February Fledglings FLYing High

[BlueEyeshadow]

Welcome to the February Fledgling FLYers thread

... where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of and chatting along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that we 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 us 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 we get when we are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once.

To avoid being inundated with details, we advise not signing up to the Big Tent

We are in the process of 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.]

Flylady site here

Don't worry if you are behind; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again anyway!

All the links for the babysteps and missions will be posted here every day and we'll all be here to cheer each other on.

to SC for leading us through January and for the brilliant OP I've just cut and pasted .

So come along in and park your dusters ready for Feb!

Morning ellie

Sorry you're having a hard time at work, I thank god often that I don't have colleagues.

I also have a DS who's 9 and we have just started to leave him home alone. Only problem is we had a hiccup on the first time (relentless delivery guy who hammered the door down) and now he's reluctant so we're building up slowly. I think I would go shopping if he were ok with it.

DH is also working this weekend (feeling a parallel life with Ellie coming on)

My list

Washing washing washing
Declutter for 15 mins
Shop for a few bits
Try and clean the sofa arms
Wipe out microwave
Write newsletter email

Xposts with feet- good morning!

Parallel life here too, DH is just off to work and I leave DS (just turned 9) for short periods. So far I haven't left him for more than half an hour and not gone anywhere I could not walk back from in 5 mins which for us includes school and guide hut where I take DD to Brownies. Not sure he's ready to be left for longer yet but totally agree with the gradual increase in responsibility, he goes to school by himself, albeit with me following 5 mins behind.

Ta da :-
Washing on
Dryer on
Washing put away
Tidy whole house (it actually wasn't that bad and I suspect my standards are lower than others)
Clean whole house (see above)

Now going to grab a shower and then head into town. The day has panned out such that the best time for the food shop is on my way back from mum's so DS will have to come so the decision is out of my hands. Thanks for all your thoughts though. It's so hard isn't it getting the balance right between giving them gradual independence because you don't want to mollycoddle and the mothering instinct which is to worry.

Back later!

Hi all,

Ellie hope work situation improves. I had a difficult colleague situation yesterday when one sent me a ranting email about how I'd (inadvertently) stressed her out and that her afternoon had been ruined. I wrote a ranting reply back as I was pretty annoyed by her tone, but I didn't send it to her - thought I'd wait until I'd calmed down. Then about 3 hours later (9pm!) she rang me on my mobile to apologise and wrote me a long apologetic email too. All sorted, thank goodness.

I tried to shine the sink but I don't think we have the right products in the house. Shopping trip needed today.

To do:
Make bed
Shopping
Shine sink
Swish & swipe
Tidy bedside cabinet
Sort clothes going to charity shop
Laundry load
Dry clothes away
Quality time with dh
Make new 'to do' list

Hope all your days go flyingly!

Morning.

Did Feck all yesterday. Feeling more enthusiastic today though. Ive been to parkrun this morning so it may be that Ive done some running today and its released my energy hormones. Will definately have to get into it more now. Especially since Ive paid and registered to do a 10K in 5 weeks time. Just hope the weather is ok for me to get out, but if not it will be an hour on the exercise bike. Tues and Thurs morning, maybe tomorrow afternoon too.

tada

• make beds
• turn on washing machine
• 2nd load
• Parkrun

to do

• dry laundry
• put laundry away
• Wash up 2X
• Shine Sink
• tidy front room once DCs are in bed
• Sort out DS homework
• Sort out DD1 homework
• Coursework

WhoKnows hope your arm gets better soon.

Feetheart I think I said congratulations on getting the GNR place on another thread, but just incase it was someone else congratulations. Though Im positive it was you. Im going to put my name forward for it next year. Good luck with the training. Thanks for the book info, I will have a look and see if I can't get it myself.

Ellie Sorry to hear work is stressfull ATM. Hope next week will get some things sorted and it can begin to be less stressful. Though its nearly half term so there will be one less thing to deal with (ie parents and children) although I think Im right in thinking that half term doesn't necessarily mean teachers get a week off.

Ooh I can't wait to not take the DCs shopping. We do go on a Friday morning when they (apart from DD2) is at school, but thats not helpful during school holidays. DS is 8 in just over a week, but is Autistic so we have a while yet.

lovehope Well done on not retaliating to that email, glad its all sorted. Lots of people wouldn't be able to.

Sorry Ive not gone far back, sometimes this thread gets overwhelming and there's loads to read.

Hope you are feeling better blue and thank you toffee for stepping in with links and round ups.

Hope everyone has a good weekend.

Oooh forgot to put on one thing on my list, realised as it was posting.

to do

• dry laundry
• put laundry away
• Wash up 2X
• Shine Sink
• tidy front room once DCs are in bed
• Sort out DS homework
• Sort out DD1 homework
• Coursework
• put kitchen draw contents in a box saw a tip on this thread so Im going to do that today. Will be part of decluttering.

Afternoon,

Lilleth - I did couch to 5k a couple of years ago but had to give up running last year when I developed a prolapse. It is not really recommended to run following prolapse surgery, but I think I will start gently again once I've lost some weight (less strain on the pelvic floor that way) and try to run mostly on grass (also less impact) - I was about to start doing parkruns when it all went wrong, and there is a new one near me now. Need to lose the weight first though.

Arms feeling a bit better today, probably because I haven't done much. Lazy day here, snowing/raining, CBA, just slowly tidying up.

Also feeling cross because I have just had a letter calling me up for jury service in April, I have used up all my childcare favours really after my operation last year, so it's going to be a pain. And I've done it before, so it probably won't be anything like as interesting as it was last time.

I want to do Jury Service.

The Park Run I go to hasn't been going long (only since December) It was the couch to 5K that got me running properly. I always tried and failed to keep it up before. Now I got to a running club, well I would, but my AAT is on the same time.

I know so many people who want to do jury service, and yet I get called twice in 5 years. It's in the Easter holidays.

I am still partitioning for family fun day to be renamed family hell day

Ta da for this afternoon:-
Lunch at mum's
Aldi shop
Tesco for bits I couldn't get at Aldi
Town for a few bits
Washing
Drying
DS dropped in the middle of nowhere for cubs
DD fed
Our dinner prepped and on

And relax.......... Until 9 when I have to go and pick DS up from the middle of nowhere. Poor DH isn't even home from work yet and he left the house at 6 this morning!

bitchy at least you had a stab at family fun day, we didn't even manage that.

whoknows bummer about jury service. I can imagine it's a bit of a pain and it's something I dread landing in my doorstep along with chicken pox.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I picked the envelope up off the mat. Last time was fairly easy because the DCs were in full day nursery and my parents managed my non work days, going to be tricky this time with school and all the after school activities, the holiday week isn't so bad as I can just book them into all day holiday club and claim the cost, luckily the court isn't too far away, if last time is anything to go by the days are quite short.

Back in a min.

Lilleth - my DS is ASD (AS) too (in fact there are quite a few of us with ASD DS's on this thread), in fact for things like leaving him it works in our favour as he is very sensible, not at all inquisitive and sticks by rules (far too rigidly sometimes). We started leaving him at about 8.5 years old.

Lovehope - when I have emails like that I usually press reply, then carefully delete the recipients name from the To box (so I can't hit send in error or rage) before writing a really ranting reply, and letting off steam. I then delete it.

Ellie - sounds like a tricky work situation. Hope DS enjoys the night hike, my DS did one about 3 months ago and despite not being a very enthusiastic walker, loved it, he says it's the best thing he has done at Cubs yet.

Bitchy - hands over

Arm is much better today, so I'm going to sign off and tackle my OU essay.

tada

• make beds
• turn on washing machine
• 2nd load
• Parkrun
• dry laundry
• put laundry away
• Wash up 2X
• Shine Sink
• tidy front room once DCs are in bed

not doing

• Sort out DS homework (totally forgot)
• Sort out DD1 homework (totally forgot)
• Coursework (have done a bit, but need to do a bit more tomorrow)
• put kitchen draw contents in a box (will do Monday as as mission or something)

Cant believe that I forgot homework Oh well it wont hurt to do it tomorrow. DS's is Maths which he just whizzes through. It will only take him 10 mins.

tomorrows list

• DS homework
• DD1 homework
• Coursework
• Strip bed (going to do DCs Monday)
• Dry bedding
• remake bed
• Wash up 3X
• Shine Sink
• tidy room once DCs are in bed

That's it. Im really tired so going to have a slow day tomorrow and just get those jobs I have to do (ie homework and wash up) and the bedding is part of my 'me' time we are supposed to have on a Sunday. Its bath and to bed in nice fresh bedding love it.

What do the courts suggest people do regarding children when it comes to jury service? Im thinking that you are called up and that's it you have to go, but what if you genuinely have no-one to look after DCs?

Bitchy now the day is at an end so relax and take it easy.

Have a good evening everyone.

Thanks for all the get well wishes. Boys are still up and down and DH is starting to feel low. It seems to be some kind of flu bug and he's had the jab for work so hopefully won't get it so badly.

I'm almost back to normal now apart from a few coughs and sneezes, so I'm happy to take over with the links and round-ups again tonight.

Huge thanks to Toffee - - for stepping in and doing such a great job! Have a well-earned

Lilleth - that kitchen drawer tip is awesome! (Sorry, have spent the evening with teenagers ). Am going to do that asap.

Have had a quick read through, but don't have time now to reply to all. Sorry, though, for those having horrible times at work and those suffering illness or aches and pains .

Tomorrow we are on Babystep 10, which is one of the most useful, I think - the power of 15 minutes.

Sunday is our day to renew our spirit - that means make time for yourself.

No missions because it's the weekend.

Off to get DS2 in the bath. DS1 has his best friend sleeping over, so he's happy. DH and I are hoping to have a delayed 'date night' watching the new series of 'Spiral'.

Hope you all have a good evening and relaxing Sunday.

PS: Spent most of this afternoon decluttering DS1's bedroom . It is almost tidy...

Beat you to it, Blue . Glad you are feeling better.

Thanks for the flowers and wine.

Evening ladies,
So much for Family Fun Day here, Dd woke up with a stinking cold & sore throat. in fact she crashed on the sofa for the whole day, when we'd had a cinema trip planned, which is unheard of.
So I counted it as a renew spirit day instead. Luckily it's half term this week, so she has a chance to recover.

Done
Beds
Windows
Litter tray
Bins
Washing up
Laundry in
Post Office
Shopping
Ironing whilst watching rugby
Reading for 2 hours undisturbed! (Dd had iPad)
Dinner
Wash up & SS

You can defer jury service Lilleth, but only for a year I think, their view is that you must arrange childcare. Which I suppose is possible for most people with a few months to sort it out. The problem being you don't know how long you are going to need it for. I have seen a few threads about this get quite heated. On my last jury service one of the staff told us about a trial that went on for best part of a year and one of the jurors fell pregnant, they had to do everything they could to finish it before she gave birth, what a nightmare.

Ah, cross-posted with Toffee I see. Due to MN being particularly treacle-like earlier on. Well, will start again tomorrow.

What a pain about the jury service WhoKnows. Hope you can work something out.

Likewise for you work situation Ellie.

Get well soon to your DD, Going.

Big waves to everyone else. Good night!

Morning.
Sorry again for absence, been so tired, not even had theenergy to turn the laptop on.
Hope everyone is well.
All is fine here, ds's driving me crazy, ds1 has hit the back-chat stage and he's only 5!
New washing machine came yesterday, is lovely. Did 3 loads yesterday and have just started again now.
Had a really bad week FLYing, think I did zone work 1 day last week, must try harder this week.

List:
Up and make beds
Breakfast
Clear breakfast
Feed cats
Laundry
Empty rubbish
Bath and dress
Swish and Swipe
Make weeks sandwiches
Clean glass shelves
Dust and polish
Hoover
Mop
Polish shoes
Ironing
Cook dinner (beef stew)
Clean kitchen
Stray items away
Bags for tomorrow
Lay out clothes
Shine sink
Bed early

CBA! I doubt I'll get dressed, will have a bath and prob put pj's back on. Dp is working today, and I'm hoping the boys can keep themselves entertained, but doubtful

Lilleth Just been reazding that helpful tips thread. Some interesting stuff.
Just added a tip myself about keeping clingfilm in the fridge, stops it sticking to itself when you unroll some.

Which thread was that? I read the one about putting fabric conditioner on your radiators, but that's not going to happen here, we don't use it because I can't stand the smell, I like my laundry unfragranced. Although I was interested to see someone post on there that they had found an unscented one.

I have just been reading a Good Homes magazine while I eat breakfast, not sure whether to feel inspired or depressed.