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

Glad you feel better nicknacks. Waves at Trazzles.
Okay back to my pint of Guinness (yes, I know the pub wasn't on my to do list but hey....
Dh leases a very quiet, rural pub at the moment, so he works most nights. Abandoned my ironing.......

Well, I just can't get to sleep tonight, so time for a quick bit of MN. Nice to see a few people returning to the Fledglings nest this week.

Toffee - I really can't offer any advice re dogs, but it does sounds as though you are doing the right thing by not rushing into anything and borrowing other people's dogs for now.

Nicknacks - I also had a hangover this morning, too much wine out with the girls last night. Was a good night out, although I would have liked to been at home for the Olympics, which has taken over our lives a bit at the moment.

We've had a nice quiet weekend, it was a busy week and DS wanted to spend time chilling out at home. We dragged him out late yesterday afternoon to a local country park which he enjoyed when he got there, that's what always happens. Today we mostly spent at home, but some friends appeared on the nearby green so the DCs went out and played for an hour their while I chatted to the other parents, which was nice. DS stayed up late to watch the 100m tonight, he is really following the Olympics very well.

Flying wise - it's going well, I am on an unstoppable decluttering mission at the moment and it is addictive, the house looks so much better and it is really rewarding chucking out bags of stuff and reuniting long lost parts of toys. The DCs are pleased that long lost things are turning up and they are being fairly cooperative about keeping the place tidy.

Hi everyone [waves vaguely in the hope I'm remembered!]

Sorry I've been missing in action but things have been manic at home. After a year on the market we have at last sold our house so have been frantically looking for another. After 5 long weeks of viewings, and 2 failed offers, we have at last settled on another new house (which is something I said I'd never do!)

As the moving date is only 4 weeks away, I am having to start packing up the house so am trying to frantically declutter so that I don't take mountains on c*ap with us. It's not going to be easy as obviously DD is home being the school holidays and DH is away during the week at his new job!

Just back from a 6am walk with the dog, who was scratching from the inside of DS1's bedroom door. I actually enjoy the early morning walks with her - it's very calming, somehow.

DS2 has his best friend coming over for the day today, so I'm crossing my fingers that they will play and I will be able to tackle the house, which has fallen into its usual holiday state, ie messy. I might even do the kitchen mission (have been failing on the mission front recently).

Hope everyone has a good day.

Toffee - really understand the joy of early morning walks, I run at a similar time and love it, great way to start the day. Just about to head out, slightly later as its the holidays!

dizzy - well done on selling/buying and good luck with the mega-declutter

Whoknows - I need some of your decluttering oomph. Started well in January but it ground to a halt by about February and things don't look good at all here. Think I was going to try for one bag out of the house a week - need to try to get back to that I think. Will ponder where to start whilst running this morning.

PA - LOVING your stories as always but hoping you get to experience some of the more positive aspects of the country soon.

Need a list:

• Run
• Bath and breakfast for myself and DC
• Feed friend's chickens and think of egg recipes!
• Ring stepdad who is 70 today
• Sort out ecards with DC
• Sort out hamper delivery with my mum
• Make quiche :)
• Make ice-cream (no eggs in that but getting through a lot at moment)
• Sort out stuff for funeral tomorrow. Friend's DH who leaves 5 and 6 yr old boys behind :(
• Book Eden Project
• Tidy kitchen
• Mission
• Declutter one bag of stuff from somewhere
• Watch LOTS of Olympics :) All hooked here too, my brain-washing the DC from a young age has served me well :)

Right, the great outdoors awaits................

Hi all. Still around but have been struggling the past few days with feeling like a fish out of water and a zombie from the moon!

Not a lot to add at the moment. Tomorrow our day starts at 4.30am and we head off in a hot bus to Vietnam. It is supposed to take 5 hours, but a Cambodian 5 hours is far more likely to be nearer 8. Then we go through customs, turn around and enter with the correct visa and come back home a few hours later for another bloody long time on a seriously hot bus "5" hour bus journey. We should be home about 9pm, apparently, but Cambodian 9pm could be some time past midnight! Oh, I am so looking forward to that, then!!!

Hopefully by the end of the week I will feel human again and life will be on the up! I can always hope, anyway!!

Oh and by the way Eau De Rotting Rodent is only oozing in one room now, so thats a positive!
Last night I was "attacked" by a million a few tiny frog things jumping all over me when DH watered the grass outside. My screams seemed to be his amusement for the day!

To the market this morning. I bought, 3 baguettes, a watermelon, some lychees (yum, just discovered these) and some cooked rice for tea and all for less than £1.50. Brilliant!!

Have a good day everyone and I will be back in a few days when I have recovered from the trip.

Morning all!
Welcome back [flying] . Hello [dizzy] I?m new

feet so sorry to hear about your friend?s DH

PA Good luck tomorrow. Am brushing myself all over and shuddering thinking about those frogs.

Toffee ?doing chores? sounds good I always think early morning is the best time of day. I am always full of good intentions to get up early and go for a walk or run ?but am a lazy cow and my duvet wins me over--

Impressive list pmpy

Well done on the decluttering whoknows . It?s contagious ? the more I do it, the more I want to throw away!

Pub sounds good castle. They don?t DO pubs over here. (and ironing is overrated)

chitchat Guess I am fairly fit, but feeling very untoned. I feel like a squashy marshmallow since I had DS. Would love to have (for the first time in my life) a bit more definition in my abs and arms (and dropping a dress size would be good too ). Time outside being silly sounds a lot of fun.

ellie I find that during term time I?m too busy during the day to think about food so don?t stuff my face quite so much. Plus (gotta love the Dutch education system) I do not have my own classroom so seem to spend the whole day walking from one side of the school to the other (going to get worse next year as they are demolishing the decrepit temporary build classrooms and we are getting an overflow building down the street!). I?m usually quite organized with getting proper lunch ready the night before and Dh is a very good cook and often gets home before me so has dinner on the go when I get back.

Summer holidays on the other hand involve me fighting the call of the goodies cupboard all day long and telling myself every evening, ?What the hell, I?m on holiday!?

feet I am also totally addicted to the Olympics. Having to be stern with DH (who is not so caught up ? well, the Dutch aren?t doing quite as well as Team GB ) and remind him that they?re only every 4 years (and we missed the last games because we were on holiday in Vietnam). I never watch sport (except maybe Wimbledon) so am feeling justified in stamping my feet!

List for today

Take DS to hv/drs appt for check up (walk!)
Pick up a few shopping bits on the way back
Email back 3 friends
Collect ILs post and water their plants
Washing ?up
Reboot laundry
Sort out clutter under stairs
15 mins on hotspot ? dining room table
Change beds
Hoover downstairs
Kitchen mission
shred

Happy flying everyone

Morning all! Flying post from me as am running late this morning. dc's are at childminders this morning as i am going to experience the eternal joy that is a smear test and then play the,'how much will it fail by?' game on the car MOT closely followed by guess how much of the Gross Domestic Product it is going to cost me.

Better get going. Back later!

PA - I was just googling Cambodia! I hope you don't mind, but I am taking up your suggestion and getting DS1 to do a project on your mission there. It will cover all the curriculum stuff like geography, history, etc. but I think he will be more interested in the 'cars in the front room' aspects of it, not to mention the rats and frogs!

Feet - hope you enjoy your early morning run .

Engels - yes, I like the idea of setting DS1 some chores, especially now he has the motivation to do them .

DS2 is still sleeping....

Managed to get to sleep at about 3, so no early rising for me this morning. I used to be quite an early bird, but it has all changed since the DCs came along, partly due to sleepless nights in the early days, now due to wanting a longer evening and going to bed late, I tend to stay in as late as I can get away with. Even worse now I've discovered I can get newspapers on the Kindle, so I can read them without getting out of bed.

Good luck with the MOT and smear Ellie.
Good luck with the Vietnam trip PA

Oh Westlife were amazing weren't they? Shane is just so lovely... Hmmm

Anyway. Back to flying!
To do:
Donate 3 bags of clothes and some books
Nip to shops for something for lunch.
Change sheets
Dust
Hoover
Watch Olympics.

Ta da:
Washed & dressed.
One load on the line.
One load in machine.

Can't get online (waiting for Orange to sort out broadband as just moved. Man, they're crap), so a quick phone post.

3 lots of laundry
Juggle knackered toddler
Stuff to charity shop
Phone builders re snagging list (again)
Clean and tidy kitchen
Tidy our bedroom
Clean bathrooms (maybe)
Arrange some social stuff to avoid going mad

Hi all! Sorry I vanished! I will be back later to catch up, just a list dump for now before mindees arrive!

To do:
Routines
Home Bligh
Out for day with mindees
Food shop
Catch up with friend
Walk dogs
Shred
DD blankets in box and into storage
Move bedding into DD drawer
Clean kitchen floor
Wash doors and windows
High dust
DD laundry and away

BBL!

Wow waking up to the sound of full on screaching arguements quickly cures the 'I cba to get up, its the holidays just one more hour sleep' thing. Both parties dealt with. Lounge restored to tidy, biscuits cooks. 2nd coffee being drunk and then i might be able to get up.

Today is going to be middling with activity needs wise. Nothing planned for this morning/afternoon but as of teatime craziness scheduling with lots of to and fro-ing and doing.

Need to finish getting car cleared out though. Got thwarted by a thunderstorm yesterday.

Ds goes away tomo and then wednesday i have a meeting to prepare for so need to focus on that. Thursday is planned as a calm and quiet day so hopefully this will happen. aiming to round you all up then. Trying to stay off the computer in the evenings so that Sleep is easier. Would have worked better if I had managed to wake up earlier yesterday.

Quick list update

List for today

Take DS to hv/drs appt for check up (walk!) done
Pick up a few shopping bits on the way back realised I didn't actually NEED anything and kept my wallet in my handbag
Email back 3 friends done
Collect ILs post and water their plants done
Washing ?up done
Reboot laundry first lot done, just about to put into td, pouring with rain here
Sort out clutter under stairs this afternoon
15 mins on hotspot ? dining room table
Change beds ^should do now while ds is till sleeping
Hoover downstairs this afternoon
Kitchen mission
shred

watch lots of olympics before DH gets home as he moans and is being a Scrooge because the Dutch are not doing as well as team GB

Enjoying my 2nd cup of coffe now as well bitchy

ellie you have my least favourite 2 jobs to deal with today. Good luck!

About to start the house bleugh. No motivation at all. Will make a cup of tea then start. Am going to use this thread as motivation as I'm going to report back on progress.

Morning all,
Am mightily impressed with those of you on decluttering
sprees.
Am going to do some today too...

To do
Decluttering: the magazine pile, and clothes decluttering, plus one box from house moving...
Also finish home bleurgh.... (struggle with this one!)
Exercise
Knitting project
Watch the Olympics - Ireland have two medal hopefuls today, in the ladies sailing and ladies boxing- fingers crossed!

Ta da
room rescue lounge
bake biscuits
deal with arguement
deal with ds' behaviour
Have conversations about constant noise being emitted from ds' mouth with ds
Deal with attitude
Cook lunch
spend far too long on the computer
Deal with yet more behaviour and attitude.
Write packing list.

So to summarise today I am mostly parenting and trying to find something positive out of the chaos. Only 4 weeks to go. Thank fuck. ignores the s word for Ellie who is a little sensitive about these things

Hello hello

On the road. In a bit of a whirl. Posted one of my habitually succint messages on dh's laptop two days ago with loads of personal messages, but was interrupted and dd deleted it by mistake, and it was all lost so going to try and keep this one quick.

Just wanted to wave goodbye to you all until end of month and wish you all happy holidays!!

Also wanted to say ...

Ellie nearly cried when I read your news!! That's so fantastic!! I know it's still early days/tentative steps etc etc but sending mahoosively positive vibes to you over the water. Hats off to you both for having the courage to give it another go.x

PA Yikes at frogs and good luck with journey today. Hang in there!! Sending prayers your way x

Sorry no personals to everyone else but flapping wings to you all en route!! Have fun everyone and happy Flying!!

Have managed a load of laundry this morning which is currently getting wetter out on the line! Also made a few phonecalls re financials for the move plus posted a couple of parcels off as sold some of DD's outgrown school uniform.

Have to take some pics this afternoon as planning on putting DD's Trofast units on Ebay as they just don't work for her toys now (will buy open shelves after the move).

She wants to go swimming so we will squeeze that in after lunch.

Home blessing 90% done with DCs underfoot, just need to dust. Detailed cleaning of kitchen cabinet doors also done as they looked skanky, plus removed a mysterious build up of water and ice from the bottom of the fridge and cleared the drain hole out (it didn't look blocked though).

A bit more decluttering achieved, definitely on a roll with it now. It is really rewarding that there is actually room to put everything away now.

Off to the local NT property with the DCs next, just having a cuppa and naughty slice of cake first. I'm about to go and re start MFP.

Happy holidays SC !
Toffee No report back from you means you are probably well stuck in to the home bleurgh by now.
Starting my home bleurgh between Olympic events! Our poor sailor finished fourth overall, god love her, a tough position :-(
Right I'm starting now.
BBL

Hi guys

Sorry been away, needed to get my head straight so been off here for a while. I also decided to give up my crutch of pepsi and it's sent me into a tangle with shakes and a massive migraine yesterday so I've done nothing except sleep and watch the Olympics.

PA good luck with visa issues.

Not really remembering much of anything else but will catch up later today's jobs

• shopping
• two loads minimum of washing
• dd to swimming
• sort out summer camp days as some have been cancelled
• declutter kitchen cupboards
• tidy side off in kitchen
• 15 mins declutter of bedroom.

Will be back later to catch up with you all.