Breaking News!
My husband is now the proud owner of a UK Visa! It is valid for 180 days, so Inshallah we can go more than once between now and 8th Jan 2010!!
Alhamdulillah!
Sometimes I felt like I did not have the strength or energy to carry on my fight for our right to travel as a family together, but justice and common sense have eventually prevailed, and now we are so excited about our dreams coming true, and being able to eat fish and chips in Grandad's garden. Insh'allah!
Thanks to everyone who supported us during the campaign. x xx
Friday, July 10, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
16 hours to go
We managed to get a return train booked for him that includes an overnight stay at a hotel. He's on his way now, so he'll only be 30 mins away from Consulate in the morning!
Inshallah, everything will go as planned, and he'll be hopping and skipping back as the proud owner of a UK visa!
Inshallah, everything will go as planned, and he'll be hopping and skipping back as the proud owner of a UK visa!
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Last Hurdle
We eventually got an email back, yesterday direct from the Border Agency itself, saying that they had written a letter on 30th June requesting the passport so they can issue the visa(!)
And Worldbridge sent an email a few hours later saying that The Border Agency had sent out a letter on 2nd July requesting the passport.
Are there 2 letters? Or did Worldbridge get it wrong AGAIN?
Anyway, the outcome is positive news, that my DH can personally trundle along to Duesseldorf (380 miles away) and pick up his visa on 8th or 9th next week, 1 week before our flights.
I have tried to put measures in place so that he will not be refused entry by the Security Guards into the Consulate to pick up his visa, which I am assured by the Entry Clearance Officer will NOT be the case, if he shows the email upon arrival.
So this is the last hurdle, getting to Duesseldorf, getting seen and obtaining the visa.
And packing the suitcases! What a relief it will be to finally get the visa, Inshallah, God Willing.
Then we can really start to look forward to the Fish and Chips, the trip to the coast, visiting relatives, shopping, seeing the kids playing in Grandad's garden, bouncing on Nanna's knee, having big squashy hugs with my parents and brothers and sisters and all the Aunties and Uncles! It will be the first time that most of my family will have met my husband and also the first time they will have met our new baby too.
At this point I want to thank everyone who has been there to support me during what has been for me sometimes very difficult, frustrating, depressing times. I would not have been able to get this far without the support and love of my family and friends and my buddies in Twitterland, (You know who you are! Hugs x x x) and of course my faith in God that everything happens for a reason, and that God knows best.
And Worldbridge sent an email a few hours later saying that The Border Agency had sent out a letter on 2nd July requesting the passport.
Are there 2 letters? Or did Worldbridge get it wrong AGAIN?
Anyway, the outcome is positive news, that my DH can personally trundle along to Duesseldorf (380 miles away) and pick up his visa on 8th or 9th next week, 1 week before our flights.
I have tried to put measures in place so that he will not be refused entry by the Security Guards into the Consulate to pick up his visa, which I am assured by the Entry Clearance Officer will NOT be the case, if he shows the email upon arrival.
So this is the last hurdle, getting to Duesseldorf, getting seen and obtaining the visa.
And packing the suitcases! What a relief it will be to finally get the visa, Inshallah, God Willing.
Then we can really start to look forward to the Fish and Chips, the trip to the coast, visiting relatives, shopping, seeing the kids playing in Grandad's garden, bouncing on Nanna's knee, having big squashy hugs with my parents and brothers and sisters and all the Aunties and Uncles! It will be the first time that most of my family will have met my husband and also the first time they will have met our new baby too.
At this point I want to thank everyone who has been there to support me during what has been for me sometimes very difficult, frustrating, depressing times. I would not have been able to get this far without the support and love of my family and friends and my buddies in Twitterland, (You know who you are! Hugs x x x) and of course my faith in God that everything happens for a reason, and that God knows best.
Seeking legal advice
I found a legal firm in the UK who gave me some legal advice. (Cole and Yousef of Rotherham)
It would seem that sending in a new Visa application, this time insisting that Worldbridge include ALL the supporting evidence instead of leaving out 2 thirds of it would usually be quicker and easier than going down the Appeal route.
However, new visa applications usually take 15 working days (so Worldbridge say!) so why did ours take 78 days?
Well at this point there was only 2 weeks left before our flights, so this was not an option for us.
The solicitor gave me some advice on how to get in touch with the UK Border Agency. He said that there is no point calling the premium rate number as this only gets you through to the Worldbridge Agency Call Centre, who cannot / do no / will not assist in any useful way. (Which unfortunately I had already found out, the expensive way, 40 Euros lighter in my pocket)
The only way you can try to contact them is by direct email (which I tried and the mail just bounces back as undeliverable) OR to try contacting them through the Home Office website. http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/
On this page there is an enquiries button at the top which leads you to a web based form. I used that.
I also informed them that I had sought legal advice, and stressed the urgency seeing as the flights are booked for in less than 2 weeks time.
It would seem that sending in a new Visa application, this time insisting that Worldbridge include ALL the supporting evidence instead of leaving out 2 thirds of it would usually be quicker and easier than going down the Appeal route.
However, new visa applications usually take 15 working days (so Worldbridge say!) so why did ours take 78 days?
Well at this point there was only 2 weeks left before our flights, so this was not an option for us.
The solicitor gave me some advice on how to get in touch with the UK Border Agency. He said that there is no point calling the premium rate number as this only gets you through to the Worldbridge Agency Call Centre, who cannot / do no / will not assist in any useful way. (Which unfortunately I had already found out, the expensive way, 40 Euros lighter in my pocket)
The only way you can try to contact them is by direct email (which I tried and the mail just bounces back as undeliverable) OR to try contacting them through the Home Office website. http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/
On this page there is an enquiries button at the top which leads you to a web based form. I used that.
I also informed them that I had sought legal advice, and stressed the urgency seeing as the flights are booked for in less than 2 weeks time.
Trying to get in touch with UK Border Agency
My main focus next was trying to get in touch with the UK Border Agency. They have put in place a number of effective barriers between themselves and the public. 1 is that they have employed a call centre firm called Worldbridge which they use as gatekeepers who block all attempts at communication with the Border Agency staff in their white towers. The next is that any emails you send to email addresses published on their website get bounced back as "mail not deliverable".
If you want to get in contact, you have to fill out a website form with all your details and wait for an answer back from Worldbridge. The answer back in my case, 3 times, was the same answer. "Appeals are nothing to do with Worldbridge, you need to chase the Immigration Tribunal in UK"
If you want to make a phone call and speak to a live person, you have to call a Premium Rate Hot Line. This is a 2 Euro per Minute premium number. If you want to save money you can call a different number and pay 14 Dollars with your credit card before the call and regardless of the length of the call you will not pay more than 14 dollars. Wow, a real bargain.
Well I took my chances and tried to call the 2 Euro per minute hotline. Our telephone provider (O2) does not allow their customers to call Premium Rate numbers from the land line, only from mobile phones.
So I called them from my mobile phone. I was on there 20 minutes, and do you know what the outcome was? All the guy could do was fill in the form on my behalf. Which I could have done and already had done myself FOR FREE.
So as you can imagine 40 Euros worse off and no further forward, I was livid. I still am, when I think about what an obvious and deceitful scam this whole system is. It is now clear to me how this works:
You fill in the application form and get your documents together.
Before you can go any further you have to pay the Visa Application fee.
You make an appointment with the Worldbridge office to hand in the documents and have finger prints scanned in (for biometric data).
You go to the Worldbridge office.
They turn you away because your name is not on the list.
(Their appointment making system leaves a lot to be desired and is also presumably there to frustrate and annoy)
You make a new appointment.
You go there again.
You try to submit your documents and Worldbridge staff leave out most of what you wanted to include. Maybe they are instructed to do so, as part of the money making machine.
At this point, they have another money making scam. They say you have to give them CASH to put in with the documents which is supposedly so they can send the documents back to you with a special courier. 14 Euros. But they do not allow you to put in coins, it is notes only. Considering this amount cannot be made with Notes, as there are no 2 euro or 1 euro notes in existance, Ker-ching! More cash generated. You have to send 15 or 20 euros.
You wait 78 days to find out that it has been refused because of lack of evidence, caused by Worldbridge's attempt to 1. help keep foreigners out of UK and 2. Generating further cash by what happens next.
You send off the appeal. Appeals can take between 6 - 9 months to have the case heard.
You have little alternative other than to call their premium rate hotline at 2 Euros per minute, which achieves nothing more than filling out their free web based form. Ker-ching! More cash generated.
It becomes apparent that making a new Visa Application is going to be easier and cheaper and quicker, to just try a fresh visa application, another 73 euros (for a visit visa) Ker-ching! More cash generated.
Settlement visas are about 5 times that amount.
If you want to get in contact, you have to fill out a website form with all your details and wait for an answer back from Worldbridge. The answer back in my case, 3 times, was the same answer. "Appeals are nothing to do with Worldbridge, you need to chase the Immigration Tribunal in UK"
If you want to make a phone call and speak to a live person, you have to call a Premium Rate Hot Line. This is a 2 Euro per Minute premium number. If you want to save money you can call a different number and pay 14 Dollars with your credit card before the call and regardless of the length of the call you will not pay more than 14 dollars. Wow, a real bargain.
Well I took my chances and tried to call the 2 Euro per minute hotline. Our telephone provider (O2) does not allow their customers to call Premium Rate numbers from the land line, only from mobile phones.
So I called them from my mobile phone. I was on there 20 minutes, and do you know what the outcome was? All the guy could do was fill in the form on my behalf. Which I could have done and already had done myself FOR FREE.
So as you can imagine 40 Euros worse off and no further forward, I was livid. I still am, when I think about what an obvious and deceitful scam this whole system is. It is now clear to me how this works:
You fill in the application form and get your documents together.
Before you can go any further you have to pay the Visa Application fee.
You make an appointment with the Worldbridge office to hand in the documents and have finger prints scanned in (for biometric data).
You go to the Worldbridge office.
They turn you away because your name is not on the list.
(Their appointment making system leaves a lot to be desired and is also presumably there to frustrate and annoy)
You make a new appointment.
You go there again.
You try to submit your documents and Worldbridge staff leave out most of what you wanted to include. Maybe they are instructed to do so, as part of the money making machine.
At this point, they have another money making scam. They say you have to give them CASH to put in with the documents which is supposedly so they can send the documents back to you with a special courier. 14 Euros. But they do not allow you to put in coins, it is notes only. Considering this amount cannot be made with Notes, as there are no 2 euro or 1 euro notes in existance, Ker-ching! More cash generated. You have to send 15 or 20 euros.
You wait 78 days to find out that it has been refused because of lack of evidence, caused by Worldbridge's attempt to 1. help keep foreigners out of UK and 2. Generating further cash by what happens next.
You send off the appeal. Appeals can take between 6 - 9 months to have the case heard.
You have little alternative other than to call their premium rate hotline at 2 Euros per minute, which achieves nothing more than filling out their free web based form. Ker-ching! More cash generated.
It becomes apparent that making a new Visa Application is going to be easier and cheaper and quicker, to just try a fresh visa application, another 73 euros (for a visit visa) Ker-ching! More cash generated.
Settlement visas are about 5 times that amount.
Appeal
So then my campaign to get the Visa Refusal started. We had to send off the appeal, which we did without delay, and then 2 weeks of trying to chase them for an answer. Worldbridge would not help at all saying that it was out of their hands and that we needed to chase the Appeal Tribunal in UK, seeing as it was no longer a live Visa application. After calling the Appeal Tribunal, they told me they cannot do ANYTHING until the case is assigned an Appeal Number. Their manager told me the only way we could get it sped up is if we wrote a letter to the judge giving Clear, Compassionate and Compelling reasons why the case should be judged sooner than the usual 6-9 months that Appeals normally take.
Visa REFUSED
We eventually found out on 16th June that his visa had been REFUSED, on the grounds that there was not enough evidence to prove that his intentions were not to try and stay in the UK and try to live there and claim benefits...!
Even though we are living and settled here as a family of 4, and had taken proof that we have a brand new apartment here in Germany with a garden for the kids, we are paying every month for the new kitchen, we have bought all our new bedroom furniture and kids furniture, we have RETURN flights booked. And he works at a well known international company for a living. Besides all that it is just for a 2 week holiday to the UK, AND we had an invitation letter from my parents confirming they are putting us up and paying for any costs associated with the trip. They even got a 7 seater car so we can all go round together as a family once we are there.
The company that handles the correspondence between the UK Border Agency and the public is called Worldbridge. They were the ones who said at the time of submitting the documents or "supporting evidence" as they call it, "Oh you've got more than enough there, they don't need all that! If they need any more information they will contact you!" And they left out a lot of our documents. This was back in March and it wasn't until June that we found out it had been refused. They never contacted us or my parents for more information. Just an outright refusal.
So as you can imagine we were shocked and outraged that they would refuse a visa for a 2 week visit, especially seeing as it is his right as the spouse of a UK National / British Citizen. Or should I say, it is MY RIGHT as a British Citizen to be able to travel to UK with my husband and it is my CHILDREN'S RIGHT to be able to travel WITHOUT being separated from their father.
Even though we are living and settled here as a family of 4, and had taken proof that we have a brand new apartment here in Germany with a garden for the kids, we are paying every month for the new kitchen, we have bought all our new bedroom furniture and kids furniture, we have RETURN flights booked. And he works at a well known international company for a living. Besides all that it is just for a 2 week holiday to the UK, AND we had an invitation letter from my parents confirming they are putting us up and paying for any costs associated with the trip. They even got a 7 seater car so we can all go round together as a family once we are there.
The company that handles the correspondence between the UK Border Agency and the public is called Worldbridge. They were the ones who said at the time of submitting the documents or "supporting evidence" as they call it, "Oh you've got more than enough there, they don't need all that! If they need any more information they will contact you!" And they left out a lot of our documents. This was back in March and it wasn't until June that we found out it had been refused. They never contacted us or my parents for more information. Just an outright refusal.
So as you can imagine we were shocked and outraged that they would refuse a visa for a 2 week visit, especially seeing as it is his right as the spouse of a UK National / British Citizen. Or should I say, it is MY RIGHT as a British Citizen to be able to travel to UK with my husband and it is my CHILDREN'S RIGHT to be able to travel WITHOUT being separated from their father.
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday is family fun day
Go out if it's nice weather, play a game, do some crafts... have some fun!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Friday jobs
Gather up bottles for recycling
Buy fruit and veg
Buy toilet paper and kitchen rolls
Spot-Scrub the floors
Clean out handbag (tissues, gum wrappers, trash)
Clean out wallet (receipts, used tickets etc)
Clean out babywagon
Clean out baby bag
Wipe bin lid / sides / tray underneath
Todays lunch: Minced beef, 1 chopped onion, some eggs. Fry the chopped onion, add the minced beef and stir it round til cooked and then add some eggs and stir it round. it is soooo delicious.
Today's Zone, Mission and Habit on Flylady.net
Buy fruit and veg
Buy toilet paper and kitchen rolls
Spot-Scrub the floors
Clean out handbag (tissues, gum wrappers, trash)
Clean out wallet (receipts, used tickets etc)
Clean out babywagon
Clean out baby bag
Wipe bin lid / sides / tray underneath
Todays lunch: Minced beef, 1 chopped onion, some eggs. Fry the chopped onion, add the minced beef and stir it round til cooked and then add some eggs and stir it round. it is soooo delicious.
Today's Zone, Mission and Habit on Flylady.net
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wednesday is anti-procrastination day
Anti Procrastination Day (Wednesday)
(only spend 1 minute on each job, go as quick as you can! – Don’t be a perfectionist!!) Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family!
Bathroom “one minute jobs”
Check supplies of hand soap and shower gel, replenish or write on shopping list
Use bottle brush on radiators
Change hand towels
Use toothbrush and anti-calc on taps and plug hole
Wash hair brush
Wash bath mat
Bleach bath
Kitchen “one minute jobs”
Wipe fridge a bit
Wipe crumbs out of cutlery drawer
Wipe kitchen tiles at back of cooker
Wipe kettle
Fill Sugar
Wipe microwave
Spend 1 min only wiping the hob
Fill washing powder
These take a bit longer at first
Plan menu for the week
Make shopping list
From The FLYlady WebSite
Today we are in Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room The FLY Zones
Wednesday's Mission:source flylady.net: "Today take a look at the walls and the windows in your dining room. Grab some cleaner and a cloth and go after the finger prints and smudges that those mysterious little elves seem to leave behind as they run through your house when no one is looking! LOL" Today's mission
This month's habit is: Drink Your Water This month's habit
(only spend 1 minute on each job, go as quick as you can! – Don’t be a perfectionist!!) Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family!
Bathroom “one minute jobs”
Check supplies of hand soap and shower gel, replenish or write on shopping list
Use bottle brush on radiators
Change hand towels
Use toothbrush and anti-calc on taps and plug hole
Wash hair brush
Wash bath mat
Bleach bath
Kitchen “one minute jobs”
Wipe fridge a bit
Wipe crumbs out of cutlery drawer
Wipe kitchen tiles at back of cooker
Wipe kettle
Fill Sugar
Wipe microwave
Spend 1 min only wiping the hob
Fill washing powder
These take a bit longer at first
Plan menu for the week
Make shopping list
From The FLYlady WebSite
Today we are in Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room The FLY Zones
Wednesday's Mission:source flylady.net: "Today take a look at the walls and the windows in your dining room. Grab some cleaner and a cloth and go after the finger prints and smudges that those mysterious little elves seem to leave behind as they run through your house when no one is looking! LOL" Today's mission
This month's habit is: Drink Your Water This month's habit
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
#LetMyHusbandIn
My Husband requires a Visa to be able to come to the UK to meet the rest of my family. I am a British Citizen so it should be a simple case of issuing the Family Visit Visa and then we can book our flights, so we can visit my family in UK for 2 weeks.
2 weeks.
That is not a lot to ask is it?
We applied (AND PAID GOOD MONEY) for the Visa at the end of March 2009. It is now June and still no sign of the Visa.
Our 2 sons also are British Citizens. It is not practical for me to travel to England to visit my family with 2 kids under 2 years old on my own. I need my husband to come with me. I WANT him to come with me. I want him to try English Fish and Chips and mushy peas. I want us to go to the English Coast (Skegvegas!) and play on the beaches with buckets and spades. I want him to see how funny it is how the cars drive on the "wrong side". I want him to see my home town, where I grew up. I want him to meet my grandmother who is 97 years old, before it is too late. I want him to sit and drink cups of PG Tips in the garden at my parents house. I want my brother and his fiancee to see our baby for the first time before he is not a baby anymore. I want my husband to meet my other Nannan and my aunties and uncles for the first time. I want to get some clothes from Primark for my kids.
We will have been together 3 years at the end of August. Since then we have been trying / waiting for him to be allowed to come to the UK. The British Consulate would not accept his application until he had a "valid" passport. The one he had was "not acceptable" so after waiting nearly 18 months for the new "acceptable" passport, we have finally been able to apply for the Visa but now we are not getting anywhere.
We were hoping to be able to go to England either in May 2009 or July 2009. May has been and gone. Apparently the Visa Application place is having technical problems now, which is causing delays too, but usually family visit visas are supposedly processed within 15 working days, and their technical problems came well after our application was submitted.
When I wanted to book the flights back in March/April, the flights for July were reasonably priced. Now the prices have tripled.
But the main focus is getting the visa.
My husband had to send off his Passport along with his visa application. He has been without it now since 26th March.
This is an email I sent to the British consulate nearly 2 weeks ago: "Please could you check to see if it would be at all possible for my husband to receive his original documents back without it affecting his Visa Application? There are so many things here in Germany that he cannot do without his ID. He wants to apply for a driving licence and is required to produce his passport and Aufenthalt for the registration. Also he is required (by law I believe) to carry ID at all times in case of Random Police Control. His Travel Card for work is also not valid without the correct ID. OR if it is not possible for you to send back the original documents, may we have a "Beglaubigung" of a copy of his original ID documents with a stamp. It is really important."
But I have still not had an answer back about this.
#LetMyHusbandIn is a hashtag for people to use on Twitter to gather support for my cause, to hopefully to make people aware of this unfairness and ultimately to just get the visa for him, bless his heart.
2 weeks.
That is not a lot to ask is it?
We applied (AND PAID GOOD MONEY) for the Visa at the end of March 2009. It is now June and still no sign of the Visa.
Our 2 sons also are British Citizens. It is not practical for me to travel to England to visit my family with 2 kids under 2 years old on my own. I need my husband to come with me. I WANT him to come with me. I want him to try English Fish and Chips and mushy peas. I want us to go to the English Coast (Skegvegas!) and play on the beaches with buckets and spades. I want him to see how funny it is how the cars drive on the "wrong side". I want him to see my home town, where I grew up. I want him to meet my grandmother who is 97 years old, before it is too late. I want him to sit and drink cups of PG Tips in the garden at my parents house. I want my brother and his fiancee to see our baby for the first time before he is not a baby anymore. I want my husband to meet my other Nannan and my aunties and uncles for the first time. I want to get some clothes from Primark for my kids.
We will have been together 3 years at the end of August. Since then we have been trying / waiting for him to be allowed to come to the UK. The British Consulate would not accept his application until he had a "valid" passport. The one he had was "not acceptable" so after waiting nearly 18 months for the new "acceptable" passport, we have finally been able to apply for the Visa but now we are not getting anywhere.
We were hoping to be able to go to England either in May 2009 or July 2009. May has been and gone. Apparently the Visa Application place is having technical problems now, which is causing delays too, but usually family visit visas are supposedly processed within 15 working days, and their technical problems came well after our application was submitted.
When I wanted to book the flights back in March/April, the flights for July were reasonably priced. Now the prices have tripled.
But the main focus is getting the visa.
My husband had to send off his Passport along with his visa application. He has been without it now since 26th March.
This is an email I sent to the British consulate nearly 2 weeks ago: "Please could you check to see if it would be at all possible for my husband to receive his original documents back without it affecting his Visa Application? There are so many things here in Germany that he cannot do without his ID. He wants to apply for a driving licence and is required to produce his passport and Aufenthalt for the registration. Also he is required (by law I believe) to carry ID at all times in case of Random Police Control. His Travel Card for work is also not valid without the correct ID. OR if it is not possible for you to send back the original documents, may we have a "Beglaubigung" of a copy of his original ID documents with a stamp. It is really important."
But I have still not had an answer back about this.
#LetMyHusbandIn is a hashtag for people to use on Twitter to gather support for my cause, to hopefully to make people aware of this unfairness and ultimately to just get the visa for him, bless his heart.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Monday is Weekly Home Blessing Hour
Do 10 mins (use the timer) for each task. Some do not take that long.
Change Sheets
Get rid of old magazines / newspapers
Dust (Use FLYLady's dusters)
Polish Mirrors (Use FLYlady's Rags in a bag)
Empty all trash
Vacuum (Just the middle bits you see)
Mop (Click here for the FLYLady Mop)
Simple as that.
From The FLYlady WebSite
Today we are in Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room
Monday's Mission: Today you are to sweep your front porch area around your front door. Shake out your welcome mats and wipe down your front door. This makes a huge difference in how your home looks. We have a tendency to neglect this area and yet it is the first thing that people see when they come to your home.
Spend 15 minutes taking care of this, you will be pleased with the results!
This month's habit is: Drink Your Water
Here are some useful links on the FLYlady Site
Morning Routine
Before Bed Routine
Basic Weekly Plan
I have put my Morning Routine, Before Bed Routine and Weekly Basic Plan into mychores.co.uk so I can tick off the jobs as they are done. It feels so good to tick off those tasks!
Special FLYLady tricks:
2 Min Hot Spot Fire Drill
5 Min Room Rescue
27 Fling Boogie
Change Sheets
Get rid of old magazines / newspapers
Dust (Use FLYLady's dusters)
Polish Mirrors (Use FLYlady's Rags in a bag)
Empty all trash
Vacuum (Just the middle bits you see)
Mop (Click here for the FLYLady Mop)
Simple as that.
From The FLYlady WebSite
Today we are in Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room
Monday's Mission: Today you are to sweep your front porch area around your front door. Shake out your welcome mats and wipe down your front door. This makes a huge difference in how your home looks. We have a tendency to neglect this area and yet it is the first thing that people see when they come to your home.
Spend 15 minutes taking care of this, you will be pleased with the results!
This month's habit is: Drink Your Water
Here are some useful links on the FLYlady Site
Morning Routine
Before Bed Routine
Basic Weekly Plan
I have put my Morning Routine, Before Bed Routine and Weekly Basic Plan into mychores.co.uk so I can tick off the jobs as they are done. It feels so good to tick off those tasks!
Special FLYLady tricks:
2 Min Hot Spot Fire Drill
5 Min Room Rescue
27 Fling Boogie
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Saturday is Family Fun Day!
Weather permitting we will be able to spend some time outside with the chalks and the water bombs again, inshA.
And just check that everything is in for over the weekend. Don't wanna get caught short without these vital elements:
Nappies (large and small),
WetWipes,
Milk powder,
fresh milk
bread
And pray for the iraqi brothers and sisters in Denmark who are being forced out of their homes, may God protect them.
And just check that everything is in for over the weekend. Don't wanna get caught short without these vital elements:
Nappies (large and small),
WetWipes,
Milk powder,
fresh milk
bread
And pray for the iraqi brothers and sisters in Denmark who are being forced out of their homes, may God protect them.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Friday
Gather up bottles for recycling
Buy fruit and veg
Buy toilet paper and kitchen rolls
Spot-Scrub the floors
Clean out handbag (tissues, gum wrappers, trash)
Clean out wallet (receipts, used tickets etc)
Clean out babywagon
Clean out baby bag
Wipe bin lid / sides / tray underneath
Buy fruit and veg
Buy toilet paper and kitchen rolls
Spot-Scrub the floors
Clean out handbag (tissues, gum wrappers, trash)
Clean out wallet (receipts, used tickets etc)
Clean out babywagon
Clean out baby bag
Wipe bin lid / sides / tray underneath
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Thursday is Errand Day
On Thursday, I have to do my grocery shopping and buy a new travel card for June while the May one is still valid.
The weekly menu is going to be made using sainsburys.co.uk, recipe ideas to feed your family for under a fiver
So a trip to the butchers is in order too.
Things I will need to put on the launch pad:
Changing bag, drinks for the kids, snacks, nappies, wet wipes, Shopping Bags!
My handbag, keys, purse, cash...
It will be a long and tiring day because the place I have to buy the travel card from is a long way away, on buses and trams. I hope they make a lift up to the train platform one of these days. If I could get into town on the train (train station just round the corner from me), that would save loads of time (15 min journey into the city centre instead of over 1 hour with the bus and tram). Unfortunately it is not possible for me to get the tandem buggy up the steps. Rah! Whinge over, be positive. Be thankful. Be grateful. Not everyone has such a good public transport service. Imagine if I was in England trying to get around on public transport. At least I have the buses and tram service here, usually with quite enough room for the kids to stay in the pushchairs whilst on the journey. Not like that time in England when I had to get up the hill to the hospital and the bus driver made me fold down my buggy which had all my shopping stashed underneath, and then was moaning about me leaving the (folded up) buggy in the aisle...
Anyway
So I shall go to bed now and set my alarm for 4am (to wake up my DH for work) and see if I can start my day too at that time. I think I will end up going back to bed in all honesty cos 4 hours sleep is just not going to cut the mustard. Something more sensible would be 7am. I can re-set the alarm, unless I end up pressing snooze a hundred times ! Yawn.
Off to bed now.
The weekly menu is going to be made using sainsburys.co.uk, recipe ideas to feed your family for under a fiver
So a trip to the butchers is in order too.
Things I will need to put on the launch pad:
Changing bag, drinks for the kids, snacks, nappies, wet wipes, Shopping Bags!
My handbag, keys, purse, cash...
It will be a long and tiring day because the place I have to buy the travel card from is a long way away, on buses and trams. I hope they make a lift up to the train platform one of these days. If I could get into town on the train (train station just round the corner from me), that would save loads of time (15 min journey into the city centre instead of over 1 hour with the bus and tram). Unfortunately it is not possible for me to get the tandem buggy up the steps. Rah! Whinge over, be positive. Be thankful. Be grateful. Not everyone has such a good public transport service. Imagine if I was in England trying to get around on public transport. At least I have the buses and tram service here, usually with quite enough room for the kids to stay in the pushchairs whilst on the journey. Not like that time in England when I had to get up the hill to the hospital and the bus driver made me fold down my buggy which had all my shopping stashed underneath, and then was moaning about me leaving the (folded up) buggy in the aisle...
Anyway
So I shall go to bed now and set my alarm for 4am (to wake up my DH for work) and see if I can start my day too at that time. I think I will end up going back to bed in all honesty cos 4 hours sleep is just not going to cut the mustard. Something more sensible would be 7am. I can re-set the alarm, unless I end up pressing snooze a hundred times ! Yawn.
Off to bed now.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Wednesday is anti-procrastination day!
Anti Procrastination Day (Wednesday)
(only spend 1 minute on each job, go as quick as you can! – Don’t be a perfectionist!!) Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family!
Bathroom “one minute jobs”
Check supplies of hand soap and shower gel, replenish or write on shopping list
Use bottle brush on radiators
Change hand towels
Use toothbrush and anti-calc on taps and plug hole
Wash hair brush
Wash bath mat
Bleach bath
Kitchen “one minute jobs”
Wipe fridge a bit
Wipe crumbs out of cutlery drawer
Wipe kitchen tiles at back of cooker
Wipe kettle
Fill Sugar
Wipe microwave
Spend 1 min only wiping the hob
Fill washing powder
These take a bit longer at first
Plan menu for the week
Make shopping list
(only spend 1 minute on each job, go as quick as you can! – Don’t be a perfectionist!!) Housework done incorrectly still blesses your family!
Bathroom “one minute jobs”
Check supplies of hand soap and shower gel, replenish or write on shopping list
Use bottle brush on radiators
Change hand towels
Use toothbrush and anti-calc on taps and plug hole
Wash hair brush
Wash bath mat
Bleach bath
Kitchen “one minute jobs”
Wipe fridge a bit
Wipe crumbs out of cutlery drawer
Wipe kitchen tiles at back of cooker
Wipe kettle
Fill Sugar
Wipe microwave
Spend 1 min only wiping the hob
Fill washing powder
These take a bit longer at first
Plan menu for the week
Make shopping list
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