It's the clutter shouting "Mayday" as the Fledglings spring into action

[GoingGoingGoth]

Copying last month's thread.

So for those who don't know the fledglings is a long running thread. Some of us seem clicky but that is because we have been chatting on these threads for nearly half a decade makes everyone feel old we quite like fresh blood though so feel free to jump in and join us.

Three key 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.

If you are new then trying to spend 15mins decluttering and the babysteps.

Some of us Bitchy can have scary looking lists. One word of advice ignore them. Do what you can, anything is better then nothing, and don't judge yourself against others, we won't be judging you.

Links for Thursday 8th May

Babystep 8 is to start your journal and start writing your routines.

Thursday is Errands day.

This week we're in Zone 2, the Kitchen. IF you are decluttered, here is the Deep Cleaning List

This week's missions, today's we should spend 15 minutes wiping down the large kitchen appliances.

Be back in a minute (ish) with the round up

SUMMARY

1st of all congratulations mercury on the new job!

Bitchy is tired

Swan tackled the garden and had a poorly DD and then went to a book launch.

dizzy went to Bath-nice, and is training her DH to clear up after himself

pushme is back

jacks is catching up after a weekend away.

Alice also had an ill DC, but has been getting on with the decluttering

WhoKnows has had fun with her steam cleaner! you can come here if younrun out of places to clean.

Blue was televised, I hope you get somewhere, bloody Gove.

Toffee fell asleep fully dressed, shows how tired you must have been. And lives near a castle

SC had a very busy day.

Carpe has sorted out her broadband, and crisis cleaned so is back on top of things.

Gatorade don't worry, the FL site is confusing and a bit patronising, hopefully we aren't.

newlark is continuing with the jogging course. And has done a lot, it's easy to underspent image what you do.

And finally, I helped out with the school trip to the Science Centre, was a lot of fun, and then we had Woodcraft this evening. Not a big group tonight but the weather was a bit dodgy. Luckily the rain didn't come to heavy until the last 10 minutes, and the children seemed to have a lot of fun collecting sticks, fallen blossom & leaves and making a nature picture.

Ah, I love the science centre Goth, there's a harp with no strings just beams of light (well, there was last time we went about 3 years ago) which is just magic.

Gatorade - welcome to the thread.

Toffee - lovely blog. I will take a look at yours later Blue.

Regarding blogs, what do you all find the best way of keeping up with them? At work I have RSS feeds into my Outlook with all my work related news feeds, but at home I would rather browse on the Ipad, but not found a good way apart from keeping them all in bookmarks, which I then forget to check.

Ta-da!

Morning routine / school run
Washing on line
Breakfast cleared up
Cat bowls, feeding mat etc washed and refilled
Dropped sample to GP surgery
Work
Home in the nick of time to grab washing off line before heavens opened, another minute and they would have had to go in the dryer I reckon.
School run
Washing sorted / ironed / put away
Dinner
DD to Brownies
Play in garden with DS and a cat
Measure up dining room for a new computer desk, existing one (years old and very cheap) is falling apart
DD back from Brownies
DS to bed.

A fe months ago on here someone linked to a book about coping with fussy eaters. I bought it and have been trying some of the ideas and have to report a distinct improvement. The main things I have changed are:

1). to ditch online supermarket shopping and take the DCs, we have to choose one new thing each to try and it doesn't matter what it is or whether we end up liking it.

2). No trying to persuade anyone to try things, just cook the meal, put it on the table and offer to pass serving dishes. No pressure to finish anything either.

3). I don't think this is in the rules, but DS is allowed to read at the table if he is eating alone or when he has finished and is waiting for the rest of us. This is definitely helping him, I think some of the stress was having to sit still and be in prolonged eye contact situations (he has AS for those that don't know).

Anyway, DS is gradually starting to try more and more things willingly (some of them he even likes!). There's a long way to go, but things are definitely less stressful at meal times. So, whoever it was that linked it - thank you!

Hello! I've been lurking as the beginning of this week was spent hiding from my house by taking potty training dd out at every possible opportunity. I have really moved forward today and my sink ended the day shiny! I did three 15 minute bursts in the kitchen and its now looking lovely with a clean floor thanks to my new and amazing mop, which squirts water onto the floor so no bucket needed!

Your lists are all really encouraging and I like the way you out everything you've done on there. I have to remember that I've done quite a job getting out in the morning and at the top of my list will be "was woken at five (or four thirty!!) by dd2...again". Not to moan but just to acknowledge it as a thing that slows me down.

Congrats on the job, mercury. Really enjoyed reading your blogs, blue and toffee and am now following the school thing with interest. Thanks all for inspiring me to get back to the house my family deserves, little by little. The nice thing today was that, although not perfect, downstairs was tidy enough to have an impromptu cuppa with a couple of mums from school.

Mercury - Well done! Have some celebratory !

Can't sleep so have had a couple of hours messing about on mums net and reading toffee and *blue's^ blogs, both of which are fab .

Congratulations on the job mercury

Busy day today so really wish I had had more than 4 hours sleep but I'm sure I will survive. Have really fallen off the decluttering wagon over the last few weeks so might start small today with cleaning out a handbag. Surely even I can manage that!

To do
Get up!
Routines
Towels wash
Change dc's beds
Paid work
Costco trip (possibly)
Choose new laptop
Pick up dc from pil
Cook tea
Clear out handbag
Bed!

Congratulations Mercury, well done you
Still mind-blowingly busy here so its going to be another 'power of three' day to stop me curling up in a corner and whimpering.

To start:

• Sort out some invoices
• Attempt more bank rec.
• Get everyone up, dressed and out

Have a good day everyone.

Think I should have gone for 'power of 3' too feetheart. Am already overwhelmed by my list!

First 3...
Get up
Wash towels
All up and out

Congratulations mercury and good luck! I have family in teaching so know how hard / rewarding it can be.

Goth erm, I didn't say I was on top of things... just not in total chaos!

Well, my plans to clear clutter have as always gone awry. Was walking up stairs, slipped and grabbed the bannister to stop my fall, and have wrenched my wrist, so it's all strapped up (no real damage, just a pulled muscle I think) but it's making lifting, and grasping quite painful at the moment so I'm not going to risk damaging it more. I'm devastated by this... no I actually am. I had loads of plans and now they're all gone. Having said that, I can pretty much guarantee that if I hadn't done it, I would even now be finding excuses not to do stuff!

Anyway, in the spirit of 3
Up & dress
DS to nursery
Work underway (currently waiting for reports to compile)

My next 3
Coffee
Jillian Michaels
Die on sofa...

Have you got paperwork that needs sorting Carpe? Something we all avoid but generally you can get away without too much lifting.

Feeling a bit like everyone else today. To do list is horrible. And power of three will help but it WILL be a super long bitchy kinda style list today. Appologies

ta da
deal with overtired and virtually in tears ds
pick up prescription
pop into boots for a few bits
sort out plans for saturday

Currently eating a cooked breakfast whilst doing those silly internet jobs that are time consuming and yet small. (email/fb/mn etc)

To do list
make cake
my room (need to break this down so I don't sit in corner and cry)
Laundry
folding
ironing
clothes away
make following appointments: ds hospital, ds dentist
sort out what is for burning and what needs sorting from back bedroom
Empty car out
sort out wing mirror yes I know I am crap and keep forgetting this
wash my bedding

ta da
deal with overtired and virtually in tears ds
pick up prescription
pop into boots for a few bits
sort out plans for saturday
Ring to make following appointments: ds hospital, ds dentist failed on both counts hospital to sort and send and dentist phone stupid busy so will have to walk down later
Email, internet stuff etc
rescue laundry from mine and ds' rooms
put bedding on to wash - mine
Cake in oven
collect washing up from around house and put in kitchen
take bed apart and make sure matress is not escaping!

right taking 5 to finish the damn blanket that is in the way and is all but finished. (essential decluttering )

ta da
deal with overtired and virtually in tears ds
pick up prescription
pop into boots for a few bits
sort out plans for saturday
Ring to make following appointments: ds hospital, ds dentist failed on both counts hospital to sort and send and dentist phone stupid busy so will have to walk down later
Email, internet stuff etc
rescue laundry from mine and ds' rooms
put bedding on to wash - mine
Cake in oven
collect washing up from around house and put in kitchen
take bed apart and make sure matress is not escaping!

right taking 5 to finish the damn blanket that is in the way and is all but finished. (essential decluttering )

Oh dear, sorry you are having a hard time with ds today, Bitchy. I don't suppose the break from sleep meds is helping.

Lots of power of three lists today. What a good idea. I think I'll join you.

DS1 is being 'challenging' today, to put it politely. Not sure how to get him to take his meds when he stubbornly refuses to take them in front of me and starts to have a tantrum over it when I persist, but throws them in the bin if I'm not there . He knows the effect of abruptly stopping them, but still won't take them.

Anyway, I have shelved that particular problem for now and will tackle DS1 again later.

Power of three:

Handwriting practice with DS2
Maths with DS2
English comprehension with DS2

Power of 3 list done:
Coffee
Jillian Michaels (did No More Trouble Zones and it's amazing, better than Shred, but an hour not 30mins)
Die on sofa!

Power of 3 to do:
Empty dishwasher
Sort clothes washing
Strip bed

Bitchy our paperwork is mostly via Internet/email so there isn't a lot and it's sorted coz I'm a bit precious about losing stuff after we misplaced our passports and DH ended up doing an emergency run for a new one for work!

Toffee ds1 hated swallowing pills. I am sorry you have to deal with this, it is soo frustrating. Is it to do with texture or does he hate the ef, irfects of them, or is it just that he doesn't like being told to do stuff? x

I am doing an Ocado order. Not very good at it, I find I end up stockpiling in belief it will save time at a later date, but end up with hotchpotch of stuff..

done
kids at school
enjoyed book launch. Book was about Depression. It was a glitzy eve, ironically..still processing the event...and nursing mild hangover.
rang friend, and arranged coffee next week
hormones have confined me to bed again but as it is raining don't feel so bad...will try and turn it into a nice cosy day and not get anxious

DETERMINED TO DO SOMETHING I ENJOY today like sewing or cooking recreationally.

rubbish is a bit nearer leaving the premises but I'm still stuck on getting it into the car, as it is soggy now.. Maybe will bag it up in black bin liners for next week

ta da
deal with overtired and virtually in tears ds
pick up prescription
pop into boots for a few bits
sort out plans for saturday
Ring to make following appointments: ds hospital, ds dentist failed on both counts hospital to sort and send and dentist phone stupid busy so will have to walk down later
Email, internet stuff etc
rescue laundry from mine and ds' rooms
put bedding on to wash - mine
Cake in oven
collect washing up from around house and put in kitchen
take bed apart and make sure matress is not escaping!
finish blanket
boil up 5 handwarmers where the fuck are their partners?
Start setting up next blanket
2nd bedding wash
rescue boxes of paperwork for shredder out of back bedroom
make use of the rain and put 1 box through the incinarator
Have shower and desmokify
Towel load of washing on.

Yes, it's maddening, Swan. He's still refusing to take them and telling me that I'm making his stress worse by asking him. He really is impossible to deal with today.

I'm printing out a page from a medical website explaining what happens if you suddenly stop taking Prozac. Am hoping the logic will win him over. The trouble is that I suspect there's something else going on in his head that he won't share with me - perhaps fear of contamination or the pills making him ill or something. We've been through this all before.

And we are also going to tell him that he can't have his new computer (a secondhand one donated by a friend) until he takes the capsules. That might be a disaster, mind you, and trigger an outburst.

Still working through my list of three .

toffee ds is not trouble, I actually feel sorry for him. He is just absolutely shattered. He has sleep meds for tonight it was a fuck up on my part due to the bank holiday weekend. An early night tonight and for a few nights and he will be right as rain.

The issue of meds is a tricky one. With ds' inhalers the pead said that if he needs them he will take the otherwise not to worry. But in your ds' case this is not really something that can be put into practice. Is it a control thing. He needs to feel like he has control of something and everything else is beyond his control, so he controls what he can (ie his meds). Could giving him some more responsibility and things he can feel like he has control over actually help? Ds controls his food intake when he feels out of control with other things.

Also there is a book that I have found invaluable since ds has gotten older with helping with his aspie issues this one it explains normal people to aspies and normalises aspie things for them. It has been bloody brilliant for me, but ds will need his own copy cos I have scribbled all over it. (ie made notes and used it like a study book)

Right lunch, coffee and something else of the to do list...

That's good that you are feeling sympathy and understanding for your DS, not annoyance, Bitchy. Glad he has the sleep meds again for tonight.

I'm not sure why DS1 suddenly refuses his meds. He'll take them for weeks at a time without protest, then suddenly go on strike. It could well be a control thing and DS1 certainly could be feeling life is out of his control at the moment.

Thanks for the link to the Aspie book. That's one of the books I looked at after the diagnosis and I've put it on my wishlist. Encouraging that you have found it so helpful.

Anyway, I have success to report: DS1 took his pills! Confrontation never works with him, so I chose a different route and bought him a Coke as a surprise (he loves the stuff and knows I don't approve of it). That took him by surprise, but he was really pleased, then said, "Hang on - there must be a catch, right?", at which point I produced the Prozac. Luckily, this made him laugh. I then spent some time watching his Roblox game and chatting and he took the capsules with no problems.

I have left him with a printout of the side effects of not taking the meds and am hoping this gets through to him.

Phew. Success. Now back to home ed stuff with DS2. Maths next.

Flyingwise, I have swished and swiped and done one load of laundry.

Oh sod it, can't wait - have ordered that book, Bitchy. I think it's something I could read together with DS1. Thanks for the recommendation.

Glad to hear that humour worked Toffee.

Well, I have a horrible feeling that my washing machine is on the way out. It had a foam flood a couple of weeks ago, and now it's making quite a high pitched noise when it's on the spin cycle. Oh well, we've had it since before DS was born, so almost 4-5 years so I think we've done okay out of it. Just a bloody pest if it does go as DH will no doubt want input into the make and model... despite not using it!

Bed stripped, clothes washing done, got towels in just now, and then the bedding will go on; I'm washing it, tumbling it and putting it straight back on the bed as I CBA folding it all and swapping over.

Wrist is hurting quite a bit; I don't think Jillian helped so going to have some downtime and watch a film before going to pick up DS at nursery.

typical, just beginning to relax and another friend asks me to do something which fills me with fear and dread, without realising just how difficult I find some things atm, and now I feel guilty for letting her down in her hour of need. (It is her Dad's memorial and she wanted me to read a beautiful poem) However, I've just texted her, and she has replied (accepting my apology), but now my stomach's in knots again. Saturday is already a nightmare of longstanding arrangements, and I'm not only letting her down but dh now by attending a memorial which I hadn't remembered!

Need to pay for my Ocado order, that at least will be something.

Bitchy book looks good. I went on Amazon only to find dd seems to have set up her own Amazon account and new password [grr]

Toffee I only persuade ds1 to take pills by hiding them in banana cake or suchlike. I'm afraid we are moderately familiar with coke in this house. It is my ultimate pick me up, as it reminds me of being a child on holiday in a hot country.

Paid rest of holiday money
Paid Ocado
Rang bank

Cooked mince in fridge

3 list
Watched Graham Norton from Friday (Jackman, Fassbender & McAvoy... I so would!)
Get final load on
Find microphone for computer (DH has hidden this)

Ta Da:
packed lunches and dcs to school on time
hosted small coffee morning
finished current lot of marking
returned books to library
post office
grocery shopping
boden autumn preview order - dh will be cross but it was 20% off
loaded dishwasher

still to do: washing once dcs in pjs and today's mission