Autumn leaves and a clean sweep: it's the October Fledgling Fly thread (2019)

[Slowchirp]

Welcome to the thread where we (loosely) follow the Flylady housekeeping system here to combat CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) with a load of , chat and mutual support along the way. Quite a few of us have been on here for a while, so for that reason, we may seem cliquey, but we really aren't, and all newcomers, lurkers, returnees, regulars, and intermittent regulars are very welcome!

Every day I will post a link to the activities for "Today" which summarises everything you need on a daily basis if you want to follow the system strictly, but we tend to adapt it to suit our individual circumstances, homes, and energy-levels!

Please note that, athough Flylady is keen for us to check in to the website, we've recently had a few concerns wrt security, so although there is lots of useful info on the site, it's best not download it or put any of your personal details into the website for now, or sign up to the (many and frequent) e-mails (but your choice as some fledglings find the latter helpful).

More information on getting started available:
here (containing baby-steps!) but please don't hesitate to ask if you have any further qs.

There are 4 levels for Flying:
-Baby steps - good for starting a routine and overcoming the perfection crippling effect
-Baby steps and missions - basic routine + more in depth tasks
-Baby steps, missions, and deep cleaning (if you are at that stage).
You can't clean clutter so don't consider this one if you need the next level.
-Flying combined with a decluttering system (kondo/unfuck etc etc) let's be honest fly lady is good for routine but not so quick with the decluttering results sometimes.

There is NO wrong or right way of doing this, it is about adapting the system to suit your life circumstances, which will be different from someone else's, and don't be put off by the barftastically twee nature of the Flylady site, the underlying system is sound. Feel free to ignore any step or routine that doesn't suit you or your home! No perfectionism allowed!

And when it all gets too much: come and take a seat by the fire in our specially adapted "naughty" corner where you can enjoy virtual and and lots of support from fellow fledglings.

More info follows (but again, please note we advise only looking at the pdfs and not downloading them):

** launch pad (general info) here

** daily babysteps pdf (ignore the ones that don't suit you or your home) here

** week day missions (some fledglings find it easier to do them at weekends) here

** info about zones (explanation of how zones work) here

** weekly zones (a rough weekly guide to which area of the house we are tackling currently, again adapt to suit yourself) here and here

** daily focus (helpful guide to allocate a certain day for a certain task) here and here

** deep cleaning lists pdf (only attempt when you have decluttered as you can't clean clutter!) here

Good luck and happy Flying one and all!

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Last but not least, a huge thank you to ChicCroissant for running such a lovely (and busy!) September thread [cake[

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I'd just like to point out that the clean was mammoth, not the fridge freezer. It's not one of those American fridge freezers.

Hello all.

Sorry have been AWOL as not the best internet connection here for the next couple of weeks. Did manage to post a thread in style and beauty though about exercise clothes as mine are really not fit for purpose. Of course I have not actually got round to following all the suggestions and buying any new ones .

Did some bits today but not enough!

I need to clean out the freezer side of my fridge freezer. I did the fridge side but never got around to the freezer.

Sorted through some baby clothes earlier. Stuff baby has outgrown in a charity bag, couple of bits kept to one side for memory box. Cant believe hes outgrowing stuff already then realise hes almost 4 weeks old!

I forgot to take my mobile phone with me today when I picked DD up from school - she found me anyway (I usually text her to say where I am parked) but only very late on tonight did I discover that I'd missed a call at that time from the hospital cancelling a test next week. I need to ring them, I bet they are not in until Monday now.

Can't believe the news of outgrown clothes already IVE, I swear time passes more quickly when you have children. The days are long but the years are short. My DD is fast approaching the teenage years so much fun

I should stop drinking wine go to bed but I can feel a snack attack coming on - see you tomorrow fledglings!

How old is your dd chic? My eldest ds is not far off 12. I will be doing teens and toddlers at the same time

[staggers in with dregs of wine from dinner]

No sweat I've the two are very similar in some ways

Wouldn't you agree Zoo? (Hands over mahoosive bar chocolate)

Happy retail therapy Toostressy

The days are long but the years are short - too right Chic!

Well done re mammoth fridge clean Lisette

Hic. G'night all!

Waves to Foxes Honu Tidy Expletive Bowerbird and everyone!

And Laputa and Ned!

DD is about to turn 13 IVE. Fun times ahead for us both

I've teens and toddlers are very similar
Difference is toddlers get sent to bed earlier....
Pick your battles,any signs of weakness are exploited to the hilt,shitloads of patience and the understanding you get two years of all hell breaking lose then it kinda calms to just intermittent flashpoints
.I did teen and toddlers(although dd1 moved out to live at dads as he had no other kids in year 9,against my wishes but that's a whole other thread)and it's an "interesting" combination.i do find that toddlers defuse teens though in some ways(cuteness/funny) but not in others(destroying belongings/no lay ins)

Swings and roundabouts just like every other part of parenting!!

Today I was woken at 5 by lil zoo informing me of a sore throat (go get a drink then)
Again at 6
Again and 645
I. Not in best of moods now as each time I'd just nodded back off
She has no concept of why this should irritate me.....

Ps D's is 13(14 in December) lil zoo is 13 end of this month
Dd2 will be 16 in April
The days are long but the years really are short

DD's blazer dry cleaned twice a year here but it is only worn to and from school (100yard walk to bus stop and back) then it hangs on a peg all day. DS has one but only wears it for a photo on prizegiving day as its not compulsory uniform. DS (15) no hygiene issues at all apart from smelly trainers. DD (13) hates showers and still has baths but has to be nagged to wash her waist length hair, gets through lots of dry shampoo.

I seem to have majorly slacked off on all Flying except laundry this week and am off out for the day now so it will have to wait till tomorrow.

I really need to find my energy
My lot have just decimated a WHOLE LOAF of bread as toast
Please tell me others have DC that can consume so much?(or are we a gluttonous carb munching bunch)
I managed to grab one slice out of that😞

Dd2 has taken lil zoo to dance as I realised we need to go to Asda George in hunt for shoes after and I'm struggling with tiredness /breathlessness so badly
I need start cutting back monster hedge,and police advice next door needs to be very low and I said I'd do it as I have her loppers and she has no shears.garden wheelies are emptied this Monday so if I don't do it today will have to do both after shopping/get lil zoo shoes tomorrow

Tada
Two loads laundry-one on airers,other just gone in drier
Swept lower floors
Found iron meds but can't find gardening gloves

Zoo i thought lilzoo was same age as my ds1? Has she not just started year 7? Or are you not in England?

The things we go through the most here are cereal and fruit. No one in this house ever has a bloody 30g serving of cereal!

Ta da

Wash on
Dryer on
Dry washing sorted
Everyone fed
Ordered myself boots (not uggs but nicer than wellies and hopefully keep feet dry)
Ordered dc5s birth certificate

I'm the bread muncher in our house, DS and DH probably eat it a couple of times a week each and DD practically never. Cereal on the other hand just vanishes, as does fruit, cheese, crisps, any salty snacks.

Typo I think ive I’m assuming lilzoo is almost 12

I feel better after a shower - it hadn’t been working properly for a while but seems to have fixed itself. But then spilled coleslaw on myself 🤦‍♀️

Going to get on with yesterday’s Inktober drawing now I think and then we need to go to town to meet DH, so he can take the Caglets while I go to a meeting at the local museum to arrange a home ed thing.

DH is the bread muncher in this house. I have to say in his defence that the bread is fantastic here though! It is only too tempting to grab a bit with cheese or paté unfortunately! And it goes hard after about six to twelve hrs so you have to buy it fresh daily from your local bakery where all sorts of tempting pastries and cake lurk too!

You probably all remember when dd went through her soap dodger stage and I was forever having to nag her in to the shower. Then almost on the stroke of her 14 th birthday (well that summer) two years ago everything changed miraculously; now we can't get her out of there and her showers take 40 mins for some reason! .

I am crumped. Tidied up kitchen first thing. Spent the early morning dhorse wrangling and the late morning helping my neighbours with the very last pick of the apple harvest ( which started second week September). I have a long extendable pole with a net for the task but traditionally everyone just shakes and you get apples and beetles raining down on your bonce [ouch]

I am so stiff now (mainly from horse stuff) that I need a bit shower to ease my bones. Assumed this stiffness was result of menopause but beginning to think it might be something like arthritis as it's so painful.

Those of you in your thirties and forties - make sure you exercise and stay fit - and don't become a crumped relic like me! The seventy year old women here pick up huge sacks of apples (must be at least 14 kg worth) and throw them over their shoulders as if they are as light as feathers. They are all far fitter than me . It's embarrassing frankly!

... everyone just shakes the trees I meant! The people are far from shaky! All very sprightly in fact!

Laputa is correct I've lil zoo is 12(bloody phone ,I DID put 12 and it said 12 when I pressed post)
Cereal is eaten by the full bowlful here to-im guessing 3-4 portions a go,we buy aldi boxes and go thru at least 4 a week,sometimes more(depends on if they snack on it too,and if I persuade them to eat something else couple days a week)
Special k,Cheerios,rice Krispies,and shreddies go like wildfire along with proper branded Weetabix,oatabix and proper cornflakes
Fruit also vanishes in minutes,and yogurt- made the mistake of letting lil zoo have lactofree Muller corners once when on offer...shes ok if has them occasionally,cept that's only one she wants now and I'm not paying £3+ for 4 bloody yogurts!!eating machines the lot of them,sometime I think be easier just to feed them notes(like an ATM in reverse)😔

SC I keep telling do use it or lose it.i deffo feel achy faster than I once did,and I used to walk super fast and have slowed a little.i don't like this aging malarkey
Hope a soothing bath eases your pains and it's not as serious as arthritis.my dad had that in his knees and fingers.my (NC) sister was diagnosed it in her jaw at 24(dad said too much gossiping about others) and it developed into her knees as got older(and bigger)so I'm hoping if I keep going no matter what it won't come for me(yet)

The lilzoo age typo had me questioning how old my own dc are

Mine eat mainly branded cereal, but i stock up when on offer. E.g. tesco currently has shreddies, cheerios and choc shreddies half price so i have 2 of each in my basket. A small box of cereal is i think 385g, this will feed my big 4 for one breakfast (i have to share it out though and dc1+2 would prefer more) so they are definitely over 30g servings!

I don't trust mine to self serve.i suspect casserole dishes as bowls and pints of milk each would occur....

I did a brave/daft thing today..
After too many yelling session as zoolets ignore me hunched over devices for hours on end.defy put devices downstairs at night etc I took everything from D's and lil zoo today til Monday(D's has his phone at night for doing bedtime routine of sounds and audio book,but nothing else) their Nintendo ds have been added to D's phone and lil zoo tablet.initial outrage soon melted away on the start a fight I can keep things longer!!
I got out connect 4,chess,draughts,build a beetle and dominoes
They played chess and connect four whilst I sift thru saved recipes on Instagram taking down those I wanted and deleting to free up storage others
They then play in garden with camera and a ball for about half hour
Finally we all sat watching Jumanji and had sweeties
They have interacted,laughed and it's been heartwarming to see them playing together and having fun.devices bring out the absolute worst in my tribe.angry,irritable, impatient.uts all melted away and I've got children back.its been wonderful!!
So plan is to ensure on weekends a hiatus of at least a few hours,pref a day in coming weeks

Thanks Zoo no bath here sadly but a hot shower did the trick! I also have arthritis in my family. My late father had osteo and rhematoid variety. Went for a very brisk walk and saw hares and partridge and pheasant who I think are seeking refuge with us as atm as everything growing on farm land (except corn and last of the potatoes) has been harvested and cropped and chopped so there is less cover than normal. Also, the chasseurs are about (farmers shoot everything in sight).

Just trying to tidy one of the bedrooms now before Strictly. No proper storage as yet here (we are living out of cardboard boxes and suitcases while building work goes on) so everything tends to end up on the floor!

Have a good evening everyone!

Ooh that all sounds great without the devices Zoo good for you! We used to have "family board games night" on a Wednesday evening and I taught DD to sew on Sunday afternoons from the ages of about seven to twelve but apparently she hates sewing now and the card and board games and endless rounds of battle ships have fizzled out of late ... . DH and I do embarrass DD by joining in with games of rounders and badminton when her friends are with us at wreck2 though . I totally agree with you that DC undergo a transformation for the better when off screens for a while. Love the sound of your supper btw! I cba just for me so have had an omelette and a green salad tonight.