Pointy sticks at the ready... and a few choc biscuits and brews too.

[carrotsandcelery]

I made it into town this morning. Used the laundermat to dry the things that couldn't/wouldn't dry in the cold house. Took a load to the charity shop and took a big binbag full of baby gros and onsies. Strangely, though, I didn't feel anything about turning them over -- it's only now that I see the space where the bag sad that I feel a bit . It was a big step, though.

Toddler's having a nap so MrScout and I are on dueling laptops, trying to decide if we're going to go out-and-about today.

Very hard to declutter with MrScout around. Might tackle the kitchen a bit more later this evening when he's watching something boring on tv.

What, dare I ask, does "swotty new girl" mean?

Yep, too much tea being drunk here, and too much of it caffeinated too. Any suggestions on what other warm drinks we can have? I went off herbal teas when I was pg & still don't like the idea of them. I sometimes have hot water & milk, or even just hot water. Hot water with fruit juice is nice, but I'm sure it must be very bad for my teeth!

Hi Scout. Well done on the donating. It does get easier as time goes on.

A "swot" is someone who tries really hard to please the teacher. Flylady would be using her as her best example and getting her to read out her essay etc.

Is there something you can declutter that dh won't care about eg a food cupboard of out of date packets? The fridge? The biscuit tin? Something that is not stuff he might be hoarding.

I have got the wash on and made everyone beans on toast for lunch. I need to check if yesterday's laundry is dry and fold/iron that lot.

I need to declutter the sideboard too. Most of it is recycling or filing.

I used to drink herbal tea all the time but in my efforts to stop the Pepsi I moved to tea. I have ditched the Pepsi habit thank goodness but now need to reduce the tea as I think it is giving me headaches.

Hot drink ideas:

Hot chocolate
Soup
Herbal Tea
Hot diluting juice (tooth issue)
Hot water
Hot milk

We have hot water sometimes but it is not quite the same. I think I will start with alternating with a glass of water/hot water and having decaff tea more often.

Ha! I am having a right now too. From where I am sitting I can see:

Table - still cluttered with easel, 2 lamps, paper, craft stuff, random toys etc
Coffee table - in middle of room - covered in toys
Ironing board - covered in things needing ironed
Airer - needs emptied
Playmobil Castle on floor - needs packed away as ds lost interest for now
Large foot stool - covered in catalogues, dust, a few toys
Another coffee table - dirty, magazines and toys on it too
Sideboard - gathering clutter and post
Cupboard doors - with ironed laundry hanging on them (3 cupboards)
Huge windowsill - very dusty, pile of stuff for ebay, dog's santa suit , books, clutter etc

Considers another

Yup, that's pretty much my house, too.

This evening I will do a declutter of the kitchen cabinets and drawers after I wash up and scrub down the stove. No point in starting now because TS will be up soon and we'll be off out to lunch.

I am back again.

I have dealt with the airer, no ironing from that so just the stuff I didn't get done yesterday to do.
One coffee table is decluttered (not cleaned yet though)
Foot stool is decluttered (not cleaned yet though)
Side board is decluttered

That is a start!

Oh and dh has been sweeping the floor again. He seems to like doing that!

Hi all, I am sat having a .

Today I have done:
breakfast
get dressed
made beds
cleaned table
washing x 1
hanged washing on airer
put another load of washing on
stock take of kitchen
tried to start on shopping list but lost enthusiasm.

I am now feeling slightly ill but don't know why .
So am hoping to chill out.

That is good progress BlackCat. We are on a roll today

I hope it is just a passing wave and you feel ok soon. I think you have definitely earned a chill out as you have done loads this week.

I have made the bed in the spare room and given it a quick tidy. The other bed is neatly turned down airing.

I am trying to summon it to clean the side table and foot stool and do the ironing so that I can put all of that away. Dh has put away 2 of the 3 loads of clothes which I had ironed but just hung on cupboard doors.

Do any of you find that you stop seeing the mess in some areas?

carrots does the dog enjoy dressing up in his Santa suit?

I am finally having the cup of tea I wanted earlier - fully caffeinated too!

DH & I are going out for a meal tonight, so this afternoon I am going to either straighten my hair, choose what to wear or have a sleep. The DDs have been in bed for about 30mins, so I've probably got just under an hour. (cue DD2 waking up)

I washed everything up, but have left it in a HUGE pile for DH to dry up when he gets back from golf. I've also had a quick tidy up & vacuum downstairs ready for the baby sitters.

I used to have sachets of instant miso soup in my desk at work, have written it on the shopping list for next week

We just tried playing Monopoly with DS and DD which went o.k. till DD decided to throw a wobbler and cleared the board . We tried to see the funny side of it but DS is a bit sulky now.

I'm off to play build a beetle with DD.

BlackCat - Funny, I was doing that this morning with a friend's ds while she helped my dd.

bessie our dog loves dressing up for some reason. He has won fancy dress competitions at the local village show and everything. He is a cross breed from the dogs home too, not a hand bag lap dog He was hugely underweight when we got him though so I think it kept him warm. He is fine now but hasn't grown out of it. He has a winter coat and a fluorescent running vest and a bandana/neckerchief thing (I did say yesterday he is my third baby)

I have done all the ironing watching Horrible Histories with dd. It is v amusing. I don't suppose many of you have dcs of an age where you can do that yet but it is a treat that awaits you

Blackcat it's years since I've played build a beetle - is that the same game where you have to roll a dice and depending on the number you get to draw on antennae, spots, legs etc?

Bovril is another alternative for hot drinks. Or hot lemon and honey is a favourite as well.

I'm just waking up after having a little Nana nap on the sofa. DS and I did a huge shop in Morrisons this morning and I'm flaked out. Managed to stock up on lots of nappies etc though as they've got special promotions on this weekend.

Also managed to remember to get neeps and tatties to go with the haggis for tomorrow and then we're having ginger cake, pears and custard for afters. Can't remember who posted that they were having this but I've been dreaming about it ever since

Still need to get on and swish and swipe the bathrooms which I've been promising that I'll do for about the last 3 days! For anyone else that lacks enthusiasm for doing things in the evening, I discovered a new motivational technique last night - only do things during the advert breaks which over the course of a one hour programme equates to 15 mins give or take and it's amazing what you can get done whilst mostly sitting around :)

Right, might go and make a and then get on with life. Catch up with you all later on.

Doing wee jobs during the adverts is a great idea. I think I will pinch that one if I may. I have said before but I also do something little while the kettle boils or the microwave is on etc.

I also had to swish the bathroom as ds "missed" a bit and sprinkled the seat and bin beside the loo instead. The joy of little boys

If only it were only the little boys.....

Dh is now trained to swish and swipe

He did trim his nose hairs into the newly cleaned whb yesterday and met with my and at that one

cairn The build a beetle we have got has body parts (plastic legs, antenei, eyes and noses). DD is a bit young (3) to play properly so I have just put them together and letting her play with the beetles.

Talking about hot drinks - I sometimes like a cup-a-soup or hot chocolate. I need to find alternatives to tea and coffee too.

cairn or carrots
What is a neep?

DS is now watching Harry Potter. He is into the books lately.

A neep is just a swede. We boil it and mash it in the same way as you would make mashed potatoes.

cairn we play both sorts of beetle. Ds likes to draw them sometimes.

You can also play "The House That Jack Built" which is more or less the same but the numbers on the dice are building, roof, window, door, garage doors, chimneys. We have that in a box and the dice is colours not numbers so really easy for little ones but you can draw it out and just draw and example one first so you are agreed how many windows, chimneys etc.

ooooOOOooo hark at blackcat and her posh Beetle game!

carrotsandcelery nose hairs???? mind you I have a real hang up about loose hair, it makes me retch and have been known to vomit when cleaning our old flat before moving out. I cannot clean my own hairbrushes for example so DH does it for me. :)

half way down and DS has just woken up and isn't very well :( just full of cold but has basically had nothing to eat since breakfast and has a streaming nose so I think a bit of snuggling is in order.

I know cairn. I wasn't delighted myself. Dh overlooks my lack of likeness to Scarlet johansen (sp?) though so I will let it slide It is also better than him trying to pluck them out with his fingers while we watch a film at night. He does have to wash them away in future though. [points naggy finger]

Can anyone shove me off the sofa and send me to the other end of the room to make a curry please? I seem to be stuck