Flying into September - a new term for the Fledglings

[WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes]

Welcome to the September Fledgling Flylady Thread.

This thread is for people with CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome). We follow Flylady, the website with a mission!

All are welcome on this thread, experienced flyers and newcomers alike.

We try to follow the commandments of Flylady as we run our homes, loosely anyway. In between there's lots of chat and support as we go through our daily lives. We have coffee, cake, and a naughty corner for those who want to chat but CBA with their house some days. However you follow it, this thread is designed to make your life a little easier and more fun.

For those who are new to the system (and those needing a refresher), there are several aspects to the system:

1. Babysteps. These build a routine. Some are really useful, some are downright odd and some are, quite frankly, there to be ignored. They build a good foundation though.

1. Decluttering. Flylade is evangelical about clutter. In order to feel good about our homes we need to ditch the clutter. Flylady divides the home into zones, week by week and repeating monthly. As well as babysteps, we have to declutter in the relevant zone. Once that is achieved we move on to...

1. Missions. Also in the current zone, these are targetted tasks to tackle one particular aspect. One a day, they vary month to month.

1. Deep Cleaning. Once we have completely decluttered (some of us seem to be stuck permanently on that stage) there are deep cleaning lists for each zone. Achieve that and your house will be spotless!

One last thing - the Flylady website encourages us to subscribe to her emails - one word - DON"T! You will be overwhelmed by them. Instead come to this thread every morning and the relevant links for the day will be there waiting for you except when the thread leader has been on the

A big thank you to Bitchy for last month, and also for doing this Sunday's links as I am off camping.

Wow a visit from spambots so terribly exciting... either that or we have some lurkers who have just delurked.

Coffee any one?

Coffee cake would be nice - don't like coffee, love coffee cake Am making some later so will leave in naughty corner.

DH away camping until tomorrow night so am using the time to tidy and declutter as much as I can. However also have to deal with tenants who are being a nightmare, buy soft toy stuffing for DD and go to gym induction today before picking up DC.

SC - yes it was me that asked for low-fat recipes. We seem to have switched to a lot more veggie food to help lower DH's cholesterol but I need some inspiration as my 'just chuck some veggies in a pan and serve with pasta' approach is going to get a little tedious very soon.

We are all missing DH whilst he is away but are scoffing fat-filled meals at every opportunity, will even have wonderful chocolate pudding on a week night tonight :)

Right, best get on.
3 x 15 mins in bedroom then stuffing hunt!!

Coffee? Coffee cake? Moves into naughty corner and tries to write list later.

Hi to Shannaratiger

Honu sorry to hear things are so difficult and not at all suprised that you might be struggling with hw in the circumstances. (Not finding hw or facilitating learning maths easy!)

Follows Just in to naughty corner in search of cake ...

Could do with some after a morning spent lugging what eveyrone has left downstairs, upstairs and vice versa ... . It never ends ... .

Will collate the recipes I use the most Feetheart and pm or post. Most are veggie oriented atm because dh isn't allowed any animal fats at all atm. Main principle = obviously have no fat to add flavour, so replace that with herbs, spices, vegetable stock and/or added through a different cooking method designed to intensify flavours (ie steaming or en papillote). Enjoy your temporary fat-fest though!!

Will help me with my meal planning actually which is in dire need of update because dh not eating any red meat, no cheese, very little diary, reduced amount of refined carbs. I'm on usual calorie-counting exercise and dd is underweight and needs meat, dairy, and lots of slow release carbs

Love the new nickname Engels!

Sadly looks like I can scrap any plans I had for an evening a deux with dh. Have just been informed that he is going to fetch a colleague from the airport at 8pm and then he wants to watch his favourite chef cook grub on the Beeb (an hour later here). [SC reaches for knitting ... ]

Sorry day of many lists and not much focus.

Monday's to do.
change appointment
washing up half done
laundry 1 load done
cleaner into bathroom
folding
ironing
clothes away
hoover through downstairs
physio exercises
sort through the paperwork for Tuesday's meetings
sort through 2x kits for Tuesday
Write food shopping list
Go food shopping
Sort out ds' room
sort out printing ds' homework - install printer then print
Stick homework into book
lunch box
tip run (and finally empty car of stuff that i put in there with the intention of doing so for the last week) hahahaha not going to happen.
sort out stuff for bins to go out
Post letter
in progress
try and finish off craft project no 2
remove broken piece of wood from chest of drawers
use screw driver to fix blades
let sis know about nephew's party thingy
sort out letter for school
talk to ex
sit in corner and cry at state of the week's activities
deal with the rest of the shared household who appeared unexpectedly early by about 10hrs
internet stuff
drink far too much coffee and feel slightly disorientated as a result

The sun is out and I'm feeling productive

Ta Da
Pegged 2 loads of washing out on the line
Put another load of washing on
Washed dishes
Walked DC to school
Went to work
Came home, had lunch
Pegged another load of washing out, put another load on
Tidied and cleaned kitchen
Tidied and dusted living room
Arranged flowers in a vase in the living room and lit a yankee candle
Cleaned windows and patio doors in kitchen and living room
Cleaned downstairs toilet
Typed up PTA minutes
Cleaned bathroom.
Pegged out another load of washing and brought any that was dry back in.
Sorted out a bin bag of clothes from my wardrobe that are too big for me now to go to the charity shop (my dresser is already decluttered so I did this instead).

To Do
Collect DC from school
Cook Dinner
Bring in rest of washing
Take DD to Brownies
Ironing
Supervise DS1's piano practice and DS2's trumpet practice as they both have lessons tomorrow.

I am getting all my housework done early so that I can have a half hour "me time" session of yoga this evening. I think I've earned it!

Monday's to do.
change appointment
washing up half done
laundry 1 load done
cleaner into bathroom
folding
ironing
clothes away
hoover through downstairs
physio exercises
sort through the paperwork for Tuesday's meetings
sort through 2x kits for Tuesday
Write food shopping list
Go food shopping
Sort out ds' room
sort out printing ds' homework - install printer then print
Stick homework into book
lunch box
tip run (and finally empty car of stuff that i put in there with the intention of doing so for the last week) hahahaha not going to happen.
sort out stuff for bins to go out
Post letter
in progress
try and finish off craft project no 2
remove broken piece of wood from chest of drawers
use screw driver to fix blades
let sis know about nephew's party thingy
sort out letter for school
talk to ex
sit in corner and cry at state of the week's activities
deal with the rest of the shared household who appeared unexpectedly early by about 10hrs
internet stuff
drink far too much coffee and feel slightly disorientated as a result
sort out stuff for charity shop
sort out stuff for a friend
15mins decluttering in the study which will now become the exercise room
Move bookcase
5mins decluttering contents of box although most of box content is still waiting to be dealt with
put pizza dough stuff into bread machine

I have got to the oh fuck it point. to do list can fuck right off. Am done for today. with the exception of craft project. going to pick up hook and get settled with a project. Not the planned one but one which will allow me just to sit quiet for the next 2 hrs. Then Bedtime. Can't wait tonight!

Oh dear Bitchy sounds as if you need or or both!

Not a terribly productive day here as I ended spending most of it sat on the laptop chatting to DH.

Tip runs - No, I have asked if someone can do it for me.....no reply to my request yet, so I am beginning to think I should not have asked!
Rehang clean bedroom curtains -errrr no. that can be done tomorrow
sort clean washing - all done
Ironing - all done
Hoover throughout house - All done Wheeeeee that was quite a feat!
Clean Windows in DD2 and DS's Bedrooms - DD2's is done, will do DS's tomorrow

Friend just pulled up in car......got to go!!

Excuse my language for one moment.....

I'm so fucking pissed off right now! Mostly with people I can't express it to because it would be selfish to so I will get it off my chest here.

Ds1 - left his drink lid not done up properly and it has leaked all over his bag, books, equipment and mobile phone ruined!!!

Dh- has applied for and got a telephone interview for a job I'm not keen on him taking

Dfriend- texts me to ask advice and never fucking replies back to even say thanks or tell me what she's planning on doing with her problem after asking for the advice.

Client- forgot I have holiday coming up and is passing the trouble of finding a replacement back to me

Argh!!!!

Let's try again!

I am way too tired for a Monday. Work was stupid busy and a poor night's sleep last night equals knackered ellie. Just got back from Scouts run and I am doing nothing else. Was supposed to be tackling GCSE exam analysis but can't face it tonight. Will have to come up with some excuse in the morning.

On a positive note, DH has recently quit his long term career in construction (joinery) to start up a business with a friend doing home improvements, building stuff and the like. They have ticked over with small jobs over the summer but winter was a worry. Today, however, they have secured their first big job which will last up until Xmas and will hopefully mean a fair amount of money being made. It will also hopefully give the business lots of contacts and further work so tis a good day. Am proud of DH as he was unhappy in the construction industry for ages but stayed because it was work. However, with jiggling of finances, we took the decision that we could suck it up.

Better go!

ooh I will join you with the exceedingly sloooow to get ready children. No, I won't suggest Talk Whoknows . However I did read that other book called Easier parenting whatever whatsit and it had the only ask once method. I like that. I now ask once, and give up. At least it means I don't bother trying to get a result any more...

Homework is not going well, and ds2 is really not coping with it at all. I was looking through his school books and he wrote better in Year 3 than he does now. I wonder whether it is just that he cannot be bothered any more because he thinks it is not worth doing something badly.

Swan it could simply be that they are expected to write a lot more in a shorter time so the focus is not on neatness but simply getting it writen down in secondary school. Year three the focus is more on neatness ime.

Ds refused to write ANY homework it is all typed. Annoying because he takes forever. I have to admit that I took pity on him tonight and typed what he dictated (grammatical errors and everything) he then corrected the spelling and grammer himself.

Evening all,

Day off today, so had a lovely afternoon at a MN meet up.

Done
Morning routines
Laundry out
Meet up
Collect DD & friend from school, and to karate (DD got her outfit today, she's very happy)
Dinner
Wash up & SS
Almost finished 'paw print' mittens

And got an interview next week for Lakeland (could end up spending wages in shop)

Evening all,

Ta-da!
School
Work
School
Two hours cajoling/bribing/threatening/reasoning with DD over her homework and getting absolutely nowhere (was doing a bit of tidying in between. Then 20 mins of the same over what's for dinner. I was very good and didn't shout, scream, swear or lose control in any way. Eventually DD disappeared for half an hour and re-appeared in a good as gold mood to have her dinner and do her homework. She says that sometimes a devil gets in her head and does all the bad things and she can't stop him. DS has also trotted this line out from time to time, not sure where they have picked it up. DH thinks they are just using it as an excuse for bad behaviour, I tend to think that it gives them a chance to back down without too much loss of face. It does seem to rationalise it for them anyway, and to be honest, when I lose my temper it is a bit like that too, I don't usually mean everything I say. Anyway, homework was fairly well done, will need to be written out more neatly tomorrow, but that's not so bad.
Swimming with DS
DCs bedtime
Two hours sorting laundry and assorted crap that I have been decluttering from various rooms
Two loads of laundry put on the line for tomorrow and a third in the machine
And here I am.

Ellie - well done to your DH, that really sounds like a positive step.

PA - hope you got your stuff tipped.

Going - I would SO love a staff discount at Lakeland - good luck!

Swan - I would like to ask only once but I seem to be incapable of leaving it at that, especially if we are under time pressure (that is my main trigger point for loss of temper, I cannot abide being late).

Nick - don't blame you for being fucking pissed off with that lot, I would be too. Hope you are taking it easy after your illness. Can you dry out the phone in rice in the airing cupboard perhaps? DH lost one in a snowman once near our house, one of the neighbours found it a few days later and dried it out and it was fine again.

Bitchy - by my reckoning you should have been in bed for 3+ hours by now, sleep tight!

Jemima - that's a really good list you've done today, well done.

SC - boo to chef-watching DH!

Feet - enjoy your full fat meals!

Waves at Just, Engels, Honu, Trazzle, PMPY, Stillwearing, Blueandwhite, Blue, Toffee, Shannara and anyone else who's reading. Links in a minute

Links for Tuesday.

Babystep - swish and swipe your bathroom, a good one this. One of the best in fact.

Mission clear your nightstand, drawers as well as top]]

DEtailed cleaning in Zone 4 - just in case anyone is feeling adventurous with their Flying.

Daily Focus - planning.

Rather annoyingly wide awake and dh has been snoring for England for about the last 90 minutes so am Mnsetting and taking solace in cold mash potato ...

Thanks for NOT linking to Christmas Fly Page Whoknows!!
Sorry your evening was so demanding but glad dd came around in the end. I think they sometimes get in to a defensive cycle of immediately becoming combatant without really knowing why themselves. DD sometimes sees the light if given time to think things over and as you say, v. importantly ... is allowed to save face.

Incidentally, dh didn't even enjoy the chef-watching in the end and said the programme was very disappointing

Goth like the sound of paw print mittens (and a job in Lakeland for that matter! - not sure I could trust myself in the store room though)

Arf at asking once and giving up Swan I like the idea of that too

Congrats to your dh Ellie on his first big contract and hope it brings him loads of new sources of work.

Sorry you've had such an onerous day Nicknacks especially when you are only just recovering ... hope tomorrow is better.

Top marks to Bitchy¨ and Jemima for their mega lists.

G'night all ...

Still awake here too, sat up in bed watching telly with a nice glass of

It is too fucking early. I am not awake, I do not want to be awake. I have been having trouble sleeping (brain busy on dealing with stuff) and lack of sleep is catching up with me again. Least it is not the stupid o'clock start of months gone by

[special brew to Bitchy]

Sorry I just missed you last night/this morning Whoknows - we could have shared a virtual glass and a half! [Hands over strong coffee]

Really beautiful sunny morning here!

No lie-in this morning because dh had a txt at crack of sparrows from our tech guy reporting a major 'outage' as he puts it, so he scuttled off early to office. Very serene start to the day though (horrible mother I am to say it) with no packed lunch to make or having to bark about teeth- and hair-brushing!

Ta da:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s and rabbits
first load laundry hanging in sunshine

To do:
dining room table hot spots
arrange to send flowers to dsis
send card to dneph
medical appt
collect parcel from post office
establish definitively if colleague coming to supper tonight or not
supermarket shop inc cake ingreds
bakery
parish vestiaire run
cook something nice for dd's return and/or colleague
collect dd at station
craft projects
evening routine
Watch Great British Bake Off and studiously avoid the news which sounds horribly superficial I know but it is all too awful to contemplate

Have a good one everybody!

Day off in lieu today - hooray!

To do

Finish painting stairwell
Gym
Dentist
Tidy bedroom

Doesn't look like much, but I'm pretty sure it will take all day

Aaargh -need to kick myself up the bum! Haven't done anything yet and really cba!

tired tired tired !!!! but today I can relax a bit because there is nothing on until parents' evening at 7pm (well apart from children home at 4ish and homework/supper etc) Need to get back to dd's school though and it is an hour away, so will have to leave at 6pm..

done
up at 6.45
dealt with PE bags
did some more homework with ds2
drove ds2 to school
started tidying dd's room...the Augean stable
decluttered 5 children's books for a friend with toddler
sorted dd's socks out and threw away 19 odd socks (the dusters bag [wink)
put away some clean washing

Bitchy you see...ds2 won't type or write now, and doesn't know how to spell anything And he's 11! I'm trying out a new approach this evening which is get him to write things out in rough and then copy them after I've corrected the spelling. And tell teacher he is going to write only a few lines. I have to do SOMETHING as atm he is just screaming and screaming over anything which requires evaluation or reflection. Simple questions he seems able to write the answer to but thinking out of the box sets off a terrible chain reaction.