Gather ye dusters (fledglings) while ye May, for soon we shall be Flying ... !

[Slurrycart]

Welcome to the May 2017 fledgling Fly thread!

Feel free to park your mops and buckets here from the 1st of the month!

This is where we attempt to declutter our homes and follow the 30-step wisdom of Flylady (minus cutesy barftastic 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, here 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 ):

1 - repeat or start baby steps (again!)

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

or

3 - reinforce babysteps and/or do daily missions
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 bursts of activity (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 welcome!

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!

mumontherun so true about girls and friendships!

Right, pointy sticks at the ready, I am going in ...

[Closes computer screen]

Have a good day everyone!

Lol at the mugs Slurry!! My pet hate...drives me mad xxx

Yeah thankfully it's the last day. We've parted on good terms but only because I'm too much of a wimp to do otherwise TBH. Due to the circumstances it's going to have to be a gradual thing rather than anything dramatic - end of the day they still have to see each other every week. I will just be cutting down on the social stuff. DD is not short of friends and requests to hang out :) it's the other girl who is. Jealousy about that is probably part of the issue.

And just remember to politely decline next time a joint holiday is suggested.... xxx

Definitely won't be going with them again. I should never have agreed, even when I booked I knew there were issues as DD is often upset after playing etc. Never happens with other friends.

Oh Cag, glad it will be over soon. Thanks for the hot lemon SC! Currently taking an hour on the sofa with medicinal leftover pizza while DD2 at preschool.

Ta da:-
Morning routine
Laundry reset (washed a tissue in a pocket )
15 min declutter of some paperwork

Cag I really do think you need to point out to her what her DD is doing, difficult though that is (especially if it has been done before with grim results!). It's not fair on your DD otherwise.

As for my own DD, I'm still not sure what will happen tonight - it was a tentative arrangement for last week postponed until this week, and I know that one of the other parents involved can be tricky to get hold of at short notice and I would feel a bit mean if the activity went ahead without one of the others - it seems child friendships are the theme of the day today! I am resigned to waiting until next week, and hoping that it doesn't go badly at school pick-up time. Despite her bad week, I'm not sure I can spend much more on treats to cheer my own DD up

Oh yeah, better get on with some cleaning/tidying and stop moaning ...

Oh sorry everyone is struggling at the moment

I've been rubbish at flying this week!

Ta das
Daily routine
Meal plan
Bottle bank

To do
Decluttering in kitchen
Check cleaning supplies
Clean cupboard doors
Ironing

Phew! That took ages ... and I am horribly unfit I am red in the face!

Ta da:
morning routine:
inc dw, s&s, dining room table hotspot, load wms DONE
collect mugs and saucers from dd's room around the house DONE
ditto towels that have been used and dropped on the floor hmm DONE
ditto text books and random photocopied sheets hmm DONE
and chocolate wrappers hmm DONE
thorough clean out of rabbit room DONE

Cleaner away today so:
general tidy up downstairs DONE
wipe down kitchen surfaces and shine sink DONE
s&s (although actually needs proper clean I think) DONE
foil & cling film and under sink cleaning materials missions DONE
hoover entire downstairs DONE
clean downstairs lav DONE

But still haven't done cutlery drawer!

Just about to start on cooking and I can't face making pastry now ... .

And really, if you could see my first and second floors, that list below is merely a sticking plaster on all the random crapola that is floating around the place [cackles hysterically and rocks in corner].

Wow SC good on you! My list seems a bit pathetic now...

Ta das
Wiped cupboard doors
Food shopping online
Started dinner

Found myself sitting down again...

cag dd2 had same thing thing last night ear at primary. Best friend was hard work crazy bitch whose mum thought sun shine out her whotnots.
Glad went different secondary.they've had a set too at girls brigade as dd2 is friends another girl and they hang out socially sometimes as she's home schooled and likes the company.unfortunately she lives over road from do no wrong child so she told GB leaders they were be mean to her,her m.back her up and dd2 and friend got roasted....
I said keep contact minimum and try not let her issues grind you down
Easier said than done though

Tadas
Took lil zooo school still unwell(they moan about attendance) she was crying so took office.they all but drag her class after prize her away from me.spent day feel like crappiest crap mum on planet
S+s bathroom
2loads wash done
Bit shopping

I need shift bum and sort tea(Greek style mince with mash and jelly-good for lil zoo throat.dd2 having a quorn mince version)

Oh fuck forgot there was no edit function here. Bugger. Please add comma after the her in the last sentence.

Thanks everyone. Really super glad to be home. I just dozed on the sofa for 3 hours!

I did say to the mum what was really going on and I have done so many times before. Everyone else believes me, they see it themselves often and have also tried to confront her themselves when it's been their kids in the firing line. But nothing on earth will make her see. Nothing. :( I get that everyone is going to believe their own child but she's ignoring things right in front of her eyes too. It is sad really as this girl loses more and more friends because her mum won't teach her how to deal with relationships properly. But, you can take a horse to water etc. DD knows I've tried, knows I'm in her corner, and agrees with the plan to avoid socialising with them. Frankly we are far too busy anyway so that won't be difficult.

She is feeling more like herself now we're back, happily doing morse code with DS and running about with walkie talkies :)

Cotswold what happened with DD in the end? It's horrible when they get disappointed isn't it :(

Sorry lil zoo is so poorly :(

Must catch up on Masterchef before the grand final - watched bits of it in the apartment but the TV was tiny and grainy and the screen had pinky greeny splodges! :o

Hi einstein!

What? No... was it really?

[SC does double take]

Einstein come back! Come back! I'm old too!

[Snaffles cake]

Foxes your list is the opposite of pathetic [stamps foot]!!

I had 6.5 free hours today - entirely to myself - without dh popping in for lunch either - to do what I wanted (well I had to do chores and food shopping etc but apart from that). No tinies around. My list looks pathetic when you consider the amount of time I had!

It is a different world to when you have young 'uns! Totally! Honestly, and I have even more time since dd started taking herself to school and back (I happen to drive her this morning but that was an exception) and since she gave up ballet (although that has been replaced somewhat by tutor runs) and of course I now don't have any time because of wreck2 but you get the general picture. YOu can be so much more focused without tinies about your feet though and you have are enduring endless broken nights too remember!

I am still here. Oddly out of sorts so the distraction of NHS cyberattack and the super secret trump type thread (which is slightly baffling) is providing a good distraction.

Also fucking moths. How the hell do you get rid of the fuckers?! Seeing as bug bombing the house is not going to be possible until September?

I have no idea about the moths. Problem here too. Little winged wankers they are.

Great to have you back Einstein

Natural moth extermination? Dunno but ...

www.thebalance.com/get-rid-of-moths-1388158

www.goodhousekeeping.co.uk/lifestyle/declutter-your-home/how-to-get-rid-of-moths-in-wardrobe

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/housekeeping/1204363-Moths-how-to-get-rid-of-them

As mentioned in thread above, the females like to hide under heavy dark objects such as sideboards, carpet and wardrobes so good idea to hoover under these. And of course important never to put knitwear away with even the tiniest mark or stain on it else it will be gobbled.
Good luck!

Gosh Toostressy I'm not sure it's that much easier with 4 and 6 yr olds - don't know how you juggle everything - although definitely easier than babies and toddlers I suppose!

Zoo really sorry to hear little Zoo still under the weather!

Pls forgive me if I don't post any more personals tonight. Was just putting dinner on the table at 7.45 pm and who should ring at the door (on a Friday night after a long week) but our parish priest (he seems to like popping in at supper time despite the dreaded cuisine anglaise). Of course he wanted something (that's his job) but I felt embarrassed because it was the only Friday for ages when we haven't served fish (very old fashioned/traditional here). So he looked askance at the sausage tray bake and opted for soup instead! He's only just gone so reaching for the now . Poor man, I shouldn't complain really, he looked utterly exhausted and had several other parishioners to visit after us.

Hope eveyrone who is ailing can benefit from a bit of rest at the weekends, although not easy with babies/toddlers I know.

G'night all! Links coming up! Have a great weekend fledglings! Weary wing flaps to all!