'll have to see in the morning.

Toffee Glad to hear you were able to get out for lunch after all. Hope you managed to get some sleep too.

lauren You've just reminded me that I was planning on putting the rest of the paperwork away once the DC were in bed... but I think I might leave it until tomorrow instead and try to have an early(ish) night for once.

outofbody Could the piggy bank meet with an accident? Hiding it away sounds like a good plan too; I'm sure I could declutter half of DH's stuff without him noticing.

PA Have a good journey, or should I say gute Reise. Are you going to the same town as last time? If the weather's anything like it is here (and it very often is; we often seem to get German weather a few days later), it hopefully won't be too cold - it's a few degrees above freezing here atm.

Right, just need to order some books, download some podcasts and then I'm going to switch the computer off - my aim is to be in bed by 10 pm.

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy BIrthday dear Toffee, Happy Birthday to you .

Evening all. This week I am determined to fly a little every night and also post every night. Am still lesson planning on the discovery of DNA but am popping in on my break .

Minor miracles have occurred as I have actually done some flying today . It's been a while .

Ta da:-

MOrning routine (for first time since gone back to work)
Dinner cooked
1 x washload done
1 x washload dried
1 x washload put away (all in new washload per day rules I have written myself)
Sink shined
Homework for both DC's done (DD got homework , she's 3 ffs)
Bags packed

Still to do:-
Pack-up
Lesson plan

Will try and improve further tomorrow night with personals but wanted to say to pa have a lovely time .

Better get on.

Happy Birthday Toffee.

Hope you don't have any more accidents Flying

Sorry, RL absolutely manic this week. Totally overcommitted with the nursery committee. So will try to keep up reading the thread just to encourage me to keep up my routines, but don't think I'll have much time to post until the weekend.

Big waves to everyone.

Toffee Glad you went out for your birthday but how lovely of your friend to offer to bring lunch to you. Hope DS is feeling better and it's good to have the school on board.

Flying Bloody hell you've been in the wars - slow down!

Lauren How's the CMing going alongside Flying? I have good days and bad days.

DH is off again and I also get bugger all done when he's in the house... still will give it a go.

Tomorrows list

Morning routine
Take littlies out in the morning
Home for lunch/ nursery drop off/ naps
Call Ofsted /HA / FIS
Plan rest of this wk and next
Meal plan rest of week
Write up ICE cards & get parents to sign them
Mop kitchen and bathroom floors
Evening routine
Send DH out for MIL's b'day present
Declutter catalogues
See if local PO does Passport forms- We need to renew 3 poss 4 out of the 5 of ours for hol in May!

That takes me back ellie. I had to do a presentation on the discover of DNA at uni.

Flying fail. Only thing i have done today is to do a load of washing. Oh and finish buying ds' birthday present. Which I have wrapped. Am chuckling at the events of my weekend still, not helped by going out with the girls this evening. Lots of rude fun

Anyhows: LINKIES

Tuesday is planning day and i know this without linking now See

Babystep 17: Sort out your bedtime and i even knew this without checking at some point i might even suceed with doing the babysteps

missions.

Night.

Nicknacks - our small PO does the passport forms but you have to ask, they aren't out with the other forms. Get a couple of spares, if you are anything like me you will make mistakes >

PA - Good luck, have a safe trip and hope DH gets a bit better with the arrangements from now on.

Haven't read all the posts today, I did lots of room rescues this morning and normal daily routines but no home blessing. I went for a run though, and faced up to something I have been worrying about for ages, my first ever self assessment tax return (thanks to a bit of help from a kind MNer on another thread). Am reeling in shock at how much money I owe them though.......

So I'm heading off to the naughty corner now for a .

Thanks for all my birthday wishes, flowers and (stern look noted, PA).
Actually, I haven't had a drink today. I didn't fancy one at lunchtime, then had a long, long nap (er, two hours!) after the school run this afternoon and woke up sneezy (I always wake up sneezy after a daytime nap ) and sleepy, so still didn't fancy one, even though DH had bought me some bubbly. I'll make up for it tomorrow, I'm sure.

DS1 is still in a right state, so I'm not sure what tomorrow holds. I have suggested he just go in for the morning sessions, then come home for lunch (which was his school's suggestion), but he's not sure he can even manage that. He is also refusing to take his medication, which isn't helping, of course. So part of tomorrow is probably going to be taken up with ringing various professionals for advice.

On a more positive note, DH's first day in his new job went well and the company might even have some work coming up for me to do at home too.

PA - best of luck to you and your DH in Germany. Is this the training for your missionary work? It'll be interesting and fun, I'm sure. My husband is very much like yours with instructions. If I give him a shopping list, he always misses some of it out. I've tried typing it, writing it in capitals and dividing it up into sections of the supermarket, but he still suffers word blindness (unless it says 'beer' or 'wine', of course ).

outofbody - at least your kitchen hotspot sounds under control - mine is growing daily . It's taken over one whole work surface.

Toffee it must be taking it out of you dealing with ds; trying to convince them to do things which are for their benefit when it is an additional source of tension like appts, is so utterly exhausting isn't. Lots of flowers. School sounds so nice. But there is no easy fix for anxiety.
Today I rang up Dh in tears because I couldn't face the thought of trying to get dd to ballet on foot, (car still not mended, well it is but not time by 2pm to pick it up) against her will, and then missing ds's homework slot and getting him off to Scouts. It was really utterly ridiculous how I tied myself in knots over it all. Dh just said, THERE IS NO PROBLEM. I think that made me feel better and afternoon went fine, dd went happily to ballet on foot, ds1 did his homework despite a mini tantrum...Scouts went alright..lots of walkign to and fro...
Anxiety is one of those things which builds up in waves and then just goes..but there are definitely big triggers. I can see that school anxiety is not easily explained away, School is seriously scary really when you think about it.

I've had a good day in the end, but now I feel rubbish again, thought of tomorrow filling me with apprehension, as I'm volunteering in the morning. I am going to CBT that thought!!!!

However
done
put out veg box cartons
recycling, threw away newspapers
rescued kitchen bookcase a bit
space books for space project retrieved from bookcase
washing x 3 loads (not put away)
shook out doormats
packed lunch for ds1 (he's lost his lunchcard)
mended his trousers
ballet, Scouts on foot, picked up 3 Cubs and took them home on foot
meal planned and bought food whilst waiting for ballet to end! Yay!
easy and delicious supper (Tesco fresh tomato sauce with homecooked chicken, bacon, peppers celery on pasta)
supervised homework on Lady of Shalott
supervised piano practice
changed and remade beds, cleaned bathrooms, rescued everywhere whilst cleaning lady cleaned kitchen and hoovered flight of stairs
thoroughly sorted out ds1's room again, and removed all picture books from his room to box on landing. Arranged reference books in chronological sections

Cleaning Lady came this morning after six week absence, and cleaned kitchen for two hours. It looks just the same as it did yesterday now, but at least it is clean underneath!

linzer hope you feel better soon, kind friend
Whoknows party must have gone well then
I did self assessment tax returns for about ten years, but then I could stand it no longer (it was a form of torture to which I was not well suited) and was in danger of making terrible errors so I paid someone in the end...Dh is not required to do one anymore thank goodness
PA love the romantic side of travelling!

Thanks for your thoughtful words, Swan. You are right, there is no easy fix for anxiety (unless you count medication ). There was an interesting article in the weekend Guardian magazine by a writer who refused to go to school as a child. She simply hated it - the noise, the bustle, the school bell, everything. DS also hates the physicality of it and finds the lessons exhausting. He would love me to home educate him again, but I don't feel I can offer him the quality of education he's receiving at school. However, I do sympathise with him when he gets fed up with everyone giving him labels and worrying about him. Quite rightly, he feels there's nothing wrong with him; he just doesn't like the system he's expected to fit into.

Your DH sounds very sensible! I'm glad your afternoon went well in the end and I hope you can talk yourself out of anxiety over tomorrow morning's volunteering. Easier said than done, I know. You'll be fine once you're doing it, you know.

(I was appalled to be asked to help out at Seedy Saturday for two hours one weekend - and so thankful when my obvious lack of gardening knowledge meant I was not qualified for the job!).

After a grand total of 3.5 hours in bed, not all asleep, I have now joined the wide awake club! Ohhh its going to be a long day!

Linzer its Mosbach we are off to and yes toffee its for our work preparation and to enjoy the cheap wine that Linzer told me about

Swan your DH sounds like mine. Calm as a cucumber and very little gets him wound up (apart from when he doesn't listen to me and then has to repeat things!). I find it reassuring and totally frustrating in equal measure. Sometimes I would like him to feel a little bit stressed while I have steam coming out of my ears! Sometimes he is just so reasonable!!!!!!

Sorry to hear DS is not so happy Toffee. My computer is playing up and I can't scroll up to check your posts, but has he got a good friend there for him? It sounds as if the school are communicating with you, though. I hope things settle soon. It does annoy me that all children are expected to fit into their ideas of what children should be like, should enjoy and should feel like. DD1 always struggled with this and was never really happy at school, but now is flourishing as an adult in her own way and not having to follow what is "the norm".

So, do I go back to bed and lay awake in the hope for a few more minutes sleep, do I potter around and get myself all wound up and panicky or do I get my Kindle out and read then feel like passing out with exhaustion all day??? Hmmm .............

Hi all
I long for a moment in my every day life when I can sit here, go through everything in my own time and write properly. But darling dd2 is always around. Obviously that is not her fault!!! But I still long for some time in the house without her.
I think I may have found an affordable option ( a local playgroup) and being 2 she's just about ready for it I'd say. Even just a morning or two a week would be great.

She also kept waking up in the night and now here I am up again doing the morning shift..... because obviously DH Has To Go To Work so why should he get up early.
Mh, was going to post a list, but she is leaning on my leg not liking that I'm on the computer, so better go. (sigh)

PA What about lying in bed or on the sofa reading something? That usually is the only way I can relax...

PA Hope you manage to get through the day despite your lack of sleep and have a good journey (I can never sleep when I'm travelling so maybe your lack of sleep will help?).

justonemore I really feel for you. I remember when DD1 was about 1.5, I was desperate for just one morning to myself to try to regain some sanity! The playgroup sounds like a good option. I ended up sending DD1 to a childminder two mornings a week (as the CM said one morning wouldn't be enough) and, after one morning of feeling very guilty, it was wonderful to have some time to myself again.

I just have DD2 at home today, who's still not well but she's lying in bed so I hardly notice she's around. It was DS who was hard work yesterday - mind you, the fact that he was the only one of us not ill didn't exactly help.

Have just been out shovelling snow, which was hard work and probably quite pointless as it's still coming down thick and fast, but I thought I'd better make the effort. Unfortunately we have quite a long path leading up to the house, part of which we share with neighbours but they're all at work/have a small baby, as well as the pavement to keep clear, so it takes quite a time to get rid of all the snow.

Anyway, must get on. Am not going to bother posting a list, as it consists mainly of washing and house rescuing. Hope everyone has a good day.

Morning all!

Sorry no personals as I'm on my phone apart from nicknacks, I must admit I did struggle with flying when I was working the longer hours and my house was starting to suffer towards the end, but I've cut my hours now down from 50 to 25 now I've lost a full timer so it's made all the difference. I would be reluctant to go back to those hours again if I'm honest! I have my first OFsted inspection in march too (the one after 6 months) so im currently going through risk assessments I did at the beginning and making them better now I have some more experience of it all, and doing COSHH risk assessments which I never even considered at the beginning (bad CM award!) I also have my self evaluation to tackle!

To do today (no mindees)
Sort and organise DD toys
S &s bathroom
Laundry
walk dog- pick up mums dogs and take those with me
Dog poo out the back and the one I've just seen him do out the front
Play with DD
What's for tea? Chicken dinner
later when DD is in bed, more paper work
I did today's mission as part of home bleugh yesterday and there's no evidence of Christmas left either

BBL!

Justmore hope you find a bit of space in the day today, early shift is very demoralising day after day. Tbh I miss having a toddler hugging my knee to go on little walks with, although at the time I'm sure I was going nuts with all the day to day frustrations.
Toffee PA Dh is calm on some matters on others he is BATS! He hates travelling so is super organised, and doesn't sweat the small stuff like leaving shiny sinks behind (which is what I hate about travelling, the tidying up before hand....) He worries so much when travelling that he is always awake all night before hand, and takes loads of Euros out, just in case....Then he spends most of his travels feeling sick. Difficult if you have to travel for business quite a lot..

PA enjoy the calm of the train. It's a lovely feeling once you are sitting in your reserved or otherwise seat looking out the window at Europe.

Blue hope you find birthday card for ds. My faves are the talking Star Wars ones! We've kept all ours!

Now I must get dressed properly (I've cobbled together school gate wear) for library helping, and wash my hair...

Does anyone else find the shower queue in the morning is getting unworkable? 2 people wash the night before, but that still leaves 3 people. I think we need timed slots, unfortunately despite two bathrooms, only one shower/tap works at once, due to Edwardian water supply

Oh yes, I forgot to mention, Washing Machine has FLOODED Kitchen overnight, most has dried, but it is a bit like Venice in lower half of kitchen. I thought it was working again, but clearly yesterday's washing pile was too much for it..sigh.

Bye for now.