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

Just spotted post about your dh's heart scare Whoknows So sorry to hear that. You must have been terrified, especially when you were forced to remain at home. Is he OK now?

I can really sympathise as it is terribly scary (we are both still in shock tbh even though it turned out not to be cardiac issue). Takes quite a bit to fell a 6 ft 3 bloke with a chest like a barrel. Wouldn't have thought a gallstone, liver or gallbladder issue could be responsible for that level of incident tbh. (Will know more when they have completed gastric/liver testing which they are doing now.)

Sorry if this sounds over-dramatic but he was semi-conscious (couldn't speak), white, cold sweating and cold to the touch when they hauled him out of the house on a stretcher so I really thought the worst. They are very efficient here but v. direct/no niceties ... so one minute there were six paramedics in kitchen, followed by lady doctor in white coat and stethoscope who'd come in a separate car, walking through the hall with her assistant saying "I'm the doctor, let me pass" ...then loads of kerfuffle and machines and tubes and oxygen masks . then they rushed dh out saying "we're going to St x hospital, you can't come in the ambulance goodbye" ..with which they sped off and dd and I were just left there on the pavement

Incredibly surreal!

Have started feeling incredibly sick every time I hear a siren - must be the after-shock!

Very positive outcome though and brilliant medical care so I'm not complaining - I'm really not! Have never been more relieved in my life !!!!

Got to go - but huge waves to eveyrone!

Tbh whoknows i like your idea of lab books more!!!

Bloody hell SC not surprised that you were left reeling!!! Take it easy and be gentle on yourself. Glad you have your dsis for some on the spot moral support.

flying? yeah no online paperwork tackling.

I'm not surprised you are shaken up SC, thank goodness for the emergency services. It wasn't as dramatic for my DH, he woke me up in middle of the night saying he was suffering sever palpitations, we went downstairs, thought about it for a couple of minutes and dialled 999. The ambulance arrived very quickly and took him away, but he took his phone and was able to keep in touch by text. He was given a very thorough work over by the cardiologists as he is diabetic they don't tale any chances. Got a clean bill of health and concluded it was stress related. I just went onto auto-pilot to be honest.

Anyway, hospital AGAIN for DS and I today, his 6th and final visit to the fracture clinic, cast removed, final x-ray was all good and he is free to resume normal life (apart from a few things to avoid for a few more weeks). Left him back at school showing off his pin scars to his classmates.

http://pinappu.hubpages.com/hub/How-to-make-Rainbow-Roses-a-Step-by-Step-Guide rainbow roses

breed a dragon -not sure this is suitable for primary as not clicked on it yet. But sounds different.

Well it wouldn't be heading towards summer without me posting something

rainbow roses oops

Just about ready to head off for the w/e now, so big waves to all. Hopefully will have had lots of family fun and renewed spirits when we get back! :)

PS Glad to hear positive outcome, SC.

Good news sc and whoknows

We are still in hospital (and for the foreseeable...) so still no flying here though I have managed to clear and clean the kitchen sides, sweep and mop the floor and laundry reboot, as well as clearing, decluttering and cleaning one shelf of a kitchen cupboard

I need to step away from Mumsnet now for a few hours. We've had a good day but I'm knacks red and have become somewhat argumentative on a few threads.

Thanks Trazzle - I sometimes have to walk away, or at least hide threads too, some posters just press my buttons.

Steamed cabbage that's fantastic sounds effing scary !

I really should know better than to get involved with anything involving immigrants (and bashing of them), hoarders (ach just throw the crap out, I couldn't live like that ) and organ donation.

Morning all.

Apologies for absence. End of term madness took hold and i didn't have a spare minute. But I am on holiday now...wooohooo.

My laptop has temporarily given up the ghost and am on phone so can't post a link. Your babystep for today is a simple one. Include laundry in your daily routine. One load a day makes all the difference.

There is no mission today as it is the weekend.

Today is Family Fun Day so enjoy everyone!

Had a nice evening with the DC last night. Ended up watching 'Silver Lining Playbook' with DS1 after I'd put DS2 to bed. He wasn't too keen (was hoping for zombies, then saw the phrase 'romantic comedy'), but ended up loving it.

DH is having a whale of a time reliving uni days in the union bar. Didn't get home till the early hours of this morning and rang me just now, sounding very croaky.

Am just about to take DS2 out before it gets too hot. Then am intending to spend the day pottering in and out of the house and getting stuff done. Have done loads and loads of washing over the last few days and am actually reaching the bottom of the laundry baskets .

Hope you all have a good weekend.

I can safely say that i love the programmers that create the lego computer games they really have a sense of humour! And ds was delighted that i helped him complete several levels last night. Problem is I got frustrated and set up my own profile to see if it is possible to tackle more of the tasks as you go along rather then skipping half of it. One minute is was half eleven. the next it was heading towards morning far to quickly. which is particularly not good as it seems that morning starts before 10am on a saturday today. This is not the normal way of things and I am a little tired, boardering on grumper and not impressed with the prospect of another day of suffering at the hands of hayfever.

Hoping a good hearty breakfast fry up helps the mood and energy levels!

Ds has learnt the hard way you do not annoy me first thing on a saturday morning as i can always find tidying up that needs doing

Spent two hours outside with DS2 this morning, so can tick exercise and fresh air off his list now. Tried, and failed, to get DS1 to join us.

Have changed into old jeans and tee-shirt to tackle the house now - 15-minutes per room until I can't take anymore. Am bleaching everywhere to kill the FIP virus that killed our kitten.

So far, I have cleaned bath, sink and loo and tidied up the surfaces. About to attempt to disengage DS1 from a television, XBox or computer and get him to read a book instead , then will continue my crisis clean.

My attempt to declutter has revived a long-running irritation, ie. I wish MIL wouldn't give us things she doesn't want . I have a large (400ml) bottle of hair spray which someone gave to MIL and she then passed on to DH for me. It has been in my bathroom for several months, giving me a nudge of irritation every time I see it. I don't want it! It is fragranced and will make me sneeze, so I will never use it and would never have bought it. Now I have to get it to the dump for recycling (which means nagging DH to drive there) or pass it on to someone else who probably doesn't want it either. And she has given us several patterned glasses that she didn't want and we don't want either. I don't believe she's being kind. She's simply getting rid of stuff under the pretence of being generous and if I protest she looks wounded. Drives me mad. It's bad enough decluttering without more stuff we don't want coming into the house. Grr.

Rant over.

Toffee just a thought but is there a local dance group you could donate it to for shows and stuff? We get through tons of the stuff and a spare on site one can be helpful. Also glitter hairspray. bloody brilliant stuff. Which reminds me I promised ds we'd get some spray in wash out colour for his hair for over the summer. Well you are only young once right? :D

arses too much time elsewhere on the internet i clearly meant

Toffee - my MIL does that too, we have a box full of Coronation, Jubilee etc mugs in the shed. It started when the ILS downsized a few years ago and she had a big clearout. The hairspray could probably go to a charity shop, some of the ones here have toiletries in. Dance groups are a good idea too, agree with Bitchy, DD has just been in her ballet show and they had a big toolkit of make-up, hairgel, hairpins etc and hairspray for each of about 10 dressing rooms.

Thanks for the suggestions. I didn't think charity shops would take aerosols, but maybe I'm wrong. Dance groups is a good idea.

Well, if I haven't burned off hundreds of calories today I shall be very annoyed. I have just spent several hours mopping floors and wiping walls and furniture in a mild solution of bleach and water to kill the FIP virus. I don't think the house has ever been so clean.

Tomorrow, I shall continue decluttering. DH isn't going to recognise the place when he comes home tomorrow evening.

I am about to declutter ds. two things: none stop noise and none stop back chat. The hoidays haven't even started!!!!

done
used up 1000 of calories buying school uniform with dd and lugging it home, then ditto lots of vegetables
two sons to football in morning, ds1 very last session He is too old for it now at 13, he was meant to leave when he was in Year 7, and he's nearly in Year 9 now..
two slightly scratchy family meals, table manners are deterioating, mega strop from dd at lunchtime over rice being mixed with veg
now she has pre-arranged friend for sleepover

Ds1 has a completely slob out day, first day of holidays, apart from football. Ds2 has exhausted Dh by demanding endless games of football.

The cupboard is full of food though, and we have had two nutritious meals, and everyone has exercised, so all in all got through the day in one piece

done
potato salad
food shop
uniform shop
two loads of laundry and put away
bought two new teeshirts which dh said made me look like I was 90

SC how are you all now?
Ellie hurrah for holidays. Some schools seem to go on till next Wed, I dont think I could have endured it!
Toffee I love reunions - lots of gossip and stuff to think about and talk about afterwards, and often people renew friendships.
Trazzle Mumsnet is a lifeline though isn't it, I suppose that's why we put up with all the arguing..

Indeed

Was at home overnight and this morning but no flying as too busy playing with DD (again) I need a bit of unbridled joy in my life.

DM, in all her amazingness, sat with J for a few hours this afternoon (while DD slept!) so DH and I could have a couple of hours together at home. Just slobbed out on the sofa in front of the cricket! But lovely to have that window of normality and the feeling of having our home to ourselves. I feel 100x better for it. It really is the simple things in life that keep us going!

That's lovely to hear Trazzles.

Well, today I have mostly been packing, we are off for a fortnight tomorrow. Have just about finished, but it has been a slog (I hate packing, as I said a few weeks ago). This is the first time we have had a fortnight holiday since our honeymoon 13 years ago, and only our second foreign holiday with the DCs, had to do quite a bit of clothes shopping as none of us had much in our summer wardrobes, plus spent a fortune in Boots on foreign plug adaptors, insect repellants, imodium etc. House looks a mess though, will try and finish packing tonight and do a home blessing in the morning before we set off. I have had to keep stopping for rests as my back is still tired from pulling a muscle the other day. Top of my to do list when I get back is find a physio and get some proper exercises sorted out. The one who has treated my tennis elbow has made a huge difference but don't think I would get a referral for my back as it is only occasional not chronic, so will have to look at a private one.

Hope you have a lovely holiday, WhoKnows.

Trazzle - glad you and DH had some much-needed time together.

Am exhausted, so off to bed. Night swan, bitchy, ellie and all.

Hope you are ok, SC.