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!

Congratulations givemeacall, DD has got her first choice too. I'm really happy. The reception teacher is a friend of our and I know how much she really cares for the children. She's also then SENCO and goes above and beyond to help families who are struggling. I know DD will be well looked after there.

Zoo I'm really sorry that you have to have this man in your life. I'm sorry your children have to endure mind games with their father. Its vile. But they have you, and that is wonderful, truly wonderful.

I'm currently in the bathroom whilst DD starts the day with a leisurely bath. She may have got melted marshmallow in her hair last night.

Whilst she's playing in the water I have decluttered and organised the cupboard under the sink. Turns out we have 9 bars of scented soap from various gift sets so we should be good for soap for a long time!

Most magical place: my first thought was Disneyland California which sounds like it would be very plasticky and corporate. But the place was so clean and bright, scented like popcorn and vanilla, music playing, rides, fireworks, something interesting or beautiful to look at everywhere. It really surprised me.

But then I remembered that my Dad once took me to an outdoors theatre that was built in to the cliff side by the sea somewhere in Cornwall. We watched Henry V at sunset and it was breathtaking. So I think that would be the winner for me.

I don't like to travel,so most magical place I ve ever been to was coming home to my own bed post c section with D's.being home I felt like Dorothy from Wizard of Oz!!

Yay to those that got first choices!

Tada
Exercise- lil zoo did dance stretch thing she found on line
DS n I did our workout.he still bit painful to watch in coordination front,but easier than Joe wicks and added bonus if check pulse see if working optimally it's a chance him to realise what he defines as fast pulse isn't even at the level of optimum aerobic levels(he does tbh have very fast blur pulse sometimes,but I'm hoping this will help build logic over it's ok to exercise and get it moving a bit faster)he did arm strengthening exercises too

Clean bath and sink
Wipe kitchen surfaces
Wipe dining table

Snack

Lil zoo now painting
DS colouring

Dd2 in bed scowling at my every appearance on laptop and phone.no exercise don't.dads messaged her misses her which has put her in. Raging bad mood which is all MY FAULT.fun day ahead with her,but I'm guessing can get 2 out 3 on side life is a bit easier!!

Washing machine now bleeping so off empty and refill

Most magical place? There are lots of places I've loved being for different reasons, I think Greece on one of the first holidays with dh just remember lying by the pool and then having the same lunch every day of the most delicious tuna salad and chips. Sounds quite boring really but there was something about that holiday I don't think I've ever felt as relaxed since!!! Not even on my honeymoon because we travelled around a bit more then so was more exciting but it was the feeling of pure relaxation in Greece that was magical. Maybe I was just a more relaxed person back then!

All this talk of travels is making me want to go on holiday! We haven't been on holiday abroad for years, we were going to go this year but not looking likely now! Ah well!

My ta das today are minimal
Worked this morning
Washing on
Took some rubbish out
Dishwasher on
We've all had lunch

Glad to hear about school places and magical places! Will catch up properly later.

Had therapy via Zoom, good session, really positive, but feel really wiped out and low now

zoo sorry you're having such a hard day today 😞 is there something that always cheers DD up? Favourite song/ movie/ food that might help?

lane I hope you feel better soon, maybe after a rest?

Ta das so far:

🦄 DH breakfast (I almost didn't get up but wanted to make sure he ate, I'm glad I did)

🦄 S&S and emptied out the bin, Refilled the toilet roll holder(need to add it on list, wish me luck for getting it!)

🦄 LOL, 1st load in drier, has DS put his clothes away, grudgingly.

🦄 2 cups coffee!

🦄 Cleared hot spot from kitchen (may have moved some of it to hot spot on desk 😳)

To Dos:

📌 Call local hardware shop, DH wants me to get some wood trim for skirting boards after replacing floor in 2 bedrooms. I know what I want but don't really want to go anywhere due to stay home order.

📌 DW.

📌 More laundry.

📌 Sort out kitchen.

📌 Redo DDs nail colour as it didn't turn out how she wanted 🤦‍♀️.

The most magical place I've been to is probably Shoshone Falls, it's near where I am, massive waterfalls- especially this time of year when snow is melting from mountains. I love going to see the falls and walk around the park it's in. If I find a picture I'll share it on here.

Thanks both, had a mope and then when DH and DD1 went to the shops I played a few things on the piano (not terribly well mind 😳) and then finally started drawing the picture quiz I’m making (British comedy shows)

Shoshone Falls, high water level

Lower water level

Hazel stunning pics❤️she's not got anything particular that perks her up sadly...did you get the wood in the end?

Lane hope you feel bit perkier now
Foxes relaxed- what is this thing you speak of??btw working and flying with DC I'd call that list a win.what have you done to your be kind to your self?

Well my day went a bit tits up.i was sleepy,then grumpy when zoolets try wake me and I felt bit out of sorts when finally moved my bum(having had near 3hrs sleep)perked up once I'd been up a while
Fed zoolets lunch
Did some colouring whilst watch you tube documentaries about big families

zoo I understand what you mean, we can think it is wrong to have an easy day even when our bodies are telling us it is exactly what we need.

Hope you feel better soon, lane, and that you have a really relaxing evening.

I haven't done a lot today. Mostly potteted about with DD and DH.
❤ did an hour of actual work on the computer
🧡 walk around the park
💛 re-potted baby cucumber plants
💚 washed dishes from breakfast/lunch (no DW in our house)
💙 Made creamy pasta with gammon and broccoli for tea
💜 played with DD

Now I'm sitting in DD's room waiting for her to drop off. Then I'm going to watch The Office and eat half an Easter egg with a glass of wine.

ta da
🌹showered before therapy (despite not leaving the house I still couldn’t “attend” without 😂)
🌼after stressing with the laptop microphone/camera, managed to get zoom set up on the iPad in time for therapy
🌸wrote my rough notes from the session
🌻started sketching some quiz questions and showed a couple of friends
🌷small bit of piano
💐quick walk in the park

Quiz time now.

36/50. Not too bad for a first attempt I guess!

Ok evening further improved by the fact that when I play twinkle twinkle little star on the piano Cagletini now sits next to me and sings along 😍😍😍

Great Barrier Reef. Swimming and snorkelling with the fish and seeing a turtle under water. On the way there seeing whales breeching and playing. Huge , huge whales migrating.

Evening all,

Just off to bed but thought I'd better list my tadas! I keep feeling as though I'm not doing much, but the house is fairly tidy and we're on top of the laundry so I'll take that as a win.

Tada!

Moved duvet from washing line to airer in my potting shed (very warm in there) when a few drops of rain started.
Hung out the washing on the newly vacated line 5 minutes later when the rain stopped again
Shopping - doing once a week big shop now, so it took about 4 hours from starting to make my list to everything put away. Half an hour queue to get into Sainsburys. Zoo - there were signs on various foods saying still restricted to 3 but frozen veg wasn't amongst them. Not sure if you have a Sainsburys though?
watched Doctors
Swish and swipe
An hour of work
Half an hour at the allotment, met a friend on the way back.

Dinner, luckily we had the back door open and heard the neighbours starting to clap at 8, we seem to be eating later and later now we aren't all dashing out to football, swimming etc every evening.
Double Masterchef, missed last night and wanted to catch up before final tomorrow. The finalists are all amazing, it will be so close.

Glad those waiting for school places got the ones they wanted. Ours was a long time ago but pretty well a formality as we live so close to our primary school, only seems like 5 minutes ago and now we are heading for 6th form.

Majestic places - I have been thinking about tht this all day. Lane we had a similar experience to you in France. This was pre DCs, DH and I were driving through France heading for somewhere near Biarritz. We had our tent and were looking for an overnight camp site. Had been driving all day, boiling hot (no aircon). No campites to be found. Eventually we found one but it was a complete shithole (the toilets were literally so). Lads on motorbikes roaring around, really intimidating atmosphere, so we got the tent up in a corner and looked at the map, realising we were near St Emilion we went to investigate. Well, just wow, it was gorgeous, much like Carcassonne by the looks of it. We had a lovely meal, wandered around a bit before back to the campsite and a rapid escape in the morning.

However I think the most majestic place overall that I have been to is Iceland. I'm on the laptop but will post a photo or two from my phone shortly. Glaciers, icebergs, geysers, waterfalls, lave fields, all stunning and so clean and quiet.

I was thinking, my yoga teacher tells us to think of a place where we are happy and visualise ourselves there in order to relax. Very good advice at the moment. Some of the places I imagine myself are my allotment, a park bench near my house with a lovely view, our local NT property and a place in Scotland where we have had several happy holidays. I might go and make a list in my bullet journal.

Here we are, photos (apologies for quality, they are very old "real" photos that I have snapped with my phone). All of Iceland. A lagoon full of icebergs, which you can sail round on a boat. The famous Geysir and a moon-like landscape over the lava fields.

Hazel that is fabulous. I like waterfalls. I took loads of Aysgarth Falls in Yorkshire. It is near where James Herriot was filmed. Did you get that programme? All creatures Great and Small it was called here. We have been to the village it was filmed in and eaten in the pub there several times.

Lane We went to Carcasonne for a week a few years ago. I found a little bite right on the canal. It was very French in decor but turned out to be and Irish lady and her teen daughter running it. We had a little balcony on the back and chairs and table at the front. I would love to stay in it again. I loved the square there too. It had a fantastic market about twice a week and we ate there about three times. We went in the fortress twice it was amazing. We went to the last day of a tournament it was hilarious and they were jousting. DH drove up into the mountains one day and another we went to the coast. I wanted to go to Barcelona but he wouldn’t go.DD has been and loved it. They went with uni I think.

That Tea bread is BarmBrack or Bara Brith I typed in the book that I can’t find and it came up with lots of people saying they still have it and how they treasure some of the recipes. It was really interesting reading some of them. Anyway it turns out it was Mary Berry so if you google it comes up as Bara Brith. I will put recipe on if you like anyway you put the brown sugar and mixed fruit in and pour the left over tea still warm from the pot and leave it to soak overnight then add 10 oz Flour and an egg mix well and put into a loaf tin. I use the loaf liners from Lakeland. You cook it for about 1 1/2 hrs and when cool you slice it. It is lovely with a slice of butter but I have to have DF marg now or have it plain. It is lovely with a cup of tea in the afternoon. My kids loved it in there packed lunch. My mum used to make it. Hers was Barm Brack which is the Irish and mum’s granny was Irish so might be why.
We had Tattie Pot tonight. It was sooooo good.
Fly lady should include gardening. So that is my other room. I have been outside most of the week. We did some reading and crosswords in the summer house and jobs. I have taken the coating off the hanging basket hangers and rubbed them down with sandpaper and then painted two of them. I did some weeding and DH is still feeling ‘ the love’ 💕💖 as it was our anniversary. Luckily I saw a really funny card about Christmas time and bought it. He got a good laugh. So he widened the stone bed near the house. He made it about thirty years ago and I didn’t have the heart to say it was too narrow and I have always struggled to grow much in it because there wasn’t much soil to keep them going. So he did it today and it looks much better. I can’t wait to buy some new plants to go in it. While he was doing that I painted the shed door and weeded the front path.Our garden is going to look so good this year.
So far I have done most of the bottom shed( ran out), the front door, the gate, the hangers and the top shed door. I need to do the new front door. We’ve weed and re planted some pots. We are waiting for compost along with some bark from a local firm who brought the stone. I fell asleep just before 9 pm

Wing flaps to all especially newbies. They are a friendly bunch.
Need to do a bit more in the home tomorrow zzzzzzzzzzz night.

Wow ED that almost looks surreal. I’ve never been to Iceland.
Enjoyed reading about France. St. Emilion make good wine if I remember.

We only had one choice of Primary in Scotland. It was surrounded by barbed wire which bothered me but didn’t seem to both the kids and my sister had been happy there. It was part of land of a military base. You had to report to take kids to birthday parties and put your number plate on the rsvp. Usually ok but one guy was a jobs worth. He added stress to the mum by ringing her every time anyone turned up and keeping you waiting. The kids had to go five miles on the bus to school.
When we moved here it was another attraction to buying the house as the Primary school was a two minute walk. Cross the road and around the corner and looked like a bungalow. There was no waiting for places they were desperate to have us as my boys ( DS1&DS2) made it 38 children in the school.R-Yr6.DS3had him name down to help them and DD had hers down as soon as the teacher heard she had been born. That teacher was wonderful then Head not so.
I can’t imagine how awful it must be waiting especially with your first. Glad you got what you wanted giveme and fluffy and anyone else. It is lovely when there is family history as the grandparents tell what it was like in there day it is like living history. We have had a couple in to talk to the class and one of our teachers used to be there as a boy.