April Fledglings Fly into Spring, Get That Clutter into the Bin

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Welcome to the April 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Come and join us for a bit of chat and a lot of housework (or possibly the other way round).

A huge "thank you" to SanguineChompa for leading us through March

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 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. Feel free to browse the Flylady website as well, links below

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:

• 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!!

Toffee phew... :) ds1 homeschooled?

Done
Lunch (dd2 loving the pasta with cheese and ham, i'm a genius in the kitchen)

To do
get ruddy litter tray done!! Must do now must do now...

Downstairs looking quite good now. Debating whether to do a big shop, no kitchen roll, tins beans etc, need more cat litter, more balsamic vinegar, frozen veg, tins veg, rice, dried mushrooms, bottled water (tap water tasting funny), rice milk, tea (back up), plasters, sponges, dishcloths, flour?...that merits a tesco delivery...what have i forgotten?

trying - 3 cats 1 DD :)

DD not life threatening poorly but has 'life changing' condition, plus a temp condition we are waiting for operation. Taking for ever to sort :(

No can't see sink - area around sink stacked high with tins and jars for 're-cycling' - will have to takle first I guess

Good ratio there. 2 dogs 1 cat 1 mouse to 2 dd's here.

Hope the operation happens soon for your dd

Do they need washing first? (If your like me they will...)

Empty sink, hot soapy water and soak. Find boxes/bags to put them in? Put in car to drop off at recycling? Or is car too full too?

Distracted by home blessing vacuuming and forgot litter tray. Attention span of goldfish strikes again.

Litter tray litter tray litter tray

and more chocolate for anyone?

Welcome Morecatsthankids - I'm 'same number of cats and kids', 2 of each and that's plenty.
We are very good at hand holding (and chat, , and s :)) here. Much better than at Flying probably though that gets done a bit sometimes
Have a go at sorting our recycling for 5 mins and see where you get to. Little and often is the way to go.

Had enough of work for now so need to nip out now whilst its not raining and try to get rid of old dressing table - no joy on Freecycle or unwanted furniture people so one more place to try before the tip!

I have mouse guts on back step, does that count in kids/pets ratio :)?

Welcome Morecats: recycling - soak in sink, then rinse. Straight to bin/box into car for tip run. Approach here. Whilst soaking then clean bathroom/hoover. Then , then... well... erm...

Oh bollocking arses. It's Tuesday. Fuck.
Right need to focus as it is ds' training night. Which means I lose the evening.

Ta da
Up and out
ds lunch made
school run
find important missing information
washing machine on -ds' bedding, wet duvet and my bedding done.
put dw on
Make up ds' training kit.
Remake ds' bed
figure out what is for tea -sausage sandwiches. going for lazy tonight.

Fuck C&P list fail. bollocking arses crap.
do something that might have been on the to do list earlier that hasn't been done

there is not enough coffee or chocolate today. Bugger.

Trying - yes, DS1 is homeschooled because of his anxiety issues. Officially, he's still on roll at his secondary school and has been accepted for online tuition by the LEA, but we are still waiting for that, so can just do what we want for the moment . My priority at the moment is his mental health, to be honest. This translates into keeping him busy and stimulated, doing things he enjoys and gradually pushing him out of his comfort zone. Today, he managed to walk a distance we've managed once before, but refused to go any further. I suggested that tomorrow we walk a few extra yards so that we could sit on a nearby bench and chat. He has been unable to go out of the house easily for months, so every extra step is progress.

Welcome, Morecats . Sorry your DD has been so poorly. Following the Flylady routine is very good for getting out of a rut, when you don't know what to do next. And this is a very encouraging thread.

waffler - mmm, cream tea sounds yummy. Your mum's cocker sounds lovely and just the kind of dog we'd enjoy. I think it would do my son the world of good to have to go to dog training classes.

Bitchy - good luck with the job application.

PA - well done to your DD3! Glad to hear you have found a good replacement for you in your job, but how strange it must be for you to be gradually cutting all these ties.

Feet - glad you enjoyed your holidays. Hope the new teachers work out well.

WhoKnows - re flat stomach - yes, was thinking of Pilates. My mum used to do it and said it was fantastic for toning your stomach. As I can't now do the fitness bootcamp (due to shocking cost), I might look into Pilates instead. Might try zumba too, just for fun.

Blue - I see you're doing zumba. Has it done you any good in terms of fitness or is it just fun?

Right, breaktime over.

Bugger, just spent £55 at garden centre

Intentionally? or accidentally? waffler betting you got seedlings rather then seeds

Toffee - job applications s On a mission to find work atm. I have been good at collecting things to apply for but not good at actually getting the application in. So hitting the applications today. yay for ds getting out for a walk

Right break from paperwork to do school run, other jobs and training. Drunk too much coffee and my head feels all swimmy and on a different planet

to do
Finish one of the 3/4 job completed application forms.
Hunt out information for other form.
Finish tweaking applications for further 6 jobs and hit the send button on email.
Ds to training
Afternoon school run
more laundry
fold clean washing mountain
ironing
wash ds' kit
wash ds post training

Crikey you lot - only away from this thread from Sun eve onwards - and there are over 45 posts to catch up on....!! (Only slightly hypocritical of me to accuse fellow fledglings of abundant chat )

So well done to Whoknows for keeping up with us all and sorry we didn't spot your "deliberate" test re: today's mission I'm sure I can speak for all of us when I say we are all doing the missions sporadically diligentally Honest

Just diving in and out because dh away again, 2nd in command back from op but not fully recovered and dd v. subdued about being back at school - so lots to get on with for the moment.

But wanted to say:

A warm welcome to Morecats Jump right in. You have found the right place for moral support - everyone on here is really friendly - and obsessively- divided over issue of wearing lace up shoes-- . Sorry to hear your dd has been so poorly - that must be such a huge amount of stress to live with every day. I'm sure you will find that the Flylady system helps - it is predicated on just doing one-small 15 min task each day and then every subsequent day trying to do one more to add to it .. sort of ....it keeps you going anyway ... and once routines become second nature ... you don't have to devote too much time or energy to the "thinking" part of home management as it is done for you ... and you know that each task will come up automatically as month goes on so it stops that "rabbit in headlight" feeling of not knowing what to do first. Have a look here to get going and don't hesitate to post if you have any questions. Don't subscribe to e-mails (you will be inundated) and don't get overwhelmed/put off all the routines and steps or by cutesy/barftastic language - underlying system is sound if you adapt it to suit your own needs and it will make sense eventually!

PA how exciting about wedding plans!!!!!! And hope your lovely lad had a very happy birthday yesterday!! Cake sounded scrumptious. Hope your dd3 recovering from exertions too.

Trying we live in Belgium but regularly holiday in Germany (dd has fallen in love with a local Hafflinger ....!!)
One of dd's friends eyes me with huge disapproval as I guiltily serve bottled water .. but the stuff from our taps tastes foul .. and filter hasn't helped and I once read an article about the level of germs that build up in the filters themselves which put me off them... Haven't found a solution to this as yet ...

Toffee is your ds1 interested in art or other forms of creativity btw? Read a newspaper article the other day (I think it was in Sunday papers) that suggested big link between anxiety and creativity (people with little imagination having less to be frightened about etc etc). It suggested doing exactly what you have described - keeping anxiety at bay by (and this was the bit that surprised me) keeping sufferers more stimulated and busy - not by doing necessarily less - but being busy with creative things. It's great news that he is happy to leave the house again and is getting a bit of fresh air.

Re: dog. Again - I'm talking through my hat - because horses more my area of knowledge so forgive me if all of this sounds self-evident ....but I would second rescue suggestion - think in your position I would go for a lovely, calm, 57-variety mongrel who is more mature in years and "knows himself" if that makes sense. Huge generalisation but pedigree dogs can be more highly strung and terrier types definitely less amenable to training unless have proper 'job' to do. In horse world, we tend to pair nervous/anxious rider with solid old "armchair-leg-on-each-corner" horse and vice versa. Don't know if this is the same in the dog world though. Dunno if having an anxious/excitable dog that your ds could identify with and have to calm down would help or not???? (See Cesar Milan TV programmes where he teaches owners to put dogs in 'calm/submissive state'!) Might be worth having a word in the ear of an experienced dog trainer/psychologist. Interaction between dogs/horses and humans so important/accute ...just throwing these thoughts in to the pot!!! As Swan says though - you are such a conscientious person that it can only be a win/win!! And no greater reasurrance can be found than that of whiskered muzzle and straggly mane soft fur and wet nose!

Arf at Feetheart's mouse guts!!

More power to your elbow tonight Bitchy save me a sausage sandwich

Aw at your "squishy" ds Waffler!!

Blue respect re Zumba

Swan respect re Motte & Bailey skills!!

[Hands Scatty honey & lemon drink]

School run beckons ...

Thanks for welcome peeps!

toffee we have 'met' on the Home Ed threads but I have name changed now so will remain 'mysterious' Just to say our DC have quite a lot in common

Going to have a and look at flylady site again

Things done
Online shop for MIL
Took yesterdays washing out of machine and hung to dry in doors (raining)
Looked at recycling/sink
Thought about tonight meal
Talked to DD about going for a walk (before it rained)

O dear :(

Why all this posting??!?! I was keeping so up to date bah!

Guess what!!! I just rescued....a teddy! I thought it was stone at first its so greyed and covered in lichen...just soaking it now. Kids didn't even want it but it looked sooooo sad . Must be AF making me hormonal and broody -for teddybears ?

Right tea on.
serve tea
get dd1 ready for ballet
hope dh gets home in time to look after dd2

LOL trying I would probably have rescued it too .
SC interesting about the link between creativity and anxiety. reminds me of something similar i read ages ago linking fears (of the dark etc) and imagination!

BBl

Quick list dump before training run:

Ta da
Up and out
ds lunch made
school run
find important missing information
washing machine on -ds' bedding, wet duvet and my bedding done, one load of clothes one load of towels
put dw on
Make up ds' training kit.
Remake ds' bed
figure out what is for tea -sausage sandwiches.
Discover bread moldy and rolls don't make sandwiches (wrong size and shape) serve as separate bits to a meal.
2 x 2/3rds application forms done
1 application (cv and letter) done but needs double checking before emailing
4 more jobs broken down for compiling cover letter.
get lost in garage/tool box looking for some nails.
find picture hook
Attach hook to wall and hang calendar off it.
realise calendar is out of date and take back down again
Tackle the pots in the kitchen
washing up up to date prior to tea
Ironing up to date
folding up to date

Right must bail. to do list as what not finished.

Quickly dashing past but Toffee I think I am fitter than when I started Zumba about a year ago. It's definitley fun too. :)

Sorry I had to leave abbruptly. Another of DDs friends had turned up (we already had one here) it seems DD had invited her for tea too!

blue Zumba is on my list of things to get round to.

I have zumba for the wii. which will get set up this week And then I will do. optomistic

Been drinking more coffee. Hoping for a productive night cos I doubt I will sleep meh.

Just need to get ds into bed.

You lot are chatty today!

Not much Flying here, just basic routines and go to work today. Did manage a bit of paperwork after work and before school pickup, but still a lot to do. Never mind.

Welcome to Morecats, hand holding is what we do well on this thread. There are quite a few people dealing with family members with some sort of special needs on here, so lots of understanding for that as well as housework issues.

TheWaffler - are you going back to work full or part time? It's hard going back for most people I think, I went back reluctantly after each of my DCs was about 9 months old. When DD was 3.5 (and DS was 5.5) I took voluntary redundancy and stayed at home til DD started school and it was a very special time, we spent many Friday lunchtimes doing what you did today and going to garden centre cafes (DS is hard to take to cafes, fussy eater and can't sit still, whereas DD is a pleasure). It was one of the nicest times of my life.

AS for the water, interesting that a meter has saved you money, we have held off from getting one as we live in a small house and our water bill is not that high, but we are going to be compulsorily metered soon. I have ordered a water butt

PA - hope your candidate accepts the position. We had to recruited someone at work recently and the first THREE people we offered it to turned it down, we couldn't believe it, it was a perfectly good job. The person who finally took it has turned out to be perfect for it. Well done to DD for getting to college. Is she staying at home while you are away? Not long to go now.

Waves at everyone else, I have read all your posts, but need to go and get on with the OU work, really must do some tonight. Back in a minute with links.

Wednesday 18th

Babystep - Read the Flylady's 11 Commandments here

Mission Declutter medicine cabinet and clear out the trash in your laundry room

Damm that fly lady can she see my laundry room bin or something. Was just thinking it needed emptying.

Right child in bed. Going to try for a nap although have put a serious dent in the chaos that is my room. zumba is looking more likely.

List for tomo looks like this in no particular order:
Finish paperwork for meeting - VERY URGENT!!!!!!
tackle bedroom some more
meeting in next town
School run morning
School run after noon
Shopping in second town
finish laundry mountain tackling
sleep?
Pot plug plants
Figure out what to do with runner beans that are getting HUGE.

erm, well whatever catched my attention and screams do me now at me.

Night.

ANyone around? Bitchy - felt sure you would be here......

I'm here.
Too many things going round in my head to sleep so got up and have done a few. Now browsing but really should go to bed.
You OK PA? You're not really a late bird are you?

Hi Feet, no definitely not a late bird, I am an early bird!! Been asleep, woken up, body thinks its morning!! Full day tomorrow I am going to feel dead by about 2pm!!!!

Go to bed!!!!

I will if you will :)

I am also an earlybird though seem to stay up late at times too, then wake up as usual at 5.30am!!

I'm going to go back to bed, read a little James Herriot (DD has really got into them and I am happily reliving my childhood reading favourites :)) and try and sleep.

Have you tried cocoa? I'm rather tempted by your chocolate cake from the other day but I bet there is none left.

Mmmm little bit left. Couldn't face at this time of night/morning. Very chocolately with rolos and mini-mini eggs all over it.

Right I might try and sleep again. Need to be up in 2 hours to take dd1 to the first boat.

Sleep well!!