We may be in our lockdown cages but our wings aren’t clipped! Flapping Fledglings Flying Amicably Through April, thread 2!

[LaneBoy]

Just opening the new thread while I have a chance! All welcome here, join in with the housework chat, the keep calm corner and general ramblings about life in lockdown!
Any of us have been here a long time so we may seem cliquey but it’s never intentional - newbies and returners are always welcome.

😁 toostressy don't worry about inadvertent kisses. I sometimes use the word 'hun' sincerely. Don't know how I've managed not to get kicked of here.

Toostressy lovely to hear from you. Such difficult times for you. I hope you spoil yourself sometimes. Little treats because you deserve it. My mum used to be a nurse in the repatriation hospital when her friend used to come and stay they sometimes spoke about. I think it was pretty horrendous too.

Thank you Lane for the second half of the thread. Loving the memes.

Giveme my MIL bought DS1 a drum when he was about three because someone had bought DH one when he was little! I encouraged him to play it outside🤣

Had a relaxing day.
Gave puss cat her meds and breakfast.
Fed hens.
Watch Mass in London

Cleaned out greenhouse.
Used last compost to pot some seeds. Broad beans, beans and peas. Spinach.
Lunch.
Read for a couple hours and sat in the sun. It was lovely. I moved around a bit and sat in the area that we made last year. The plants in the rockery have grown a bit and it is very sheltered.

Made roast gammon for supper with new potatoes and cabbage and leek mixture.
Eve’s pudding with a little bit of chopped ginger in it.

Washed up and tidied kitchen.

Watching tv with DH.

Lovely photos.

Bad luck foxes. Smelt one once eeergh.

Neighbour had their friends around and another lad. 2 metres maybe observed but why are they having people around. Then the friends started a bbq don’t know what they used but the smoke went through our house yuk. Our local fire brigade have asked people not to have bbqs. These are people that stand banging a drum for the NHS. I don’t go out because they really piss me off.

Nope no noise. Battery is fine as it’s ringing. Really weird.

Regretting not using find my iPhone now 😳

Really REALLY regretting not getting DD1 to show me her school stuff at the start of the holidays 😳😳😳 because she didn’t get signed in to all classes at the beginning and she has absolutely LOADS to catch up on 😳😳😳 and that’s ignoring the maths (I’d already spoken to the teacher before Easter and we’ve agreed she can just keep up with the new stuff for now while we focus on catching up other subjects).

Oops 😳

BGT - I'd dance. It would be a bit of a creaky one now tbh. I wish I could sing, but that's not where my talent lies.

The comments on Twitter about last night's BGT and the 'don't try this at home' were good, people saying they'd 'put the 20ft Unicycle away then' or pointing out that they couldn't do it at home because who would they didn't have the 20ft Unicycle and three swords necessary anyway.

Oh dear, did she realise she'd not done all the work Lane or has it come as a bit of a shock? Hope the phone turns up very soon. DD's school use Show My Homework to set work and the parents can also log in and see what's there. We've already checked for tomorrow, we are both quite enjoying the school-at-home actually but there again, someone else is setting and marking all the work!

Oh no Lane . Fingers crossed it turns up and you get her classes sorted too. I bet you will not be the only person in that position.

BGT... errr... no idea! Will have to think about that one .

Thank you all for the lovely welcome backs.

Today was actually ok at home. Sent in the stuff online for DD1 Brownie badge and DD2 Rainbow badge so I think that was productive. Otherwise we had a lazy ish day.

Have printed some stuff off for schoolwork tomorrow and some stuff for a friend too. Printer is refusing to print properly in colour . Bloody printers. Why are they so difficult to use???!!! I swear someone should just make a home printer that actually works with no issues and they would make a fortune, especially in these times. But hey, I have managed to print what I need in black and white so counting that as a win. Also relaxed just now and watched telly for half an hour which was lovely. Bed now.

Good luck to anyone attempting any kind of home learning / working tomorrow .

Guess who found her phone in her bed.

Fucksake 😂😂😂

Re the work it’s because she didn’t get the codes to sign into the classes so there’s a couple of weeks from before lockdown where she’s missed stuff. And I don’t really want to just forget it as she only started school in December!

Got some of DS’ stuff sorted but he was asking about acid rain so that might be this week’s project

TBH they luckily don’t seem to be that bothered about deadlines. They are, shall we say, rather lax generally! Which is a bit of a curate’s egg. I think the teachers can see she hadn’t got signed in straight away, nobody’s said anything before Easter anyway. The list is written so we will just try and fit in what we can.

Pulled it out the bag a bit (last minute as always) and the plan is written up for DS. Maths is ready for the week, English book has four more pages so will do for Mon/Tues (need to find the other half finished one which is lurking somewhere). Reading Chapter 1 of Kensuke’s Kingdom - might try and get him to read a bit out too. We’ve tried collating his last couple of weeks’ of Country/Person of the week but there was loads missing so he can redo those over the next fortnight, we need to be stricter in supervising him. Acid rain stuff we will start with YouTube as he only mentioned it this evening and I’ve not had time to find stuff yet, but I’m hoping he can get a big poster done on it by the end of the week.

Then we will also try out the new BBC learning stuff for his age, no idea what to expect!? Quite excited at the prospect of it though. There’s some other government backed thing called Oak Academy too but I’m not sure if that’s just aimed at teachers.

Sorry I’m totally waffling now. Feeling both massive relief and huge anxiety about being back to a structured day tomorrow!

For zoo here are the rules etc. Slightly embarrassed 😳

The rules - the lego thing is because DS makes a hell of a noise sifting through massive Lego tubs trying to find pieces :o
And the food rules are stricter because of the difficulty in shopping - it’s not as bad as it was but the Caglets are more aware now that when stuff runs out it isn’t necessarily getting replaced immediately!

The schedule - no idea if this is going to work yet especially as DD will have a lot more work to do and that will need to fit into the evening. DS will probably not need the entire designated learning time (home ed is very efficient :o) but he needs a lot of movement breaks etc anyway. We will just have to see how it goes. Some times are designated screen free, this doesn’t always mean no TV or we might be playing switch together or something, just that we don’t have phones/tablets.

The chores - hoping to add in a bit more in a few weeks but they have some responsibilities. The laundry is their own, they’ve done their own washing for years now but we decided to have set days. Clean sofa just means taking cushions off to check for lost things :o we were clutching at straws a bit because DD1 has had to take over the bins. Due to his eczema getting infected again we have to be careful about his hands getting dirty.

Anyway. That is the insight into our probably doomed-to-failure attempt at instilling some order into our disorganised lives :o (not fussed about their names being on there BTW lots of you know their names anyway)

That looks awesome give 😍 might try some with Cagletini! Thanks for sharing

Right must try and sleep now. If I’m too tired even the first day won’t happen 😂

Taking bets on how long the schedule lasts... days? Weeks? 😳

I'd give it an hour in my place lane then there would be insubordination and chaos as they know from experience if stand together against one adult I lack the numbers to pull it back😔

Stressy kisses are allowed,cos you know you love us
Willow slug comment

Lil zoo discovered French homework had been set she wasn't aware of,cue stressed frenzy as she hates being behind/not get stuff done
We are now good to go for her,no idea how dd2 going to fare

I need do living room part home bleurgh before lil zoo starts schoolwork as has friend on facetime and dishevelled looking is understatement at mo

My Sunday was a lazy day. I did manage S&S this morning and cleaned up the kitchen tonight, but that's pretty much it. Oh I am trying the pickup option at the grocery store tomorrow and booked my time etc, so that'll be interesting.

ILs stopped by again today UGH! I love them but they really don't get the social distance thing, even though they are outside on my patio, it's still not what they're supposed to do.

I did play a game or few of Boggle with DD, that was fun. DH grilled chicken on the BBQ for dinner tonight while I made the side- cauliflower cheese. Delicious. bower I hate the smokey BBQs too, ours is a propane fuelled BBQ and he knows how to cook on it without creating a bunch of smoke. We can't wait to actually have a BBQ again and have friends over but wouldn't dream of it right now!

lane I like your chores list, I have to get more structure in my household again and have the DC help me more even though I'm home more right now. DS has been on the Xbox way too much lately so need to limit that better too. Wish me luck!

Good to see you on here again willow and chic hello to everyone else, hope you have a good morning and I'll see you later as it's late here.

Morning all. First day of wanting everyone to wake up at 8, and I don’t wake up till 7.53, WTF?! Most days I wake up naturally at 6ish lately so I didn’t set an alarm! I do feel better for the extra sleep though. I’ll have to fit in the yoga later instead.

Launch pad

It’s Monday so home bleugh is in order, apparently...

Morning all

Dragged my big two from pits at 730 lane DC 3, 4 & 5 all up of own accord between 6 and 7 which is quite good for the baby

Ta da

💜 dc all up fed and dressed
💛 me dressed to shoes
💙 work for day printed for dc 2, 3 and 4
🧡 check dc1s work online

Morning.

Zoo meant to say I had the waking problem a few years ago. It went on for a few years and for one term I was having 2 1/2 hours sleep and going to work next day so no time to catch up with a pm nap.GP put me on amitriptyline for pain, to get me back into a sleep routine he said no one can function on so little sleep and was amazed I was going to work. I used to be buzzing. The house was cleaner and tidier and I baked a lot during the night. I just took 5mg near bed time and made a regular time even if I didn’t sleep I was in bed.it worked and I weaned myself off it. Back on at the moment due to the stress from work pre lockdown which is probably why I am finding it easier. I also think the “fight or flight mode” has something to do with my more determined to get jobs done. It is things like the painting not achieving that and the housework. Keeping some rooms tidy and clean but not others.

You can’t do everything!

Some good plans there let’s hope they work for you.

Ah the boudoir I never did get it finished last time so will make mor effort this time. I have piles of random crap in here at the moment. It is mostly clothes. I don’t have room to put them all which means there are too many. I can remember a time when I had three T-shirt’s two pairs of jeans and a dress! Some of my things are out of date fashion wise but still good and some are too small but I hope to get back into them. As I am doing most of the cooking I am also dishing up. So I am putting smaller portions. We have one piece of fruit bread or cake a day and twice a week we have a fruit based pudding. I know I shouldn’t but during these times I like to bake and I like to have something as a treat. I have to either walk it off or garden.

Right must get going. Happy flying fledglings
Glad you found us Willow. Sometimes there is so much tweeting we need two threads.

Ans. I would sing with my ninety plus choir. We have been to some competitions and I used to be nervous but find I am much less so now.i wouldn’t do anything on my own.

That you sound very organised. Good start to the week😀

Full of admiration toostressy. Start of a new week. Day off work today. ☕🥐

Thank you bower

Ta da continued

🧡 table cleared and cleaned
💙 table set up for school
💛 dc 1 2 3 and 4 currently in pe with Joe Wicks
❤ swept kitchen

Happy days my uni extension has been approved 🥳

💚🧡💚🧡💚 the keep calm corner 🧡💚🧡💚🧡

Morning all. Today’s randomness:

• a corona meme that makes me all nostalgic for Finding Nemo!
• sage and timely advice about putting too much pressure on ourselves (must take note myself while trying to implement schedule)
• a random batman meme that came up on my FB memories

Today’s question inspired by the start of term: If you designed a school curriculum yourself, what would it look like? What subjects would you give greater/less importance to?

This is unsurprisingly something I’ve thought a lot about over the home ed years, but I’ve never reached an answer really! :o However I’d have a lot more emphasis on the arts for a start, both appreciation and creation. Less use of technology (I think kids learn that so fast anyway and there should be greater emphasis on hands on stuff). A LOT more sport/active stuff. I quite like the idea of doing history more “in order” rather than jumping around as it often doesn’t have context. Don’t ask for much do I :o