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! 🍒👋

Yesterdays list of stuff to order

💙 Shoes for ds1 ❌
🧡 Boots for dd ❌
💜 Wellies for ds3 ❌
💚 Last few logo bits for ds1&2 ✅
💛 Water bottles ✅
❤ Trainers for dd ❌

It was going well until realised several things i wanted had gone out of stock. Ffs. Then i had a strop.

Anyway this morning i have woken to find H&M have 20% off on kidswear so will see if can get some bits there.

Ok all ordered except shoes for dc1 which i am having an ongoing debate about (with myself - in my head)

Ta da
❤ ordered school stuff
💛 sorted old uniform to offer on school sale or swap
💚 listed some bits
💜 checked through birthday presents bought for dc5
🧡 sorted some of dc4s old clothes for dc5 and put for wash
💙 wash on x2
❤ dryer on x2
💛 bins empty
💚 bleach upstairs loo (not eny)
💜 me and dc all up fed dressed

I am now officially NOT looking at my bank as it has taken a beating

I think I need to join you. What's the difference between TOMM and fly lady please?

running welcome! One of the major differences between the two is that with tomm you do a mega clean to get the house in order and then maintain it over the next weeks whereas with flylady you just jump in and clean each room/zone as you go along over the weeks.

Hi running welcome! As lisette said the main difference is the lack of initial boot camp type thing, sometimes that isn’t possible. Also from a quick read of the TOMM book recently they have daily zones whereas FL has weekly.

Pleased to discover the late-ordered blazer has been dispatched so should arrive on time. However I’m not actually sure it’ll get much use after the first day - the rule due to covid is now that they have to wear PE kit all day on days they have it. We haven’t got her timetable yet (some friends have already got theirs) but given she has her two compulsory PE lessons a week, AND has chosen both PE and Dance as options (they start GCSEs/BTEC in year 9 there), she may end up needing to wear PE kit every day and not uniform 🤣

Looks like school prep is full steam ahead on this thread! Hope all DCs are gearing up for going back next week. Chic hopefully your DD will settle right back into it once she starts back.
That I really like putting bleach into the loo, but I always end up with splashes of bleach when using it. So frustrating, ruined countless T shirts this way. I am THIS close to sorting loos in the nude

Ta Da today:

• Bathroom cleaned
• LOL: now out to dry on the line, crossing all fingers it won't rain
• Dusting and surface cleaning in living room and small 'piano room'
• Floors hoovered and mopped
• Bins sorted

At some point this week I need to go through my make up bag. And by make up bag I mean a huge sac full of out-of-date make up. The key I guess is not to start looking at it in detail. Planning on chucking everything I haven't touched in a year and keep only the stuff I actually use. Wish me luck.

Feels like it mc we have DS turning 11 on Sunday and then a week until back to school - year 9 for DD1 and technically the start of year 7 (albeit at home) for DS 😱

I’m glad the school email included info about exactly what equipment they need too as we need to sort the pencil case. Because DD1 never started year 7 (joined a couple of months into year 8 last year, after almost 5 years home ed) we didn’t get some of the standard info like that!

I expect she will need extra stuff for art though? As she’s doing GCSE for that. The letter doesn’t say anything about coloured pencils and such but she did need to use them sometimes. She’s got loads of drawing pencils anyway but it would make sense to have some separated just for school use. I’ll need to make another timetable to put by the front door and in her room so she can pack the right stuff. Another reason to get the laminator out, woohoo!!!

Oh and this flipping u turn on masks in secondary schools has meant DD1 is now meant to take a new disposable mask every day, or a clean fabric one, as well as containers or bags to keep them in during lessons 😕

The weather is so crap here omg. It’s rained all day it stormed awful yesterday. I walked up to DM’s with the DC tucked up all cosy in their buggy. Does anyone else get jealous when they see their LO’s all cosy and protected from the rain and you’re there pushing them!. Mom has her house all warm and cosy with the fire on and she’s making cheese and potato pie for us. I don’t want to leave lol.

KCC I haven’t had to do any zoom calls because I don’t work (health issues :() but I hated FaceTiming my family it made me worse. I think I’m the sort of person that’s like out of sight out of mind and I was coping and then as soon as I call or see my family it breaks me a bit. But we’re getting back to normal now, I can cuddle my mum now which I love. And we’re seeing my family at a distance. DC2 was born late January so most of my family haven’t even had a proper cuddle.

I volunteered at a nursery when I was at school and that was great. I’ve always wanted to work with kids. I hate not being able to work I think so many people think that It’s nicer to just be at home all day, but i would love to do a job I loved. I just make up for it by doing stuff with the DC that I’d do at a nursery lol.

Oh it’s good to know that I’m not the only one who falls off the thread lol I’m abit crap with this sort of thing but it’s gonna help me so gotta keep up.

Sorry mc no idea about the cat deterrent my neighbours cat is in our garden all the time but we love her so it’s fine lol. I definitely feel better after having a night out it was great to catch up with some friends child free. We are deffo better off with out ex thank you.

Thank you bower! Cosy corner I love that!

Well done to your son on his blue belt that’s so great sing

howl I’m glad u got ur phone sorted. I had to wait a month for mine once it was such a nightmare omg. I ended up having to use an old Nokia and couldn’t even go on the internet or anything. Was so bad! Hope ur enjoying ur holiday. I don’t have a 5 year old yet but I wouldn’t worry I have siblings who have been that age and they’re all so different :)

Haha sing them duck memes are so funny!

hazel I’m so rubbish at Mumsnet in general lol. I forgot I made this account like 2 years ago, I end up going about my day and thinking oh crap I’ve forgot to post.

Thank you sing love that motto!

chic I hope your DD enjoys her time back at school and it goes well for her.

Oh egg I’m sorry about the health issues preventing you working :( it’s horrible isn’t it. I had a lovely job in a big library for a few years, but got ME/fibro etc after about a year and after a while it just wasn’t sustainable anymore. I miss it but it was the right thing to stop as my health improved a lot once I stopped all the physical work (a lot of shelving, deliveries etc). I am doing a lot better now which is why I’m trying to think about a career but it’s daunting knowing that flare ups are unpredictable. I definitely won’t be attempting full time.

sing I’m sorry to hear about your health issues! It is just so annoying. I was offered a job at that nursery I volunteered at and was so excited to take it and then my health just got worse. I do hope one day I can get into working, like you say part time maybe. It’s just difficult knowing flare ups could happen anytime.

sneaks in while everyone's busy buying blazers

I have not been posting on this thread because I didn't do the report stuff - I have a suspicion that's not what accountability is supposed to mean

Consequently I have spent two or three weeks also avoiding emails (I know, I know, I'm an idiot) and hoping every phone call is a cold caller, which they were until today when the vicar rang. I had stuffing and blood all over my fingers so left it to the answerphone. Was delighted to hear that the meeting is now planned for mid October. Checked email and found some more of the reports, which leaves only two still to chase up.

Sometimes I think I don't deserve my life...

TaDa
went to gym
picked lettuce celery and rocket before it tipped down
did big shop
made stuffing
stuffed hearts, put in slow cooker
put a load of laundry on, oops just remembered it
washed up
downloaded rest of reports, including the one from March that was hiding
emailed Dorothy asking her to send this year's report because she obviously clicked on the wrong one...
emailed vicar, with draft PCC report

S2 has a small job on the school canteen till at lunchtime.
H made four more face masks so that S2 can wear one all day in school (neither of them is impressed by this but we don't intend to argue)
S1 has finally bought himself some new shoes (he borrowed his brother's when we went out on Tuesday). Still hasn't had a haircut because he's waiting till just before he goes back to Expensive Uni Town, so looks quite bohemian (and has a definite red tinge, yay)

ToDo
hang washing (new washing machine turns off as soon as it's finished)
delete some more emails (not randomly, I should add)
last few days' crosswords (see I don't even do the enjoyable stuff)

ToMorrow
email administrator about the church statistics
ironing
do some bloody housework

H is watching the Handmaid's Tale. Does anyone else find it tedious, or is it just because I'm only catching bits of it? (Really should read the book, which I got for Christmas...)

Merry if we kicked fledglings out for procrastinating then I would most definitely not be here :o

Catching up on the thread gradually! Thanks for all the congrats for DS 🥋 🔷 I’m really pleased he had the chance. Fairly early on in lockdown the association said that people could grade online due to the situation, and it’s free as well compared to normal which is £38 here 😱 he was struggling with patterns as it’s obviously hard to teach separately on zoom, but the coach offered one to one half hour sessions to help, he’s amazing (and very patient with DS who’s found it much harder to concentrate online - lots of spinning etc). The deadline is early in September so we just snuck in.

Also thinking about the wise words about moving forward and accepting the new normal, I think I’ve done that quite well in some ways and actually got a bit (quietly) frustrated when friends didn’t as I really wanted to see them 😳. But in other ways I’ve struggled I think as I was holding out for “when lockdown is over” which was a bit unrealistic in hindsight as it’s not really been a case of “over” in a clear cut way with so many things still different. It’s the masks that are the final hurdle I think as I’m still avoiding some things because of having to wear them for a long time.

I have done bugger all since the gym today! Oops.

Gosh sorry about my long waffly sentences above.

Merry glad your to do list explained the blood covered hands! Re handmaids tale I loved series one but I do think it needs watching rather than dipping in and out of (I’m terrible at following plots at the best of times though TBF). I never kept up with the next seasons but now it’s on prime I want to watch again from the start. I read the book years back but recently got it in a charity shop so I can reread it and then read the new sequel.

I haven’t quite kept to my “not buying books as I have loads on kindle” rule 😳 but I’ve read more in lockdown (including some of the kindle backlog) than I had in a few years previously so I’ll still call it a win!

ta da a bit earlier than usual but I’m so tired I really don’t envisage achieving anything else today.
😴walked to town
😴really good gym session although this does explain the lack of effort for the rest of the day!
😴checked clothing sale in boots to stock up in next size for Cagletini
😴various email admin things

Well it was DS3 birthday so we went to see him briefly to give him a card and small gift. DH was there this morning as we have had to put a new hob and oven in the house. Cost a small fortune but it looks good.
He is thinking about a instant pot for his birthday gift. He is getting up at 5am to start work at 6am.

We saw Ds1&2 and had a Chinese takeaway with them.
DS1 is back at work also starting at 6am so up at 5am. They both live close enough to walk to work.

Boudoir
Bed stripped. Remade with coloured sheets and quilt cover. Had to take curtain pole down then discovered it was filthy so spent half an hour cleaning it. Bed remade

KCC- volunteered at stables.
Volunteered at Pony Club
Volunteered at Steiner Kindergarten
Volunteered to help dad out at the pub then he started paying me £25 a week for the summer.
Volunteered for Riding for the Disabled for two years absolutely loved doing this.
Volunteered at Steiner Playgroup
Did some voluntary work in school attached to school when I wasn’t getting much work.
Leader at Children’s Liturgy ( Weekly)for 20 years now only have to do a session once every six weeks.

Considering doing some voluntary work for Guide Dogs for the Blind and local animal refuge. Not sure yet.

sing our secondary school start gcses in year 9 too but our dc1 is just going into year 8. Year 9 still seems young for me for picking things you want to do with your life! Re face masks i am going to use zip lock food bags, write CLEAN on one and DIRTY on the other then hope for the best.

Egg cheese and potato pie sounds amazing!

Howl your 5 year old sounds fine to me, i would see how school return goes you may be suprised!

Bower i have an instapot type thing and its really good!

Morning all - leaving coffee and Danish pastries in the naughty corner. It is Friday! I woke up nice and achy after gardening. The front garden looks magnificent. I cut back a hedge yesterday and it looks pristine now. I still have to attend to the plants under our front window and I need to weed the small driveway that we have. But I've swept and weeded the path and roadside near the house. We are preparing to have the front of the house painted ( rest is brick) and need a new garage door. Also the drive is broken slabs with stones and two overgrown bushes which are pushing up the slabs causing potential trip hazards so we are planning getting a driveway put in with a path to the front door. Garage is being cleared out too. Hope you all have a good day.

that same with Ziploc bags for masks
Grateful DS not returning role school as they're making masks as petty uniform rule as rest of it..navy,black or gold yellow.no slogans,pictures or words on them.good luck getting parents to comply with that.as it's a health issue I feel it's ridiculous they can be so pretty o we it,but like I say not my monkey or circus anymore

All tits up here.nothing to report fly wise
Zoolets all struggling with return to school ideal-lil zoo been in bed stress induced acute gut pain 3days,dd2 walking panic attack.still no confirmation what 3rd subject will even be and she's not done any if the summer work set yet,to which is a bloody mountain>
DS fraying about impeding school change.meduation over that is 7th and we have meet with them on 15 th.meanwhile he gets NOTHING educationally.so yet again we rowing without oars up shit creek

Ive reach breaking point,cept there's nothing further to break

I don't have choices regarding sending them back,courtesy of TAF it would be deemed harmful to their mental health and social interaction

Ooh thank you Lisette.

Sounds amazing. You got a lot done. Once you see the rewards for effort it will spur you on.

That what make is yours please. I don’t know anything about them but he is thinking it would be quick when he comes in tired.

Welcome Running.

Plan for today

Reorganise bed. I made it when we came home last night and just put an old quilt on. It was warm and comfy but I need to sort it out today and cushions are plonked on the floor at the moment.

Sort out some more of boudoir.

Plan is to order pizza tonight. A van has been. Delivering to some villages and decided our village is next so will try it out. They do wood fired pizzas including vegan. They look delicious.

Meg just yesterday i issued my own DS2 with a warning that if face masks are repeatedly lost i will be deducting from his pocket money.

I need to stock up on tissues

Bower mine is a Salter one, it can do slow cook too. I think it is this one www.amazon.co.uk/Salter-EK2546-Rapid-Non-Stick-Cooker/dp/B074SXX6QD?tag=mumsnetforu03-21

Cross posts because I am so slow.

Zoo good to have you back so sorry things have got on top of you and are out of your control at the moment 💐

Meg 🥇for that huge list.

Thank you That it looks amazing. Cheaper than the one I was looking at.😁