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

It’s medicinal!

I’ve done the Tesco order. We have taken to doing two smaller shops a week which seems quite good as it takes the pressure off having to plan a whole week ahead.

Mum visiting tomorrow. Also got Cagletini’s 1yr review so need to dig out the stuff for that. Then back to tap class in the evening but at least it’s now a 25min walk not 2 buses to get there!

Is it really morning already?
Sooo hot here last night,like Fricking summer again.had very little sleep

Loads to do today

Best crack on....

It's Tuesday so it is planning day

Missions

Zones

Babystep - Don't email the fly lady if you slept, but the 11 commandments of tidy are useful. I have them printed out somewhere, the key being that word somewhere...

Launch pad

1. it has been chilly so it is wasp in loft season.
2. Bloody phone turned itself on in the middle of the night to tell me that it needed its battery charging
3. Too FUCKING EARLY!
4. I hate my to do list for today.

That is all.

Hoping the poorly people are feeling a bit better. Ds has come down with the back to school lurgy.

Thanks cag you have reminded me I need to ring and book ds two year check!

Morning everyone. I need to get up and get moving really.

Sorry I keep pressing post too soon in my pre coffee not with it state. Bad night, ds woke up at 2am crying , he settled back down with a drink but I then could not get back to sleep and didn't sleep properly the rest of the night.

Planning day? Argh!

Do I ...
-sort stuff for pre-operative gynae appt
-sort my submission folder for residency application
-study French for exam
-sort papers and design and start sourcing materials for architect for wreck2 redesign and renovation (mahoosive task)
-all the outside maintenance work at wreck2 (have found fab cleaner for inside work thank heavens) huge and continual task
-do the clearing out of this house (all five floors) ready for renting, renovation or selling (haven't decided yet but probably depends on Brexit)
-do pre-op exercises
-finish redesign and reinstallation of bathroom here (rectifying first disaster)
-part-time admin job (roughly 16 hrs a week)
-all the ordinary food shopping, cleaning, tidying, washing etc and ---keeping the household running while dh travels three days most weeks
-have hysterectomy and bowel surgery
-checking on/having regular lessons on and working with dhorse
-looking after ddog
-and last but very much not least, supervising DD, checking on/showing ann interest in studies, feeding her up, driving her around and entertaining her friends

????????????????????????????????????

All of them are urgent. I really don't know whether to allocate a day or so to each task per week/month or to create an hourly weekly timetable. Mired in stress atm. Rabbit in headlights time that's for sure. Help!!!!!!

Sorry at the beginning of that I meant to say...hope all ailing folk and small people are starting to feel better

Priority colour this list SC, or put in a spreadsheet/list with deadlines. If you have appointments this is the end date for associated task. It will help. Hard though.

Priority today for me is weather dependant. I need to do the thing but am secretly hoping it rains so I don't have to. Ds has to go to school but he will get a note to excuse him from PE, he should really be tucked up in bed he looks like death. Not even death warmed up.

Sorry your day has succumbed Hills!

Oi, SC seriously, are you ok? You sound like you need an amry of cleaners and a big floof blanket and being spoilt.

Gah! Ruddy auto-correct! Meant your ds not day obviously!

I am feeling a bit down/overwhelmed tbh. Thanks for asking Hills. It's mainly just because I don't know how or the best way to tackle it all. I think that's partly down to not being in the best physical state ATM and needing the op etc and all the uncertainty/stress of Brexit relating to our legal status etc. ( Had meeting with local authorities yesterday - was ok-ish but you feel very on edge in case you make a language mistake and it is stressful being continually appraised by people who are perfectly pleasant but don't give a lot away ifyswim).

At the same time, I am very aware I am in a very lucky/ privileged position and I need to give myself a big shake and just need to ruddy well get on with it all.

I confess I've never been good at prioritising though - I am much more effective in second-in-command position - can't seem to see wood for trees at the moment and keep sitting in a bit of a heap and crying! Which is wierd because I am not a cryer. And I feel kind of mentally "heavy" like I am swimming through treacle - at the time when I need to be cracking on - I am mired in mud! Does anyone else get that feeling ever, or am I a freak?

DH is always willing to help but just physically doesn't have enough hrs in the day - his job is always demanding and goes nuts between Oct and Feb each year - and anyway he isn't here a lot of the time and I don't want to pile more stress on him because he already has shed load and I'm worried about his health.

Just want someone to come along and say "do this first, then do an hour of that, then two more hours of that" and then I think my foggy menopausal brain would clear and I would cope!!

Having splurged all of that, you will now all think I am a bit of a loon as well as being crap at housework

Sorry that was rather an essay wasn't it! Please feel free to ignore! Worse things happen at sea and all of that!

And thank you Hills my brain can't seem to process spreadsheets at the best of times but a visual tacking system might be very helpful I think!

Morning! I was kicked awake by the fetus at 5.06am, so it is basically lunchtime for me now.

spreading I have the same feeling myself at the moment, I have to get my shit together to sort my maternity allowance out (I'm self employed) and it is making me feel pretty anxious.

To do...
Clean bathroom
Laundry
15 mins bedroom tidy
Plan tutoring sessions for this week
Do tax return (argh!)
Tidy living room
Make dinner
Do dishes
Walk DDs 2 and 3 to circus school

Morning everyone, not got as far as making a list yet but thanks for the reminder that it’s planning day Hills.

Bower at wondering why clean laundry has not ended up in drawers.

Steg, circus school sounds intriguing! Is it a regular thing they do?

SC, I think Hills is right, perhaps colour code the list. One option (I’m aware I often do not take my own advice) is just to pick something to do. In the hour or so you spend thinking about what needs doing you could have got an hour done of a task. I know I am guilty of that all the time. I don’t know of course how much work you need to do for the other stuff but it sounds as if you need to prioritise doing some of the pre-op stuff.

Right, must go and take my own advice.

How about just doing the list in order sc that way you don’t waste time choosing. I understand the panic feeling I really do 💐

Had to keep ds off school, if he is no better tomo he is going to be at the doc's. Hoping he is ill enough to use his inhalers without fuss

Weather seems to be rubbish as well. Would love some of this heat wave zoo was talking about. Going to have to go drain the fountain and rescue the water pump as it is looking likely we will have a solid frost sooner than later.

But first - shower and up yes I ignore fly lady and do stuff in my Pjs, so nerh

One of the things I do when I list is write it such

Date/time deadline (eg appointment date/time): item: me/delegate

It is easy to see what has to be done more urgently that way. Also colour coding associated tasks/putting list into sections that are associated

Eg
house stuff : Shopping stuff: work stuff: School stuff: college stuff: medical/banking stuff etc...

I like the spread sheet system simply because I can cut and paste things about and will brain dump into word or note pad first, and it is easy to colour code. But tbh I prefer highlighters and a written list.
Sometimes. Unless it is very long, scary long. Ok I don't like my lists but I like to write them...

Procrastinating. Oopsies.

SC that's a scary list.id go with most urgent/stuff that's soonest

sc I understand all of what you're saying you are definitely not a freak. And I also get rabbit in the headlights very often! Firstly you need to prioritise your health. That's for sure. And then I agree with all of above, write the list in order of importance colour coded or however suits you and then get an hour done of something. Reward yourself for each bit you get done , with a cup of tea, a biscuit, lunch , a sit down for 15 minutes doing sod all. Then just keep on keeping on!

I feel for you, it's easy to say it another thing all together to do it.

Ta da
Been to shops got friend birthday present
Tidied house ready for valuer coming over. Concerned as I've had no phone call and no sign of him yet he already cancelled last week!
Dishwasher emptied and loaded
Washing hung out
More washing on
Dinner in slow cooker (beef stew)
Made cheese sandwiches for me and ds lunch

Can't be bothered with a to do list! Need to pick dd up soon this is her last half day. Full time tomorrow!

Aw foxes oddly enough once they are in big school the time from drop to pick up fly's by so quickly or it may just be me

Lunch was lush
Washed up
More wash on
Folded the two loads dry towels and put away
Swept kitchen floor
Swept living room floor
Really tired again...

Hi all! Just back from gynae appt ! Thanks for all of your kind words and advice. Much appreciated. I feel better for having splurged on here but sorry that you have had to put up with my "splurging" yet again!

I know I need to just get on with it. And totally agree about not wasting time by overthinking and just ploughing in etc. (I have form for making beautiful perfectionist tracking charts and then not actually doing the thing that it is meant to be being tracked !!) You think I would have improved by my age but sadly no, well, only a bit!

The trouble is the list isn't very "tick off-able" because there are ongoing things on there and things that will take months. And of course the minute I have the op, which is fairly urgent, then lots of progress will stop while I recuperate, although hopefully I will still be able to do design stuff/sourcing of materials etc. So it's a question of how it will all fit together and priorities etc.

Heigh ho, which ever which way, I need to adopt the eating an elephant approach! And keep going!

Feel slightly better for walking back from docs in sunshine! Glorious weather here!

Super breezy trousers here SC but winds warm and it's sunny.

I trying desperately not to fall asleep when eyelids feel like ten ton bricks ..need leave pick up lil zoo in half an hour

SO MUST NOT SLEEP!!!!!

Foxes yes agree that six hours of school day absolutely whizzes by! Certainly hope that the wretched valuer does not cancel again, I would be fuming if he did!

Oh no Zoo your poor ds. I am not surprised he hates the palpitations; it is a horrible sensation. Have they got anywhere with it yet? Is it anaemia by any chance? I hope he feels better soon anyway poor lad.

[Wafts blue sky and glorious sunshine in direction of Hills] Very sorry your ds off school. Hope he recovers pronto.

Sorry you are both feeling tired Zoo and Steg hope you can fit a swift afternoon nap in.

Bower hope you get a lunch break today!

Waves to Toostressy I've Honu Meet Sass and everyone I've missed.

Need to close the screen and get cracking again.