Stepping forward in October: the new look fledgling Fly thread.

[Spreadingcudweed]

OK so maybe not new and improved exactly... but a more slimline, concentrated version!

Huge thanks to Hills for guiding us so slickly through September !

Many of us have been here forever; the thread where we (loosely) follow the Flylady housekeeping system here to combat CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) with a load of chat and mutual support along the way. For that reason, we may seem cliquey, but we really aren't and all newcomers, lurkers, returnees and (intermittent) regulars are hugely welcome!

We are not posting links to the Flylady site on a daily basis anymore, just the daily baby step and flight plan, and the missions and zones on a weekly basis, but don't hesitate to ask questions about the system if you have any!

More information available here and from the launch pad here.

And borrowing heavily from Hills September introduction ... .

There are 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 (if you are at that stage) - 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.

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.

And when it all gets too much: come and take a seat by the fire in our specially adapted "naughty" corner where you can enjoy virtual and and tangible support from fellow fledglings.

Trick or treat didn't really happen when I w'kid. I have done it for a couple of years with DD, we go out with her in a costume and go round our estate. We only knock at houses that are lit up, decorated or have pumpkins outside and leave DH at home to give out the sweets to callers. We usually run out!

It does seem to be a thing around here.

sass
You just made me cry!
Such beautiful words

Ah for some reason I thought you were much further along steg in that case I am very glad you weren’t absent due to having the baby!

I’ve never taken the Caglets trick or treating but the last few years they went with neighbours. We’ve moved of course so it’s new territory but we have friends coming round and will take them out. There’s a lot of kids here so hoping we will see more decorations go up. They are more excited about doing our usual “body bit soup” and hopefully some other silly spooky treats this year (DD has been looking up Halloween makes on kids YouTube) for example I saw puff pastry pizzas that looked like Egyptian mummies that seem fairly achievable.

Really glad I got to the game shop because I got two games for a tenner, the big one alone would’ve been £35ish, he was selling his demo stock cheap but it looks like this one has barely been touched! Had a nice afternoon with mum as well, got a few bits and pieces we needed. Tired now and glad I have leftover bolognese to give the Caglets (with pasta as DH cooked too much yesterday so only need to microwave it)

However. I did have a spectacularly low point. I realised I had totally forgotten that DD was supposed to be at a party today. Just completely went out of my head until the mum texted me. I don’t know her all that well but it wasn’t even like a “whole class” party where she wouldn’t be missed. Absolutely gutted and spent the first half of the afternoon trying not to cry 😖 and replaying all the things I could’ve done differently... just felt like, typical me you know? I have explained that I have cognitive issues due to my conditions but you never know how understanding people will be and it does seem rather locking the stable door after the horse has bolted 😰

Aaaaaargh

not caught up yet but sass if I could tattoo that quote inside my eyelids right now I think I would 💐

Very wise quotation Sass

Halloween isn't celebrated much by locals here. From RC perspective, 1st November is Feast of All Saints (holy day of obligation ie one is required to attend Mass) and 2nd is Feast of All Souls. The locals tend to visit family graves around this time and take huge pots of chrysanthemums to the cemetery and tidy up graves (which is why you never take chysanths as a present for your host at a dinner party here). Celebration of Halloween was definitely NOT encouraged at DD 's v traditional Catholic primaire (spooks and zombies etc weren't even allowed when dressing up for Carnaval/Mardi Gras) but DD has half American friend outside of school who is big on Halloween do we did lots of little parties with them and other English speaking friends over the years. Trick or treating isn't really done except in expat American enclaves but in recent years a shopping street close to us holds a parade (nice, family oriented, not spooky) all the vendors open late and give sweets to the DC. DD and her ballet friends are dressing up this year and going out for a pizza. Being used to the stage, their hair and make up and costumes tend to be exceptionally good . Will quite miss making my witches fingers (green shortbread with flaked almond nails) and blood and guts meringues (blackcurrant compote) this year! But may be called on to make some yet!

Sorry. That was terribly long-winded and don't know what happened to my paragraphs there!

I'm sure you will SC she's not too old to want some things from ma still😉
Interesting about crysanths.my dad HATED them with a passion.said smell of death to him.guess that's the use in wreaths association...I love hearing others little customs and family rituals

Cag I'm putting on my stern face
DO NOT dwell on what you genuinely forgot.you have a lot of plates spinning on top of normal health conditions caglets issues and lowering mood.if you can't shake guilt could you gave her to yours and do something special or take her out for pizza as an I'm sorry we didn't come?
Please be kind to yourself lovely.i personally wouldn't have been offended(if she knew you better she may have sent quick text checking you could still make it/gentle reminder which is what I would've done)sending big big hugs lovely!
Exciting about bargain games,and lovely you had nice time with mum.

(should've added that's for h.potter film that just starting!!)

Zoo is right Cag it was a genuine mistake; and one we have all made over the years I am sure. It has happened twice to me, once when it just went completely out of our heads and once when I (being slatternly) hadn't emptied out school bag in timely fashion and to my horrid found invitation to party (dated weekend before) scrunched up in bottom of ruck sack!

I've hosted loads of DC parties over the years too and there are always one or two guests who don't turn up because they've forgotten, a sibling was ill, there was some sort of family emergency, they got the date or time wrong! Tis totally NORMAL so don't berate yourself!! And actually, numbers usually made up by one or two unexpected guests so it all evens out in the end! q

Zoo that's an amazing list you posted earlier btw. Full sympathies re: ds and eating. It's such a worry when they don't! As you know, DD borderline underweight, eats well but never huge quantities but she is going through a very hungry phase right now. (Last growth spurt?)

Cag intrigued by body bit soup!

Sass and arf at "having one leg in the pants of positivity"

Foxes and Hills hope you are resting/the day got better (one or the other or both!)

Steggy Totes a-maz-ing decluttering going on at yours (said in the style of CRH)!!! . Although being permanently knocked up might be a bit of an extreme solution to clutter issue!!

I got the quotation from a FB Group (also a website) called Brocante Home, if you'd like to have a look. Always worth a reminder to be kind to ourselves.

Cag aw, possibly you feel worse about it than DD. Probably a bit harder to cope with if you felt she was left out earlier this week and then missed an invite today. Don't be too hard on yourself. I have to set phone reminders for myself now

Oh Cag, like the others say we all forget things. AMAZING decluttering steg.

What a lovely quote Sass, thanks for sharing it.

Sorry you are still feeling rough Hills.

foxes .

Halloween is big round here and I have to say I quite like it when it is just friendly trick or treating. Lots of houses decorated and I have stocked up on loads of sweets etc to be ready. Have screwed up though and we have a day out planned that day so really hoping we get back in time to take the girls out - I think unless it is stupidly late we will just go out with them anyway as it is half term for us next week anyway.

Thanks for links SC, have blessedly seen you have posted the holiday missions. Eeeeeeeek don’t even feel ready to look at them let alone do them.

Ta da:-
Did an extra work shift which went surprisingly well. Just finished so need to go home now and help with bedtime etc.

Big wing flaps to all.

Belatedly not blessedly!

Ah thanks all. Luckily DD isn’t all that fussed, I actually hadn’t told her much about it (I took ages deciding whether to actually say yes due to what the activity was - DD not strong swimmer which may have made it tricky although the mum said it’d be fine - and that’s why I was extra pissed off as I really regret not saying no thanks earlier because somebody else could’ve taken that space) but I did top up the spending money mum gave her 😳 guilty spending! It’s more that I’m worried I’ve upset/annoyed the mum and daughter. I have offered to pay for her place as well although she said not to worry.

cag if it was me I wouldn't be offended at all, I think most people would be understanding, these things happen

The day improved because I went shopping for two hours on my own 😂 , ds has been an utter grump all day though and so naughty!! He put himself on the naughty step at dinner time 🤦 Just a phase. Just a phase.

This is the first year Halloween has been on dd radar as now she's at school her friends have been talking about it so she wants to dress up, dh bought her a witches costume the other day which she loves. Ds is going to wear his batman cape. There's a little party in our village pub so we're going to go there but probably won't trick or treat. As you've all been talking about Halloween baking I might find a recipe I can do , think the dc would like that! Nothing too gruesome looking though!

Have you tried chocolate pudding with gummy worms? might appeal to the toddler who needs taming?

That nap I took more of a sleep than a nap. just eaten some tea and then heading back to sleep.

hills thanks I'm definitely doing that recipe the dc will LOVE it!! Have added ingredients to my shopping list!

Hope the sleep helps btw

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SUN 28 OCT (NB clocks go BACK one hr Sun night at 2 am!!)
Today's baby-step: here
Today's flight plan: [[http://www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=-120
here]]
Holiday mission: [[http://www.flylady.net/c/holidaycruise.php

here]]
Need more info? Flip the thread and consult opening post!

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ta da
✅managed not to cry 😳
✅got out the house in decent time without stress!
✅bathed baby and put her to bed, not as early tonight as she was resistant (and she did wake up but quick feed and she was back to sleep)
✅got Caglets to do laundry

I think my next aim has to be to do dinner at a regular, earlier time. I tend to wait till the Caglets bug me about being hungry 😳 but I think baby was overtired by the time I got her in the bath. Problem is I get hung up on the fact I can’t do it the same time every day due to clubs etc but I need to just do it for the days we are home, that’ll be a good start.

👻👻👻👻👻 Oh dear! Apologies! Sorry to confuse everyone! Meant clocks go back at 2am this morning ie Sunday morning of course!! Hope that's clear! 👻👻👻👻👻

Evening all,

Home again now, did a bit of food shopping when we got back, then popped over to see my parents. Not fully unpacked yet, but have done one load of washing. WM was making a worrying clanking noise .

My DCs have been going trick or treating for last few years, we live close to an estate where it is huge and lots of their friends are there. DS (14) no longer goes but stays at home to hand out sweets. DD goes with her friend. I used to love going with them, its really sociable, but at 12 they don't need me. At home we have some Hallowe'en cake cases and usually make fairy cakes with orange icing and black drawing icing. We decorate our living room window and will be carving pumpkins I've grown at the allotment.

Wow!homegrown pumpkins to carve.thatsevery reason to me smug meet I'm impressed!!
My body clock is refusing to acknowledge the possibility of an extra hour sleeping
I shall lay here on my phone bit longer then get up n crack on

Gave up!!
Tada
Wash on
Cats fed
Loo bleached
Need sort shopping list
Internet banking

Thinking home blitz today as lil zoo birthday tom....