February's Fabulous Fledgling Flyers

[droitwichmummy]

Welcome one and all!

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

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

or

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

This is what it's all about - Babysteps each day to try to get some order back into our home with LOADS of support from our regulars.

So join in! We start this thread on February 1st, but you are welcome to dive in at any point in the month.

Evening all

Routines only tonight again

Don't really care though

Hope things are looking up MM. I too have had a chronically shit week at work. Have a glass of something strong with me!

Mmmango, I agree tis fab when you first get through all the rooms and find your house is nowhere near as messy as it used to be

was going to correct for , but meh, gin it is! ()

Evening all,

PA thank you for the campsite info, that one rings a bell from the dim and distant past, will have to ask my mum if we ever went there. Another question, is it worth avoiding Cowes Week, or does it not make a lot of difference? We need to go first half of the school hols.

Feetheart - Is the Christening a boy or a girl? My DD was given a lovely pink leather jewellery box which stood out as a nice present. DS received lots of money boxes which he has always liked putting coins in.

Talulahbelle, Pluto, MiniM, Mmango, Neenook, In1981 and everyone else that sounds poorly / worn out, hope you all get a good rest tonight.

DWM glad your internet is OK, I feel absolutely lost when ours goes down now, scary how reliant we've all become on it.

Well, despite having a streaming cold, I h ave had a lovely day. fairly minimal flying but did manage the basics plus feather dusting a lot of ceiling corners.

The weather was lovely and spring like here today, went out without a coat, bliss! Took DS and DD to school / pre-school half an hour of chores and off to a friend's for coffee (my ante-natal class from 6 years ago still meets up pretty well every week).

Then got DD from pre-school and took her out for lunch. She is an absolute pleasure to take out, behaves beautifully, stays in her seat, eats well, contrast with DS who sems to have a problem keeping his bum on a seat for more than 30s unless it has a TV in front of it, and turns his nose up at most foods commonly found in cafes / pubs.

Then took DD back to her old nursery, the one she left at Christmas. She likes her pre-school, but has been pining this week and pestering me to take her back, it was nice to see everyone, all the kids seemed pleased to see her.

Then home and DCs both did some nice craft stuff (not too much mess) and DS did some good writing (he's really fired up for school stuff this week). So all is well in the Dinky household tonight.

Sorry, long rambling post! Going to go now. DH is working tomorrow, so going to be busy and might not post but see you soon and have a good weekend everyone.

Gin all round it is then and a double for you PMPY ...oh dear, why does work get in the way of life!? Hope things improving for you too.

Had a good evening - house was tidy (mainly courtesey of cleaners rather than any concerted effort on my part) and I didn't fancy ruining it with cooking/toddler food throwing so we went out for pizza! I think it was just what we needed after a stressful couple of weeks.

Off to bed now, looking forward to catching up with you all x

Too late really and I should be in bed, but can't go without my 'fix' from here! Sounds like everybody has had a good day and relaxing evening. PA hope you got your DCs to the right place and approve of DD's boyfriend.
I managed to get very lost in Birmingham and drove round the centre for almost an hour Interesting outfits some people wear to go out in - some looked like they had forgotten half of it . Anyway, DD2 delivered safely and I'm back home safely.

Got my car back - is driving very nicely now. The nice man at the garage showed me the old part, shaking it to prove it was broken. Like I'd know?! But he seemed very proud of his work so I made suitably impressed noises - at least I hope I did!

DD2 has had excellent report - improvement on last one. And she has an IEP!! I've only been asking for one for about, oh, 3 years. And now she has one and it was reviewed this week and nobody told me either that she had one or that it was to be reviewed . Anyway, I am very pleased oneis in place. And she has had some tests etc and found that she has significant difficulties in getting words onto paper - which would explain why she never seems to produce much of course. So she'll be given an extra 25% time in exams. Poor girl, she has spent most of her school life (and she is now in year 9!) getting into trouble for not writing enough - and actually it's not all her fault. Of course, the constant talking won't help though - but progress I think.

Right, that's enough from me. See you all tomorrow.

Good morning!
missb sorry you got lost in Birmingham - if I'd known you were coming in I would have given you instructions as I work in the city centre 3 days a week (I was there yesterday!)- hope you managed to get out alive Know what you mean about some of them forgetting to put all their clothes on.. & fab news about DD2
MM hooray for cleaners! (& pizza). We went to the chip shop on the way home last night
MrsD any ideas for a confirmation? It is for 10yo twin girls & DH is the godfather who has done nothing about even getting them a card, and its tomorrow morning
pmpy friday nights are designed for doing nothing - there is always the weekend for doing what needs to be done.
feetheart DS & I love the dustbin men and anything resembling a huge lorry/digger/helicopter/plane
Tallulah that's what friday nights are for - hope you got a better night's sleep
Pluto lovely GP - hope you got some rest (or at least some ironing done!)
Mmmango soooo pleased you are noticing the difference
PA I nominate you as our travel correspondent!
Neenook how are you feeling today?
1981 nice manageable list yesterday
SC thank you for offering to step in if internet was not back on

Great babystep today - hotspots! One of these is not your entire house or whole room; it is a small area which you can clear in 2 minutes (set your timer!). If it helps you can break down a larger area (like the floor) into smaller sections (like the rug, by the sofa, on a side table) so you can work your way round the room in hotpots. Try not to just move stuff from one hotspot to another though!

Swimming and house blitz for me today - see you later

[SC cranks computer 'handle' frantically (it's SO slow!!) wipes sleep out of eyes and sprints in ....]

Morning all, just checking in Mummy! Glad to see all technologically sound at your end.
Thanks for very important baby step. Enjoy your swim today.

Hope everyone is OK. A bit of sunshine here

Morning all,

OK first things first - did the lad cut the mustard PA??? [rampantly nosy emoticon]

Hi MissB agree about the addictiveness of this thread!! Glad you at least have more info about your DD2 but sorry it has arrived unhelpfully late.

Hope you get to enjoy some well-deserved relaxation this w/e after your hectic weeks Mini-M and PushMePullyou and everyone else who is fatigued or ailing, especially Neenook and 1981 ...

Hint of spring here today too MrsD - glad you had such a lovely day yesterday

Feetheart my "default" present in these situations (wedding or christening) is a decent photograph frame.

Hope you've had a better night's sleep Talulahbelle and hope you are feeling a bit better too Pluto

Well done on your "zone improvement" Mmango .. have loads of decluttering still to do myself ... seem to have reached a decluttering "plateau" in fact. Lol at "wine o'clock!" btw. I like it!!!

Yesterday:

After work
Post office again done
Bank bank
Tidy up dd's old clothes in master bedroom NOPE
Laundry! 1 load
French study Done
WALK Done
Evening routine + dd piano done

Out late last night and will be again tonight plus loads of activities in between so not much Flying but going to be concentrating on errands and laundry today.

Have a good weekend everyone ....wing flaps ato all ....

or even, at all ...

Morning ladies,

I had a very rare proper lie in this morning. Always awake well before 6am and just cant lay in bed, so get up and do some morning routines. I sometimes slide back into bed at the weekend for an extra half an hour, but today I was asleep til 7! I discovered the reason why when I moved my head and it felt as if it was full of cement! Earlier this week I was saying how we had all avoided all germs all winter - HA!! No longer. Lemsip top of the shopping list for today.

MissB - Pleased that your DD2 has now got what she needs with the IEP. Make sure they stick to it! I hope she now gets the appropriate help and encouragement.

PMPY - LOL at your mistake. I thought it was very apprpriate! Hope you and all the others (Neenook MMM pluto 1981 Tbelle) suffering with colds are feeling better.

MrsD - For the confirmation I would second SC advice about the photoframe.
As for Cowes week, it wont make a lot of difference other than in Cowes. We love to go down to Cowes and soak in the atmosphere of all the street entertainers and watch the sailing for a bit, but easy to avoid. The only problem that you may come across is that the boats are really busy that week, so I suggest booking really early. Of course, if you were staying in Cowes the prices would be at least 10 times more expensive that week!

Hello all!

PA hope the lemsip does its job and you feel more human and everyone else with colds feels better too.

For the confirmation, one possibility is a nice book of poems - perhaps a good anthology!

Thank you for supportive comments re DD2 - I have to confess to feeling ridiculously excited about IEP - think it is mostly relief and know we are not out of the woods but any small acknowledgement of issues that are not just about her being difficult is so good and helps me feel it's not all my fault

Glad boyfriend a success PA. I understand that DD2 is/has just got a 'flame' - met on Wednesday at school trip to Holocaust centre and been texting ever since and he has ditched his girlfriend! Oh the joys of love

Anyway, I've been very productive this morning and have done:
-weightwatchers - stayed the same but is OK as have been ill and think that gets in the way/ is a good excuse for eating
-home blitz
-2 loads of washing
-menu planned

So off to take DD1 and friend shopping and meet my friend for a coffee

Hi All -

Ever have one of those days? Another bad night so not great start to the day. The online shop I stayed up far too late doing last night would not go through to checkout. Wasted Dt's entire naptime trying & failing to remedy it. A friend who was coming over to take Dc's for me to let me pack up some stuff had a family crisis so couldn't come. My mum popped over to help instead but I had to go the supermarket due to the online shop prob. Did achieve a couple of things though.Made brownies with DD which was fun & they are yummy. Also got a washing done & hung up (fine till DT's kindly 'unhung' it for me). Thought had got all the after dinner mess cleared in good time until DD poured spilled an entire cup of milk all over DT1 & the floor.

Well never mind today's babystep is a great one to catch up on tonight. I just about have the energy for a 2 min job. Yay! Have so many hotspots though but have 3 I will target & then its winetime .

Hope you all enjoy the remainder of your weekends. And I promise no whinging tomorrow.

Evening all,

PA - glad the boyfriend experience is going well for you!

SC - I buy a lot of photoframes for presents too, you can never have too many of them.

MissB - good news about DD2

Tallulah - never mind, there's always tomorrow. Brownies sound yummy, haven't made them for years.

Hope everyone who was tired/poorly is feeling better. I can't shake off this cold, don't feel ill as such, but definitely not 100%. DD was the same today, not really ill, but very subdued, just wanted to curl up in an armchair with a duvet and watch telly. So we stuck on Mamma Mia and had a nice afternoon (luckily DS likes Abba too).

Not much flying, but did use the slowcooker, to make the a very tasty chicken casserole. The main problem I am having is watery gravy, I had to lift the meat out and thicken the gravy with flour on the hob. It was the best chicken gravy I have ever made! I also warmed up some rock cakes on the lid for elevenses, nothing if not multitasking here.

Off to open the wine if anyone wants some, a nice Merlot.

TBelle - Sounds like an awful day. Put your feet up and open that bottle!

MrsD - Slow cooker needs at least half as much fluid as normal cooking. All trial and error, but you will get there. I also us my lid as a base to prove the bread - brilliant to get it all rising nicely.

Not a productive day here. Attempted to sort out a hotspot, but just about doused for a short while is more likely!

Lemsip in hand, very quiet house. DD2 & DS away, although did have to meet DD2 at Out-of-hours-GP earlier as she is unwell, but not contagious and gone back for the rest of the weekend, DD4 at birthday party sleepover. DH out. So me on my own and DD3 with new lad in other lounge. Why is it that I always think I crave my own company, but actually when I am on my own I am bored? Rubbish on TV tonight, hence on here!

Hope you are all well.

TBELLE you definitely deserve the wine. And tomorrow is another day - hopefully a better one! Brownies sound lovely!

MrsD sounds like a lovely afternoon with Abba!

PA TV is truly dreadful. DH now watching a film called 'no country for old men' - appears as grim as it sounds - think might be some sort of western? Not my sort of thing. Hope you feel better tomorrow - and you feel the benefit of solitude tomorrow - I know what you mean though!

Well, since this morning I've done little housework - did a hot spot in the kitchen, cooked tea and washed up and cleared away. But I had a lovely afternoon mooching and coffee with a friend! Found lovely cardigan in Monsoon - £11!! and also lovely Per Una blouse in charity shop for £4.50 - still with ticket! I do like a bargain!

Sadly there is general air of gloom here - DH is Everton supporter and Wales supporter. Settled down for nice afternoon of sport ( so I did not feel at all guilty going off shopping!) but both teams lost Not a happy man!

Right, i'm off for an early night - before I brave Birmingham again tomorrow! Have a good night, all

[SC wanders in, eating half a grapefruit, turns on lights, shakes out microfibre cloth, fills kettle and starts laying out packets of Lempsips for everyone....]

Morning MUmmyD, morning all

Had a great day yesterday both fun-wise - and - unexpectedly Flying-wise ...and even managed to sit outside in the sun for 10 mins after lunch with our coffee... an experience marred only by the fact that our terrace currently looks like an old pond, with dying plants in tubs. It's the aftermath of all the snow.....must get out the Jeyes fluid and give it a scrub.

Hope all of you who are suffering with various viruses are starting to feel a bit better ...

Good luck in Birmingham today MissBennett

Hope you and your dd are feeling better MrsDinky

Poor you Talulhabelle sometimes those sort of days just happen don't they? - when one thing just goes wrong after another (and another)- hopefully it was just confined to one day and your Sunday is much better!!

Stil relising all the tales of blossoming teenage romance on here. The Holocaust centre seems rather an unlikely place for love to blossom MissBennett but when love is in the air and all that!!! Rather lovely really ...as an antidote to all that horror.

Sound advice there from your ma PA - hope romance still blossoming in your household too - and that you get another lie-in this morning!!

Flaps wings at everyone else

Today
Morning routine including s&s, wm on - half-way through
Riding
Clear dd's outgrown clothes from master bedroom
Cook roast pork with trimmings
Declutter as much as possible
Bit of ironing
WALK
Afternoon/evening routine
Double bill of 'House'
Bed

Back this evening to post body clutter step for wk ahead. Enjoy your Sunday everyone.

or, relishing even!!

Morning SC bit early for you on a Sunday

Off to confirmation in a bit (why do they have to be so early?) Its in Birmingham so if I see you missb I'll wave to you! (I'm going to the suburbs so if I do see you, you will be lost)

Another good babystep today - if only I was awake enough by bedtime to to it....

Have a lovely day everyone. I dod nothing yesterday in protest at being the only person in this house who does anything, so nothing got done. Won't get much done today as will be out for most of it so a v short list
wrap presents
get DH to write cards (they are his god daughters!)
wake DH & DS up
get out of the house be 8.30
WM
DW
ironing
bed

see you later!

Morning all!

SC I am at you being able to sit out - we got drizzle most of the day! List sounds good!

DWM hope the confirmation goes well and that, on this occasion, I don't see you! (Though am sure would be lovely another time!)
We are off in a few minutes - going to see if we can get a couple of hours to look round the shops - feeling brave!

Not planning any flying today beyond routines. Have to confess to being a huge fan of today's babystep as it does help the morning enormously. In fact, I try and do it when I get home from work and change, then it's done! And anything that saves me from having to think is a good thing.

Have a lovely day, everybody. See you later.....

Morning all,

Well, DD and I are both still ful of chesty coughs but feeling quite perky.

SC - thank you for the Lemsip

MissB - tell DH it could be worse, I support Portsmouth.

DWM - have fun in the Birmingham suburbs, I venture there myself quite often to visit relations.

This babystep is a good one, the only day I don't bother with it is Saturday night for Sunday. Although ironically it is much less likely to be a problem now that my washing and ironing is under control, I know I can always find suitable clothes easily. Ons unforseen consequence of flying has been wardrobe space problems. Our clothes storage has always been based on the assumption that laundry and ironing baskets will be full most of the time. Now I am on top of it all there is not enough room in the wardrobes! Time for more decluttering

Not a lot planned for today, just pottering around. See you later!

PA & Miss B, am enjoying living vicariously through your teens

tallulah - saturday sounded hard, hope Sunday is better

Hi to MrsD, Still counting, DWM and all the rest of you

I like MissBennets' tip for this babystep, I've been thinking for a while that I ought to pick a time for the whole evening routine and get it out of the way rather than waiting till I'm half asleep at the computer. I just don't want to have to do the sink twice if dp leaves stuff in it. Don't think I can get away with banning him from food after 9pm!

Turned out that tiredness was the start of a stomach bug, not horrendous but uncomfortable. Managed to keep routines going though and ready to get back on with it tomorrow I hope.

Indeed MummyD - feel strangely energetic at the moment - most unusual for me - must be the phases of the moon or some'at!

"Solidarity" with your "strike" btw!! Hope you prevail ...

Hope you and MissBennett managed to negotiate the metropolis without incident too

Oh no Mmango - another patient! Sorry to hear you are unwell and hope it clears up quickly. Wishing the same for your household MrsDinky.

I also wholeheartedly endorse MissBennett's tip. I concertina the afternoon and evening routine in to one as far as poss: ie when dd and I arrive home and change out of work/school clothes, we lay out the next day's outfits straightaway ...

Today
Morning routine including s&s, wm on done
Riding done
Clear dd's outgrown clothes from master bedroom FAILED AGAIN
Cook roast pork with trimmings - well it turned out it was roast beef because the butcher gave me the wrong order (but at roast pork prices I'm not complaining)
Declutter as much as possible NOPE
Bit of ironing - going to do now
WALK done
Afternoon/evening routine done
Double bill of 'House' - to come - hurrah!!
Bed

Back in a mo to post Body Clutter step for this week

Evening all.
Sorry not to have been on for a while but was away from Friday and have just got back.
Just to say 'night night' before I carry on and read through all the posts....
See you in the morning...

BODY CLUTTER STEP FOR WEEK BEGINNING MONDAY FEB 8th:

Eat only at defined meal and snack times and don't pick in between "Kitchen pickers wear big knickers"!!(AmeliaJaneAgain)

(Thank you to AmeliaJaneAgain and hope you return to the thread as and when it suits you ...)

I think it is generally agreed that eating 3 meals and 2 healthy snacks a day is the best way to control weight gain.

A quick reminder of previous steps:

• number 1, drink between 1 and 2 litres of water a day

• number 2, eat five portions of fruit and veg a day

• number 3, write down what you eat, how much and how often

• number 4, walk as much as you can during the day (10,000 steps is a good target to aim for) and remember to lay out your walking clothes the night before!

See you tomorrow fellow Fledlings!!

Hey, x posts Optimistic - good to 'see' you!

Ellie where are you?

Waves to everyone else ...

G'night all ... descending to the bowels now to do the ironing ....

Hello all

Please can I join the fledgling flyers??

I have recently had a good sort out and thrown away a huge amount of junk. I would like to kept it looking the way it does now and I think flylady is the way for me to go. The support from this thread will help me stick to it.

Tonight I will shine my sink!!!