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! 🍒👋

Mc you’ve got it all to come! I’ve had some crazy things on my washing line😂. Thank you on the congrats, it’s lovely feeling the baby wriggle isn’t it. How far along are you now? I’m lucky because it’s my 4th I have felt him really early. It is so magical, I love when they get bigger and you can see their hand or foot. I’m craving sucking on cold sponges but in the way of food I am really craving magnums. I’m super close to my sisters, they’re both younger than me (and I have 2 cousins who are like sisters to me) and I feel very protective of them. It’s weird now they’re growing up and are more my equals than my little sisters. I can’t wait for them to be adults but at the same time I wish they could stay tiny forever!

Oops x post bower, I’m glad your day and DH turned out okay in the end. I’m glad my DH is quite sociable because I love having people over, I’ve struggled a lot with it in lockdown. I’m still meeting up with people though but socially distancing and being very careful. We have a family party type thing on Saturday to celebrate lots of birthdays that we have August-September. So we’re all going my mums nan and grandads as they have a big garden where we can all distance, but it’ll be nice for the kids to all see each other again. Thank you about the pics! The beds were a nightmare to arrange to make sure they still had enough room, it’s going to be even worse if DC4 decided he wants to share too when he gets older😂. We might as well just downsize to a 2 bed!. I love baby kicks when it’s just flutters, not a big fan of when they’re 8lbs and decide to somersault in your stomach😂. That’s so scary about the house! Thanks god all are safe.

We had two sets of bunk beds.
I was convinced Dd was a boy but at about six months I had a dream it was a girl, what she was called, dreamt that she would be an artist and she would become famous( like a household name not as a Tracy Emin) and so far she has fulfilled all but the last. She has got her work in a well known gallery, had it taken to a show in London and she has been in the paper twice up here ( her photo with her work) and her work in an article about two upholsterers. We would just like her to earn enough to live on so we don’t have to keep bailing her out. She rarely asks but we paid her rent for a long time and a veggie box so she wouldn’t starve at Uni.
She had to share a room with DS3.

Well the thunderstorms have stayed away from us so our day out was lovely. 26 degrees and brilliant sunshine. We went to a national trust place and have booked to go back tomorrow. It's supposed to rain here for the rest of the holidays I think.

Haven't really been in much today so not much done. Also haven't sorted out a new oven yet which I really should make a priority.

Did persuade the bigs to at least bring dirty washing out of their room. Didn't think I could ask for more than that since I'm ignoring the mess in the rest of the house. Washing basket is now overflowing though.

Not going out until later tomorrow so will try and get a bit done before we go. Also plan on asking the boys to sort out their art/crafts cupboard in the kitchen because it's gotten to the point that when you try to put anything in half the contents falls back out at you.

We had crashed thunder and big thunder spots rain...that was all.at 930 pm fed scoutcats was suffocating and humid out.awful night as so hot but fan kept me awake.ds onliving room floor,dd2 n I on sofas.upstairs is unbearable.lil Zoo don't bother about that so in bed.exhausted but go get up as 28 forecast today.least 6 degrees cooler than yesterday...

Catching up ......

zoo it was DD banished to the cellar for being a moaning minnie (for attention of new posters - this is a joke) and no i do not class dp as a child, that would be insulting to my children

that

Tada
Cats fed
Harpic lav
Watered outside plants
Wash on
Cleared spice/herb turn table
Wiped it
Wiped all spices/herbs
Wipe area it sits
Put all back
Clear of pile random crap
Remove everything else
Scrub surface
Wipe toaster
Empty crumb tray
Put back
Put back box of oils etc
Spray with fabulosa disinfectant
Wipe all cupboard fronts
Wipe washing machine front
Wipe tumble drier front
Wipe surface
Wash hung on airer
As forecast 60%rain today.its very overcast,but not drop has fallen yet since the thunder spots yesterday.its forecast as possibility from 10 am,but as I really should pop out for bits dd1 couldn't get yesterday I suspect a downpour will occur whilst I'm out.for record if I go be aiming home before 9am

Onto second surface now.go me to actually be working in the right zone!!

howl dc3 and 4 here are going to before and after club at school in september (at the moment anyway) they are operating on reduced numbers though

Dc3 and 4 are squabbling already. FML.

sing sorry to hear of lost £20 and your oven double

howl that bedroom with the mountain looks amazing i cant even keep my dc rooms tidy at the min! Glad you are sorted now re before / after school. I do not think it will take much for our school to say actually, there will not be any before / after school in Sept

bower i am sorry you havent seen much of your dc but good news on negative tests

Ok i have caught up! You have all been very busy

howl i love the 3 bed and slide set up! My lot would love that! They all have their own rooms except dc4 and 5 who share. But dd would love to share with someone (so she says) however when she shared for a week with dc4 they did both start getting arsey!

It rained really hard here last night. It was really loud. 30 yesterday and highs today of 25 thank god! The heat makes me grumpy.

Last night i had words with the "man" in my life. Basically told him he does not do enough and is getting right on my nerves. Then i went to bed.

Ta da
💛 breakfast for dcs 3 4 and 5 (porridge and pancakes)
💚 dry pots away
💜 dc5 changed, dressed and down for a nap
🧡 sink wiped
❤ drain stuff down sink
💙 ordered some bits from Amazon to hopefully help stop the boredom

Now i am going to go and have a bath as dc5 sneezed while eating porridge and i am pretty sure its in my hair

i do not class dp as a child, that would be insulting to my children :o :o :o too true that!

Thanks for all the kind words everyone 💐 feel a bit more human this morning after a nice early night. Not sure if visit is happening today - they’ve not gone out to eat since lockdown and the plan was to eat outside but it’s been raining already, we could get a takeaway and divide it before eating, but not sure if she’s ok with that safety wise.

Howl I love the slide! And how exciting about baby kicks! 🥰

Right I’d best get on with the day or I’ll waste the fact that everyone else is still asleep!

PO3.1
❗️Type up rough answers to some assignment questions
❗️Watch something nice
❗️Look for replacement bar earrings online

☔️☁️☔️☁️☔️☁️☔️
It’s Thursday! So errand day. If the storms don’t get in the way that is.

KCC - what was the last thing you bought just for you?

I bought myself a copy of the handmaid’s tale in a charity shop yesterday. I read it years back, and I want to read the sequel (the testaments) that came out since the TV show started so I want to remind myself. I also want to rewatch season 1 of the show once I’ve read it and then carry on with the rest - I lost track before but they all seem to be on Prime now! I also got a dvd of the film Boss Baby 😂 supposedly for us all to watch as we usually like dreamworks films but I suspect I may be on my own with this one 😂

☁️☔️☁️☔️☁️☔️☁️

Bower glad you got to enjoy your book.
Howl I am 28 weeks at the moment, slowly getting there.
Double hope the oven saga goes well for you.
Zoo I am always impressed with your morning productivity. I am still in bed, sipping on my decaf coffee 😬
That I hope your other half pulls the finger out soon.

Have a good day, everyone!

Sing Boss Baby is funny, I remember giggling all the way through.

KCC I finally got a birthing ball (I don't like that name for some reason). I was resisting until the last minute, but now my hips are starting to get sore, I succumbed. It's great! Also getting my hair cut and coloured this Saturday. Somehow hair salons are still open in lockdown. And my hairs appointments mean uninterrupted me time - love them!

Last thing i bought just for me ..... had a few bits of clothing recently but thats about it!

Morning everyone !

I haven't been on since last week - I haven't been up to much apart from football at the weekend and lazing in a paddling pool with the kids - how has everyone been coping with the heat ? According to the forecast, it'll hopefully break today so it'll be more comfortable.

I haven't really got a big to do list today , I've fallen fully off track. I'll catch up when the weather is cooler . Ds has got football later and Dd1 has got dancing but that's all that is structured today .

Mc I would check about colour. It used to be regarded as unwise when pregnant. I am going back though DD is 29! Things may well have changed.
I am not up yet either. Very restless night, very muggy. I can’t open my sash window.😪 joiner isn’t coming until October. I won’t want it open then.
Going to send DH up the loft today as that is where he decided to put the fan. Thanks Zoo for reminding me we had one.

That Sorry he is misbehaving again. ———————————> for D?H

KCC - I cant remember. It was probably a gardening magazine I bought during lockdown. I like to look at the pictures. I read the relevant bits.

Right must get up. I have ironing to do. Yuk! I really need to do my curtains which finally got washed I might stop after that but I have a basket full. I will aim for 1/2 a basket then do the rest tomorrow. If I do it in the kitchen it will be cooler as I can open the back door. Tempted to follow fledgling and do it out side but it will be noted by villagers as our back door is on the side of the house.
DS1 test negative. Yeah but off now.

Well Cagletini woke up after I posted so I watched a bit of telly while sorting her, had a look at earrings (but got confused with all the different bar lengths and widths!), and haven’t studied yet. Had a nice chat with a friend on WhatsApp and booked lunch table for today as it’s cleared up and friend is happy to eat indoors if needed. But... haven’t studied. DH taking over soon so I’ll go upstairs and try to get stuff done.

I would be so much more productive if I actually got straight on with stuff in the mornings instead of sitting in a daze 🙄

Sat down to study and got a message saying a pipe burst nearby and rumours of water being shut off. So have raced round saving some water. All flustered now! 🙄

Morning all! I got no sleep at all last night so I am shattered. I’ve given up on any sort of parenting today, and probably any flying as well!. Subways will be ordered for lunch and DH will be cooking tea. I’ve got films on for the DC and I’m going to sleep on the sofa. I might do some messy play later after I’ve had a bit of a nap, but the kids are all sleepy too. We have decided on the name Saul Amos for baby boy number 4!. Everything’s feeling so real now!

bower how crazy that your dream practically came true!.

double I’m glad you had a nice day out and the thunderstorms stayed away for you!

Sorry you had so little sleep zoo

THAT oh good to know that some clubs are still on in case we need it. Thank you! I do love their bedroom. It’s really nice that they all want to share with each other, even if it does mean they chat for about an hour before they sleep.

sing I’m glad to hear you’re feeling better, the slides great! I had a go on it when DH was back to hold it steady😂.

Very exciting mc! Not long at all now

meg! I can imagine. I’ll have to invest in a sling in order to make sure I can carry everyone but at least I’ll lose the baby weight!

home I just haven’t been coping in the heat at all!!

That’s crap sing! I hope it gets sorted quick

sing not what you needed.hopw water isn't off to long.check if you have what's classed as "special needs" when our water was off and zoolets were young we got bottled water from our water company?was quite a long time ago,but worth checking this still happens

That any improvement post rant yesterday?ugh at porridge hair

Lots to do today.ikea delivery coming tom

I desperate for a nap,so may have short one now,ready to crack on again shortly

howl subway followed by man cooking tea...can I pop round to eat?

Last thing I bought myself tin paint for my room...

I’m glad the storms clearing the air a bit zoo! And by all means pop round! DH does cook very tasty food!

KCC the last thing I bought myself was some serums for my face. They’ve done really wel actually!

Ooh that’s interesting zoo we are classed as vulnerable - we have the capped rates etc due to the disabilities various household members have. Will definitely ask if it gets shut off - hope it doesn’t actually happen of course but at least we have a few pans and jugs and bottles filled. We also did a quick tesco shop for Saturday with some big bottles - we considered this at the start of the pandemic as we imagined all sorts like vast shortstaffedness causing issues... need to get a blackout kit sorted too TBH! It’s really showed up how “reactive” we are as a household, we don’t really prepare for much and sometimes it feels like one thing after another after another, because we aren’t prepared and everything feels like a much bigger deal than it needs to be!

Anyway I’ve managed a bit of assignment work but have stopped before I do the next one in a few minutes. Focus is soooo bad today and tbh the last few days. Last week I was even wondering about trying to reduce my meds by a third. Hahahahahahaha. No. Not a chance. I guess the heat is making things worse so I need all the help I can get 😂

I was going to have a shower just before friend arrives but I suppose just in case I should have a quick one now instead shouldn’t I 🤔 I’ve barely moved other than collecting the water but I’m a gross sweaty mess again 😳

Well done on the assignment work sing, and I hope you have a nice time either your friend!.

The DC got bored watching films so we’re making muffins. Have attached pics, just to look back on this happy moment when they decide to start fighting each other in 5 minutes and I forget why I decided to have so many children!. DS1 is here, he’s just standing next to me. He’s being very clingy lately.