Fledgling Flyers Olympic August thread.

[BitchyDragons]

Ok so not the wittiest of titles but this month we have the Olympics, holidays, return of football season and heading into the new school year. It's going to be a busy one...

Firstly thanks to Blue and Ellie who kept us on track last month!

Right, most of you should know how this works. It's a three pronged attack.
Phase one: The babysteps master these and you will be working like clockwork.
Phase two: Adding in Decluttering this will help you keep on top of the amount of stuff contributing to CHAOS.
Phase three: Missions Targeted activities to keep the chaos at bay and starting the deep cleaning.

The golden duster of Flying is stage 4: deep cleaning. This is for most, unrealistic and should only be considered once you have completely decluttered. PA might achieve this simply by virtue of some extreme life decluttering. Although I probably won't recommend her method.

Now for those of you who are completely lost, lets rewind a bit.
CHAOS: Can't have anyone over syndrome. Yep you know that state where you are embarrassed to have play dates fucking hate that phrase or people pop in unexpectedly.
The fly lady approach works by breaking the house down into tiny activities which you do repeatedly yep sounds bad written like that but bare with me and then build up into a routine that becomes habit and you stop thinking about it no really, you do.

Clearer? Yeah ok. I have probably lost you but there is loads of support and help on this thread. If you are confused then ask. However, as this thread starts on the 1st on August I refuse to post the first babystep until later today.

This thread comes with a warning: For those of you who have not yet encountered my leadership of the thread. Be afraid, very afraid aware that I have a rather unorthodox approach and that things can get a tad unpredictable. Starting with a namechange. So who?s on board this month?

Oh and spot markers can help themselves to a magic eraser and ensure there are no marks on the thread for the start of the month. Let?s start as we mean to go on

Phew, plumber has just left, leak is all sorted, however he has had to isolate the hot water and central heating, he will have to come back and replace the hot water cylinder another day. We have an immersion heater though, so we are back to pretty well normal again, just as well it's summer. He has put in a new valve which allows us to do the same isolation ourselves if we ever get another heating related leak. Guest is heading off today too, I am about to treat myself to a long hot shower and a deep clean of the bathroom which is looking pretty grubby. Then it's on with the decluttering as the DCs are at sports camp today.

Will be back later to catch up properly.

Hi everyone - sorry to hear about the various ills doing the rounds and other domestic disasters.

I spend most of ysterday morning on the phone trying to work out who we should use for phone/broadband in the new house, to find at the end of it we have to use the company that's put fibre optics in!

Tried to do a bit more decluttering by putting some bits on pieces on Freecycle & Ebay, and binning others! I am gathering together a bag of way-past-their-sell-by-date clothes that will go in the charity rag bag and another bag of outgrown ones that I'll take to the 50p-a-kilo place. We have a HUGE pile of old video tapes that nobody seems to want any more so they may end up the bin :(

I did have the dilemma of whether I should try to tidy the place up before the Removals man came this morning to give us a quote! I ended up by pilling things in corners of the rooms and chucked some half-filled boxes in our ever messier garage.

Attempting to scramble back on the waggon before I?m lost forever.

Even the baby steps went out of the window.
My ex FIL went and died suddenly and it threw up so much unresolved stuff that I just didn?t know was waiting it out, as well as people from the past suddenly re-appearing and wanting to confront or control difficult unpleasant things, and rewrite the past, for their various reasons.

I, and mine, are inconvenient truths, happy to not rear our heads, or embarrass anyone, but they couldn't just gloss over us and leave us in peace, we apparently were required to legitimise and pay public homage to someone who the best I can say of is ?I bear no malice, his choices and failings are between him and his God.?
This is not an acceptable stance, but it's the kindest truth I can offer.

I?ve been totally thrown by the past showing up and trying to drag me into its present, (especially as it's just as scummy as it ever was!) and have done little but deal with the fall out, and rock, (does it count as exercise?) but hopefully the circus will move on soon enough.

Carpe, sorry you?re feeling down, if you still have Bitchy?s boot, throw it at me please, it might make me move my sorry backside!

Sympathies to all succumbing to illness and wishing you better.

Whoknows glad you've got the leaking stopped.

I?ve caught up with everyone?s posts as first grab at the wagon's handles, and we?re just about to attack more of our overgrown garden.

Hello, Can I join halfway through the month?? A spider just abseiled down from one of the many webs on my ceiling and theres a funny smell upstairs- I need help!
What do I do to get started? Shall I just read the first post??

Bloody hell Justgetting Just look after yourself. The fat fairy says you are NEVER behind. if you need to take some time to be then do. Otherwise just start at the beginning with the babysteps. Just work on the basics stuff and start fresh in September if you need.

ta da
car to garage
sleep 4 hours
pick car up

Really can't breathe today so that is it will head for sleep asap i think. Sorry.

Welcome cake. the first babystep is here it is a good place to start. afraid will have to let someone else fill you in a bit later. Other then that the best piece of advice is don't sign up to fly lady emails!!!!! If you click on the getting started here it might help but don't enter the big tent non of us feel up to launching a rescue mission. Oh a serious note fly lady emails and big tent can make the system feel more overwhelming then it is to a newbie.

right really going now. night.

Worried about you saying you can't breathe today, Bitchy. Are you OK? Do you have all your inhalers to hand?

cakebot - welcome. You are supposed to start by shining your sink (see first babystep), which gives you a psychological boost. Then follow the babysteps day by day and they will eventually evolve into a daily routine. We will be starting the babysteps from the beginning again from the first of next month. In the meantime, you could also do a crisis clean to help you feel better about the state of the house.

JustGetting - sorry to hear you have been having such a difficult time . I hope the memory will soon recede and leave you in peace and able to get on with your lives. It's good to have you back.

Have spent all day in bed , mostly sleeping. No improvement so far, but DH assures me it will take at least 48 hours for the antibiotics to start working. MIL was marvellous and stayed all day; DS1 walked the dog; DS2 put on a performance for the dog that lasted about an hour (amazing that he was so frightened of her a couple of weeks ago - he loves her now); and DH came home early.

MIL is coming back tomorrow, so I can continue to rest. Feel a bit guilty, but I don't have the energy to get up and do anything. Have taken two days' worth of abs and am on regular inhalers, but chest is no better yet.

In between sleeping, I have been reading up on Tudor history for DS1's home ed in September. I'm hooked, but whether he will be is another matter . (Might need Ellie's inspirational ideas for this ).

Lauren - The utility room wasn?t the biggest of rooms, tbh! But I?m really trying to keep it clear, if for no other reason than it needs to be painted soon so needs COMPLETE emptying!

Who Knows - so glad it?s all fixed! What a relief.

Dizzy - video tape is brilliant if you like gardening and growing from seed - and for small seedlings. If you put lots of little posts/sticks on each side of a garden bed you wind the tape back and forth across the seed bed, keeps the birds off apparently ? saw it done at the allotment. Am keeping my old ones in the shed even though DH keeps trying to throw them out!

JustGetting - wow, that sounds awful! Hope they leave you all alone soon.

Welcome, Cakebot!

Bitchy - my last bout of bronchitis left me incredibly breathless, and for the first time in my life I had to have an inhaler. It felt as though my lungs had just switched off, and weren?t available for me to use ? could it be the type of bug/vius going around? The breathlessness lasted about 3 days - the weakness a lot longer, but as I said, I had never suffered it before, if you do use inhalers occasionally anyway, it might take longer to pass. Hope you get a decent sleep.

Toffee - take it easy, it does take time for the antibiotics to work, but you also needs resting time to heal.

Well I?m just about ready to chop these bloody doors up for firewood!!!! Have seriously underestimated how long they would take to get done. The 3 downstairs doors I?m working on have 9 glass panels in them ? and the builders did a pretty piss poor job putting the glass in and then nailing the wooden edge bits on (HOW they let me choose doors that actually needed assembling is another story!!!). Each nail hole needs puttying, each corner is wonky, and needs puttying and sanding. But the corners are so awkward that even my small electric sander doesn?t get into them, so I am having to tear a small piece of sand paper off and do every little corner by hand (or more to the point with my thumb and 2 fingers) ? that?s 36 corners per door on one side ? some of the doors needed the other side lightly touched up. In all that is 108 freaking corners that I have had to do by hand...... Aaaahhhhh! My poor fingers are so sore. Finally finished it properly today - even though I thought I had done it all yesterday, looking at them again I saw so many bits that looked crap, and have puttied and sanded the door frames as well. Need to give them a wipe down and undercoat now, which of course will ALSO be fiddly because of all the little edges...........

Well, the novelty of looking after the DC has obviously worn off and DH needed to be called from downstairs (busy watching a DVD) to put DS2 to bed. And this was after he gave me a lecture last night about making sure DS2 was in bed by 8.30pm every night .

chitchat ouch at your fingers

toffee and bitchy hope you are feeling better soon.

Waves to everyone else.

Had a rubbish day, loads of arguments with DH over the state of the house and my cleaning ideas. Other than that a big spurge on cleaning of kitchen and balcony upstairs and 2 loads of washing done.

Tomorrow I have an interview at a supply agency, dd is at camp and I have to start packing for our proper holiday on Friday. It will be manic

Until then chocolate and gin is my friend.

I have pulled muscles in my rib cage so it really hurts to breathe. the past couple of weeks have had some training injuries that have required dosing with strong pain killers and normally I just drink more coffee and keep going. It's just asthma as it comes from severe aggrivation due to dust allergy and I have no temp or other illness. Unfotuneately it has been going on for weeks and just gradually getting worse. Today it has been bad because of the muscles, the fact i haven't taken any pain killers and the fact that the lungs were so badly irratated. However, i have been sensible and have rested and done nothing. No coffee, and as little moving as possible. It hurts less to breathe now which is good. Will be a couple of days before i feel better though.

Hope you are feeling better soon toffee. Funny how dh/dp are like that.

wednesday is antiprocrastination day!
babystep 15
missions

Have given up on sleep because I can't stop coughing. Grr.

MC - sorry you had a rubbish day yesterday. I hope today is better, even if it is a bit manic (and good luck at the supply agency).

Bitchy - sorry you are suffering with injuries and asthma. It sounds awful. I hope you managed to get some sleep.

MIL is coming back today, which means I can get some more rest. Am hoping the abs start working soon because I'm getting fed up.

Off to browse active threads....

Would love to say they will toffee but i fear you will have another day yet. 3 days til they start to feel like they are working typically. Sorry. Hope you do get rest today. In the mean time treat the cough/wheezing like you would croup and steam it easier?

Haven't slept since last post but just taking morning meds and breakfast and will then sleep. Doing nothing today so rest is possible. ALthough tbf considering I chuck myself about in training and falling is an almost certainity injuries are just part of it. can't beat a good bruise competition.

Oh yes, dr recommended steam and I promptly forgot all about it. Will try that, Bitchy. Frustrating that the antibiotics will take a bit longer. I have to go to something with DH tomorrow afternoon, so will have to be better by then.

Bitchy - you have been up all night again ? I'm so sorry. Good that you can sleep today, but your sleep patterns will be all messed up again . How is your breathing today?

Have just had to take the dog for a walk, as she was whimpering from DS1's room and everyone else was sleeping through it. Took her for a good walk round a local recreation ground and came back to find everyone still fast asleep. Dog is curled up at my feet now .

Hi all, managed most of my list except the 'box of doom' yesterday. Must try harder today! Did do 3 loads of washing though with at least another 3 to go.

Is anyone else finding their morning and evebibg routines are getting a bit unwieldy? Would be really interested in hearing what other people do as mine seem to take forever.

BBL, but hope all the illing people are start to feel better today

Good morning everyone!

Bitchy - Good lord, I wouldn?t even try to compete with you in a bruise competition!!!!

Toffee - I usually start to feel the difference with Antibiotics after 36 hours ? certainly did with my bronchitis. Just enough to let me rest better.

PMPY- I think you need to think of the evening routine as things you need to have done before you go to bed. WHEN they?re done is up to you ? you could choose several days worth of outfits in one day, have your week?s selection hanging in a dedicated section of the wardrobe. Hot spots could be done while waiting for the kettle to boil, etc. Same as morning routines ? some of them could be prepped the night before (eg washing in the washing machine, on timer set to finish 20 minutes after you get up) course that?s a bit of do as I say and not as I do at the moment

Feeling very sore, my finger tips are rubbed raw, nails worn down, and my wrist is really, really hurting. But before I went to bed I taped the edges to all the glass panels so they are ready to paint ? will at least make the painting go a little faster. Going to revise the way I do lists:

To do:
Work on 3 x downstairs doors
2 x loads of washing
15 minute tidy up in kitchen
15 minute declutter in main bedroom

Morning! I haven't read thread yet but I will be back to catch up at some point during today!

Yesterday's ta da:
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday's bathroom missions
Routines
Cut grass out the back
Dogs DD and mindees to park
Lots of arts and crafts
Tidied up playroom and arts and crafts
Decluttered desk/ vanity top in my room
Sunbathed

Today to do:
Walk dogs
Baking with mindees and DD
Shop for baking ingredients
Paperwork
Routines
Bath dogs- teddy is covered in red for some strange reason
Front room hotspot
Clean bathroom
Dust my room
SHOES IN DRAWER- this has been on my list all week

BBL

Morning all!

Right, can I just check that it is August, and therefore, by extension, the summer? Coz I've just had to stick the bloody heating on! It's thick fog for the second day running, and everywhere just smells damp and icky - and the washing I hung up first thing yesterday morning on the airer is still soggy

So today's list looks like:
Wash bathmats from ensuite
Washing for us in machine
Wash upstairs bathmats
Lay away ironing from yesterday
Empty DW
WAH job
Tidy bedroom
Tidy kitchen and deep clean sink
Menu plan for the next two weeks & organise shopping list
Text MIL about a few things
Phone DFather
Curl up with a good book and chocolate? chance would be a fine thing!

Hope you all have good days!

Morning all.

Ta da list:

Dog walk
B/fasts
Boys dressed
Washing up
First load of washing in machine
Washing up put away
Kitchen bin emptied
Dog fed
DS2's tangled locks combed
Window boxes watered
Delivery of plants for garden taken in and unpacked
Tea made for MIL

MIL has brought frozen sausages to give the boys for lunch. She said it's fine to cook them from frozen . Don't really want my boys having food poisoning, so have had to ask her not to cook them after all as they won't be defrosted in time. She now thinks I'm a terrible fusspot as (I quote) she "always does that and it's always been fine". She said she even asked the manager of the supermarket and she told her it was ok to do that. Er, not according to the instructions on the packet or the website I've just checked.

Nevertheless, I am very grateful that she's here because it means I can now come back to bed.

To do list:

Sleep

Toffee If you have a microwave, we defrost 3 quarters in that and then oven cook rather then grill or fry. You need to allow a bit longer for cooking though.

You might not want to compete in a bruise competition Chitchat but ds thinks it's brilliant. sometimes he wins sometimes i win. We have three categories: totally no, biggest, and best colouring.

Toffee sleep pattern was all messed up anyway. As for breathing as long as i dont doo too much there is a lot less pain and it is easier to breathe.

The rest thing is starting to bug me as there was a lot I wanted to get done this week whilst ds was away. Hoping to feel well enough to get some of it done at the end of the week/weekend. But need to be really careful as it is the dust from decluttering that pushed my lungs over the egde. Frustratingly lungs wont be properly better until I get rid of all the clutter and the dust it holds. It's a bit of a lose lose situation.

Bitchy - best colouring - now THAT I can compete in! I'm always walking into things and have lovely bruises on the arms (damn doorways move, I swear!) and thighs (tables and beds). Wooden corners leave spectacular bruises!!! course if the rooms were less cluttered I probably wouldn't have to walk so close to things but lets not go there....

Tada:
Discussed hedges with neighbour
Arranged for hedges to be pruned today
Arranged for out of control tree in hedge to be cut down and cut up today
Cleared the area alongside the hedges to give access
Starched and hung shirts

Painting doors..............................

Lovely neighbours have taken the DSs for the day, their girls are 10 and 13 and often play in our garden with our boys. Leaves me free to focus on the painting which is fab. (Also stops their girls from complaining that they're bored, so good for neighbours too!!)

Right, well that's my lunch break over, back to those [BLEEP] doors.

justgettingonwithit blimey you definitely have a lot on your plate at the minute! Take it easy!!

Waves to cakebot!

Hope you are ok bitchy, toffee, nicknacks and the other poorly flyers!

chitchat I hope you're coping making your way through all those corners on the doors! Rather you than me

carpe mmmm cidre

Good luck with your interview today mc

pmpy my morning routines are fairly easy- just the normal getting me and DD dressed and cleaning up breakfast things with the addition of putting a clothes wash on if there's one waiting. I make beds etc automatically anyway so mine is quite easy. Night time routine is spread out, I wash up straight after tea and wipe round the kitchen so that's tidy so before bed all I need to do is have a glance round to see if there's a hotspot or anything I've had out! But I know everyone has different routines!

Mindee has gone home so need to get DD down for a nap and get cracking with my list, I'm considering painting the garden fence while it's not raining so might do that and only some of the list!

BBL

Lists...

To do:
walk dogs
baking with mindees
mindees to shop for baking ingredients
Paperwork
Routines- ongoing
Bath dogs
front room hotspot
Clean bathroom
dust my room
shoes in new drawer

Have also painted garden fence and swing, time for tea then after DD in bed I will bath dogs, clean bathroom and hit the paperwork!

Have slept most of the day again . Am beginning to feel a bit like a Victorian invalid. I still can't feel any improvement, but it's only Day 3 and it's comforting to hear from those of you who say it takes at least that long for antibiotics to start working. I have to get up tomorrow because DH is going to work and MIL can't come. And I have to go to something with DH and DC in the afternoon, which I'm a bit worried about, but I'll have to do it.

Bitchy - no microwave here, so MIL couldn't defrost the sausages that way. She bought fresh ones at our corner shop instead. The DC have had proper MIL stodgy food today - sausages, Yorkshire puds, ice cream and jelly and cake! I hope you start to feel better soon. I think you'll need to put tidying up out of your mind at the moment. I feel a bit the same about all the stuff I wanted to do, but it all has to wait. The most important thing is to get better.

ChitChat - sounds like the painting is going well . How brilliant that you have had a child-free day to get on with it.

lauren - you looks so busy. Makes me tired just reading about it! I notice you are painting too today. Do you bath the dogs in the bath? I wonder if we should bath our holiday dog. She does have a bit of a doggy smell at the moment .

Nicknacks - are you feeling any better yet?