FLYlady followers flock together! Join the May fledglings – our nests we will feather!

[Castlelough]

Welcome to the May 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 is 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. Thanks to SC, Blue, Silvery and Goth for leading us through since January and for the brilliant OP I've just cut and pasted.

Morning all.
happy birthday blue

To Do
Fed cats done
Got breakfast done
clear breakfast
strip beds
bath/dress
swish/swipe
rubbish out
laundry on
litter trays
opticians
glass shelves
mirrors/picture frames/tv etc
dust/polish
hoover
mop
polish shoes
filing
bag/purse
washing machine drawer
hoover cat beds
bleach plugs
hotspots
make next weeks sandwiches and freeze
cook dinner and fill sink
sort dry washing
non iron away
defrost tomorrows dinner
play/tidy
non items aay
clean kitchen
lay out clothes
stray items away
check diary
ironing
study
eyebrows

That list should cover the weekend, but with the daily stuff done twice.
Collecting my new glasses today and having a contact lens lesson. Going to look strange without glasses!
Will probably take the boys to the park if ds2 stops whinning later.
Have a good day!

Happy Birthday, Blue! . Hope you have a great day.

Swan - yes, vet says kitten probably caught cat flu from his cat family before vaccination, but the vaccination has suppressed his symptoms. He has been very listless, lost his voice, has gummy eyes and sneezes, but I think he is on the mend now. He was quite playful at times yesterday and he's eating a lot.

I can't imagine how you are coping with seven cats in your house!

newbie - hope your DD is starting to feel better today. It's good to get chickenpox over with, but it can make you feel rotten.

Silvery - let us know how you got on with the contact lense lesson. I have been planning to do that for ages and still haven't got round to it. Your list is huuuuge!

Castle - thanks for all the links and updates. My kitchen needs attention, so I will be checking out the missions today.

Trazzles - sorry about the messy playdate!

Doris - hope your DS feels better today and that you get your haircut (I regard my trips to the hairdresser as mini holidays ).

Found - good to know the magic of Flylady is working on you already!

SC - sorry you are feeling so tired. I usually find tiredness like that turns out to be something I'm fighting off. Hope that's not the case for you and that you feel more energetic today.

LPlate - congratulations on all that weight loss. That takes will power.

Narky - am also stumped as to who you might be! Welcome if you are a newbie (and intrigued as to who you are if a regular).

Waves to Bitchy, WhoKnows, Just, Ellie, PA, Pushme, Engels, MrsB, Jdub, Honu and everyone else, including lurkers (Linzer - I'm looking at you ).

Am so sleepy, I would quite like to go back to bed, but should do stuff instead. MIL is coming round this afternoon and DM is arriving tomorrow, so I need to get the house in some sort of order.

And there is so much washing to do.

Going to a birthday party this afternoon, which sounds as if it will be a lot of fun (chocolate fountains and live animals - hopefully not all together).

Hope you all have a good day.

Oh, meant to say re chicken pox, I found virasoothe to be much better than calamine. It's a gel so easier to get on and both ds's seemed happier with it than the milky stuff.
Oats in tights feet is good. I use that when ds2 has an eczema break out.

toffee that list is for today and tomorrow.

Happy Birthday Blue (we really need a cake icon!)

My ta-da list so far:
Car to lovely garage for new tyre - not required as they fixed it rather than replacing it!
Bit of shopping in town not buying present for DFather coz I forgot at all!!!
DS & DH to party
Me to hairdresser (and I saw cheekbones in the mirror!)

Now home and chilling waiting for DS and DH to come home.

Afternoon my lovelies ...thanks all ... still feeling a bit tired but better than yesterday thankfully! (Hope completely recovered by Monday as dh is off travelling again and dd is playing up something rotten.)

Hope you can catch up on sleep soon Toffee and enjoy the party this afternoon! (Hope your cat feels better too.)

[Takes large breath ...and... one... two... three ...

"Happy birthday to you,
Happy birthday to Blue
Happy birthday lovely fledgling
Happy birthday to you!!"

....SC snaffles delicious birthday cake ] Hope you have a lovely day!!

Newbie hope your dd is feeling a bit more comfortable today

Congrats on cheekbones Doris!

Admiring looks for Castle's super-hero cat

Good luck with your long list Silvery

Waves at Swan and at 7 cats (which must be a handful!)

Glad the system is working for you FoundachopinL

Huge waves to everyone else (including Linzer )!!

I'm off to knaw on a large plank to stop me saying something I shouldn't! Thought things were turning a corner with dd and school: we have been on top of her with regard to hwk, employed French tutor, thought need to work hard had finally sunk in, but have received a note from one of her teacher's asking why she hadn't done any study (at all!) for a test. Even worse - dd blatantly lied to me about having done the prep for it (three times!) and although she knows she has to re-sit it on Monday - told us that she didn't have any more hwk this w/e AND has deliberately left the relevant folder at school. I despair. I really do.

Have a good weekend everyone!

Evening.
Soooo tired. Long long week. Busy wkend. Rl is incredibly demanding atm.

Hello all dd slightly better today although not herself at all and think ds has it now

managed to get some flying done whilst dh around so here's my ta da list..

Food and medicine shop
Decluttered wardrobe:) 3 bags for charity shop
Swish and swipe upstairs and downstairs

Good job on the wardrobe de-clutter newbie We de-cluttered our loft of loads of out-grown clothes a few weeks back and took everything to one of those cash for clothes places. We got £45!
Hope you're ok bitchy
Sc Sorry to hear about you still having troubles with dd and homework/study. Chin up

Big waves to everyone else

To Do
Fed cats done
Got breakfast done
clear breakfast done
strip beds done and have now re-dressed them
bath/dress done
swish/swipe done
rubbish out done
laundry done x2
litter trays done
opticians done
glass shelves
mirrors/picture frames/tv etc
dust/polish
hoover
mop
polish shoes
filing
bag/purse done
washing machine drawer done
hoover cat beds
bleach plugs
hotspots done
make next weeks sandwiches and freeze
cook dinner and fill sink done
sort dry washing done
non iron away done
defrost tomorrows dinner done
play/tidy done
non items away done
clean kitchen
lay out clothes
stray items away done
check diary done
ironing
study

Everything else is being carried over to tomorrow.

Thanks everyone. I did manage to achieve my birthday list, despite a false start when the boys woke up at 5.40... [weeps] Once the CBeebies-sitter had woken up too, we were able to go back to bed. DH cooked me a lovely breakfast, we dragged the boys around a few shops and had lunch at our favourite Italian restaurant, and then we had a decadent crab & asparagus salad after they'd gone to bed. :)

Yay to cheekbones, Doris!

So worth the millions we shell out to Sky, just for those early wakings!

LINKS FOR SUNDAY 12th MAY

Babystep 12 is delete your Flylady emails, and a reminder that we are putting our Control Journal together in babysteps ? no crashing and burning allowed!

The Daily Focus for Sunday is to Renew Your Spirit.

This is our last day in Zone 2 -The Kitchen We are decluttering, or detailed cleaning, in this zone for 15 minutes a day.

There are no Missions at the weekend!

The Flight plan for our daily routines, should update automatically.

Finally, the habit for the month of May is to get Moving!

Oh dear SC school does seem awfully tough over there. The children here have it easy in comparison. ((hugs))
Glad you had such a lovely birthday Blue
Silvery well done on your list, I hope you took some time for yourself and some fun too. You deserve it.
Newbie sorry to hear ds may be starting the chicken pox too, but maybe it?s better to have them both done with it at the same time. Have some !
Bitchy Big hugs. Please take care of yourself.
Doris It sounds like the diet is really working for you! Well done!
Toffee I hope the birthday party went well, and that your wee kitty is picking up again.
Swan I hope the quiz night went well!
Welcome Foundachopinlizt and MrsBodger (a bit belated with the welcome ? apologies . Glad you are making progress!
Big wingflaps to WhoKnows , NarkyNamechanger , Pushme , Goth , Engels , Swan , LPlate , Elliepac , PositiveAttitude , Just , Honu , NickNacks, JDub, and anyone else who may be about!

Today turned out to be my errand day. Had quite a productive day today!
Ta Da:
-Meal planned and big grocery shop, and picked up some lovely garden accessories at great prices at Aldi!
-Bought prescription and a wrist brace for carpal tunnel syndrome, as diagnosed by the doctor yesterday (could be worse - I was terrified I was getting some debilitating disease after a year of worsening
symptoms I was trying to ignore )
-Collected my watch, repaired and with a new battery, a gift from DH years ago, delighted to have it back on my wrist!
-Bought some resources I needed for school.
-Visited the horses and DMil...
-Practised piano for tomorrow's Communion like a loony
-Kitchen tidy.
-Emmmm trying to think of some actual flying...

Goodnight everyone!

Thanks. We went to the park and took the stabilisers off their bikes.
Trying again today.
We also had a nice lunch at pizza hut and watched a film together in the afternoon, the rock is hot! Never quite realised before!
Back in a bit with today's list

list
up and make beds done
get breakfast done
shower/dress
swish/swipe
clear breakfast
rubbish out
polish/dust
glass shelves/tv/mirrors etc
hoover
mop
polish shoes
filing
bags for tomorrow
make week's sandwiches
hoover cat's beds
bleach plugs
eyebrows
cook dinner
clean kitchen
laundry
sort dry clothes
nonn-iron away
play/tidy
stray items away
lay out clothes
ironing

Think that'll do it. 2 weeks til half-term! 10 working days and counting

Kitty definitely on the mend and eating like a tiny horse, thanks Castle.

Birthday party was a bit of a disaster for us as DS2 behaved appallingly, refused to take his coat off, talk to anyone, etc. Sat on DH's lap, with his face pressed into his chest. We were so embarrassed, especially as we had already had to explain that DS1 can't go out at the moment. In the end, we had to leave early.

We were really cross with DS2, but it turns out he probably has a chest infection, so now we feel really guilty! I was up at 3am, giving him Ventolin, Calpol, etc and he hasn't been able to sleep since then. We now feel like the worst parents in the world .

DM arrived first thing this morning, so I somehow have to transform DS2's unbelievably untidy bedroom into the guest room. Eek.

Hope you all have a good Sunday. It's meant to be a day for renewing your spirit, remember .

toffee sorry to hear about ds2. Hope he's Ok. Try not to feel bad, we've all been there.

Well the Communion is over - phew! And although I made a few tiny mistakes, nobody else noticed not even the choir mistress who never misses a trick! Such a relief to have it over with.

To Do List:

-relax with [coffee]
-a few phone calls
-eat lots of rubbish
-practise for my piano exam
-hunt for a cow (yes you read that right! DH couldn't find one of them this morning, so I am being drafted in for Round 2) It is raining and the cows have 80 acres of bog, rock, lake, and hilly fields to hide in! Argh!
-possibly catch up with a returning hen party in the pub (didn't go, due to Communion duties).
No Actual Flying well maybe before-bed routine...

Silvery - thanks, Silvery. Trouble is we use up all our reserves on DS1, so DS2 gets short shrift sometimes. Hope I have made up for it since though. Am taking very, very good care of him today.

Castle - well done on getting through the Communion. Hope the cow hunting doesn't take too long!

Just back from a pub lunch with DM, DH and DS2. DH is watching a James Bond with DS2 and DM is having a nap which means I can sneak off for a nap myself!

Busy rubbish weekend which I won't bore you with.

Went to see SIL again, she's so strong and I feel better knowing she really is ok. Looking forward to meeting a niece or nephew one day soon though. They want to start trying again right away. :)

Got the work email I was hoping for, with positive news. Will have her over to visit me and sign a contract.

(Oh and apologies for confusing you all- if you want to know who I've name changed from, I don't mind you regulars PMing me :) )

LINKS FOR MONDAY 13th MAY

This week we are in Zone 3 Zone 3 ? The Bathroom and One Extra Room We are decluttering, or detailed cleaning, in this zone for 15 minutes a day.

Babystep 13 is to add a mission to your routine.

The Daily Focus for Monday is to do the Weekly Home ?Bleurgh-- Blessing.

Today?s Misson is to clear the hotspots in the Bathroom and to do a 27 Fling Boogie in the Other Room!

The Flight plan for our daily routines, should update automatically.

Finally, the habit for the month of May is to get Moving!

Managed most of my "list" , though was thankfully saved from going on the cow hunt, as the cow reappeared! Phew!
DH really needs to do some fencing though - I went down to treat the horses to some soft apples and a naughty cow had broken in to their field! They were a bit and .
Didn't do much flying but I did some reading for me (not for work) and I have made my lunch for tomorrow ! Both rareties chez moi!
Actually I did change bed linen so that's one bit of the WHB out of the way for tomorrow! ;-)
Must go pm Narky now!
Nite everyone!

Good Morning!!!

Time to be up and doing here. Only another 24hrs and then the rl craziness is hopefully going to feck off and life return to a more sensible pace. Then I can get on with dealing the crap.

Morning all!

Didn't get on yesterday as was engaged in a crisis clean as DF arrives today. I really need to declutter more - I have a spare room full of "things" in drawers and on the bookshelves. Most of it I want to keep - the collection of mini-dragons my DH bought me throughout our engagement, photographs of family, and a few ornaments that are lovely. But there are so many other bits that have ended up there; I think I need a day when DS is at nursery and I'm not at work.

Trouble is that DH is, while not a hoarder, not exactly keen on the cleaning malarkey. Have to do it all in a oner I think!

Work today (boo, hiss!) so not much flying to be done.

Have fun everyone!

Oh dear, oh dear it has taken me until now to find you all - HUGE Fledgling fail on my part.
My main excuse has been DH and work which has gone even more mental. Great to be self-employed and busy, not so good to be self-employed and attempting to do the work of 2 or 3 people at the same time
It means that I have been busy with work too - doing at least 2-3 days for DH instead of 1.5, plus my own stuff and I get to pick up all the slack with everything else as DH just isn't around and we are supposed to be going camping for 10 days at the w/e (more later!) and the work on our extension starts next week and I'm in charge of that too. The words 'meeting myself' and 'coming backwards' are in my mind most of the time at the moment - argggggghhhhh.
As for Flying - hmmmm - 'flapping woefully' is probably a better description

And now it is 7am and time to get the masses moving. Hopefully I'll be back later to catch up on you all

ta da
Early training
label new school uniform shorts
sort out elastic said shorts on wiggling worm of a boy easier said then done
sort out plans for today

Next job quick crisis clean of lounge and dining room 30mins to go eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeekk