Let April Spring Cleaning with the Fledglings commence (hopefully Dogsbum wont turn it into too much of a shower....)

[Dogsbumhair]

The fledglings is a long running thread based on the Flylady cleaning/tidying principles. Personally I’m a newbie with only a couple of months flying under my belt but some members of the group have been on the thread for a number of years, so the thread is a mixed group of more and less experienced fledglings. I have found myself to be very warmly received as a newbie so please don’t be scared to join the gang.

Flylady link link here.

The system initially seems quite confusing so my advice as a fellow newbie would be to just go with it and accept that you will probably feel a bit confused for the first couple of weeks and then it will start to come together and make more sense.

The basic principles are (very) loosely as follows:

1. No perfectionism allowed (it is your enemy and it is stopping you getting anything done)
2. Little and often is the way to go (your house didn’t get in a mess in a day, it wont get sorted in one)
3. You are never behind, just jump in where you are (We are in a different zone of the house each week and all the house zones come round once a month, so all the tasks will come round again soon)
4. The point of this system is that by doing little and often your life isn’t dominated by housework and you have more time to do the fun things that you’d much prefer to be doing

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.

Later on today I will be posting up the links and information for tomorrow’s tasks

The advice from the wise and experienced members of the group is not to subscribe to the emails, but I have to confess that as a foolish newbie I do receive them I have learnt to ruthlessly bin anything beyond the actual flying tasks though.

Hopefully I haven’t missed anything too important off this introduction, but I’m sure someone more experienced will pop up to supplement this information if I have.

Good luck and happy flying through April!……………..

Has anyone used HEAS.org.uk? and are their publications good?

SC ds had the minor surgery to stop the nose bleeds in the doctor's surgery. Dogsbum ds' gp examined and did then and there based on the calendar of nose bleeds.

I have been having a really really annoying day. Been fighting red tape all over the place and feeling very very pissed off! Several departments don't fucking pick up their phones and I shouted at some poor social worker I was transferred to by mistake who then told me that the area no longer has an official schools department. I am trying to calm down enough to write the letter of complaint that is needed having double checked the complaints procedure.

Oh that's good DEM - hopefully Dogsbum can get it done pronto then; just didn't want to give a wrong impression; am out of touch with how things run in UK now! Sorry to hear you have had such a stressful morning.

I was up with a lark but fading a bit now. Was going to go on quick supermarket run but still not quite right as feel a bit dizzy/distant from time to time but functioning reasonably normally apart from that. Didn't get much done in boudoir though!

Ta da:
fed animals
carried dirty washing downstairs and sorted
dd's gym bag packed
(dh took dog on school run and back and then to office for a bit)
(dh and dd also did quick supermarket run on way back from school this lunchtime)
15 mins decluttering boudoir
got laundry ready for fortnightly ironing lady who didn't show owing to general strike (so understable really!) but because have stacks!
collected various mugs/glasses/plates from around house
emptied dw and stacked with bkfst things
bits of hand washing up
e-mailed some friends
washed more winter wollies and hung out to dry
made soup from about-to-be-old-if-not-used-now veg in veg box in fridge
made blood orange salad
prepped, served and cleared up lunch
rebooted wm
hwk supervision inc learning French poem

To do:
as many x15 mins in boudoir as poss
change bed
prep supper

Think that will be me done and dusted for the day tbh. Bit pathetic really.

Tomorrow’s links…..

Baby-step no. 23 for Wed 23rd April is here

We are in Zone 4 The Master Bedroom this week: here

If you want to, you can declutter for 15 mins a day in Zone 4!

The detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 4 is here

Thursday’s mission is here

The daily focus for Thursday is: Errand Day

The monthly habit for April is making your bed

For a summary of the above, see the flight plan: here

Happy flying…..

Mixed results with the GP trip today. While I was there it was all great, the Dr said it could be done at the surgery and should be prioritised to be done in next few weeks by the Dr who does the mole work (I'll refer to him as Mole Man) who is a former surgeon.

Sadly by the time I got home there was a voicemail message to say that it would need to be done after Meerkitten arrives due to the issue with using anaesthetic.

I haven't been able to get through to the surgery but I have managed to book an appt online with Mole Man next Friday so I'll ask him if it is possible to do without anaesthetic, may be they'll let it be done with the freezing they use for warts. If not at least the person who'll be doing the surgery will have seen the mole for himself, so nothing lost. Fingers crossed he sees things my way

How frustrating, Dogs. But your plan sounds a good one. If the mole really can't be removed before MeerKitten's arrival, could you cover it with a plaster to protect it? (Depends where it is, of course).

SC - how on earth can you call that list 'pathetic'? You did loads as far as I can see, especially considering you're not feeling well. Don't be so hard on yourself .

Dark - no, I haven't used publications by HEAS, so can't comment. I think I've browsed their website in the past. The most useful source of information for me was the home ed board on Mumsnet, to be honest. Sorry to hear today's been tough.

DS1 had another very good visit to the school today and will start having a weekly lesson there with his LEA teacher next week. I just wish the school would hurry up and commit to giving him a place. The waiting is agonising.

Have just discovered that the home-ed trip that I had written on the calendar for Friday is actually tomorrow . Luckily, I noticed in time to rush to the local shop and stock up on bread, etc for our packed lunch. We are going to a local farm, but it also has playgrounds and so on, so there's going to be lots to do. DS2 is really looking forward to it and would have been so upset if we'd missed it.

Work has started on getting our garden prepared for decking. Am so excited at the prospect of having a respectable garden that we can actually use .

Morning!

Yay to you and ds1 re: another good school visit Toffee! And although you are understandably frustrated about the lack of a confirmed school place, a weekly lesson sounds like a great idea! Hope you and ds2 enjoy yr home ed trip today too!

And thanks, but that is the sort of list I would expect to achieve on top of a 'proper' working day. As dh kindly stepped in to do school runs and supermarket sweep, I didn't even leave the house yesterday at all, so had more time than usual to get stuff done! Academic hwr as not feeling so great today either (frustratingly) so being forced to take it steady ... .

That is rather frustrating about the mole situation Dogsbum - surely a local anaesthetic wouldn't do any harm? I know someone who had her gallbladder out while pregnant under general anaesthetic without any probs at all. Let's hope Mole Man can sort it swiftly next Friday for you.

Had a bit of a stressful afternoon yesterday ... all the usual ... hwk supervison stress, dd over-tired and grouchy, procrastinating over bathing/hwk. I don't know whether to come down very hard on her or to be sympathetic (hard to do latter when she made dh late this morning). But she is complaining about pains in her legs saying that they hurt and are "too long" and she is growing very fast. She honestly looks like one of those gangly baby giraffes that fall over their own feet.

Had a very bad night coughing/not sleeping etc. Feel like death today so just tottering about atm. Furry friend being very, very good though, bless him!

Today:
boudoir (as much as poss)
sewing
food prep
laundry

SC get dd a foam roller and on her front and then sitting up butt to knee in the reverse. Ten repeats of each 2-3 times a day will help with growing pains in the tops of her legs. Loosens tight muscles and takes a couple of minutes. Not sure about tightness in the lower legs as ds has specific muscle issues but will have a hunt to see how appropriate the lower leg ones I have would be. Ds is an absolute pita to take meds regularly but will do the physio as he knows that to not do so = pain.

Annoying for you Dogs hope you manage to get some sort of compromise on the situation.

Yesterday was stupidly stressful and very late. Trying very hard to finish off followup paperwork today but really only want to sleep. Coffee and hot water bottle is needed today. I have burn out.

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to post that DEM! V. kind of you and always wondered what those foam things were for!! . She does have exercises from kiné that she has to do before and after sport (something to do with her pelvis being slightly too backwards) so we can easily add that in to the mix! Thanks again and hope today proves less stressful!

Can also be

Just make sure dd is warmed up before she attempts it

Today is less stressful. I am hiding in bed

Ouch at the splits DEM but thank you again ! And she's usually pretty on top of her ballet warm up and warm down routine, so we'll definitely give it a go! Oh to be young again!

Enjoy your duvet!!

Not sure what this young about you are meaning SC The splits video was how i was using my foam roller before the physio wanted ds using it for his exercises

Have you seen the positions those girls are getting in to DEM ???!!!

I have difficulty touching my toes nowadays!!

It is only over splits SC use it or lose it

Methinks you are very bendy DEM

Hello everyone,

I've been AWOL for a few days but have just caught up on the thread.

My interview went really well and I have been put forward for the second stage which will likely be at the end of May.

I have hardly done a thing round the house as I've been busy doing the family business accounts which I let stack up unattended for far too long, and now I'm paying the price!

Linzer - glad your DD is adapting well

Toffee - your DS sounds like he is doing really well

Dogs - I wouldn't be surprised if your doctors will want to send away your removed mole for a biopsy, just to check for any nasties.

Right, got to get DS off to bed

Tomorrow’s links…..

Baby-step no. 24 for Fri 24th April is here

We are in Zone 4 The Master Bedroom this week: here

If you want to, you can declutter for 15 mins a day in Zone 4!

The detailed cleaning list (if you are at that stage) for Zone 4 is here

Friday’s mission is here

The daily focus for Friday is: De-Clutter Your Handbag and Car Day

The monthly habit for April is making your bed

For a summary of the above, see the flight plan: here

Happy flying…..

Hi all, sorry to go AWOL yet again. DD is now well, took a bit longer than I thought but she was pretty brave about it all (constant stomach pain). Some of my elderly relatives have unfortunately had some health issues too, that may be ongoing for a bit.

House is not bad downstairs, upstairs needs some serious work though. The improvement in downstairs is not due to less time on t'internet though, promise!

Have to stay in tomorrow for a delivery so will try and catch up a bit on this fast moving thread!

And it's nearly Friday - woo hoo - let's be awesome out there today!

Thanks everyone for comments on molegate. I feel pretty laid back about it at the moment, whatever will be will be so to speak, but it would be nice to get it resolved in advance of Meerkitten I have to admit.

Toffee your plaster suggestion is a good idea in theory, the proximity to my nipple is my issue, not sure if it will be viable or not, hard to say at this point. If Dr wont remove it perhaps he will have some suggestions of how I can protect it, especially during the healing stage after removal.

Home-ed trip to farm sounds like fun, I hope it went well.

Steady good to hear what you say about anaesthetic, I'll have to remember that when I see Mole Man.

Grey I'm more than happy for them to send mole away to check it. Dr I saw yesterday didn't see any reason to be concerned about it in terms of cancer but it would seem like a sensible precaution to check it, I'll see what Mole Man says on that front.

At the moment I'm focussed on DP going to India on Saturday morning so don't feel I've got any brain cells left to think about anything else. I think he is mostly sorted now though, getting things to wear when it is going to be 40 degrees but he needs to wear office clothes was the big deal but we got him most of what he needs yesterday evening and then went for a meal out which was really nice.

We also booked tickets to go and see a play in a few weeks so it is nice to have something else to look forward to before going out becomes difficult!

Hope you enjoyed the visit today Toffee and your picnic. Twas another beautiful day to be out of school

SC dd gets lots of growing pains and loves doing the splits (and cracking her knuckles [eeugh]) I do sometimes give her nurofen - I'm not sure if that is a bad thing or not for the bone stuff.
poor you feeling like death.Like Toffee I think you are doing plenty.

Today I cooked supper which was meant to be a delightful repast of spicy lamb merguez with a couscous flavoured with harissa vegetable sauce casserole thingy. Instead we had sausages and couscous with harissa paste unadorned Some lettuce too I really am giving up on the food preparation. I am just grateful if anyone sits through the meal without insulting someone else Everyone was good. Dd did scream that ds2 had to "thank" her for squeezing out the bottom of the ketchup bottle

today we had politics. Oh joy. General election politics.

done
judo
exercise for me and ds2
drove dd to school
found ds1' PE kit
history
Dombey
spelling
bought grade 4 scale book and replacement grade 4 violin book just in case he loses it
bought first Galbraith book as I've read the second
ds2 good company today!!!

DS2 and I had a very good day with the local home-ed group today, visiting a local farm. He fed the lambs (no lamb casserole for us for a while...), listened to a talk on life cycles, then we spent the rest of our time pottering round, looking at all the animals, eating our picnic and chatting in glorious sunshine. Oh, and DS had time to go in the farm playground too. So, all in all, very successful.

Amazingly, when DH picked us up in the afternoon, he had DS1 with him: he'd persuaded him to help him take stuff to the dump. And he had also (and I'm slightly in awe of this) managed to persuade DS1 to have his hair cut tomorrow . DS1 hasn't had a haircut for over a year and I've given up discussing it with him because he just gets cross. But DH has worked some kind of magic on him.

When we arrived home, DH showed me the under-stairs cupboard, which he had cleared out and tidied up whilst we were out. There is now room for all the home-ed stuff, which has been piling up in the sitting room till now.

Dogs - thought that might be the problem. I hope the Mole Man finds a solution for you.

Swan - glad you had a good day with DS2. It was, indeed, a good day to be out of school .

fiz - glad to hear your DD is on the mend. Sounds like a horrible thing to have.

Grey - fantastic news about your interview. Fingers crossed the next one goes as well. And yes, DS1 is doing well now he's getting the professional support he needs. It's so good to see .

Sorry DD is suffering growing pains, SC. I hope the exercises help. Glad all's still well with new furry friend.

DEM - hope you managed the bed rest you needed today.

Off to bed shortly, as I have to be up early tomorrow to take delivery of stacks of wood for our garden decking.

What the hell did you do to your DH toffee

Running late and all over the place. Did get the rest I wanted yesterday. Two hour nap thank you very much

big list of things i want to do will have to see what I actually get done.

hope you all have a lovely day.

Oh and SC Take it easy!