September fledgling roll call: Ready, Set, FLY....

[HillsBesideTheSea]

Yes this is the bonkers back to school thread. We welcome you to jump aboard for the ride. We are following the Fly lady system for taming the chaos (can't have anyone over syndrome). We are at various levels and there is NO obligation to follow it to the letter (we've installed a bar in the naughty corner for hanging out and relaxing when needed)

4 levels for flying:
Baby steps - good for finding a routine in the tasks and getting over the perfection crippling effect
Baby steps and missions - yep basic routine and more in depth tasks
Baby steps, missions, and deep cleaning - can't clean clutter so don't consider this one if you need the next level
Flying combined with a decluttering system (kondo/unfuck etc etc) lets be honest fly lady is good for routine but not so quick with the decluttering results sometimes.

So ground rules, yes ground rules it is September:

1. Newbies - we are a long running but friendly bunch. We try not to seem clicky but it doesn't always come across as some of us have known each other on here for a long time, just join the chatter and you'll soon be a fledgling
2. There is NO wrong or right way of doing this, it is about adapting the system to suit your life circumstances, which will be different from someone else's.

Linkies will be posted daily and will appear shortly. Until then, jump on board, enjoy the ride and there are still hammocks, sand, comfy seats, cushions, blankies and a full English on the naughty corner bar it is a Saturday morning, breakfast is earnt

Ds is not upset with his school uniform policy other than the shoes have to be shoes and not black trainers. What he is upset about is the new curriculum for English and the fact that they are enforcing higher standards on handwriting/book layout/presentation of work. I otoh have rolled my eyes at the new english stuff god knows I would have failed english badly with these new expectations and think the presentation and layout etc is a good thing.

I have a crap ton of stuff to do today and Wednesdays are going to end up as my errand day because thursdays won't work for me. So trying to find the will to do the dreaded bra shopping thing, the hideous food shopping thing and more book shopping thing. Ds has decided that he really enjoys one of my favourite books, but my copy is falling apart so he will get my copy and I will get a new copy he is rough with his books

Someone shout at me if I am back before 4pm and don't have ring physio on my ta da list!

Hope you feel better soon Sass
bower good luck with that phone call re possible job!

Huge sympathies re: adolescent battles Zoo! This too shall pass!

I remember being on Mumsnet years ago when dd was a little 'un and being genuinely shocked thinking "gosh all these mothers being adversely negative and critical about their teenage offspring, I wonder why they feel the need to do that etc."

Ah well, one lives and learns eh?

So sorry to hear Little Zoo still suffering poor lass

Very sorry to hear you are feeling rotten too Sassitude . I hope the meds do their job and you feel much better soon. One of my sisters has a similar reaction to most antibiotics and it is really miserable.

I wish dd's school was as specific as your dd's about uniform. There are quite strict guidelines laid out in tiny print in the thousands of pages of rules that one has to sign before the beginning of term each year but I'm not sure anyone reads them! DD's skirt and jumper and sports t-shirt are specific to the school and you can buy everything else wherever you want. The skirt is meant to be no more than 4 cms above the knee but it isn't enforced. Uniforms aren't usual here, especially in a state school which dd is in, only a very few schools have them, and so people aren't generally attuned to the details. But you would therefore think that as it is fairly recognisable, they would enforce it a bit better!

Ta da so far:
furry walk 1
sorted more sealed food storage and carried sealed plastic boxes down to pantry
tidied and cleaned kitchen (again)
dw
more hoovering and mopping where mouse evidence
met roofer to exchange key
sorted washing
washing machines on
more on-line banking
urgent ironing

Starting cooking now.

I loathe shopping too Hills! Good luck with it!

[Honey and lemon drink for Bower]

re: sobber

Shanks Hills. I need to know what it entails first. Part of it I am well qualified for but it looks a bit like it might also involve teaching English and Maths to adults which I am not keen on. The English I think I could manage but I only teach Maths up to Year 4 just now. It is not my subject at all. I enjoyed counting bears in Yr1 yesterday😃 Up to 10!
I would also like to see how much paperwork is involved. On the other hand I think you get time and are paid to do it.😁 No school hols which I would miss but the money is better and I have worked out I might be able to work three days a week if that worked for them. There would be wear and tear on the car as it involves travelling around the county. It would be quite different to what I did now but the lass I know in there switched from my job too.
Our place is not a happy place to work anymore and the stress is immense at the moment. Not sure if I can handle much more.
Going to phone at 10am.

Thanks SC might add a bit of whisky tonight.😁

SC I loathe the gestapo strict rules at D's school.trainers have have white soles,shoes all black.girls no heels.jewelry limited to watch and one pair earrings,no exceptions.clip on tie to prevent inventive optionsand strangling each other even bags are school regulation.all thru extortionate suppliers...

Sass hope you feel better soon

Tada
I am feeling quite proud of myself as my hallway is SPOTLESS...
scrubbed walls with magic eraser and wiped zoflora dipped cloth
Wiped all skirts
Wiped banister
Hoovered stairs and landing
Cleared half binbag CRAP of said landing/hallway
Filled carrier bag with stuff for chazza(outgrown shoes/jackets etc)
Scrubbed floor on hands and knees and lined up remaining shoes
All bags and coats remaining hung up
Spaces for re entries after school
Inside front door (white PVC with panelling)and internal door front room scrubbed cloth dip zoflora and touch vim scour powder
I don't ever remember a time it's looked so clean and ordered
man coming fix front door tom(dropping again) spurred me into action

As kitchens also under attack workmen tom living room and kitchen need sorting too.eeeek

Tada
Sorted cobwebs in front roomis it me or the spiders prolific this year??
Cleaned windows
Sprayed curtains with lavender fabreeze(smell bit rusty,but not hot time for a wash at mo)
Wiped sill
Decatfurr backstorage heater/ radiator grille but dead technical I know(wipe radiator also)
Sweep under sofa
Wipe skirt behind sofa
Clear under computer table
Hotspot top of table
Wipe screen of catsnot
Polish TV unit
Wipe TV screen
Put away stray dvds
Clean round fireplace and mantle piece
Glass clean clock and photos on mantle
Sweep main chunk floor
Clean under dining table,wiping skirts

To do
Behind other sofa and sort table top
Kitchen

Start power down/feel tired now...
Hoping a nice bowl mushroom,sweet potato and spinach soup might perk me up a bit!!

I know I talk crap when tired.combo typos and phone howlers I can only apologise if that makes no sense whatsoever!!

I am feeling slightly better, the meds are working on the infection and I feel slightly less ropey than yesterday. I did sleep well after the second tablet though! DH is having a scan today and I was going along to keep him company but I think not. I am a bit unstable. Although after about 11 hours the tablet wears off and I feel great until the next one an hour later

DD's school has high expectations and likes to show it. I am growing tired myself of their numerous ways of demonstrating adherence to the many rules and DD is a little anxious about their latest initiative which is not great less than 2 weeks in! I am a stickler for rules though and do try to keep up.

Time for lunch, possibly accompanied with paracetamol to counter headache. No flying achieved yet, have washed a onesie!

sass as FLYing is finally loving yourself I'd constitute looking after yourself when poorly as part of the concept.wouldnt you agree hills?I believe in rules to.just gets my goat with ott ones.and the classic when D's was off concussion and ask anything we could do at home in 5min bursts and were told we don't encourage learning out of school environment when schools open!!

Tada
Lunch
Towels in dryer
More wash on
Cleaned kitchen windows
Cleaned sills and tiling/splashbacks

To do
Clean worktops
Top and front of TD
Fronts cupboards and front wm
Scrub sink til dazzling
Sweep and wash floor
Make sure all paintworks clean and no grubby wall marks as I WANT my new worksurface/sink unit/beg for an extra cupboard

Put dance moms on for lil zoo.tempted sit and watch but I may drop off and not get my chores done!!

Dd enjoyed her first day she wasn't bothered in the slightest!!

I feel terrible. Me and ds went to a toddler group and he seemed fine quite happy then as we left he started clutching his nappy. Didn't have time to look as had to get dd straight away as she did half day. Then he cried all the way home from school. When I got him home and his nappy off turns out his willy is swollen GP has closed for lunch open at 3 when I will ring them straight away. Ds needs a nap really but I'm too worried to put him down in his bed. I'd rather keep an eye on him. So the poor thing is eating a sandwich and watching TV rubbing his eyes like mad.

So today not really going to plan!

Uniform is quite a tricky one I think. Dd has to wear a proper tie and she's only 4 which I think is a bit OTT. Friends dc starting are in comfy polo shirts. She does look very cute though! Sc I took lots of photos she was getting worried we'd be late because I was making her pose!!

Cleaned worktops
Cleaned hob
Scrub sink,drainer and around edhes
Scrub edge floor along base units
Clear and scrub area by back door(normally enough crap there we don't use it)
Sweep floor
Wash floor

To do
Doorframes/paintwork

Still need clean living room table

X posts foxes aw bless her.glad she enjoyed it.lil zoo primary wearing ties now,but they have key stage one kids in polo shirts and the jumpers.poor D's fox hope the doctor can sort him,poor lamb!

Ta da
Dishwasher emptied and loaded
Washing on
Put ds down for a nap as he was so tired. have checked on him.

To do
Ring doctors

Dh home early so he's going to take ds. I have been faffing around doing nothing productive this afternoon. Just want ds to feel better . Should really get on with something useful as worrying isn't really helping!

Foxes sorry to hear that. Pop him in a bath if he is having trouble weeing. The warm water should help.

Zoo I have one on this page ...shanks hills😳. Haven't got far today. I have lost number. BF called and wanted company to GPs then antiques shop for a browse. Going into craft room shortly. Hope I surface.

I've ground to a halt..I need to finish cleaning woodwork and sort dining table.and pile ironing

bower I didn't even think about whether he was having trouble weeing- he's still in nappies so hard to tell. Oops. I am pretty sure the nappy was wet when I changed it earlier. With it being dd first day at school too and new toddler group with ds my head has been a bit all over the place today

Dh has taken him to the gp now so just waiting to see how he is. I'm having a restorative while they've gone.

Ta da
Hung all dd uniform up
Washing up
Rubbish out

Oh I hope your ds is ok Foxes! And fab that your dd took her first day at school in her stride . Can't believe she has to wear a tie at four years!! Dc haven't even started formal school here at that age! Anyway, I hope she continues to enjoy it and your ds feels better soon.

Glad you are feeling a bit less grim Sass!

Wow Zoo your lists are so impressive - you are on a roll!

Sorry things are so tough at work currently Bower. Good luck with making the decision about the alternative job. A bit of retail therapy plus crafting sounds like a good antidote to stress. (Waves to Henny Penny.)

Cheery wing flaps to Hills Honu I've Cag Meet Grey and to the multitude of fledglings I haven't mentioned!!

Has Buffy gone away does anyone know? Hope she is ok anyway!

I think dh and dd had one to many take outs while I was away so swapped anti-procrastination day for cooking day and will do errands tomorrow too. (Need to get hair cut and collect new glasses and go to post office.)

Ta da cont'd/...
made large vat of butternut squash, red pepper and onion soup, half for now and half for freezer
made large vat of faux bolognese sauce, half of which had tomato in and half of which didnt
put latter batch towards shepherd's pie
(also cooked a shed load of mashed pots)
and former batch is going to go in to freezer once its properly cool
also made Nigella's Bakewell Slice which proved a bit problematic at the baking stage and I am cross about it because the raspberries were expensive
cleared up
one dining room table hot spot again
set table
pureed soup

My plates of meat are killing me but I need to take the furry for walk 3 of the day (dd kindly did walk 2 as Wed is half day here and she also went to the shop for me to get bin bags). It's half raining and half not here but still rather humid.

To do:
actually cook shepherd's pie and some broccoli to accompany it
clear up
crash!

Forgot to mention Steg MsForestier Catmatrat and many more I am sure!

Ds on antibiotics but it is so hard getting him to take them more has been spilt than actually gone in his mouth! We had to pin him down and I felt awful.

Ta da
Cooked dinner (it was a stuff from the freezer and chips night tonight!)
Tidied up kitchen and living room
Hung washing up
Folded washing and put away
Dishwasher on
Ordered from the butchers

Hi all, sorry I have been AWOL and then at work all day today. foxes, at your DS’s age it is realistically a case of pinning him down. I am not comfortable giving too much medical advice online but have you tried using an oral syringe and squirting it towards the side / back of his mouth so sort of to the side of his tongue. If all else fails then if you pinch their nose (gently) while the medicine is in their mouth they will often swallow to be able to breathe. Of course they may also spit it out. Other tips will be available online.

Thanks toostressy we have used the syringe as well as trying it in his milk. The syringe didn't work at all the first time he just spat most of it out. Better the second time as we pinned him down more and dh did the nose thing a little bit - I'm glad you said that because that's what I felt so bad about!! Not sure how I'll manage it on my own tomorrow but there we are. It really is disgusting medicine dh licked his finger and gagged and I just sniffed it and knew it would taste awful! Poor ds!

Honestly, you need to be tough, he needs the medicine, you need to give it. He’ll get over the upset of being forced to have it. Don’t beat yourself up . Drink of water straight afterwards (if he’ll take it) to take the taste away.