Flapping calmly through lockdown: Fledglings April 2020. Welcome to the Keep Calm Corner!

[LaneBoy]

Hello all!

Thank you for joining us, please note if we seem cliquey it’s only because it’s a long running thread - everyone really is welcome!

Welcome to (probably) the most bizarre Flylady thread yet... in which we are attempting to impose/maintain some kind of order in our homes, while also many of us are adjusting to working from home and homeschooling the kids for the first time too! Not to mention the anxiety around health and accessing food!

Of course, normally the opening post would talk about banishing CHAOS - Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome - but now we aren’t allowed anyone over anyway :o so, let’s just try and make our homes nicer FOR US. We are spending more time than ever in them, so let’s make them really wonderful places to be, our own safe little nests for our families.

Flylady routines might just help us get through this crazy time, by giving us a little structure to work from when all else is unpredictable - but as usual there is no right or wrong here. All of us follow it only to the extent it helps us - we can take ideas and make them work for us. And the key principle is, YOU ARE NEVER BEHIND. I feel like that is even more evident now, with so many of these outside pressures and commitments suddenly gone, and frankly the days rolling into one!

This is potentially a great time to declutter. Of course, Flylady suggests 15 minutes a day - but perhaps in these unprecedented times we will all do more! But we are all busy getting into our own routines now that school is out, and work too for many, and we’ve lost a lot of the outside structure to our lives. There’s no right or wrong here, we just have to try and adapt.

Links wise, I’ll just post the launch pad, and will add reminders about zones too. If anyone has Flying questions, please ask!

The Keep Calm Corner
The lovely SC came up with the brilliant idea of the Keep Calm Corner last month - this is a daily post with things to make us happy! I figured each monthly host can make this their own, and I’m a little worried my taste in art and music would not be calming to most :o so for this month, the KCC will consist of:
Some memes - either funny (we all need a laugh! Warning though - some will likely be unsavoury :o) or thought provoking/relaxation based. Do PM me (here or FB) if you have any you want to add!
A daily “ice breaker” type question - obviously answering these is entirely optional, and don’t say anything that will out you, but if you want to join in and create some extra conversations on the thread then treatment, we can all get to know each other better! Again, if you think of any questions please PM!

Thank you for settling in, and of course thank you to SC for making March such a lovely thread. And lastly, a huge thank you also to our key worker Fledglings, who are doing an incredible job of keeping things running!

Morning all! Happy chocolate-hangover day.

Cineraria love the creativity with the eggs and the hunt! :o at bearded man. When I’d known DH a few days he was stubbly and he said he was considering growing a beard, I casually said I’d never kiss someone with a beard, and lo and behold the next time I saw him he’d shaved. I then realised my suspicions were correct. :o Also :o at the paramedic assuming you were lying. A&E must see a LOT of embarrassing consequences :o

Hope DD2 has a good day zoo it’s ok if she’s grumpy and upset and it is NOT a reflection on you, but I hope she does at least enjoy some of the day. Love the banner and I think it was a wise choice to not risk the quarantine humour! I’m making lots of notes for DD1’s birthday - it’s not till late June, so no idea what the situation will be then!

DH’s finger did stop bleeding luckily! Now just has a normal plaster on it as opposed to a bandage (which DD1 was cross about because he didn’t do it correctly - she’s a St. John Ambulance cadet :o) but will probably check it once he’s up!

Fluff :o at Miranda voice. I actually used “[sentence] are we?” in an email to my FSW the other week, followed with “you have to say it like Stevie” :o she said “bear with” a couple of times in our first meeting last year which was a sign we would get on well :o

Hey that does your patio have a suspicious bump in it yet? :o Hope he’s behaving better today.

ta da
🦕had cake for breakfast. It’s not even very nice cake really. The Caglets didn’t like it either so rather than ending up eating it all I may donate it to the birds 🦜
🦖weighed self - lost just over a pound which puts my total loss to exactly 1.5st yay! Really need to up my exercise though, I’ve been way too lethargic and it’s probably becoming a vicious cycle.
🦕set recurring alarm for 11.55pm so I can keep trying to get a grocery delivery slot!
🦖got Cagletini sorted so she was awake earlier - really need to keep doing this so she ends up sleeping earlier in the evening, and we can spend more time with the older two

Need to get more housework done and have a conversation with the Caglets about routine - not just DH as we talk about it till the cows come home (are cows under lockdown? 🐮🤔) and then don’t actually implement it...😳

Oh i forgot about my request for a shovel! He has survived (for now!) Currently not emerged from bed but i am leaving him to it for now. Driving me mad moaning about being bored but not wanting to do any of my suggestions 🙄

Happy Birthday you your lovely DD Zoo! Hope she enjoys her day. Fab banner. for your long ta da list so early. You too That.

I’ve eaten breakfast. That’s it.

I understood your post Hazel. I’ll eat Turkish delight if it’s there like most things but it’s not a favourite.

Need to sort my life out today. Pile of ironing, pack work bag, make some soup, overnight oats etc. For now though I just want to sit

Page 30...it is only 13th April😳 I have some catching up to do.

I wonder if we will tip into a second thread this month! There have been a good few new posters plus others probably posting more due to being at home more!

Ta Da Cont

❤ longest kitchen worktop decluttered
💜 toaster crumbs emptied
💚 worktops wiped

All dc are up except for dc1 who i am now going to drag from his pit.

Nice and sunny here but highs of only 8!

SC your Easter sounds lovely. Glad you had a nice day and thanks for the wishes for today.

Lane hope DH stopped the bleeding!

I love “fire reveals gold” fluffiest, I’ll try and remember that one. Hope you enjoyed your bath and wine. I certainly did! We binge watched the last few episodes of ‘The Tiger King’ on Netflix. I can’t remember ever looking at DH so many times in disbelief

Morning all,

We don't have Netflix but having seen clips of Tiger King on Gogglebox I am curious. We have Sky Q, Amazon and Disney+ so don't feel we can justify yet another subscription.

Another day at home planned. The weather has been very warm here but today is much more seasonable and cool. Will hopefully get some gardening done (it has been too hot). Might also spend some time sorting photos. I've got a cat on my lap so can't move.

Yes, I think we will need a second thread, we are on 732 posts and its only the 13th! What a lot of lovely chat

💚💙💜🧡tkcc🧡💜💙💚

Randomly selected from my photo album today we have:

• something I can relate to waaaay too hard... I always put things off until some mythical time when things are easier. Clearly for me that time is now... :o
• a stick insect cartoon
• a bingo card with self care ideas

Today’s question: If you had to go on Mastermind, what might your specialist subject be?

For me it’d probably be Big Bang Theory or Friends because I’ve watched them both so much 😳 if I wanted something that required revising etc I’d probably choose autism/ADHD/SPD as I’ve picked up a fair bit of knowledge about these over the years. 🙄 Friends night assume I would choose anime or board games as those are big interests but I’m not actually that knowledgeable about either really as my tastes within those categories are fairly narrow.

So it’s Monday which means home bleugh again. Yay.

Here’s the launch pad

We have now moved into zone 3 which is the bathroom and “an extra room” which obviously depends on your house layout - kids room or whatever

Missions

Tada
Bathroom
Windows wiped
Sill cleaned
Toothpaste sink scrubbed
Bath cleaned(and de haired plughole)
Side panel,skirt and radiator wiped

Little loo room
Cleaned very dusty sill
Wiped window
Cleaned loo
Wiped most floor(hard reach behind loo as it's a tiny room and Ive no mop)
Old-timers will remember loo roll gate...well part two I cleared 35 from down one side of loo,then discovered mountain BEHIND THE FUCKING DOOR(such tiny space no one shuts it of feel claustrophobic)i did NOT sort those as someone needs to do it

I've made the decision starting next week the zoolets are in charge cleaning this room.based on they are revolting and D's wees on hinges/loo roll that's thrown on floor by lil zoo so they can muck it out.it messes my OCD dreadfully try tackle it and I have let it build up then face it iyswim.no more.i think little and often with them doing it themselves(start dd2 who can do it properly with supervision) they can learn I won't pick up behind such grotty habits indefinately...

Rest bins sorted and put out in big bin for collection

Had long hot shower

I now ready make breakfast!

I'm pretty well versed in autism too Lane. Other than that I don't know really, I read a lot but about all sorts of different things and would describe my general knowledge as "jack of all trades, master of none" these days. I don't watch TV programmes more than once, don't read whole series of books etc. Maybe 10 years ago I would have said ER or Coronation Street. Or Brookside. I don't watch any long running series now though.

So I did make it on to read a few posts yesterday but have only just caught up now! Hope everyone had a lovely Easter. I did absolutely sod all yesterday. I didn't even cook we got takeaway pizza 🙈

Happy birthday to your DD zoo I hope she manages to have a nice day despite everything.

Chocolate wise after 18 months of not being able to have chocolate because if DS4 allergies I'll have anything. I'm not a fan of Easter eggs though they taste different to me. I'd forgotten about the Cadbury Turkish delight loved that. Also used to love snowflakes.

Mastermind, well after doing the virtual pub quizzes I've discovered the only thing I'm knowledgable in is Disney so I'd have to go for that.

Plan to have a productive day today. Ta-da's so far:
✔️ put bath mats, towels etc in wash
✔️ cleaned shower, bath, sink and shelves in bathroom
✔️ dusted DC rooms
✔️ polished big DC room after getting them to straighten up a bit
✔️ stripped beds even though DS1 was in his and DH was in ours 🤣 threatened to come back with the febreeze if they didn't get their lazy buts up
✔️ hoovered small DC room
✔️ febreezed small DC room

Now having a coffee break and watching Hocus Pocus before I get going again. I know it's not exactly the season for Hocus Pocus but I've muppets Xmas carol on this morning as well 🤷‍♀️

Morning all! I am declaring today a Proper Bank Holiday and doing no Flying except for the basics we can't manage without. Stuff the home bleugh.

Zoo I am totally with you on DC cleaning up their own bathroom-related messes. I had a tantrum about it on Friday. Happy Birthday Zoo2. I'm sure you will make the day special for her, even if Lockdown Birthdays are weird 💖

Cin I love Miss Read. I'm an old softie homebody really, and I read No Holly For Miss Quinn and The Christmas Mouse every Christmas. When the DC were tiny and we lived in Gloucestershire I could practically recite the Thrush Green books because they were so much set in the countryside we were living in.

Enjoy your last day off, KT. I too am back on the sensible eating wagon starting tomorrow, listening to what my body actually needs rather than just stuffing food in my mouth because it's there. Thank you for embrocation, SC. Unexpected yelps of pain are fewer this morning, although I think I'll have a day or so off the bike!

At the moment I have decided not to pay for MN premuim - I have an ad blocker anyway, I've lived without an edit function for 12 years without a problem and (this is the key thing really) the mobile app is so rubbish I'm not prepared to pay for it. I'm typing this on the laptop because the app this morning has no paragraphs and has rendered all emoticons into the chocolate one, which makes no sense at all. It also blocks which means things are impossible to follow. If MN can fix that, I'd consider paying for it but right now it doesn't actually provide enough for the money.

Mastermind question: I'd be dreadful at Mastermind. I know a fair amount about lots of things, but nothing in depth about anything Mastermindy. I bounce from subject to subject without really mastering any of them!

Right. DH is chatting online with a friend group from his school days who always manage to make him feel negative and angsty about his / our life, but he can't break away from them. I am going to gird my loins for dealing with that and have another coffee and an HCB. 🍒🙋‍♀️ all round!

zoo my ds1 is too lazy to even lift the toilet seat up and i am forever dragging him in the to clean his wee off the seat

Mastermind, i would go for soap operas in general but only English ones or nursery rhymes

Hmm mastermind...I think right now probably paw patrol because the kids are obsessed 😂 wish I could say something more intellectual!

Happy birthday to your dd zoo 🍰

I've decided against subscribing to MN too, I don't trust their security. I don't use an ad blocker but mainly use the mobile version which works perfectly for me and I don't really notice the ads.

Argh willow that sounds frustrating. Life is too short for friends like that (and if the pandemic doesn’t make people realise that life is short I don’t know what will!).

Wow zoo that sounds yuck :( I am so so glad you’re going to get them to take responsibility and I hope it leads to them helping you more. None are at school for now so there is zero reason for them not to help you. I know it’s harder with their SN/MH but in some ways I think it means it’s even more important they get used to doing this stuff as it’ll be harder to live independently in future if they don’t :(

On that note DH actually said to me just now that we need to talk to DD1 properly, she was up till 2 again anxious and tearful. But when we suggest anything that will (long term) help she is often resistant. I know exactly how hard it is to drag yourself away from screens and do self care but she’s going to have to trust us as she’s just disappearing into herself otherwise :( so we need very very clear rules and more of a schedule for sure. She’s even got her headphones on in the living room most of the time, I know to some extent that’s just teens but it’s not doing her any favours :(

DH and I did come up with some rules about a week ago but we’ve not done anything with them other than trying to do the daily walk, so this time we will have to do a full on “family meeting” I think

I also will not be paying for mn!

lane how about only a set amount of phone time per day? You can get an app so it locks when time is up

Yes I need to look at that again. We’ve had the odd time like movie night and watching Britain’s got talent together where we’ve put our phones down too which has worked well - the key being that DH and I obey the rule too!

I promised when they said about the school closures that we wouldn’t stop her talking to friends but a lot of the time she’s just on YouTube/various other apps and not just chatting. It seemed better in term time as she was on FaceTime while doing the school work so more social and productive too. I feel bad having to go back on what I said but we really need to find some kind of balance.

I’m a bit wary of a full on schedule but we’ve never managed before because real life gets in the way. Eg it’s all very well saying bed at 9 but then if Thursdays they don’t get home till 8.45 and DS has scouts till 9.30 on Fridays and and and...

But this is about as far from real life as we can get isn’t it! And we don’t really have all the outside stuff to mess up the schedule. Life is just revolving around her phone use. Sigh.

It is easy to get completely lost in a hole on your phone/SM though. Sometimes I think I could do with someone taking mine (but I'd probably fight them for it 🤣)

The rest of my ta-da's so far:
✔️ took small DC curtains down to wash
✔️ cleaned windows in DC rooms
✔️ scrubbed bathroom floor

I'm now going to upload some of the DC schoolwork which I haven't done for a while. Took me ages last time

Wow that has taken a lot of reading.

I won’t be able to say who said what so generally.
Wow to all the fantastic Hot CrossBuns. I made them once or twice decades ago but not since. Still can’t get any flour or yeast here at least not in the two shops we went to and DS 3 has an Asda around the corner from him and none yet. Suddenly hit on the idea that I could ask DSis to send some yeast if they get any in. She works in a co op now. If DD was here she would be able to send some from the health shop she worked in.

Love the flowers was that fluffy? When I was weeding the other day I came across an azalea that had died. I pulled it up and then thought about the lovely twisted branches so as it was in three pieces and not very tall I have it as an Eastertree I have hung loads of eggs that I have collected over the years and lambs and🐣🐥 🐣 🐥 🐣at the bottom or wedge in branches and put it on the window sill. DH even brought some down he found in DDs room.😳

Zoo what a beautiful name and the banner is brilliant. If she moans at all tell her I only had two cards and no 🎁 gifts. DH bought me a bunch of tulips because he decided I should do the shopping after we got there and I hadn’t brought my purse/card as I was busy getting bags, gloves, bottle of hand sanitizer so I had to use his. Told him “by the way you bought me a bunch of tulips and an egg to share.”

Glad everyone had a quite good Easter. We had smoked salmon and salad, roast lamb, potatoes, veg and pavlova for a late lunch at 2 pm then I had a boiled egg and soldiers and DH had the last of the soup. Just before lunch I realised I could have a gin so cracked open the bottle the “ favourite child” had given me for Mother’s Day. Lovely I had two large ones. After late supper we cracked the egg. Mmm.

Lane absolutely loving the memes LOL at the dust bunnies now if only I had thought of that when cleaning the boudoir 🤣

Must admit to laughing at some of the accident accounts so I am not the only one. My family and some staff just 🙄if I have an accident. No one mentioned the arm even though it had a navy blue splint on it. I don’t think SMT even told the parents he kicked me. One of SMT was off on sick leave and asked me when she came back and was horrified that nothing had been done and apologised. She wasn’t even there bless her.

Chocolate- DH sometimes brought some back from Norway mmmmmm probably my favourite otherwise dark chocolate especially dark and mint. I do like Lily ? Desserts. Someone bought me some as a thank you once and a child gave me some. Another child bought me some Polish chocolates dark chocolate with a soft coconut marshmallows centre mmmm delicious but I have never found them again so think shemust have brought them back fromPoland. She said they were her favourites.

Childhood. It has to be Cherry Ripes 🍒 and Violet Crumble bars.

I watched loads of Call the Midwife I hadn’t seen that series as it clashed. We only have normal telly.

For those gardening I’m not sure how I feel about ordering but Hayloft have plants and shhhh potatoes so I may do an order as I missed the Potato Day here. I have noticed ads in the Women’s Weekly and keep meaning to send off but don’t get around to it/forget but really love the intro.

The weather here has turned cold and we had high winds last night so not sure if I am going out except rugged up for a walk. I intended to paint the shed door but not sure if I will today.

Ta Das
Cat medication
Fed cat
Cleaned kitchen and put away as DH hadn’t.
Made cup of tea
Came back to bed to read all your posts.

Better get something done.