It's September so the Fledgings Fly, as we wave our clutter bye bye

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Welcome to the ongoing Fledgling Flyers thread for September, thanks to Bitchy who kept us posted through August.

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 me anyway, somewhat unrealistic and in theory you don't need to worry about it until you have finished decluttering that's never then. Just do it if you want to.

Now for those of you who are completely lost, lets rewind a bit.
CHAOS: Can't have anyone over syndrome. We've all been there

The fly lady approach works by breaking the house down into tiny activities which you do repeatedly until they become habit and don't feel like chores any more. The house is split into zones, each zone is tackled for a week before moving on and comes round again at the start of the next month.

There are lots of experienced Fledglings on here, hence lots of advice and support and chat about anything except housework some days. the main thing is that you can post any time you like even if you haven't lifted a finger around the house that day because with Flylady you just pick up again the next day and off you go again.

We advise against signing up for Flylady emails as they can lead to a great deal of clutter in the Inbox, each days steps will be posted on this thread to save you having to find them yourself.

In the meantime here is a link to the Flylady website for anyone who would like a browse.

Getting started Remember - don't subscribe to the emails!

Body clutter- I've lost a pound but still a pound up from my lowest since started MFP which was 2 weeks ago...I'll get there

Date night tonight...last one before he goes back to work for 2 weeks!

Lauren - Wow, busy weekend. But what fun!!!

Bitchy - Months??? That?s awful!! But very understandable that you?re taking that route.

MadWoman - three hours of paper sorting IS a mile long list!!!!

Caballine - Oh, your poor thing. So deflating when you run into a super groomed person when you don?t feel you are looking your best.

Just - what pretty spiders! I?d even be tempted to help them outside without killing them if mine were that pretty.

WhoKnows - I know exactly what you mean ? I had a snarly lady turn around and tell DS2 off for kicking her seat. As far as I could make out it was the VERY FIRST TIME in over an hour that his feet had even touched her seat, and he knocked it with his foot as he was trying to get back onto his seat. Some people!!!!!
Just saw today?s update ? Oops!!!

Toffee - No, I missed it! Was it about a real choir school or a fictional one? I know there?s a mini-series about a fictional one, but haven?t seen that either. I have had exposure to another Cathedral Choir School, but that one is boarding. Can?t face the idea of sending DS1 off to board at 7! I know some people do it, but I just couldn?t. But the school itself is so musical, with all the children playing instruments, singing in other choirs, etc.

GetKnitted - it does feel great to feel as though you?re flying successfully on a Sunday, doesn?t it?!

Blue _ Aughhh! You?ve just reminded me that I?ve been dreadfully neglectful to DS1?s godparents. Haven?t been in contact with them for so long. (Adds to the long term To Do list!)

Engels - Not your fault at all! Mine seems ok but it?s probably a good idea to get an oven thermostat for finicky things.

PA - I have visions of chicken soup or some such being used for ?personal? ladies problems!!!

Haven?t been all that successful with the flying this weekend. Ironing pile still out of control, although kitchen has been tidied up a bit. Monday, however, is getting busier every time I turn around!

About to start dinner and bedtime routine for the DSs so will hopefully get something done after that.

Body Clutter - lost 17lb since we started counting so about half way there. Have also been a bit crap lately.

Cleaned the kitchen today though and did 3 loads of washing. Just got to iron those school shirts now...

Engels - it so was NOT YOUR FAULT

Ooh, forgot to mention, if anyone wants the Fluffy Pancake recipe just PM me with your email address and I'll send it over to you!

ChitChat - it was about a real school. It was called 'Angelic Voices' and was about Salisbury Cathedral School (boarding). Something about it here. I'm not sure you can still view it though. It was absolutely riveting and, although I would hate my boys to go to boarding school (well, there are times when we consider it ), it did make me momentarily wish one or both of them had enough musical talent to benefit from the education.

lauren - you'd better make it a date night to remember then! Hope the unfragrant dog poo smell has gone!

foad - you remind me that I should iron DS2's school shirts (although I am tempted to shake them out and just hang them up in contrast to his first week back at school when they were all white and ironed).

Toffee - if you're feeling particularly lazy about ironing, spray them lightly with some water, toss them in the dryer for five minutes, take out and then hang them up straight away. School shirts are made to be fairly crease resistant!!!

Just looked up 'Angelic Voices' - you definitely can't view it online at the moment. Aah well, will keep an eye out for it.

Ds is very tearful this evening so I think he will be having an early night. We had a late start to the day. However:

Ta da
sort all stuff for school tomo - except uniform and football kit
Get ds to do his homework
2 loads of washing
start to tackle the kitchen
clean the toilet
sort through all paperwork sent home on friday
30 mins room rescue in Lounge - not tidy but better
fold socks and clothes that were lingering
Deal with washing machine lit up with all sorts of error lights.

As i seem to have caught a cold on top of everything I am going to call it quits as soon as i have got ds' uniform and various training kits through the wash and go to bed.

Also ta da
2 more loads of washing
tidying up the kitchen entirely
DW running
tea for tomo prepped and cooked
ds' clothes laid out.
MFP filled in.

night.

Sounds as though there have been lots of busy Fledglings this weekend, lovely to read so much chat.

PA - arf at wrong posting on ladies problems thread, I am now permanently resident on one of those threads and I'm sure a chicken recipe would cheer us all up as we moan about our aches and pains.

Toffee - you take it easy, I know what you mean about not finding it easy though, I am in still in denial about the fact that I am going to have to stop doing everything for a bit after this surgery.

Bitchy - hope DS got off to bed OK. I didn't know you had had CO poisoning, no wonder you have been so under the weather, that's a reminder to us all to get boilers serviced, have CO monitors (and check them) etc.

Engels - glad the oven conundrum has been solved, even if it does mean a repair is needed

I've had a stay at home day today, apart from a quick trip to Sainsburys this morning. DH took the DCs out for a bit this afternoon so I could get on with some online shopping admin tasks. DS made my day by showing great enthusiasm for his homework and doing a very good job of it, despite DD constantly trying to lure him away to play.

Only downside was that I cooked a chicken in the slowcooker today, lifted the dish over to the hob to get the chicken out and into the oven to crisp up and didn't realise the gas ring was still on till I heard the resulting loud crack 5 mins later, that was an expensive roast dinner.

Links for Monday 17th

Babystep - set a bedtime and stick to it

Mission. A Super Fling Boogie in the Bedroom (ooo-er missis).

Flylady is launching us into a season of decluttering in preparation for Christmas (and Thanksgiving if applicable).

Oh dear, so many posts to catch up on!!

Orange - how did DIY plan go? Got a few jobs you could do here if you've run out and are bored :o

Bitchy - hope you get better quickly than that!! I hope you are using it as a good excuse to treat yourself?!

SC - Never mind the Italian family. Don't let that kind of stuff bring you down. There will always be someone better dressed blah blah blah but there are many more that you will be better looking than too!! Don't forget that bit!

Justgetting - sorry I think I missed. What was wrong to leave you aching? Glad you are up again whatever it was. I am doing a Maths and Stats degree with OU

whoknows - glad you had fun at the football!! You're so right about people not always being as the appear. DP is the biggest softy and very very gentlemen like to everybody but people are initially funny with him because of his long hair, band t-shirts and beard!

Toffee - forgoodnessake take it easy!!! Hope you feel better soon and glad you are on the a/bs. DS has 11 pairs of PJs but only 3 of them are actually in his current size The others are two small in length but fine in every other way so I have just kept them. Nobody but me sees anyway.... bad mother

Ta Da
Swept floors
Tidied my room which was getting a tad messy
Changed beds and washed sheets
Painted nails and they look lurvly :o

To Do
Meh.
Bed.

So so much happening on the thread tonight!

Today was hectic. Nope, it was manic.

2x loads of washing
1x load washing put away
cleaned the kitchen, (hoovered, dusted, cleaned hob, cleaned sink, cleaned windowsill)
swiched & swiped bathroom/cloakroom
cooked full roast dinner
made flapjacks, cupcakes, muffins and breakfast bars for the week
washed up 3x

hoovered all of the downstairs
put out a load of paperwork for burning
relisted loads on freecycle
checked out a car boot for next weekend
did an hours work
looked after DD all day including a visit to doting GPs

night night *bitchy - hope the breathing is easier soon, months is a long time, is there anything you can do to hasten recovery that isn;t steroids?

toffee look after yourself, why not do some crafting to force yourself to sit still?

engels I have the oven from hell - its Gas, and old, and waiting for a new electric point to be fitted to be able to get a dual fuel. It was the only downside to this house that no matter what we couldn't fit in a range cooker!

PA - chicken on a ladies thread - sorry but I did LOL

chitchat hope that the evening isn;t too manic getting ready for Monday

foad wow on the weight loss :) I have about 15lb to lose and yet its harder and harder the nearer i get to a healthy weight

Blueeyeshadows waving hello :) I think we live in the same kind of region after your comment about eth trains the other day - I can see the catherdral from our house

also waving to getkitted, madwoman, whoknows and lauren

Waves back to Orange - yes, sounds like you're very close by. We drive to Wroxham to get the train to Cromer though! It's free to park there. No parking in Cromer and a bit too far to walk to the station from here.

WhoKnows - yikes, re the slow cooker pot!

Toffee - DS1 has polo shirts for school but there are 3 crumpled at the bottom of the laundry basket. Hoping he's either got another in the cupboard, or that he'll keep his jumper on all day!

ChitChat - each of our boys has a godmother we see a lot, but the others once in a blue moon. Was lovely today though.

I'm not even going to attempt to log everything on MFP today - on the go all day so loads of calories burnt, built up massive hunger and ate huge dinner. So no idea!

Hi all!

Tada:
5 x loads of laundry washed and folded
1/2 basket of ironing done
DSs fed and to bed (after they discovered Power Rangers on tv )

Off to bed now, not early enough but not toooooo late!

ChitChat - that's a great tip about avoiding ironing, thanks. Luckily, I found one more (ironed!) shirt hanging up in DS2's wardrobe, so we're ok for tomorrow now. I will remember your tip for future reference.

You have all been so busy. Apart from laundry, washing up and bedtime routines, I feel as if I have done virtually no Flying today. Instead, I have had a lovely time starting a home ed scrapbook and beginning DS1's Science topic book (does that count as 'crafting', Orange?). Oh, and made an apple pie with DS2 this evening too as I'd promised.

Thanks for all the good wishes. I am trying to be sensible and not do so much, as I really do want to get rid of this infection and it scares me a bit that it's come back when I thought it had gone. DH has been very sweet to me and insisted I rested as much as possible today; on the other hand, he has banished me to DS1's bedroom again tonight as he says he needs another decent night's sleep and my rattly chest is keeping him awake .

Night all.

Waves to everyone
Busy thread I will catch up later. Away for three days so lots to catch up
Ta Das got all school stuff ready and that is that. To do morning routine washing (stacks) dust and vacuum house shopping etc etc Will be doing 15 mins each room

I miss having a gas oven orange. Dutch kitchens are so tiny. Souble ovens are seemingly a recent innovation and my
mil doesn't even have an oven - just a plug in one that she keeps in the cupboard and gets out once a year to crisp up oliebollen on NYE.

Hope ou're feeling better bitchy. I came down with a cold yesterday afternoon and couldn't stop sneezing. Retreated to bed for an hour and left DH to feed DS. When I came down he'd done the washing up as well (this counts as a miracle in book as we have had lengthy discussions this week about who does the most housework, considering I work 3 days and DH works 4).

whoknows I do tings like that all the time - DH thinks I'm cursed (I just think I'm clumsy ). Did the roast make up for it?

Morning all, have skim read the thread and will catch up properly later...date night went well last night, had the exclusive chat too so we are now "in a relationship" (it's all very complicated isn't it!!) not sure what to call him on here though. I might just keep declaring date nights

To do:
Home bleurgh- in desperate need
Put my laundry away
Put DD laundry away
Walk dogs
DD and mindee to playgroup
School run
Work out rough meal plan for the week with what's in cupboards and freezer
Today's mission

BBL!

Good morning my lovelies...

Had fantastic Sunday - car free day - and gloriously hot. So lot's of walking and cycling and PEACE. It's our annual opportunity to pogo-stick around major traffic roundabouts!!

We were meant to continue the eco-theme this morning as it's "walk your child to school week" and although we were prepared for it, got up earlier etc, dh lost the office keys at the last minute and all went to pot . Will try harder tomorrow.

Thanks for kindly reassurances about Italian ladies etc. Sadly I am faced with this situation every day at school pick up time. Beautifully dressed, slim, high-achieving French, Italian and Spanish mothers (all a decade or so younger than me) fully conversant in about four or five languages each. Nothing to be done except continue to cultivate my inner eccentric English tattiness...

Justgettingonwithit Glad you are on the road to recovery!! [Don't overdo it though !] Loved your pregnant-pizza-Paris story!! Was quite reassured when I was first there to see a couple of female colleagues wolfing down a huge croissant of a morning. Then it gradually dawned that that was the only thing they ate between 10 am and 6.00pm. Wierd though - because the blokes all went out for three course lunches.

Agree we are lucky to have so many resources to draw on than our parents; Mmsnet for one! Although fewer excuses when we make mistakes I guess.

Toffee [looks sternly over pince nez] do TAKE IT STEADY!!!. Rattly chest doesn't sound good. Ditto wot Bitchy said about poss pneumonia. Can you try and take a bit of rest today ??? [plumps up large comfy cushion in recuperation wing]

Hope you can take it steady too Bitchy [sorry to hear about carbon monoxide poisoning - that's v. nasty - you were lucky to have survived to tell the tale]

Engelsmama [hands over Vit C tablets and large pkt of handkerchiefs] Now I know why Americans call casserole dishes Dutch ovens!! Never thought about this before (or realised that Dutch ovens were so tiny). Oliebollen = smoutebollen/beignets here (delicious!!). Don't generally eat at Christmas time but at fun fairs on public holidays etc. Hope you feel better soon!

Good luck with catch up Mymums

Chitchat/Toffee ooh I recorded 'Angelic Voices' T'was fab! Loved the shots of them playing badminton in their pjs. Music was utterly glorious.

Blue/Oranges oh you lucky people living within striking distance of the Broads. Beautiful place!!

[Admires MrsOnatopp's shiny manicure]

Bad luck re: oven dish Whoknows. If it's any consolation I dropped a glass bowl and a pestle (at different times during dinner prep) on the stone floor yesterday and they both smashed in to smithereens.

Thanks for links - superflingboogies/early Christmas Flying prep and decluttering v. timely. Determined to do better this last two weeks of September. (Just 'maintained' for first two weeks.) Only 99 days or so until Christmas I think!! Speaking of which ...it's time to re-start the diet!! 'Speaking' of which ...

Foad Many, many congratulations on your weight loss!! A 17lb loss is BRILLIANT!!!! (And v. inspiring for those of us trailing behind atm ...!!)

Huge wing flaps to Getknitted PA Ellie Feetheart Honu MC Madwoman Nicknacks RowingBoat Lauren Dizzy Swan
Shifty Castlelough Arses and anyone I've forgotten!

x post ¨Lauren oohh - congratulations on blossoming romance

Oh yes... Flying ...

Ta da:
morning routine inc s&s, dw & wm on, rabbits fed
caught up with thread!

To do:
clean out rabbit cages x 2
home bleurgh downstairs
planning of various sorts now term schedule clear
diet & exercise planning too
loads of laundry
pack up on-line shopping returns
other post
school run
ballet run (pick up any outstanding food items)
hwk supervision/text book covering
prep supper (veggies to go with cold roast)
any spare time to be spent decluttering main boudoir

Have a productive day everyone!

Hope those of you who are poorly are feeling better soon. I had a fab weekend away and come back to a busy thread and piles of washing. To do collect glasses (decided to get spare pair) pick up dc shopping washing and wait in for parcel To do loads of ironing and putting away dusting etc and the boogie fling and seta bedtime

Congratulations, lauren!

SC - I already have the pneumonia diagnosis, I'm afraid. I was diagnosed during the summer and am now on my third course of antibiotics in an attempt to shake it off. I was loads better after the first two courses and thought I was over it, but an x-ray showed there was still something there and it's crept back again. I don't feel terrible, but I have a sore throat and my chest is rattly and painful. Will go back to doc if these a/bs don't work . Oh, and yes, that 'Angelic Voices' programme was wonderful, wasn't it? I agree about the badminton in PJs bit. I think that was one of the moments when I felt I was somehow letting my DC down by not sending them there! (not that they'd get in anyway ).

Engels - hope your cold isn't too bad . There's a cushion here for you if you need it.

Mymumsdaughter - you came back to earth with a horrible bump by the sound of it, but at least you had a lovely time. Hope the piles of washing don't take too long to get through.

Which reminds me, I must put my first load of washing on. Then we are tackling what DS1 calls 'nibble Maths' - in this case, learning 'exchanging' numbers using Cheerios.

How are you today, Bitchy? There's a recuperation wing here now, you know. SC found it!

Could I have a lie down in the recuperation wing please? My stomach muscles are killing me! Those kickboxing instructors are tough!!!!

Tada
Breakfast for DSs and school/nursery run (somehow forgot breakfast for me though! )
Kickboxing
Ring heavily pregnant friend
lunch

To do:
Finish ironing
Put away folded clothing
15 minute kitchen blitz

I'll take that cushion toffee and those vitamin C sc. Cold has miraculously disappeared as fast as it appeared. maybe I just had a major allergy attack?

Am enjoying some lazy time. Went and got my "costume" for my sister's hen do next weekend. Have done shred for the first in weeks and am virtuously sipping green tea with lemon - I feel like a right lardy lump right now (sure it won't be helped by guzzling away in the UK this weekend) but am determined to turn myself around and finally show some weight loss on mfp.

My Flying is down to morning and evening routines at the moment, and that's enough for me. keeps the house ticking over.

heading off to start packing now!