Autumn leaves flutter as October Fledglings Fly!

[standclear]

Welcome to the October 2015 Fledgling Flying thread!

Park your broomsticks and cauldrons here!! Or is that just me ?

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.

As usual we will be following a three-pronged approach - and don't worry - we are all at different stages. (Some of us are still stuck at the decluttering stage after quite a few 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!

The idea is that we focus on short, ring-fenced, daily steps and routines that will help our homes run (more or less!) on "automatic pilot" allowing us to do far more interesting things instead!

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!

Helpful pointers: No perfectionism allowed! If it took a while to create the current C.H.A.O.S. (can't have anyone over syndrome) in your home, then it will probably take a while to reverse the situation (you can't clean clutter!). Small steps are the key! And you are never behind: just jump in where you are at!

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

Fingersmith - parkruns are free, timed 5k runs held in parks around the country (and the world!) every Saturday morning have a look here
I got involved in setting one up locally and it is a fabulous obsession that I share with my 9 yr old DS though he got faster than me very quickly
Everyone can do it - kids, people with dogs, fast runners, slow runners, walkers, people pushing buggies, everyone.

Just popping in to say no flying today, but had my meeting at work and it was actually fine, good in fact. So feeling a bit better now.

Off to take DCs to Badgers and DH and I are going to have dinner while we wait for them (it's 90mins so... to the pub it is :o)

Ta da
3 loads of washing
1 load hand washing
1 pint of jelly
homemade bread for tea

Dentist

To do
ds to training

I have also been knitting, it is very relaxing when feeling meh.

Agh, what a rollercoaster! I have been out all day, doing a translation workshop and trusting that the lawyers were doing their stuff. Which, for once, they were. We were actually in the middle of the exchange process when it went pear-shaped at the top of the chain (for a change!!).

Tomorrow, (and tomorrow, and tomorrow, and all our yesterdays.)

I may be a tad hysterical.

There's only one problem with Parkruns Feet, they're all on at 9am on a Saturday, the ones round here anyway. And it's a time when I and many others can't go because the DCs are doing other sports, I do wish they would maybe have some on afternoons, or Sundays as it's something we would like to do too. They must be limiting their participants by having them all in that timeslot.

Blue - fingers crossed, sounds as though you are so close now.

'Affinity' - no, I haven't read it yet. Your recommendation has spurred me on to read it next.

Blue -

feet - glad you can make use of Helen Mirren's advice .

CantSee - DS2 has just learnt to knit at school. He loves it and finds it very relaxing (apart from yesterday afternoon when he couldn't remember how to do a slip knot and I couldn't help him because I don't knit. Have never seen such a fuss - you'd have thought the world was ending! He was sickening, though, so all out of kilter).

Busy day. Whisked DS1 off to a hospital appointment at 9am, but ended up having to take DS2 with us as he felt really unwell (has now come down with the bug DS1 had a few days ago). Good appointment, then we dropped DS1 off at school before coming back home to put DS2 to bed.

DH cleared up and cleaned the kitchen, sorted out the leaking kitchen pipe and cleaned the bathroom taps with vinegar. He is taking this housekeeping thing very seriously.

Walked into town to do some chores, then had my hair cut and coloured ready for new job.

When I arrived home, DH told me his mum had rung him up, rather peeved to have seen us go into the house with DS2 this morning (she was having her hair 'done' at the hairdressers opposite). She was annoyed because it was her Thursday to have her hair done, but we'd told her we wouldn't be there so she'd booked a taxi to take her straight home instead of popping in on us. She only saw us yesterday, for goodness sake, so it's not as if she hasn't seen us recently. And we had no way of knowing when we'd be home after the hospital appointment, or that we'd have a poorly DS2 with us. Grrr.

Sounds rather hard work, Toffee!

[Passes large flagon of gin to Blue]

Toffee hope your ds2 feels better soon! And oh dear about mil.

Brilliant that the meeting went well Fuzzpig!!!!

Feetheart how do you make brown sauce? Park run phenomenon sounds really great!

Well done wrt to paperwork sorting Fingersmith

Vigorous wing flaps to Whoknows Can'tsee Chicken Don'tbuy fishbones Knitting Scatty Saymwa Greymalkin Honu and everyone else I've missed!

Can't believe it is nearly Friday again!

***

Baby-step no. 16 for tomorrow, Thurs 16th Oct, is an ingnorable one about reading Flylady e-mails, testimonials and FAQs

We are in Zone 3 this week: The Bathroom and One Extra Room (October 11 – 17) : here.

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 3 (or do a mission!) if you want to.

If you are at that stage, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 3 is here.

Friday's mission can be found here!. Take any extraneous towels or textiles in your bathroom "that are just for show" (a bit confused by this mission because I don't have any textiles in my bathroom that I don't use) and wash them. While in laundry room, wipe down the washing machine and dryer.

For the other room: take 15 minutes to go though magazines and catalogues in your sitting room and chuck!

Friday's daily focus is: decluttering purses, handbags, cars.

The habit for October is: www.flylady.net/d/habits-of-the-month/october/ decluttering paper clutter!

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.

G'night all!

Bit more of a relaxed evening tonight largely due to alcohol consumption. One more full day to go ....it's going to be a long one.

today

Cleaned the bathroom upstairs for SALT visit
hoovered dd's room at her request, she helped me with clearing the floor!
two washes on
cleaned kitchen : swept floor, wiped worktops, moved clutter out for SALT visit
did big grocery shop, cooked sausages and boiled potatoes for supper
reloaded dw, and unloaded
SALT visit in morning, had a nap after that [sigh]

ds2 and I have really spent much of today watching telly in between chores. We read some Pilgrim's Progress this morning though.

ds1 violin practice

everyone is still awake not good..

ds was late to bed here too, at least 10:30pm. So tomo is going to be a bit ad i suspect. On a plus note there will be no panic about locating clean pants. Did all but 3 loads of laundry and one of those loads needs ds' sport kit to be brought home for it to get done, and another is a load of bedding.
Ds is ailing for something but has figured out he has saved enough for something he wants dvd wise, fingers crossed it is in stock tomo when we go to get it.

fingers cross it all gets resolved before the weekend>

Am also confused by the 'extraneous towels and textiles', SC. We don't have any of those. (Unless you lift up the laundry bin lid, of course.)

Was the SALT visit productive, knitting, or do you have to wait for a report?

fuzz - yes, sometimes. MIL is amazingly kind to us in many ways, but drives us dotty in others.

DS1 has just announced that he is writing the final 500 words of his English essay now because it has to be handed in tomorrow. I pointed out that it was too late, then offered to help, but I have been dismissed. I think I just have to let him handle this (or not) alone. Which is, actually, quite a relief.

DS2 seems a bit better, in spite of being woken up by DS1 scaring him with Halloweeny noises.

presumably curtains or doileys or horror...tissue box covers or in some houses I believe there is such a thing as a loo seat quilted cover so you can sit down and chat to someone in the bath

courage to ds1 for his essay. He sounds very grownup about it.

SALT said ds2 had certainly normal intelligence but low processing, which meant he couldn't take in multiple instructions. Also that he liked making jokes but less good at understanding other people's jokes. She will send a report later, in three weeks I think. Tonight he has been talking in such a loud bossy voice that there is no doubt he has SALT problems but at least he is happy and calm. The rash has cleared up, thank goodness for that [sudocreme is wonderful stuff] so football tomorrow.

Fuzz turmeric rice in our house is washed basmatic rice (to remove excess starch) gently sweated in some butter and turmeric, then add hot water, cook for 5 minutes only, drain water leaving tiny amount, put lid on pot and leave to steam on very low heat so rice is separate grains and not sticky. Don't stir at this point at all!! Takes a bit of experimentning. Oh salt is good too, and possibly chopped onion but my dcs hate onion in rice.

MIL always covers her loo rolls with a knitted doily, knitting. She used to have a Barbie doll with a large knitted skirt covering the loo roll.

DS1 has come downstairs and said he needs me to help him with his essay. Amazing that he has admitted he needs my help, but very annoying to be asked at 11.30 when I was just off to bed.

Sometimes progress comes at the least appreciated time. Ds is like that. Suddenly decide that actually he can discuss emotions that are troubling him. It only really happened between the hours of 1am and 4am. But because i went with it he now sometimes can talk about it at 10 or 11pm and just occasionally, so occasionally i nearly fall over in shock he manages when he has just come in from school. Hang in there and the more used to asking for help the easier it will become and thus hopefully the earlier it will happen. Big whoo hoos for ds1's progress

extraneous towels and textiles - in this house it is things like bob the builder bedding, and I think somewhere I also have ds' baby hoodied towel which will in no way fit the legging 5ft something he is turning into. I should really declutter it but but but....

*leggy

sorry i clearly need to get to grips with baby step 17 tonight.

Very frustrating when breakthroughs happen at the most unsuitable times, Cant.

DS1 has just finished the essay. Really, I could have done with an earlier night (as could he), but am wide awake now. Have warned him that I will not be able to do this once I'm working, otherwise I will be falling asleep at my desk.

Our time together was useful because DS1 also admitted that the other children are very noisy and disruptive in many lessons and it's preventing him from learning . He didn't want to tell me before because he knew how hard I'd worked to get him into the school. I've told him to keep me informed because that's the only way I can help him. Am not sure what to do about this problem though .

Really must go to bed now.

Morning!

Can you have a word with school Toffee?

Arf at Barbie-loo-roll-covers and padded lav seats

Knitting glad SALT hurdle is behind you for now

Ta for Cant which will come in very useful tonight

I am about to mount a major all-day expedition to Antwerp in the driving rain: choc, diamonds, MAS museum, Vleehuis, Reubens etc etc [girds loins]

Furry one is in disgrace after nipping a visitor's hand last night (not badly, tiny warning touch fortunately, no blood drawn); they were arranging his dog blanket rather 'forcefully' while furry one was in bed and furry one thought they were trying to turf him out of his bed. Oh dear.

It appears I am not the only one discombobulated by this week's lack of routine.

Have a good day everyone!

I actually like the sounds of your all day expedition .

Overslept here, including ds. Small list today. Dare I mutter the words blanket gate? Yep another year, another blanket gate.

Hope you aren't feeling too rough this morning toffee

Good luck and may you have a good day despite it being a bit of a mission SC

Yes, I think I'll contact the deputy head, SC, as she's been helpful before. DS1 has a two-week half term coming up, though, so will have to wait until that's over.

Sounds as if furry one is also feeling the strain of having visitors. I'm not surprised he was fed up if his comfy bed was being messed around with.

Good luck with your visit to Antwerp today. Are diamonds really on your shopping list?

Am feeling decidedly groggy after only four and a half hours' sleep. DS2 is tucked up on the sofa, watching CBBC, as he's still not well.

Woohoo! We've only gone and actually exchanged contracts!!

Party in the naughty corner bar tonight.

SC I hope your Antwerp day goes well.

Toffee Hope the school are helpful.

Woohoo! Thank goodness Blue.

Woohoo blue congrats. Xxxx