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.



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.
***

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

[Stilllivinginazoo]

That's the main thing foxes

Forgot to add first packages have started to arrive at dp workplace..(I've not got drivers license or passport so can't send things to my address as I can't prove who I am to collect if miss postman/driver.dp lives in flats so has no safe place to leave parcels and his work don't mind deliveries there and there always some one in to take them in!)
Must get wrapping paper as this year I've made clear I'm not doing the usual board it til couple days before Xmas then try wrap them in secret,it's going to be a wrap as we get them year this year!!

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Thanks foxes.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

[santa][santa]
Links for December 6th
Beginner baby steps here
Launch pad here
Holiday mission here

More info available in original post at top of thread.
[santa][santa]

[SlightlyCoddled]

Thanks for links Toostressy! So sorry that your DD missed out on her choir outing. I'd be cross too.

Apart from usual routines, today has been a bit of a Flying fail. Just when I need to be at my most active and productive I've got that ridiculous "feeling stressed so I become paralysed feeling". Very frustrating! Wish I knew why this happens! [Cag, sorry, have forgotten, but was it you who said you get this as well? ]

Really had to force myself to do power of three between coffee time and work this pm so achieved x 3 of 15 mins of tidying and some laundry but it was like swimming through treacle. Every room in the house is a dreadful embarrassing pit. How did this happen? [Dismay emoticon]

For the first time ever I am not ready for St Nicolas tomorrow and have given up tonight but hope I can produce a miracle by the time DD rtns from her exams tomorrow! Just not entirely confident I have the energy required to do this!

Toostressy thanks but please don't worry I know it's not good practice to give health advice over the Internet and health care really excellent here and dh tested for literally everything several times: cardiac, liver, kidney, endocrine, blood sugars etc etc on several occasions ; we get results next day. All fine. Blood pressure fine. He's had cardiac traces, monitoring over 48 hrs, bicycle test, endoscopy, colonoscopy, prostate, the works (again heart tests repeated several times within a year)! The only thing they've found is slightly fatty liver but all liver enzymes fine. He did have slightly high cholesterol but that has come down since we got the dog! V experienced good gp reckons everything serious has been ruled out and has prescribed meds to counter acid reflux. It's difficult because doctors work on objective facts and considered observations and along comes the anxious menopausal wife saying "I've known this bloke for 35 yrs and I can't explain why exactly but I'm certain something is wrong "... .

And no he has never ever had panic attacks before. He's the very laid back resilient half of the partnership, I'm the stress head! His job though is hugely stressful and potential fallout if he gets it wrong is mahoosive and it's not the sort of job where you can ever switch off entirely so it could be stress. A lot of these episodes have happened when he is asleep, on holiday, very relaxed though.

Zoo/Bower think we are lucky here as slightly old-fashioned country with quite traditional values, where children are encouraged to be children/v child centred (despite brutal school system). So showing lots of flesh would not be the norm and jeans and hoodies are the order of the day. The girls roll up their uniform skirts a bit but skirt length rather long to start with. None of them seem that interested in make up for example.

Hills sorry your ds poorly at

Foxes bad luck re car; hope you didn't get too cold waiting for recovery

Bower trip sounds great! Sorry kitchen fairies awol again. Agree with Zoo that you have the patience of a saint putting up with the upheaval for so long!

Zoo sorry you are still feeling so rough

Waves to everyone else! Going to crash now and hope I turn in to a domestic goddess overnight...

[SlightlyCoddled]

Crikes. Sorry for essay.

[Bowerbird5]

Xcross post with Cags before. I was answering to zoos blankie referral.

Ah thanks. It is driving me mad at times but then I think about my little girl I sponsor and how difficult getting water must be and it puts it into perspective.

DH is another matter. So cross with him. He has a flight and three trains to get home and then expects to be picked up despite not phoning to say the journey has gone ok and he is on the last train to city. He drinks on the train and rarely answers his phone. He went to pub which is noisy so can’t hear it either and I rang and left several blunt messages. This has happened so many times.
I was tired and didn’t want to go into station20 mins -30 and find he wasn’t on train. I waited in the freezing cold for three trains once and found out later that the flight was cancelled due to fog! I was really p*** off and didn’t speak to him for days. The not so patient side comes out and I have been known to scream at home ( a rather rude word).
Tired now so should sleep though I’ve got jumpy legs.

[Cagliostro]

ta da
✅had a bath
✅ordered baby’s Christmas presents

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Hi all, at work today. Will be on later. Hope everyone has a good day.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Very quiet on here! Makes my personals easier but hope everyone is ok. Finished at work and am very glad the work day is over as it was not fun!! Just off to pick the kids up, not anticipating much if any flying tonight.

Well done on ordering Cagletini’s presents Cag. Hope your DH has been more helpful to you today Bower. That does seem like he has had a huge amount of tests SC. Perhaps he needs one person to look at everything again although it does seem he he had lots already. As you say, csnoreally advise any further .

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

I’ve reported the above post as spam.

[Stilllivinginazoo]

Nothing major to report,just that I'm still here stressy!!

[FestiveForestieraNoel]

We could sign Kaitlynrep up for flylady emails

[SlightlyCoddled]

Festive

Ditto what Zoo said!

[SlightlyCoddled]

[Btw I'm very aware that with one DC and very pt hrs my last para there sounds absolutely pathetic and I have it much easier than most on here! ]

[foxessocks]

sc we are having a very low key xmas so we really don't have huge amounts to do , we are hosting Xmas but just my parents and they're very relaxed! It sounds like you have lots more social stuff going on than we do and hosting lots more so I can imagine that's x100000 more stressful!

Hope everyone ok, very quiet today! I don't know where today went!

Ta da
Went to garage to get new tyre
Bought few groceries
Dh picked up order from butchers
Decluttered dd drawers and dusted
Started decluttering some of dd bits and pieces
Decluttered some of ds toys
Washing X 2 and hung up
Folded and put away laundry
Cooked dinner - jacket potatoes, beans , cheese, tuna, sweetcorn, salad
Put all the meat from butchers away in freezer, split some of it up etc
Dishwasher emptied and on again
Tidied up after dinner
Emptied kitchen bin

Dc are in the bath (bath no 2 as ds pooed in the first one before dd could even get in ). I need to hang last bit of washing up and try and find where I left the furniture polish as I can see dd playing with it if she finds it before me...

[Stilllivinginazoo]

SC we have no family really.mine don't speak and dp only has a sister lives on South coast we do once or twice a year.we don't own a business or have friends really antisocial buggers really,but it's anxiety related tbh so Xmas here is very low key.
Xmas Eve we do crib service at church(going try mass next year once think lil zoo can stay awake long enough!)
Xmas day just me and zoolets.dp always ends up work part of it(this year Xmas Eve so be here about 9-10 am) dd1 drops by with gifts for an hour or so,we have lunch(veggie sausages,roast spuds,parsnips,,onions,sprouts.boiled broccoli and carrots,,stuffing balls.sorbet for pud)playames/watch film and I do a buffet style tea(wraps with selection fillings and salad veg,dips,breadsticks,couple types cake and crisps)
Boxing day we try head out a walk and lunch is usually jacket spuds tea same as Xmas day as zoolets love to dig in and help themselves

That's our Xmas really.no major cooking for the masses of visitors.id be proper running round like chicken with head cut off if I had the hostess with mostess life you have!
Hugely in awe you hold it together tbh!!

[FestiveForestieraNoel]

No family here either zoo - with the exception of Grandad from the out laws who's a sweetie but who lives abroad.

Nice quiet Christmas

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

I’m with you SC. Feel unreasonably stressed about the whole thing. My parents are coming this weekend. Visiting friends and relatives next weekend. School plays, fairs and crafts coming out of my ears. Need to do big food and drink shops. In laws coming for Xmas day and lots of people to fit in the days in between. Then my parents are coming again after Christmas and are expecting a trip to a National Trust place all decorated for Christmas. The girls have play dates etc.

I may be a ball of stress by the end. I do know we are lucky to have all these people but especially when my parents are around it is so stressful.

In addition I have lost all day tomorrow helping with a school event.

I was meant to do some organising tonight but have come home so annoyed from work that instead I have done nothing for the last hour and a half (except supervise and had a row with DH. Aaaaaaagggh.

Luckily he had taken the girls out for a walk to see Xmas lights so I have 15 minutes to decompress and to try to clean the dishwasher which is not washing properly. Plus I managed to grab a ready meal for tea before picking the girls up.


Feels good to rant! As you were...

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Plus our outside Xmas lights keep going out.

[TooStressyForMyOwnGood]

Oh, and the cat was sick on the carpet earlier.

[foxessocks]

toostressy a good rant really helps I find!! I hope you have a better day tomorrow.

[Stilllivinginazoo]

toostressy/sc if it's any consolation despite our "quiet Christmas" I still get stressed as there's no one to deflect to if DC don't have a good time!!I get melancholy for estranged and past family members.i realised today it'll be 29 years on the 8th since my mum passed away,and the two years since my dad passed(21st) have galloped by

[Stilllivinginazoo]

Sorry for that depressed paragraph!!

Stressy hope dishwashers fixed
And at least cat didn't hurl up a furball on a duvet minus it's cover which one of mine has a talent for

[SlightlyCoddled]

Zoo that sounds very hard indeed. Your mum was so young And v hard on your for your dp to be working.


Thanks all! This thread is a great tonic as usual! Think we may jump in a ferry and come and visit you all if we may Your Christmases sound really lovely! Particularly like stuffing balls!

Our Christmas isn't going to be that intensive this year in terms of actual hosting (we alternate!) but there will be a lot of godchildren/extended family/office entertaining, Christmas admin and church stuff going on.

More like hostess with the leastest Zoo - would be lovely to do our own thing one year - but that's Irish Catholicism for you; ye can always fit another small one around the table

Speaking of Catholicism, forgot to wish you all

Toostressy rant away! You are doing all of that and working too - no wonder you feel stressed! I don't suppose one of you could go down with a diplomatic "gastro" bug could you, to buy yourself some more time this weekend? It must be hard when the visitors who cause you the most stress are book-ending Christmas as it were.

I swear pets save up puke for our most challenging days and then let rip

Just-about-beginning-to-feel-festive waves to everyone!