Festive building work, house moving and fledglings flying. Gotta be the December thread.

[CantSee4Looking]

Morning

It's December. Are you ready for this?
festive cleaning, decluttering and then the required throwing about of sparkly stuff in the name of the holidays? No? Yeah neither are the rest of us. But let's do this.

So we sorta follow the Fat fairy and her fly lady system. We have adapted to suit lifestyles and sometimes roll our eyes at the fluffiness of the website but we do:
1. 15mins decluttering
2. Missions and Zones
3. have a naughty corner bar but someone else can decorate it this year

All the links can be found from the launch pad

But as it is the 1st of December It is babystep 1. This one looks easy. Shine your sink.

missions are here

The zone is zone 1 which is the porch, dining room and hallway. 15minutes folks, 15 minutes. get that decluttering done.

Tuesday is planning day

And just for the crazy people Christmas missions are here

the 1st Christmas mission

Oh yeah, the disclaimers:
long running thread, regulars been here years so can seem clicky, we're not. Newbies are always welcome we just as you to be respectful

Gah I seem to have whiled away the entire morning on the laptop instead of doing stuff! Had a long conversation with my mum that brought up too many feelings and now I'm out of sorts. DD is in a horrible overtired mood and is supposed to have a sleepover tonight, friend coming at 2. I would cancel, but it's a mutual favour for the friend's mum (this is her only chance to wrap presents etc) so don't feel I can.

WhoKnows

I have been having a thoroughly exasperating day, and just utterly lost it because there was purple pen all over the pale carpet in DS2's room. (There's pale carpet throughout this house, unfortunately!!) All pens, paper, art materials etc have now been banished to the kitchen, which has involved much lugging of heavy boxes down 2 flights of stairs, and rearranging both the kitchen and the play room. And I've been on hands and knees scrubbing 3 applications of carpet cleaner, which hasn't worked...

On the plus side, managed to take the boys out this morning, and DS2 managed some brief stints of cycling without stablisers/ me holding him up. :)

Anyway, for anyone feeling similarly frazzled, or ill, here's a and some comedy animal photos - did me the world of good!!

Hi everyone, I've not really caught up on the thread, sorry. Hope I haven't missed too much.

DS has been ill for over a week, he is on his second round of antibiotics after having had a nebuliser, a course of steroids and loads of cal pol/neurofen to keep down a raging temperature. He has been off nursery which has meant I have had virtually no time to myself to regain my sanity. DH has been away a lot with work so not around to help either.

DS had his 3rd birthday during all this and not surprisingly was overwhelmed with all the presents and attention he got. We've been drip feeding him gifts which whilst frustrating for the gift-giver, is the only way DS can cope!

Finally feeling Christmassy after getting the decorations up on Saturday and going to church carol concert on Sunday.

Today I have:
Emptied/reloaded dishwasher
Fed cats and DS,
Eaten DSs left over party food
Went into town:
*posted some letters and shipped eBay parcel
*took big bag of stuff to charity shop
*renewed library books and paid fines
Found a cheque I thought I'd lost
Started application for a Masters degree for next academic year
Put the bins out

Once DS is in bed I need to do some book keeping and accounts [yawn]

Waves to all ... just cantering through!

A belated "happy birthday" to your ds *Greymalkin! Sorry to hear he has been so ill though which must have been v. stressful for you all. Congrats on your list and Masters sounds v interesting!

Blue oh dear about the purple pen incident. Quite the worst time for it to happen. Hope you have managed to get the worst of it off.

I'm afraid I lost it with dd this morning when she pointedly said "I suppose I will have to wear this (long, sweatshirty dress type thing) because I have no clean jeans" (yes I am behind with the laundry because of wm breaking down and with being ill). I replied rather more forcefully than intended "if you are lacking clean jeans then you know where the laundry basket, the wm and the laundry liquid are." I was then accused of being "completely horrible". Oh dear.

But those comedy animal pictures are quite the best thing to make one feel a bit more chipper and cheery thanks Blue! Have copied them to my sisters (who are both feeling v stressed atm) too!

Feeling better overall today though with a bit of energy thank heavens but somewhat overwhelmed with all the tasks still to do. Dh still driving me bonkers though and of course is suddenly "immersed in work and urgent deadlines" just when I could do with a bit of help.

Dog still not eating so off to vet this afternoon again.

Downstairs still a complete tip and only bare tree up, no decorations at all. Friends/visitors arriving Christmas eve. It is going to be a close run thing.

Hope you and your dd survived the sleepover Fuzzfiggy!

Sorry, should have emboldened Greymalkin

I'm back, but busy! And maybe a bit frazzled. The funeral went well, as did the travel (approx 220 miles each way drive), and it was good to see so many family members, we are so geographically scattered that big meet ups are very rare now.

Just sent the DCs out to deliver all the local cards, I must get off the computer and do some tidying.

I'm glad you are back safely Whoknows and that the funeral went as well as these things can. As you say, these huge family meet ups happen all too rarely and despite the sadness of the occasion it is always good to meet up with long lost relatives.

Thanks for reminder - need to deliver local cards too - think will incorporate in to dog walk if furry one up to it (which he nearly always is).

Can I ask the for the fledgling collective wisdom if you have two minutes?

Dh wants to buy dd a laptop for Christmas and it seems to be the only thing she wants and she does have to check-out "smart school" for hwk related things all the time.

I am a bit wary about this because I don't really want to encourage her to spend more time on-line than necessary and well, I think 12 yrs is perhaps a bit too young for this sort of present.

Also I am at the price of them. I would never, ever, have received a present that expensive as a child.

Plus her school marks although not terrible haven't been that great and its a bugger to get her to help around the home atm.

I'm particularly worried that as an "only" she will be spoiled, entitled etc and I think her behaviour could head that way if we are not careful.

Is it standard for 12 yr olds to have laptops nowadays? Any advice anyone?

Thanks!

Not that I link presents to academic performance - but just a general worry ifyswim.

Vet is doing further tests on furry one. He's had blood test. Now needs ultrasound.

Aw poor pup :(

I think 12 years is a fair age to have a computer of your own nowadays, at least going by what I hear generally, and given how much homework these days has to be done on the computer (not something I am really in favour of but that's a whole other thread! ). You could still set limits on use (big one for me when we get to that stage would be always using it in family rooms, never squirrelling themselves away in the bedroom with it).

However if your DH is wondering about it at this late stage, presumably you've got other presents sorted already? And is she 'expecting' (IYSWIM) a laptop? It would be a pretty expensive last minute 'twitch' gift :o

If she wouldn't be really disappointed not to get one, would it be worth sorting it out for her birthday if that's not too far away? Or maybe give her some money towards it, say half the cost, and she would need to contribute the rest from her pocket money or whatever?

Oh and the sleepover was a nightmare TBH, DD was wired and stroppy and didn't go to sleep til gone midnight. She has been told no more SOs for a while.

Oh dear, sorry to hear about sleepover nightmare Fuzzfigg but at least you can feel good about having done your dd's friend's mother a huge favour!

Thanks for laptop advice/feedback - much appreciated.

No, this definitely "isn't" a "twitch" present. DD has already had presents from St Nicolas as is the custom here, and has a few more others to come (ballet stuff, dressing gown, onesie, bks, stacking layers for jewellery box etc + stocking full of silly bits) but this would be her main present. The choice was lap top or phone. She chose phone and we have discussed it at length and she is already earning money towards part of cost (20 tasks at 5 euros each) but it is still shockingly expensive even with that contribution!! Her birthday is in July and it was my view that she should get it then but dh seems to feel there is no problem with her having it at Christmas!! [harrumph]

And we do have/will have fairly strict boundaries in place about its use after last debacle a fair few threads back in the summer wrt on-line safety.

The last minute part is because I never see dh for any length of time to discuss anything properly so things always negotiated as he is rushing out door at last min!! And he is the one who has been designated to actually go to the shop and purchase it as I wouldn't have a clue (and he always leaves shopping until Christmas eve of course) [harrumph again]

I suppose I asked for feedback because although decision has been taken out of my hands to some extent, I still feel uneasy about it for some reason. Reassuring to know that lots of other 12 yr olds have laptops though! I still can't get over how expensive they are!

I'm probably showing my age but I use to be happy with one toy, a Cadbury's selection box and a Jack and Jill comic for Christmas (which later turned in to a subscription to Pony magazine)!!

Sorry - going mad obviously - she chose laptop not phone! (She has my old cheapo phone for safety but doesn't really use it except occasionally.)

Btw I wish Mumsnet would leave off with that purple message at bottom of screen "here's how to be the perfect host this Christmas"

I will certainly not be the perfect host - I haven't got the energy this year - and why should we be aiming for perfection anyway?? [harrumph again]

Hello everyone. I could list some marvellous excuses for absence. I could say i have been saving thr world. I could say I have been too busy cleaning. I could say i have been super busy with work. There is a small element of truth to the last one I suppose. Reality i suspect is just that I am crap. Not because I don't care. And now I have two minutes to myself I thought I would fly in (geddit) and spread Christmas cheer to my lovely fledglings. To summarise developments in my life....there are none😀. Well, small lie. Work is mad as ever, dc's are driving me insane as ever, stbxh is a twunt as ever. Positive note is that there is light at end of living with mum tunnel and things are going stupendously well with lovely new DP who is amazeballs. I am stupidly organised for Christmas although am a bit sad as dc's are with their dad so it will be weird. Weirdness offset by the fact that I shall be spending Christmas with Dp and his dc's so it shall still be awesome.

I haven't read through thread, only the last page but sc i will say in a reassuring manner that I got ds a laptop for his 12th birthday. He self-regulates pretty well andit has not turned him into anymore of a ternage anti-social nightmare than he was already. For reference, he does have a phone as well because he is a spoilt shit.

I am going to send massive Christmas waves to anyone that remembers me and promise to be back later.

Hey ellie good to see you! [offers festive lebkuchen]

Ah that makes sense SC I misunderstood and thought it would be like an extra present! No, as you've described it, I think it sounds perfectly fair, and it's great that she is earning towards it too. I can see your frustration WRT DH leaving it to the last minute though! How frustrating. Anyway, I think if you have firm boundaries in place regarding usage and safety, it's a great age to get it and would be a much better present than a fancier phone, IMO, as it will be much more useful for school.

I virtually ran upstairs as soon as DH got in just now. DCs driving me COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY INSANE they are overtired and overexcited and stir crazy.

Tomorrow we have no plans (other than me telling DD she can possibly play with neighbour for a little while IF yes IF she goes to bed nicely and behaves well tomorrow), need to try and vaguely catch up on laundry and that sort of thing and pack some clothes to take to mum's. Technically I don't actually need to take any clothes at all for the DCs - they always get undies and socks in their stockings, and have a bundle of clothes as a present this year - but they'd be suspicious. So I might pack a bag of their clothes and then I can leave it there until the next time we stay, on the 29th, so I won't need to bother then.

Tonight I need to wrap the last few bits, and the Tesco delivery is due (thankfully I had a text to remind me - I'd grabbed a Christmas slot ages ago and checked out with 4 bottles of schnapps and nowt else to reserve the space!), can barely even remember what I've got as it was so late at night when I finally did the order properly. I'm all out of sorts as we will be at mum's for Christmas eve dinner, and most of Christmas day, but need to come back in the evening as DH is working Boxing day, so it'll just be me and the DCs but then lovely SILs might pop in, and I have no idea when or how long for, or whether they will need food, and AAAAAAAAAAAAARGH help

Ellie i heard a vicious rumour that you have been entirely fly like and ridiculously organised this year

SC are you hesitant because you know you will end up policing it and there will be different views on how to manage it?
ds has saved up for his own computer. Taken him a good number of birthdays and christmas. But he is going to have a desktop as it will be more adaptable long term.

Work has just given notice of redundancies. It is all a bit grim atmosphere wise. I am glad I am now on holiday. But it is kinda casting a shadow over everything as will be an ongoing theme for the new year. Thankfully I was already looking at going so whilst I am not on the notification list, I do hope that moving on can happen sooner rather than later.

Will do today's and tomo's links in a mo. I crash badly yesterday so they did not happen and have not had 2 mins to sit/mn yet. Currently multitasking this with tea eating naughty cantsee

Evening all ... !

Yay! Good to see you Ellie!! Brilliant to hear all of your news and particularly brill that everything going so well for you! Not sure you need us fledglings now that you are so organised and everything [sniff] but well done on knocking Christmas prep in to touch! HOpe you have a lovely Christmas (albeit a different one) and hope to "see" you in the NY and absolutely no skulking allowed!

Also very pleased to hear from one who specialises in pre-teens/teens that a laptop will not be too much of a corrupting influence! Phew!

Thanks also Fuzzyfiggy - sorry for earlier drip-feeding - feel a bit more reassured now! Hope you have a lovely Christmas with your ma!

And hah re: not remembering what is coming in your on-line grocery delivery! I can go one up on that ... I asked dd to do the order by herself for the first time earlier this week [gulp] ... it is arriving tomorrow ... should be interesting!! (Only non-perishable basics such as loo rolls, foil, dw tabs though so hopefully she can't have gone too wrong!)

Can't what a horrible time of year to announce redundancies! Hope you get the outcome you want.

Yes, I am a bit worried about the policing aspects because it is already an issue. But we have drawn up a "contract" about this sort of thing and it will be reaffirmed when lap top arrives.

Very impressed by your ds saving up for his own laptop!! Really good going! [start] to him and to you! Ideally, if dh had played ball, that is what I would have liked dd to do. (Worried she hasn't quite connected idea of "hard work" equalling "reward" as yet, or rather, not to the necessary degree.)

I'm still going slightly loopy as guests still messing me around. And worried about furry one. I've given up trying to be pro-active (failed at it anyway!) and am trying to go with the flow although I really find the 'not knowing' rather difficult!!

Big feathery waves to anyone else in the coop (or hovering around the edge!)

Um, that should have been a not a [start]

DD always gets pants and socks in her stocking too fuzz although I seemed to have forgotten the socks this year!

I generally agree about laptops for 12yos too (DS is nearly 12). We haven't got him one yet as most of his homework is paper based and he uses our desktop a lot, also we haven't got much workspace for laptops, they have to be used on the kitchen table and put away whenever not in use. Whereas the desktop is always on and on a desk just outside the kitchen so it's very handy for us all to use. Oh and DH and I have 5 laptops between us already .

Anyway, today has been a really lovely day. We didn't do anything particularly special, but it has been one of those virtually unheard of days when we (DCs and I, DH has been out since 8am) have agreed on everything and it has all worked out well. Leisurely morning, finished writing cards for hand delivery and sent the DCs out to deliver them. They then wanted to go swimming and I said "but I want to tidy the house", and they said "we'll do it" and so they did . So we had lunch, went swimming (water park 20 miles away), came home, had tea, did the big Sainsburys shop together, did their present wrapping before watching the Muppets Christmas carol and playing Monopoly. I also managed to declutter the fridge, pay some bills and do some washing. Just lying awake waiting for DH to get back, he's been out with friends in London.

Yarrrrggghhhhh!!! Good morning!! First two sets of visitors arriving this afternoon!! I'm not ready!!

Thanks for the laptop feedback Whoknows (or should that be WhoFivelaptopknows from now on? One of the rules will be that dd will not be able to take it up to her bedroom at night. And her hwk station is currently downstairs where we will be able to check most activity (hopefully).

Good to hear you had such a lovely day yesterday! I love the Muppets!

[SC exits thread with feather duster in hand singing "it's time to put on music, it's time to light the lights ..."]

Huge tray of croissants and steaming mugs of coffee on the naughty corner bar for all of those in need!

Have a good day fledglings!!

house not completely tamed.
Virus well and truly bedding in

yesterday's babystep

Today's links
babystep
missions
launch pad
Today is... urm yeah no idea what the day is today. sorry.

So sorry that you are suffering Can't do you want me to take links over (can do so up until and including Sat morning)?

Ta da:
found a couple of last missing addresses for cards
a few Christmas e-mails sent
cleaners performed a miracle on the sitting room this morning, I kid you not, looking half decent now, still a bit to do
on-line grocery delivery (done brilliantly by dd!! ) delivered and put away
stack of white towels washed, dried and folded
next load of washing on
dw emptied
holly and ivy harvested from garden (very odd doing so without a coat)
half of decorations are up
Christmas flower arrangement half done
paper chains hung from banisters
office presents delivered
office lunch eaten
vet consulted
last of local cards delivered
three more beds made and books, towels, nice smellies delivered to end of guests' beds, and water bottles, glasses, reading lights, throws etc sorted (which hopefully should distract from holes in the walls )
up and down stairs a million times putting things back in their proper place

To do:
finish final final food list
food shop (few bits of veg and salad)

Hurdy gurdy man has passed by with decrepit monkey (not a real one I hasten to add) and his tunes echoed all down the street; neighbours (preoccupied wearing aprons) all came out of their front doors and we waved at one another (only happens once a year!)

Loads of fiddly bits to finish and some cooking! Running out of energy but must press on!

Keep going everyone!

Tbh everything other than my room and its broken radiator is pretty much done now. Has to be as the family birthday thing has started. It would, however, help to find out what day we are on

I am have been excused from family event and can be miserable else where. It is for the best. Other than mince pies there is nothing really I have to do now. And Christmas is tomo anyway.

Hoping to gather enough strength to tame the room and fix the radiator. I hate having a messy bedroom for christmas

Can't I'm sorry to report that it is anti-procrastination day!

[slinks away from thread eyes fixed rigidly on hideous state of boudoir ] The bed is so piled up with crapola (guests are taking over usual bedroom) that it will be a miracle if dh and I will fit in there tonight tbh!

YY to gathering strength being essential right now!