October-fest: a fledgling (at best) might spruce up its nest (then take a rest?).

[strictlycaballine]

Welcome to the October 2012 Fledgling Flyers thread. Park your mops, buckets, microfibre cloths, golden dusters and spiders-web-removing-implements here!

A huge "thank you" to Whoknows and Pushme for leading us throughout September!! (Hope you are recovering well Whoknows - take it steady!)

If your 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, support and along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in weekly designated zones of the house; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with more time to do other more interesting things instead! At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again anyway!

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 steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat 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.

[And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.]

More info here on getting started, and the flylady system here and here Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound.

All welcome!!

Oooo, financial statement, now you're talking a language I understand
Can we turn this into an accounting thread ?

Accounting thread? That I can do too

I've just had a minor email "discussion" with my colleagues based in the office about posting stuff to the accounts I'm trying to balance as I'm balancing them. Sheesh, it's not rocket science when I phone and say "I'm doing this, please hang fire for 10 minutes".

Right, so, flying?! Um... washing machine seems to have sorted itself out, but not planning on leaving it running solo for a few loads - was just stuff filling from a disposable nappy in the filter

Today, I've got a supermarket trip on the cards. In the pouring rain. Joy.

And I need to sort out the dining room. I've still got a crate from the holiday tucked away. Neatly tucked away, but still there

On with WAH job first though. If my colleagues let me

Sooooo I've just realised that although having an all girls night out tomorrow to Leeds for my birthday will be great, having 10 friends here for pre going out drinks means I should have a clean house

So to do before tomorrow night:
Wash kitchen floor
Clean fridge
Tidy playroom
Put out all hotspots
Clean bathroom
Routines

Most of my friends know I don't live in a show home but its nice to pretend

BBL!

madwoman I would have slapped that teacher with a bloody good tongue lashing.

Ds1 settled in to his new school perfectly he did have a few exclusions but all were with good cause and done properly, (i.e. formal letters and for rest of day/following day, with a meeting to follow on how behaviour could be improved) thankfully the last 3 and a bit years he's not been excluded but is on constant risk, ds1 was also diagnosed late, (this year) because he hasn't got the hyperactive element, he constantly fidgets instead, he usually has either a bakugan or blue tack in his pocket to stop him lolling and moving so much, (this school implemented this in year 1 its worked a dream) he's also extremely impulsive, more so with his mouth these days rather than arms and feet, and he's matured so much since he's been with his final teacher (she is amazing) and is actually doing more work than I ever thought humanly possible, he is also very intelligent and a sponge for information but until last year it was all mental, and not put on paper, which he just didn't have the concentration for, so his grades were very low but since he's been with his super awesome teacher he's now only one level behind his peers which I am very pleased about, medication has been looked into because they say they cant diagnose ASD without it, but his family have a history of heart disease so he now has to go through cardiology to see if he has any issues. Tbh with the improvements he's making and the school putting in steps for his SATs to support him through I'm really not sure he needs meds now. This should really be on sn thread but i just thought I'd let anyone who's interested know.

Any way back to flying, I have done very little, (sink has been shiny though). my bedroom has turned into a dumping ground for dp's stuff which we have to sort through in a bit and we had takeaway for tea last night, ds1 managed a kebab without puking so he has gone school today, thankfully. He was in a very aggravating mood this morning esp with kitten and ds2, just had another driving lesson and actually nearly ran some people over on a zebra crossing!!!!! yet another fail :( I also went over a mini roundabout at 25mph and mounted a curb pulling up to it (WTAF) not a very good one and I have only got a month to go for the test now.

yes back to flying,

turn hot water on
find control journal
found control journal
make bed -when i can get in bedroom
5 min rr - its going to take longer than 5 mins
2 min hotspot comp desk
5 min rr lounge, hall stairs landing
15 min declutter- may have to be in my room again
kellys mission
laundry
swish and swipe
zone
shine sink
hotspot kitchen side
habit- paperwork

My word, you ladies can?t half chat! Lots on the thread to catch up on (in the 3 days I was away from my laptop). So here it goes?.

toffee well done for decluttering the downstairs cupboard. Did you manage to get rid of the bags straight away? (or should I say DH?). Hurrah for long lost Christmas supplies. What IS a Christmas and Birthday cupboard? I think I want one
sc I almost got my box for chargers on Monday but the woman in Blokker was so miserable and rude when I asked her to help me with something else that I put the box down on a shelf for her to clear up and walked out. --put me in a right huff for the rest of the day too? I will try again tomorrow when I got o pick up DS?s birthday cake.

And my ILs always pop round when lounge is an absolute pit. I never move as quickly off this sofa as when I see BIL?s car pull into our driveway!

I am terrible at motivating myself to run ? I only manage it when I can do it with my colleague who lives in the same road as me. Great for a good gossip, bitch and moan about work, and also chat about everything that?s happening at home. Not sure how I ever used to run on my own now!

at ?strudel porn? --what am I missing??
How?s the plaster?

Shifty ?it?ll get better??(or my mantra ?it will pass?!)

sowornout I am also an expert at writing things down

PA Hope you?re feeling a little better.

ellie I went cross-eyed at all the ?craps? in your post and then read that you were going to get back on the ?crap wagon? (would be interesting). 3 STONE! I am in awe (I have just about managed 0kg since I signed up to MFP in June, though am almost back to June weight.

castle I cannot believe I missed pain au chocolat on Wednesday

carpe managed to get any sleep? I converted the Christmas fly doc too, but just before (Monday!) you posted ? next time I will just ask on the thread first!

mad woman are you still in Germany ? anywhere close to Dutch border? strike that, just saw your answer to castle ! I drive to the UK by myself for the first time a few weeks ago (left DS home with DH) and was so much fun. Something I?d been putting off for ages as something scary but was okay. I still never drive DH?s car though (estate) as it just feels too big and really heavy.

blue sorry to hear about the funeral. Hope it wasn?t too upsetting today.

Rant alert.........I have been carefully prodding DH to do some housework on his day off with DS, just like I do on my days off and have come to the conclusion that I have to explicitly tell him to do something or he won?t do it. So I asked him to do a load of washing for me yesterday. I even put the load on before I went to work, left a note reminding him it was on and to put it in the td on low. However, I got home to find it in a scrumpled heap in the basket in the kitchen. How hard is it to fold up a load of washing (as I always do), even if it doesn?t make it upstairs that day? I know it?s a tiny thing in the scheme of things but it just pisses me off that it was the ONLY thing I asked him to do in the house all day (and believe me he didn?t do anything else that I usually do ? washing-up, change beds, food shopping, hoover). I had a little tantrum last night and hopefully made my pointor he may just think I?m a raving loony now for crying over a load of washing He started complaining that I didn't TELL him that I wanted him to fold it (I'll add that to the written instructions next time).

Anyway, have had a reasonably good day so far?.

Ta da
Bought DS his first pair of shoes and almost had a heart attack at the same time at the price of Dutch children?s shoes
Booked a photography session for DS next week while DH and I are both free
Did washing-up that DH didn?t do yesterday
Folded washing (don?t get me started )
Tidied kitchen
Put load of washing on
Caught up on FLYers thread

Am now going to be a lazy arse for the rest of the day. Tomorrow will be sprucing up for DS?s birthday party on Sunday. Cannot believe he?s almost 1.

Afternoon everyone (well, it is here). Had a bit of a wearisome morning tbh achieving very little and dithering about ineffectually when I should be decluttering the boudoir! Still peeved with dh for travelling again having only just got home, involving the tedious reorganisation of all sorts of different arrangements. DD spikey as a result too. All this taking place against background of huge thumping and shaking caused by building works two doors down.

Am also concerned that one of my rabbits is bullying the other. Boy, you certainly know it when a rabbit is depressed, their ears and shoulders droop in such a defeated manner ... will have to keep that one under observation until tomorrow.

Furious with on-line pet supply company who have not delivered rabbits winter housing as promised. Apparently, if order is over a certain amount, you have to pay by bank transfer as opposed to credit card but er, noone bothered to inform me (typical non-existent customer service over here) so have just been waiting for stuff to arrive day after day and making arrangements for someone to be here when I was out [harrumph again]

Ditto on-line German clothing company (practically entire winter wardrobe on order) who keep sending me forms to fill in instead of actual parcel!

All trivial stuff I know but oooohhh ..; so frustrating!!! And .. breathe ....

Gossip bravo to your ds1 for making such terrific progress - he sounds really, really bright (amazing the difference a good teacher can make too)
Re driving: if it's any consolation, I once nearly killed my cousin driving the wrong way up the south circular

Many happy returns for tomorrow Lauren (if that is indeed the day) hope you and your friends have a fab time

Carpe a couldn't balance a book to save a life, so hats off to you

Shifty [equally desperate] er, only bed sheets - not spreadsheets - permitted here Have fun with your friends tonight! And arf at White Christmas warbling ...

Madwoman [pictures three tipsy drunken guide leaders stumbling out of pub at chucking out time]

Minus 3 already !!? ignore previous sentence - make that a large whisky ...and hope you can take hip flasks camping

Dizzy [scoffs delicious cake - thanks] congrats on your huge list yesterday. Sod's law about boss - he would have come in if you hadn't tidied it of course!

Swan¨[tries to think of French vocab related to welding] managed to completely miss your post last night for some reason. Great your ds2 enthusiastic about secondary! [goes to look up Enuma Elish ...]

Had better stir my stumps and get on I suppose [sigh] [harrumph] [dither]

Hope you are all having productive afternoons!

Huge wing flaps to one and all!

Hi everyone!

Just got back from a personal training session - ow, ow, ow....!!!!!

Have done the nursery pickup, managed to scoff some lunch and now need to continue to attack the spare room........

x posts

Engels rant away!! We all do!! I do most frequently Sympathies over dh and washing basket. Sometimes it's the straw that breaks the camel's back ...totally understandable after a long day's work too. Bit different now I am barely working, but when dh and I both worked f/t pre: dd we actually had to have 'one of those' discussions and allocate tasks formally/writing it down etc. The beauty of having a list is that once it's all been negotiated, you don't (in theory) have to nag anymore, you can just point to the list and it's there in black and white. (Although I see you did write a note - and that didn't work - so not sure what to suggest now.) I do remember having to explain everything in the most tedious detail and not assume any sort of previous knowledge that would be obvious to most people with half a brain-- ie don't put red clothing in with whites ] Would he be interested in Fly system by any chance... possibly???) Actually, seeing as dh is now completely banned from the laundry, not sure I should be offering any advice about this at all ...

Sympathies over the shocking price of dc shoes btw- same over here!

Also -wincing in recognition at woman in Blokker being "so miserable and rude when I asked her to help me with something" I loathe that shop precisely because all the assistants are so rude over here too!!! Refuse to shop there anymore .. find them much more amenable in Hema

Well done re: lone trip to UK. Really impressed! I'm not confident enough to do that drive sadly (big wibble emoticon]

Plaster just about holding up thanks - so far anyway! Great British Bake Off strudel porn = here tis fab and has become unexpected cult viewing. Do you get the Beeb where you are?

Hope your ds has a lovely first birthday and you all enjoy the party on Sunday!!!

waves to Lplate as she sprints through!

Oh well I have caught up on the thread and nearly completed the morning routine so I guess that is a start??

Im working nights from now until Monday and DH is taking DCs away for the weekend so Im going to use the time to get the house sorted!

I will be back later to do personals and hopefully to report some tadas

Hoorah dp has managed to whittle down his clothing and now we have 2 bin bags and 2 carrier bags of clothes to go to the charity shop :) and we had to do the if you dont love it and aren't going to wear it the give it away thing quite a few times bless him :)

Rant alert here too.

DH is only working short hours at the moment (out of the house between approx 11 and 3). Once he's dropped the DCs to school he comes back and picks up everything off the floors and hoovers. So far so good. He's also just about keeping on top of cooking, washing up and washing. Also good. But every bloody visitor that comes round is saying how tidy it looks. GRRRRR, presumably that means compared to normal. I just feel like screaming that a) you should see upstairs b) he isn't tidying, he's just throwing everything in the nearest cupboard or drawer, or shelf, or table and effectively undoing years of effort on my part to make sure everything goes in it's proper place c) the kitchen sink is filthy, no dusting has happened in weeks, there are piles of stuff EVERYWHERE. But, oh, isn't he doing a marvellous job.

Rant alert part two.

My parents are also popping in and out and lending a hand (they live fairly nearby). I have had other visitors for the odd hour. This is all lovely. But otherwise I am really enjoying being on my own at home. Next week DH is going to back to work more normal hours and my parents are on holiday. I am still unfit to do anything other than the lightest of chores and certainly can't do school runs etc. So, DH's mum has been invited to stay for the week. Now, I love her to bits, in fact get on better in many ways than with DM. But having someone else in the house 24/7 is going to kill me. My DPs visited this morning and overstayed by about 3 hours and that was bad enough. She won't have a car and will be in the house most of the time. I feel as though I am being extremely ungrateful (which I am) but this is going to be really trying (probably for her as well I might add). Gulp. Just needed to unload that. I am so looking forward to being fit again.

Whoknows sympathy on the DMIL stay. However lovely, it is a strain having someone "hanging around". Could you pretend that you have to do OU revision upstairs for a large portion of the day? Or set times when you meet up for a cup of tea. That is my mum's way of dealing with guests (which she has many of, helpful and not so helpful) she retires to her "office" bedroom.[ She absolutely loathes people who follow her around chatting... and I suspect I am the same, although I am often the person following my hostess round if I am the guest - it is an easy mistake to make when a guest.] Anyway I bet your MIL will find herself useful things to do anyway, and all will be well.
And it is so irritating when people think men "wonderful" for doing housework or looking after kids. I'm sure what your friends mean, is that you are managing very well as a "team" rather than him just being a hero, though...

Dh has done all sorts of weird and wonderful things to his website and computer with help of IT man this morning, so he is in very good mood still (now gone back to real work in office) I have had a slow start but

done
a bit of paperwork decluttering from under our bed
washed two loads
threw away some stuff
put laundry away in four rooms
s & s bathroom and washed loo seat in bleach
washed bathroom floor
recycling
bin
washing up
sewed up a sleeve
deflea-d one cat
phone call about secondaries (single sex or not, everyone is giving their pennysworth)

and that has taken all day [sob]

Gossip also sympathy for driving travails. You will manage, even if it takes another test, I am now a very good safe driver, and have never had an accident (well never been on a motorway and I was seriously terrible. The trick for me was to change to an automatic car, and take the test with an automatic, although that limited me, it was worth it, from the point of view of getting more confident reading the road, and not worrying about fiddling around with gears and clutches.

swan I think there is a lot to be said for driving an automatic. I passed my test in a manual first time, but have driven an automatic ever since as I find it much more relaxing especially when driving with bickering dc in the car

Quick list dump before DH gets in:

Ta Dah:
Full bathroom clean and towel change
Lounge rescued (as best I can) and vacuumed
Towels in wash
Rescued kitchen and decluttered it (a bit)
DS went swimming (got the right lesson time this week )

To do:
Continue dancing and singing into remote control microphone substitute
Shine sink

Engels - my DH is exactly the same. I have had to, in the past, call him when I have been out to remind him to hang out the washing - and he still hasn't done it. And WhoKnows, that is how my DH always tidies up! Apparently it's fine just to push things to the edge of the room instead of putting them where they are supposed to go.

My boy is coming home for the first time in 7 months on Sunday for the week, and as he's a Catering Apprentice, I've been to the supermarket and bought a pile of ingredients for him to cook us some nice meals when he's here

The walkie talkies have come so DD has excitedly gone out with her handset and has just radioed that she's fallen off her scooter again. Luckily no injury sustained. { phew! }

My new shoes also arrived but neither pair fits so will have to go back . I'm going to be barefoot soon if I don't find some a) I like and b) fit!

Need to go and start the dinner really. BBL

list dump
have done :-
a bit of shopping
put clothes in charity bin
shaves 2 boys heads badly in time for disco
listened to ds1 constantly bugging everyone
threatened ds1 with not going to disco

to do :-
wash pots
tidy lounge
tidy kitchen
put bins out
give people food
find time to sit arrrrggghhhh

OMG I have been aimlessly wandering from room to room thinking wtaf, my dp has things of his and dss's everywhere, he has taken over my home. I thought its ok, the lounge (my safe haven) will be safe, there's not much he can put in here, but upon wondering aimlessly around I notice that there are piles of clothes that he has yet to take upstairs, and coat hangers all over the friggin floor and a massive mirror behind the sofa which I know for a fact may stay there for quite a while, which is also inevitable that a child or cat will end up breaking it, and that is the only room he hasn't entirely took over. The kitchen now has a pan rack (which I can't friggin reach), a massive unsightly tupperware box full of his utensils, which as soon as the front of the drawer is fixed they WILL have a new place to live. plus all of his gubbins that now need to go in the shed, and will probably sit on the kitchen side for a few more days. HE HAS TURNED MY HALLWAY IN TO AN OFFICE !!!! (better the hall than lounge though tbf) there are now a million pairs of shoes under the stairs and I am no way getting rid of any of mine to make way for his !! and as for my bedroom, well lets just say I will not be sleeping in there until he has sorted it out! the kids room isnt so bad but I did sort some toy boxes out to make way for dss's (ds2), and got rid of broken unusable furniture for extra space. I just want to curl up and sleep but I cant because his clothes are on my bed. rant over :(

OK so both kids are at the disco, ds2's hair looks shocking may have to take him to the barbers for an emergency cut, he was moving so much and I just couldn't seem to blend it right :( he also has extremely fine hair so it looks even worse anyway got to go bbl

Slides into naughty corner and hides, as have been too drained to do much more than shovel mud and try and keep feelings to myself.

Yesterday swam 1150 mtrs, which was huge for me, but then got screamed and ranted at for three hours by one person, and then for a further two by another until 1.30 am, and was got up again at 5am. 3 ½ hours? sleep has left me fit for very little, and messing up all over the place, so just trying to cook dinner and get everyone of to bed.

I should have just stayed hiding. The kitchen is now wearing a serious coating of Tikka Massala, and I'm waiting to see how bad the burns to foot and leg are while the rescued remains get eaten. I still have to get boot and brace over it to drive in a bit. Bugggggerrrr!

Gossip and Justgettingonwithit you both sound thoroughly miserable and justifiably do

Dfriend came over which was lovely.
I'd shined sink, removed airer from kitchen etc.lounge still looks awful but with 3 toy boxes, kitchen, garage, tea trolley and shopping trolley.... Well, I couldn't have made it look better

Sunny here today so the mud hasn't been too bad.

Tomorrow we have Stage school, weekly shop and a party to go to (had to text my dad to buy a birthday card!! )