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!

hazel do you get hayfever?we are moving towards wheezy season with zoolets,that's purely allergy based flare up.sympathies with reflux.dd2 is out of control right now as anxiety so high meds aren't working

school subjects questionadored English.maths was my nemesis,and all zoolets are same.i wasn't fond science either

Not great day here.did some shopping very early(7am in-store having left home 620 to get there) but carrying it so far was very tough(we did take trolley but teens eat so bloody much)dd2 came along.only allowed 3 frozen veg was not helpful as we go through around 6-10 bags a week....will need go another shop today.nearest option is Waitrose and dreading round two that overzealous security guards will have D2 with me

"d"p drop fan for D's.said will come 1030,showed up at 945 then got impatient as I made him wait whilst I finished sorting some of wiping/put away shopping as expected a chat etc from safe distance.he dumped fan on step and retreated then after less 2 mins and sight how tal D's has becomehe snip they be grown ups when see again and left!
Never apologised not ring dd2 on birthday,only brief spoke D's.lil zoo didn't even bother come down to see him

Rang camhs asking dd2 anxiety counsellor switch email/text as shesfinding the unpredictability of a phone call causing huge anxiety issues 4 days prior calls the depressed couple daysafterand repeat...

O.T rang and we chatted.shes basically saying mindfully concerned of pressure I'm under with my own MH whilst try manage three unravelling kids by myself.state the bloody obvious lovely why don't you.currently it is what it is and just gave suck it up and keep going..
Plans resume contact D's via email.hope she's not planning major challenges currently or we will all go under on the fallout

Funtimes

I've been set task sorting a routine "asvso good for you all"_ would help if "all" would actually agree to that,but heyho i have tick her boxes.

Today will be better than yesterday

Realised I missed a page of thread

Language tapes

zoo i might have already said this but iceland release new slots daily if they deliver near you? Also tesco every night at midnight but you have to queue.

Makes me mad that he who even the MC label is too kind for is not helping you. He could atleast pick up shopping!

that I've been trying Iceland,Tesco and Asda with no avail for slots...

Tada
Harpic lav
Cats fed
Wash on
Cleared dining table
Bag up all rubbish
Sweep living room floor
Sweep kitchen floor
Last night's wash up soaking in sink

that just checked Iceland again.goes to 21st April all fully booked..
Do you know when/how they release new slots?

that just seen thread in larger families"anyone struggling with lockdown chaos"
I feel much better for reading that

Tada
Writing shopping list
And "plan for the day"

As lil zoo was hell's child yesterday (and with the attitude as well) I was at the throbbing- twitch- at- the- temples- and twitching -palm- ready -to- slap -someone -stage

I am not saying I have patience of a saint far from it but she really got under my skin far more efficiently than ever before and I do not want to turn into complete psycho mum

I think it's a mixture of boredom,lack routine and her general lack of empathy/humour that's jarring things.shes positively vile to D's(who only wants her to play with him-gaming,or watch a film with him)
She had the dogs bum mouth on our walk,complained at everything given to eat,sulked about laptop be taken off herstarted rows other two.drop rubbish/stuff wherever went and kick up about picking it up.plenty door slamming..

Have you tried the midnight tesco queue? I have got in it twice about 11.45 and got a slot both times but when i joined at 12 i didnt get one

Iceland were releasing at 11am but have changed to releasing "throughout the day" Yesterday i got one about half 2 in afternoon

Will have a look at that thread. I quite enjoyed the "is your house now really clean" (or something along those lines) think in the coronavirus section. Majority of posters are like fuck no its a war zone

Morning all. First day back at work was fine. All colleagues still healthy and not too stressed. Plus I got to enjoy a hot cup of tea.

Came home to the house immaculate. Could get used to DH being a stay at home Dad, although I suspect it may not be the case very day. He’s a bit gutted as his boss has said he’s likely to be furloughed for the full 3 months (he seemed surprised by this, I thought it was a given). I’m relieved as it means we don’t need to worry about childcare.

School subjects: I loved school in general, top subjects were probably maths, English and biology, and then I adored psychology at a level. I wasn’t a huge fan of chemistry as I wasn’t confident doing the experiments, although had to do it at a level for the degree I wanted to do. Only subject I truly hated was design tech. I would get so anxious as was terrified of the saws etc

Yesterday’s ta Das:
✅ half a yoga video until DD woke up
✅ LOL, beds made, S & S
✅ resisted Easter eggs that had been donated to us at work

Didn’t do the dinner dishes or shine my sink last night but there weren’t many so will sort them with the breakfast stuff.

It’s upstairs home bleurgh for me today when I can drag myself out of bed. DD currently watching peppa pig on my tablet. She is also not at the ‘set up with an activity and leave to it’ stage fluffiest. I dread painting.

Welcome teatowel

Ah Zoo hope shopping goes ok and you (and lil Zoo) have a better day today.

I am concerned with all this being said about schools may reopen May 11th. I am not down with that

I probably should stay out of the coronavirus section but as mentioned previously i always feel i need ALL the details with shit like this. I really hope an announcement is made soon with regards to how the exit strategy will work.

Envious of your immaculate house kt

Thanks KT
That will keep trying for Iceland I think.tesco are saying rather shop in person if can.someone from church works at Asda and there's been lots missed items/subs so passing on that.we rely heavily on frozen veg as my hands get contact dermatitis and currently they are start split from having wash them more/and can't get my usual polyurethane gloves for household cleaning(latex makes them worse and clingy ones similar to use by medical staff still make them sorer somehow.i suspect hands sweat more as tighter and as we using shower gel currently in handwash pumps as unable find "real handwash" I wouldn't be surprised it's not rinsing off as well and bit residual build up is going on)

Well evil mum is about go drag troops from beds as I would prefer everyone fed before I head of out(and would like chance read riot act lil zoo so she doesn't antagonise D's whilst I'm not here)

In interim I've decluttered 3brc so that's a win...

that if schools reopen may 11th mine will NOT be returning.if they fine everyone for not complying it would be bedlam.
America are cancelling rest school year,no signs it lifting in many places.even China schools are still shut

Zoo glad i am not alone in my view of May 11th! If we are to send them back so soon then closing in the first place just seems pointless.

Not really feeling very motivated today pointy stick?

Morning all! It’s going to be a long day, we already had “I don’t want to watch little einsteins” “what do you want to watch then” “little einsteins” 🙄🤦‍♀️🤣

KT a day at work should definitely be an item on the ta da list :o glad it went ok though. Are you having to do the whole showering/washing uniform as soon as you get in thing?

May 11th?! No way! 😱 I would send DD1 back though, no question. It’s easier for me to say that as I am fairly confident we did have the virus (although of course we are acting like we haven’t and being careful, and she’s already been told that whenever she does go back we will return to a strict “shower and change into other clothes immediately after school” rule) but TBH her mental health and our relationship would not survive if we didn’t let her. I think having had the dynamic of her being home ed before and then wanting to return to school, it would feel like a massive step back, and I already feel guilty about not sending her back when she had previous wobbles over the years. I just can’t risk the potential resentment! So even if we maintain all other distancing rules, whenever school will have her she can return immediately.

Her mood did improve a bit last night. She went on an evening walk with DH and DS, had a sobbing meltdown on the way home for a very autistic-fixationy reason, but I really felt like she was holding something back when we were talking after. However I then helped her with an awkward situation (someone pestering her via WhatsApp) and she did lighten up a lot after that. Will see if she slept better when DH is up.

He managed to get a Tesco delivery - my 11.55pm alarm went off and he joined the online queue as I was virtually asleep by then. May 5th! (We were meant to be seeing Ross Noble at the local theatre that day 😭😭😭) I think I’ll make the alarm 11.45 now though that thanks. I’ve switched it off for now but will turn it back on in a week so we can book the next one. As it was there was loads unavailable, he was getting annoyed as he’d click on things and it would suddenly say he couldn’t add it. I was just annoyed as DH grumbling about it kept me awake 🙄 and then I couldn’t sleep for ages. Ended up with a hot water bottle on my knees, don’t know why they were so bad.

Also remembered yesterday to pay for therapy and finally switched to my current email address on amazon (no idea why that didn’t occur to me before).

Definitely want to build on the decluttering from yesterday. I could sort out the toddler clothes into proper bags - will probably just do the main categories (2-3 girl, 2-3 boy) and the rest (including adult/teen) can be in a miscellaneous bag for charity unless there’s a significant amount of 18-24m. Will still take up room but at least it’ll be organised!

Really need to get DD1 to show me the google classroom stuff too and see what leftover home ed stuff DS has from Before Virus. Left it all far too long 😳😳😳

Oh yeah and I absolutely MUST do the rules/routine pages and discuss with the others/print them. Otherwise that discussion will have been for nothing. Sigh.

Aaaand (Sorry I’m thinking “out loud” here) need to finish writing up notes from a couple of things, and prep for therapy tomorrow too. Will put a wash on soon as well. The clean stuff needs putting away but meh 🤣

lane i would just leave what you have in your tesco order until couple of days before its due and edit it then, the orders i have recieved recently lots has been unavailable online but i have recieved most of the things i managed to order which is good. Tesco is disappointing with its 80 items though. Especially when there are for example no bags of onions and each individual one is one item

that ------))))
I declare in these times we need a kinder approach so this is a CBA stick.designed to bolster but not force action!!

It seems the smell toast waft up stairs and the delightful bellow of breakfast- if you don't move now I will eat it all myself causes semi stampede situation
Lil zoo failed budge,unsurprising as not settling/bad bed time habits in full swing and D's said if you don't get up we eating your share(after his was gone and on being told try wake her?
She came and ate it albeit in less than complementary mood.ds and dd2 glaring at every bite at what could've been theirs!!(now out if bread so need go buy more.again)
Head off in mo.hoping nazi security at Waitrose isn't there/on tea break...

launch pad

It’s antiprocrastion day...

Morning everyone! I need to be more productive today, last few days I've been in a definite slump!

I can’t spell antiprocrastination apparently! Oops.
That yep will definitely edit last minute! It keeps changing so much. He just added what he could to reach the £40 limit so he could check out. Still need to edit the previous order which is for 25th (click and collect, DSS is picking up for us 😍) but no point until just before is there, it changes so often. Totally agree on the item limit, I get why but it’s so frustrating when there’s no multipacks, and when you have to cater for different diets (luckily just the one in our case - DH is coeliac) It’s hurting my brain to think soooo carefully! That’s not a bad thing though really I guess as I was terrible for just shoving anything in the basket both online and in the shop!

I don't understand Tesco and their 80 item rule or why they seem to be out of so much stuff. It seems to be them and no other supermarket or it does round here anyway. After reading so much about people not being able to get 50% of the shop and being restricted I've given them a swerve. My own shopping would be double 80 items at least and then I'm shopping for 2 other households so it just won't work really. I'm going to go to Sainsbury's tomorrow mainly because it's DH birthday next week and they have an Argos in Sainsbury's so I'll have more chance of getting him something. And I also need a hoover.

Achieved nothing so far as we have not long been up. Even the DC fruit to have with their cereal I got from a tin 😂 seriously though who has the time to chop a mango when you can buy it done already

Morning everyone! Feeling in a slump today after yesterday's cleaning marathon (such a marathon I gave myself a blister under the ring on my right hand!) and it looking like I'd never started by bedtime 🤬😠.

Still in 2 minds about Tesco vs. box scheme. The box scheme doesn't completely negate Tesco, just means it's quicker - but I'm not sure I fancy the dirty looks for "only" buying mayonnaise, oil, ketchup etc. It's a tough one. Trying to eke out what we have today, but we're very low indeed on salad veg, which DS3 loves and will eat instead of toast, thank god. Nobody's weight issues are being helped here. (Am now sadly too fat to get engagement ring off, which is tedious as I have Finger Mould underneath it from all the handwashing. Do not have the mental energy to restrict diet to lose weight either).

Zoo, I'm really sorry people are "helping" by stating the bleedin' obvious. I have online coffee with DM and DSis at 11 which will undoubtedly go the same way, while my DSis Performs Coping, loudly. Sorry also that that Man Shape is taking up mental space without doing anything of value.

Right. Am putting Big Girl Pants on and Getting On With It. Girls from my grammar school Cope With Shit ( it was practically the motto) and so I am going to get my head straight and Do Stuff. Have a good day all, 🍒🙋 everyone !