August already?! Time keeps flying like the Fledglings!

[SingToTheSky]

Hello and welcome to the (slightly early) August Fledgling Thread! Join us for housework chat and a ridiculous amount of non housework chat too.

We follow (supposedly) the FlyLady system, which helps you gradually build up a set of routines. This month I won’t be putting regular links on, but there will be regular references to whatever the current zone and daily focus is. Please ask if you need any further info!

Here are some links to get you started (but don’t sign up for the emails as you’ll get inundated!)

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/ - a set of little tasks to gradually add to your day - some are a bit twee so pick and choose what you want!

www.flylady.net/c/sp.php#missions - this updates weekly with a set of five specific tasks for the weekly zone - worth checking for ideas! I will try and remember to remind us what zone we are in. It changes on a Sunday and we will be starting with Zone 1, the entrance/porch/hallway, and dining room if you have one.

www.flylady.net/c/lp.php - this contains links for most other things so is a good place to check if you don’t know where to start

It looks like the focus of the month for August is LAUNDRY - getting into the habit of a full load washed, dried and away each day.

Also I was bored a while back so I put together a little glossary of the many weird and might-seem-a-bit-cliquey terms. We have been going a long time but we always love newbies - hopefully this list will help you settle in.
KCC - the Keep Calm Corner, invented by our lovely Fledgling SC back in March, where the OP posts nice diverting links, memes, questions etc to distract us from the pandemic.

Ta Da - instead of a to do list (which is of course welcome too) we often post our achievements, with accompanying jazz hands, in order to celebrate the positives, however small they seem! Sometimes if we want to share an embarrassed giggle/commiserations we also post a ta didn’t - the stuff we didn’t get done. Oops.

BRC - Bag/Box of Random Crap. These are usually formed when we are panic tidying and shove anything in “to sort later” which is also known as a stash and dash.

Power of Three or PO3 - the idea that if you’re feeling really unmotivated/overwhelmed by your to do list, you just choose three things to do, and then post when you’ve done them.

Cherry Waves - borne of a typo of “cheery waves” this is now - to the extent my autocorrect just changed it again - often how we sign off. You may also see it in emoji form! 🍒👋🙋🏻 (😷 for socially distanced waves!).

Haughty Corner - this is from a typo of the naughty corner - the virtual hangout spot where we hide from housework and eat virtual snacks.

Future Friend or FF - the idea (apparently coming from The Organised Mum Method) of doing something to make life easier for yourself in future. Includes things like choosing clothes for the next day, getting bags ready etc.

DLMS - didn’t lose my shit - in other words, somehow stayed relatively calm despite a stressful day!

SS/S&S - Swish and Swipe - this is one of the key parts of the morning routine, a quick once over of the bathroom.

And a few basics:
LOL - load of laundry
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer
DW - dishwasher
HSL - hallway, stairs, landing

And finally, for any Fledglings old or new who are trying to lose weight in lockdown, here’s our new body clutter banishing thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/weight_loss_chat/3975886-Body-Clutter-Be-Gone-The-Fledglings-Weightloss-Thread?pg=1

I’ll stop waffling there. Welcome one and all, a huge thank you to KTCluck for steering us through July while also working, and away we go for August! 🍒👋

Well my moaning about putting the oven on in the heat has come back to bite me on the bum. It broke halfway through cooking sausage and chips for the DC. So I'm now using the little fryer to do it all in batches 😤

So that's tv, hoover, laptop, printer and now oven that I've had to buy in the last 4 months. My bank balance can't take much more 😭

Oh no Double. If it's any consolation we have had to replace WM and fridge-freezer and spend £150 on a DW repair all since lockdown. Ouch.

DoubleI've lost kettle, microwave,toaster and blinking hoover won't charge.not as major but still bloody annoying

Sing that's horrid

Foxes most wrong pizza- carbs,fat/protein,sauce counts as veg.thats a balanced meal imo!

I braved my room.near melted
Third of it has been return usual locationsif I can bear enter in even hotter weather I shall continue tom

Watered plants

foxes I’m struggling with dinner in the heat too. I’ve resorted to eating our most days but DH did a pasta bake tonight. It’s just to hot and sticky for anything.

sing I could go for hotdogs now but DH has already got the pasta on!. I might save them for a holiday.

Good luck zoo! I have never tried weighted blankets my self but a friend has twin boys with autism and they work really well for them.

That’s crap about the money sing

ED I’ve also done the cold bucket, and had 2 fans on me. I’m considering getting the pool in the living room and just chilling in it. It’s lovely to hear you have such a good relationship with your teens, the positives do seem great I’m just nervous for the change of the relationship. I have about 10 years until I need to worry yet anyway!. Not needing childcare sounds like bliss though, the nursery fees are so expensive! Will look out for tics!

Oh that’s crap double! Will it cost much to replace?

I’d love hedgehog babies! zoo

I’ve realised we don’t need before school club as DH will be able to do the drop off. So he can do DS1s drop off and I can do the nursery drop off and both pick ups which makes everything much easier. Also attached a pic of the kallax in the boys room.

Ta da
✅SIL came over so had a chat in the garden
✅DH came home from work
✅Drove to local park and walked dogs around for an hour
✅DH made tea
✅Let chickens out again
✅Showered DC
✅Cleaned inside microwave
✅Wiped down cabinets
✅Washed up and put away from dinner
✅Hung laundry out
✅Put animals back in their places
✅Looked for holidays
✅Booked holiday

We've got a hedgehog corner on the patio, we have one large, one medium and one small hog. Medium and large are jostling for territory, they go face to face and medium makes a lot of loud huffing noises.

Hello everyone! This thread is flying ahead (pun intended 😬).

If my DH wouldn't stop moaning about everything soon, I swear I will start building a new patio... Today he is in a bad mood, and everything is not to his taste. He is a bit of a moaner generally, and I am usually quite good at ignoring it, but not today. Argh. Exasperated.

And I am craving junk food, specifically big Mac with large fries 🤤 But I can't. I've already had dinner and that would be just too excessive (and I've already put on enough weight).

Ta Da for today:
🎉 Kitchen S&S
🎉Got two sets of drawer dividers to sort out some kitchen drawers. Most of my kitchen is already decluttered but there are 3 drawers with random junk that are left to sort out.
🎉Pinched/pruned indoor plants that needed it.
🎉Put fertiliser in the garden - a bit late in the season, but I completely forgot to order it until now.

Gah. Now for some 'me time'.

We’ve got rain!!

of your rain Howl

Thunder and lighting really bad here. The kids are awake and in with us. No sleep for me tonight

Lovely bedroom pic howl!

ta da
🥵yoga
🥵autism support meeting
🥵wrote out evening routine and showed DH
🥵maths with DD1
🥵booked film to see with friends!
🥵laundry
🥵reading

Hope it dies down soon Howl. It's forecast for tomorrow here. Still 23° outside and 26° inside.

Late one! Sorry I have been gone the past couple of days, just been doing lots to get the home looking nice and also been dying in the heat. We have a thunderstorm here as well, which has cleared the air a bit so I’m super grateful for that

Still hot here.20oc overnight.not impressed

For those not on FB,here's me n lil zoo watch sunrise at end our road.she woke me at 4 unable to sleepso I said we could.shame was cloudy.id hopes as rains forecast today would be glorious deep red.nevermind.she still enjoyed it

zoo It's cool to be able to catch a sunrise!
Howl hope you managed to get some sleep, it's a mighty thunderstorm here as well. And love how the Kallax looks!
ED and zoo I'd love to get hedgehogs in my garden, those creatures are adorable ☺️

Let's see what today brings.

Meg your Survive The Day to-do made me smile ☺️

Tada
Walk an hour and watch sunrise
Made banana sunflower seed muffins
Quick living room clear up
Sweep all lower floors
Littertray and bins
Clear up furballs on stair carpet
Open D's windows

Todo
Start resorting my room
Wash lower floor

Goodness I have a lot to catch up on.

Morning all. Another glorious day here. DH declared it too hot yesterday so I decided it is our holiday week. So we sat under the tree and buddleia and did a crossword and later read. Moved around the garden and went inside for a while.
Ta da yesterday
Washed a set of curtains.
Washed towels.
Swept kitchen
Washed up twice, wiped worktops.
DH washed up and wiped work tops.
Vacuumed downstairs and half way up stairs😚 ( forgot to go back and change to small vacuum to finish stairs).
Made scampi and chips, lots of salad,turned Everhot right down afterwards.

Today
We finished carrot cake yesterday so I might make a chocolate cake. There is one over on another thread that sounds delicious. We are eating really healthily except once a day usually around 3:30-4 pm we have a mug of tea and something yummy.

Will try and catch up on your busy lives.

DS1 is now off work and being tested today. A work colleague came back from holiday. She works in a different area so hoping not too much contact. He spoke to DH. So that is two of them off to do with work. DS3 has gone back to work. DS 2 goes back this week. He has 3 tests to date all thankfully negative.
This is looking like I can’t see them which is what DS3 said should happen. I haven’t seen him since February mind you I haven’t seen DD for over a year😥 but DS3 is only five miles away. He doesn’t drive and rightly won’t go in our car. You have to go through the house to the yard which is very small. We talk to him on the phone every week.
I think we might go for a drive out today. I haven’t been out of the village for about a fortnight / three weeks.

Morning all. Am shattered this morning as hot weather means the toddler doesn’t sleep 🤬 I arranged with DH that I’d go out this morning to get some of my assignment done in peace. Not feeling very motivated but TBH if I stay here it won’t get done either I reckon. I have some bits to get in town too.

My friend phoned last night, which was lovely, and we are hopefully meeting soon. It’s crazy how much life is suddenly speeding up though - DD is also trying a new dance club (as none of hers are back to normal yet, in fact only one did zoom eventually and she’s not keen on that) which is two evenings a week, all my friends seem suddenly ready to meet which is great but it’s suddenly like we have no free time! And I have studying to do as well, and the gym is open so I want to do that, and I’m very aware I only have a few weeks left to get some mega planning done for DS’ home ed next term... EEEEEEK 😳 something’s gotta give clearly, but I am bad at doing that.

Anyway.

🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
It’s Wednesday! We are still in zone 2, the kitchen. It is also anti procrastination day so do something you’ve been putting off! (Maybe this will be the day we finally put in an IKEA order...)

KCC - errr I’m drawing a blank. So... if you had to give a presentation on any subject with a little time to research (imagining if necessary that you are happy with public speaking... I definitely have to imagine that!) what would you choose to talk about?

Mine would be mindfulness/therapy techniques I think. Or maybe early/ancient board games or animation (especially anime as I’m interested in how that developed) 🤔 I would definitely need the research time for those though, I’m not really knowledgeable about anything! Unless I spoke about autism/adhd etc especially in females I suppose 🤔

I did actually have this task once - when I was in a college class (as part of my apprenticeship) we had short notice to give a brief presentation with slideshow and time for questions etc. Looking back I’m quite amazed I stayed so calm and managed it TBH! I chose “banned books” as my subject then, because we’d had a display of them at the library I worked in and I’d been quite interested. One of the slides I did was listing a few books and asked people to vote on which had been banned. But the answer was all of them :o (included stuff like wizard of oz IIRC)

🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖

KCC public speaking?erm no.not before hell freezes over

I’m with Zoo I hate it. Ok with class teaching as long as I don’t think about it and not keen if TAs in because often feel at least one will have done things better. Don’t mind so much if it is a subject I am really knowledgeable like art and some DT.
I did craft session at church twice for Ladies group but some talked through it and I struggled with that. At school I would have tried several tactics including sitting silently( always works with the kids and they know I am then seething inside so get apologies if Yrs 4&6) but they eventually stopped. I refused to do it after that. Yet same people sit quietly if a visitor brought in.
If I had to do it now I would chose felting as not many people know about it.
I had to do a presentation at college as part of our exam and we were videoed. It had to be about Disabilities and you weren’t allowed to repeat. I had been off the day that they chose. I can barely remember. I think I did Communication and geared it to hidden disabilities ah I remember a bit more. I did not being able to make friends and read this fantastic poem at the end. We had to do a talk, read a book and a demonstration. The tutor was a bit 🤔about my choice. It was difficult to do the demo. I did making bread. I talked about it afterwards saying the person could work along side you so didn’t feel pressured into making eye contact and you ( hopefully) had a good result to share. I was so so nervous but surprisingly came out with a distinction for it because it was a bit off the wall I think! I didn’t get my distinction overall though as I had a horrible morning and nearly missed the multiple choice one. I got it in the essay exam though and we had to do course work where I had 20 /24 distinctions but they didn’t count🤔😢
I am always an ‘almost there’ person. I never excelled at exams. I was gutted. I had had a baby in the middle of the course too. My friend didn’t get it either but a girl who never seemed to do much work did and the whole class were 🙀 sorry rambling now.

DH is 🤬 me off. He is finding out sash windows work. Two of our aren’t working. Painter may have shoved them open a bit hard or they just went on that day. Our joiner had an accident and with that and Corona he is now 6 weeks behind. I am scared DH - not very handy - is going to attempt it. I suggested he washed the windows while he was up the ladder. He still hasn’t done the big shop but is going to get DS1s shopping. We talked about this last week. I may LMS. I am trying not to. This is why I am on here.

Loved the idea of you watching the sun rise zoo and well done with the painting at least it dries quick. My brush is down for a bit.

howl love the room. That Kallax is certainly popular on this thread. I have some for my craft room that I haven’t been in for ages. I have the bright turquoise fabric boxes. Some spaces for yet more books.

Teenagers - phones-we had the same trouble with DD. She grew out of it before her eyes went 🔲 really when she went away to Uni so 19 as she did a Foundation course at 18.

Lovely weather here. Sorry but I like it. I grew up mostly in hot countries. I don’t like the humid weather though. As a teen17/18 I used to get up at 4am in the summer and my pal and I worked her dad’s horses until 6am then washed down horses and yard. I sometimes rode mine if time and then shower and run for the bus for school. Must have been mad. We ran the stables when her dad had a very bad accident live on TV and got told off when we fell asleep in Science once. The other kids told the teacher and he felt really bad especially when Jen turned on the water works ( on purpose). Her dad couldn’t see and had multiply broken bones. He is ok now in his 80’s now. Wrote three books when he retired. Right really must go and do something story for the rambling.

bower "an almost there person" you are so much more than that lovely.excelling at exams isn't the gold standard of a good successful life

if you had to give a presentation on any subject with a little time to research (imagining if necessary that you are happy with public speaking... I definitely have to imagine that!) what would you choose to talk about?

I'd give it on art works depicting medical science/doctors from 17th century to 19th century. I have given presentations before (lectured for a year at a University) but I didn't really enjoy it.

Awful weather here today - rain and thunder and lightening. Ds back to school tomorrow - way hay!