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!

morning all!

Just about caught up with the thread....
PMPY so sorry to hear about your cat- I am a cat lover too and ours is now very old, has been with our DC since they were small so I can imagine how sad you are feeling.

MM I'm not surprised events have caught up with you. Christmas is like that isn't it? Take it easy on yourself and have lots of family time rather than flying time!

Big wave to MC (you are doing a fab job of organising us - thank you!), SC, SBB, DSM, Pluto, PF, Mellie and all the others I've forgotten - please don't take it personally!!

Right now I must get on!!

Today:

Home blessing(yeuch how I hate that phrase!)
Laundry - process
Ironing(if time)
Town (to get pressies for my DDs school friends - how did I get roped into that one??)
Supper (they'll be lucky!)
Move hotspots to inside cupboards and deal with in the New Year!

My mind has now gone blank (not an unusual occurance) so that will have to do for now!

Cheery waves all round and as my ex dep head once said hook the ends of your smile round your ears to keep it in place!!

Morning all

Well yesterday I managed to do something really daft, I locked myself IN the house! Postman knocked the door and I couldn't find my keys anywhere, ended up having a conversation with the postman through the letterbox and had to ask him to take parcels to next door neighbour. Eventually found keys under a pile of junk mail on the hall cupboard.

Stillcounting I taught myself to do the hampers, couple of years ago we were really broke at christmas so I bought multipacks of toiletries and made everyone a little 'pamper hamper' for Christmas, they were very well received and people started asking if I could do some for them and it snowballed foom there. This year I'm making towel cakes for my parents and the in laws, really should get on with them or I'll be doing them on Christmas Eve!

Mrsdingdong I'd love a pantry too, my Nan had one and I would spend hours moving all her tins and jars around, she had wonderful stuff in there, a whole shelf of different mustards and every sort of jam plus my absolute favourite Lemon Curd

mulleredonwine what a fab word 'procrastinating' under used in my opinion and I to am excellent at 'procrastinating' in shops although sadly not in John lewis as we don't have one

minimincemeat glad to be of service with the booster jab reminder, the dog was not very pleased with his vet visit, he will be even less pleased in January when he has to go for his kennel cough vac, he really hates that.

MC hope you have a good day in Birmingham, I have spent many an hour wandering around the bullring, loads of my family live up the road in Walsall.

positivelyfestive glad it looks like your road will be free from holes again

Ds2 is back at Nursery today, still has abit of a cough but he is much better hope everyone elses poorly dc's are getting better too.

My to do list for today contains only one thing
take Mum to Sainsburys and survive the experience without too much trauma!!!!!!!
I will, without doubt, have to listen to how my super duper efficient super woman of a sister in law is totally organised and ready for Christmas and how her house is shining like a new pin, there will be numerous references to how I really should try 'this. that and the other blah blah blah because it works for her' which will be followed by an offer to 'come and help me get sorted' which will be turned down as the thought of my Mum examining my clutter in detail is a terrifying thought!
So wish me luck and will see you all later

Waves at everyone

Morning all, just been having a good laugh at the "what have you already eaten that was supposed to be for Christmas thread". I haven't eaten anything because I haven't got round to buying any food yet.

Tea, toast and marmite here if anyone wants some.

This morning so far has been a rush, none of the normal routine things were done before school run as I CBA to get out of bed on time.

So I need to

Make beds, open any curtains that got missed
Put washing on
Wash my hair
S+S
Go to Sainsburys/town for a couple of things
Home blessing (yes, I hate that phrase too OM)
Back at school by 1.30 to help with Christmas party
Deal with an outbreak of hotspots in my bedroom

See you later (or maybe not, I'm out again tonight). Waves at everyone

optimistletoemumma I love sayings like the 'smile' one, I have loads of fridge magnets with sayings on and my particular favourite is 'Dull women have immaculate houses'

Well, I'm certainly not dull then! I have just magically transformed several bedroom hotspots into maybe one less hotspot upstairs, but hall and dining room covered in coats/hats/handbags shoes etc in the quest to find new homes for everything, aargh.

mrsd fear not. You know what they say 'empty desk house, empty mind!'

thank you for the sympathetic cat messages. I feel a bit sill being so upset, but honestly feel I have lost a family member .

Getting back in to flying a bit today, so haven't caught up with the thread yet, but have started small and shined my sink and mopped the floor. Dishwasher stacjed and mostly on top of the laundry, just need to put away now!

Still trying to force myself to tidy up house as well/before doing Xmasssy thngs..

My posh xmas cards arrived today, so will have to send next batch off [have sent 30 so far

SO FAR DONE
tidied three dcs bedrooms, and made beds and put away all laundry ironed or not
hung smart stuff up in cupboard so can find on xmas day
dealt with cat litter
ordered dh's present
finalized xmas food delvery and paid for
What's for dinner - baked potatoes, ham, salad, semolina with jam

Mrs Ding dong - Dh HAS eaten the smoked salmon - but it was about to go off.
MrsGG - [genvy]of your talent
Hello to everyone else, sorry not to be more specific, dizzying array of housework and preparation beingdone by everyone.

still need to do basic kitchen tidy before can do anything else, though sink not too bad...
And hang up the clothes in my bedroom - never quite get up the stairs these days until bedtime.

then till pickup...possibility of wrapping some presents in secret away from ds1
try out some xmas piano music with him
get him to do another collage card [sweat blood]
prepare cookie dough - Great Link PF - those xmas menus are slightly unnerving though
wrap teachers' presents with dcs later still not got round to this..
make xmas wreath with red material and twigs from garden

Morning All

Feeling a bit better today. A bit tired though as was up talking to DH until about 1 a.m. Thanks for all your kind words as always.

Glad you had some pampering PF and thanks for the stained-glass link, I think I might make those. We currently have a gingerbread lady at the top of the tree but she is the only decoration so far !

From now on I think I will use the presence of objects in odd places as a barameter of my flying success (or lack thereof). This morning I found a pea in the butter dish...so I think I still have some catching up to do!

SC I agree about guinea pigs, they're fab!

Thanks for offering to lead us again in Jan MC, I will be on baby steps again!

I have got toothache and can't see the dentist until tomorrow. I am not feeling at all festive in the circumstances.

However, to take my mind off the pain I have

wrapped most pressies
done the ironing
tidied the living room
hung up Christmas cards

Later on I plan on making something out of all the odd leftover veg, bacon and chorizo I have festering in the fridge.

Every year I get to wrapping DS1s presents and decide that I haven't really spoiled him enough. What is wrong with me? I MUST NOT do any more shopping. We are broke and he has plenty. Please tell me this on frequent occasions over the next few days, especially if I say I'm just nipping out to the shops.

Waving to you all - in between bouts of tooth agony.

Remember Pluto, there's nothing to stop you spoiling anew him at New Year if he runs out of toys...Hope the dentist helps tomorrow

I should be in a good mood because I have dropped off first batch of teachers' presents/cards etc and
Made a wreath for front door

but dcs are scathing about my wreath - I thought they would gasp with wonder

Pah - will return to machine made squalor

evening all,

Am feeling very festive tonight. I have now broken up from school and was driving home, listening to xmas songs on the radio and watching the snow fall .

pluto i know how you feel. we have bought DS a nintendo wii and we faithfully promised that because it was such a big present he would get nothing else apart from his stocking, he gets loads of presents from other people anyway. Am going shopping tomorrow for all my last presents (seeing as pf let me down and did her shopping ) and am going to have to steel myself not to 'just' get him dvd or this toy or that game. i always say to myself it's
only £10 but then they all add up .

some big lists going on today swanriver i am looking at you . i have done nothing today apart from load/unload dw BUT get this DH has :-

done hotspot (multiples of) in kitchen
done my pantry job
wiped down all cupboards/surfaces in kitchen
mopped hall/stairs
sorted all clean washing and put away
is in process of doing my other big job - our bedroom

it's like he's been possessed by the fat fairy, just think he needs a tabard and a feather duster .

Anyway am venturing out into the cold to pick up the DC's. Back later for a proper catch up as didn't have time to scroll through everyone's posts.

Pluto and Mellie - me too, guilty of just ordering yet another pressie for each of the DCs. Touchingly, all they have asked for is DS - a scarf, DD (3) a "big girl" car seat. I am dreading my credit card bill.

My hotspots are not as bad as they were this morning, may even be able to get enough floor clear for some hoovering tomorrow. I have done 2 loads of washing, helped at school Christmas party, and take one bin liner of clothes to the clothes bank.

Got to go, kids ready for bed time, hope to manage a longer post tomorrow.

"What a difference a day makes, 24 little hours, what a difference a day makes and that difference is....... no holes in the road, no workmen in the house, a lovely wetroom, most of my Christmas shopping done (although just realised that I bought DS a present and forgot about it so now he has way more than the 4 girls. I am not planning on evening it all out again, I might see if GP has anything yet and pass it to them. Only got DD3's "top-up" present to buy and I have a few thoughts for that, so looking good! Sorry Mellie, although very imprressed with yours and everyone else's lists today! I am very much all or nothing and after having nothing done, i managed to wizz round and have nearly finished!
Today I have also:
Completely cleaned Dining Room
Completely cleaned Kitchen
Cleaned sofa covers in front lounge
Cleared all the stuff that had been dumped in the study for the duration of the builders being here.
Cleaned three bathrooms/toilets/wetroom
re-homed a lot of homeless stuff from one of the back lounges.
Cooked and eaten a yummy roast
Christmas shopping
Wrapped up most of the Father Christmas presents.

Still to do:
Pack DS & DD2 for a weekend away - although no school tomorrow, so this could be left for the morning.
Go to a meeting this evening which has the potential of being rather fiesty!

Mellie - Very impressed with your DH. What a star! You could send him my way if he wants more to do! I think you should get him a tabbard for Christmas and some lace up shoes to finish off nicely! Don't think about DH being possessed by the fat fairy when you climb in bed next to him tonight, will you. Sure passion killer!

Pluto - GGrrrrr! Toothache. HORRIBLE. Worse than labour in my books! lots of anagesia overnight and I hope you get it sorted out tomorrow.

Mrs Grumpy - you have cheered me up, If I can't be normal for Camus, I can be cheered by there never being any chance of me being dull!!

Big waves to everyone else, must dash now. Have a good evening all. Wine and mince pies are out for my return, don't eat/drink them all!

Evening all.

Today has been interesting. and have done
Group A yr8 books marked
Taught 2 lessons on the fly
Sorted out the final bits of yr 7 test and mark input
Gone to pub
Outed self as true geek

Not done - most of what needed to do.

Only a flying visit as ds off sleep meds and i am tired. Going to try getting LO shit to bed and will get up very early to do work.

Night.

Evening ladies! I feel utterly exhausted reading how much work everyone is doing.
LOL at Swanriver DC! Mine are like that if they suspect I am 'doing a Kirsty'!
Pluto poor you! Toothache is vile. I hope you get sorted out tomorrow...

Mrs GG - sympathies to you and I hope you survived Sainburys. i have a Dad like your Mum. I've never quite been good enough in his book. Funny though because when he's not with me apparently i'm the best thing since sliced bread. Oh well...

Mellie - Your journey home sounded very festive. i raced around like a mad woman this afternoon having watched the 'severe weather warning' for the East! Do we have any snow? No! Anyway, I managed to go to the offie for our party tomorrow night - prioritise I thought! i also got the car headlight fixed and bought a few top up bits and bobs.

PA - good luck with the meeting and well done on your day - phew!

Big waves to everyone else - gotta go DS2 is ranting about the lack of Christmas cards available to him!!

x posted with DSM - have a good sleep!
Apologies for the lackof capital 'i's in my last post - and me a teacher!

Hooray! me again!I just noticed we have festive biscuits!!

Hope there's enough to go round!

Loving the festive biscuits!

Have spent the afternoon making shortbread with DS1 and 2 for their teachers and TA's - is that tight or nice?

Otherwise still nothing done . Am getting a cold (using this as an excuse) and DH arrived home from a meeting in London at 2.00am, woke me up banging on the door as he had no key and I had locked up (not supposed to be back till lunchtime today), so we not very sensibly drank tea and talked until 5 when DS2 woke up and refused to go back to sleep. Very very tired now (unsuprisingly).

Mellie very of your snow!

Yay PF a wetroom just in time for Christmas! We've just got a quote for a new bathroom and I nearly fell over when I saw how much it would cost so I think I'll be putting up with mine for a little bit longer.

Well, today I've eaten 3 gingerbread wo/men and eaten 4 chocolates...ooops, there goes my plan to get under 10 stone by Christmas!

I realised today that I've forgotten to get any stocking presents for DS and DH!

SBB re: shortbread, definitely not tight, that's lovely. I once made shortbread for DH (before he was DH) when he was off on a walking holiday without me and he still remembers it as one of his favourite gifts ever. I'm sure they'll go down a storm.

Pluto sorry about the toothache, that's no fun

Must go, promised myself an early night.

Night all x

Oh, and PMPY meant to say, it is exactly like losing a family member so you're entitled to feel exactly as you do

Hello everyone!! [SC flapping wings at everyone and doing star jumps to keep warm (not a pretty sight!)]

Bit of a stressful day and Christmas tree delivery postponed for a week owing to current contagion but like Mellie feeling festive because we have 4 inches of the most beautiful, powdery, pure white, softest, glittery snow here you could possibly imagine!! Dd beside herself with excitement.

I allowed dd out in it for 10 mins (wrapped up like an eskimo - she is much better today) and we had a bit of a mad-cap charge around the garden and a snowflake-eating competition ....the individual flakes were so huge that up against a dark glove you could actually see their traditional symmetrical (is it hexagonal?) shape ....with all the intricate sparkling perforations ...aahhh....lovely..

And oh .. er ....yes... about the cleaning ...

Thoroughly cleaned every inch of bathroom and cleaned and disinfected every single door handle and tap in house (paranoid - but do not want to get dh's bug)

Finished decluttering dd's toy cupboard (started at least a fortnight ago!!)

De-frosted and cleaned out freezer for second time in 8 wks

Emptied and cleaned out fridge

Finished present shopping for us but haven't started wrapping

Still trying to write Christmas cards

Two loads of washing done by me and 3 paniers of ironing done by saintly fortnightly ironing lady who also ran madly around the garden catching snowflakes before she left

Put away huge on-line supermarket shop (boring dry goods)

Delivered supplies and cards and presents to office

Washed down hall floor after delivery man and I had trampled snow everywhere

Plus did masses of office work and fielded a million phone calls (dh dictating e-mails from his bed so he must be feeling better + he managed a tiny bowl of rice today)

Finally persuaded thoroughly over-excited dd to go to sleep

This is the first opportunity I have had to catch up with everyone else:

Sleep well DSM

Crikey PF you were on fire today!! What a list!! And great news that all your building work, inside and out, is finishing in time for Christmas. Good luck with the meeting tonight and thanks a million for biscuit recipe - lovely project to do next week when all the madness is over ...

MrsDingDong and Mellie I'm guilty of buying dd a marble run when she didn't really need another present .. and I'm really looking forward to playing with it!! .

Mellie I think your dh is in the running for the microfibre-cloth-rosette-of-the- month award. What's your secret?

Pluto poor you - hope you get the tooth sorted and well done for soldiering on regardless

Mini-M - it did go through my mind a week or so ago that this might be a bit of a difficult Christmas for you. Take it steady. Thinking of you and your dh x

If objects in odd places determine Flying success then I am in deep, deep trouble !

Swan congrats on your mega-list, card-writing and am VERY impressed by yr wreath-making

• and by your creative skills too MrsG - sounds like a really great business ..hope you survived Sainsbury's!

Optimistle oh agree about the phrase- "home blessing hour" ...makes me want to punch someone not hoover!!

MummyC hope you had a successful shopping trip in Birmingham - thanks for the reminder about going to bed early ...

speaking of which

G'night all ....

Waves to anyone I have missed ...

xposts

Hi to SBB definitely nice NOT tight ... your time is precious!

MM your dh gets a stocking too !! Now that is what I call true devotion x

MrsD rolls in rather pissed merry from the pub, having walked home in the snow.

SC a marble run has been one of the best toys we've ever had, hours of fun.

Off to do all the evening things that I was really hoping DH would do (putting the bin out, DS packed lunch, clothes away)

Good morning everyone!

Babystep today is a good one even though it is a reading one
The mission? More tossing!
Finished work yesterday plus last dash round Birmingham in my lunch hour so if I can't get whaty's left locally it's not going to get bought
Not sure if feeling Christmassy or panicky - let you know later.

DS at school today so my list this morning is
school run
Hobbycraft
find DH's P60 although I'm sure he means P45 (help!)
Already hung washing on airer and loaded DW

Have a good last Friday before Christmas (eek)

Back later..

morning everyone,

first day off and still up early. DS at school today and i am shamelessly sending DD to childminders so i can go and do some shopping.

after DH's mammoth fairyathon yesterday, i still keep finding little things that he has done, including clean the front door and tidy the bathroom cupboard. definite husband points earned yesterday.

am supposed to be going christmas shopping today but it is freezing, more snow is forecast and what we had yesterday has frozen so pavements etc. will be tricky to say the least.

today's plan looks like this:-

dw on
WM on
DS/dd out to school/cm
present shopping
present wrapping
christmas card writing

have a good day everyone