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!!

Toffee I agree with Swan, if your child is not happy, move them. Keep my fingers crossed that the new school is better for your ds.

Merry - I've got a mackerel recipe that we use over and over, will look it up in the morning, it's a soy sauce and sesame seed marinade.

Mercury - my DCs have just turned 8 and 10, they are expected to pack and unpack their school bags, put their dirty clothes in the wash, put out their school uniform the night before, put away clean clothes (I help with this) unload the DW between them (I help with that too as a lot of the stuff lives in high cupboards), take their dishes from the table to the DW and put them in, help clear the table generally and other random things ad-hoc. They don't do all of it every day though.

Washing machine is finally fixed! We've been without it for 10 days and apart from the 3 loads my Dparents did on Thurs for us we haven't done any so will be on major catch up for a few days now.

hi everyone.
sorry. have been awol.
have guests again. work busy. kids back to school tomorrow.

will try and have a proper catch up with the thread soon

humanordancer wishing you courage (and more power to your hoover attachments) for the dust storm to come! Good to hear your ma is on hand to help too.

Toffee that seems positive about new potential school, fingers crossed, and hope learnign centre man was helpful. That's a very respectable list you have worked through there btw!

Glad your dd is feeling better Goth and hope she is fit for school tomorrow

Mercury I have failed absymally to get dd to do anything other than hwk so far this term. We have a fantastic chart on the fridge listing her chores for the week, which is duly ignored by both of us. This is because other stuff always seems to get in the way ie last week we had several evenings taken up by surprise guests/events, and at other times she had trouble fitting hwk in, never mind anything else. I should be stricter at w/es though esp with- regard to cleaning out wretched hamster! Still very much work in progress... . Hope lectures go well tomorrow!

Yay! Great to 'see' you Ellie. I was wondering how you were! Totally understand your need to get back to work and calm the troops (and lessen stress) before your stay in hosp, but do take it steady and preserve some of your strength for the op and post-op recovery; esp as you already feel tired now x Congrats to your ds on his fab school progress!!

V. impressed by your helpful dc Swan! And no wonder you are tired after doing all of that today. at dd and the chinese dragon dancing (exactly the sort of thing we are missing in the curriculum over here!!)

My ta da list for today is almost exactly the same as yours Thinking101 Also hoping to get stuck in tomorrow again ... .

Wow! You seem very on top of things Merry! That's a whopper of a list! Love the sound of your home-made fishfingers too. Will ask dh for recipes and get back to you - he is a huge lover of mackerel.

Feathery wing flaps to everyone else! G'night all!

Got back in to the swing of flying today after seeing DD into school

Ta Da

• Cleaned bathrooms x4
• Hoovered through upstairs
• Hoovered through downstairs
• Swept kitchen floor
• Emptied bins and recycling
• Quick shop for basics
• Swam 100 lengths
• DD's wellies to school (forgot them this morning)
• Emptied D/W
• Made tea (reheated lasagne)
• Washed pots and shined sink
• Wash load in and hung to dry
• Ironed DH's shirt for the morning

x posts

All this talk of moving schools is making me chew my knuckles again! I would definitely do so if I was convinced the dry teaching methods would be different anywhere else over here! Totally agree with you all though!

Good luck tackling the accumulated washing pile Whoknows and as ever, v. impressed by your dc and the way you have taught and encouraged them to help around the house.

Big waves back to Eustacia good luck with everything you have going on!

Crikey Dizzy you have been busy! [rewards efforts with extra large piece of ] v. impressed by 100 lengths and cleaning four bathrooms!!

As ever, you lot are putting me to shame. Really need to get stuck in to the decluttering tomorrow!

'See' you all then!

Thank you all for reassuring me about considering a new school for DS2. I had a cool reaction from a friend and from MIL about it - I think they both thought we were overreacting. I need to put my thick skin on again - I usually wear it because of DS1 .

Anyway, DH is in complete agreement with me, so that's all that matters really.

Had our usual dose of 'Breaking Bad' tonight (just started Series 4 - don't know what I'll do when it ends), then did all the washing up and cleared up the kitchen. Accidentally did my Tuesday focus by writing a 'to do' list for tomorrow. Lots of little, but important, things to do.

Very impressed by and jealous of those of you with helpful DC. My youngest son always hangs his coat up and takes his shoes off when he walks in the door, so I have at least trained him to do that. Sometimes, I ask the boys to carry their plates through to the kitchen. And I do ask for help with tidying bedrooms - but not every time because it's quicker to do it myself.

DS2 loves mopping floors and cleaning windows - I should use him for that more often .

Neither of them put their dirty clothes in the laundry bin, but then neither does DH.

Going to browse MN for a while now as I have to sit up with DS1 for a bit.

wrt children helping: I think it is important to pick your battles. A lot of us on here are dealing with bigger issues then just getting kids to be helpful and personally I don't have the energy to fight all battles. I pick the ones that are most important. Rudeness and attitude are the biggest ones. I don't care if you are messy bit if you are rude or lippy when i do ask you to do something or tell me it is my job when i ask you to do something THEN I really am picking that battle.

Really still under the weather. not done anything other then work. Went to bed early but fever and pain woke me up. Really looking forward to the doc opening up in the morning.

to do list
ds to school
sort out doc appointment
1 load washing so ds can have his favourite sleep suit

managable targets... manageble targets....

*but not bit

Yesterday was supposed to be arriving back and attack at this end. It didn’t happen, as got back to lots of scary mail, and far more welcome flood relief, so now free of a lot more stinky water, but drug regime out of kilter and have work motivation programme today so waiting for drugs that will allow it to kick in, and writing to do lists for after that.

Thank you for kind words over flooded dd, and dgcs, it feels awful to not be able to do more for them, but resources are too thin everywhere. I’m sure dgd will be fine, partners a bit of a loose cannon tbh. There’s been some very wise words there that I do need to think about.

Swan Thank you, it’s useful to hear other people’s family experiences as I don’t have any to compare with, and am probably making a rod for mine and future generation’s backs, in my attempts to create a supportive family. I do expect myself to be bomb proof and so does everyone else.
Had to laugh at your dd’s complaints list including enforced Chinese dragon watching.

SC I suspect my difficulty in acknowledging the value of things is because I don’t see them as enough. So sorry friends are moving away. I understand the people who don’t want to make friends anymore, but they’re very short sighted, avoiding all pain is very understandable, but it doesn’t bring happiness.

Toffee I often wondered why we couldn’t have the school experience others apparently have. I’m mildly envious tbh, but I guess it’s all that dreadful Welcome to Holland stuff when you think about it. (Welcome to Beirut, with your baggage in Birmingham always seems more appropriate) Good luck with school.

Whoknows sorry to hear about friends family. They’re probably better of where they are, but in case they don’t know, in theory RSPCA will provide temporary accommodation for pets. Well done with the shard, belated Happy Birthday!

Castle hope poor horse is ok and can go out to grass.

Ellie that’s 75 very lucky yr 11’s to have a teacher who cares that much, but do make sure you look after yourself too. I think because men compartmentalise so much it can be quite hard for them to understand. Congratulations on ds results.

Bitchy older ones I tried to get some level from, but am now very much in the same place as you with pick your battles. Continence issues, hygiene, and keeping from atrophying with one, and anger management, organisation, and education with another, tend to make other desired goals into a wish list here.
Good luck with Dr, hope they can alleviate it.

Just - really does seem unfair that you are still having to plod on with that work motivation programme when you have so much to deal with . I love your 'Welcome to Beirut' idea .

Had to listen to a couple of well-meaning people advising me on dealing with DS1 this morning. Was a bit wearing, to be honest, as there is nothing left that anyone can tell me that I haven't already tried. And no, I don't think Forest School will solve his problems, actually .

You are so right about the need to pick your battles, Bitchy. Hope the doc can give you more meds this morning.

Very long 'to do' list today, but first I am waiting for DS1 to come downstairs because he says he wants to go in to the learning centre this morning although pigs might fly first.

ta da
ds to school - he was a love this morning
ring doc - currently waiting to be called back
relace ds' trainers with new laces
swear because i should have gone with my actual thought and not the advice from the cobbler on shoe lace length for ds' school shoes
internet adminy type stuff

right i have 3 squares and then i can hoover the lounge and sort the layout of piecing the blanket. Think i will do that whilst i was for the doc's to get back to me

ta da

Took DS1 to the learning centre, but he wouldn't go in.
Ate the remains of the pancakes for breakfast

Tackling my 'to do' list now.

Anyone want ? The kettles just boiled.

Dd still at home, she was coughing a lot last night, but now she seems fine. She wanted to go in (she left her hat at school on Friday, and is worried someone may take it) and I was dithering but DH thought another day would be a good idea. Going to get her home work sheet out in a minute.

Done
Beds
Windows
Dry laundry away
Reboot laundry and on airers
15 min tidy in lounge

To Do
Job applications
Vacuuming
Dusting -maybe
Litter tray - GothCat helpfully emptied onto floor
Mop bathroom & kitchen floors

That's enough to be getting on with.

BBL

ta da

W & D, DC's and I (inc make up for me)
Brkfast (cooked and I had time to eat mine)
DW
Laundry
Asda
Coffee with neighbour
Lunch

So I seem to have improved my morning routine... I bought some flushable wipes for swishin and swiping to add that in tomorrow.

Tidy clothes (lots) in bedroom, sort bag for charity shop
15 minutes declutter corner of DS bedroom
Laundry
Chicken in to roast, veg prepped
Wash baby clothes promised for friend

Ta da

Long conversation with head of prospective school - visiting Thurs morning
Work at home
Made some phone calls

Right, lunch, then time to help DS1 with some homework. And need to deliver a form to the LEA before school run.

toffee thats all sounfs like good progress re school. Schools have their own 'personailites' if you like and if it is not right for your DS it is not right. I say this as an ex teacher who worked in some where I fitted in very well and others not so much so. Good luck.

If you need to put any words down to argue your case for whatevers drop me a PM.

Any of that left Toffee? On second thoughts, make mine a Lemsip, I have woken up with a fearsome cold and feel crap. So, Flying is largely limited to sticking loads of laundry through and a bit of tidying and playing with a cat.

However, ta-da! I have finished the coursework for one of my OU modules. Now I have two weeks to finish and submit my assessment. Then another month to finish the other module and I'm taking a break for 6 months after that.

Thanks, thinking. You are right about the personality of the school. It is actually a perfectly good school, but it is very big and I think DS2 probably needs somewhere smaller.

Plenty of Lemsip here, as DH has caught DS2's cold. Colds do make you feel miserable, don't they? I hope yours passes quickly.

Well done on finishing your OU coursework.

Have finished lunch and caught up with emails. Just have time to print out some letters and fill in forms before the school run.

Does anyone have the monsters university dvd? Is it supposed to just go completely blank screen/freezy after Mike says they are always hiring in the mail room? This is the 2nd dvd (a replacement of the first which also did this). According to the scenes list there is another scene but i am getting to the point where i am wondering if it is a dvd fault or a scene list listing issue?

Merry - mackerel recipe for you.

4tbsp dark soy sauce
2tsp sesame oil
2tsp honey
1tbsp sesame seeds
large piece of ginger root grated
black pepper
Mix all the above together, brush over the mackerel and grill until cooked. Serve with rice and maybe a cucumber/vinegar/corainder type salad.

[Waves to Whoknows and everyone else!]

Merry dh says that he likes his mackerel best just grilled with a squeeze of lemon or orange (Seville orange partic good) with good brown bread and butter or smoked with a good dollop of horseradish. Or grilled with horseradish mash and a green salad.

Jamie Oliver does crispy skinned recipe with asian inspired dressing.

He also does this mackerel salad with tomato and quinoa which looks good.

That Hugh Fearnley Whitting-person has a load of ideas here which look interesting! (Like the look of the pan fried recipe with fennel.)

From Mnsnet (easy for dc to make): [[http://www.mumsnet.com/food/recipe/1708-Mackerel-pate mackerel pate]

this salad looks good

delicious escabeche

sorry, just repeating first link

mackerel pate recipe easy for dc to make