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!

Me too, knitting. Was on my way to bed an hour ago, but DS1 needed me again, thinking he was going to be sick. Have now resettled him, but I'm not sure he's asleep yet, so can't relax.

Lucky you having an upholsterer to redo your seats . Our dining-room chairs are covered with food stains and claw marks from the cats. I'm embarrassed by them, but never feel we have the spare money to spend on getting them done.

Have laid out DS2's and my clothes for the morning. Have also written myself a quick 'to do' list for first thing, as I'm too groggy to remember what I'm meant to be doing when I wake up.

[Snaffles a cold sausage from Can'tsees breakfast bar]

Good morning! Up with small visitors attempting to see lunar eclipse; [but sadly cloud has scuppered any sort of proper viewing] and turning a blind eye to the fact that dh has allowed furry one to use this opportunity to sneak upstairs and sleep on our bed.

Very sorry to hear your ds1 feeling so ill Toffee. (I guess it was inevitable he would be susceptible to viruses/germs when returning to school after so long, poor lad. Doesn't make it any easier for him (or you) though.)

Back to catch up with thread properly tomorrow or Wed!

Big waves to everyone in meantime.

The baby-step for today, Mon 28th Sept, is here. An important one about looking after ourselves: having good quality sleep, good food and remembering to drink lots of water.

We are in Zone 5 : The Sitting Room (September 27-30) : here. Spend 15 mins a day decluttering this zone.

If you have finished decluttering Zone 5 , here is the detailed cleaning list for the master bedroom.

Monday's mission (and the missions for the week ahead) can be found: here. A detailed hoovering session in the sitting room, including under furniture and skirting boards etc. (If you are a newcomer, and everywhere is cluttered, just hoover where you can.)

Monday's daily focus is: the weekly home bleugh. Spend 10 mins each on 7 essential tasks.

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 in the Flightplan: www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120.

Have a productive start to the week everyone!

***

DS1 much cheerier this morning and has obviously turned the corner, so no need for the dr today . He'll need another day off school, but is hoping to be ok for tomorrow.

On the other hand, I have woken up feeling very achy and with a sore throat. Uh oh.

Oh no toffee :( your turn now then

Have stocked up on Vicks and Lemsip, fuzz, but gin would be better .

Just cantering through to say to Fuzzpig is it today that your dh has an interview? (Sorry, no time to scroll back!) If so, very best of luck to him!

[passes honey, freshly squeezed lj and whisky to Toffee] sorry to hear you have succumbed.

DD also have v. bad cold but not flu thankfully

Back to catch up later!

Thank you, yes the interview was this morning. :) Have no idea how it went yet, as I misplaced my phone and by the time I found it it had run out of battery I will update later when I know!

So due to phone dying we haven't ventured out yet - need to get the photos printed for Beaver Bear diary, then come back so DS can stick/write etc before we leave again for Beavers.

Super Skills Time done, and while my phone is charging we will write the haikus :o DCs playing outside now, I'm so pleased that they worked together on some maths which was really lovely to see.

Laundry on, should get that dry later, oh and I need to get a pasta sauce out of the freezer now.

Simple thing on my to do list for later - clear out all my bags! And wash at least one of them as there was a rather, erm, antiquated satsuma...

OK so the interview wasn't this morning. He got there (2 hour journey due to bus/train times) and they said oh didn't you know, the time's been changed... he'd been told he'd only need the morning, so he was going to work after (normally finishes at 2 on Mondays but has to work til 6.30 due to staff shortage) but the new time meant he'd have to stay there the whole day. So he had to leave :( pissed off doesn't even cover it.

And now the photos I need to print have disappeared from my phone. AWESOME

(today is clearly not our day)

Glad ds 1 is feeling better toffee

ta da
child to school
sleep - still feel like death, still got cough, still got ear ache. :( 3 weeks and I am so bored of it!

to do
pizza rolls for freezer
cottage pie for freezer
apple pie - apples to be sorted from porch, pie mix possibly still ok in fridge (but might just end up as being stewed apple)
make doctor appointment for a lump that should not be where it is but i don't wanna, sticks head into sand
something productive?

Waves sheepishly... Hi again.....

Have been AWOL over the summer due to finishing dissertation and then trying to catch up with the rest of life that had been thoroughly neglected for months. Also am Kondo-ing and won't really get back into the swing of FlyLady till the de cluttering is all done. But I wanted to pop in and say hi! I will try and catch up on this month's thread if poss. Glad to say I got a Distinction for my dissertation, which meant I also reached Distinction for the MSc as a whole!

Thanks, cake is much needed! Have given up on the photos idea and will bribe ask DS to draw a picture instead. He won't be the only one without photos as I flipped through the diary.

Just for SC here are DD's haikus about beavers... with a little help and not too much whingeing. :o

Flipper tails, webbed feet
Make dams with sticks, mud and grass
They live in lodges

Bite trees with sharp teeth
Let wind blow them down… TIMBER!
Block the river flow.

And Bless hi! Well done on your distinction, that's fab!

Ohhh cant yikes I just read your to do list. Yes, get your head out of the sand and go get that appt. It is bound to be easily fixable and the sooner the better. We're all behind you

In other news DH hasn't heard from the company re: interview yet, but he got a phonecall from another company he applied to, so he's seeing them on Thursday. Hurrah.

Oh god, Cant, missed the last bit of your post. Yes, yes, make that appointment asap. Chances are it's nothing, but you have to be responsible about having it checked - sorry.

Yes, do get to the dr CantSee

Hope interviews go well, Toffee and Fuzz

Waves to Bless - well done on the dissertation!!

Have been very despondent this afternoon - apparently the buyers' lawyers have another query -something that could and should have been sorted out in about 2 minutes, weeks if not months ago. Feel a sense of dread that this is going to drag on for goodness knows how long. But donated some old camping stuff to DS2's school for forest school, and took 2 bags and 2 boxes to a charity shop, at least.

Hi all

Well done for carrying on decluttering Blue despite the latest disappointment - poor you for having to live through this continuing stress!!

Yes, get thee to the medics pronto Can'tsee!!! [Says one who is a legendary procrastinator when it comes to doctors.]

Yay Bless!! So great to 'see' you!! And on your dissertation/MSc! Congratulations! From reading your posts, it was evident how much blood, sweat and tears you put into it!! So glad they have been rewarded!!

Fantastic haiku's Fuzzpig¨ - love "timber!!!" So sorry about the mix up over your dh's interview which must have been v frustrating for him.

Toffee so sorry it is hospital ward 10 in your house atm. Hope everyone recovers/receives treatment quickly. And good luck with your interview too!

Bit the same here (although not as serious). DD's cold got worse throughout the day, so day trip was curtailed and friends had to go home early (only an hour early thankfully). I have now got a headache and a sore throat and have eaten far more than I should (any excuse). My entire skull feels painful to the touch, very odd.

Also feeling despondent because we have mice (again) and have spent much of the afternoon on my knees washing out a very awkwardly placed cupboard with Dettol.

And it turns out volunteering position I was interested in that had more interest to it, is on Wed afternoons when I am not available (school half day). Bum. T'was ever thus ... .

Can't get even part time job because of tax position. Looks like I am destined to a life of sock washing for the next 8 years .

So off to bed early now after posting links.

Big waves to eveyrone else! Back to catch up properly tomorrow re: earlier posts I missed.

And sorry (again) for depressing post!!!

**

The baby-step for tomorrow, Tues 29th Sept, is here. It's about it taking Flylady nine months to build routines so that her house runs on 'automatic pilot' allowing her to do more interesting things instead. It also introduces the weekly pamper mission here.

We are in Zone 5 : The Sitting Room (September 27-30) : here. Spend 15 mins a day decluttering this zone.

If you have finished decluttering Zone 5, here is the detailed cleaning list for the sitting room.

Tuesday's mission can be found: here. Spend 15 mins putting away or chucking things that do not belong in your sitting room.

Tuesday's daily focus is: planning. Medical appts, hairdresser's appts, holidays, menus etc.

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 in the Flightplan: www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120.

Anything (even 5 mins of chores!) you can do tomorrow will make your house better than it was before!!
*

OK - forcing myself here to end on positive note.

House not great but downstairs in much better shape having been forced to confront various boxes and things dumped during the holidays, owing to arrival of guests. 2nd floor also considerably better.

SC write a book? then you are self employed, have no earnings but there is a reason to escape from the drudgery. Research or fiction. There might be something you have always wanted to write about?

I have good news. LA have conceded EHCP appeal against refusal to assess (sorry if that sounds a bit jargon ridden to those who haven't been through it) Time I will pm you about the latest if you are interested Tribunal is not for a few months so I feel very very pleased that they have conceded now not later. But my evidence was quite watertight. It was all a bit of a legal wrangle - to put it mildly. Petty ways to delay etc.

I don't see any sign of a EHCP on the horizon for many months though, so we are still continuing with the home ed for now.

Ds2 had a good day, with friends over and made a great film together. Dd's temper is now frayed somewhat culminating with a scene over her brother locking himself in the bathroom wherein was her special shampoo (none other would do apparently)

Ds1 has done no revision, and is in la la land re gsces as far as I can tell - he won't tell us what he has to do, says he has done the work already and is impossible to pin down. But still in good mood otherwise (since he hasn't yet failed them..I guarantee his mood will change at that point) and still warms my heart by listening to classical music for pleasure and telling quite a few good jokes. Macbeth is out this weekend on big screen. I asked ds1 if he wanted to take a friend to it, as it is a gsce set text. Nah, no-one will go, we've finished with Macbeth now )meaning the quotes from the text have already been allotted to some schedule and any further intepretations are positively dangerous. He says he might go by himself. Which is something.

Spent a lot of today on exhausting errands - on the other hand, every step is a good way to keep fit.

Curried lentil bake for supper was a bit unsatisfactory, but ds1 gobbled it up. Dh had yesterday vegetable paella and pronounced it delicious.

well done Blue for surviving this, another few boxes decluttered is brilliant way to think positively about the delay.

Oh yes, dining room chairs picked up (Kitchen chairs really) and they will be back by Wednesday with lovely new caramel velvet seats with red rick rack yay!!! Became quite carried away, and offered him another armchair and a sagging sofa to do later in the month

Toffee it seems to be incredibly cheap per chair (we only have five though that's why they were such a steal at auction 15 years ago) to recover seats. Certainly cheaper than buying new from somewhere like JL. Often the upholsterer has cheap material (good quality but job lot) which makes it even better value.

knitting - I'm so happy to see that the LA have agreed to assess. But how dreadful it is that they put everyone through this and wait to see if there's a threat of tribunal or not.

"We've finished with Macbeth now" .

Am interested to hear that it's not too expensive to recover (re-cover? ) seats, especially as I have been wondering if it would be easier to just buy new chairs.

SC - I'm sorry illness has struck your household too and that the work situation is so difficult. I like knitting 's idea, if you have the inclination.

Blue - not surprised you have been feeling despondent: it must be awful living with the uncertainty and setbacks. Hopefully this will be the last setback.

Everyone very sniffly and grumbly here . Both boys are determined to go to school tomorrow, though, so that's good. I suspect DH and I will give ourselves the day off to give ourselves the best chance of fighting the virus. I'm busy the rest of the week, so tomorrow is my one opportunity to rest and recover.

Drinking lemon and honey in hot water now, then off to bed.

Just dropping in to say sorry for not posting, my Flying mojo seems to have vanished at the moment. However I have been lurking and wanted to say how pleased I am for you Knitting with the EHCP appeal being conceded and a big well done to Bless with your Masters.

Off to read the rest of the thread now.

Can't sleep! So will attempt to catch up ...

Big waves to Astimegoesby! [Waves Flying mo-jo back in her direction]

Great that yr boys are recovered sufficiently to rtn to school tomorrow Toffee; hope you and your dh are able to profit from their absence and get some rest!

Your mention of Baxter's Highlander broth certainly brings back memories!! Gobsmacked it is still for sale! Must be 30 years since I've had it!! Used to love the bits of pearl barley at the bottom!! Arf at your ds2 weeping over family of dead moth!!

[Incidentally, when feeling ill tonight, dd told me she felt like "a flat pancake that someone had dropped in a puddle" ]

Knitting love the sound of caramel velvet!! Goodness - 'LA conceded EHCP appeal against refusal to assess' sounds incredibly full on and a huge thing to cope with but glad to hear this is a good first positive step and at least you know where you are for a bit with home edding. But heavens, they don't half draw out the agony. The stress must be awful.

Oh yes, we get that with set hwk too, all hell breaks loose if one dares to suggest that we stray somewhat from 'approved' questions or areas of study.

Thanks for suggestion. Think writing might be the only option left to me but as Toffee says the inclination might be a problem!! And minor issue is that I am not at all sure I will be any good at it. Might try a child's story. But many years of assessing other people's work has scared me off. Also, think part of you needs to be very detached and clinical to be a good writer, to be able to stand back from your writing and look at it with a cold eye, to view how others will experience it. And my brain is a bit too woolly and mangled for that!! The depressing truth of the matter is that anything I am good at (bits of art, bits of sewing, bits of gardening - but none to an extremely high level) are no use to man nor beast!! Hadn't thought about writing non-fiction before though. The thought of research does appeal. Could pick a really obscure topic!! On the other hand, could take a course in upholstery ....

Btw, thought of you this Saturday when dd was doing hwk. Guess what she is studying in Latin? Romulus and Remus!

Can'tsee I'm heading straight to your house if you are making both cottage and apple pies!!

Fuzzpig good luck to your dh next Thurs! So glad you don't have to face work this week when you feel so ill.

Bless good luck with Kondo-ing!! Hope letter notification of your dissertation marks get framed and hung in pride of place on the wall!

Blue arf at your "pulseless" friend and her writing a will A bit like trainee doctors on their first day being asked to find "neck tourniquets"!

Big waves to anyone I have inadvertently missed!!