Feisty Fledgling Flyers flutter through Feb with flair, finesse, flaws, failures, fortitude, feedback, fiascos, fabulousness, friendship and fun!

[sanschocolat]

[The fiascos are all mine btw !!]

And just for Just, February is the new January that was the new January before

If you are struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (something that undermines family fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of chat, support and wine and cake along the way.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework, which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead!

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around next month again!

It’s up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be inundated! All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be 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.]

More info here on getting started and Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings. Don't be put off by the barf-tastic language of the site - the underlying system is sound!

Points to keep in mind:
(1)No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine
(2)You are never behind just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
(3) It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

Humungous thanks to Bitchy for steering us through the hectic January thread and for the wise three-line mantra above.

All regulars, lurkers and newcomers welcome!!

Good morning, Alice, thinking, Merry, WhoKnows, SC and all the other fledglings who haven't posted yet today.

WhoKnows - sorry you've had to stay at home and that one of the cats is still sick - but, as you say, at least you have time to catch up on the OU work. I did my first piece of 'homework' for the OU last night (had to send in a first draft of my learning plan via the student website) and feel so relieved that I'm over that hurdle. Can spend the next few weeks reading before the first TMA.

Glad to hear your water meter hasn't pushed your bill up too high. Yes, it was us who were compulsorily water metered. We started out being very careful with water, but we've relaxed a bit now, so a bit apprehensive about the bill. Did you make a lot of changes in order to save water?

SC - explanation for Mumsnet shutdown here. Am not surprised you drank too much Prosecco last night - you needed to relax after a stressful week.

Very windy night here last night, though I know it was nothing compared to other places. DH, DS1 and I all went outside and stood in the road late last night, just so we could listen to the roar of the wind and watch the trees shaking. Our garden table and umbrella have been blown over, but that's all.

Lovely friend arriving to stay for a couple of days today. Looking forward to catching up and going to the pub to meet up with a mutual friend tonight. Lots to do to get the house prepared first. She isn't judgey at all, but I would like the house to look fairly presentable. And she might appreciate clean sheets on the bed .

Power of three:

Clean d/w out because it's not dishwashing properly
Put laundry on
Change sheets

Morning all.
Oh look, it's raining.

Sorry about your weekend whoknows. I dont want to alarm you but you def need to get the cats checked. Our last cat had unexplained vomitting. She was given meds to fix it and it worked for a week or so but she had a fast-growing tumour in her stomach. Hopefully yours has just been drinking yucky puddles or something....

Getting through my to do list today and going out for dinner tonight :)

Jolly evening yesterday meeting up with my DSis and her teenagers on the way to Madeira at Heathrow. A strange way to spend Valentine's no doubt but ds1 and dd thought it heaven (they love their cousins) Ds2 and Dh stayed behind and relaxed in front of Winter Olympics.

I am jumping with glee at thought of Half Term [brings out trampoline]

This morning ds2 has been to football and the other two have lounged around, already there has been a few shouty spats between sons...I said I would take them swimming but am dreading it

dd has a friend coming round

Cleaning lady came yesterday which means sheets are clean on children's beds, and everywhere is hoovered/grimy utility floor washed. Very very relaxing feeling...at least it is blank slate before half term mess builds up. There is a big mountain of laundry though.

On the way back from the Tube last night I bought a job lot of spring flowering bulbs and cut tulips from stall, as he had overestimated his Valentine's customers. Dd and I gave them to DH. Flowers are so cheap aren't they when you think about it, for the pleasure they give, often a whole week's worth of it. But I remember once reading about the effect of pesticides from the cut daffodil market, and foreign flowers come with terrible background (working practices etc). I hope these were all cheap from Holland.

Whoknows Couldn't you just bring the sick cats to MIL in a basket (and keep them in one bedroom), to keep an eye on them if they are just a bit under the weather? Might be worth getting her used to idea of love me love my cats? If they were a dog you would probably bring them. TBh we have always left our cats behind (as we don't drive anywhere out of town), and paid a teenager to check on them and cuddle them, but they had the run of the garden as well. Have you tried giving the cats a chance to eat some green grass - they often use that as a cure for digestive ailments..our cats are always nibbling the lawn.

done
lunch lamb steaks, baked rooster potatoes, broccoli, peach and apple crumble

Eustacia - sorry to hear that happened to your cat . I'm inclined to think this is some sort of bug as both of them have been sick at least once. If they're still the same on Mon it's back to the vet. They both had a good check over on Tues as it was their first visit since we got them.

Last minute change of plan, DH stayed home and I've taken the DCs to the ILs. I spend a lot of time home alone in the week and didn't want a whole weekend of it too. I've keft DH with a list of jobs to do.

Hello all.

Another one flying slightly hungover today - drank way too much in relief at getting radio interview out of the way, combined with nice dinner and general angst!

One weird thing - pulled DS1's duvet cover out of the tumble drier and one patch is all sort of melted (it's 100% polyester - vile but has Moshi Monsters on it). It's only been washed and dried according to the laundry instructions so about that.

So, Ta DA!
Kitchen rescued and last night's washing up done
2 loads of laundry done and dry
Emailed manufacturer of melted duvet cover
Shopping
Hoovered downstairs
Printed out tickets etc for DH & my jaunt
Found passports and Euros
Picked CDs to take
Cleaned bathroom
Swept utility room
Last minute work done

Still to do:
3 baskets of laundry to put away
Cases down
Pack

Hope you have a good weekend WhoKnows and a lovely evening out Eustacia.

I should be cooking for the Minis but I'm procrastinating and MNing instead. Think it will be an easy meal of something on toast.

I'm so tired lately. I've also had a couple of light headed spells. One whilst I was out walking the dog. Seriously thought I was going to fall forwards on to my face but I quickly sort of came out of it. All strange. Probably not eating enough. Or should I say a diet of coffee and biscuits is probably not conducive to a healthy body/healthy mind state.

Bathroom is a disaster zone. Need to replace some items but can't do so at the moment. Going to have to be inventive with sorting everything out because at the moment I can't bear going in there as its a constant reminder of how much needs doing.

Half term next week. I can see that I'm going to get very little done. The noise levels will escalate. I hope that the weather improved as the thought of bring cooped up is already making me antsy.

Basic everyday flying done. Nothing really worthy of reporting I'm afraid however my to do list is growing and growing and growing.

I'm dreading the Minis starting proper school as I can imagine the stress and politics already. Hope those Flyers with children having a tough time at school start to have a better time and you get the support your children need.

Our cat keeps peeing on the floor in the lounge. Not due to incontinence but because he's a lazy git.

I'm going out tonight but I really have zero energy and would rather call off sick. But I can't.

I've remembered that I ended up giving the sofas a thorough clean because the smallest mini pulled the cushions off and I spied food debris, grit, grot and MOULD .

However on closer inspection the mould turned out to be Play-doh. I breathed a massive sigh of relief.

Blue I started an Academy thread in Education if you wanted to add to it. Finally, I understand some of the issues better, thanks to the links and posters.

done
dd has baked cookies with her friend and gone to the park by herself with friend
dss did not go swimming but seem to be getting on alright now
ds2 did his homework (sketching something for an art portfolio over half term) completely unsupervised. But interestingly SC we had a massive struggle t trying to get him to sit down at the kitchen table with the task (we told him it would only take 20 mins), he ran away, went la la, pretended he needed to do something else etc. We left it after 5 mins to exhausted to argue, and anyway after my advice to you I felt a bit of a fraud arguing tbh Then a hour later he just returned and did it very happily without any input whatsoever (chose his own subject, didn't want anyone to interfere, told anyone who came in to the room to go away, brought it proudly to show us when he was finished! Hope this is the new homework deal.

ds2 is being difficult today though All that Snow is getting to him..

Evening all!! Busy day ...

Ta da:
sorted laundry
uniform wash
cleaned up from dinner night before
emptied dw
filled dw
washed up other stuff by hand
cleaned stove top
cleaned kitchen bin
sorted storage boxes used for baking ingreds
thoroughly cleaned kenwood mixer/food processor thing
chucked away bags of unused walnuts and figs from Christmas [blush

Just watched a bit of the curling competition at Sotchi - it would appear that blokes are actually capable of doing yesterday's mission then

Toffee I love insect day ! Well done re: OU work and hope you have a lovely time with your friend!

Whoknows so sorry to hear that you are stuck at home cat-sitting. Hope the furries recover soon.

Another one here with an embarrassing middle name. Everyone giggled at our wedding who hadn't heard it before!!

More power to your elbow during the school holidays Alice.

Merry at 'declutter entire house'!! Good luck with your demanding day!

Hope the pills do the trick Bitchy and that you feel better soon.

Blue hope radio appearance went well!

Keep going Thinking101!!

Sillybilly Hope glass remained in the window overnight! How frustrating about insurance bloke - surely hinges should work whatever their state of cleanliness?

Eustacia

Swan - thanks, have put my 2p on the other thread (or rather more than that, probably!)

SC - I think it went pretty well. Can give you (or anyone else) the link by PM if you're interested.

at mould turning out to be playdough, Peanut - wretched stuff gets everywhere, doesn't it?!

Yargh, I was just half way through writing my 'ta da' list which I'd pasted on top of a round-up that I had started this morning and hadn't finished, when it all just posted itself without me pressing anything. Very wierd.

So sorry if posts below seem somewhat out of date - I'll update them in a minute.

Anyway, to continue 'ta da' list:
chucked/put away more baking ingreds
dining room table hot spot
supervised dd cleaning her room
helped dh get curtains down in play room for laundering
tottered on ladder and tried to get cobwebs down from curtain pole/mouldings/corners of room in play room
tottered on ladder again and cleaned light fittings and changed bulbs
help dd put up picture
watched Channel 4 racing
went to toy-shop and bought presents for (a) a baby (b) an 8 yr old boy and (c) an 11 year old girl
bought some basic cosmetics
bakery
charcuterie shop
bought some cut price coffee cups in sale
entertained friends to tea
friends stayed for pizza and salad and [red] and have just left

Eustacia very about your cat

Swan noted about dc doing things in their own time/in their own way without interference. DD is exactly the same. In fact her mantra atm is "I just want to be left alone to get on with it"!! Think it is a product of being ordered about all day at school! Lunch sounds yum btw!

Also, agree with you about cut flowers. I toyed with the idea of retraining in floristry about 5 years ago (not to open shop but to do events freelance) - but the whole industry is an environmental disaster. There are a few pioneers in UK starting to grow native varieties organically on a large scale though but for that one would have to go in to farming!

Peanut glad to hear mould turned out to be Play Doh! Do take care of yourself. Could light-headedness be due to iron deficiency do you think? Might be worth booking a blood test at doc's? Hope tonight not too tiring x

Well done re: your very productive day Blue despite hangover! Hope you are refunded for melted duvet cover.

Toffee thanks for explaining about Mumsnet shut-down and glad the wind didn't cause any damage where you are.

Whoknows (posting below out of date - sorry) Glad to hear you got away! Safe travelling!!

Just really really sorry to read about the prejudices dc encountered . I have a friend in UK whose son has Down's Syndrome - she says exactly the same about endless assessments, statements and record keeping and negligible support at the end of it all. It's this wierd delusion people have that if they are writing a report they are actually doing something (and of course it is conveniently much cheaper than actually providing help or resources).

You summed up dd's situation at school very neatly indeed - thanks v. much for wise words. Things a bit more relaxed/upbeat this weekend thankfully (mainly because her marks in her mid-term report yes another wretched report are up by between 10 and 15 per cent!). She is happy about this so that's why we're bothering about it - I'm more concerned about her self-confidence - and dh is more concerned about her ability to do geometry

Hope floodwaters not encroaching again!!

Arrgh - screen flickering and nearly lost above so going to post now and come back again!

Computer behaving a bit wierdly but carrying on ...

Blue thanks, please pm me, would love to hear it (think you are v. brave btw!!) Missed the bit earlier about glimmer of hope being snuffed out - so sorry Will catch up with blog asap!

Feetheart you have got me thinking now about difficult Christian names for men ...Huckleberry?? Zebedee? (actually I quite like Zebedee) Tracey? Enzo? Percy?

Swan hope you enjoyed your evening out and babysitter was tolerated, if not enjoyed, by all! Hope your dh has recovered from his vertigo. My late df had Menières - absolutely horrid. Arf at loud singing in corridors and cars

Thinking101 hope party was huge success! and that you have recovered from working through your mahoosive lists Many happy returns to your dd!!

Bitchy thanks for your support re dd also - yes, it's a good school and I'm grateful for their input I really am despite my whinging. Good news is that ed psych seems very sensible and warm and has 3 dc of her own and is taking our parental concerns seriously. Hope you are surviving windy conditions where you are - espec if on the road. And how did I miss your two man luge joke from down-thread

Ellie Hope your roof is holding up against second stormy onslaught and that you are taking things easy

Silly hope you are able to keep doing a few baby steps now and then (god how I hate that phrase!!) and getting the support you need x

Hope your dh has recovered from tooth extraction Toffee

Castle hope pre-house-move decluttering is going well!

Big waves to Merry Alice Nicknacks Goth Engels Whispers Picturesinthefirelight Cybermam Dizzy Humanordancer Don'tsteponthemomeraths Stillwearing Blueandwhite PA Honu and everyone I have missed. Have strong feeling I have missed some people out - or have missed bit of thread - many apologies if so but am all scrolled-out for now

Back in a min with links!

Oh dear, have missed out ¨Pushme and Spranged to name but two ...

Today's baby-step, no 16, for Sun 16th Feb is one you can safely ignore about Flylady e-mails/testimonials

We are starting a new zone today - additional info about zones here.

Today is our first day in Zone 4: The Master Bedroom (Feb 16 – 22) here.

Declutter for 15 mins a day in this zone!

Once you have decluttered, you can if you wish go on to detailed cleaning.

No missions because it is the weekend.

The daily focus for Sunday is: renewing your spirit ie doing something which makes you feel refreshed/fulfilled.

The monthly habit for February is still : decluttering 15 mins a day.

A summary of the above plus reminders can be found here in the flight plan.

Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

G'night all!

***

oh dear SC I noticed you had an or was it a after friends staying very late, hope they didn't overstay their welcome, you are obviously a lovely hostess. What a v productive day that sounds - I like ladder work Glad dd sound so perky and that Ed Pysch is supportive.

Toffee I forgot to say you should be proud of doing the first bit of the OU course in spite of all that has been thrown at you over last two months.

Blue Thanks for your words on the thread. It is becoming clearer why our secondary has no desire to be an Academy. I can also see why dd's school Did want to be an Academy..because they have a network of schools already so it suited them to have the freedom to set a different curriculum etc. You must be exhausted fighting for this school, against the juggernaut

done
so pleased with myself, I forced ds2 to listen to The Hobbit (mind you I had to start in the Middle) He was reading a Dr WHO annual at the same time and kept saying he had seen the film but at least he has been persuaded to move away from a diet of David Walliams.
dd has spent most of the evenign watching Mr Selfridge on dvd
ds1 has been chatty and watched football
Spanish omelette for supper

Oh I'm so dim..it was [red] as in RED WINE....not angry or blushing. Red wine sounds v good. I keep eating sugar puffs instead, I think wine would be more slimming

No worries Swan it was indeed but could easily have been if tea that had morphed in to supper, had happened to morph in to anything else

Congrats re: Hobbit!!

[Mahoosive diversion from Flying alert]
If anyone is interested, I was so incensed watching an ad during horse-racing coverage on Channel 4 this morning, that I am starting a campaign to get it removed off air. First small steps here and here.

[SC hobbles off to bed warbling Sam Cooke's 'A Change Is Gonna Come'].

G'night!

SC I have submitted a complaint to Channel 4 as per instruction. The advert actually made me laugh as it was so ridiculous and made the men who were betting look complete fools, but I can also see it was really tawdry and revolting too. Do think they were aiming for a Benny Hill sort of atmosphere?
My pet hate is adverts for cert 18 computer games during programmes which are aimed at family viewers..the idea being that anyone of 12 is very likely to play cert 18 game I think they should stay off air until after 9pm at the earliest (although of course some 12 year olds mine included stay up and watch things later than 9pm)

Dh just came down and asked me why I was still on the compter and I said I was writing a post on attachment parenting, academies and complaining to channel 4...he was completely baffled...I had better tidy the kitchen now hadn't I?

Swan - thank you - and arf at your 'multi-tasking' - - all life can indeed be found on Mumsnet!

(And yes I am sure they are going to rely on post-modernist 'irony' as a defense.)

'Dismay' at ads for 18plus computer games being allowed during family viewing - so v. depressing.

On a happier note, you have your thread leader's permission to leave tidying the kitchen until tomorrow and have a nightcap instead!

Really am hobbling off now x

tbh right now the meds are making feel like shit but that might be because i am having to admit to being ill rather then just drinking more coffee and working through it. spent a lovely day out of the house although was very relieved to escape having to make a trip into the city for wool as found the local hobby craft not only had the brand wanted but also the colours. just sorting out and winding down for bed atm. shattered but it is too much effort to actually put myself to bed can't lie in as have time sensitive meds but can roll over after taking them and go back to sleep.

Hope you all have fun renewing your spirits tomo!!

Swan your comment that baffled DH made me

Didn't tactical the housework in anyway yesterday, but did do a 11 mile run, so very impressed with myself. Also did a mile walkin and out, so happy in the knowledge that I can at least cover my half marathon distance.

My half term is filling up every quickly, with guests and meet ups, so would like to be on top of the house by the end of the day.

Last night (around 10) I caught a mouse in the food cupboard, so drove 4miles away to release it. Got home to discover I had caught another one, so off out I went again. Lol!! That ended the quiet hour I wanted to finish off a very busy day.

Yesterday evening we had a big family meal to celebrate dh's Nan's 90th birthday. She was a eastend girl and was recalling her childhood and 60's where she knew all the "wrong ones". Very interesting and lovely evening.

Merry - very impressed by your 11-mile run. And how lovely of you to drive four miles to release the mouse (can imagine him hopping on the bus and coming right back again ). How fascinating to hear your DH's Nan's stories from so many years ago. She sounds great fun (knowing all the "wrong ones" ).

Swan - that made me laugh too: your DH's bafflement at the topics you were covering on the computer.

Bitchy - hope you manage to rest today and that you are feeling better soon.

SC - glad you had a lovely evening with your friends yesterday evening. You need more of that to recover from recent stresses.

WhoKnows - hope your cats have stopped being sick.

So sorry about your cat, Eustacia. It's heartbreaking .

Had a good evening out with friends in our local pub last night. Must remember not to wear that particular top again, though, as I had to hold my stomach in every time I stood up .

Came home to find that DH had done all the washing up .

DFriend is threatening to drag us all out for a walk in the countryside today as there are blue skies outside . Have grown accustomed to huddling indoors in front of the log burner.

Have been watching 'Minecraft' on YouTube with DS2 this morning. So boring, but I wanted to spend time with him and it was all he wanted to do ("Shall I read to you?" rejected outright). Had lovely cuddles though. Made pancakes for us too.

Hope you all have a happy, 'renewing your spirit' sort of day.

Posting and running this morning, will catch up later.

DD's birthday today. 6, where do the years go? Party to prep for later with family and friends and have promised to take her out on new birthday bike as well.

Not posting much as no flying to report. This being a patient malarkey is boring. I have however managed to watch a whole series of Orange is the New Black on Netflix, finally got round to watching films stored on sky plus and read a couple of books.

Back later.

You are allowed to pop in for random chit chat ellie!!!!