Social distancing around the Maypole: Fledglings fly into Flylady thread May 2020.

[Lisette1940]

Welcome to the May Flylady thread Fledglings! We are finally coming to the end of Spring and, erm, what a Spring it has been. Keep safe everyone and a special shoutout to Fledglings who are in the frontline of the response to Covid 19.
Lane has been superlative with the keep calm corner and has had a truly magnificent engagement with fledglings all through April – well done Lane!!! I have totally abandoned my routines (and my clean eating) and have been flying perilously close to the ground but am ready for take off again. But we operate a no fledgling left behind policy and indeed Flylady herself stresses that you are never behind in the system – no need to deep clean the house first, just jump right in.
All are welcome here from longtimers to newbie and those lurking – we all follow this zone-based Flylady cleaning system:
There are five zones and at the beginning and the end of the month we usually straddle Zone 1 and zone 5.
(amend rooms to suit your house – I do the living and dining room together as it’s all one room in my house)
MAY
Zone 1 Hall, entrance/dining room (Fri 1 – Sat 2)
Zone 2 Kitchen (Sun 3- Sat 9)
Zone 3 Bathroom and another room (Sun 10- Sat 16)
Zone 4 Master bedroom/closet (Sun 17 – Sat 23)
Zone 5 Living room (Sun 24 – Sun 31)

Pop onto the Flylady website to have a closer look here but be aware that lots of emails arrive if you sign up.

Flylady has an introductory scheme called Babysteps which is a light 31 day introduction to the system – dressing to shoes, shining your sink etc here.

There is a morning routine and an evening routine to keep things ticking over and a weekly home cleaning hour to change bed sheets, mop, hoover, take out rubbish etc. Flylady doesn’t want us cleaning all day so she is very keen on using a timer. Clean then stop!
In addition each day has a purpose: see the daily focus here

Monday: Weekly home cleaning hour (can be split into ten minute sections and spread over week) here
Tuesday: Plan and play (Menu planning, family event planning)
Wednesday: Anti-procrastination day
Thursday: Errand day
Friday: Clear out bags, fill car with petrol, date night
Saturday: Family fun
Sunday: Lift your spirit

Launch pad for guidance every day! launch pad

Habit of the month of May is moving – whether that’s your daily get out of the house during lockdown or in house movement. – moving is not my strongest point apart from pottering around the house…
We also have a naughty corner as a restful break out space and a Keep Calm Corner (KCC). I suspect I’ll be better at the naughty corner rather than the latter but I’ll do my best! Not sure I can muster the memes but I’ll do my best to keep spirits up.
So welcome to the new thread (I hope I haven’t left anyone out): Lane, SC, zoo, Bower, KTCluck, Willow/Megiddo, foxes, That, averytiredMom, fluffliest, ED, Strawberry, Chic, Hazel, Happiness, Cineraria, We3, stressy, and give.

And breathe!

Wish I knew that - productive early risers are a mystery to me so much that it ended up being a main topic in my last therapy appt! I wake up early a lot now (and the toddler doesn’t so I’m not even needing to entertain her, which I do think is a valid reason to not get stuff done FWIW!) but I just vegetate. I tend to faff online “so I can wake up a bit” but that leads to me faffing for a really embarrassingly long time! I need to set myself a limit really. Even if I don’t do physically demanding stuff (or housework that wakes people up etc) I would benefit a lot from actually engaging by brain sooner in the day. Now that I’ve started the courses I’m hoping to use the time for that, or reading or podcasts or drawing. TBH even watching something new/concentratey would be an improvement. The temporary ALW/NT lockdown screenings on YouTube have been quite good for that, as it’s encouraged me to not just put Friends on for the gazillionth time while I continue browsing FB.

Didn’t sleep till about 3am so quite tired here and fighting the urge to eat Smarties for breakfast. We do hope to rebuild the Kallax this weekend though. We should have done it two weeks ago 😳. DH suggested we move everything onto the bed first, rather than shoving all BRCs straight into the empty airing cupboard. I suspect he is right as we can start stacking the shelves immediately (a lot of the games that are going on there are currently in DD1’s room) and then the remaining difficult stuff can go in the cupboard. I haven’t done any BRC sorting since Sunday.

I have multiple PRCs scattered around my kitchen. I should do something about this

Morning!
I'm not particularly a morning person and I do always have a coffee in bed before I get up, when we were doing a school run I'd then have a 7.15 cut off for drinking my coffee so we could get ready. Now I sit around much longer!!

That said - once I want to get going I follow the same routine every day and I think that's my message to myself that it's time to get going, so I have breakfast and a glass of juice then straight in the shower, then teeth, then get kids dressed and teeth cleaned and then I feel like we are ready for action (even if like at the moment we're not going anywhere!!)

So I'm not an early morning person but I do most of my productive stuff before lunch I suppose!

Happy Saturday everyone!

That it’s the not knowing that’s getting to me too. DH has been asked to return to work but nursery have said they can’t reopen until at least June. His company are ok with it so far but for how long? I’m just sick of thinking about it, and how lockdown will end. I refuse to prod you with the pointy stick. You’ve got enough on.

Lane sorry you had a tough day but it sounds like you’ve been productive. I’m going to give working moms a try, and love the idea of an episode as a reward.

SC well done on starting the decluttering! Sounds like a big job but it’ll be so worth it in the end. I’ve said it before on here (and it was a it less of a task in my 2.5 bed semi) but getting rid of the clutter changed my life. Hope your DD isn’t too stressed, that exam decision sounds like a really odd system.

Tired hope your relative starts to improve soon.

Hazel baking with your DM sounds like a lovely day! And your goodies look very tempting.

Zoo for your gardening. Hope the new routine sticks and you continue to get a bit more sleep.

Taken me half an hour to catch up and get this written so I’ll post now before I lose it. To be cont...

Oh yes that coffee alone does count ☕😊

And you did three things too! You are a productive early riser 🏆

Waves to We3 (did you manage the victory rolls? I never have) jig (I also have developed elbow dimples ) Bower, Foxes, Lisette, Chic, Expletive, Fluff, Strawberry, Cineraria, Santa, Dancing and anyone I’ve forgotten.

KCC - person I’m inspired by is my DGM. She’s in her 90s, still reasonably active, has worked hard all her life, looked after us virtually full time as dc while our parents worked, and still tries to help us out however she can now. Her attitude to the current situation has been amazing “can’t be helped, just get on with it, I miss you all but there are people worse off than me”. She just never complains.

My contribution to the war effort - while I’d love to picture myself as a glamorous secret agent, in reality it’s far more likely I’d have been in some sort of nursing / caring role, tending to the injured maybe.

We had a lovely day yesterday. It started raining as soon as we lit our barbecue but we persevered and the sun returned. DH loves the 40s music that was being played down the street. We got the playhouse together and painted as planned, and I got a bit dolled up for the ‘street party’ which made a nice change. We also went to bed with everything tidied up and a shiny sink, and despite a few guns have woken up fresh as a daisy. Winning!

This morning I’ve given DH a tactical lie in as I want one tomorrow (got a boozy video chat with my friends planned). Me and DD have had scrambled egg on toast and I’m just about to wake him so I can start the downstairs home bleurgh.

Ta Das:
✅ beds made
✅ abs yoga, and DD has done some cosmic kids yoga
✅ s & s downstairs (I’ll do upstairs when I have a shower after cleaning)
✅ LOL in and second load ready to go.

Right. Off to wake him. Enjoy your Saturdays everyone.

Wow, lots done already for so many of you! Very, so sorry to hear about your loved one, hope they are on the mend. Of course housework falls by the wayside when things like that happen.

Zoo, great gardening, I'm always surprised by how much of a difference a tidy garden makes to the feel of the house.

Foxes, like you I follow a set pattern once I get going, but the getting going is getting later and later! It'll be my teatime routine soon as this rate .

Hazel, happy mother's day, hope the family step up rather than assuming you can fit in today's jobs next week! What a lovely baking spread, and how nice you were able to bake with your DM. Brilliant idea to get DS to share some British history with his teacher too.

KT sorry nursery / jobs is a problem. Hope it resolves soon.

🍒🙋 to That, Lisette, Chic, Stressy, Lane, We3, Happiness, Dancing, Mrs Hardy, Santas, Cineraria and everyone else.

I'm off to walk the dog and rotate the kitchen!

Baby step 9 is about decluttering here

Daily focus is family fun day. We are 'moving in May'!

Our last day in zone 2 today. From tomorrow we are in zone 3 which is the main bathroom and one other room.

keep calm corner

what skill would you most like to have? For me it's driving. I just never learned and it was a major source of stress between my parents and I think that took seed in my brain. Also I was studying for years and saving for Uni fees and then a house so never had the cash. Other skills I'd like is to speak another language fluently so that I'm not monoglot.

Thank you for all your replies to my KCC questions and for liking the images

Those memes are very relatable 😳😂

Driving here too. Mostly TBF we get by just fine without. We live near town and have great bus services. But it would be nice to have a bit more freedom generally and just to be able to take less time to get anywhere as a lot more time is spent travelling. Sadly the way my issues present themselves it’s a no go. I enjoy the money saved though I guess!

Otherwise - I would love to be good at needle crafts of all kinds.

I’ve done an exercise bike session, wanted to sit outside for a bit and write but we are clearing the table instead (well the others are clearing it, I’ll scrub it after and dear god I hope we can actually keep the bloody thing clear after this) - we need somewhere to put the new computer* later.

*Not actually new - DH mentioned to DSS that our laptop is on its last legs, and he has a spare desktop so he’s going to Drop It Off In A Socially Distanced Manner.

I like chatting to people on buses Lane. We live near a great bus service. Dh has learned to drive late and he loves it - happy to drive our car anywhere. I'm happier on the bus though or the train (even better!)

I would probably say to speak French fluently, I've revisited it via duolingo during lockdown and am enjoying it a lot!

I'm really not doing a lot of housework stuff this weekend so far! Dh has done some bathroom deep cleaning, mowed the lawn, mopped the kitchen, done the laundry and some DIY...I have mostly sat around reading and trying to be enthusiastic about the dc's creative projects which today was sock puppets I feel so mean but it's hard to keep being all "yayyy well done!" when they are around you 24/7

I'm trying to rest a bit and recharge for next week so I can be back to enthusiastic mummy (hmm...not sure I was ever that but hey!)

I will sort the dishwasher in a minute though and I have changed my Tesco order (and battled with the 80 item rule!) , have added treats for dh birthday coming up and have also ordered him some more birthday presents online.

I would love to be able to make my own clothes that fit me perfectly. I'd scour fabric shops for material and all my dresses would have pockets.

Ta das
🦊 washed dishes
🦊 washed bedding
🦊 emptied bathroom bin
🦊 put empty bottles and pots in recycling
🦊 went for a run
🦊 watered the plants
🦊 pancake brunch with strawberries and nutella and whipped cream
🦊 got DH to cut my hair and put a fringe in 😶 he's done the fringe really well but has cut my hair a fair bit shorter than planned. I'm not fussed though. My hair grows very fast and it does feel nice and bouncy.

I'm colouring my hair too, so I'm typing this up as I wait for it to set. Then I shall wash it off and my hair transformation will be complete!

I’d love to be able to sing! I mean, I’m not horrendous but certainly can’t reach the high notes, but I certainly don’t wow people with my vocal talents in the way I dream of. In terms of more useful skills I’d like to be able to sew. I can just about manage to get a button to stay on but I’d like to learn how to do it properly, make my own curtains / clothes etc.

Ta Das:
✅ turfed DH out of DD’s bed and made it
✅ dusted, hoovered and mopped living room
✅ hoovered and mopped hall and wiped down bannister
✅ wiped kitchen benches and cupboard fronts (yet again )
✅ dusted, hoovered and mopped dining room, kitchen, utility and downstairs loo.
✅ 2 LOLs hung out.
✅ DW emptied and lunch dishes in

We’ve been out in the garden since 10:30 including a picnic lunch. It’s just clouded over so may retreat inside shortly.

The 80 item rule seems silly Foxes, especially when other supermarkets seem to have lifted restrictions.

I'd love to be able to see/make my own clothes and learn to play piano

That I find it's like getting up when I'm tired force self to get up without giving self time to think about it or faff about!
I make a list night before of urgent things o need to do,and guesstimate how long will take
For example
7am wash up
720 wipe surfaces
730 put wash up away
740 sweep floor

Etc
I then do a chunk and tick them off,this inspires me to keep going

Tada
Acquired more bread/got a walk in (1hr)with dd2
Wipe shop and put away
Breakfast
Sewing seeds in pots with zoolets
Sweep living room floor
Sweep kitchen floor
20mins on exercise bike
Ab workout
Arm toning exercises
Hot shower
Shave legs
Dd2 drop off a pair table lamp,an extension wheel so I can now right to end of garden and v support pillows for dd2 and I from Argos

Shave lil zoo wolf pelt legs(so thick took four razors)

Lunch

Wash up

Had half hour on my phone

Now watching call the midwife with lil zoo and relaxing

I still finding it very hard sit still and do stuff I enjoy and doing things that are caring for myself as it feels such a waste of time.but I understand it's important to,and will continue to try!

Well I do need glasses,so be able see without them would be nice,but I actually put SEW

Not caught up yet. I am in the boudoir. I can see FLOOR!!! 😱😱😱

We’ve put some BRCs and some organised bags (eg big pile of clothes for charity) in the airing cupboard, but also sorted a fair amount as we went, so it’s definitely not as bad as it could be! We’ve decided what to do with the thin (1x4) Kallax that’s already in here - it is going on its side along one wall instead which will double as a bedside table, surface for the printer/paper etc (and probably a load of other clutter too let’s face it) and then there’s plenty of space for the 4x4 which we can hopefully rebuild and fill tomorrow.

I’ve had to basically force DH to stop though as he was in a lot of pain from moving stuff around. I’m still up here but I’m taking a break to do little easy bits (testing pens, sorting cards etc) accompanied by Netflix. Just going To stretch my legs a bit (been sitting on the floor too long!) then another episode of WM and more simple sorting.

Not watched this week’s ALW show yet - I’d never even heard of it! I will tomorrow though, shame to miss a chance to see something new, apparently it’s really funny.

Very productive lane! Well done! Decluttering at the moment has the added problem of what to do with it all since charity shops are shut , a lot of people are giving stuff away locally but not many takers I've noticed...

I've just made chocolate muffins and I forgot the egg I'm really kicking myself because i used lots of lovely ingredients including amazing dark chocolate which was all I had. The family say they taste nice just the texture is a bit dense and yes they don't taste too bad but they aren't what I wanted! So humph. I'm going to sulk about it

And Tesco now driving me mad because I keep remembering things to add and then I have to sacrifice something from the 80 items! I agree other supermarkets aren't doing it so not sure why they are,can understand a limit on things like flour still.

Yes it’s tricky isn’t it?! Partly my own fault for not having got rid of the clothes sooner - they were lurking in the bedroom (oo er! 😳) for a good few weeks before lockdown started. 😂

That is one of the situations that does make me wish I could drive - being able to take stuff to donate or to the tip, rather than having to arrange collections or swallow my pride and ask someone!

DS has now nicked the iPad for his learning apps (that’s the one thing he’s meant to do on weekends) so I’m back to decluttering another small box. It can’t just be moved into the airing cupboard as it has collapsed some time back under the weight of random crap 😳😂

THAT to get myself moving early I get myself ready, so I get dressed, hair fixed (or curled, depending on how I feel) and makeup on (even if it's just a little) once I leave the bathroom I'm more motivated to get stuff done. Also, just like zoo if I have a lot I want to get done, I also make a list and timing and everything. I thought I was the only one! Once I write stuff down I'm more likely to do it.

lane well done on seeing your bedroom floor!

To answer the question today I wish I was better at sewing. I do more now than I ever used to- I used to hate it so avoided it, now I still don't enjoy doing it, but would if I was better at it. I'm terrible at using a sewing machine (MIL has one we can use if we need to) and DH is better at sewing a straight line using it. He made the curtains for our camp trailer!

I also wish I could speak Spanish. I really should start learning at work since it's available to use, but it's finding the time right now that's difficult.

I haven't done anything yet 🤫 other than having 2 cups of coffee and speaking to MIL on the phone. I've been up 2 hours already (it's now 11am) but I'm still in my pajamas and not got ready. Time for me to get moving, starting with a LOL. See you all later!

Hi all! It’s Give. I hope everyone’s well. I had a social media break. But am back now!. I received a text to say that DC are shielded because of their asthma. Even though we’ve been going out the whole time.

Hi! So glad to see you back. I hope you’re ok. Will you manage shielding alright, with getting food etc?

We’ve had a nice relaxing evening here with takeaway and BGT on telly. I now need to go and clear the crap off the bed from the decluttering earlier. Sigh. It’s not as bad as usual though, I think. Really hope we can get the big Kallax built tomorrow! I’m very glad we kept the spare bits in a tub when we moved in (had a massive delivery of shelving, beds etc so had various extras) as a dowel has snapped.

Right wish me luck!

Lane I’m really good thank you, some time off social media was what I needed!. My step father is going to drop us food off when we need it, and my neighbour will be getting us food when they go to the shops. So we should do okay!.

Oh and good luck!