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!!

OOohh, lots of x posts ...

Oh sorry you are forced to Fly at home instead of going to museum Cyber. Museums and galleries that close on a Monday are the bane of my life!!!! Have loads of visitors who come for the weekend here and they often stay an extra day. And of course there is absolutely no where open for me to take them. It's sssssoooooo frustrating!! Not to mention they are losing revenue hand over fist. Surely Tues would be a better day to close??? Good luck with your list!

Sorry about the steroids and the racing heart Bitchy (I get the latter if I am woken up suddenly and it's not pleasant). HOpe you are OK x

Swan arf at your boys kindly acting out bible stories and yay re: unhindered shopping and successful purchasing!!

Whoknows great idea about getting everyone to choose a meal!! (Getting dc to cook it can encourage the eating of it too I find!)

ellie sorry missed your post. Hope today goes as well as can be expected.

Thanks sc - feeling human today which makes a huge difference.

Ta da
Changed beds
2 load of washing done, 1 in machine
2 dry loads of washing away
Receipts
Unpacked suitcase/bag and put suitcase away
Replied to work email about student
Hoovered whole house
S&S of bathroom and downstairs toilet
Decluttered purse and handbag
Paid car tax
Emptied kitchen bin, paper and plastic recycling
Restocked toilet/kitchen roll, nursery and changing bag
Cleaned coffee table and glass on internal doors (lots of sticky fingers!)
Decluttered kitchen hotspot (table)
Helped DS with puzzles
Cleaned kitchen surfaces, hob and extractor fan

Going to have lunch then pop out with DS to do some errands and get som fresh air.

A cheeky hello from me. Just dropping by to let anyone who remembers me on here that I became a nanny yesterday. DD3 (The one who got married last year and had been very ill with CSF/ME over the past 5 years) had a beautiful baby boy, Aston Thomas, 7lb. Being totally unbiased I do declare he is the most perfect baby to have been born since I last popped one out nearly 18 years ago!!

Sorry to all who don't know me.

Morning all.
My bedroom looks great. It is quite minimalist so very easy to keep on top of. Only thing not done is a sort through the drawers and bedside tables. I will do them before the end of the week.

Congratulations Positive :)

PA helllllllllllo! And many congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!

for you PA, what lovely news!

PA that is such lovely news !! So glad mother and baby are doing well!! Congratulations!!!! And brilliant to have you back on here, albeit briefly!! Enjoy granny-hood!!

Eustacia well done re: serene boudoir. ditto re: sorting bedroom drawers here!!

Goodness Engels you are on a roll!! Congrats on a v. productive morning!

Ta da:
morning routine inc dw, wm, s&s and rabbits
sorted out 'adoucisseur' man (water softening machine thingy)
home bleugh of downstairs: tidied, dusted, hoovered, mopped.
45 mins of work, work.
cleaned bathroom
cleaned out hamster again
spoke to friend re: arrangements for Wed pm

Congratulations PA!

I have to have a nice bedroom sanschocolat. Otherwise my brain cant switch off at night. It is a good thing. And I do like to sneak off there sometimes :)

We have 2 kids here to play so my children are being entertained

Congratulations, PA!

Swan - oh goodness, 'dry socket' is exactly what the receptionist mentioned when I rang this morning. DH is going to the dentist this afternoon. He just about coped at work this morning (strong painkillers, including codeine), but said it's now getting to Marathon Man levels of pain. He really is having a horrible time at the moment .

Will pop back later. Just off to google 'dry socket'.

Oh dear. Yes, that looks like it. He's in agony. DS2 and I are going to the dentist with him now.

Hope the dentist can alleviate things a bit for him Toffee, it sounds awful.

I need to get off the computer and do some Flying. I've just got back from work having picked up the DCs from sports club en route. Cats have stayed off colour (off their food, occasional sick etc) so they are booked into the vet again later. However they have eaten all their food today, more than they have the last few days, and no sick since yesterday morning, so hopefully they are past the worst now.

Didn't do a proper meal plan this week as the DCs and I were at the ILs for the weekend, so I need to go and sort out some ideas for the rest of the week. We are washing machine-less at the moment so that's one less thing to do - waiting for a new door seal to be delivered. Our bedroom is currently the least tidy place in the house, so good timing re zones.

SC just want to say you are doing some terrific summaries, I have visits of you flying with a laptop permanently within sight.

DD back at school today, our half term was last week, not sure where it went exactly. But back into routines almost

Done
Beds
Packed lunch
Dd to school
DH to doctor, I got a good 30 mins reading in the waiting room
Chemist
Grocers
Laundry on
Ironing
Lunch
Paperwork
Knitting
Collect DD
Sainsbury's
Quick snack for DD before karate
Washing up

DH & DD gone out, so can now start on dinner. Will weekly bleugh tomorrow.

BBL

Hello everyone, and congratulations PA!

Well I am very behind again, but I have just very calmly packed up the entire flat - with 48 hours notice - ready for it to be replastered. And so far, everything seems to be quite organised Six weeks ago, and without this thread, it would have been total chaos.

So thank you

Now, where did I put the cups? Oh yes - in the oven

Toffee that sounds awful.

I've been anti-procrastinating here and thank goodness as i learned today I had to give 6 weeks notice for something that is happening in 6 weeks and 2 days! Phew!

Been at hospital with DS for his first post-treatment check up. He's been declared well but frustratingly this is on the basis that "he looks well". Glad the rest of his treatment has been more scientific than that...

Shredding tonight, and must also throw out some very mouldy food so I can spend 15 mins in the playroom. I'm fed up of the DCs trashing the living room daily!

And congrats PA it doesn't seem like 2 seconds since you found out she was pregnant!

Well the laptop bit is right Goth - thanks - must confess that instead of doing something useful while dd's French tutor is here - I am currently looking at UK property porn sites atm! Must stop watching 'Escape to the Country' .

Hope return to school not too onerous for your dd following hols.

Sounds like the furries are on the mend Whoknows certainly hope so!

Your poor dh Toffee - he certainly has been in the wars! Hope dentist can sort him out with some proper pain killers.

Glad hols going ok so far Eustacia!

Yay Humanordancer what a lovely post! So glad the system/this thread is making a difference!! Good luck with the plasterers!

So glad your ds has been declared well Sillybilly even though unscientific! Good luck with the playroom!

Had better go. Tutoring hour is over.

DH does have that 'dry socket' thing, so he's had a dressing and been prescribed antibiotics, but no painkillers because the dentist can't prescribe any stronger than he has already. So that means another difficult night on just Ibuprofen and Paracetamol and Codeine and a trip to the GP tomorrow if it's still bad. DH says he wishes he could have morphine again - he had it in hospital for his appendicitis and said it was the best thing ever .

Am being a very Good Wife and properly tending to him (cherishing him again, Swan ). I do feel really sorry for him.

Silly - so happy to hear DS has been declared well, although I can understand your concern over the unscientific way in which it was done.

WhoKnows - sorry you are washing-machine-less at the moment. DH managed to mend our door seal with superglue and it's still working, months later.

One very nice thing: a relative has just sent us two cases of wine as an early present for DH's forthcoming birthday .

Arrgh, was doing veg in pressure cooker and forgot to add water = brown tinged, bad smelling potatoes

Oh no Goth how annoying! Consolatory here!

Sorry to hear about your dh Toffee hope you both manage a bit of sleep tonight!

For various reasons was awake most of last night, so feeling a bit cream crackered now. Going to post links and hit the hay at the same time as dd tonight.

**

Tomorrow's baby-step, no 18, for Tues 18th Feb is reading the eleven commandments of Flying and maybe writing them in your control journal if you can be bothered.

This week we are 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.

Tuesday's mission can be found here. Spend 15 mins attacking random piles of clothes, chucking as you go.

The daily focus for Tuesday is: planning ie wardrobes, shopping trips, meet-ups, medical appts, holidays etc etc.

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 which updates itself daily.

G'night all and 'see' you in the morning!

*

Oh blooming heck Goth, burnt veg is a horrible smell.

Oh PA that is amazing As silly said, it is so quick to grow a baby although not for the mother [grim Hope you can now look forward to your dh returning in June ( I hope that is still the plan)
She is a lucky mum to have you round the corner.

SC hope your sleep improves tonight
Silly it must be hard to shake off worries, but it is wonderful news that they think him well. Enjoy every minute of now.

Toffee It is a nightmare; I've had it, but it resolved very quickly with antibiotics.

Congratulations PA How lovely :-)

Well we are finally back in the house as of last night. Dh has been able to get in most days to get things and keep an eye on the place. Sooooo nice to be back in our own beds. I started childminding again today which is a relief, financially.

Looking forward to flying again

Took about 10 mins to scrub black bits off pans and then did the hob as contrition.
Have got another small load laundry on & folded dry clothing ready to put away.

Am settling down to do some crotcheting as got a fresh delivery of wool today