March of the Fledglings 2015

[Slingclutter]

Heartfelt thanks to Whoknows for running the February thread during such a stressful time for her (and to Toffee for helping out.)

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 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 on Flying lessons. Here's the launch pad for more experienced fledglings.

Don't be put off by the purple prose and 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 might 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 15 mins 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, regulars, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome!

Is that you Bless? :o

I have just figured out I feel like death because I have had less than 4hrs sleep. explains the need to main line coffee and lack of wish to function

I don't want to do anything. Some one want to throw some motivational words and a boot at me?

Oops! Well spotted PegLeg . I only have the other U/N for the purposes of trying to recruit people for my survey!

Bless I was wondering who that other U/N was! I live about 6 miles away from the festival.

Done some shopping this morning, met a friend for coffee and done more kitchen work/washing up/tidying. Trying to menu plan this week, I think it always makes the week go more smoothly and with it being Red Nose Night we'll have a few special items to make it more of a celebration on Friday. DD has extra swimming so I'm trying to get ahead because I'll be in late that night.

Bitchy can't think of any motivational words throws boot but with only 4 hours sleep it is a day to take it easy!

A nap has been had. can't say i feel much better for it. But now time for getting sorted and errand running with ds after school. Yay

Yeah, I know I've been AWOL.

But, but... DH has just been offered a job 400 miles from our current location but right next to family.

I can't tell anyone yet until he gets the formal offer, but I'm so happy I have to let someone know, so you lovely lot drew the short straw!

How lovely Carpe. So pleased for you. And isn't it dreadful waiting on tenterhooks until it's all signed and sealed and you can actually act on it? Hope that happens soon.

That's wonderful news, Carpe. Fingers crossed it's all formalised soon.

Quick crisis clean this morning before DS1's therapist arrived: hoovered, mopped floors, room rescues.

Therapy session went really well; DS1 came out for a walk with the therapist and me. He was in a really good mood afterwards - I think the sunshine cheered him up.

And this afternoon, DH and I went to a meeting at DS1's prospective school to discuss his progress. They still won't commit to offering him a place , but agreed that they feel they will be able to support his needs and that he's doing well so far. They just want him to complete some lessons there first. We've come up with a plan for the next few weeks, so at least we're making progress. Am feeling hopeful .

Not much home ed done today, but DS2 decided to reorganise his bookcase alphabetically, so am putting that under 'life skills' and 'English / literacy'. He also played quite a lot of Minecraft (IT skills). Then my Ocado order arrived with lots of sugar-free food and drink to tie in with our topic on teeth and healthy eating, so we discussed why these were better for us and he tasted some new food and drink (Science). Oh, and he visited his Grandma whilst we were at the meeting, and made a Lego kit (construction/ design and technology), then played Scrabble (English) with Grandma (life skills and socialising). Have I missed any subject categories out there?

Now he's watching one of the old St Trinian's films with DH (media studies? ).

Sod today's list

Congrats Carpe how exciting!

Hey Toffee - guess what's missing!

Toffee I'm most impressed with your home edding today :o my two did a bit of a 'learn to tell the time' workbook (long overdue!) and apart from that it's been pretend play all day!

Ah, hang on, DS2 also had to count his books, estimate the length of the book shelves in order to fit the books on and - er - sort out some matching socks. Does that count as Maths, Honu? (PS: we started using the paperclips last week).

Peg - it was definitely autonomous home ed today, so I feel a bit guilty as we are usually semi-structured. Pretend play for little ones is good!

:o I think we will be semi-structured too really, will definitely be doing 'official' maths and English every day anyway although we tend to do some incidentally too (and the DCs are so much more receptive to that since leaving school). I'm not sure though, we will see where we end up!

I was chatting to another mum at brownies today, she didn't realise DD had left school and asked "so how do you homeschool then" and I probably sounded like a right idiot because I didn't have a coherent answer! I was too worried about sounding arrogant :o

Hello everyone,

Yippee for your family Carpe, bet you can't wait for that confirmation letter

Very impressive approach to home de Toffee, sounds like you had a busy day

Feeling any better Bitchy ?

I've not done too much flying today other than the very very basics - think DS and cats fed ... and not much else
However, I've had a lovely day catching up with my brother who I haven't seen for ages and then playing in the garden with DS.

Actually I submitted my application form to continue my studies, I've been procrastinating on this big time, so mega achievement actually!

Wing flaps to you all

Ds has taken himself to bed early Grey So there is less shouting which helps. Just waiting for the bread machine to do its shit so that I can go to bed.
A good night's sleep will fix a lot so fingers crossed I get one.

Done all the jobs i needed to do today I think. Well I did the important ones (optician and dentist for ds) and ironing.

Evening all

Hope everyone has had a good day!!

Went over to friend's place today, then we went out to lunch when I was so overwhelmed by seeing English fish and chips on the menu that I broke my diet on the 3rd day in but at least I stuck to Lenten wine abstinence, then back to ours (with her dd) to watch Cheltenham.

Carpe that is fabulous news!! Congratulations!!

Fingers crossed the school will offer your dd1 a confirmed place soon Toffee he has done so well and made so much progress!

Like the idea of the cauliflower pasta replacement ¨Whoknows is it cooked or raw?

Big waves to everyone else!

Hope no one minds but I still have lots to do this evening to get ready for tomorrow, so just going to post links and run, and will catch up with thread properly tomorrow pm

**

The baby-step for Wed 11th March is here an ignorable one about adding 'inspirational' pages to your control journal pass the sick bucket.

We are in Zone 2 this week: the kitchen March 8-14.

If you want to, you can declutter 15 mins a day in this zone!

The detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 2 is here.

Wednesday's mission is here clean your small appliances such as microwave, coffee machine, toaster etc.

The daily focus for Wednesday is: anti-procrastination day start planning that essay, book that mammogram ! (Will follow my own advice one of these days! )

The monthly habit for March is the controversial one about getting dressed immediately and wearing lace up shoes indoors etc.

For a summary of the above, see the flight plan : www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120 which should update itself daily.

G'night all!

Meant to say, won Euros 18 on Faugheen! Not a v. spectacular return on a Euros 10 but paid for a coffee!!

As my mother would sat, its better than a spit in the eye SC congrats on the win.

I have found the source. Another virus has materialised. Bored of it. Fed up of being so run down. Will be glad when the cycle breaks and I can properly recover. Dosed up and curled up in bed.

ta da
Normal wash
Towel wash
Tumble dry
Put all dry clothes away
Phone doctors!
Collect meds (if above phonecall is successful) won't be ready for a couple of days
More tidying with DCs
Get DD ready for Brownies (lots of stuff needed that she only mentioned yesterday!)

So not a successful day! Suffering from lack of meds I think, need to book a proper appointment to try and increase them. Work tomorrow so won't be aiming for much except the laundry I didn't do today!

Oh bitchy that sucks :( I live in absolute fear of The Next Bug, sorry you are trapped in the cycle!

SC - lightly steamed cauli, so it breaks up easily but isn't squidgy. I didn't do so well for tea today (pie and chips!). DS cooked pasta, pesto and salad for him and DD, but DH doesn't really like pasta and cauli with pesto is a step too far for me.

I am on a campaign to get the DCs cooking more as we have slacked a bit with that due to busy evening schedules. So when we meal plan on a Sunday we allocate a meal of their choice to a suitable day each. Lets see how long we keep it up! I am also on a respect mission for the two of them, they are constantly bickering and DS runs DD down all the time.

Carpe - brilliant news, I know this is something you've been thinking about for quite a while, hope that letter comes quickly.

Tada!

Found DD a belt
Cleared all floors (not 100%, but near enough)
Swept / mopped kitchen floor, used steam cleaner to get at all the grotty bits round the edges that a normal mop doesn't quite get to, plus kitchen cupboard doors, freezer and DW door seals, appliance fronts etc
Mopped bathroom floor
Hoovered downstairs (planning to do upstairs in the morning, didn't get the tidying done till just before DCs went to bed.
Two lots of washing done, line dried (hooray!) and put away
Changed light bulb
Shopping
Pilates
Emails
OU work
Ballet and tap class for DD
Didn't go to DH's work, they were busy and so was I. Think this is going to be tricky, will reschedule for another day.

Yay for being nearer family, Carpe!

hi all,

went to Oxford today with dh and ds - ds a bit wearing conversationally - dh wilting by the end of it and coping with ds during lunch with our host. It was all fun though and we saw the room that we want built in our garden in their garden so that was a good investment of time!

Pizza for supper. Not homemade I'm afraid - from Sainsbury. Did quite well today no cakes or ale or choc and just scrambled egg (no toast) for breakfast.

Carpe good news.
Bitchy my old mangeress used to say Better than a slap in the face with a wet fish. Most uncouth.

Ds2 and I have been crying with laughter over Masterchef. Ds2 was doing a spoof of it " Crispin has made a cheese sandwich using white sliced and grated cheddar" and "Emily has a made a pudding of green facecream on a sponge base". Goodness I never realised it was such fun. It does put you off food though. Dd was looking at us as if we were completely weird.

SC I think the art to the diet is not to feel one has fallen at the first chip. Keep going! Do what is necessary not what is impossible!

Toffee hurrah for sunshine and ds1 feeling better and cheerful.

Today the only home ed I have done apart from train connections is to look at the Seurat picture of The Bathers from National Gallery website. And ds2 did some spellings/phonics. And Moby Dick. Captain Ahab seems to have turned into Macbeth..Babbling about false prophesies and terrible premonitions

Woken up at half six by DD screaming because the neighbour DC asked if she wanted to play out now (yes now) and we said no?! WTF

Good morning all!

at your neighbours Pegleg. One can only hope that the parents were asleep, blissfully unaware, although that wouldn't be very good from a safety pov thinking about it. Either way, not good!

Whoknows thanks for cauli tips. I have to be careful with the amount of veg and salad I eat instead of carbs as my (sorry for tmi) tubes and pipes don't respond particularly favourably to masses of fibre nowadays, but will definitely try the cauli on a day when I haven't had veg soup or a salad for lunch! Thanks again.

Ta da so far this morning:
emptied dw
filled dw
emptied tumble dryer and wm
filled tumble dryer and wm
sorted dd's gym kit
found replacement grey tights for dd for the ones with a hole
sorted ironing pile for fortnightly ironing lady
cleaned kitchen surfaces
shined sink

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Maths question

Just off to volunteering slot but wanted to say to Swan¨Bitchy Honu Dogsbumand anyone else I may have forgotten ...

There was indeed a (French in this instance) translation mistake in the maths question (the school's, not ours!) you so kindly helped us with!

There are 28 books in total.
And three people: Lander, Tristan and Isolde.
Lander reads twice as many books as Tristan.
Isolde reads one fewer than Tristan.
How many bks do they each read?

Sum should have read...
If Lander read two more books than Tristan (instead of twice as many)

Therefore answer (I think) = Isolde 8, Tristan 9, Lander 11

Thank you so much for all of your help though!! Glad to know we weren't all puzzling over nothing! Teacher didn't respond in any way other than give dd the correct version and help her work out the answer, but she is very busy!

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Right had better dash ... bbl to catch up with thread in more detail!

Have a good non-procrastinating day Fledglings!