Fledglings Flying Festively - the December Flylady thread

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

[santa][santa][santa][santa][santa][santa][santa]
A warm welcome to the December (dare I say Christmas?!) Flylady thread. This is a lovely friendly thread where we loosely follow the Flylady system (see the Flylady website ) in the hope of having organised homes and lives.

We are a long running thread but always welcome new members; the more the merrier .

The new slimline structure seems to work well so I will stick with that. I will leave some links in this OP and then some quick links in the daily posts. Please do familiarise yourself with the Flylady website, especially if you are new. The Flylady is (understandably) keen that people do look at the website.

On the website there is information for beginners. You can also sign up to the Flylady emails but we would advise caution as there are hundreds of them.

We post our achievements (ta das) and our to do lists and any other general chatter about life / flying.

Information on getting started: www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/

The launch pad is also a good starting place:www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

Fly stands for Finally Loving Yourself. The general idea is that short bursts of tidying / organisation are more achievable than marathon efforts. Flylady advises 15 minute bursts is effort but you can tweak this to fit your own circumstances.

Be kind to yourselves, jump in where you are and be careful not to crash and burn! Especially at this time of year.

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A daily summary (which should update automatically every day) is available on the Flylady website at flight plan here.

The link to the current zone and missions is here.

Re. zones, do what works for you. I don’t always stick to the zones myself and do what works best at the time, with varying degrees of success!

daily focus

missions for the week

Flykids mission

I’m sure I don’t need to tell anyone that it is getting close to Christmas so there are holiday missions here.

December’s habit is usually pampering yourself but has not uploaded yet; I’ll link it tomorrow.

beginner babysteps.

The best place to look for an overall summary is the launch pad.

Happy flying everyone.
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Also a huge thank you to SC for a lovely November thread.

cag that sounds positive , hope the spaciness settles down soon.

Ds is bouncing off the walls!! He's gone nuts.

Ta da
Made mince pies (enough to take to toddler group Christmas party on Friday and some for us too)
Polished all ds furniture in his room
Cleaned some skirting boards in ds room
Cleaned some of ds toys
Sorted ds cuddly toys out
Tidied upstairs
Washing on and hung up
Dishwasher emptied and on again
Dinner is cooking - leftover pork stew thing with mash
Sorted out meal plan for rest of week to make sure we use rest of our veg box up

Really thought I'd done more than that...

You've done way more than me!

I've just ordered another tesco delivery, didn't need a vast amount so topped up with Christmas drinks etc.

I cleaned DS' windows as the frames were a bit manky. Taking all the random crap out of his room and trying to sort it.

Also the last three days in a row I've actually played the piano. I basically hadn't touched it since moving in July (and in fact barely had for ages before that) so a big deal. :)

Baby's new bath mat (a dotty one by Munchkin) smells absolutely vile - that horrible new plastic smell. Any ideas how to make it go away faster? It hits me as soon as I enter the room.

Hello all. Was at work and now eating quickly before I have to go out and pick up DD1 from a school event. Thankfully DH is joke so he made tea and can stay home with DD2 who is asleep. Sass, you are right it is such a busy time.

Sounds as if you have done loads today foxes. Nice to hear from you Cag, glad you are making a lilttle bit of progress.

Hope ikea not too awful Hills . Bower, your post about the kitchen zone did make me chuckle.

Big waves to SC and everyone else.

No idea other than put the mat as out of the way as possible Cag and wait for the smell to fade.

Links for December 13th:-
Beginner baby steps here
Launch pad here
Holiday mission here

More info available in original post at top of thread.

😁 a bit tongue in cheek stressy glad it amused you. I’ve run out Cags so now a bit hyper but I think it is mainly because of the good day I eventually had.

Cat woke me at stupid o’clock. Think it was around 4:45am and I couldn’t get back to sleep. I think after checking mumsnet, saucepans and local news I nodded off for about 35-45 mins then she started again and I kinda dozed then again and I got up and fed her. I had half an hour and felt better but slow and sluggish. Greeted painter in my dressing gown. Spoke to him and faced about the cleaned bathroom and made bed. Set off about 11:30 and had a lovely drive. Hardly a car on. The roads over the fells and a cold but dry day. Got to Ambleside where they had a massive exhibition of stuff like Winter Wonderland. About twelve trees but only one I saw without lights. A gorgeous 7 footer for £275 it was so good it looked real. I actually had to touch it.
Anyway I got the last one of Bayberrys. It was 6” and DH wanted 5” but I haven’t told him. I also got a free gift which turns out to be a massive swag. Just plain but I will be able to put baubles on it. Staff were really helpful. I also bought two extra plates to match dinner service.
I bought some tote au.
Then I went to Windermere to Lakeland joy of joys it was open until 7pm so I could have late lunch afternoon tea. Had a yummy sandwich tea and DF cake yummy yummy. I then looked for the pans and had some help. Marked down so I bought them. Only two boxes left. I also bought a single and then looking at things I never knew I needed. I was good. I bought one thing I shouldn’t have and bought some Christmas pressies. Spent over £200 but pans most of that and the sons are covering that for DHs and my present.
Staff fantastically helpful even carried to car for me as I had to ask someone to get them done with crap wrist.
They have a magnificent tree 🌲 outside and as it got darker the lights were prettier.i had a good run home and listen to Radio 2 confessions which was very funny. I am so chuffed with myself. DH went on course and I have ordered turkey, sorted about kitchen, bought tree 🌲 and pans and finished Christmas presents bar 1 and need to order flowers for sisters.
DH was in pub and we chatted to neighbour and then had quick bite to eat then bed. I have had such a lovely stress free day and spoke to a couple of lovely people shopping. The drive was great as most tourists had gone home. The shops weren’t busy and hardly any kids except one gorgeous little boy getting gingerbread. I can recommend shopping there no crowds, no rude people, no shoving or swearing and helpful staff.i am feeling the Christmas spirit( May have had the odd gin )
I was excited to put tree 🌲 up until DH reminded me that the electrician needs to redo box in cupboard next to fire where the tree goes. Will tidy and clean tomorrow.🤪

Sounds like a lovely day bower
Cag well done on D's room!!

Morning.
Today is brought to you by the words "fuck", Fucking hell" "bollocks" and "bastarding thing"

To do list is huge, energy is non existent, time minimal.

Just going to grab a coffee sort the internet shopping for mum and then get on and tackle all the things...

I am in the middle of a Schoenberg concerto .

Piano tuner has been here for five hours. Started off at the high range plink, plink, plinkplink, plink.
Now we are on the funereal low notes, bom, bom, bombom.
Up and down the scales, up, back down, up, down ...up. and down again. And up again. And down again.

It sounded lovely at the beginning but now its entered my brain and I can't focus on my parcel packing. I can't focus on anything actually. Can't hoover, let dog bark or make any sort of noise.

Someone please make it stop!!!

sc five hours !? wow my piano took about 20 minutes for the guy to do! Is it a long time since it has been done?!

Yes, over a decade I think Foxes. It's ancient (1875) and he'd taken away the interior "box", cleaned and restored it over a few months, and replaced all the velvet bits (sorry don't know proper terms) but the bits the hammery things hit. This was the first time he'd brought it back and replaced the innards as it were. He says he'll leave it to settle and then send us a text reminder for when it will need doing again next year. Apparently it will take two more (shorter) goes before it's totally back in "balance".. Took just under six hours in total. He was certainly thorough . I'd served him coffee, water and a sandwich in that time and he was so absorbed he hadnt't eaten or drunk any of it. He was stood up for six hours too!

Blissfully calm now though and it will be lovely to have a functioning piano for Christmas.

Great to hear you are p!aying again Cag!

Love the sound of your "Lakeland" day Bower!

I could happily adopt that vocab to describe the events of the past few days Hill's . Hang in there!

Waves to all!

(Must disappear again, have so much to do! Yargh!)

ta da
take a much needed but no time for morning in bed
Take the prescription pain killers
Go into work
make a to do list, complete with delegate sections
Put out an SOS call to my sister asking for help

to do
wander around the corner for liquid caffiene
rescue the kitchen
rescue the utility room
stash and dash stuff from study into spare room, and dining room into spare room
collect tip stuff
collect charity stuff
find out what mum needs for the food shop
Do the food shop
get petrol
Put breakable stuff away
hoover study
hoover dining room
hoover kitchen and utility
Do the laundry
fold the laundry
ironing pile
sock pile of doom
put clean clothes away

ta da
✅went to London to see Operation Ouch Live, then went to stage door and met Dr Chris and Dr Xand :o :o :o

cag

Cag . Love that your to do list includes delegation Hills. Sounds as if that piano is much happier SC . I love your posts Bower, they are so picturesque!

Waves to foxes and everyone else.

At DD1’s school play just waiting for it to start and hoping DD2 behaves! Will pop links on in a sec.

Links coming now, apologies that they are a bit early tonight, just getting them on while I have a chance. Such a busy time!

Links for December 14th:-
Beginner baby steps here
Launch pad here
Holiday mission here

More info available in original post at top of thread.

Sounds like a labour of love sc! It will be amazing when it's done! I love playing Christmas carols at this time of year

Ta da
Dishwasher on and emptied again
Cooked roast chicken
Cleaned up after dinner
Washing on and hung up
Washing folded
Worked
Collected the dc
Dd finished her Christmas cards (at last!)
Went to shop for a few things

Not caught up yet but wow I thought my piano was old (1920s or so)! Our tuner (not that I've booked him for years) plays the blues improv stuff.

I didn't play today myself but it was worth being out for the fantastic time we had. Caglets are absolutely walking on air having met their favourite presenters ever.

I'm in for the long haul with grumpy baby and I'm grumpy and hungry thanks to AF arriving. FFS.

SC that sounds like a very very thorough but trying tuning!!

I've had a major blip lots sleeping,place is hovel status as no cleaning.ds not great.dp working a lot hours.havent started wrap the mountain of gifts yet.ds birthday is Tuesday.i have no choice but to suck it up and work miracles today....

Sorry that was a long post on Wednesday. I had had a few drinks. It was such a lovely day. Back to earth with a large bump yesterday. Taught a different class am which was fine but afternoon was difficult. Very stressful for all and support too little.

DP was nasty later on because I asked him to put more bedding in for chicken before shutting her in. It was cold and I have been wheezy last few days. I told him he was nasty. I also told him that there were times I wished I had never married him and this was one of them. If you love someone why wouldn’t you do a simple thing to avoid them being ill. He knew I had had a very, very stressful afternoon. He told me to FOff.
I went to bed early. Bet it is going to be a lovely weekend. He usually goes into silent mode when he knows he is in the wrong. He rarely apologises.
On a good note I wrapped all the boys presents. They have a few inexpensive things to open and I suggested we bought them a meat voucher each for January. Can’t think what else to get them other than money. So I only have bestie present to wrap I think. Need to do all cards. Maybe tonight. I might take them up to bed.

Piano tuning. Wow! Didn’t know it could take that long .

LImpressed by people’s long lists.

I have lost the will. So tired. Hope to get some jobs done at weekend but as House is still tipsy turvy it doesn’t seem much point till they have finished.

Tada
Cats fed
Wash on
An hour tackling huge pile paperwork.
Breakfasts and pack ups
Find lil zoo Xmas jumper(under large stuffed giraffe)
Chivvy lil zoo hurry up as going in with dd2
Pack girls off
Wash in drier
More wash on
Bag up over carrier bag full "useless" paperwork
Neatly file away rest of stuff
Start nagging D's get ready

Oh Bower I'm sorry :( what a dick you deserve better. Has he always been like this or is he descending into [un-PC alert] Grumpy Old Man Syndrome?

Well I slept surprisingly well on a mattress on the living room floor. Tired though. DD's feature wall is finished thanks to DH although he didn't leave much time between coats so we shall see how it turns out .

Supposed to be getting some time to myself this morning as DH has a work thing he can take all three Caglets to. I could use it for Christmas shopping, or sleeping... but I might go and hang out in the local for some nice food and a giant glass of caffeine (they have Pepsi Max, my weakness, on tap).