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! 🍒👋

🐖🥖

Good news on dd2 working through modules zoo

My next year of uni starts in about 5 weeks, i think most of the materials will be online from 10/9 so my plan is to try and make a head start 🤞

I have been reading the new schools guidance although this is probably pointless as they will no doubt change it again soon!

Bad period pains

Ta da

💙 all up fed and dressed
🧡 baby for nap
💜 tidied LR1 toys
💚 looked at schools guidance
💛 ordered last birthday present for dc5

I can’t remember who said about pizza but thanks. It was ok but not wonderful. I am dairy free so no cheese. I read weeks ago that they had vegan pizza and it was amazing but when DH sent an email they don’t do them now🙄so I had a Spanish without meat because I don’t eat meat on Friday. I love chorizo which would have made it better. There was only a scrap of tomato sauce on so wasn’t as nice as I hoped. It had tiny veg like tomatoes DS told me what they were but I have forgotten and DH didn’t tell me that there were chilli on and I didn’t see them so I was a bit worried as I am allergic to one type of chilli. The base was good being wood fired but I thought they were quite expensive so suggested DS2 buys a pizza oven for his garden. Might buy him one next year for birthday.

I have had a lovely week as I have seen DS1 once now out of SI, DS2 x2 and DS3 for his pre birthday dinner and for his actual birthday.😁 we spoke to DD last week too.

Back to the boudoir. I still need to sort shoes and tidy left side of bedroom. Dusted and vacuumed. Clothes away and bed changed and curtains re hung. Linings don’t fit so will have to chop and sew those.
Found some elastic for skirts that need new elastic in x3 so will do those tomorrow as hand sewing.
DH has decided to go Fell walking so day to myself.😁

Hi everyone. Had a few days to catch up on there.

We had a good final “summer” day out. We didn’t get back home until 8pm so while we weren’t there to make a mess no home bleurghing was achieved. The last two days have been work days so it’s been morning routine and keeping the place minimally tidy and the kitchen sorted. We’ve got to Saturday still reasonably tidy and organised but the house definitely a bit grubby. I’ve ordered a few more bits of winter clothing for DD and a kallax-style unit for the hall to get the shoe situation under control. Today is miserable and windy so it’s a pottering sort of day. Going to get the bleurgh out the way, and we are toying with the idea of a meal out tonight as DD is potentially sleeping over at my DM’s

Ta Das so far:
✅ 7am supermarket trip
✅ shopping put away, fridge and freezer organised
✅ sausage sandwiches for breakfast
✅ DW emptied, breakfast bits in
✅ benches and hob wiped
✅ bunch of flowers arranged (“aww, mammy, daddy bought you flowers”. No mammy bought mammy flowers )
✅ showered, hair washed, legs defrosted.

Zoo . Good to have you back.

Sing DD has one of those trike things with a handle, could that work for the nursery journey? We picked ours up pretty cheaply second hand and she still loves it at 3.

Welcome on board running

meg

Tidy sometimes keeping up with the laundry is all we can manage, it would be more of a shambles if you hadn’t

Waves to Foxes, That, Lisette, Chic, ED, Merry, Hazel, Bower, Howl, Mc, Egg, Alex and to Double and SC if you’re lurking and whoever I’ve missed this time.

KCC - tea during the day. Preferably posh teabags. Life is too short to drink crap tea. Alcohol I struggle to choose between G&T, mojito and wine. Volunteering- not since my a levels where I worked on a big event with a cancer charity. It was fab and I’d love to do something like that again.

Morning all. Thank you for all the thoughts re nursery. It’s nice to be able to talk about this stuff as it’s hard to IRL.

💐💐💐💐💐

It’s Saturday so have some family fun. It’s also the last day of zone four, the boudoir, as tomorrow we reach the final zone of August (HOW?! 😫) which is the living room.

KCC errrr can’t really think of anything, sooo... what was your favourite (perhaps less well known) picture book when you or your kids were little? (no I’m totally not using this for inspiration for building up the toddler’s book collection, not at all... 😇) actually can’t remember if I already asked this but never mind we have newbies on the thread :o

When I was little I loved one called Willoughby Wallaby, I never did find it when the other two were small so I might just have to this time. There are various others I have vague memories of but frustratingly can’t remember enough to google them (and I never came across them when working in the library).

With the Caglets I loved Tim Ted and the Pirates, and quite late on in their picture book phase I discovered The Book With No Pictures which is brilliant.

💐💐💐💐💐

Caglets are really hyper this morning, we are kicking the big two upstairs for a bit, putting Netflix on for the toddler and then discussing the plans to get through the to do list which I’ve attached

Zoo- sending you a huge hug!

Sing- when my youngest was 2 and 3 years old, i used a pushchair as she would walk 10 steps and say her legs were tired and on the way back from nursery she would be too tired to walk. She would just stop and refuse to move and was to heavy to carry.

To get her into a pushchair- i would say lets look out for the birds...squirrels.

In the heavy rain and cold weather she liked being cosy in her pushchair and loved the raIn cover as she said she was getting into her spaceship!

I didnt care what anyone thought in the end. I had a choice of getting my child to nursery safely or me passing out from chronic fatigue trying to walk her there - 25min walk at a pace uphill in places and lots of busy roads to cross.
Many times i found myself drained of energy, finding it difficult to breathe, thinking my legs would give away. In thoses moments i was so thankful she was safely strapped into her pushchair.

My little fraggle is now just turned 4 years old and can cope walking long distances.

Its worth asking the nursery to see if they could do one full day and one morning to reduce your pick up and drop offs.

Thank you dancing I totally hear you on the fatigue. I remember collapsing after getting home from the school run when the Caglets were smaller - parenting them from the floor by the front door for an hour until I could move, DH would get in from work and I’d still have my shoes and coat on sometimes 😳. I’d like to think I am in a much better place now - the fact I’m managing exercise suggests it but sometimes it’s the slower walking around, carrying shopping (or toddler) etc that is much more risky than a short but intense workout. Having said that at least DH is now around to share the journeys. Hopefully the combination of having Cagletini entertained for a few hours and my home ed planning (meaning it’s easier to get on with stuff rather than faffing about wondering what to do each day) means we would all benefit from that time.

I’m not too bothered what others think BTW, it is more keeping her safe when she hates the buggy so much, she’s scarily strong when she tries to escape! She’s a good walker but only if she’s going where she wants to 🤣

Managed a reasonable amount of the list so far and then had a phonecall from SIL asking to pop in, just under two hours notice which is actually quite long compared to normal 😂 bit of a stash and dash needed but not too bad really.

DD received a book of fairytales that you can mix up - each page consists of four horizontal parts to the page so you can make a story that has four different elements. We used to take turns in making up a story.

Not caught up fully on the thread, just lurking ....

DD due back at school late next week, very low rate of coronavirus round here so unlikely to go back to working from home (which she absolutely loved) here IMO.

🌻LOL x2 one more to go.
🌻dishes washed, did think DH could have done these. Last nights tea and cake so 2 mugs +2 more, 2 plates, cake tin. Cutlery.
🌻sorted shoes, not as bad as I thought. I decided not to change over yet to autumn / winter shoes. I have Rocket Dog and Converse lace ups ( fly lady will like that) so will start wearing those on colder days.
🌻bedside cabinets tidied and dusted.
🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻🌻

To do
Sort pile of random crap
Sort pile in a laundry basket which isn’t much laundry.
Measure and mark cutting of curtain linings.
One hour reading.
To think about what we are going to eat tonight. I have had two nights off which is very unusual.

Upholder seems like things are falling in to place in your home.

Meg great news about the watches- perhaps a man tray for DS

Sing difficult with nursery to and fro. I took DS 1 with DS2 in the pram then when both going I had a trike with seats in the back. DS3&DD I had to drive because there was no provision other than parent and toddler.
I know I wouldn’t have minded giving a lift but it also involves seats. I have seen some coming with scooters and trikes with handle as suggested. Could you borrow one for a day or two to see if she could manage. I cringe at little ones on the scooters because I worry about them getting so far ahead and not being road savvy.

Zoo thinking of you. I hope it sorts out satisfactorily in the end.
Love the image of the cat. I do miss ours /DDs but don’t want another. I may in time get a dog. DH is worried.

Right back to it dragging 👠

🍒👋to lurking Chic

🍒👋 to everyone else.

Bowerusing either hummus or pesto instead of tomato sauce base works better on vegan pizza,or add small random dollops of hummus once cooked to a basic tomato sauce type one
Meg yay on double watch find!I am so glad I'm not a teacher in these times.id be spitting flames at government...

That better to get in there and get it done,I'm not holding out school will be lasting,esp secondary kids,so crack on that coursework whilst you can

Tada
Fix hole washing machine made pulling seam apart in my fave shirt
More wash done
Scrub out filthy bath
Locate plug hole from a clump of hair
De -toothpaste sink
Drag out dd2 and D's over nature reserve bit fresh air.deffo smells autumnal-that damp leaf, vegetation smell that I love cloudy and breezy and a deffo chill in the air

Lunch

Oh lord I have so much to catch up on. Sorry for being AWOL, we’ve just been really enjoying the holiday. But everyone’s having a nap before we go out again so thought I’d reply to everyone!. In very dull news, we’ve decided to move DS3 into the box room when we get home because he just doesn’t settle for ages and keeps the big ones awake which obviously won’t be good when DS1 starts school. So wish me luck for a few sleepless nights trying to get him settled. I’m not sure what we’ll do after baby is born but we have 6 months, and another 6 when he’s in our room to figure that out!.

mc ooh I do love a kallax, we have one in the boys room and one in the dining room. They’re ace. The chairs have come I handy this holiday.

bower we need a new tent, we have a 4 man but will need a 6, or better yet an 8 for extra room. We do love camping!.

alex yeah I do think lockdown has had a huge impact on his behaviour, I think being at hime with me 24/7 has sort of made him go back into a baby a bit. He’s lost a lot of independence.

egg I’ve fell off the thread for like a week don’t worry!

hazel We bought our bunting, but have got some at home that we made.

Welcome running!

We still have to get shoes and the labels were delivered so will get to labelling when we get back.

sing that’s brill that the school have emailed a big list of what is needed!

Thank you egg

Thank you THAT

bower I hope DS had a good birthday, happy belated birthday to him!

zoo I’m so sorry things are so difficult at the minute💐

THAT DS1 is HUGE, he’s 5 in sept but already in 7-8 clothes. And I’m only 5’2, he’s just like his dad, he’ll be towering over me next year😂.

sing I have the same issue with the buggy! I would try and use it though!

hazel they really do don’t they, I was looking at him sleeping last night thinking how is that my tiny baby! He’s a man now!

zoo It’s weird because I’m excited for them to be adults and we can go out together and have grown up chats, but at the same time I’d like them to be babies forever.

Glad you had a good day up

sing is your to do pic you posted just the reminders app on the iPhone or have you downloaded one? I need that.

KCC lots of these to catch up on! I have done quite a lot of volunteering. At college I had a placement in a nursery, a SEN school and at uni I worked in two primary schools. I’ve also volunteered at some dementia care homes which was really rewarding and I’d love to do something like that when the kids are a bit older.
My favourite drink is a southern comfort and lemonade, but I do like a nice iced coffee. DH got me some lovely gin for my birthday, billberry, it’s lovely!.
My favourite book I can’t remember the name of but there was a bear and a panda (2 different books) and you had to get them ready for bed and put their night cap on etc. I loved that! There was another in a huge book of fairy tales called juniper jingles but I can’t find it anywhere!

Thats my thinking too zoo if i end up doing home school with them again i will really struggle to get my own stuff done. I am taking a third year module for the first time this year (alongside a second year one) so i am a bit concerned about exactly how much more work that will require!

Yes howl it’s just the reminders app on iPhone, can’t believe how long it took me to start using it! I like that it syncs with the iPad too. Must admit it is already cluttered with a gazillion lists though! I use the notes app a lot too.

That and zoo definitely agree about potential school closures. I was really meaning to get as much done as I could before the end of summer because of this and particularly using the nursery hours to get stuff done when possible. Not that it’s as demanding but I do want to start other relevant low level courses like I’m on now just to build my confidence and study skills back up again. (I guess all degrees start in autumn so really I should try and decide in the next year what I actually want to do and then apply for September 2021 start?!)

Cagletini does have one of those cute backpacks with the strap you can attach, we haven’t used the strap much though because she’s been good with walking round to the park mostly. But there’s a main road between here and nursery, with a proper crossing but still cars go fast. I think really it will come down to whether she hates nursery again or if she grows to love it. We might just have to use the buggy at first (I’ll look into the trikes etc though) and if she enjoys it she would be more willing to walk I expect.

Visit from SIL was nice, the others have gone to tesco now so I’m just planning to zone out in front of YouTube for a bit.

sing I might start using it, I use my notes for a to-do list now so would make more sense!. I hope nursery goes well with Cagletini.

meg it is nice to hear of others 5 year olds still being little. DS1 still naps too and he loves cuddles and being with me so not at the stage of not wanting to be seen with me yet!. I’m dreading the days they’re taller than me, DH is 6’2 and the boys seem like they’re going to take after him!. Your books are lovely! I loved the Foxwoods.

I’m off to look at some books for the DC. I thought I’d finished Christmas buying but I can’t stop!

FINISHED CHRISTMAS BUYING

that I'm not sure if I should now at you feet for your greatness or hit you with a spade,for making me feel incompetent!!!!

Oh THAT you’re putting me to shame! I’ve only planned no buying yet. Will buy it when I get home, I’ve seen lots more I like though but am going to control myself. Might just go crazy on the decs!

I’m sorry whaaaaaaat??? 🏆🏅🏆🏅🏆 That well done! I bought my first present today as DH mentioned a film the other day and the DVD was cheap. DH bought one the other day though as he mostly traded in reward points for it. Determined to really consider every gift though, we’ve not been great at discussing purchases the last few years so we’ve promised to discuss every gift before buying (except each other’s obv) and I’m keeping note of all purchases. Next step is to order Kpop related stuff for DD1 because it’ll take longer to get here. It’s weird that I’m also thinking of cool masks as stocking fillers... how times change!

No no no not me 😂😅🤣😂😅🤣

HOWL!

LOOK AT HER LAST PARAGRAPH 🎄

Oh yeah! 😂 That’ll learn me for not catching up properly 🤦‍♀️😂

🏆🏅🏆🏅🏆🏅🏆