Fledgling flyers, Part 2, October 2009

[Countingthegreyhairs]

Over here everyone!

Bloody hell DEM didn't you know Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest. I'm tired reading that list. Yesterday, I made flapjack and lemon drizzle cake, did a bit of work and pretty much nothing else.

Today is the first day of the holidays so I'm sitting here in dressing gown, but do have shoes on as took dog out quickly up the lane. DC's fed, two cups of tea drunk. I am waiting for my work to come in but I think it's going to be an afternoon job so this morning I must:-

Get in car and go to supermarket - need creme fraiche to make a leek and goats cheese tart. Started this yesterday, but the creme fraiche I had in my fridge had gone a funny green colour, way, way past sell by date.

Go to post office buy stamp and post the letter cancelling the car insurance on the car I sold in September.

Take DC's for a walk in the woods and get some colour into their cheeks - they've both been poorly over the last week so need some fresh air.

Do 30 mins homework with DS1.

Stick some washing on the line.

Make some nutritious meals for DC's to eat.

Do my work at some point while DC's are entertaining themselves.

Drink copious amounts of coffee and wonder why it seemed like a good idea not to send the DC's to playscheme these holidays.

Am glad this weeks mission is in the living room - nice easy week for me as I keep that pretty much clutter free. Yay.

You're all motivating me to think about my Christmas cake making, might get Delia out and then give DH a shopping list to bring me some ingredients from Tesco, I'll make the cake next week.

Have a good day everyone, if you see me lurking on here today send me on my way.

Right off to have a shower and get dressed.

Morning all!

First day of holidays here too - hooray!!

Am glad it's living room too as mine is still strangely tidy from last month!

Today I've got to:

Take DS1 to fracture clinic ( in 10 mins!)
Clear up last of mess from yesterdays guests
Washing on and out
Ironing
Get Xmas pud ingredients to join DWM but may not go as far as singing Xmas carols if you don't mind!!!
Get DD to continue clearing out her room - one black sack of rubbish already!

I would also like Christmas stuff as I will come out now and confess to being a total Christmas addict!!!
I have about 15 for Christmas this year and it is never less than about 8. Frightstick
my main tip is to get everything done the day before down to the peeled veg. If you can farm out puds, stuffings to others that is great. I use Delia's old Xmas book for all the timings etc and it works well. We also eat at about 5pm and found that worked quite well even when DC were little as they had a nap in the early afternoon. When they were tiny they went to bed and we had an adult Xmas dinner iyswim.

Catch up with you all later!

Morning All

DEM I too am exhausted reading your list from yesterday!

Just checking in v quickly (I always seem to say that) - DS has decided he is too old for a 30 minute nap in the morning so we've cut it to 15 I have about 3 minutes left before I have to be entertaining again!

OK, back to it for me today I think:

Swish and swipe - still to do - not sure what happened with that today
shine sink - done (DH cleaned kitchen last night but did not shine sink so will be done twice today
washing on - done
strip bed - done

oh, DS crying, back later.

False alarm!

tidy breakfast things inc load and unload DS
repeat for lunch and dinner
DS bedtime routine as DH working late
folding dry clothes - done some
ironing - to do
clean sheets on bed after new mattress delivered
shopping delivery

better read today's tasks and get those done too!

Have a good day all

It's Mr Tumble Time in the helliepac (see what i did there ) household so have got a spare 10 mins.

Have made an executive decision that my plan for today has been rounded down. It is half term and I don't see DC's enough so sod it...today is for play (i am a poet and i didn't know it)

Am going to crack on with the HUGE washing backload after two weeks of poorliness but downstairs and bathroom are presentable (swish and swipe done) so am going to be adventurous and get the play dough out i think.

We are having a small halloween party next weekend so we are going to make some decorations as well.

Life is too short to worry about the fat fairy telling me off so will on with it tomorrow.

SHall pop back later for carol singing around the Christmas Cake ....can we sing little donkey, pretty please.

Morning all.

OM - My lounge has also managed to maintain a sort of organised look, which I find encouraging. It is far easier to keep on top of everything when it is really sorted. This flying really does get easier the longer you do it. I am even a little disappointed that I don't even notice how good mine looks now! For years I noticed how bad it all was, but now "normal" is so different - in a good way. Hope this encourages you lovely ladies who are feeling a bit dispondent. Don't give up!

DWM - Oh I love to sing Christmas Carols! Top of my voice, but I might scare the neighbours. Can I sing without making cake?

DEM - Very impressed with your list yesterday. You are putting the pressure on everyone else to keep up!

CTGG - Just read the bit about ducks, bunnies and cows, too. What on earth is that all about? I do have the odd candle in the lounge, for when I feel romantic. Is this code for something, or does everyone else have livestock roaming around their house. I have two cats. Do they count? I suppose a cow could lie down and be used as a footstool, but the cow pats would make far more of a mess to make it really not worth it! Ducks don't sit still for 2 seconds, and bunnies, well, I won't have THAT going on in my lounge,(too many romantic candles, maybe??) thank you very much!!!! - not in front of the children, anyway!

Only one more load of washing to finish off the backlog. Then need to pack again.
Also must do the tax return today!

Gorgeous day here, so off to make the most of it. Just packed off Dh and DS to go fishing. Hopefully they will catch something, but they always have a great day whatever happens. I can't imagine anything more boring myself, but that's why I am female I suppose! I am taking the girlies to the cinema for some time together. We would have liked to be outside, but DD3 not good today, so need to do something she can cope with rather than leave her out. So looks like "UP- 3D" Here I come! She can come home and rest while we may tackle a forest walk this afternoon. - Not much time for housework today!

Have a good day all,

PA - i now have pictures of your lounge as some kind of bunny escort agency/brothel

Helliepac - Oh no, I've been caught out. Please keep it quiet, people may begin to think I am odd!

Helliepac how right you are. Half term is for the kiddies. Have fun with the play dough - perhaps you could model a fat fairy and then have fun squishing her up?

DS is not in a good mood today and getting in the way of any general attempts to tidy up. He has had all the teething symptoms for over 2 months but still doesn't have any teeth. I have dressed him a halloween monster babygrow so his outfit matches his general demeanor today.

The ironing / laundry to sort mountain is now so mammoth it is very nearly no longer possible to open the spare room door.

So today I WILL:

Iron and do laundry putting away
Wipe away tears from fretful teething child
Swish and swipe
Shine sink
Do food shop

Yes please to the fairy's Christmas fly tips!

OK at my desk now Mmsnetting doing admin

Rather [envious] of those with school hols this week ... our is next but dd at home today (with baby-sitter) as still ill .. and those of you making Christmas cakes ... have fun (mmmmm, can smell all those lovely spices and aromas from here) don't forget to add loads of jollop [CTGG nudges your collective elbows]!!

Flaps wings at Optimistic and Frightstick - at 14/15 for Christmas - sounds LOVELY mind you - but just thinking of washing up!! Will it be a buffets or full sit-down jobs?

Good luck with your lists today WalktheD (tart sounds delicious btw) & Droitwitch(hope you will be swigging the brandy at 3pm too!!)

Morning Elliepac - lol at "going retro" you maverick you

You asked for Christmas tips and amazingly (because I am hopelessly disorganised about this sort of thing as a rule) I started a Christmas file last year which contains "a list of things to make Christmas less painful" next year:

• make or buy presents (one a month) throughout year haven't done but have acquired a few - must get a move on as have office team to buy for including cleaner and support staff etc

• buy a few spare generic presents for children and adults because you always need one or two!

• write out cards in November and post early around 7 December hope to do - have bought them anyway

• get a rubber stamp made up with home address so don't have to keep writing addresses on backs of envelopes to do

• buy blotting paper (I use ink to sign cards and very slow without)to do

• buy one "going out"outfit & make sure complete with shoes, bag, accessories and suitable wrap or coat to see you through winter season got top half (bought bottom half but changed my mind about it)

• sort dd "party dress" done (finally managed to find fairly classic, long-sleeved winter dress - not many out there)

• wash and iron two weeks of clothes for everyone whether going away or not (as if for holiday)

• do hair/pedicure/personal grooming etc as if for above

• make sure towel & bed linen laundering all up to date

• make cake and pudding in November + mini extras for presents to do

• clean oven & defrost freezer beginning December to do

• take "Christmas" photo of dd in November to enclose in cards to family (will be a proud "look at me in my school uniform" shot this year) to do

Don't know if any of those are any good for you?

Crikey DEM - what an amazing day you had yesterday!! Well done x 100!!!

You to PA hope you are slaying the laundry beast ...

NightmareDreamTeam - thank you for all your help with the Fat Fairy links and kind words. Am at your laminator

Flaps wings at FullMoonMarmite - how are you feeling? Hope you can still take it a bit steady this wk.

Hello to tibni - are you OK re control journal now?

Waves to anyone I have missed ...

Right back to the active threads paperwork ...

That should have been a "yo" to you PA, not a "you"!!

PAO of course you can sing without making cake - you could join in the brandy tasting as well (thanks for the idea CTGG) what we really need are Christmas emoticons but it probably is really too early for that

Got all my ingredients except for butter. Popping out for that ready to start at 3

Are we all ready?

Oven is on, ingredients out, brandy poured, shall we start with Little Donkey?

Here I am! Mixing bowl at the ready! Three quizzical looking teenagers!
So - 'We three kings of Orient are
One in a taxi, one in a car...'

MM bit concerned about your DS being loaded and unloaded with the breakfast things!

Hellipac love the new name! Good luck with the playdough, rather you than me!

Quick wave to everyone else.....

Do we have to sing the "proper version" of the carols? (sorry im the result of an all girls grammar education )

No christmas cake making here today but I am decluttering my wardrobe further - another bag for charity, bye bye size 12 .

I have hoovered my car (and how it needed it) and swept up the leaves in the driveway. Oh and also "put out a hotspot" in the kitchen - hark at me talking fly! LOL

CTGH - not really sorted the control journal. Everytime I read the fat fairy I end up giggling and just can't bring myself to do it ...... but..... I have the book and I am going to do a journal my own way taht should help keep me organised.

Any version you like and as many verses as you can remember or make up

'While shepherds washed their socks by night....'

little donkey, little donkey, on a dusty road......got to keep on, carry mary....

oh sorry, we already did that one...

away in a manger, no crib for a bed.....

can't we have some shaky as well....christmas is not christmas without shaky....

After 3, 1,2,3,

Snow is falling all around me (actually it's play dough being thrown about by DD but we can use our imaginations)

Children playing having fun (arguing actually but again imagination needed)

tis the season, love and understanding, merry christmas everyone

Hooray! Cake in oven and tidy kitchen

Thank you to everyone who joined in in any way. I really didn't feel like doing the cake today so if you hadn't joined in I would have put it off.

More brandy anyone? hic!

Helliepac _ If that makes you feel "normal" I would be seriously worried!

just popped in for the carol singing after finally completing my Tax return YEAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! YIPPPPEEEEEEEE
Although I found out I owe loads more than i thought, so not such good news!

"Rockin around the Christmas tree - ok not up til December, we could "rock around the ironing pile - its a got to be done tonight. Everyone singing merrily while mum just looks a fright"
Well, the words sort of fit the tune - in my world, anyway!

how's the cakes doing? Mine was sung around an apple oaty crumble. Oh dear, DH thinks the brandy was a mistake this early in the day! - I blame you lot, of course!

Helliepac - Just read that again and maybe you mean that me being totally AB-normal would make you feel normal?
Perhaps you know me too well!

PA was in no way suggesting that you were abnormal,.....I was merely suggesting that the rabbits in your living room scenario that i have going on in my head is abnormal and if I were to revisit that scenario in my head i would feel normal. Clear as mud. (unless you really do have bunnies in your living room ) Yeah for the tax return, boooo for the money.

Well done on the Christmas cake DWM, that spurs me on to get my act together. Lovely carol singing everyone!

Oops OM I mean DW...although some mornings DS does try to climb into the dishwasher so it really is only a matter of time

Lovely new mattress has been delivered thank goodness - the old one was giving us both back ache. Can't wait to put lovely clean sheets on and try it out...the fat fairy is calling though and I've got to do some lounge decluttering among other things...I figure I can do this at the same time as getting no correct answers in watching University Challenge.

Good to see you Frightstick and thanks . CTGG hope your house guest managed the traffic ok. I used to visit Brussels frequently for work and remember the traffic well (thankfully my manager always drove). I'm feeling a bit better today, thanks. I think I needed to get to the end of last week and start this one with a plan for recovery. I'm starting with a massage and reflexology session this weekend but getting the house sorted is part of it too somehow.