Fledging flyers - December's messaholics anonymous meeting place

[droitwitchmum]

Everyone welcome, newcomers and old(ish) flappers alike!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering

As Christmas is approaching I will also be posting Christmas missions.

I'll post links early in the morning on the relevant day while I'm making the coffee and brewing tea. There might even be toast...

Good luck!

Hi all

Just popping in to say I haven't forgotten you all, but flying has slipped a bit this week as my very much loved cat was run over and killed at the weekend . He has been a constant in my life for 9 years and I'm struggling to find the enthusiasm even for baby steps the last couple of days.

Haven't managed to catch up with the thread yet, but will be back shortly

Hello everyone!

Just pausing before doing another job - either cards or ironing, not decided which yet

Thank you for the vote of confidence. I will carry on in January, I think we will need it!

Got the all-clear for my secondment today . I start 13 January and will then MN work from home most Wednesdays and Thursdays

Mellie have you started your pantry or bedroom yet?
SBB channel that anger into scrubbing!
PF I think you may have solved my PIL present panic - thank you!
MrsG loving the sound of your hampers (and a magnificent list too)
SC go on, give us some Camus for Christmas
swan I'm liking your Christmas mission
MrsD snow - hooray!
MM I have a half finished bottle of wine on my sideboard - I'll do you a swap for your flour
Pluto impressive list - hope you get it done
DSM hope you are in bed. Sleep well

Rock cakes and hot toddies tonight then - yum. Made a decision, nothing to wear to work tomorrow so ironing has won (10 mins max)

Keep warm & see you tomorrow

x post with tinsel thanks for the biscuits and PMPSS. So sorry to hear about your cat. Make sure you grieve properly for him, he was part of your family. Forget about flying for a couple of days and pop back after the weekend to let us know how you are

Rock cakes are over here, DCs left some for you! chutney is bubbling on the stove (possibly not a 10.30 bedtime for me tonight, but I have slipped back to an average of 11.30 anyway).

PMPSS - so sorry about your cat, I would be distraught if this happened to me.
MC I was hoping you would continue, I think we will all need it, it is very good of you, thank you
Mellie - it was me that wanted a pantry, my granny had a proper walk in one with a stone floor and lots of shelves, I have always hankered after one. As for the baking, we do simple and often, stick to small stuff like rock cakes, biscuits and muffins, it gets easier the more often you do it (like Flying). I too am planning stained glass biscuits, but for Monday. This is my baking bible

www.be-ro.com/f_about.htm as used by at least 3 generations of the "Dinky's maiden name" family.

Better go and stir the chutney, night all

Awww, thanks MC! Thanks for the fliers with babies link too, will have a read.

OK, things looking slightly better now but still feeling quite cluttered - I think that's what happens when you have a small lounge and a large Christmas tree and boxes of presents that you have nowhere to store!

I promised to post my menus. Here is this week - not very imaginative while I'm trying to catch up with everything else (except for Saturday as we are having a 'neighbours' Christmas dinner which is doubling up as a leaving do for one couple who are emigrating the following morning )

So:

• Jacket potatoes with cheese and sweetcord
• Hoisin broccoli and mushroom stir fry with rice
• (more)jacket potatoes and hummous and salad
• leek, bean and pasta soup
• sausage, mash and veg for the boys (and I'm going out
• salmon rillettes, rose leg of lamb with pears, caramel panna cotta...cross your fingers for me as I'm not sure how I'm going to get all that done tbh!

Hope to catch up with all of you tomorrow as it is my day off with DS.

Things I must do tomorrow:

• call cat sitter
• wrap some presents (childminder, DS, neighbours)
• take DS swimming
• small supermarket shop for things not available online
• DS soft play
• read flylady stuff to at least check which zone we're in!
• Buy DH's present

Sorry to hear your DH is so sick SC

Must go to bed. Big waves to you all

Good morning all! Not very breakfasty but I've got pototoes cooking if you are desperate (they're for cottage pie tonight really ). At same time have been waking computer up, ripping a CD to download onto my MP3, heating the press to iron DS's school sweatshirt and getting dressed. Need a lie down now

Babystep is a catch up one today so you can shop/wrap/bake/whatever instead!

For today's mission we are cleaning toilets and doing hotspots in the hall - good luck!

Have a great day

Thanks mummyclaus.
Crumpets for breakfast anyone?
Been downloading resources but need to be leaving in 10 mins so off to get up and leave.
Happy flying today folks.

Morning all, just a flying visit to say Hello and post my list of things to do.

Have to have the dog to the vets this morning for his booster injections, he is not going to be pleased about that!!!!
No nursery for Ds2 again today so he is going to my Mums for a couple of hours while I do the vets.

To do today;
Dog to vet
Shine the sink
Post Christmas cards
Do at least 1 load of washing

Hope everyone has a good Morning

Morning all.
haven't been around as I've been doing Christmas type things, trying to work my new phone (too fancy) and been procrastinating in the John Lewis cushion department for too long, again....

Mini mincemeat - your flour discovery really made me laugh!

Today

• put DW on
• put pink wash on
• start wrapping???
• S&S

None of it done yet, must stop sitting on the computer!

oh hope that last post didn't make me sound like i have too much money or time on my hands - could not be further from the truth!( I would love to do a trolley dash in John Lewis tho!) In my next life I will be a yummy mummy...or maybe not, that surely would be dull!

Big cheery wave to everyone

Feeling much happier today! Only 2 more lessons to teach - pile of coursework to mark lurking in the corner, but I am pretending it's not there.

Mullered I too have been known to lurk in John Lewis admiring cushions (before heading off to Matalan)

The list that has been on the kitchen board for about a week ten days, reads as follows;

Finish Xmas cards
Sweep and scrub yards
Get DS's to write their Xmas cards
Wash kitchen floor
Name new PE kit
Clear top of wardrobe [hotspot inferno]
Marzipan Xmas cake

I'll let you know how I get on...

mmm, crumpets, thanks DSM (even though it is now past lunchtime)!

Don't be embarrased Mullered - I had a day off both work and childcare on my own yesterday (for the first weekday ever) so I went to JL for the whole day . I was meant to get home by 3 to do housework and cook dinner before picking up DS but didn't get home until 4:30!

Trying to catch up with all your news but I'm so far behind that the scrolling up and down is making me feel dizzy.

Congratulations MC on your secondment (and yes, I'll swap 1/2 a bottle of wine for some flour)!

Thanks for the booster jab reminder gruffalo - our cat needs his!

I'm going to wrap some presents etc now...

Have a great afternoon everyone!

Talking of stained-glass biscuits MrsD, I'm thinking of doing this at some point www.deliciousmagazine.co.uk/articles/gingerbread-house-template but probably going to wait until DS is a bit bigger and can help. Going to do some gingerbread men, women and children tonight!

done
pressie for out in laws
another load in machine and drying
yesterday's laundry ironed and put away
collected parcel from sorting office
got one part of nephew's pressie

to do
wrap at least some pressies before DS1 gets home from school in an hour
buy long johns for DS1 who is complaining of having freezing legs (rubbish school trousers)
Post DVD back to lovefilm

Thanks for the flying with baby link MC

Hi everyone - I haven't made it onto the thread since the weekend but it moves so fast Ihaven't had time to read all the news...
This week has been manic so far, school nativity/carolsinging/ Ds2s birthday yesterday!
I had thought I was quite far ahead but I don't seem to have bought anything decent for DS2 or DH for Christmas so my plan to not go shopping has backfired!

Anyway today I have:
been to tescos and survived (yay!!)
washing x1
drying x1
visited mum who gave me remnants of her dinner party last night (yum!)
bought 3 pressies
tried to fix bathroom door (people keep getting trapped in there!)

That's it! no chance of much else today as we have a school carol service to go to later.

Will catch up with you all later. look after yourselves ladies....

Another quick post, have unexpectedly been invited out to dinner at a pub I've been meaning to try for ages, yay! And we've got a fine coating of snow.

Kids are quietly sitting at the table poking at yet another lovingly cooked meal with no intention of eating any of it. Aargh

MM that house looks gorgeous, I have just cheated and bought this www.createatreat.com/Gallery1.html. Unfortunately I hate all ginger flavoured sweet things (ok in stir fries etc), but DS will love it.

Not much flying today, too busy writing cards, wrapping up stuff etc but still managing to S&S and do washing and dishwasher, so not too bad.

See you tomorrow

I will admit the last time i made a ginger bread house it defintely had a rustic feel to it .

yr8 assessments done
yr 7 tests half done
Completed school based tasks - a bit done
weekly reviews

All needs to be done by 7am tomo. Me thinks yr 7 bed and then early to do rest but will see. baking chessy scones for tea.

Just popping in to say "good morning" and "goodnight" in one, as first time I've had a chance to catch up with thread since yesterday.

ooohhh - you have all been busy - loving all this talk of gingerbread houses - chutney - procrastinating in JL cushion department - and other Christmassy 'domestic goddess' type projects ...not to mention rock cakes!

No flying today apart from 1 load of washing, shined sink + on-line grocery order. Dh really, really ill with full blown gastric flu (was his third night of "distress at both ends" last night) so hoping for some sleep tonight!! (Waves in solidarity to Annabel - hope your lot feel better soon!!] DD has milder version of same. Doc came this morning - brilliant woman - tri-lingual with the energy of five men - and dispensed reassurance and prescriptions and I think (touch wood) everyone is stabilising.

Congratulations on your secondment MummyC and that's a brilliant idea about prepping pots before work ... it has occurred to me to slow cook a casserole but not to prepare veg ...and that's always the most daunting/time-consuming thing in the evening when everyone is hungry ....

Your menus sound fab MiniM

My ma has that very same book MrsDingDong!!

Glad you are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel SBB and DSM - take it steady (if at all possible)

Ohh, PushmePullYou so sorry to hear about your cat, that is so very

PF oooh would love the recipe for the stained glass sweet decorations (do you have a lin?) or I'll Google when eveyrone better ... dd would love to make those

Big cheery wave to Optomistle Mellie - lol at ketchup - yes tis a bit cr*p when one's best friends move away - but THANK YOU for the Camus!!!

Speaking of which (and egged on by MummyC)

"Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal. "
Albert Camus

(er, this one might be slightly too close to home for comfort !!!

Waves to anyone I have missed ..

Hot toddy brewing in the pan ...

Night all .....

PF oops missed out a 'k' there ....

it is definetly not going to plan...
yr7 tests done
early to bed ....(still here)
Ds up and down like yoyo and poorly in process and probably most of night
Ex being confusing check
bath - mutlitasked with sorting ds out and marking done but not the planned relax
everything else .... F*Ck no. Doubt will be up early to do as tired and going to try to get some sleep between ds stirrings. He is threating to be up again already

Hope all poorly people are feeling better...

Oh and one more thing - get carried away with the .... check...

Oh God, I'm being completely rubbish and have no poorly people or crisis to excuse it

(Had a lovely play with DC's though and finally taught DS1 to do a forward roll - so chuffed I thought he'd burst )

PMPY just saw the news about your cat. I'm so sorry, v.sad for you xxx

SC, Cadmum, Annabel and anyone else with poorly family hope everyone is on the mend. We've all got the sniffles here but very minor thankfully.

Oh dear, DSM...maybe just best to go to bed if you can!

I got my list done today but forgot to put bicarb in my gingerbread people so they are a bit flat.

Love your Christmas name OM. Well done on going to Tesco...have you done your cards?

I'd better go to bed. I had a lovely day with DS but feeling a bit sorry for myself TBH...recent past events catching up with me I think. Looking forward to Christmas though and I'll get to spend a whole week with DH and DS and remember how lucky I really am.

Sleep well ladies

morning everyone,

didn't manage to get one yesterday as had a super busy day. Still not done pantry or our bedroom but have managed to maintain a tidy and clean downstairs which is a miracle, normally by thursday i am wading through mess and dirty pots.

pmpy sorry to hear about your cat. sending you lots of hugs

mm another one who needs hugs. No words of wisdom,just wanted to say that I am thinking of you and make sure you take some time for yourself. you are not feeling sorry for yourself, you are grieving which will always take time.

dsm what a rubbish day...hope DS is feeling a bit better, only one day to go (assuming you break up tomorrow)

sc hope DH is starting to feel a bit better. did camus know me personally .

optimistletoe fret ye not, i have loads of present buying to do yet, still a week to go, no need to panic

mc congratulations on the secondment and thank you for agreeing to run thread again.

must get off now so apologies to everyone i haven't managed to post individually to, hope everyone is ok and not too stressed (note to pf, no cards yet and no more presents )

Good morning everyone. Last day at work for me before Christmas so really happy although panicking too! Need to do the last bits of shopping that I need to do in Birmingham today as I can do without going there next week with DS in tow!

Todays' babystep is a vvvvv important one but I just it isn't going to happen this side of Christmas . Do your best with it, it will help!

The mission today is cleaning the bath....

Back later. Have a good day

Morning ladies,

I hope all the poorly LOs are feeling better after a good nights sleep.

SBB - I have no winter poorly DCs here, only long term, which sort of doesn't count, and I have been useless. You will get there!

So sorry to hear about you cat PMPY.

MM - Don't be hard on yourself. Big hugs for you.

MC - I simply could not function without my slow cooker. I do at least 2 or 3 meals a week in it. Brilliant for mad evenings when we are all eating at different times and on a very tight schedule.

Oh Camus must know me well too, Mellie and SC, although I quite often miss the mark of being "Normal" too! .

SC here's the link for the stained glass biscuits My kids also smash up the boiled sweets and put different colours together in the holes to make a nice effect. I always make loads, cos once they are on the tree they get eaten very quickly, so need topping up quite often.

Mellie stop reading here, if you are using me as I have been using you, as my marker for Christmas preparations!
I managed to leave work on time, walked through the town and have finished all my santa shopping. Then on to the hairdressers for some much needed pampering. A very good productive few hours all round. Only a few bigger things to get today, but I know what I am getting, so feeling dead chuffed and very smug! I think I can safely say that Christmas can arrive next Friday and I will survive!

I was slightly concerned when there was no sign of any workmen outside my house on Monday or Tuesday, but yesterday they arrived and it looks as if they have probably only got one more day of work left as long as that one day is today I will be happy.
Also by tonight I should have a completed wetroom! HOORAY!!! And a house to myself again! Its looking good, but taken a lot longer than expeced and cost a lot more! Surprise, surprise!

All I have to do now is clear up and sort out all the crap misplaced items.

Have a good day everyone and don't get too cold. Quite excited at the prospect of snow overnight tonight. Last day of school today for my lot! YEAH!!!!!!! Fewer sandwiches for 2 weeks!!!