Remember remember through all of November the Fledglings will flutter and fly!

[fuzzpig]

Halloween’s over, Christmas (sorry) is drawing near, but perhaps you have too much S.T.U.F.F. (Something That Undermines Family Fun) getting in the way. Or maybe you want to rid your house of C.H.A.O.S. (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome)? Have no fear, the Fledglings are here! We are all learning to get into a routine for maintaining the household, so we have more time for that thing called life.

This is where, from the first of the month (seriously, HOW is it November already?!), we follow – loosely – the rules of FlyLady. We ignore the somewhat barftastic language, and also thoroughly recommend NOT signing up to the emails… unless you want your inbox full to bursting.

Here’s some basic info on getting started – but don’t worry, all will be revealed on a daily basis (assuming I get the links right…) so just jump in.

There are 3 basic stages:

• Baby Steps – if you’re new, start here. Or if you’re coming back to us after a break (trust me, we’ve been there!) then these are good way to get back into it.

• Repeat Baby Steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current room or 'zone' - yep, just 15 mins, it makes a difference!

or

• Reinforce Baby Steps + do Daily Missions - if you have finished decluttering (one day I’ll get to that stage… one day…).

There are also detailed cleaning guides if you’re really enthusiastic.

NB
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!

Another NB
Start where you are. There is no need to worry about being perfect – perfectionism = paralysis! There is no such thing as ‘falling behind’ with FlyLady, if you miss anything, just move on and continue as normal the next day.

Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Good luck!

ta da
sleep
put 1 load washing on
made jelly

I am just going to pop up to the pharmacy and then I shall be returning to bed

Grey sending you very best wishes. Sometimes it is like a complete system crash, everythiung seems impossible. Hope your dh comes home soon?

Today
cleaned out under the bed, and hoovered, put back bed, spare mattress downstairs now behind playroom sofa, as access is very bad under his bed with a whole second guest bed under there..yuk..still when it is really vile it is quite fun to hoover - the carpet actually changed colour
threw away a lot of Halloween sweet wrappers

felt very depressed by the sheer quantity of mess throughout the house, ranted at dh, then felt a lot better, dh said some cheering words and agreed he would make supper (he has now gone to buy it)

picked up ds2 from tuition, drive went well, no traffic as such yay!
then made mistake of picking up dd from her Spanish tutor on foot/tube as it was rather too dark for comfort, ended up with very cross, demanding child and me tired into the bargain from the journey. Dd now in her room in a sulk, she wants me to let her give what is commonly known as a House Party (not the Downton sort I fear) I refused.

ds2 has as a result of my absence from the house spent far too long on screens and dh in a bad mood again because he cannot seem to divert him! Men!

Ds1 seems in a good mood though [for now]

Totally lost all motivation after a horrible phonecall with my manager. I seem to do everything wrong. All the time. Feel really tearful and hopeless and just want to hide

I'm having comfort food (rice with cheese) while DH has taken the DCs to Beavers, must finish the beds though as I have left them stripped and the dirty stuff hasn't made it to the WM yet

So sorry your manager made you feel like that, fuzz. Sounds like awful management to me . I'm sure you don't do everything wrong at all and it's far more likely you are getting the brunt of some issue of the manager's. .

God, there are some awful managers around .

Having trouble with yours Toffee? How's it going?

They are nice really, and normally very supportive, but I was completely taken by surprise by what they said, and now I'm feeling really stung by it. Among other things I was really expecting supportive comments about my AS diagnosis (they were lovely and helpful when I first started looking into it a few years ago) but instead I was basically told off for not telling them I was getting assessed :( that plus being asked YET AGAIN how I am managing with the DCs (you know, because they're at home all day) has actually tipped me over the edge today. I give up. :(

On the plus side, I just about managed not to burn the rice for once, rice and cheddar is just the bees knees. And I found chocolate.

Ah, chocolate cures all ills, fuzz. (And now I wish I had some to hand.)

It sounds as if your manager handled the phone call very badly, to be honest. It's absolutely none of your employer's business whether you are getting assessed or not : what a ridiculous thing to say that you should have told them.

Try to screen out the judgemental "how are you getting on with the DC", even though it can't be easy.

It all sounds very unprofessional.

Re: my manager. She is in a great mood since she got back from an extended period of sick leave. She told me, privately, that she's met a new man, so I think that's cheered her up no end

Sorry Toffee if it's any consolation it was rubbish chocolate :( is there anything more disappointing? (It was Cadbury's Puddles, hazelnut flavour... ugh)

I'm glad things are going better with the manager now, and don't worry about the fact you're bluffing, par for the course with a new job surely :o

Feeling a bit better now, put the washing on although still need to put the clean sheets on the bed (and at the same time will plug in my electric blanket). Costumes went well, basically just did headdresses with nice card and cut arm/head holes out of pillowcases for tunics. I'll have to staple belts onto them in the morning :o watching Blackadder with DH which is always good.

I've also messaged the friend who's driving us to the event to apologise in advance about being rubbish company because I'm so tired, so that helps in that I'm not so nervous about tomorrow (she's absolutely lovely and we are becoming good friends, but because we haven't known each other long I'm not quite at the stage where I can totally relax IYSWIM).

Links for Tuesday 10th November!

Baby Step No.10: The Power of 15 Minutes! Grab that binbag and set to it.

We are in Zone 2 this week: Kitchen (November 8-14).

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 2 if you want to.

If you are at this stage, here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone 2.

Mission for Tuesday: Clean out your utensil holders AND run a maintenance wash on your dishwasher if you have one ( if so :o). NB This week’s missions are presented differently – they are in letter form, from FlyBabies who have sent in suggestions.

Tuesday's daily focus is: Planning.

The habit for November is: Menu Planning!

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan.

Sorry to see your DH is also struggling atm, knitting. Being self employed is probably a source of stress for both our DHs.

Yes, SC, it is a huge adjustment and, as with all big changes, I think it's only just beginning to hit home. Just need to give us all time to get used to it, I think.

fuzz - rubbish chocolate is actually worse than not having any chocolate, because you had hope. You have my sympathy. Good luck tomorrow. Very good idea to email your new friend beforehand and take the pressure off yourself.

Very cheered by watching 'The Walking Dead' . Off to bed shortly.

As for Flying - I did the washing up. That's it.

toffee ds1 had told me rather belatedly that his controlled assessment TV review for gsce is on the Walking Dead rather than the Inbetweeners (they choose the programme they want to review)I haven't watched the series yet, I don't dare now, for fear I'll read his review and think it ....

Fuzz great that you are going to this event, and with a friend.

Carpet being laid this morning in dd's room. Dark blue. We discovered as we were throwing out old one that a cat had definitely been peeing the corner Wise decision then to get a new one before we even knew this, or maybe the cat sensed we were about to throw it out I'll give her the benefit of the doubt anyway...This cat sleeps on dd's bed at night, which was probably a mistake; she seemed very continent, but clearly not..Into the kitchen with the rest of them from now on!!!

As a result of carpet laying there is even more crud around than usual, and general unfinished businesss. I managed to put all the Kate Atkinson books in one place though..first things first

Ds2 is at tuition this morning and will be there till Wednesday (Thursday is just one lesson before Judo) so I have until 2pm to do something else useful. I think the recycling is calling now.

Ta Da - I think carpet is finished can hear dh talking to man.

Afternoon all

Can't believe it's Tuesday allready, just realised last post was friday morning!

Am currently working on 'getting all the stuff into the correct rooms.'

Ta Da

Cleared living room coffee tables - look abit weird with only the place mats on them.
Tried and failed to change bathroom light bulb. Housing have now added it to the elecricians to do list for wednesday!
Cooked flapjacks asusages for kids tea, pork mince into sort of burgers for me and butternut sauce, tomato and root veg sauce which goes beutifly with the pork burgers.

Yesterday sorted out teh Albert hall out. unfortunately no parents are allowed back stage, i'm teh only oen going up in teh coach so i have to walk around londond from 3 until 6pm. luckily looked on teh map and teh science museum is just up the road, and it has a restaurant! A museum in peace! :)

Washing machine died Saturday, not good when both dc's have lost there school jumpers for teh first time! New one arrived Sunday - it's lovely and plays tunes when it's finished so no more forgetting it and leaving in teh machine all day.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gmc-ns4TyiU

Hope the above link works showing Dd with her band in Winchester Cathedral, she is the first voice singing. Sorry proud mum moment.

i have caught up with some of teh thread but have completely forgotten most of it again.

Fuzz Yeah on the aspergers diagnosis. Nice to know their is a reason for behaving differently, not being able to handle small talk and (in my case) hating new situations, changes in plans and large crowds.

knotting love new carpets! bet teh cat will sulk at being evicted.

Had better get on, have actualy done 2 washes today which I think has nearly finish, just waiting for teh tune.

Goign to school at 3pm for a half hour session with Ds to help build our relationship. Always felt Ds's behaviour was my fault, now i know it's down to anxiety and stress largely caused by the school enviroment i feel abit more positive and relaxed dealing with it.

Will try and keep up more then won't bore you with so much prattle in one go.

Have a good afternoon everyone.

I have discovered open office draw and am currently designing a very pretty control Journal. Now what was it that Fly Lady said about perfectionism?

:o Cant that's the main reason I haven't written in a control journal yet! I have a notebook that would be good, but what if I don't do it nicely enough...

Gorgeous video Shannara thank you for sharing!

Event today was brilliant, DCs behaved really well (wasn't sure if DS would manage - he did get a bit tired at one point but had a cuddle and then got back to it) and they joined in with questions and stuff. It was basically a living museum thing but Egypt themed - some of the actors were really engaging and one was particularly easy on the eye. Our home made costumes went down well although it was lucky I took the stapler as DD insisted I fix her belt about a gazillion times . I feel only pleasantly tired, I know it'll hit me in a couple of days (not expecting much Flying TBH) but I'm really glad we went as it has inspired a lot of learning already. DH has managed to take some of his many many owed hours tomorrow, so I know I can relax a bit.

Also was talking to a friend and got onto the topic of friendship bracelets, and she said her DD really wanted to learn but she didn't know how to do all the knotting and stuff, so we agreed I would teach her sometime - really looking forward to that! :)

carpet is laid
furniture moved back, bed put back together again
two new mattresses installed,
beds made up
put laundry baskets (empty) back in kids' rooms
threw out two wicker baskets with cat pee on them (one a large chest type)

and a lot of dirty laundry is now lurking downstairs
two washes done today

ds2 picked up from tuition (long drive)

rang solicitor
rang LA

recycling still not done though..I'm just lying down in sort of resigned despair

dh said he would cook supper

I have spent all evening filing paperwork and still can't find the one piece of paper that started me off on it. The house is a tip. But DD said the funniest, most politically incorrect thing about DS and his special school which has been making me giggle all evening (after making her swear to never say it again, talk about out of the mouth of babes). And DS said to DD his secondary school is way better than primary which made me glad because he was very happy at primary, but has not said much about his new school since starting this term.

Morning everyone.

That's a lovely video Shannara

I feel like I have been able to come up for a bit of air at last. DH has gone off to work and won't be back til tea time tomorrow and DS is at nursery all day.

I finally have silence and space around me. The antidepressants are making me feel a bit sick, which the doctor said they might, but would settle in time. So today I am just going to potter at home, probably not doing much. The cleaner is coming tomorrow so that takes some pressure off.

fuzzpig I now have a cf known as the home file, a school file and will shortly be setting up the exercise file and redesigning the car file to make it pretty. The program made it really easy (like stupidly easy) to make pretty master sheets. So I have a blank month by month dayless calendar for birthdays where I can add people but don't have to update every year. Address book including space to write the children of cousins/friends etc to help with the christmas card process, emergency no (doctor/dentist/after school club etc) list. I have also adapted fly lady's cf (which is down loadable) and typed up my spring cleaning /deep cleaning routines, my regular cleaning routines and will sort out my daily stuff (considering an adapted version of the picture I posted previously). Took me one afternoon. Pretty and I have the happies AND the program lets you print in a booklet so I have printed a booklet so that ds can keep track of his dad's families birthdays too. Very easy to use program if you are familiar with word and power point. I would recommend it for playing with if you have a day when rest is needed but you have the energy to be on a computer. Open office is free to down load and can linkie you if you are interested.

Links for Wednesday 11th November!

Baby Step No.11: Inspirational Quotes!

We are in Zone 2 this week: Kitchen (November 8-14).

Declutter for 15 mins in Zone 2 if you want to.

If you are at this stage, here is the detailed cleaning list for Zone 2.

Mission for Wednesday: Run the self-cleaning oven cycle AND oil any wooden chopping boards etc AND wipe any tiled walls between counters and cupboards. Busy day! NB This week’s missions are presented differently – they are in letter form, from FlyBabies who have sent in suggestions.

Wednesday's daily focus is: Anti-procrastination! Do something (or many things!) that you have been putting off.

The habit for November is: Menu Planning!

A summary of the above (which should update itself daily) can be found here in the Flightplan.

grey that sounds like a lovely day. I'd be tempted to run a bath, take a coffee and a book and just enjoy. Hope you have a restorative day. pretty

Swan You seem to have the entire energy of the thread atm. I vote you get flying star award this week.

whoknows glad your son is enjoying secondary school

toffee you have baffled me. Watching zombies trying to wake over the world is cheering? Hope you are having a good week with work.

Sorry I didn't post the above last night

Very tired and achy today. Only just got up. Was a bit miffed to hear that DH had let the DCs have a DVD on (instead of doing their home ed with them) but turns out DS isn't feeling too well, and while they've been snuggled on the sofa DH has been doing a massive tidy up :o

I'm planning to pop into work for a catch up, need to take some stuff in anyway.

Thank you Cant is Draw equivalent to one of the Microsoft things? I have MS Office (as it was on a deal with the laptop). Your journal so far sounds awesome! :)

It is the equivalent to microsoft publisher, which only comes if you get the professional office package and not the home and school. I downloaded open office as I wanted an alternative to access (do like a good database) unfortunately base is a shit alternative. But very happy with the draw program.

I have publisher this year as we got the office 365 subscription instead of the CD so it's got everything. I bloody love publisher :o used to use it all the time for homework so I'm looking forward to helping the DCs make leaflets and stuff on there. :o It sounds like it's a good alternative. Shame about the database one though. I haven't tried access yet but planning on asking dad for help with it - in particular I'm pondering making a database of our ridiculously huge DVD collection. Would be a useful home ed project.

A fairly simple one too. I design the relationships and that was what I was trying to do with base. Base is just shit. I love the forms and the way to get get it to do reports etc. It just gives me the happies. I may have to consider the 365 when I upgrade the laptop to a desktop.

Sounds great, Cant.

I am in the library again because we STILL have no internet.

This morning I have done lots of online address changing, laundry, and swept the downstairs floors.

anyone?