July's Fledgling Flyers: Summer holidays are on their way and the clutter is going to FLY away

[elliepac]

Welcome old and new fledglings to the July Fledgling FLYers thread!

Thank you very much to cpmpy for leading us expertly through June- it's been a while since I lead so I can't promise to be as efficient but will do my best . This will start by copying and pasting pmpy's original June post

If you're overwhelmed by clutter and general household grub then join us as we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system or languish in the naughty corner hoping to do better tomorrow

As usual, we will be following the Flylady three-pronged approach:

1. Baby-steps (a daily step to establish routines)
2. Then baby-steps + 15 mins daily decluttering
3. (And once decluttered) babysteps + daily missions and maybe even detailed cleaning in the weekly zones

For more information have a look here, although to avoid a cluttered inbox, we advise not signing up to the Flylady emails. The basic principle is little and often and don't worry about perfection (no chance of that 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 and chat our way through the month

Been g

Oh my gosh she does it again ! Sorry people !

Steamed cabbage you poor thing how is he now ??

And pa massive c

Oh this is silly !!! Sorry !!

Pa massive congrats on the upcoming gran motherhood !!

ta da
1 load of washing
Finally pin edge a project
sort a basket of 'stuff'
put clothes away
move books from one of the bookcases on landing
move bookcase and check for missing glasses - nope not there
extract a file for hole punching, stapling and filing paperwrok that should be in it.
5 mins hooking
finish binding a project that had been abandoned so now "de-cluttered"
print off two patterns for projects
print off some starting sheets for ds for some project work we are going to do this summer

right time to sit with that file and fill it.

Iphone Jess? I am always hitting post instead of O or P, they're too close together.

How is DH now, SC? Is it as hot where you are? People with heart conditions are susceptible in this heat.

DH has just told me he didn't get around to getting the air conditioning fixed in his car - and he is driving to his uni reunion tomorrow, which is at least a seven-hour drive. Now, in addition to worrying about car accidents, I'm also worrying about him passing out on the journey. He says don't worry, he'll take lots of water .

It's actually too hot to stay outside now. I have pulled all the blinds down on the sunny side of the house in an attempt to cool it down.

I have ironing to do. Funnily enough, I can't face it.

I got sided tracked from filing the paperwork and hung up on the project stuff for ds. Cba with the paperwork. I think i might have earnt the right to ignore it until tomo. I am tired and about ready for bed. Can't due to ds' bedtimes and needing some more antibiotics later so and going to curl up with the hook and do some more hooking of a project. Still not found the glassed though I do have some nice freshly painted nails

Hope you have all had reasonable days. And fingers cross for good news from SC.

Night.

There's a lovely cool breeze now, blowing through the house. We are lucky not to have a south facing anything (for once).

Done
final visit to park with all primary friends
ds2 very upset to say goodbye to his favourite TA (he has known her since Reception)
dd has had a friend round all afternoon, but managed to fall out with her by teatime (nearly pushed her into paddling pool because she was jealous of her cricketing skills cue flouncy supper

Ds1 received an A5 for his Kenya project (dictated by dh in parts still I think a lot of it was his. And in light of what followed, very relieved he worked hard on it....

We had a nasty scene when we received some MORE holiday homework for ds1 (12/13) in post. DH rang up the English Dept and said point blank...we weren't doing it. Extensive Reading List fine, Maths workbook fine, History Reading List Fine, Science project fine, but we are not doing a f*ng dissertation on Nietzche over the holidays (it was a Heroes project with 6 parts to it) NO NO NO. HOLIDAYS. It didn't help that Head of English dept had already gone on holiday. But I feel calm now DH has said that Ds is not doing it. It is a relief to just SAY NO.

done
sorted out cleaning lady clash with dh business meeting
bought stationery for next year for twins two complete different brand s of everything to avoid rows
presents for teachers (alcohol)
cards signed
supper cooked
dw
worktops
laundry
recyling
stripped ds1 bed, and remade
s & s loo
dcs chores x 3 (YAY!)

we've made a rule for holidays. Three chores a day non-negotiable from each child. To include gardening, cleaning and cooking.

Toffee it is always cool in a car when you are moving, even without airconditioning. Only when you are stuck in a town that it is essential. He will be fine. Hope he has a great time at the reunion.

SC Big hug to you and dd. I know you are keeping each other safe.

Toffee sorry that wasn't very helpful, just meant I hardly ever have the Airconditioning on, somehow it is just part of driving rather like walking when it's a bit hot, you just put up with it and as your dh says drink lots of water.

Hope you are all ok sc. Big for you and DD (and your DH if he wants and extra one!)

Congratulations PA . Your poor DD with such terrible sickness. There are anti-sickness tablets that are quite good if she's really struggling.

I have detail cleaned the bathroom today, except for the floor, which I will do at the weekend. It is very small though! Other than that it has been a week of much work and little flying!

Need to go to bed now so general hellos, goodnights and waves around the thread

Very late to the party I'm in

Not much flying today, but watched DS2 in his nursery sports day this morning - so cute!

Tomorrow is going to be manic as I have a course in the morning, DH is doing various errands to get ready for our holiday next week, and then we're off straight from school for a short-notice visit to MIL's plus trip to London thanks to MN! Should be fun but is leaving us very short of time.

Big waves and yawns and heading off to bed.

Been thinking about you, DH and DD today SC - hope he's comfortable tonight. My DH had a scare about three years ago in the middle of the night, he had to go in an ambulance and I had to stay home with the DCs, who slept through it all, it was very worrying, hope you are Ok tonight too.

Toffee people managed 7 hour car journeys in this heat before air con was invented, it is grim in traffic but so long as he has lots of water he will be fine. Maybe fill an insulated cup with iced water - I've been taking mine to work full of ice cubes this week so I can have properly cold drinks. I've been finding it to hot to be outside for any length of time for about three weeks now, but the evenings are lovely.

Swan - well done to Mr Swan!

Not much Flying here. Just as we were leaving for school this morning Dh asked if I had remembered about his violin concert at 9.30 - answer was no, I had planned to go to work. Glad he mentioned it. Anyway, dropped the DCs, stayed with few other mums and gave the school garden a good soak and watched the violins - Hampshire do a music scheme in Yr 4 where the whole year learn a different instrument together each term and then give concerts to the parents. As DS has had one arm in a cast for weeks I wasn't hopeful but he was really good. Went to work a bit later (I am very lucky and have a flexible boss), then home, quick bit of shopping, back to school for DCs open afternoon, off to the library to sign up for the reading scheme, dinner, outside to play on the green for an hour, DCs to bed, phew.

Actually, no Flying at all done .

Thanks for putting air-conditioning worries in perspective for me, Swan and WhoKnows. I am feeling unnerved about him being so far away, to be honest. It's silly, I know. I'm just a bit out of practise because he has been around at home so much recently.

Swan - well done to DS1 (and DH ) for the good mark for his project. It's interesting to see how much homework your DS1 is expected to do over the summer (don't blame you for saying no to the extra project, by the way), as I have told DS1 he needs to do a bit of English and Maths every day so that he keeps his brain ticking over and can go into his repeat insight week with some confidence. He was initially appalled at the idea, but has come round to it now. I'm only expecting him to do about half an hour a day at most though. Also like your chores idea - have been thinking along the same lines myself.

WhoKnows - congratulations to your DS for doing so well in his violin concert, especially considering he has been in a cast for weeks.

Blue - hope you enjoy your busy day tomorrow.

pushme - well done on doing some actual Flying! Am hoping to catch up on my own house bleugh over the weekend, heat permitting.

Bitchy - am most impressed that you are filing paperwork. My own is in a sorry state .

theboutique - latecomers are always welcome . Any questions, just ask and someone will answer. We all know the Flylady theory pretty well now even if we don't always follow it.

I managed some ironing this evening. The sitting room was actually quite cool, so it wasn't too bad. The worst thing was trying to find something on television to watch. Nothing.

Clothes all laid out ready and ironed for tomorrow. Off to bed in a mo. Waves to all.

Thinking of you, SC - hope DH is getting good care and attention.

Also thinking of you, Trazzle.

Toffee - DH is ironing now. Watching a DVD. Hope your DH has an uneventful journey tomorrow.

I have been told by DD's teacher to make sure she does lots of writing or she will slip back - she is clinging onto a level 2c at the end of Yr 2, so really needs to push on. DS also needs to keep writing. I need ideas to keep them at it!

Next time I do ironing, I'll get a DVD lined up. Good idea, WhoKnows.

And you've reminded me that I must keep DS1 practising his handwriting too. Actually, I should get DS2 practising as well. I bought them both some great books about creative writing, full of ideas, but they're not interested .

WhoKnows - puzzle books, writing letters and postcards to family and friends, making up a newspaper... Any good?

Thanks Blue - it needs to be a bit meatier than puzzle books to be honest. DS does make up comics, but only with lots of picture and a few captions. He has no interest in letter writing. DD will occasionally write a letter, that is something we can do with her. What we really need, especially with DS, is good long chunks of writing so he can practice grammar and punctuation, as well as spelling and actual handwriting. DD needs to be concentrating on punctuation and getting her letters the right way round (she confuses b and d).

I am thinking I might get them started on some science experiments and making then a laboratory notebook each to write it all up in.

Whoknows get them to keep holiday journals. Digital camera for them top take a picture of to talk about. So it could be a picture of the garden/climbingframe whatever. Today this was the start of a pirate ship and i spent most of the day hang off it by my knees kinda thing. Short bits for relaxing days and then perhaps a longer passage for exciting stuff: the beetle that has to be tortured looked at in the name of research/science, a day trip, and exciting visitor. I would get ds to do one but he is away most of the holidays and we have other project work to do when he gets back. We are making a clock. I have some spare ply wood and you can pick the analog clock mechanisms up fairly cheeply from Hobbycraft and other places like that. He has to design it and we will take pictures during it. It will eventually become a christmas present for a grandparent/aunt/uncle. should keep him out of mischief for a day or two.

Whoknows - they will have fun with a lab book/science experiments!

Hello everyone - hope all ok - no time to catch up properly

Thank you so much for all your lovely supportive messages and prayers - much appreciated!!

Just wanted to report huge relief all around here. It is NOT a cardiac issue. Dh has passed all heart/blood tests/stress tests with flying colours. It is digestive/gastric/liver/gallbladder and he is probably going to need op.

No time to talk but we are much relieved!! Phhheeewww Really thought he was a gonna. (And so did he!)

Going to treat this as a warning. Time to make some serious life-style changes ....

Thanks again everybody.

Got to dash. Dsis 2 has arrived from UK!

Huge wing flaps to all!

Good news that it's not a heart issue after all, SC. What a scary few days you've had.

WhoKnows - writing up science experiments sounds like a very good idea.

Bitchy - that's a great idea to make a clock. DS2 made one in art club at school and it hangs on his bedroom wall, lolly-stick pendulum swinging furiously. He chose to make it a Minecraft clock, so it's square .

Done :

School run
Dishwasher on
First wash on
Breakfasts

To do :

Wave goodbye to DH for the weekend
Unload and reload d/w
Hang washing out
Swish and swipe in bathroom
Change bathroom towel
Walk to library to stock up on books and DVDs

What a relief SC.

We tried diaries last year with no success at all Bitchy. DD has a camera and takes endless photos, videos, recordings, but never wants to do anything with them afterwards. I just couldn't get them to see the point of diaries. I need a replacement clock mechanism, thank you for the reminder, hadn't thought of hobbycraft, I haven't had much luck looking online.