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!!

Evening everyone

Just checking in for October, though I am yet to trouble the scorer on the flying front . MIL has done all our washing today though, which is lovely of her. Now have to hope we have enough pants etc to get through to Friday when we next see her!

House is an absolute tip, no opportunity for todays mission as the entrance is covered in dust sheets and a fine layer of plaster dust - the plasterers will be back at 8 in the morning so it doesn't really seem to be worth tackling it now.

Hello to flyers old and new! PA I'd been wondering where you were, sorry to hear you've been so poorly, hope you're back to full strength soon. Hope the cold isn't too grim Carpe

Thanks for the shiny new thread SC. You always manage to set out the various steps and schedules so clearly, puts my lacksadaisical efforts to shame!

Well done on the decorating sow, I love having shiny new rooms - there will be much decorating here this month so I expect I will be joining you with a bad back very soon!

Hi to Bitchy, lauren, rowingboat, issima, justgetting, whoknows and everyone else.

Just have pm'ed you a novel. sorry if it makes no sense. brain a bit addled.

Should be asleep couldn't sleep so did a load of stuff. Now hungry and have accidentally eaten chocolate. It was there. I didn't even really want it. It didn't make me feel better. I am actually cross with myself right now. However, I am hungry and I do have training first thing so am going to get some toast and marmite, and have another go at sleep.

Oo,oo! Are you doing a fly lady dieting plan on here? I was doing the 5:2 fasting thingy, but have switched to 1500 cals a day and a bit of cycling. I am now under 10st for the first time in years. Hope to get down to between 9 and 9.5. Any lighter wouldn't suit my build. My mum is 8.5, but 2 inches smaller than me and a much lighter build.

Morning! I am feeling inspired by you all and your tada lists so Im up early in the hope that I will manage to make it through the morning routine before the school run. Im leaving lots of for you all. Heres to a more succesful day

Morning! Just a dump although ill be spending the afternoon riding so not much on it!

To do:
My laundry
Routines
DD and mindee to singing
Laminate new insurance and display in playroom
Walk dogs
DD to CM
riding

BBL!

Hi all,
Thanks for the coffee!
I
I'm off to work soon, but..
Also
Ds to park before school porridge
Lunch for me
VIPs
Pick up ds's friend home for tea
Ds homework
That hotspot
Wash up s@s kitchen
Washing on
What's for dinner (and my lunch)
Hooray!

No flying this morning - PLEASE help...

5 year old April Jones was taken from outside her home in Machynlleth, mid Wales at approx 7.30pm yesterday evening. She was last seen getting into a white/grey Ford Connect van. She was wearing her white school polo shirt, black leggings and a purple padded jacket. Her picture is all over the news this morning. Please keep your eyes open for her.

I live in a village nearby. This is a very small, close, rural community - locals have been out all night searching, DH is joining the police search this am.

Please circulate her picture if you can - realistically she could be anywhere by now

Poor little girl I hope she's found safe and well soon.

Well yesterday went down like a lead balloon as when I got home from work ds had developed balinitus (SP?) and had to spend the evening and night with no nappy on so I'm pretty sure this evenings jobs will
mainly involve washing all the towels in the house and removing the pee smell from the carpets. Fun. I may get to put the dishwasher on too if ds lets me leave him long enough.

Had a lovely funny post in my head all ready to type, but Maggie's post has put my trials into perspective. Hope the wee lass is found safe and well.

I have put it out to my social circle via Facebook and Twitter, but suspect that as we're up here in Scotland there isn't much chance of her getting this far. Still you never know.

Anyway, essentially, I have a cold from hell

Maggie - I saw the thread on this last night and was so sorry when it was on the news this morning. I hoped she'd have been found. It's too awful for words.

Maggie what awful news - almost too awful to contemplate - her poor parents - I hope and pray she is found safely.

TheHeirofSlytherin hope your ds recovers soon (and the carpets! )

Rowingboat ahh, yes, should have explained that Fat Fairy was a name coined by our very own PA for the Flylady herself (if you look at the site, there is a cartoon version of her wearing purple wig, pink tutu, purple wings, clutching a feather duster instead of a wand). Sorry to have got the wrong end of the stick about you moving btw! Am intrigued by VIPs on your list ... And yes, some of us are following a Body Clutter programme on here with the help of MyfitnessPal (although some of us [SC looks shifty] have lapsed a bit )

Rowingboat/Blue/Maggie congratulations on your weight loss!! That's very impressive and really well done!

Enjoy your ride this afternoon Lauren

Thanks for the Mercury and good luck with your list

Bitchy I so identify with the "didn't enjoy it, so why on earth did I eat it?" scenario. Have a good training session. (Marmite on toast is one of my all-time favourite things in the world btw.)

Pushme poor you having to contend with building works and a broken washing machine - not a happy combination! Hurrah to m-i-ls who wash pants!! Wouldn't describe your efforts as lackadaisical in a million years btw - v. good of you to offer to step in and take over - I only post links in a long-winded way because it helps my muddled brain to take it all in!! Good luck keeping on top of all the dust etc.

Nearly killed me finishing the evening routine last night but it is worth it coming down to a lovely clean kitchen, cleared hotspots and washing done and ready to hang out. Have just got back from a post school run supermarket shop where I bumped in to a friend, got distracted and promptly forgot all the essentials I went to buy in the first place

To do:
finish morning routine inc wm, dw, s&s
prep paper with gesso for this afternoon
prep paper with background paint for this afternoon
prep supper (butternut squash, chickpea, veggie casserole type thing)
a bit of on-line admin for office
a bit of on-line admin for me
planning - med appts/meal plans/sister's visit/Toussaint holiday/firm up plans for this w/e
finish ironing for rest of week
art course
school meeting
evening routine
15 min paper clutter?

Mahoosive wing flaps to all. Have a good day everyone!

x posts

Toffee yes, my heart sank this morning when I heard she hadn't be found - almost too awful to think about

Carpe sorry to hear you and ds are still suffering (arf at red nose!) Don't worry - your plans for October are definitely NOT knackered already!! [Issues special Flying dispensation on grounds of illness] I know it's frustrating but all the steps/routines will come around again v. soon... [hands over large box of extra-soft handkerchiefs, fluffy cushions, stack of DVDs, and honey & lemon brew]

Issima think you may have just hit the nail on the head there! That's the reason I never get to the end of decluttering ...because I loathe cleaning and am sub-consciously doing everything I can to avoid it !! [mmmm, ponders...] although I was joking, I think there may be some truth in that actually!!

Hi all. Apologies for lack of personals but I'm going to take a back seat with this thread and flying for the moment.

DS (3) was admitted to hospital last night and Drs believe he has tumours on his brain. And they are not good tumours.

Feel at a complete loss. Not sure when will be home again, let alone tidying!

Oh god Trazzle

Hope they're wrong. Will keep TrazzleJnr in my thoughts and prayers.

Oh no Trazzletoes I'm so very sorry to hear your news; that must be such a worrying and stressful situation for you, your family and your little one.

Do feel free to come back and post on here when and if you want to - Flying goes out the window in these sorts of circumstances and we'd love to offer support where we can, in however small a way.

I hope you can rally support for yourself in rl too and that there are people around who are willing to get stuck in and help.

Thinking of you all and sending lots of positive thoughts and prayers x

SC glad your art course so exciting and inspiring, and relaxing too!
Maggie It is so difficult to teach children not to trust adults. I keep reminding my children not to believe anyone, or go with anyone, unless they know them or they are professionals to which they have been already introduced in formal setting. Although knowing someone doesn't necessarily mean they are safe either I suppose.
PA was it malaria? you have done very well not to get ill so far.
Toffee Maths tutoring must be a weight off your mind, it is really something that only enthusiasts can teach --as someone who was taught Maths by an extremely patient teacher and just scraped a C at O'level, my proudest hour really
Whoknows very frustrating, but just keep gritting your teeth and sticking to the rules. My mum is someone who always ignores the surgeon's instructions, it always ends with problems.

Today
I think it is going to take me all day to connect the printer/find right cable etc.
And send off one official looking letter.
Lamb keema for supper (that's mince and peas
All kids at school. Ds1 in good form, although he had a meltdown yesterday over a sweetie, so I think he needs a lot of tlc to keep himself enthusiastic and productive. He's doing every after school club on offer as far as I can see, which is very nice as he still doesn't appear to have any close friends at new school, but at least he is finding social life in another capacity...His weight seems to be stabilizing on new regime too. Dietician's referral has been been thrown back at us, again sigh, as apparently this year you have to be TWO centiles weight above your height. He is 99 centile height, and one above that for weight atm. Now referred to absolutely useless MEND programme which is 2 hours twice a week for the whole family miles away, after school. And there is no way we can do that, so will keep chugging on with exercise and food supervision instead...

Trazzletoes thinking of you, and sending prayers. x-post. Lady down the road is dealing with all this, so I can (in a tiny way) imagine what you are going through. Hope you have some news soon.

Trazzletoes just wanted to let you know you are in my thoughts.

trazzletoes thinking of you here too and we are here if you need us!

Thank you all. You're making me cry

Hi all. Thanks for the get well wishes. I have read through all the posts, but brain is a bit frazzled to take in who said what, sorry!!
No, it was not malaria, but looks as if it could well have been Dengue Fever. Not pleasant and I now have to make sure I don't get it again - not sure how I can do that, as everyone says there is nothing you can do!! , but it is dangerous to get a second dose, apparently!
As for the Drs and medical clinics..... errrr no!!! I would rather not, thank you!! My bed, my toilet, my body!! I don't trust any of the quacks here.

Washing pile has suddenly erupted as DH has decided I am well enough for him not to do it, but unfortunately my energy levels have not matched his expectations quite yet!! I will try tomorrow. I nearly did it today, then we had a massive storm, and all who know about my dodgy electrics will know that rain and electrics are not a good combination here, so I thought it best not to push my luck!

As I am typing DS is having an absolute fit because there is a massive lizard very close to his shoes that he needs to put on. Am I being a horrible mum because I am just laughing at him? Him and DH are just off for a footie game. DH is thinking of going to a bar tonight at 3am to watch the Chelsea game, too. Some things have not changed a bit in life, wherever our location!

Good night all. I will try to do better tomorrow and will hopefully have more of a TaDa list than my non-existent one today!!

Oh, yes, One ta-da - I cleaned the kitchen drainer which was stinkingly disgusting. If it is not done daily the heat and humidity just make it aweful and it had not been done properly by DH since i have been ill, so it was minging!!!! Made me gag to do it, but hey ho, done now!!

Trazzle , we're here if you need us.

Trazzle - I will look out for you on the health board. We have a whole lotta brain stuff in this family, and some close friends who have dealt with brain tumours in their children (plural). Don't panic yet - although that's easier said than done (hug)
Thinking of you x

Thanks madwoman, I'm on children's health at the moment.