Flinging our way through the chaos: February’s Fledgling Flyers

[LinzerTorte]

Welcome to the February edition of the Fledgling Flyers' thread.

If you're living in CHAOS (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome), this is the thread for you! We follow the tips on the FlyLady website in an attempt to restore order to our homes, but advise against signing up for the e-mails; all the information you need is on this thread.

Each day, I'll be posting the links that will enable you to do any of the following:

• start or repeat babysteps

• repeat babysteps and do 15 minutes a day decluttering in the current zone

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

More information about the babysteps is here.

So please join us - there's always plenty of chat, , cake, encouragement and the occasional to help us on our way!

Chitchat sorry it was you not Nicknacks I meant, I thnk your names almost rhyme which was the reason for my mistake. nicknacks hope aching did not turn into illness

Dh has returned and v annoyed by the state of the kitchen, however he apologised and said his journey had been horrendous. Usually I rush around before he comes home getting in a terrible state about clearing the decks and he walks in and says My Darling I don't care about the kitchen I just want you to be happy; I now see he didn't realise quite how bad the mess could get

1/4 mess done, 3/4 left. More scones baked

Lauren even odder was that 12 year old acquaintance then did not reappear at 3pm...This child had literally never set foot in our house before, and yet played Wii for half an hour with ds2 (Ds2 was very happy!) before babysitter discovered from me that he was only casual acquaintance. and suggested he return later, which obviously scared him off.. And ds was so looking forward to him reappearing But we don't know his address or phone no. Ds has been at primary with him for six years but never yet been that friendly with him...
I am amazed by how much you get done lauren, glad museum was enjoyable, lots of things to touch and grab and make noises I hope! Science museum is totally overwhelming. Sometimes I wish it was less comprehensive and more roomsetty.. I was looking in vain in V & A for the bit where they have the 20th C domestic design sectionold washing machines and typewriters from the 30's though every attendant I asked said it was a figment of my imagination - aaah, now I think of it, I was confusing it with a section in the Science museum, maybe it was in there. Instead got caught in a torrent of silverware and metal railings, and then genomes and different kind of phobias. Hand-phobia, whatever next!

Lauren just noticed you are an expert at planning for 9 year olds! I am stumped by them as they seem to want to be left to do their own thing, but then suddenly decide they want to make a volcano / bake cake/ make a fancy dress parade when you are expecting to go out/go to sleep/give up-
any tips welcome.

or in the middle of making said volcano you realise they really really need to be running around outside but the kitchen is now covered in plaster of paris

LOL swan you make me laugh! .

at swan you are making me laugh too! I've just been doing lots of crafty things with my 9 year old mindees this week but they are girls and it's probably the novelty of them only coming here in the holidays that keeps them entertained as much as anything else...I can imagine it being a different story if they were here all the time!

XDP hasn't even got all his stuff from my house yet and he's already "in a relationship" with another girl on facebook said girl was the start of all of our arguments too...I'm thinking overlap! I should be crying and sad but I find it much easier to be angry than sad! Off to keep myself busy with flat pack furniture!

Swan I think you're psychic!!!! At 2.30pm today I had to make an appt for DD as she has another ear infection! So she is on amoxicillin :(

I've been so busy I'm sorry I've lagged behind on the thread.

My mum is taking boys out to the cinema and keeping them for a bit tomorrow so I can stay in with DD. No mindees so tons of catching up to do, :)

No time to catch up with everyone properly, I'm afraid. I haven't had much MN time all day in fact, with DS at home all morning (we spent the first hour or so at an open day at school - he was very clingy - and then the last half hour teaching English to DD2's class, when he was equally clingy). DD2 decided she didn't want to go to the last ice skating lesson, which I was quite relieved about, and it worked out for the best as the tiler was about 1.5 hours late. We now have a fully tiled bathroom again, but still no toilet. Well, we do have a toilet - two, in fact - just not a functioning one in the new bathroom. (Am trying to keep up with swan. )

**

Friday's links

The babystep today is a very useful one - set a specific bedtime and stick to it.

The mission is to clean the skirting boards in the bathroom and to check your office supplies.

Here are Friday's reminders. And don't forget to declutter your handbag and car.

Hi all, no flying today, just lay on the sofa reading a book. I've pulled a muscle in my stomach from all the coughing ! But the penicillin has already made a noticeable difference so I'm hoping by tomorrow I will feel up to getting a few light jobs done. At the very least I will be able to spend some time with the DSs who are going a bit crazy without my attention.

Oh no ChitChat, that sounds horribly painful. I've had a bad cough a couple of times and it really is agony. Glad the penicillin has kicked in, at least.

Rest, rest, rest Chitchat!!! Flying can wait. Spend a little energy on the dcs but majority should be on recouperating or you won't get better anytime soon. These things really knock you for six and can take ages to feel 100% if you don't look after yourself.

Lauren reading your post the two words that come to mind are 'good riddance'!

For those of you who are sole carers, be aware that you may be entitled to a free flu jab. Ever since DH became so disabled I have had one so that I am less likely to be struggling to look after him.

Evening all.

ChitChat - yes to rest! Flying can definitely wait!!

Haven't done all that much today, or if I have, I can't remember it! Did manage to hoover at least though. We're off for belated Christmas with FIL and step-MIL tomorrow. Couldn't see them at the time because of DS1's chicken pox and step-great-granny being in a nursing home...

Waves to all - hope you all have lovely weekends. :)

Just woken up and come down for a bowl of cereal. DS2 is coughing, so I'm waiting for him to settle before I go back to bed.

How did I get on yesterday?

Visit from MIL done
Lunch done
Put yesterday's laundry away done
Tumbledry clothes done
Visit friend round the corner so our boys can play and we can catch up done
Back in time for visit from a classmate of DS2 who is visiting for the afternoon cancelled because DS2 was outrageously grumpy and I realised he wasn't over his cold
What's for dinner? found something in freezer
Online supermarket order done
Missions no
Declutter our bedroom if boys are amusing themselves and don't need adult intervention no
Dinner of some description done
Before-bed routine done
done
Bed at decent hour fell asleep with DS2 at 9, so yes, done

No idea what time the men are coming to install our stove because DH didn't think to ask them (why wouldn't you do that? Baffling, but typical of DH). I wanted to get the boys outside or take them swimming, but, thanks to stove being fitted, can't leave the house. DS1 is addicted to his computer at the moment and I really wanted to get him away from it, so have hidden it and am going to suggest other activities like reading or cooking. That will go down like a lead balloon, obviously.

lauren - it's right that you are . I second what Honu says. Thank goodness you didn't buy a house with him. So sorry you are going through this, though.

ChitChat - rest, rest and more rest. Flying can wait. You really mustn't overdo it or you won't recover properly.

Honu - good advice re flu jab. DH and I are both entitled to free jabs, thanks to asthma, and neither of us have organised appointments . Am wondering if it is a bit late for this year now...

BlueEyes - hope your (extremely) belated Christmas get together goes well.

Linzer - glad to see you had a 'date' with your tiler again . Am envious of your two toilets (only one here, which causes all sorts of problems sometimes, as you can imagine)

NickNacks - sorry your DD is ill. Ear infections are horrible. I remember baby DS1 crying every time he lay down to sleep - I was in despair! Turned out he had an ear infection and it hurt more to lie down. I hope the antibiotics take effect quickly.

Swan - at your DH not realising quite how bad things could get in your kitchen! Probably quite good for him to see how much you have to clear up though.

scatty - good idea to have a break from playdates if they are causing more stress than fun.

DS2 has finally settled (have been going up and down the stairs in between writing on here), so I think I may be able to go back to bed now.

Morning.

Toffee I did laugh at your long post in the middle of the night, I can't even see letters at that time!

Lauren I agree with the others, sounds like you had a lucky escape. Sorry that you are going for this though :( have a :) instead

I need to get my arse out of bed, friend is coming round 9.30 and she is always exactly on time. Going to get dressed, then work my way downstairs clearing, tidying, wiping and dusting as I go.

Wish me luck!

Morning all! Thanks honu, toffee and dedalus he's a waste of space! I'll raise your with a !

Just a list as need to get organized before mindees arrive!

Clean out rabbit
Laundry *1 and away
Deep clean bathroom
Scrub kitchen floor
Look at all this weeks missions and do the ones I need to!
Paperwork!
Hoover later
Sort toys into new storage I put up last night
Arrange playroom and put bookcase in it

That will probably be it for now!

BB later!

Morning all,

Good luck Dedalus! Having friends round is always a good incentive to get the house looking halfway decent, I find (I just keep my fingers crossed that visitors don't open any drawers or venture upstairs).

Your post made me laugh too, Toffee. Sadly the tiler is neither tall nor dark, but I did have a nice cup of coffee and a chat with him. And then another cup of coffee. Unfortunately he won't be back again unless I find myself breaking a tile accidentally and we only have the plumber to look forward to on Monday, who is far less friendly. I don't think I'll be offering him any drinks.

Just about to make a start on my tax return, which I've been putting off for weeks. I finally got round to doing the figures last night and discovered that I actually made a loss last year thanks to the ridiculously high (IMO) social insurance contributions that I paid. That's another reason to get the tax return done asap, so that the social insurance company can adjust my contributions to something slightly more affordable.

And then I must make a start on this year's passport applications. It would be far easier, cheaper and quicker to get the DC Austrian passports but I like to hang on to a little piece of Britishness on their behalf.

lauren So sorry, missed your post last night. I agree with all the others that he's a waste of space and you're definitely better off without him.

Morning
Feeling pretty pants due to poorly back, "special week" and a migraine all night (all related I expect).
Aiming to bless the house today and do ironing tonight but that's it.
The rest can wait until Monday

All was well with report (well no phone calls anyway) so big slap on the back.

Big waves to everyone. I struggle to keep up on my working days but I've now for 4 days to keep checking in xx

Morning .

Oh lauren what a rat!

Another good nights sleep (albeit in spare bed in dds room) I think we are winning .

Going to the park today .

To do:
park
ds homework
dd reading
ironing
declutter hats/scarves/bags box

Good luck with that paperwork linzer!

Lauren that's terrible! I hate people who 'overlap'. I hope you and DD are ok xx

My list...

Finish shredding
Hoover whole house
Declutter hall
Dust downstairs
Clean clothes away
Tidy my bedroom
Dinner
Sitting room hotspot
Dw on and clean kitchen

Lauren, just read your message. What an evil pig. Big hugs to you xxx

Lauren - good riddance to him! Well done you for staying so positive.

Honu - I am definitely getting a flu jab next year even though I have to pay for it - I am not going to go through this willingly again!!!!

I feel loads better today, am quite amazed at the difference. Just going to the loo left me out of breath and shattered before! I think the ventolin has played a large part in that, beathing a decent amount of air makes a surprisingly big difference!! The penicillin seems to be working, hardly any 'rattle' left in my chest.

I know all the advice about resting, but this house is in such a state that I need to do something small at least. So this morning I shined my sink, I have no idea how long it took me, I didn't pay any attention to the time as I wasn't in any rush, I just slowly cleaned it, scrubbed the stubborn edges of the plug hole and the plugs (these new metal plugs have a surprising amount of parts when you take them apart!). I have my tea black and DH has both his tea and coffee black so we get a lot of tanin build up on things. I now have a calm oasis in the middle of my chaotic kitchen. Hopefully the oasis will ever so slowly grow and take over the chaos.

A week of no washing has left a mountain of washing. I have sorted it, and am slowly putting washing through the machine and dryer. Not enormous jobs, but something to give me a head start as I recover. The thought of all the jobs waiting for me when I'm better is quite daunting and it's nice to chip away at it slightly.

DSs are with me today, they were getting quite upset at the lack of time with me over the break. They're being very sweet, actually. They both have runny noses and are coughing so need a day inside for them to get a bit better ? no need for me to feel guilty about not taking them out!

Morning. Where did the week go? Sleep has been had but have the bastard headache So am dosed up on more meds then allows me to make sense. It's kinda nice as I can't feel any emotions atm. Which is probably a good thing considering everything that has been going on.

Today's list:
wash kit
buy some new kit having killed it in an incident during training earlier this week it's going to be the wrong season and a nightmare to get i expect.
Training
Try not to do too much damage. don't hold your breathe on this week

sorry to flit in with a list and flit out again. I have read but I am focusing on essentials atm. This is a week I will be glad to see the back of.