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 bought DH a Nespresso machine for his birthday a few years ago, it has been brilliant and gets used all the time.

SC - grr to rude lady in the printers, how dare she. Pretty stupid as well to think you wouldn't understand Dutch in Belgium.

Well, I'm still feeling rough, didn't sleep too well and feel boiling hot and weak this morning. When I woke my ears, chest, sinuses all ached, those are all feelling better after having more Lemsip. DH took the DCs to school and I have called in sick to work, a shame as we were all going out for lunch with a former colleague today. Also I am supposed to be going out tonight, but don't think that's going to happen. I am going to potter about gently, do a bit of OU work and watch telly I think.

Bit worse for wear this am.

Just

Washed
Dressed
Fed
School run ....so far

Im mooching about as out all day yesterday, DD is enjoying a catch-up sized dose of cbeebies while im on here.

We have a playdate vistiors this PM so I need to

DS's bedroom needs a room rescue
Swish n Swipe 2 bathrooms
Dust and Hoover landing and stairs
Buy food to feed them with
Budget/banking
Write thank you cards

Been a bit AWOL lately, school stuff has gone hectic again and flying is taking a bit of a back seat. Well, a lot of a back seat!

Always manage to do errands on Thursdays though, and at least it's stopped raining now.

Waves to veryone and tops up tray of on bar.

just tried to go back to sleep but failed miserably

done

up at 6.45am
drove dd to school [yay!] and ds1 to running club

back by 9am. Then felt extremely tired.

house tip
babysitter coming tonight and we never go out, so it is scary
and I need to tidy house for babysitter, and find something to wear to party and I feel a FRIGHT (wish I knew about Makeup toffee just don't know how to use it)
and also feel very very worried I am going to be too tired to get through the day...why did I attempt to go back to sleep first thing waste of time...

Hope you feel better soon whoknows

Good luck with the school visit Toffee

I have a study day today so I have got a lot done so far (but not much study):
Got dcs, up, dressed and to school
Swam 40 lengths
Dusted downstairs
Hoovered downstairs
Sorted out placement file for next week
Dw loaded, emptied and reloaded
Washing hung out
Wm reloaded
Hm soup cooking for lunch

Im visiting a friend this afternoon, but hope to catch up on some more bits when I get back.

Bbl

Thank you for your reassurance about the coffee machine, WhoKnows. Good that you are taking it easy today. DH is also streaming with cold and feeling horrible.

Swan - it's good that you're going out tonight and I'm sure you'll feel it's worth it, even if it feels stressful getting ready. Don't worry about make up if you're not used to it. I was thinking, this morning, that putting on make up is a bit like colouring in . (Sali Hughes does useful tutorials on YouTube if you want to learn more).

The school visit went really well. DH and I are sure DS2 will be much happier there. We have arranged to go in for a visit with him next Friday, when the head teacher will show him around, rather than us, then he'll go back for a taster morning on another day. Can't wait to tell him!

Also had a call from a local SS, inviting us to visit next week. We hope that it might be suitable for DS1, but we'll need funding from the LEA for that.

I dream of a day when both my children are happy at school...

Am going to have a quick nap now before the school run.

Doing the essentials to survive type stuff here. Nothing above and beyond I'm afraid. What I need is a sharp swift kick up the butt and then I might sort myself out and get doing something proactive indoors.

Currently hiding in the kitchen mn'ing, dreaming of chocolate biscuits whilst the Minis kill each other in the lounge. I thought turning the tv off in the afternoons would be a positive thing as we watch it a fair bit but it appears to be the only thing that distracts them long enough to stop them bickering /fighting/chasing/screaming. I was brought up with the tv always on. Not done me any harm much.

Hello to all flyers! Do some for me please!

Castle what's the diagnosis on your horses? Will he be x-tied for six weeks?

Having a break....

Done

DW
Bathrooms x 2
Hoovering downstairs
DD room
1/2 DS room

Twas only a little to do list today but meh and cbaitis has kicked in.

Thursday's list:
training
put my washing away
put ds' nearly folded washing
fold washing that will be newly dried
put a load of washing on
hoover lounge floor
sort out squares arrangement
pictures and email
make dentist appointment
Banking - sorted out what needs doing but not done.

Empty bins upstairs
put bins into disinfect

Homemade pizza for tea and an early night is the plan... whether or not it will happen is another thing.

Had a chat with DS2 and told him about the new school. Very happy boy. Now singing to himself .

Who taught ds the difference between book versions and film version? Apparently the hobbit cloak needs to be almost floor length because that is what it is like in the book and not knee length like the film. Why couldn't he be the wimpy kid. Horrid henry and harry potter were so easy to sort. Can we make world book day a swear word please?

So pleased for you and ds toffee

Great news Toffee!

Don't even mention WBD here. I'm clueless and don't know where to begin. Why do schools only give you a week's notice for these sort of things??

Thank you. Am feeling very happy about it. Not sure when he can start, but if it's not for a few weeks, I will probably take him out of the school he doesn't like and give him a break from it all so that he can start afresh.

Have no Flying to report because I've been working at home. Interrupted work to make dinner and then went back to work. Finished now, so can start on the bedtime routines.

Very behind with my OU work again .

Phew, done all my list, playdate been and gone.

I really need to FLY properly so I dont have to do these big tidy ups. It is the mess that stops me from cleaning.

Tidy, tidy tidy from now.

I kept the fat fairy in mind when I was shoving stuff on shelves and in drawers in DS's room earlier. It is not organised and presented exactly how I would like but I stored the stuff and it looks tidy so I could clean. I definately let go of my perfectionism.

Also since gaving my second and a few years of parenting under my belt, I know that if I don't put out their latest 'creation' inc lego models nothing bad happens....the little buggers always manage to make plenty more

Thank you for the thread. It has got me back on track in fluttery flappery way...I need to work on bedtime routine.

Good evening my lovelies

Hope everyone OK!!

Toffee that is really brilliant news about the new school for ds2!!! Arf at that link

Sorry you are feeling so rough whoknows, really bads colds are utterly miserable x

Good luck with the costume Bitchy (I'm normally sewing for most of the night before Carnaval but dd's school has changed things this year and all the dc are just going in mufti, with animal masks they have made in art class - so I've got it easy this year!)

And have a lovely night out Swan! I bet you will look wonderful and really enjoy it once you are there (although I really sympathise with initial reluctance to go out in first place!)

Hands stack of choccie biccies to Peanut

Great to 'see' you Honu

Glad horse home safely (eventually!) Castle

And (inspired by Thinking101) big fluttery flaps to everyone else!!

So sorry, having to dash again without doing proper round-up. Worked from 8.30 am until 1.45 pm at very intense pace in office today. Then went off to meeting with dh for an hr (also intense!). Then picked up dd from school, took her home for snack, then accompanied her to end of half term tennis class exhibition thing, then home to make large vat of veggie soup, do hwk supervision, and serve fish supper (swapped Fishy Friday with veggie Thurs this week.) Felt very tired all day but have just revived enough now to start making fairy cakes. Had forgotten it is Carnaval tomorrow and it's about time I made some cakes for the whole class I think!

Catch up properly with everyone tomorrow! Have a lovely evening everyone! Only one more day to go and it's the w/e!!! Keep going everyone!

*

Baby-step no. 28 for Fri 28th Feb is an important one about looking after ourselves ie eating well, drinking water and getting enough sleep.

Also, have just realised that tomorrow is the last day of the month so rest of baby-steps (numbers 29, 30 and 31) can be found here if you scroll down.

29th baby-step = pamper mission
30th baby-step = check out calendar for important dates in the month ahead + create routines
31st baby-step = about not having to understand the whole system before you start ie just get stuck in where we are at and all will become clear hopefully!

Tomorrow is our last day in Zone 5: The Living Room (Feb 23 – 28) here.

Declutter for 15 mins a day in this zone!

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

Friday's mission can be found here spend 15 mins or less giving the sitting room a thorough dusting.

The daily focus for Friday is: decluttering our cars and handbags.

The monthly habit for February is still : decluttering 15 mins a day. (Why on earth didn't I do this again !!)

A summary of the above plus reminders can be found here in the flight plan which updates itself daily.

__

Um, as tomorrow is the last day of Feb, and a new Flying month comes around again on Sat 1st March.... is some kind person willing to volunteer to post links please? (I'd volunteer again but I'm travelling quite a bit in March, starting on Tues of next week.)

__

G'night all! BB tomorrow morning!

Evening, nearly forgot to post

done
Beds
Packed lunch
Dd to school
Shopping
Lunch
Crotchet
Dd from school
Supervise homework
Dinner
Washing up
Made flapjacks and mince pies (found 2 jars mince meat)
Washing up
Packed away delivered veg bag
Blanched cabbage & leeks
Skyped frienda

Phew,

Looks horribly guiltily at everyone to say really sorry I'm not yet in a position to do it still.

Don't be mad Just absolutely NO need for guilt, you have more than enough on your plate atm!!!!

Bit bleary-eyed this morning but dd has been dispatched to school with Carnaval mask, 40 iced fairy cakes, wearing mufti (dd, not the cakes ). She is delighted to be able to shed her school uniform for the day.

The kitchen still has to be put to rights ... there is a trail of hundreds and thousands and dribbles of icing leading through to the dining room table and back. But before I tackle it, want to catch up with the thread properly and see what you have all been up to!

Goth didn't cry over spilt milk, has been getting creative with mince meat, and swapped Woodcraft for bed-making. (Congrats to your dd on her good progress at school!)

Thinking101 has been hosting playdates and letting go of perfectionism in true Fly Fledgling style (it's good to know this thread has helped you get back on track! )

Toffee is on the brink of finding a new schooling solution for her ds2! And possibly for her ds1 too!! Yau and double yay!! (I bought my dh a tagine as one of his 50th b'day presents btw - like the coffee machine idea!) Hope your dh recovers in time for his birthday!

Peanut lost her get up and go and has been temporarily stumped by WBD (hope you able to find a quick and easy solution!) but is doing the essentials and has been dreaming of chocolate biscuits

Bitchy worked her way through a humungous mid-week list, has stabilised and sorted a shelving unit, and is contemplating the creation of Hobbit hairy hands and feet + cloak. (V. impressed that your ds is insistent on the book rather than film version btw, which is what most dc would want.)

Mercury swam 40 lengths on top of Flying and studying which is incredibly impressive!!

Swan was up early and out late and has been resisting whisky low carbing with a vengeance . (Hope you had a good time and can catch up on sleep today!)

[Btw Swan from down thread: felt outraged on your behalf that school excluded your ds2 from presentation/drama thing because of Ofsted presence . How horrible of them!!!! No wonder he took it to heart. And don't blame you for keeping him at home in that case neither!]

Blue has been running errands and has returned to hectic school campaign (and delivered us a very welcome )

Whoknows has been battling with a really horrible cold (hope you are starting to feel better today) and reminisced fondly about egg and chips.

[Totally extraneous aside: Dh and I always disagreed over what constitutes egg and chips. I always insisted egg had to be poached, but he reckons its fried and unfortunately (for my waistline) has persuaded me around to his way of thinking.]

Honu reassured Toffee that coffee machines make really excellent birthday presents!

Castle has been busy nursing a horse. (Progress report please!! Peanut and I are worried!!) Hope all going well with you too of course !!!

Eustacia's dc were finding the rtn to school a bit hard going and she was hoping to find a bit of time to catch up. (Hope things going a little easier for you all now.)

Just worked her way through a mahoosively long 'to do' list, battling through the thicket of admin and brambles alike

Ellie went back to work despite feeling ill/tired, attended her pre-op assessment and is nervously awaiting her ds's secondary school choice to come through! (HOpe all OK Ellie and that you survived the week and good luck in hospital if you are not back on here before then!! Thinking of you )

Engels has been nursing her ds back to good health following a medical procedure. Hope he is feeling much better/cheerier now!

Humanordancer has been battling with yet more plaster dust

Merry has been studying mackerel recipes

and SC didn't eat fairy cakes for breakfast oh no she didn't

Big feathery wing flaps to Dizzy Giraffe Cybermam Feetheart Pushme PA Nicknacks Silly Pushme Betterandnow Pictures Whispers Alice Stillwearing Blueandwhite Spranged Not2nite and anyone I have inevitably missed!

Btw, thx for kind words about printer people. They are a good lot really and didn't mean to be rude; it really is a cultural difference. Sometimes Flemish 'directness' can take your breath away but it is totally normal for them. It is difficult not to take it personally when your intentions are misunderstood but I should have just said "I don't want to see that now" and they would have been happy. They do genuinely see "English" dissimulation as straightforward lying.

(Toffee btw - of all the phrases in that link you posted - my all time favourite has to be "I only have a few minor comments" meaning in reality "complete re-write needed" I am actually quite tempted to send that to them!! )

I was reminded again yesterday, in school play ground at pick up time, of cultural differences (re: "earthier" vocab this time), when an eight-year boy ran after a little girl calling her (to literally translate the French) "the poo of a whore" . Again, fairly normal stuff here but um, quite 'strong' to an English person's ears!!

Right, had better bet on, it's half term next week so need to do laundry in advance of trip to Blighty (yay!!)

Hope everyone has a good day!! Strong coffee and yet more fairy cakes (definitely have a surfeit here) on naughty corner counter!! Help yourselves!!

[Tedious annex alert]
Btw - just to reassure everyone if you are still awake having read all of that that playground boy who flung insults did get hauled away by teacher and, I'm reliably informed, is having to wipe down tables this lunch time as a punishment, so not as if that sort of lang condoned or anything ... just trying to explain that although it's really horrible language, it's a lot more horrible to English ears, if that makes any sense at all ...

Right, must remove rear from office desk and do something useful!

Please excuse lack of personals and me, me, me.

Two and a half hours broken sleep, and it’s a motivation to work day and the disastrous news yesterday we have to be back properly in flooded home in a weeks’ time.

We can’t realistically do it but we have to somehow do it. Out of everything and all options, rug out from under feet.

Please ignore this bit I just need to say it somewhere.
I have finally lost my temper with just about everyone and everything, they didn't really deserve it, maybe they did a bit, but it's pointless because it doesn't help them understand or change, and smacking my head on the wall in frustration and tears at being treated as a service droid is ridiculous and pathetic, and has given me a nasty lump to remind me that loss of self control only makes everything worse.

I want it all to stop, I'm out of resources, out of strength, out of everything. . I want to stop having to cope, I want ASD and brain damage to stop existing, I want the world to stop demanding help, I want the rain to stop, I want the mud, and sludge to not exist anymore, I want dryness, and please, please Lord don’t let it snow here. Just please. One more thing will be the straw that broke the camels back. (and I know I'm not a good camel, but please don't let more stuff happen)

rant over.

still to do
emergency washing
Bathroom
get vehicle moved
Text warning for pick up in one hour
Recycling
Deal with discovery of rotting pumpkins in sewage before rats arrive to feast
Find CT scan letter

pick up food
Pick up person for work course
Do course get - out on time.
drop other person, be brutal wth time

Get back in time for gas man
Get flooded gas meter replaced, and hopefully gas useable

Clean slurry removal bags so outsides are handleable
Remember to text info
More Tree removal

Box more stuff up
Strip kitchen wallpaper from top half of kitchen.
Clean, clear as much as possible to try and paper over weekend even if still damp!

Try and deal with CCJ set aside
Try and write to council re ds being still my dependant
Try and appeal loss of single adult ct rebate
Try and get further on future learn
Try and look into PIP again
Try and do filing
put above on tommorow's list if not managed

Catch up home ed diary
Remember to text info
Listen to friend
Prep tomorrow
Dinner
Check no chance we won extra draw part of lottery (entered as last ditch)
Motivate ds to believe all is achievable (hide Pinnochio nose)
Sleep

office desk? I meant office chair!!!

x post

Oh no Just I'm not surprised that you have finally lost your temper and please please don't apologise for ranting away here!!! In fact, I don't know how you have managed to restrain yourself up to now, given the fact that you have faced endless battle after endless battle; it's too much for any one person to have to deal with by themselves. Wish I could be of more practical help. Wishing you strength to tackle that incredibly challenging list (and also wish you could tell them to stuff work motivation day; it's the last thing you need right now) Here's hoping that's the last of the rain too xxx