Fledglings “March” 31 steps away from CHAOS and mess towards domestic success...

[sanguinechompa]

... well, a shiny sink at least!!

Welcome to the March 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Park your mops, buckets and microfibre cloths here!!

A huge "thank you" to Linzer for steering us all through February - not a small achievement Linzer considering your school run/teaching commitments and with your dh travelling so frequently.

If you're house is a mess and you are strugging with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, whinging (in my case anyway ) and support along the way.

We advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's tips on restoring order to our homes, and as we are all at different stages we will be using one of the following methods:

Here you can, for one month:

• repeat or start baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

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

More info here and here!

All long-standing members, intermittent returnees, lurkers and newcomers welcome!!

Morning Bitchy - hope that your early start proves fruitful. I went through a long period of waking at that hour and used to get up - ironing pile was always under control!

Meeting work took longer than expected yesterday so laundry done buit ironing and putting away is back on today's list. Am going to give the planning thing a go. When I had a long commute I did plan for the week during my journey as it was 'free' time to spend on such things. I need to see that spending a bit of my day on planning will be of benefit once again.

Off to start the morning routine.

Morning all! After 12 years of teaching, becoming Head of Department and knowing that on a day to day basis i am ok at my job... Why am i crapping myself so much about one piddly observation. Did all the prep yesterday, changed things about 20 times before eventually deciding what to do and have spent all night stressing it's not good enough. I know i can walk in to my classroom and teach a half decent lesson completely off the cuff with no prep so why am i blathering so much. It's not even by a scary inspector but by a nice member of the school leadership team. Aaaaaah. Nevermind, it's at the beginning of the day so will get it out of the way soon enough.

I have nothing else to say. I am too stressed.

GOod luck Ellie - I'm sure you will be fine, but come back and update us when it's all over, there will be or waiting for you.

Good morning all! Lovely bright day here.

Ellie sorry I got the wrong end of the stick yesterday. Thought your inspection was done and dusted, sorry that you have it still to come. Hope it all goes well (you'll wow 'em!) and ditto what whoknows says about reporting back to us and availiability!!!

Blue Ah! All is explained ... sounds like a rather labour intensive present!

Poor you Bitchy that looks like a very early start. Good luck with your list

JWIMgood luck with your planning

Ta da:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s
prep supper

To do:
am: put laundry away, more tidying in boudoir, more tidying in sitting room, mission
pm: sewing for a couple of hours
school run
afternoon routine
hwk supervision
supper

Huge flapping waves to everyone else. Hope you have a good day!

Morning all .

Ellie hope it goes well today. sometimes I think the longer you've been in a job and the more senior you get, the more pressure you put on yourself. I my job the junior staff are allowed to ask for help/make mistakes, the senior staff aren't .

whoknows hope you are functioning ok today .

bitch that solar system idea sounds great.

Today:
Go to hobby craft to get stuff foe DD's party.
Home bleugh (not done yest)
banking
Tel Mum
DD from school
DS from choir
DS toe by toe.

SC you are wonderful [rubs hands together] I can see even more connections now..I was really thinking about the Island theme (Egg) and the grand illusion of Gatsby's house which vanishes etc, also exile and betrayal. And the Oggsford Man bit. Read GG please!

off to work now
DS1 back, very tired this morning, but in great spirits last night, Best Trip ever etc. Dh also very tired after round trip to Gatwick by train. And his wife losing glasses this morning.

Got DS at home as he had a migraine on Sunday afternoon/evening. Still poorly yesterday but much better today, just need to feed him up as he hasn't eaten much since Saturday. This may or may not interfere with Flying as he is good at hoovering etc.
Bad night's sleep after bit of a row disagreement with DH but got up and did stuff in middle of the night and early in the morning so Ta Da list looks OK:

• Packaged stuff up for ebay and posted it
• Emailed people to get help for Mother's Day craft sessions at school
• Made list of all that needs to be done about the above
• Picked up first load of replies to above - slightly alarmed at quantity! About 200 children were involved last year, it may be more this year - eek
• Most of morning routine

Really need to try and reclaim some of the house today, am feeling that inertia-due-to-rabbit-in-headlights feeling so to start with:

• Finish Morning routine
• Hoover living room, hall and stairs at least
• Clear landing
• Start to make Hedgerow Jelly (DS is great at chopping!)
• Email everyone I can think of to tell/remind them that I am running half-marathon this w/e and would appreciate sponsorship to keep me going from about half way round at the end!

That will do so far. If I keep it relatively short I might actually achieve it.
Hopefully be back for personals later.

My early start was no where near as fruitful as it could have been. Traffice was horrific this morning and have only recently got back in.

Ta da:
training
1 load washing.
deal with ex

about to ring school but really only want to curl up and sleep. Unfortunately there are people underfoot again. and this is unlikely to be possible. :(

Right must ring school before i attempt nap. rest will have to wait i am wiped.

Good morning everyone. Not feeling too good today (some sort of bug), so am going to have to cut the home ed short. I'm sure DS will find more interesting things to do though (he has just created an online 'server' on Minecraft for him and his friends and is very excited about it. I have no idea how he did it. And this is the boy who got stressed by addition yesterday ).

Ta da list:

Up at 5.30am (not as early as you, Bitchy, you poor thing) with sleepless DS2 who a)was hungry and wanted breakfast b)was having growing pains in his legs c) needed a plaster on his knee d)was scared of the 'thing' at the end of his bed and needed a cuddle...Finally I gave up and we read stories together.

DS1 dropped off from impromptu sleepover last night (big achievement for him)

DS2 - school run

Dishwasher unloaded and reloaded

Kitchen sorted

Tumbledryer on (yesterday's laundry )

Swish and swipe in bathroom

To do:

Home ed
Various frogs
Sleep
Ocado delivery
Lunch
School run
Parent interview with DS2's teacher
Dinner
etc etc

Hope everyone has a productive day. And Ellie - I hope you are back with good news later .

Ellie I hope it is going well.
Toffee hats off to ds. Which reminds me I know need to go and grapple with frightening- firebreathing-- printer/pdf problem.

Library wanted me to come back after lunch as Reception children have swopped over, and I can only do 3 hours there. Errands to run now, or printer, not sure which I should tackle first. And my bedroom still needs hoovering.

Doneyesterday
remade ds1's bed, and tidied his room
hung up all dd's clothes
s & s loo for umpteeth time
sink shiny
worktops cleared by bedtime
dcs to sleep
spellings done
ballet run
dog walking
read book to dd
this morning: dropped ds1 at school (he was v tired - that gave him an extra 15 mins lie-in)
folded veg boxes 6! backlog oh dear
brought in milk
phoned blinds company to check length of one
arranged for cleaning lady to help my mum after her ankle op in a week's time, we are all looking after her too - she will be unable to walk at all.

todo
ring Senco at ds1 school
book flights for Easter
check sailing courses (I think I did this last year with no outcome
invites for dd party
make supper
hoover bedroom
hang out washing

Toffee hope you get some rest. Last week must have been exhausting.

List update:

early training
ironing
washing 2nd load
Fix washing machine
finish tackling the bathroom
finish tackling the landing
ds' room (books onto bookshelf/rubbish out/clothes away etc)
My room?
desk in study??
Paperwork (URGENT)
Ring school
make potatoe bakey type thingie for tea
finish putting stuff away that was dumped in lounge whilst sorting study out.
Deal with mother in the middle of a nervous breakdown in progress

DS currently wandering around house with a clipboard looking for 'heavy' and 'light' things to add to a list for homework so I have a little while before picking DD up. Should be Beavers/Brownies tonight but not sure about DS going, will see if he eats anything between now and then.

Updated list:

• Finish Morning routine - done
• Hoover living room, hall and stairs at least - done
• Clear landing - nope
• Start to make Hedgerow Jelly (DS is great at chopping!) - he asked to make bread instead as he loves kneading but then only ate a tiny bit so still isn't well as would usually help me eat half a loaf
• Email everyone I can think of to tell/remind them that I am running half-marathon this w/e - tonight

Have also:

• Talked to a man about solar panels. Conclusion - do it in a few years time when technology better, panels cheaper and our front extension is done and paid for
• Watched one episode of 'Walking with Dinosaurs'
• Eaten much fresh bread and jam
• Sorted out printing of DD's homework

Still no personals and now need to pick DD up before mad bath, hair-wash, nit comb for DD (she has swimming at school today), then early dinner, then Beavers (maybe), then Brownies, then 30 min sit down then pick-ups start!
Hopefully I will be back to try again later.

Quick check in before afternoon school run.

Laundry - last wash on, rest dry (some on the line), ironing mostly done and clothes mostly put away - clearly more practise needed!

Paperwork caught up.

Meeting outcomes dealt with

Training meeting this evening I had forgotten so swift dinner for DCs and sorted something for DH that will be quick and easy.

Quick pause [takes deep breath and calms down] slows heart rate

Distributes a to everyone

DD has come home after a tough day of exams that were apparently "no problem" and "easy". (Although outlook was less than impressive when I tested her last night.) She has no homework this week because of exam revision but is insisting that it is just free time. When I pointed out to her the wisdom of revising just a little in advance every evening, all hell broke loose .... The concept of revising for the Thursday or Friday exam on Tuesday night is beyond comprehension apparently. I have retreated to the computer while she calms down and thinks about our conversation. It is like dealing with a very volatile chemical, add the wrong element and it explodes!!

Sigh

Right....here goes .... I'm going back in ....

BBL with personals

Feetheart when I read your post I just think how completely lacking in energy I am

but...I have managed
buy invites for dd's sleepover
do library for just 2 hours, reading to Reception
book appt with Ds1 SENCO
hang out washing
pick up kids
bought some cheap pale pink primroses from Morrisons
exercise: walking

todo
take dd to piano
deal with overtired ds1 when he comes home and inevitably has homework from last week he hasn't done
zzzzzzzz- more coffee needed and cake to wake myself up

SC ds is like that [sigh] and it is nuclear fission when you are dealing with 11 year old Now can I persuade dd to do her homework, without threatening for 19th time to cancel her sleepover? Last night ds2 wrote in his spelling sentences (Beneath was word) Beneath the floor there were lots of rats.

oh ds1 is home!

Manic day. No flying and going out tonight. Waves to all and dashes out again!

Manic day here too. Back later hopefully!

Hi folks, I'm still here, but really struggling to stay off the ground at the moment. Been struck down by chest virus which has drained me of all energy, but now on the up again. Still manically busy with nursery committee work so all efforts at home taking a back seat. Although I suppose you could call sorting out the DC's old stuff for the Nearly New Sale de-cluttering . How long does it take to label up some clothes?

On a different note, we have finally made the jump, and DH has handed in his resignation at work. He has also accepted another job, so we will be moving to Germany in the summer! I'm wavering between excitement, and panic, but I have to say with feeling so under the weather at the moment, the excitement isn't really winning yet. I'm sure I'll feel more positive in a few days though.

Ellie you have my full sympathy wrt to observations. I know exactly how they feel, and it doesn't really seem to matter who is doing them. I'm sure it went well, and here's some for when you get back on here.

Sorry no more personals, I'm going to tidy for tomorrow's cleaner and then get an early night.

Evening all. The year is not going well so far. Just found guinea pig no. 2 dead in her cage ... 10 days after the passing of guinea pig no. 1. We'd had them for four years I'm quite upset because they both had such distinct - v. personable - characters. DD distraught too. Haven't discussed it with her yet but I'm not sure I can bear to get replacements ..get too attached [sniff]

On a more positive note: managed to turn the evening around and make homework revision a bit more fun, and dd responded in kind. So we are on a bit better footing now for the rest of the week (hopefully!).

Also managed to actually do some proper Flying today. Kitchen in better state. Dining room table hot spot cleared (this is major league)! Laundry progressing (albeit slowly). Managed one hour sewing today too.

Hope you all had a good day. Let's have a look at what you have all been up to ...

blue has had a manic day and is out on the town tonight [returns wave as she dashes past]

swan (despite lacking in energy) has been positively soaring, and has worked her way through v. long lists (yesterday and today), dealt with hwk traumas and purchased pale pink primroses. (Will get around to GG one day I promise!) Good to hear your ds had a great time away on his trip and hope you found your glasses!

JWIM has been planning, conquering her laundry and paperwork and is out at a training meeting tonight

Feetheart in addition to flying high, nursing her ds (hope he is over the worst of his migraine) completing her routines, nit-combing, organising school craft days, talking to the solar panel man and doing the Brownie/Beaver runs has also has been nurturing her inner domestic goddess by baking bread and making hedgerow jelly (sounds idyllic AND delicious!) Phew!!! That's tons!! Hats off to you! And good luck with half marathon prep!!

Bitchy after a very early start, has been battling with traffic, tackling paperwork and calming her ma here!!

Toffee despite an early start and a horrible bug, has managed to tackle a v. respectable list. Congrats to your ds1 on his sleepover!! Great that he enjoyed it!!

Scatty has been busy buying craft materials, doing extra-curricular pick-ups and drop-offs (what is toe by toe [nosy emoticon])???? and home bleuugghing.

Humungous flapping of wings to anyone I have missed!

Hope any newcomers realise that they can just "get stuck in where we are at" as the Fat Fairy says. All the steps, missions, routines, will all come around again in the next weeks, months or so! So no need to stress!

Ellie was thinking of you today. Hope it went well!! [Leaves open large crate of

x posts

Waves back at whoknows as she dashes past

Persuades Lifebeginsatforty out of naughty corner and furnishes her with large glass of (or whisky/honey/lemon drink should you prefer.) You have my full sympathy as I have also been laid low by flu/chest malaise which laid me low for 3 wks - only just feeling better now. It's a horrible feeling when you feel really behind isn't it? Plus you sound really busy at work. So you are definitely not a candidate for naughty corner, especially as you have managed to declutter too!!

V. exciting news about your dh and your impending move! Congratulations!! Loads of threads on here about living overseas, I think there may be a specific thread for Mmnsetters in Germany too where you may be able to get info on schools/accommodation etc. Good luck with it all!!

Baby step number seven for tomorrow, Wed 7th March is here! another important one, do what we are already doing plus : laying out clothes at night for the next day. I do this religiously and it definitely contributes to calmer mornings. A thoroughly recommended step.

So to recap, atm we should be:

• Getting dressed to lace-up shoes (if that's what floats your boat)
• Keeping our sinks all clean and shiny - Banishing negative thoughts and perfectionism - Putting out Hot Spot for two minutes.

• laying out clothes for next day the night before!!

We are still in Zone 2 ie the kitchen. Information on detailed cleaning (if you are at that stage) can be found here here

Wednesday's mission is here scroll down - cleaning your small kitchen appliances such as coffee-makers and toasters for 15 mins

The daily focus for Wednesday is anti-procrastination day sc cackles hysterically here

Good luck everyone!

*

I havent really got a lot done today, babysteps done, sink shined, DW on again this evening and bins cleaned.

Kitchen cleaned and a load of laundry done, but I have blinds to clean, floors to wash and I have been in and out all day. Tomorrow not much better.

Oh well, the house looks ok on the surface...