September 2015 fledglings shine their sink and their lace up shoes and prepare for the new academic year ahead

[standclear]

Welcome to the September 2015 Fledgling Flying thread! Hang up your microfibre cloths and park your buckets here!!

[Sorry - I've namechanged again - but remain SC]

This is where from the 1st of the month, we attempt to declutter and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy language and a surfeit of e-mails) with lots of chat and support and mutual motivation (and of course) along the way. (More info available here and here ) and here.

Humungous thanks to our previous thread leaders (nns relating to a planet and to a colour) for guiding us through the summer and keeping us sane throughout the holidays!

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach - and don't worry - we are all at different stages. Some of us (SC stares at feet) -are stuck at the decluttering stage after an embarrassingly long number of years :

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

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

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.

And those of you who have decluttered and are really enthusiastic can throw some detailed cleaning in to the mix as well!

This is a very long-running thread so we may appear cliquey but we really aren't! All newcomers, long-termers, lurkers and intermittent returnees not only welcome to join in but positively encouraged to do so!

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

knitting - yes, you might be right about the catching up with gossip thing. I hope so. Everyone is very smiley, but busy. Am going to a meeting about car sharing tomorrow night, so will get a chance to meet more people.

Hope your school meeting helps you out too, Blue. It's horrible not knowing anyone.

fuzz - well done on talking to your boss. That must have been a hard thing to do.

Another good day for the boys. Amazing. Both seem perfectly happy at their new schools so far. And DS2 said these amazing words, which I have never heard him say before (Honu - this if for you if you're lurking): "Maths was fun!"

However, I felt utterly exhausted by it all today: my head is spinning with all the stuff I have to remember for each child, dates for my diary, etc. And there are constant deadlines to meet - getting to school, pick ups, making dinner on time, bathtimes, bedtimes at sensible hours, all the school debris to collect and put together, uniforms to find and lay out, etc. It's quite a contrast with our laidback summer and the home-ed days before.

On the other hand, it's lovely not to be responsible for teaching or getting the boys out for exercise and sunshine at the moment.

I'm feeling exactly the same Toffee - so much to take in for DS's new school and DD came home with 4 letters from Brownies tonight, plus a deluge of emails from other activities we are involved in. A lot of juggling of children this week too with taking DS to the new school, it will be easier once he starts in his taxi, but I'm glad to be going in this week and chatting to other parents etc. Parking is chaos there though.

On the plus side, we seem to have gained 45 mins in the morning so I am getting the house really straight before heading out the door. Which is just as well because the evenings are so full-on and that's without several activities that haven't started back yet (mine and DD's ballet, her drama)

Cheers toffee it was a scheduled chat (because I'm on absence monitoring since this latest relapse, I have to meet regularly with her) so it was a bit easier, especially as she said she noticed I looked unwell which started the conversation for me IYSWIM.

And YAY for those magic words about maths! Fantastic news :)

Thank you blue new pupil is lovely and starts properly next week :) feeling very positive and hoping to secure a few more over the next couple of months. It's really helping me to know I've got a little something to bring in some money if work goes completely tits up, especially as it's not remotely physically demanding!

ooh I love the moon road (Swedish) and the person who never stops asking questions (pokkemukka {?} Russian

actually German has so many Heimat for a start

Toffee I think when they know their routines it will become less stressful for you. Gosh I know that feeling though. This morning ds1 went off a complete mess and very sweaty and I thought no..tis his problem not mine (or the poor people who sit next to him) Even a term ago I would be worrying worrying about all those things that I felt I should have helped him with (in this case washing He did shower, just refused to use the soap because he said I'd touched it.. Okay I did worry but I left my worries when he walked out of the car to school.

Anyway enough of this..got to get up again tomorrow. And will hear the placement results by lunchtime. SALT followed by Judo to get through first though, a nice busy morning out and about.

knitting - I know I'm guilty of not delegating enough, but I find it hard to let the DC make mistakes with school things, although I did just metaphorically shrug when Ds1 went in without his glasses yesterday.

Good luck with placement results tomorrow.

fuzz - I hope your boss was understanding. Good news about the new pupil.

AsTimeGoesBy - it's somehow comforting to know I'm not the only one drowning under new routines and paperwork. But I'm staggered that you have 45mins to play with in the morning! How on earth do you manage that? I was up at 6.30 this morning and it was non-stop from that moment till we left at 8.10.

Still trying to get DS1 to bed on time. DS2 is no trouble and going to sleep fine at an earlier bedtime. DS1 objects to taking his melatonin, which then delays his sleep even more. If I dare to suggest he takes the pill that will help him sleep, he says (like he did tonight), "Now you've made me too stressed to take it."

He also says he's too stressed to meet his new therapist tomorrow - that's the one that's going to be supporting him in coping with any anxieties at his new school, the one which I fought really hard to get .

We used to get up at 7.30 to all leave the house at 8.30. Now DS has to leave at 7.45 we're getting up at 6.45, DH took him today (and will for the rest of the week, I'm picking him up) so DD and I don't need to leave till 8.30 as usual. Hence an extra 45 mins.

Ah, you have outsourced, AsTime . Good idea.

I have inadvertently allowed DS1 to learn something from consequences: I forgot to check his bookbag last night and when I looked at his diary just now, it appears he had science homework which is due in today. Ah well, too late now - hopefully, he will learn to take responsibility now he knows I'm not going to remind him every time.

Woke up at 6 this morning (the alarm is set for 6.45), so have had an extra 45 minutes like you, AsTime. I'm afraid I spent it eating breakfast and going online though .

Right, about to wake DC and start the morning madness...

DD was up early today and the tesco delivery driver asked how the school run was going :o I said we homeschool and he said "oh, why are you up so early then?" "errmm.... because of the tesco delivery" :o

fuzzpig touche/ ! (sorry cannot do the accent on this computer)

done
drove dd to school
returned to ds2 in a complete state because he hadn't realised we were seeing speech therapist before Judo. He wanted to invite a friend over to discuss Hornby but I had "ruined everything". I did think I had mentioned it, but perhaps it was just to dh who is deaf. New term means it is difficult to ds2 to pick up old habits (it was all fine last term the SALT followed by Judo - our Thurs routine including long complex journeys and independent travel)

so off to a bad start..ds2 seems to have calmed down now by deciding he is going to spend his pocket money on some new train track and looking at Hornby website. Friend might come over this afternoon (I think they are still asleep in that house!!!!! home edders Fuzz )

I have to confess I did the school run and went back to bed. Feeling decisively off today. could happily still be asleep but ds need ferrying to afterschool activities so getting up is needed.

knitting will ds2 settle back into routine after a few weeks or will it take a long while for him to settle in the routine

Toffee is it a form of taking control when he feels none? School gives little choice so he is controlling other stuff like the sleep meds/appointment? Fingers crossed for you that it is easy to resolve.

Poor ds is allergic to his sleep med it is looking :( no idea what we can do about it as he desperately needs it, but feeling sick due to one of the components is not a great option.

Fuzzpig well do to you.

Bugger I have just written a huge post (albeit rather rushed) post with personals and went and pressed the wrong button and lost it

Dh, dd and I (wierdly) off on countryside expedition now but BBL!! Promise!!

Waves!!

so, all went well so far, did SLT and Judo, lots of walking in sunshine and now home with a new Hornby train for the collection from his pocket money.

Had a bit of hissy fit with SLt report though, why do these professionals make everything so woolly. (This is not the big report just a update on what has been happening. Only wanted brief update on his 1:1 salt sessions not...what I got...will say no further... It was a bit like rewriting ds's controlled assessment...what do you want to say? Then say it more clearly..[grrr]

but apart from that, and still not having a letter from school, guess I'll have to wait till tomorrow for that [triple grrrr] do they send everything secondclass??? everything is fine. Just need a cup of tea, I'm parched.

4 hope you got your rest

Nothing is tidy though, I hasten to add, and there are piles of washing everywhere, dust, debris from garden has drifted in, dh seems to have cut down a load of ivy completely unnecessarily (was he bored and stressed?? - try the mop) and every surface could do with a good scrub. But it is not happening today.

Dh is faffing around with car navigator thing so jsut have three mins to say:

Knitting oh how disappointing, I know you were expecting definitive news about placement today. Hope family outing tonight not too onerous and that you enjoy it once you are there.

fizrim hope you and your dd feeling much better now

And that your cold is better too Blue

And that you can get some decent rest Can'tsee and Fuzzpig.

Hope first days at new school continuing to go well for your ds Whoknows you have battled so hard on his behalf, hope he is finally getting the support he deserves. Top marks for before-school-choring too!

Fuzzpig good to hear that work is being relatively supportive and great news about new pupil!

Toffee so brilliant that your boys are enjoying their schools!! Great to hear! Wise words from Cant'see there about control.

And if it's any consolation, another one here standing like a pimple outside the school gates. Very odd going from knowing virtually everyone to virtually no-one! But at least once you get to my age, you find you don't care so much anymore.

Bohemond I am very of your job which sounds v. v. interesting - but v full on with new baby - good luck with it all

Big waves to Droitwich and everyone else!

Sorry for such brief messages!! Back anon!!

and big waves to anyone I've inevitably missed

have been volunteering this morning and found myself being commandeered to do another morning in same place, not because I have any aptitude for it, but because there is no one else. Bit miffed because was planning to volunteer for another morning somewhere else (a bit more interesting/intellectually stimulating) but if you dither endlessly (as I do) plans get made for you so only have myself to blame!

BBL

oh thats a bugger abuot the sleep meds Cantsee

Gah! Incredibly frustrated because the whole house move is threatening to grind to a halt. Apparently, our solicitor either didn't send the contract to our buyers' solicitor, or they didn't receive it, or it was lost in transit. But they are in the SAME BLOODY BUILDING!! Hoping for some answers tomorrow, and some serious pulling out of stops to make up for lost time.

Cold is on the mend, but turning into a hacking cough.

Still, on the plus side, skip's coming tomorrow, so can dump some more clutter, at least.

That's outrageous Blue Sounds like someone needs reporting to the Law Society.

Went to see yet another man about a horse this evening. Total waste of time as usual (but nice to see green fields).

Can it really be Friday tomorrow? Have rarely achieved so little (Flying-wise) in a week . Combination of being out a lot + chronic case of CBA when it comes to chores.

*

The baby-step for tomorrow, Fri 11th Sept is here concerning inspirational hoo-haa for your cj - if you have one - take it or leave it.

We are in Zone 2 this week, the kitchen, up to and including the 12th here.

For those Fledglings at this stage: here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone Two.

Fri's mission can be found here wiping down the outside of yr kitchen cabinets.

The daily focus for Fri is cleaning out our purses, handbags and cars.

The habit for September is developing a before-bed routine here: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/september/ .

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here: www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120.

G'night all

*

Sorry to hear you have a cough now Blue too

Oh and think I have mentioned before with regard to 'untranslatable' phrases - reminds me of trying to explain 'its the bees knees' to French friend. Eminently translatable in terms of sense, but literally - forget it!!

Also (not relevant to anything but anyway) recently discovered that, apparently, the French have no equivalent word for "sanctuary". Cannot believe this is true! Am searching ... .

Knitting looking down thread see you are after literal meaning of Latin words not parsing (thankfully as I totally stuffed up the grammar in addition to the vocabulary). Anyway, Tufts has brill site:

salus www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=salutem&la=la

fetus www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0059%3Aentry%3Dfetus2

implumes www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=implumes&la=la

neco www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/morph?l=neco&la=la&can=neco0

or www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0060%3Aentry%3Dneco

but of course shouldn't have used necant and I promise to never post shoddy Latin phrases on here ever again (me miseret!)

oh yes, also forgot to say:

Can'tsee salutem infantem volucres does indeed mean (literally)
"greetings young birds"! (I think anyway!!)

saluto
to greet, wish health, pay respects, salute, hail

And as for ""errare humanum est" it means 'to err is human!"

( ie the Alexandra Pope quote)
"To err is human; to forgive, divine." !!

Good night and sweet dreams would be something like "vale habeque somnia sueves!

Toffee meant to say earlier, totally agree that the worse thing about going back to school is the return to deadlines and how the efficiency (or not) of one day impacts upon the next, ie there is very little or no slack in the system.

I have a sister who doesn't have dc who asks me regularly on the phone "what are your plans for this evening?" and even though I have tried to explain the 'tryanny' of the school run/hwk supervision/bath/bed routine (even tighter schedule when extra curric activities involved) she doesn't seem to understand that one isn't exactly having to conjure up things to do!! I've stopped trying to explain now! DD already getting quite a bit of hwk (she is continuing with dual-lang immersion- so still double literacy = double hwk) and this seems to take up huge chunks of time and although I am being as 'hands off' as I can, she still likes me to be hovering in the background (usually cooking!).

And sympathies to everyone who is loaded down with school paper-work!!
Glad I am not the only one! DD is bringing home six-to-eight-page docs to sign for subject teachers which set out methods and objectives of each indiv course, its rules, exams etc etc and then the head's office is sending out loads and loads of bumph pertaining to school overall. This is our first experience of state system and the bureaucracy is overwhelming!! DD even had her heart rate measured and noted at school in gym lesson today!!

Still, fairly easy with just one dd and only work approx 9 hrs per week. Hats off to to those of you who are dealing with much more complicated scenarios!!

And very glad to hear everyone's dcs enjoying school so far!!

Astimegoesby I remember those heady days when I worked full time and used to do household chores before my commute. I think having a job (or two as you do!) makes one much more efficient. I really, really need a job.

Would love to do something like you do Behemond but if you work from home here you have to work ridiculous hours to make it pay because the tax situation is crucifying (and can't work ridiculous hrs because dh travels so much).

Oh dear, can hear dh snoring already , must stop rambling and get to bed ... .

Mega achy today. Parents visiting (probably not til much later) so am just going to get Super Skills Time done with the DCs and then see what happens. Must hang out wet laundry though and do another load before it builds up again!

Which sense of sanctuary SC? Sanctuaire certainly exists. Perhaps it's a Belgian thing?!

at school paperwork levels too!

Am procrastinating. I need to phone the solicitor, but girding myself up with and first as I will have to be assertive.

Salve! Afternoon fledglings!

Hope you are all OK!

Blue??wishing you courage for the difficult phone call!

Yes, sorry, not 'sanctuaire' in physical place sense, ie hotel, temple, church, bird sanctuary or place sacr?? sense - friend and I were trying to track it down the other day in emotional sense (place of safety/hiding place/place where one feels emotionally at home and safe), but were told by other French speaking person present that they don't tend to use it that way. We were discussing it in the context of the French not having the same concept or having a slightly different idea of or attaching the same importance to 'home and hearth' as us Brits (not saying this is the case btw - just that that was subject of discussion).

Also Blue while I think about it ...

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Cookery book info

think it was you enquiring about children's cook books on last thread and have finally found my post from June here:

"Btw for anyone that is interested in cooking with their dc: you know I recommended The Usborne First Cookbook ages ago (which is really good for young dc) well dd has moved on a bit now and we have some more recommendations:

Children's Quick and Easy Cook Book by Angela Wilkes (Dorling Kindersley)

The Children's Step-by-step Cook Book by Angela Wilkes (Dorling Kinderlsey)

Children's First Cook Book by Annabel Karmel (Dorling Kindersley)

and

Children's Cook Book by Katherine Ibbs (Dorling Kindersley)

Can really recommend each and everyone on of them! (Esp as they allow dc to cook virtually by themselves.) The step-by-step photography is really good (they are so much better than any sort of child's cook book available in my day) and the recipes, esp in latter book, are quite sophisticated for older dc but well explained ie sushi, pesto toasts, falafels etc. The Angela Wilkes one manages to be serious and fun at the same time! (And no, I am not a rep for DK!!)

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