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!!

xpost Waves to swan ditto re: mortifying dc in public. According to dd, I am an embarrassment because my face moves too much when I talk ....I am too fat ...and I am always scrabbling about in my handbag actually thats quite- an accurate description

Would have received sharp whack around the ear if I had dared spoken to my mother like that ... wonder if it's a good or bad thing that dc now feel they can say anything they like!?!

Castle - about three years ago I decided to have a clearout of paperwork. I jad been meticulously filing every bit of paper for years and never throwing anything out. I had every letter, payslip, bill, bank statement, insurance document you name it that I had ever received in my life (I'm 45 so that was a lot of paperwork). i got it all out of the loft, spent several weeks sorting it into keep, shred and recycle and got rid of at least 90% of it. I kept a few things for nostalgia sake, one payslip from each job for example. The personal letters I read right through and had a lovely trip down memory lane but I decided not to keep many. Might not have been any actually. Most of the people I have long ago lost any connection with, the odd one I do keep in touch with, well there's FB for that now. I had one particularly interesting moment. I met a man on holiday when i was about 21 and kept in touch by letter for a few years (no romance, just friends). Looking back at his letters I remembered that he had been trying to establish himself as an author, at that stage he was writing the blurb that goes on the inside covers of books etc. I googled him and found that he's got 73 books on Amazon now. I have found him on FB and wondered about getting in touch but it seems a bit weird to now. Maybe once my children are old enough for his books (his target market seems to be secondary school age)

Very wise words about us adults needing prods and reminders too.

Whoknows how amazing about your author friend - not many people have such a clear life plan and get to fulfill their ambitions like that

**

Actually bit too drunk tired to work out precisely when clocks go back (esp with hour difference here) but I know it is this weekend at some point [hic]

Baby step no. 28 for Sun 28 Oct is here another good one - it's about taking care of ourselves

No zones or missions because it is the weekend, but if you want to get ahead, we will be in Zone 5: The Living Room (October 28-31) next week (see yesterday's link)

Focus for Sunday is renew your spirit day

Habit for October is: getting rid of paper clutter (see previous links)

***

73 books! He's been busy then...
Are we allowed to know the series name?? [dons librarian's hat]

Just googled Lucas Terrier, Swan - omg, soooo sweet! (As sweet as our beloved visiting Border Terrier even). We are missing our visiting dog so much, but she is meant to be spending Xmas with us and, hopefully, her owners will know by then if she can have puppies or not (she is a middle-aged dog, so might be too elderly).

Also, Swan, you are right about getting DS1 used to outings and yes, he probably was behaving badly because he was tense. Thinking about it now, he actually did very well because my DM insisted on going to a cafe for a cup of coffee and he won't go into cafes anymore, but had to. He coped really well once he was there and even ate a biscuit (usually refuses to eat or drink).

I agree with you, Bitchy, about pushing boundaries. I am constantly pushing DS1's boundaries, but there's a skill in knowing how far to push because if you push too far too fast, he panics and won't do anything and then I've lost the battle. I also agree about letting DC learn the hard way, although I think I'm doing it more because I don't have the energy to argue with them anymore! This morning, neither boy would eat breakfast before we went out, so they both felt hungry during our trip out. I pointed out that if they ate when they were offered food, they wouldn't be hungry. Hopefully, commonsense will win the day eventually.

SC - sweet to imagine your DD wearing a hat to bed tonight . I sympathise about needing your own space, as I am rather like that myself .

madwoman - sorry, that just sounds so familiar and I have no easy answers. During DS1's single term at secondary school, he used to regularly forget to hand his homework in (not to mention losing countless items of clothing and named PE kits ). I resorted to sticking notes on his pencil case, but it was no good as he didn't read them. I even emailed his teacher once to ask him to get the homework from DS. The point was, DS didn't care in the slightest and nobody could make him care. I think it is quite a common problem, particularly among young boys.

castle - I hole-punched my old letters and put them in a folder.

ellie - I love that film! Glad you had a relaxing PJ evening.

lauren - thanks for the reminder about the clocks. I feel in need of that extra hour.

Blue - well done on your decluttering. How great that your FIL is going to help you with the garden.

Off to bed soon, after a hot chocolate and MN browse. Night all.

WhoKnows - I am intrigued by your author friend too. How wonderful that he achieved his dream.

SC - yes, why do DC feel they can say such rude things to their parents now? Mine are the same. I would never have dared.

I actually had to explain to ds what that was the other day. He had no clue and tbh still looked mightly so not entirely certain he grasps the concept.

Indeed Toffee it is such a difficult balance between pushing boundaries and pushing too far. Thankfully a lot of areas ds is wanted to achieve the things that are most difficult so it is more of a case of supporting, and sometimes holding back to make it achievable. He wants so hard to be normal. It's the daily care stuff that he is less motivated with. Working in school? hahahahaha.

We use a lot of visual lists with tick boxes to try to re-enforce things and get him to self manage but I do get incredibly fed up of saying the same thing repeatidly every morning.

I didn't know if my phone would automatically update it's time or not. turns out it doesn't which is fine but you don't know until it happens. However, feeling really off so i think I might grab something little to eat and then crawl back into bed and sleep a little more.

Morning all! Just flying by with a list! DD spent most of the night vomiting so bedding has already been changed (one thing off the home bleugh tomorrow!)

Do big shop (if DD hasn't been sick by after lunch)
Remake my bed
Remake DD bed
Routines
Walk dogs
Brush dogs
Front room hotspot
Dog poo

BBL!

Good morning all, well this house of mine has a major clutter issue right now, I cant physically get in my bedroom as there is a camp bed and boxes all over the place, dp has brought in a shoe rack which he was planning to put under the table, but it doesn't fit so it is now residing in the already cluttered kitchen. The living room is just cluttered and there is a mountain of clean clothes that need to be put away but I cant put them away as I haven't got access to my room to put mine dp's and ds2s clothes away, the hallway couldn't fit more stuff in if I tried, yet the boys are trying to, the only room that seems to be ok is the boys room, even the bathroom has a cabinet waiting to go up and a mirror. And I also need to do some shopping at some point today. I am feeling like giving up on the entire house right now, as it seems no matter what I do to find some space, something comes along and clutters it up.

Oh gossip .
Chin up! You have little ones and no house is ever perfect. Just focus on one small space at a time.
And 'renew your spirit' today - no cleaning! xxx

HELLOOOOOO!!!!!

The thread got too long big for our internet to load, so I am down at an internet cafe to say hello to you all. I wil come and join you all again when a new one starts.

All feeling well and fighting fit again now, thank goodness. We have signed a contract for a new house rental from the middle of December. It's amazing!!!! It is huge and BRAND NEW!!!!! Wooooo so excited, I have never lived in a new house before. The kitchen is sort of outside, which is a little unusual, but it makes it cooler to cook in the evenings, so I will see how that goes.
Just been doing some skype-ing with my girlies back home. This stupid keyboard has got half the letters in English, some missing and some in Khmer. Very confusing to type with!!!

House is an absolute tip!! We need a cleaner!! I am going to sound around this week and see what i can find out about getting one. I cleaned the kitchen floor yesterday morning, it was just me in the house all day and by evening it needed doing again!! How???? Why?????

Hot as hell here today and we had a powercut for all the afternoon. Apparently when the power goes all the neighbours go and fix it. 8 men, 1 rickedy ladder, 5 hours, tens of cables and not an electrician in sight!!! I was worried!!

Oh no cafe man is wanting to close for the night.....

Sorry folks, got to dash before he pulls the plug on the internet and I lose this.

I will return...........>> to everyone.

Hi all...Very idle weekend here, I'm afraid. Bad case of 'can't be arsed' rather than anything else, so not even flaming sink is shiny. (In fact, it's piled high with washing up). Still tomorrow is Monday morning, so I will go back to my baby steps.

Love to all, just checking in really.

There are 4 words to describe life here today: Not. A. Good. Day.

tomo is a damage limitation kinda day.

Ah, bitchy, hang in there. Sometimes you just have to wait for it to pass.

Thanks for sage words, all. Today better - we have been feeding the animal ds as oft as possible and I have ramped up the omegas and zinc again (and he will be dipped in Epsom salts for twenty minutes after dinner). Mood much better and indeed almost sociable.

Did quite a bit of house sorting yesterday and this floor doesn't look too bad. Dh got stuck in as well.

Have loads of reading to do for tomorrow though, so must dash.... X

arf at Epsom Salts! glad things a bit better Madwoman

Huge waves to everyone - especially those having tough days ...

particularly encouraging wing flaps to Bitchy and Gossip

Hope your dd recovers speedily tomorrow Lauren

Whey hey PA great to see you! Glad you are OK and fully recovered! And really good news about new house - like the sound of outdoor kitchen!

Failed to get on here all day - combination of church activities - visitor/colleague in town and dd [and dh ] having bad earache and me developing stinking cold. Did go on lovely nature walk though although failed to find the different varieties of trees on our print-out - largely because we realised after an hour or so that we were, er, in a beech wood [hhmm]

Hello to Trazzles Issima Castlelough Sowornout Toffee Swan Ellie Justgettingonwithit Feetheart Arses Thatsnice et al

Just on my way back downstairs after warming olive oil to put on cotton wool and stuffing it in dd's ears and thought I would post this now as (a) I am wide awake (b) I will hopefully be able to lie in a bit tomorrow morning!

OK... commencing last bit of October ..

Baby-step, no. 29 for Mon 29th Oct is here include a pamper mission in your weekly routines. Pamper missions can be found on the launch pad.

From now until the end of the month, we will be in Zone 5: The living room here

NB newcomers - we will be starting in Zone 1 again on Thursday!

Try and declutter for 15 mins per day in the current zone. Once decluttered, you can go on to detailed cleaning

Also, don't forget your super fling boogie in this zone this week in preparation for the Christmas holidays!

Monday's mission is here 15 mins of purging hidden clutter from sitting room

The daily focus for Monday is : here the home blessing, or as we call it "home bleugh"!

The habit for October is: getting rid of paper clutter here. Try and shred/recycle/jettison papers you no longer need, 15 mins per day.

If I've missed anything, have a look at Monday's flight plan

Hope you have a productive week everyone!

Morning all! Just a list dump, it's been over 24 hours since DD was last sick and she seems very much back to normal this morning so I'm going ahead with work (parents know she was ill Saturday) so just a dump!

Trip to bank
Buy coloured paper while in town (not so organised)
Halloween crafts
Pictures for display
Be in to receive and put away tesco delivery
Go buy DD Halloween outfit
Visit friend and new baby
Routines
DD laundry
Mission...see what it is
Pay rent
Dog poo
Walk dogs

BBL

Morning all!

Nice to see you PA!
Hope today is better, Bitchy.
SC - at the wrong kind of trees!

Well, FIL is coming at the w/e so have to rediscover the spare bed and generally rescue the house as well as deciding what we want to do with the garden.

Today though, we're getting out to the woods with a friend and her kids. Hoping will do the boys (and me) some good but dreading the mud!! Not really the outdoorsy type.

Oh, and meant to say, I'm happy to run the next thread if no one else has a burning desire to do so. Seems to be the only way I even know the current zone, let alone look at missions...

Good morning all, ds1 and 2 both have swimming lessons this morning, which turns out really well, it'll be interesting to see how ds2 gets on, I've not seen him in the school environment yet. Ds3 has come down with tonsilitus again he had a raging temp so I've been med managing through out the night, his temp is normal this morning so I'll be taking him to the swimming baths instead of leaving him at my grandmothers.

waves..
Have been very slovenly (hence total absence from this thread) - crisis clean today...after I've caught up on personals
Will report back later

Oh it's Monday! Must add home bleugh onto my list! I have no idea how I forgot when it's my favourite!

PA! Lovely to hear from you. The new house sounds wonderful.

Gossip - sympathies re clutter. I have done lots of decluttering (by my standards ) and spent Friday tidying and cleaning, but there is still stuff everywhere . I need one room just to throw all the stuff in . (Oh, hang on - that's our bedroom).

lauren - good to hear your DD is better.

Blue - thanks for offering to run the next thread. Enjoy the woods today.

SC - at you looking for the wrong trees!

Bitchy - sorry Sunday not a good day for you (fall out from sleepover, maybe?). I hope things improve.

Maggie - welcome back.

Am so grateful it's half term and we don't have to go anywhere today. My mum is going home , but we are going to cheer ourselves up with Halloween activities. Hopefully, the boys will be so busy with Halloween stuff that I will have time to declutter a bit more. It's getting me down.

Hope you all have a good day. Waves to everyone above as well as those I've missed - Issimma, Castlelough, Sowornout, Swan, Ellie, Justgettingonwithit, Feetheart, Arses, Thatsnice, etc.

Indeed Toffee. Combined with a massive sound challenged. Ds is off school today. Mostly because he has a cough that keeps threatening to make him sick. But we are on our second major strop/ attitude issue of the day already. And he has only been awake 1 hour. I have yet to make him do his holiday homework that he needs to hand in tomo. Because he stropped about it yesterday so it got put away. Tbh i just want to go back to bed and hide. Hot deep bath later for him. Daren't let him near the bathroom atm.