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

Stampede for the goodies oh no! Glad dhorse is doing well.

Sorry to hear others poorly with this thing. Just woken up😳 Need to get up as I have something important to do for choir today. So far throat feels a bit better. I found liquer gin, whisky, chocolate and ice lolly to be the best things. Might need to be at the station early to secure a parking place and buy ice lolly while waiting. Just starting to cough again. Argh! Hope you are not getting it zoo. Funny you would think we had all seen each other recently. Cag hope you improve today.
Not planning much flying though no one else seems to be doing it either. Perhaps I need to leave a list for them. I need to put clothes away from last weeks ironing and I did manage two washes yesterday.

Will return to see how people are. Off to scoff some of that lovely breakfast that has been left out.

DD now has full blown cold, no surprise really. Hope she rallies today though, would be a shame to miss school so soon.

I will start our bumper breakfast today and have another antibiotic.

Feel better soon Bower! I wholeheartedly agree about the beneficial effects of whisky btw!

[dives on to bacon and snaffles gratefully]

Xpost Snap Sass in exactly the same position here. Desperately hoping DD won't need to take time off so early on, but not looking good currently!

Shouldn't arf SC about DH n horse treat stampede but reminds me once dp bring sweets comics for zoolets and they all launch at him and he lost balance and land on butt covered in kids
DS gained couple pounds but as not eat now guess that'll be gone in day or two

Zoo !

As for dh it was more of a ... !

Ta da:
dw emptied
wms on
cooked breakfast before everyone
tidied boudoir a bit
about to go on long traffic-free walk with furry

Good morning fledglings.

Sorry to hear so many of you and little ones are poorly. On his first day at school, DS came home with a cough and snotty nose, and he still has it a week later....

I have been flying along in the background, but I keep forgetting to post my lists! I even managed to cut the grass, do a bit of weeding and pruning the other day too.

Yesterday we went wardrobe shopping (we live a wild life). I really wanted an antique one so we went to a very large and well stocked antiques centre/village and although we found a few nice ones, they were just too big to get up our stairs. In the end we decided on two single wardrobes from the Cotswold Company.
I am very excited about having my own wardrobe, which will be neat and ordered, with only items I love in, hung on matching hangers, unlike the jumble sale that DH's will inevitably look like..... I like to have all my blouses and shirts together, followed by trousers, then skirts, then dresses, then jackets and coats. Ridiculous things like this make me very happy!

SC what is this about you having a horse? Picture please!!

Plan for today:
Hang up last nights wash load
Church
Wash up pots and pans
Empty dishwasher
Clean kitchen
Make beds
Empty, wash and refill cat litter trays
Clean bathroom
Some form of as yet undefined exercise....
Take DS to grandparents for sleepover
Enjoy soak in bath with book

Love the sound of the apple juice!

Can’t believe so many of us/mini fledglings are ailing :( I’m definitely on the mend but still feeling dodgy and will be staying in. Cagletini still having leaky nappies which she doesn’t normally :( DH is catching up on all the laundry (not good timing as we had all our washing from the trip away too)

Really starting to feel like the house is beginning to get away from us a bit.

Was supposed to have our first bit of group learning tomorrow but I’m going to cancel as I don’t think we should while we may be contagious and feel like shit anyway

For Greymalkin

For Greymalkin (oops forgot picture earlier!)

For Cag

Greymalkin He is mother/daugher share, has to live with farmer friend and equine companions during term time but he is very with his herd! Hope your ds manages to shake his cold! And enjoy your clothes arranging when wardrobe arrives!!

Cag Try not to be so hard on yourself - it is normal for housework to fall behind when you are dealing with illness in yourself and Cagletini and Caglets before that - you will catch up!

Ooh a more positive post. I have found a bit of volunteering that the Caglets and I can do together. Had basically given up as most is 16+ but wanted to do something in particular inspired by zoo and the community cafe! Anyway a home ed friend added me to a Facebook group a while ago, it’s a thing for sharing donations of baby/child stuff so people can take things they can’t afford to buy. A really lovely idea but I admit I hadn’t really given it much attention as I haven’t needed anything (we are ok financially so I feel wrong taking things others may need more) and all my baby stuff is being passed on to my DN due next month. But she needs some people to help set up the hall and lay out the tables etc. Her own DCs (who DD really likes) help too. I’m really pleased as it’s once a month and in an easy location on a Saturday when we are often knocking about bored. I feel like it’ll be good for them, they will enjoy seeing the other kids but also they need to learn to help others and give up their time a bit. I sometimes feel like they are a bit spoiled - not financially but more in the sense that life pretty much revolves around them and their hobbies :o so I hope this will be a good compromise where they aren’t horrifically bored and miserable but they at least get a taste of doing something for other people.

Ta da:
long walk with furry and enjoyed silence of no cars
washing out x 2 and hung up
served everyone leek and potato soup for lunch with bread and cheese
prepped lamb and roasted veg bake for tonight
sorted photos on-line
found cookery book
ordered spices on-line

Volunteering sounds fab Cag just the thing!

I've been meaning to do something similar with dd since I had to give up my volunteering for parish last year and she is going through a bit of a teenage entitled phase. Think I may have found something this weekend as leaflet was put through door but need to investigate. Once a month sounds perfect and do-able!

Aw thank you sc feeling a bit more positive now just frustrated at the lack of progress with unpacking etc, I really wanted to make inroads into the last few boxes while DH was off. When I look at things objectively I can see how much better things are, just cleaning up is quicker as there is less underlying clutter etc, but I am still struggling with things like keeping on top of laundry even though there is improvement!

And that juice looks gorgeous!

I can't keep up with laundry and there is only three of us so totally sympathise! Even worse when sickness in the house!!

Also, don't know why I am dishing out household advice tbh; my house looks the worst it has in a very long time Half way through a mahoosive declutter which I started in heatwave and haven't finished. Has to get worse before it gets better right?

Juice tastes pretty good! It's not too sweet and has all the sieved pulp in so pretty fibrous too (which apparently is better for you than the clear stuff).

Right, I am closing the screens and going to do ONE productive decluttering thing!

That juice looks delicious sc wish I could taste it , I love it with all the pulp in.

Cag I always find I takes ages to get on top of housework but it only takes about a day to get behind again!! You've only got to be poorly for a day or two let alone more , or busy for a day or something and then it's all gone back to a mess. Despite doing so much decluttering in the summer and doing the Kondo thing with clothes etc not everything has stayed tidy. It's better but unfortunately life gets in the way a lot and whilst everything has a place blah blah blah I don't actually always have the time to put all the damn stuff back in the place.

So yeah - I feel your frustration too

Ta da
Dishwasher on
Washing on
Been out all day with my parents and the kids so family fun day but without dh as he is still at work poor guy.

To do
Cook dinner - chicken enchiladas
Hang washing out

Anything else useful that I can motivate myself to do!

What I really want to do is finish my book.

The radiator brush is from Lakeland and we originally got it to help with dust when ds was first diagnosed with dust mite allergy/ asthma. 20 year old dust bunnies emerged from the radiator grills! The very small grills on some of the rads are problematic but it can cope with most.

Favourite zoflora is linen fresh but I like the cinnamon and orange Christmas one too.

Our work cleaner used to use different types of zoflora depending on the character of the building she was in. The 'on high' told her she couldn't bring in her own products so she had to stop.

I have never used zoflora, I have a new addiction to Method cleaning products. They are expensive though so only got them because on offer at Tesco!

I especially like the loo cleaner as it doesn’t smell like Harpic et al (any recommendations for loo cleaners would be appreciated)

We’ve been catching up with Bake Off all afternoon and now I’m hungry :( we have oven pizza for tonight as we knew I’d not be up to cooking.

Well my dinner has changed from enchiladas to chicken nuggets and chips so oven pizza sounds good cag! Dh came home from work feeling very unwell so he doesn't fancy a big dinner and I can't be bothered to make enchiladas just for me and the dc. I can't be bothered full stop tbh!

Ta da
Washing hung up
Laundry folded
More washing on
Dishwasher unloaded and reloaded
Quick tidy

To do
Swish and swipe bathrooms
Cook dinner
Clean fridge

That's my aim anyway.

cag laundry breeds if don't keep on top of it,and that's on a good day
I spend my life tidy/decluttering.turn back and place a s*hole againso another nod for the frustrated/exasperated camp...
Brilliant about volunteering dd2 hasn't done a Saturday for a while her attitude deffo needs it,she's being a nightmare.dare I send her and hope she behaves in front our church community??.....

Tada
Picked up cat litter
Lots rows dd2
Lunch
More rows
Made tortilla chips from leftover wraps and used up some salsa bought for yesterday's breakfast as snack
Nap to prevent murder taking place
Rounds of card game dobble-dd2 refuse get off phone and join in.other two loved it as did I
Chivvy showers of zoolets
Going to watch Indiana Jones 3 dvd together,or if girls continue messing around upstairs they won't be watching and will be head to bed really early as if I gave much more of dd2 today blood will definitely be shed...

Hi,
Sounds great Cags.
Mmm dinner I could eat any of those. Think we are getting vegan something. I've just come in and still coughing and snotty. I have had choir duties all day and only sang the first ten minutes after that I didn't bother but I was the taxi service. We now have a new choir conductor. They were the loveliest bunch of young people I have met in a long time. Polite, caring, passionate and each one thanked me and shook my hand before departing for the train.
Came home to find an overflowing cup of used tea bags in the sink. Dd cooking and DH on the sofa. Doesn't look like anyone has lifted a finger all day. Sometimes I want to pack up and live on my own. Surely that lazy arse could do a bit. He has cut the grass by the looks of the bin but that is all. There is washing still on the table no one has swept the floor and the bed hasn't been made. I get so fed up. There are three people living here just now you would think three might do a bit each but nope. Well DD is making food so that does count but I mean cleaning.rant over. DH went off in one when I mentioned the tea bags but really! It isn't raining and the compost bin is all of two metres away from the door. Aaaaarrgh! I hate starting back to school with a messy house. There is stuff everywhere but at least put away what is possible eg washing. Food. TEABAGS!

I’m so blah I haven’t even cleared up the dinner plates from frozen pizza (which I didn’t even enjoy)

Cagletini is being a royal PITA, not her fault bless her she is still having dodgy nappies and is teething (has dented nipples and fingers several times but is now clamping her mouth shut for Dentinox) and even has a big scab on her nose from where she’s rubbing it so much. Poor little scruff bag. She is finally asleep on me.

OTOH I am at least having a nice chat with some friends about home ed stuff, we recently set up a bigger group chat and I was nervous at first (because change!) but actually it has been really nice and refreshing to chat to more people at once. And we are sharing more ideas and stuff. So while I am panicking about the start of term (it was supposed to be tomorrow properly due to last week’s trip away but I feel like now I haven’t had the last few days to prepare properly) I do feel a bit more optimistic about all the ideas etc. Now how to fit it all in and afford it...