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! 🍒👋

Sorry for such a late post! Really busy again today (not housework) but just planning for the holiday. I feel like my minds so full, just want to get off now and enjoy our time. DH has been brilliant lately and really helping out around the house (he’s brilliant most of the time) because I’ve been feeling a bit in a rut and still struggling a bit with this pregnancy and having 3 DC to look after too. But I’ve felt a bit like Dh and I are going about our daily lives and are just sort of passing each other and aren’t making any real time for each other. But just before bed (TMI warning) I got really bad constipation and he’s been sat in the toilet with me for about an hour rubbing my back and showing me Tik Tok’s he finds funny. As gross as it is it almost feels like it’s just us two again and we have all the time in the world for each other. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts! But we’re going to start making plans for date nights once a week.

Thank you lisette, DS2 is so neat and he really looks after his toys, dolls etc he’s so caring. His brothers are the complete opposite😂

Thank you upholder!

zoo I missed your post, I hope DD gets on the courses she wants. Sociology does seem like a good idea.

meg crates have saved so much space here! I really struggle doing meal planning too.

sing enjoy time with your DM, hopefully cagletini will be okay with being weaned at night.

KCC my favourite is definitely mint choc chip!

Bower I hope you feel better soon❤️ Your DS sounds lovely bower you seem so proud of all your DC, it’s lovely to hear you speak about them, your love for them just shines through your posts.

Ta Da
✅Made beds
✅Dressed kids
✅Fed everyone x3
✅Put kids to bed
✅Showered

Happy saturday! It’s quiet on here this morning, hope you’re all having a lie in.

Glad you’re feeling better Meg

Hope you enjoyed the beach Too

Bit late in responding to this but just remembered you asked about elbow grease Hazel. It doesn’t have much of a smell at all I don’t think (although I admit my sense of smell isn’t great).

MC I also meant to say I tumble dried all of DD’s muslins and they are still going strong - they now make fab hankies and dusters.

Sing hope you enjoy your time at your parents. It’s a bit sad about the last feed (lovely to get a photo!) but I’m sure you’ll get more sleep.

Yesterday was a busy day at work and I was late getting home, but I had a nice bath and easy bedtime with DD and came down to one of my favourite Chinese dishes and an ice cold glass of white. I ended up not going to bed until after midnight and polishing off the bottle so it’s been a slow start this morning.

Ta da:
✅ beds made
✅ french toast made for all of us
✅ DW on and sink filled for few hand wash bits

Got some laundry to put in, the dishes to wash and benches to wipe then DH is taking DD out for a walk so I can bleurgh downstairs. We don’t have any plans for the rest of the day. Weather is meh so I’m quite fancying a day of nothingness to be honest.

ED and Bower thank you for the tips! Will most certainly look into those.

Bower what are you planning for DS birthday?

Howl I know what you mean about carving out time for date nights and time to connect with the other half. That's the reason why I completely clear out my Saturdays (on the days that neither of us has to work, although that's easier for me now as I am off out of hours rota at the moment as working from home), no housework, no To-Do lists, and trying to disconnect from tech. The exception of the telly, Saturdays usually cooking together and movie marathon day ☺️

Upholder enjoy your day of nothingness!

Some impressive Ta Da lists!

Sing it sounds like it was a sentimental moment.

🍒🍒👋👋 everyone!

Morning all.
🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂

Happy Saturday! Last day in zone 3, the bathroom and another room. Have some family fun (I am instead abandoning the lot of them and grabbing two days of quiet!).

KCC what’s the first thing you would watch on an average day?
For me it’s often whatever DS puts on or what Cagletini requests! But if I’m up first I usually take the opportunity to watch something myself for a bit like some episodes of the Middle, or before that I was binge watching Hoarders :o DH and I tend to get news on our phones instead.

KCC - I don't watch much telly or youtube videos etc. So it will often be a case of flicking channels around 9pm. I have a soft spot for BBC Doctors at 1.45 on weekdays when it's on and I'm at home plus banter with other fans on MN so that will be my answer.

mc that sounds like a great system you have for spending time with your DP. DH and I are going to spend the evenings with no phones so we can make time for each other.

KCC CBeebies here, the DC put it on whilst I’m feeding the animals. Then we snuggle up and watch some until I’m ready to actually move!

DSF has just been round with some birthday presents for me for tomorrow. He’s got a cake for us and I’ve bagged it up to take to the safari park. We’ve got the pass for the rides too so will be a really good day out and it’s got quite sunny now so hopefully won’t be too wet.

I'm so boring - I'd watch the news!

Very nice meg. Was it frustrating to install? I'd end up with air bubbles.

Evening all. Love the windows!

ta da
🚂got to mum’s flat in one piece despite numerous interruptions to the journey

That is all :o

Night all x

I can't put a screencover on a smartphone so I don't rate my chances with a whole window. That looks really good Meg.

Tada!

Rebooted DW
Started sourdough
Went right through both fridge-freezers and made an inventory.
Planned next weeks meals using said inventory
Checked cupboards
Placed click and collect order
The whole of that took about two hours but worth it, the bill came to a pleasingly small sum compared to the weeks when I don't plan properly
Went for a short run
Flopped in garden
Finished old bullet journal
Lunch
Took DS to work
Went to big town to return some clothes bought before holiday (£32 refunded)
Spent £40 on more clothes, make-up and hair accessories (3 of us with longish hair get through a lot of bunch bands etc)
KFC dinner first since lockdown bloody lovely
Picked DS up again
Home
Faffed about with sourdough
Watched hedgehogs
Gazed at mammoth piles of clean laundry, climbed over them and got into bed.

Ahhh! Just lost me post.

Howl ooh thank you I do love my family it was a lovely thing to say to me I will treasure that. The thing I am most proud of is that they have turned out to be great adults.

Sing what a lovely idea to take a photo.

Meg it looks great. I like the pattern.

MC he’s off for the next few days and he has decided he would like a Roast Dinner lamb or beef as it is something he doesn’t cook himself. He hasn’t let us know which day yet. Luckily our butcher is a small family firm and the shop nearest to us is open on Sundays.

KCC- it depends sometimes I watch something while drinking my tea from breakfast so news, Homes under the Hammer otherwise the afternoon movie or Four in a bed.
Sunday’s I watch Mass.

Had BF and another friend over for tea and apple pie ( brought by other friend) and I made some rock buns. Both were warm out of the oven. They came at 10:30am - nearly 12. Manage to SD in the kitchen but we do all see each other ( garden visits) but not usually together so we had a good chat and friend gave BF her birthday 🎁

Did some tidying and cleaning before they came and two lots of washing up.
Swept floor.
DH vacuumed when I mentioned helping as he sat reading the paper.
Cleaned bathroom

Went for a walk.

I didn’t have to cook tonight we had left over fish pie and apple pie with ice cream.

🍒👋ED a good list there

Meg windows look great!
Bower sounds like a lovely plan for your DS birthday!
Sing glad you got to your mum's ok.
ED looks like you've had a busy day.

I am wide awake with insomnia, browsing through MN.. hopefully will be able to fall asleep soon.

Happy birthday howl plan to do absolutely nothing but relax!
bower sounds like you had a great time with your friends. Pretty sad that we actually have to mention to our DHs that we need help to today and clean. Sometimes mine does it grudgingly without prompting. I hope you get to enjoy your time with your DS, it's been a long time since you've seen him.
ED thank you for answering my question about elbow grease, I had actually forgotten I had asked about it!
Well done on your windows Meg I really like how the turned out, the pattern is very pretty.
zoo sorry to hear about DDs exam results, hopefully she'll be able to find something else she will enjoy, maybe she could study psychology at a later time. I always say everything happens for a reason, so there has to be another path she takes at this time.

I know there was more I have read, but it's about time to get in the shower!
We had fun this week with floating the river and getting in hot springs and pools. We just got home from camping tonight, decided to spend a full day at home before going back to work on Monday. DCs go back to school on Monday as well.
Camping was fun, went out on the four wheelers a couple of times, as well as going into the stream/ creek.
The smoke is actually pretty bad here right now, it is from the fire in North California. It's very sad. I haven't seen anything about the fires but we had to Google where the smoke was coming from. I have attached some pics of our camping trip, including a hike to some falls, a little less impressive than I was expecting, but still pretty nonetheless. We all wore our bathing suits 😆

Oh I actually have some ta das from the last couple of days!
🦋 swept the camper a couple of times (different days)
🦋 cleaned the bathroom in the camper with some disinfecting wipes I found in there that weren't dried up!
🦋 I know there was more but I'm so tired I don't remember!
We did get quite a lot out of our trailer already, but there's still a little bit to grab tomorrow. We also need to get the stuff to put down the toilet for the black tank to kill any germs. I'm thinking that was our last camping trip for this year, unless DH decides he wants to go again (doubtful)
There will be lots to do tomorrow. In the morning I have to go to the store to buy laundry detergent and fabric softener. We might have enough for 1 load tomorrow, and there's a lot more than that to wash.

I thinking of swapping some furniture around in the living-room.

Morning all

Catching up

Good news on results ed

Zoo sorry your dd has to change her plans sometimes things happen for a reason though, she may end up loving the path she ends up on

howl that is some neat packing!

Thanks That.

Hazel - gorgeous pictures. I've been reading about the wildfires on the BBC website, just awful. I have to confess it wasn't me who answered about the Elbow Grease, I mentioned it in the first instance (I'd never come across it before) but a few others had used it too.

MrsT - I like rearranging furniture. Sadly there's little scope for it in this house (small Victorian, lots of fireplaces and alcoves) as most things have been bought to fit a specific space but I did manage a mini reshuffle in our living room a few weeks ago that I'm pleased with.

Having a cuppa in the garden shed while I wait for my sourdough to bake and contemplating making a to do list. New school term is creeping up and since the DCs started secondary school I haven't needed to do much (they tell me if they need new shoes or whatever) but letters have come home specifying new requirements for both so I need to get my backside in gear.

zoo i see bower has given some good advice re options for dd but i must add that Health and Social care is no longer a recognised qualification to work in Early Years, she would need an actual Early Years qualification. This changed in the last few years. She should be able to get on a course for one of those though if that is something she would like to do.

Well done on school run tidy

KCC - i usually watch good morning britain in the morning

Meg your windows look great! I have been putting off doing a couple of ours with similar stuff as i imagine in being a PITA!

I'm sorry ED it was Up who answered my question! I was trying to remember who said what and I'm not very good at that apparently 😅