Fledglings cocoon, we're Flying in June ... .

[SansCollier]

Welcome to the June 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 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!

Sorry, that posted by itself.

Cag don't be too hard on yourself, you have a lot to cope with atm on top of existing illness; and being pregnant in this heat would cause anyone to have a meltdown

Wise words there from Einstein and how awful about the unkind idiots who make judgey comments about children fhs

Proffers calming and sympathy to Toostressy and Mermaids. Meltdowns seem to be the order of the day today (and in this household too as we have just had another one tonight) [sigh]

Is it a terrible thing to say that I am quite relieved dd is going off on a cycling weekend with her RC youth group this weekend? I think the short break will hopefully do us both some good.

Toostressy never apologise for ranting on here!

Links coming up! Wafting wing flaps to all!

Phew what a scorcher! Hope everyone can catch a bit of sleep tonight!

The summary for Wednesday 21 June is available on the Flylady website here under "Today" and via the flight plan which should update itself automatically on a daily basis.

Baby-step no. 21 for Wed 21st June is here. Read the AskFlylady section on the website or don't.

We are in Zone 4 this week : The Master Bedroom, Bath, Closet (June 18-24) here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 4 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Wednesday's mission is here. Ok so we have already (in theory ) cleaned the surface of the bed and under the bed. Wed's mission involves cleaning whatever is to the left of the bed whether that is a bedside table or in my case a stack of cardboard boxes containing books and magazines.

The daily focus for Wednesday is anti-procrastination. Do something you have been dreading!

The monthly habit in June is drinking water. Particularly important in this current hot weather!

Daily reminders (which should also update automatically) are here.

Go steady everyone!

**

SC no it is not bad about looking forwards to some space. Sometimes it does the world of good and is perfectly normal.

I have got sucked into a buffy marathon whilst knitting. I have not yet touched the lounge But have also drunk too much coffee so hoping that as the temp continues to drop that I can cool enough to burn the coffee off tidying the chaos. Failing that ds will be helping me shove it into a hidden location tomo morning before school....

Thanks so much all I'm not sure if I was clear, it's my own autism that is getting to me (the kids aren't diagnosed yet although may well both be at our appt on Monday! ) - it's the fact that I can't manage stuff normal people can. Usually I can be forgiving of my issues, I am actually generally proud of my diagnosis and my quirks, but sometimes I just feel so... TOO different. And combined with the physical health stuff, it's making me feel like I'm incapable of anything vaguely useful or normal.

Had a dreadful evening with DD's anxiety too - it's been getting a little less frequent, but when her brain gets stuck on the bullying stuff that's been going on it just won't let go and she can't calm down for sleep and gets really worked up. But it's not every night now, I have to count that as a win.

Heat is definitely not helping, we are all stressed with it. People have been saying it's supposed to break tomorrow but in our town the forecast says no rain until Tuesday

On a more positive note I finally got my new board game I ordered, had a lovely mummy-son time playing it... 7yo DS kicked my butt at it! :o

And hospital appt tomorrow which hopefully means hearing Cagletini's heartbeat again. :)

Thanks all for kind words, especially Einstein .

Hope today is better stressy :)

2nd day of DH's time off today, hope we can actually achieve something. We seem to be booked up already what with clubs and DD's birthday and various appointments, I don't know how we will fit anything in - need to do house stuff as well as step up the structured HE stuff for DD.

[SC lays out freshly squeezed oj, melon slices with redcurrants, yoghurts, freshly baked croissants, strong coffee on haughty corner bar for all to help themselves and plumps up pillows, hangs up hammocks and lays out cushions and picnic rugs for those in need of r & r]

Newcomers: our "naughty corner" or as it is recently become known (thanks to Zoo ) the "haughty corner" is available at all times for those in need - of rest, recuperation , support, a break from choring, a break from life ... a glass (or three) of of an evening ... all are welcome

Hope all fledglings have a better day today!

One more day of this hot weather to go and then a bit of a heat hiatus ... my poor long-haired rabbit will be glad of a break!

DD has her last two exams today.... fingers crossed they go ok....

Back to my manuscript ... .

Have a good day everybody!

N.B. !! So sorry everyone! The heat must have got to my addled brain last night!! I have just realised that I posted Wednesday's links and not those for today today down below.

HERE ARE THE CORRECT LINKS FOR TODAY!!!

The summary for Thursday 22 June is available on the Flylady website here under "Today" and via the flight plan which should update itself automatically on a daily basis.

Baby-step no. 22 for Thurs 22nd June is here. It is about building a control journal in 15 easy steps here. Some of us have and some of us haven't!

We are in Zone 4 this week : The Master Bedroom, Bath, Closet (June 18-24) here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 4 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Thursday's mission is here. OK so having decluttered the surface of the bed, underneath the bed, to the left of the bed , we are now going to spend a little time decluttering, you guessed it, to the right of the bed, without becoming overwhelmed! (Well that's the theory anyway!)

The daily focus for Thursday is running errands.

The monthly habit in June is drinking water.

Daily reminders (which should also update automatically) are here.

Keep going everyone! Even 2 mins focused effort is better than nothing!

Apologies

Ta da:
animals
dd packed lunch
polished dd school shoes
ironed dd school shirt
school run
furry walk 1
emptied dw
filled dw
cleaned down kitchen surfaces & shined sink
hung up overnight washing to dry on terrace
folded towels and pants and carried upstairs
re-fed wms

To do:
make Rachel Allen green soup for lunch (bit hot but it is very summery and light)
pasta sauce for supper
work on website (at least about 8 more hrs work to do)

Have a good day everyone!

SC was just catching up on the thread and had to check that it was indeed Thursday! I thought the heat had messed with my head and we were only on Wednesday

I will post later as ds is having a screaming fit now!

Back to finish my post now ds is asleep and dd at nursery!

Hope you are ok cag don't be hard on yourself.

It's been too hot to do much flying this week tbh, I've done a few of the missions and kept on top of the daily stuff but my ironing pile is nearly touching the ceiling again which is very disheartening after all the effort I put in last week in reducing it! With the weather we have been getting through clothes much quicker I think. Plus we've been trying dd without pull ups at night so have had to wash her bedding twice this week. It's not going too well!

Hope everybody ok, not even going to do a to do list yet... slacking!

Morning!!

Ta da
bag of dd's too small clothes out of my room and given to a friend
Beds made
Done the kids task with them before school
kids made it to school.....eventually after arguing about every little thing possible !!

just 'mashed mesen a brew' as a reward for surviving the morning!! Over the past few days, I've got all dd2 clothes out of the bedroom, popped most of them on selling sites & ebay - If they don't sell by next week, they'll be going to the charity shop!!

To do
photo the rest of the clothes
s&s
10 mins tidy
work & work order

off to the park soon with dd2 to celebrate it being a little bit cooler!!

Hope everyone has a fab day!!

And after a shit night's sleep the ground has been hit running:

ta da
1hr decluttering in lounge
fold laundry
2nd load of washing is in the machine
half the ironing pile is ironed
stuff is in the sink soaking ready for being washed up
ds got to school with everything needed - no fuss which i appreciate
made porridge for breakfast the old fashion way

that seems so little compared to what needs to be done before this afternoon!

Actually I think today I am completely out of my depth. reserve me a spot in the naughty corner, with some sleep meds and tissues for later. I think i will need them later.

cag who wants to be the same?my mh makes me very differentodd sometimes, but it's me quueks and all and sod the rear if them who judge(may they hoik judgy pants so high they strangle themselves)hope app goes well and caglitini is heard thumping away! (I loved hearing heartbeats)

sc good luck last exam's.sounds very stressful
It chose to suddenly tip ut down half way to school. Jeans and vest top soaked,felt divined.sliding around in wet flip flops was not.....
Bit cooler here today.storms forecast,well ut us Lil zoo and ds sports day normally hammers down n we all stand in field getting soaked.....

Tadas
Fed Scoutcat
Fed kits/litter tray cleaned
Wash on
Pop shop for milk
Breakfast n pack ups
S+s bathroom
Bleach lav
School run
Drip into community cafe to weigh in waitrose drop
Wash hung airer
More on
Clear dining table n wash up

I hears today the man who started junk food project (recycling supearjet out of dates as food for sale in community cafes)is in court under trading standards fight as they are arguing it's illegal sell out if date food(we don't sell,we get donations)and we get lots fruit,veg,eggs,bread not chickens ffs....
So project hangs i n the balance pending court findings
Personally i think criminal waste so much food that's perfectly edible but that's my two penneth
Enough ranting,more flying!!

I'm with you on that Zoo! I was horrified when I saw how much food there was at our local (free) project - ALL of it would've been chucked! 😱😡

Heartbeat was super strong 😍 Rest of the appt was a bust though as it should've been booked for after my scan. Which is next week!

sc the after school planner has arrived, thankyou for the recommendation, the recipes look beautiful. I hope you don't mind me asking but do you offer the snack and the supper? I don't know whether my kids would eat both haha, I usually just offer tea and a pudding - wondering whether I've been underfeeding my kids for the past 10 years haha!!

I think it depends on the child. Ds will sometimes just eat tea, other times his snack is the same size as his tea 2 hours later and he is raiding the cupboards for supper before bed. It is partially growth spurt, partially age related. When he was in primary he would eat small snack and snack size tea most days when he was not in middle of growth spurt. these days he eats more than me.

Bollocks to flying, bollocks to chores, and the world can bugger off.

Well I'm now convinced I have a bird curse upon me as there was a deceased blackbird in the front garden when I got home. The baby seagull is still hanging around. He's very cute and we don't get divebombed although I've told the dc's not to go too near him.
I am the Mary poppins bird lady

[Pushes hammock gently, wafts large banana leaf in Einstein's direction]

Well done to anyone who has completed one or two chores in this weather, never mind a full list!

Rosa eh up me duck! Well done re: clothes decluttering!

As for grub, agree with Einstein, it does so much depend on growth spurts.

In general though, when dd was very young (up to about the age of 5/6 yrs) she was always really hungry at lunch-time and then too tired/gone past it after a long school day to eat properly. So the few mouthfuls I could get in to her as soon as she got home were really important ifyswim and needed to count (i.e. protein and veg and carbs not sugary buns or biscuits). From the age of about 7/8 yrs, she then went on to eat her main evening meal virtually straightaway after she got home (because she was famished and would be too tired to eat properly with us later; but she did sometimes join us at the table and have a pudding before bed). Then from about the age of 9/10 yrs she ate with us in an evening and managed a snack when she got home (although it is always a challenge - even now - to get some decent food in to her when she gets home and not eat too much to spoil her evening meal). Sorry for the essay. I am obsessive about this subject because dd has always been on the lowest weight percentile possible and still is!

I think some of the snacks in that book could be expanded in to proper meals; anyway hope it gives you some ideas/recipes you can work with - I found it v helpful and hope you do too

Cag what lovely news about the strong mini Caglet heartbeat !!

Zoo Hope the judges see sense about food waste! Although I suppose they have to be careful about unsavoury characters taking advantage and selling out of date food for profit. Perhaps they could instigate a regulated exception to the rules for community projects or similar?

Pat yourself on the back for keeping up with the daily routines and for doing a few missons Foxes - not easy with two littlies - and in this heat.

Cheery wing flaps to everyone else!

Atmosphere has lightened here considerably because dd has officially finished her exams - yay - we can all stop walking around on eggshells now hopefully! Very proud of her for just getting through them (some were pretty brutal to be honest - esp Latin) not worrying about the results just now!

Unfortunately, I still have work deadline looming and dh has horrible client crisis so poor dd is going to have to entertain herself with Dr Who re-runs and pizza tonight (with friend from down the road) and she'lll have to wait until we can take her out tomorrow to celebrate! Can't believe the academic year is virtually over! [Where has the past six months gone ?]

Cheery pip everybody!

Actually, I might post links for tomorrow now so I don't keep sneaking a look at Mumsnet during the evening!! See you all tomorrow!

x posts Mermaids

[starts warbling, "Feed the birds ... tuppence a baaaag"]

The summary for Friday 23rd June is available on the Flylady website here under "Today" and via the flight plan which should update itself automatically on a daily basis.

Baby-step no. 23 for Friday 23rd June is here. Add a "get home from school/work/afternoon" routine to your day.

We are in Zone 4 this week : The Master Bedroom, Bath, Closet (June 18-24) here.

Spend 15 mins decluttering the current zone.

When you have finished decluttering, the detailed cleaning list for Zone 4 (if you are at that stage) is here.

Friday's mission is here. So in theory we have to date cleared the top of the bed, under the bed and to the left and right of the bed. Today's task is to clear clutter at the foot of the bed (not allowing yourself to put it back in any of the previously cleared areas!)

The daily focus for Friday is decluttering purses, cars, handbags + date night.

The monthly habit in June is drinking water.

Daily reminders (which should also update automatically) are here.

Go steady everyone!

Re snacks + evening meal, I think we only have tea because we get in from the school run about 340 and the kids have their tea around 430 - 5 so they'll just grab some fruit if they come in starving. They're afternoon clubs start at 5.30-6, they don't have these every night, but I think that's why we've into having tea so early. I can't see where a full on snack would fit in, but it is something I'll look into. Plus some of the snack recipes look like they would work for taking to school for break time.

ta da
erm.....work

to do
erm.......relax on front of the tv........think the ww is due anytime so feeling a bit crappy, no flying, just hanging out in the haughty corner, seems like a fun place to be

Hello all, re. after school snacks, sadly my DDs are not even a tiny bit tired after school so have plenty of hours to fill and be hungry in!

Absolutely shattered today as tiring day at work. Thankfully DH has managed home bleugh so I am planning to get in my PJs and collapse in the haughty corner (don't think I need naughty as home bleugh done). No decluttering today but far too tired for that!