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!

zoo that's too bad there isn't anything that would cheer her up. I wonder if she could brainstorm some ideas, even if it's just to give her some distance or go for a walk. I never did get the wood, told DH he can get it on Saturday if they're open.

bower I have heard of All Creatures Great and Small. I'm sure it was on when I was younger but I don't remember it. I don't know the other show you mentioned though. Tea bread sounds really good, almost seems like my mum has made it before, but a very long time ago. Happy anniversary! I have been to Barcelona too, for an art A-level trip, I loved it!

Thank you all for the lovely words about my pictures, they really don't do the waterfalls justice, much better when you can hear it and feel the spray (when the levels are high). Too bad we can't go there right now, I'm sure they're high.

giveme that reminds me that I need to get me some hair dye this weekend. I really need a cut too, very tempted to try shaving the back myself, but quickly remind myself that I still need to leave the house for work! (I have an A- line type cut, but it's getting long)

lane I understand about feeling the need to get ready for something, even if it's not in person. Well done on your quiz.

Expletive I love your pictures, just looks like something from a magazine, to see it in person must have been incredible.

Sorry to anyone I've missed, hello to you all 👋

Ta das:

🦉 3 LOL

🦉 DW emptied and loaded with dirty dishes.

🦉 Hand washed dishes that can't go in DW

🦉 Attempted to put up new bathroom shelf thing. I got it to replace the 3 tier corner shelf thing that we have in the corner of the shower. I was going to use a couple of the basket shelves that we currently have as they have hooks on for our body puffs, but the poles are different sizes so I couldn't get it to work. I scrubbed the old one and put it all back. Very disappointed. I've only had that box sitting in the bathroom for a couple of months (procrastination sucks)

🦉 Redid DDs nail colour while watching sister act 2 (we watched the first one Tuesday when I did her nails before)

🦉 Washed up dog bowls.

🦉 Cleaned up kitchen after dinner.

🦉 Got my lunch ready for tomorrow.

🦉 About to take a shower and get my clothes ready for tomorrow. Work tomorrow then 3 days off. This schedule change is draining!

ed lovely pictures.nearest sainsbo is 25 minute drive away.. it's not far dd1 fiance parents so if they dropping anything up that way I may ask them pop inappreciate the heads up.thank you❤️

Lane you have to get DD video her accompanying you that BEYOND cute!!

Plan for today
Exercise for all,colouring,tomato seed planting,possibly few chores...may do more but keeping expectations low

Hi, just got caught up before I have to go to work. Not much flying the last few days. I did finish the upstairs home bleurgh in Wednesday night, and have de-cobwebbed the bathroom and DD’s room as well as cleaning the windows in their.

Nostalgia: I’ve bought a few books for DD I had as a child. One is a Christmas one she is obsessed with.

Most magical place: I loved the ruins at Tulum in Mexico on our honeymoon. It had a strange but nice atmosphere to me. It was just far too hot and humid to stay too long. I love travelling but just in small doses and my favourite place is home. We get the most magical sunsets (these are both from this week through my living room window, so not the best photos. I’ve cropped them so they aren’t too outing).

Expletive I’m desperate to go to Iceland. Fab photos!

Glad you all got the school places you wanted.

Hope DD2 is feeling better about her ‘D’dad Zoo. She deserves so much more.

Excuse the ‘their’ instead of ‘there’. It’s early

Beautiful sunsets KT. Our sunset view is blocked a bit by houses and trees behind our house but we have a lovely sunrise view at the front. The view from our front makes me very happy. We toyed with moving to a bigger house a few years ago but I love this one and its location so much we couldn't leave. The Iceland trip was over 20 years ago now, I was single at the time and had always wanted to go so I went on one of those organised group holidays and it was absolutely brilliant. I'd love to go again with the family.

Bower well done on all the gardening and painting, your garden sounds idyllic. I loved the James Herriot books as a girl, read them over and over and still remember many of the stories. I never really watched the TV series as it's just never the same when I've loved the books so much. I loved the theme tune though, so evocative of Sunday teatimes.

Lane well done on the quiz! We didn't do it because of the need to catch up with Masterchef but might put it on over the weekend.

KT i love a good sunset/sunrise.thry are beautiful

Tada
First load wash hanging on line
Loo harpicked
Cats fed
3 brc pulled out from behind sofa and sorted
Sorted 4recipes(drop in Ocean) into notebook
Zoolets just eating

To do
Mountains laundry
Wash floors
Hoover stairs
S+s

Then for chilling-
Plant tomato seeds
Colouring
And whatever else I feel the urge to do

Launch pad

It’s Friday so clear out your bag and car.

If you have used them. 😅

ED not idyllic yet but a work in progress. We have a big patch where the builders bags were and the grass hasn’t recovered.
The bed behind the wall has some plants coming through but so are the weeds.
Not sure what we are doing today.

🍭🍬🍫 tkcc 🍫🍬🍭

Today’s randoms:

• a reminder about asking for help. I was thinking of it last night as DD1 was saying she wasn’t dealing with something because I was helping her (a boy being a PITA). I said sometimes dealing with it DOES mean asking for help and it took me a long time to learn that myself!
• another somewhat niche joke... lady gaga anyone? 😳
• a relatable post about doing things instead of sleeping. 😳

Today’s question: What are you proud of yourself for lately? You are being ordered to say something nice about yourself here! I know it can be hard but even if you don’t want to share, please try and think of something. We are all doing better than we think in this weird situation. 💕

I’m proud of the fact I’m still doing things to keep myself mentally well. Not as much as I should or want to but little things like dragging myself on a little walk yesterday when I reeeeally didn’t want to, and doing small amounts of decluttering even when I was achy as it made a difference and cheered me up.

Wow give that’s a really amazing thing to do, well done!
I’m glad DD1 has had some PHSE about abusive relationships at school - we were discussing it the other day including how some are stuck in horrific situations now. In fact the situation I’m helping her with now is what inspired the chat - the boy (friend not boyfriend) is getting really overbearing but in a way that could seem really sweet but actually it’s quite possessive and I was saying how it would be unacceptable in a relationship too. Thankfully she can see it’s not ok.

Sorry but deep for a Friday morning really 😳

Loving all these photos BTW, it’s so nice hearing about these gorgeous places!

The others have just left for the shop/pharmacy, my arms are really achy for some reason so I’ve stuck Pocoyo on for the toddler so I can try some yoga on YouTube, gentle stretching may help a bit!

Bit deep that was meant to be!

Ugh so tired. I must admit to ranting at my therapist a bit yesterday about how frustrating this is, as it feels like I’ve gone backwards quite a lot.

Must eat something then yoga time!

As I was struggling before due to work I feel like I am actually coping quite well. I am trying to focus on one main thing a day whether that means reading and finishing a book or painting the shed. It must be difficult with children and the ones next door were delighted when I showed them the new hen. They can see them from over the fence but I held her up so they could see from the 2 metres.
DH and I are getting on ok. There was a few words at the beginning but I stood my ground and told him I wasn’t putting up with it. I have let the small things go like leaving the basin a mess after I have cleaned it.

Must say lovely sunset photos KTC I was interrupted before. A lady B from church phoned to see how we were. So we had a lovely chat and I took her number off our phone so I can give her a ring. A near neighbour gave her a huge bunch of flowers as she works at M&S and they were giving them away. My friend, who is on her own, doesn’t know her very well so wasn’t that lovely of that girl to give them to B. It is the small, kind gestures from people just being thoughtful about each other that has impressed me.
Right I better get outside and see what needs doing. I was out earlier to let the hens out.t

ta da
🧡watched just over half the new film I got the other day (The Experimenter) - so I still wasn’t doing anything active at all while everyone was asleep but definite improvement on faffing online! It required extra concentration, as there were no subtitles (I usually use them on everything new as I tend to miss words otherwise)
💜20min very gentle yoga workout on YouTube - have also started a note on my phone where I’ll put what videos I’ve done and if they were too easy/difficult etc
💚played piano for a bit as my new book arrived, although Cagletini soon put a stop to that

Plenty more I should be doing that isn’t so relaxing! Toddler is in a very inquisitive mood though so I’m not sure sorting through a BRC from the sofa would result in anything but mayhem.

The very mention of James Herriot makes me feel all cosy and happy. My mum had a book that was a collection of his cat stories, I used to love reading it as a child. Might have to order myself a copy of it.

This morning has been DH's turn for alone time so this morning has been spent hanging out with DD:
❤ made beds
🧡 wrapped DH's birthday presents for Monday
💛 made Happy Birthday posters with DD
💚 Read DD a book on my bed and had a really good cuddle
💙 Made sausage sandwiches for lunch

DH wants to do some baking this afternoon so I'll probably get on with cleaning and tidying this afternoon, whilst he and DD do that. We normally go out for a walk in the park after lunch but it feels a bit chilly today. I kind of want to stay inside.

Thing I'm proud of- putting the happy birthday video montage together for DHs birthday. It's been a bit of a faff to contact everyone and ask for their clips, and then awkwardly having to remind them again. But its really come together and I know it's going to mean a lot for DH to see these faces. So I'm glad to have done it.

That does sound really lovely fluff especially at this time!

Ah give :( I wondered if that was why. I am really hoping the increase in education will help future generations.

ta da
💚LOL (DH has started it) put in dryer
🧡new LOL
💚sorted through some of the game piece/card box - some collected together, some unsalvageable ones recycled, a few put in correct games
🧡emptied a pretty storage box of random crap - I did the two matching ones the other day. All stashed upstairs as currently if they stay in the living room they’ll just become BRCs again!
💚went round collecting and rehoming a few more random bits of Duplo etc

Crashed now. Going to ring the GP for DS and then hopefully have a rest of some description.

Just thinking of all the things I wanted to get done over the Easter holidays... oops 😳

Quiet this afternoon! Hope everyone is having a good day.

ta da
💙another LOL, other one in dryer
💚phone call with a GP, they’ve sent another prescription for stronger antibiotics and steroid cream over to Boots for DS (eczema infected again)
💙more wandering around rehoming random bits and pieces, putting various woolly winter hats in the cupboard etc (although weather has turned - but at least they are accessible and not lost around the house now I guess)
💚watched more Gavin and Stacey
💙sorted more game pieces
💚raided a BRC
💙collected some rubbish from our room
💚collected a few games we can give away as local psych hospital have also said they’d love some
💙got DD1 to put some books in a box, need to relocate more boxes for DS to pack some up too

It’s been quite a productive day for me, it’s been nice just sitting mostly on my own and pottering about sorting stuff. Got a bit more to sort after dinner or the hallway will be left a mess. And I’m going to sort the duplo as we can give the animals/vehicles to the playgroup I hope (will ask FSW when she’s off work next week, otherwise we will put aside for charity)

Then watching Paddington 2 I think :)

Productive day at work today.

🖤 Cleaned the bathrooms 🤮

💙 Shone the sinks!

💚 Cleaned the mirrors.

💛 Wiped wood trim with some wood polish I found.

🧡 Got yelled at over the phone by a customer because she got charged a late fee when she paid it that day.. it was late! 🙄

Not sure I'll do any more cleaning at work today, but feel I've done more than my share, and probably a better job than the actual cleaners when they were coming.

The thing I'm most proud of right now is that we just paid off one of our credit cards on Wednesday! We have worked hard to get to this point. Just a short, few months ago it had a balance of over $11,000 on it. We will still use it as it's a rewards card and we have enough points to buy all 4 of us tickets to the UK now.

lane it really sounded like a sweet moment when you were playing on your piano and Cagletini was singing along!

Wow that sounds good Hazel are you from the UK originally?

Lane great list.

Fluffy I know which book you mean. I found it at my aunts and I used to read it when I stayed there. I think DD had it when we sorted out the house and contents. We kept a lot of it intact for about ten years after her death so we could go and stay. It meant I saw my sisters too.

Ta Da
Vacuumed through downstairs.
S&S
Sorted chickens and fed them and cat.
Spent most of the rest of the day in gRden. DH dug a bed that I started. Lifted a plant and moved it to a better place.
Made a trellis out of bamboo canes like I saw someone had done in a magazine on their summerhouse. I have a delicate white clematis climbing on it.
Trimmed a few plants and repotted a few.
DH emptied fourtroughs ready for new compost arriving sometime from a local small firm also bringing wordchip to suppress weeds.
Made tuna mayonnaise with spring onions and gherkin with mayonaise for lunch and fish cakes for tea with new potatoes, spring cabbage and an egg.

Don’t quite know what happened to my evening after dinner didn’t get anything else done other than nice family time watching the film, and I ordered a DVD for next time too, so it was a lovely evening if not as productive as I hoped!

I am considering braving town tomorrow. I really need to bite the bullet. I can collect DS’ meds and then get some shopping.

The ridiculous thing is I’m nervous about getting the bus back (no way I’d manage carrying shopping back, it’s uphill as well. I was always on buses before this so being scared about it is really weird, I don’t even know what I’m worried about especially as I’m fairly convinced we’ve had the virus already.

Chances are the bus will be practically empty Lane. It's hard not to worry though.

Give - I'm sorry you and your female relatives have been through such awful relationships. I got out of one at a fairly early stage when I was much younger, its so important for young people to learn about the warning signs.

Well, another day gone by. Much needed rain today. Yoga by zoom this morning, I am really enjoying my classes. Zoom coffee with friends this afternoon. In between a bit of work and a few jobs.

Cleaned out the DW filters (gross) and got all the hair out of the rollers on the vacuum.

Dusted and hoovered downstairs
Swish and swipe
Dinner
1xLOL

Things I am proud of. Last week, for the first time in living memory my Yorkshire puddings rose! I am a fairly competent cook but my Yorkies are a standing joke. I hardly ever try now as DH's are better. I couldn't understand it as we use the same batter recipe, same pans, both heat the fat till sizzling. Turns out he uses cooking oil and I use the goose fat I buy for roast potatoes at Christmas. I switched to oil this week and voilà, lovely puffy Yorkies. I was so chuffed.