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! 🍒👋

Meg 😆😅🤣😂 i am sorry but that is hilarious! 🍪

zoo i think he might have attempted to help out a bit

I want an Ikea delivery

meg that's a classic!
That men help a bit usually more a hindrance or causes muttering underneath/rage cleaning that they only lifted finger cos been yelled at.I want rest my IKEA order.sadly D's wardrobe/bookcase with doors STILL out of stock😖

Dd2 got hysterical with anxiety during camhs email session- to point said wanted to die.post session I chew up keyworker via email,remind her DD awaiting meds and is quite fragile.tread carefully how hard try to push her
Took her walk after had cry 3HOURSshes "ok" now but I've told her she MUST come find me feels like that again and I want her where I can see rest dayshe promised..hoping just hysterical talk of major panic attack

Tada
DS and lil zoo lunch
Field call from iass
Take DD out walk
My lunch

Sat scrolling SM since..
I HAVE to dismantle furniture in girls room ready for IKEA delivery tom so there's space to build and put it!

Oh poor DD2 zoo :(
:o at the biscuit story.

Back from a nice lunch with friend and her baby, and then a quick walk in the park. Was lovely. Talked a bit about careers too as I was telling her about the course I’m doing. I still don’t really know what I want to do though 😂

She was also asking if I’m planning to get back to tutoring and I really really should but confidence is not a thing at the moment (or at all since Cagletini was born tbh) aaaaaaargh

Anyway DH has taken DD1 to try the new dance class so that’s exciting, I’m watching TV for a bit

PO3.2
❗️Start putting things in the diary as I found it earlier
❗️Brain training apps
❗️Measure my earring posts and order new ones

Thank heavens it's a little cooler now. We had the storm last night and had to dash round taking things down in the garden - really blew up out of nowhere with very strong gusts of wind.

I've helped out at the A level results day today, and DH needs to up his days of work from 1 to 2 starting from next week. Even 2 days is obviously not full time but we've enjoyed being at home together.

DD gets up in the morning, opens her laptop and stays on it pretty much all the time. She can be lured out of the house for ice cream, and she managed to wake early and get dressed when we had to take one of the cars for a service as her steel trap mind remembered killing time in McDonalds when my car was serviced last time. I had forgotten this detail, but we called in to McD's on the way home and had a half-price breakfast! May do that again next week as it is so cheap!

That room is gorgeous (the doll house) and I like the slide as well in the other room. All too soon, you'll have posters on the wall - enjoy it while you can howl. Kicks - so exciting!

That’s hilarious meg!!😂

Oh poor DD2 zoo bless her soul❤️

I’m glad your day with your DF went well sing!

chic the storm was like that here too, they do just seem to come out of nowhere. I’m glad it’s cooler for you!. Thank you for the room love, I do love it!. I’m dreading when they want their own style😂 not sure how I’ll cope with 4 smelly teenage boys.

DH is home in half an hour! Counting down the seconds. If the weather holds off we might go to the pub for tea and to let the DC run around. I’m getting a bit of cabin fever.

that's one of my favourites haven't had it for ages 😋

I love the hazelnut one best.

I have written some stuff in the diary but I have a strong feeling I’m forgetting something, or indeed several things! 🤔

ta da
Dressed me and boys
Made beds
S&S
Made breakfast
Fed and watered animals
Saw DH off to work
Cleaned up from breakfast
Made muffins
Cleaned up from lunch
Let kids in garden
Gave house a quick flick before DH got home from work
DH made tea
Washed up from tea
Walked dogs (much cooler for them now)
Showered DC

Oh and planned Christmas presents

Just dropping by to catch up. No storms here (we are away for a few days) - the temperature dropped a bit today and it has rained a bit but still incredibly muggy. There are a few places we want to visit here and we have been trying to plan round weather forecasts but they keep changing. Tomorrow is all sorted though.

I read through the thread this morning and had various personals in mind but didn't have time to post, will try and remember.

Bower - glad about the negative results but sorry about all the uncertainty around work for your DSs and sorry you aren't able to see them all.

Howl - your boys bedroom looks amazing.

Meg - DC fighting with themselves - yes, that has been known to happen here too

KCCs - years ago I was sent on an effective speaking course at work. We all had to speak about something we knew about but others probably wouldn't. I talked about conservation work I used to do at uni. One man had been a petrol tanker driver and talked about that (it was actually interesting). One person had a 16yo work experience student with them, and the facilitator asked them to speak on the spur of the moment. I would have died at that age. But this boy was at Harrow and, oh you can see what they get from their education. He was completely unfazed and talked confidently and with great wit about life at the school, he was really down to earth and friendly too.

The last thing I bought just for myself was a nail varnish on Saturday. I've only just chucked out about 20 of them .

Christmas presents 😨 I haven't even thought about uniform shopping yet never mind Xmas 🙈🤣

Ta-da's (actually have a few today)
🐮 didn't get to sleep until nearly 3 so just threw chocolate crepes at the DC while I drank tea, watched the Michael Mosley thing and tried to wake up a bit.
🐮 went round downstairs with a bin bag collecting rubbish. Planned to do upstairs too but didn't 🤷‍♀️
🐮 DGM called round for a cuppa
🐮 tidied sitting room
🐮 sorted god knows how many loads of clean washing which were just sort of heaped around the place
🐮 put board games away which had been out since Monday
🐮 made lunch for DC
🐮 everyone dressed eventually. Realised no nappies left for DS4. Neighbour to the rescue bless her. She had just got back from Aldi but went back out for me. She's a ⭐️ . I went to farm foods for her for heavy stuff on the way home tonight as a trade off because she doesn't drive.
🐮 dishes
🐮 took DC to national trust place we went to yesterday because we had a blast and when I checked they had spaces for today. May as well get my money's worth out of membership
🐮 made sheekh kebabs (think that's what they're called, the ones that are sausage shaped?) for dinner. Still haven't sorted new oven. This really does need to go way at the top of the to do list.

Oh yes uniform shopping is on the priority list. The shop isn’t opening so just have to measure and order and hope for the best!

The others just got back. Luckily the new dance class is near enough that DH could come back between drop off and collection.

Dropped my phone and it posted 🙄 only needed to add swept downstairs.

Doesn't seem like I've done a lot but DH tackled the kitchen a bit after dinner so it actually looks loads better.

KCC - bought myself a pack of dime bars today 🐷 DH bought me a Harry Potter backpack the other day. He'd called into the shop for a bottle of water for DS1 who had just been sick (he gets travel sick) only thing I had to give him to puke in was my handbag. He said it was like fate when he saw the backpack so he got me it (I love HP and also love a backpack so he got some brownie points for that)

DC want to go to the beach in the morning to watch the sunrise. It's really foggy at the moment but I've agreed against my better judgement so I'm trying to get them all into bed at a decent time as we'll have to get up about 4am to get everyone sorted and get to a good beach in time.

Off to find my dime bars....🍒👋

Apologies for going awol for a couple of days. It’s meant I had lots to catch up on while I had an enjoyable soak in the bath tonight.

I’ll try and remember my personals...

Double how irritating about the broken oven. glad the weather was good for the NT visit. There’s a few lovely ones in our neck of the woods.

Howl yay for holiday booking. Love the slide!

I’m jealous of your hedgehogs zoo and ED. Lovely photo, I love watching the sunrise, and I agree, there’s nothing better than a new baby

Don’t apologise for rambling bower. I love reading your posts.

Meg - like the idea of your brain dump. I’ve done similar in the middle of the night when I can’t switch off. Just scribble it all out onto a notepad so it’s unloaded. ‘Sliding doors’ type stuff fascinates me. I loved the film ‘The Butterfly Effect’ for that reason. Lol at the biscuit in your hair. I have a friend who got home from a new job to find a baked bean in his beard. He’d had them for breakfast

Sing I get what you mean about relaxing/fun stuff actually adding to the to do list. Could you try one day a week as a totally free, no list, do-what-you-fancy-and-it’s-fine-to-achieve-nothing day? I have the odd day like that and just find it breaks up the relentlessness of the never-completed list. As long as we are washed and fed everything else can wait (I do try and make sure we at least tidy up after ourselves on those days so the next day isn’t a nightmare). You always seem like you do what you need to to me. I actually would have cried over the choc I think. Awful about the cash being taken.

Tidy, hope you aren’t still feeling too overwhelmed. You’re making progress all the time. A practice school run sounds productive and no one can be expected not to wilt in that sort of heat!

Thanks for the milka Chic. Also my favourite, hope you don’t mind sharing fun Foxes.

Waves to That, Lisette, Home, Merry, Mc, Cleaner and I’m sure I’ve missed someone so extra wave to you. SC hope you’re well and enjoying some time out.

Thank you ED!

double it been playing on my mind a lot lately! By the time the kids go back in sept I’ll start preparing for baby and then it’ll just fly by.

Dsis had a lovely birthday today. She got lots of arts and craft supplies and has been drawing for everyone. I had a little cry but have pulled myself together for her, she’s becoming such an amazing young woman and I’m so so proud of her. Sorry for rambling here! But she’s just incredible. When she was 2 she told me she didn’t want children because she wanted to be a doctor and they’d get in the way😂. That’s enough of me being soppy now I’m making myself upset!

ta da
Put DC to bed
Showered myself
Left DH to tidy the downstairs
Collapsed on the bed
DH made me a cuppa and a slice of cake
Currently watching call the midwife together

So Tuesday (my day off alone) went off track as DH did indeed come home at lunchtime. I managed to clean the fridge, benches and cupboard fronts after DN left, but then DH was insistent on us going out and enjoying the nice weather, so he treated me to lunch outside our favourite restaurant and then we had a walk around the harbour and up to DD’s nursery to pick her up early. We finished the night playing in the garden. So my plans went out the window but I can’t deny I enjoyed it and I hardly put up a fight when the restaurant was suggested.

Then yesterday it was an early start and off for DD’s birthday trip. She was very excited by her first train journey and also her first hotel stay. Wanted to go to bed at 5pm when we check in . We had a great, but very hot and tiring, day.

Today the temperature has really dropped here. We arrived home at lunchtime and having had a decent walk around between breakfast and the train home have felt no guilt that we’ve had a lazy afternoon in front of the TV while DD has played. Only ta das are unpacking of our overnight bag and putting away DD’s toys. We had burger and salad for tea cooked by DH, and the dishes will wait until tomorrow. I’m still on annual leave and although I’d planned a lazy day with DD she wants to go to nursery! DH should definitely be at work so it looks like I’ll get a second attempt at my productive alone day!

KCC - I do the odd presentation at work now and then. I find the thought of it and the minutes before are the worst part. Once I start talking it’s not so bad. I’d probably talk about something work related to be honest (medical/physiology type thing). I’m a bit at my lack of knowledge about anything else that I could talk for more than a minute about. Maybe I could witter about flylady/decluttering for a little bit

Last thing I bought myself - I have just ordered myself some converse ballet flats after noticing that my current converse are looking a bit manky and remembering how much I loved my last pair of these ones. Found a good price too.

Anyhoo, I’ll head to bed and I’ll be checking in with my to do list in the morning. Night all.

Aww that’s lovely howl
:o at the baked bean beard!!! He could have said he was cosplaying The Twits I suppose?

All of us are a bit flat and unmotivated this evening. DH ordered takeaway and that was a bit meh too! DD1 did enjoy her new dance class at least. Hope she’s tired and sleeps better.

Water company have put info on FB confirming that there may be issues, but no problems for us yet. They’ve set up water stations which we can’t get to but a friend has offered to take us if we need and we will phone the company in the morning if necessary too. Still got all the water saved (and clingfilmed, plus drinks bottles in freezer) anyway.

DH has to run errands tomorrow and it is DS’ second zoom meeting with his worker, it’s come round so quickly and we haven’t tried the stuff she recommended or even set up our own routine yet, so that might be awkward. This is the kind of thing I mean when I refer to not keeping on top of stuff! 😳

Other than that I just have to keep powering through the assignments. If I could have them done and submitted by the end of the weekend it would be really good. I get more chances to add stuff if I miss anything, so they really don’t have to be perfect.

ta da
☔️discussed list with DH
☁️wrote some assignment answers
☔️found and ordered correct sized (I hope!) earrings
☁️looked into prescription delivery service as it’s on the list!
☔️collected water in case of supply issues
☁️lunch out and walk round lake
☔️brain training apps
☁️quick tesco order
☔️wrote various commitments in diary for the first time in months

Dd2 was up all night with panic attack
We have IKEA coming between 8-12
Lil zoo hasn't empty bedside drawer or wardrobe when went dismantle busted chest drawers last night so I left it.if still not done go lob everything binbag to sort herself later
Hoping get all built today-2wardrobes,chest drawers,bookcase

I love building IKEA stuff zoo.

Well we got up at 4am and went to the beach for the sunrise. I'll attach pictures and let you guess which was ours 😂

All knackered now. Plan was to get stuff done in the kitchen today since I've done no zone stuff (or indeed anything else) this week but we'll see..

Unless you in tropical paradise I'm guessing right side double?

I've just LMS as lil zoo sit there making no attempt move stuff despite be asked.ive not room swing fucking cat in there,let alone build anything but can't build n move it in as back and shoulder aren't good today
Wish I hadn't even bothered order it.i could easily just get it all dump in back garden and let it rot

Weeping with laughter at the sunrise photos. We have a special name for our sea fog up here - it's called the Haar. Despite living a bit inland we get it near our house. Morning all. As you were.

Ooh I do like the look of converse ballet flats. Never heard of them before. Having second real coffee now as opposed to decaf.