Fledglings polish their pumpkins and do their best, it's time for a Fling Boogie Octoberfest!

[Stewedcoot]

Heartfelt thanks to Engels (and Bitchy!) for leading the thread throughout September (Sept always being a busy one) despite feeling a bit poorly and despite being pregnant. Hope beneficial effects of injections kick in soon!

If you are strugging 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 and along the way.

Flylady link here.

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):

1. start or repeat baby steps

1. repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

1. 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!

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 daily and doing the babysteps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names!) can have scary looking lists but don't let that worry you! Do what you can, anything is better then nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a brew + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders!

Oh and don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey – some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome!

Good to hear you are sitting down Engels I think decluttering is psychologically hard (as well as physically) when you are pregnant - all one's instincts go in the other direction - ie to feather the nest!

Errgggh, is there anything more stressful in life (I know there is but ...) than watching your own child make mistakes and having to sit back and let them? DD has a history/French project to complete at school by Thurs. She has to speak for 10 mins, without notes, in front of two teachers and the whole class. She has had more than a month in which to do it. I cracked the week before last and started it off for her, we found some resources together on the net and printed out some interesting letters/pictures/facts etc and we cut it down in to short headings so that it didn't seem so overwhelming. I even sorted out a file for her with dividers but then made it clear to her that for the rest she was on her own. And it has been drummed in to us by the teachers that Year 6 is all about autonomy and letting them make their own mistakes.

So, she didn't do any work on it when we had four clear days recently despite reminders from us (we were travelling but took the file with us and had plenty of odd hours in which to at least make a start). She didn't do it last weekend or last Wednesday afternoon (Wed afternoons are free here) despite more nagging parental reminders. So it is now 2.30pm (BE time) on a Sunday afternoon and she has about 1hr 45mins of ordinary hwk to complete before she can start to write it - never mind learn it! (I've told her it is a risk leaving it so late; what if she is ill next Wednesday afternoon or someone invites her to tea etc etc?? But it all goes on deaf ears.) I've also made it clear that we will be doing preventative nit-combing/bathing/laying out of uniform at 4.45pm and dinner will be at 6pm sharp and she will be going to bed early at 8pm. Oh Gaawwdddd ....this isn't looking good ... .

Sorry for the long non-Flying rant. It just gets to me ... .

SC rant away, you've done all you can. Maybe if she ends up doing this talk under pressure, she may remember and then plan future projects. Says the person who regularly did work the night before

So puddings are in the oven, bubbling nicely away and I'm about to start on the cake. remember I'm only being this organised so I can make presents of them this weekend. Wouldn't normally be this good. And the flat is a tip, I've done no missions for weeks And they are here on Friday!!!!! And Thursday I'm at the Croft. And, and, and......

Ok can't sit here MNing and FB & twittering

BBL

It is hard to let them make mistakes but you are not going to be stood over her shoulder all the time and she will have to learn to do it for herself. Perhaps the only way for her to learn is to make the mistake.

Ds has this warning. I have told him that I don't care when he does his homework but if it is not done he will take the consequences from both at school and at home. He is welcome to help if he requires it. But it is his homework and if it doesn't done or he drags his feet doing it he will have less time to do fun things. So far it has worked, with the exception of the argument about the new level of expectations on him which i had to walk away from. Maths was submitted early. Literacy is more of an issue.

Had a nightmare night and finally fell asleep around 7/7:30am :( woke up about 2pm and not up to doing anything more than to ensure that ds has a bed,school uniform and everything else that needs doing for that. Oh also got a long drive to do so will need to consider moving and breakfast shortly.

Hope you don't mind me rejoining the fold after many months of absence?! Sc thanks for keeping me in mind with a wingflap in your opening post!

I really, really need to pull myself together this month. We've just buried dMiL, so poor DH has neither parent left at 33. It has been a very sad few weeks. I am trying to keep the ship sailing steady for us now, with an incredibly busy and stressful few months ahead before our first baby is due - I'm starting my 28th week of pregnancy tomorrow .

We gave notice to our landlady yesterday to move out of our rental house on Oct 31st, but out own house still has such a long way to go before it will be habitable on a basic level. It is do-able but DH isn't very motivated at the moment and thinks it will all be fine (never mind the face we have no running water, toilet, flooring, painting, kitchen, appliances, carpentry done or furniture sourced yet ) Soooo I will have to crack the whip in the nicest possible way, which isn't an easy balance!

Add to that the decluttering, packing, moving, and unpacking of all of our possessions, baby purchases, potted garden () and two cats before the baby arrives....and the cleaning of rental house along with the cleaning of new house building site

Sooooo, starting with the power of 3: make some lunch, grocery shop & unpack, tidy kitchen...

Goth I am very of your levels of organisation with Christmas baking underway! And also those of you who have started present shopping . Next year, maybe that will be me...wingflaps to all!

Castle welcome back! So sad to hear about your DMIL. But maybe your DH will find his motivation once your are in the the new house. Fingers crossed here for you.

Having 5 minute break before next job whatever it is

Thank you Goth, I hope he finds it before we move in!
Bet your house is smelling delicious after the baking!

Thanks everyone - very kind of you - going to let her fall on her own sword as it were . She has to learn the lesson the hard way. (I would be more sympathetic if she hadn't been so incredibly rude and stroppy this afternoon too!) This is the second Sunday running we have had the afternoon ruined by hwk stress and we have the delights of nit-combing to come! Oh joy! So have left dh surveying the two soups I have finally made and I'm going to watch the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe shortly!

[Sympthies Bitchy see you are dealing with the same issues. I have tried the "more time to do fun things" argument but it just doesn't seem to work. [Tears out hair.] Going to follow your good example and take a stronger line now though.

Goth that is amazing! [And they smell delicious! ] I was thinking of you while grating nutmeg in to my butternut squash soup this afternoon. (Time to order my Christmas spices from the UK including industrial quantities of mixed spice!) It sounds like you have loads on but hang in there - you'll get there! Hands over

Sorry you had such a wretched night Bitchy. Hope you don't mind me asking but is the weekend driving shared or is it all down to you?

Seems a bit unfair if so. Good idea to cut down on doing everything except the essentials and save your energy for tonight. Have a safe journey!

Yay!! Castle Welcome back! Tis brilliant to 'see' you!! I can't believe you are already at 28 weeks!! That is wonderful news!! (And boy did that go quickly or what?!!) I always remember 28 wks being the deadline at which one can breathe a sigh of relief and relax a bit and stop worrying so much once the lungs are formed etc.

I'm so sorry to hear about your dmil . You have all had such a sad time recently, and so soon after losing your own df. You sound like you are keeping a huge number of plates spinning atm but don't be tempted to neglect yourself and remember to take it steady (no lifting of heavy garden pots for example!!!). I can understand your dh feeling very down atm but hope he feels more motivated in a little while.

It's so lovely that the pair of you have such a happy event to look forward to! You deserve it! Good luck with the house move and all the attendent preparations!!

Castle welcome back. Sorry for your loss. Hopefully the 31 October deadline will push your DH into stepping up a gear or two?

Shared SC we meet half way. 4hr round trip, but also 4hr trip on way so we both end up doing mileage. Ex is collecting him from school at half term and occasionally i take him all the way down if i want to catch up with old friends. It was just the ex is far better at a very long distance as a general rule

Sound advice from bitchy re DD sc .

Welcome back castle . Sorry to hear about you dMIL.

I'd forgotten we were so close together - 28w here today. Hope you're feeling good with it.

Goth I am fighting the urge to go and get one of my Christmas Yankee candles. I bought myself a gift set as a treat so I can enjoy a lovely smelling December on ML before the baby arrives.

ta da
sent invites for DS birthday (email) and ordered cake
washing-up
cleared a few old bits our of freezer/stock take
stock take of dried/tinned goods cupboard
hoovered stairs
looked at ikea catalogue and have now picked out DS's wardrobe and bedside table (NOT from ikea [blus] ) . Going to get them tomorrow.

This evening - pamper myself with a foot soak and face mask. In fact, may go and do that right now.

Is it wrong to want the Lakeland insulated butter dish? www.lakeland.co.uk/1496/Insulated-Butter-Dish

I'm making the switch to butter, and I hate it when the butter is too solid to spread on bread easily, but worry about it getting icky.

I've got that Alice - it still gets a bit too warm and melty in summer and I do pop it in the fridge if there's a heatwave, but it is pretty good, looks nice too and obviously is unbreakable. We use about a block of butter a fortnight kept out of the fridge and never had going off problems.

WhoKnows so you literally have the same block of butter in the butter dish on the counter for a fortnight with no problems?? Okay, that really helps me decide. I was worried about it going off, but shouldn't be a problem based on that. Thanks!

Thanks for all the warm welcomes back . Engels I'm a week behind you. 27 weeks today, and starting week 28 tomorrow . Was terribly sick for about 10wks, but feeling great now thankfully.

Alice I have a similar butter dish. I keep most of the butter in the fresh and cut a chunk off at a time and leave in the butter dish, so it's always nice and malleable.

Sc hope you enjoyed the Arc. DH went out to watch it at 1pm with his siblings and hasn't returned. He will be getting a nice long to-do list tomorrow....

Toffee glad to hear the mention of kittens on your list.

Good luck with the driving Bitchy.

Sorry Alice that should read fridge!

I leave the butter on the bench for up to 2 weeks it doesn't go off. Butter is far more resilient than marg/spread imo. Although I suspect we get through more than a block in a fortnight.

Am back. Am tired. Have fucked up and double booked myself again tomo I quit. My bed is looking comfy, ds is asleep. I am hauling my ass into it.

Back again, puddings are cooked and cooling. The house does smell good and I now want some butternut squash soup SC
I need to look for brown paper for cooking the cake, so that will be either tomorrow or Tuesday.

Have got fed up with my hair (again) so got DH to cut it off with the clippers and re dyed it purple. All I need now is some Doc Martins and I'm ready for a feminist peace camp

Still have to update FB/email out details of this weeks Woodcraft activities and do a final load of washing up and then I can chill out for the evening.

got DH to cut it off with the clippers and re dyed it purple I have never under stood the appeal of short hair. Don't you end up forgetting and scratch the heck out of your neck with the hair brush. cos I have done that to my back before

Ta-da:

*Cleaned one window/window sill in the new house - took ages to wash off plaster splatters etc. Was tired after that.
*Some ironing
*Dinner and wash up
*Relaxed with DH

Off to quickly fill and label a black sack (crafting/millinery/sewing) for moving, then shower & bed...

Good morning fledglings! There's a distinct autumnal feel in the air this morning! Posting today's links now and will BBL to catch on missed posts missed yesterday evening!

*

Baby-step no. 6 for Mon 6th Oct is a really helpful one about hot spots.

Oh dear, and when it finally appears that our beloved Fat Fairy has got her Zone dates for October sorted out here you press on the link for today's zone included thre and find yourself back in September! [Newcomers - I hope this isn't too confusing!]

But if you go through the launch pad you will discover that we are actually in Zone 2: the kitchen here!. Declutter in Zone 1 for 15 mins per day!

Today's mission (and all the missions for the week ahead) can be found: here. Spend 15 mins scrubbing the top of your stove.

The daily focus for Monday is: the weekly home blessing hour or what we call on here the "home bleugh". Newcomers, this involves spending 10 mins on 7 essential tasks around the home (although some of us find that it takes a little longer than that).

The monthly habit for October is getting rid of paper clutter.

For a summary of the above, see the flight plan which should update itself daily.

Have a good start to the week everyone!

***

included there

Morning everyone

Gosh it's wet and windy today - watching the trees out of my bedroom window and the smaller ones are nearly touching the floor.

Very tiring day yesterday so hoping for a slightly more laid back one today, although need to go to work so not too laid back!

To do
Paid work
Laundry
Go to ikea
Finances
Online shopping
Meal plan
Maybe go to Meadowhall
Rest

How can Meadowhell and laid back appear in the same post?
I do conclude that we are probably about 2hrs is away from each other though PMPY. How terribly fun. Love that you know some of my favourite places in the hills too. i say some I can get lost for days out there and not be anywhere but a favourite place

This morning is not exactly going to plan. decided to skip the drying hair bit and just throw it up wet. Autumn has hit with a downpour it would seem.

to do
ring work
get ds to doc
ds to school
work
sort out ds' stuff for tonight's training
teach/remind mother how to crochet squares
ds to training
read and fill in a whole heap of forms

right must dash, i think i am going to want my bed at a reasonable time tonight.

Morning all!

Thanks for the links sc

Send some wind over here pmpy - I love windy autumn days, just looks grey and mistyhere!

Ta da
wash on
breakfasted, showered
cleared up glass I broke and as a side effect hoovered kitchen floor.

to do
go and sort 8ut ds bedroom furniture
Supermarket
pack ds stuff for uk
ironing
injection this afternoon
get fish out of freezer for dinner

Dag/Salut/Hello (again)! Grey here too Engels It is very dark on our ground floor atm - intimations of the winter to come - and I don't really want reminding! [Makes mental note to seek out warm dressing gown, slippers with furry bits, nose cosy etc .]

Bitchy that's a heck of a lot of driving! Good that you are not doing it all! Good luck with your list today!

And with yours Pushme!

Engels Another one at 28 weeks! Such lovely news! (Gosh, that went quickly as well!) Congratulations and good luck with injection this pm!

Not pathetic at all Castle in fact v. relieved to hear you are taking it steadily! Hope your dh had a great time in Paris! So happy for Criquette although had a small wager on Kingston Hill ... .

Goth You are incredibly brave! I wouldn't let my dh within several metres of my head whilst holding clippers! Glad the puddings turned out well and good luck with the cakes!

Alice/Whoknows butter goes off all the time here because dh can never be bothered to put it back in the fridge. I've tried using an insulated dish but I find if you use it for the same butter pat for longer than a day or so it tends to get all crummy and yucky so I gave up! (But we are probably messier than most!)

Big feathery waves to everyone else!

Ta da:
posted links
e-mail to headmistress
morning routine inc dw, wm, rabbits, s&s, dining room table hotspot

To do:
all the things I didn't get done at weekend!
put laundered clothes away
prep and do cool white wash
more laundry
recycling
ordinary rubbish
find plastic top hat (or get dd to do this)
30 mins French
1 hr boudoir
1 hr office
walk
make apple compote and perhaps pancake mixture
letter to bank
school run
healthy snack for dd
ballet run
hwk supervision
evening routine
supper (already prepped)
early bed

Have a good week everyone!