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! 🍒👋

bower sorry to hear about your sister

I am just finishing up a work day then heading home.

To do for this evening:

• hoover upstairs
• some bleugh (is that the term?!) upstairs
• quick Lidl shop

KCC - I have to sort my nails out and epilate the legs today. Got into the habit of using a dry body brush regularly (usually right before the shower) and lathering head to toe in body moisturiser afterwards. The latter is more of an attempt to prevent stretch marks as I am putting on weight like there is no tomorrow (I wish it was all belly, but I got a butt, thighs and double chin to go with it... shuddering at the thought of the effort it will take to go back to my pre pregnancy size afterwards).

Now, where do you gals get the energy from?! My kid is not even born yet, I am already tired 😂

Energy? Can’t help you there I’m afraid mc 😂 is body brushing quite easy? Just round in circles I’m assuming? I ordered one last night, my skin is awful. Self care is not my strong point. I also want to make myself a sugar or salt scrub at some point.

Bower sorry about your sister 💐

I feel lovely and refreshed and pleasantly tired after lunch and chat with friends :) no I did not get my list done before I left 😳 I did a bit more decluttering instead of some of the items on there though so it definitely wasn’t wasted time. DH has gone to bed now and I’m just slobbing about watching MLP with the toddler.

Sing body brushing is pretty straight forward, I do upwards stroked on arms/legs, circles on the belly/boobs/butt. Depending on your skin, you will definitely need a moisturizer afterwards. Mine feels very dry if I don't put a moisturizer afterwards. I find the best time is to do it right before jumping into the shower (that way I don't forget).

As in dry brushing before the shower, not the moisturizer..

Thanks mc! Yes I bought a moisturiser too, my skin is generally pretty dry and moisturising was something I wanted to do more of anyway. :)

I’m about to try and be brave and phone the gym, don’t know why I’m so anxious but it’s become a Thing in my head so I’m attempting to just get on with it!

Sing think long strokes towards your heart for body brushing, brilliant for your skin and circulation - also great for cellulite, I must start doing this again.

Mc congratulations I used vitamin e oil from Holland and Barratt in the stretch mark prone areas, I've got 3 children and 1 mini stretch mark between the 2 holes of my belly button piercing. Really take the time to massage into the areas . Sometimes though, it is all to do with skin type rather than what you put on your skin, but it is always good to take time out to look after yourself and if you do get any stretch marks good skincare will aid healing.

Tada
Everyone washed & dressed
Beds made
1 wash done (that I've just remembered is still in the washer )
Lunch made, eaten and cleared away
Bike ride / walk for a couple of hours this afternoon

I'm popping tea on about 6ish (chicken curry & egg fried rice) and I'm going to try and get the living room dusted and hoovered before / during cooking . The kids are relaxed after being out of the house for so long so I should be able to get on with it without too much trouble.....hopefully....

bower
Tidy welcome back
Hazel hope you get that sorted

I was 20 when I got pregnant with dd1

Another couple hours sleep kind of night so apologies to any other personals I should've said...

Tada
Littertrays and bins
Recycling out
Sweep all lower floors
Wash all floors on hands and knees
Hoover stairs
Pop Waitrose for dairy free stuff for lil zoo plus few basics
Wipe and put away

Dd2 declared wanted go for a walk to forest.1.5 hours each way at decent pace..she's in better spirits for it.my hips are so stiff I'm dreading needing a wed as means getting up the stairs!!

Made lunch

Sorted recipes
Need get my bum up and do some more jobs...

merry I lost my mum in Dec 1989.her birthday was 14th August,so I celebrate that.after dad died I have her silver rose bowl.she loved roses so I buy a bunch and put them in that for her birthday.its the only memory I have of her,cutting roses from the garden for that bowl

Home will definitely try that, thank you! 🥰

Zoo I am so impressed with you washing floors on hands and knees. I don't think I've ever done that 😳 I just hoover the floor, then steam mop it.

Ok so I didn’t need to phone them as I tried the app on the iPad instead and I’m going to book the gym soon. I’ll then ask about the pool when I’m there if I can - on the app you even have to specify whether you want a fast, medium or slow lane?! How do I know 😳

MC I'm blind as a bat,so need to be near to see wtf I fighting sticky patches of🤣
I never got on with mops,don't seem get right in the corners...

Home it gives you pleasure as well if you keep on top of it. We have a decent sized garden at the side and bottom but no front garden. It was the only thing I didn’t like about the house( apart from the fact it was unfit for human habitation when we bought it) but I Place troughs, rectangular planters or pots in front. This year I have gone for a hanging basket and three pots. The planters took a lot of compost and flowers (££££) to fill and actually three well filled pots are just as effective. I put winter pansies, polyanthus and dwarf daffodils in about
October. Winter pansies are good value and children love their faces.

Well I have done some of the home bleugh and the rest will be tomorrow.

Ta da
Stripped bed.
LoL bedding out on the line.
De- cluttered some more magazines from two years ago I found in a box must have been a dash and stash🤣 so recipes, patterns and book reviews, a bit of gardening all pulled out and I kept them in piles so most can go straight in to my labelled A4 boxes.
Had a chat with the lass next door. She keeps herself very much to herself but was quite chatty when I took her some fruit. She is a nice lass.
Crossword with DH after lunch which was late as we had no bread. He ended up going to three areas before he found somewhere not busy. Didn’t tell me which annoyed me as I would have asked for more from the one he ended up in. He also came home with steak, minced steak and fat sausage as well as two large sea bass. I didn’t tell him we have two in the freeze. We bought some food off the pub to help them out mainly fish. It needs eating now as it has been in about three months plus it was in their freezer. DH knows this because he did it all. I asked him to bring two pieces of salmon so I could make the fish pie with white fish and yellow smoked haddock. I am also trying to stick to my menu when he used to be away which was meat twice a week, fish twice a week and veggie twice in clouding either a pasta or rice dish. I have explained it he has agreed and I’ve explained it and even wrote it down. The seventh day is random. He has stopped doing the monthly shop which is a pain as he then buys random things that often don’t go or like today he buys something I would like to use up out of the freezer. I think he is getting fed up of shopping. He has no health problems except he is over weight but has recently lost a stone. I am trying to meal plan but it is bloody impossible with him. Aaaargh rant over. If I say anything I am the worst in the world and he goes into a mood for days. He will also tell me if I don’t like I can do it myself. He only went for bread. He won’t go to the bakers on the edge of the city yet they have lovely bread. He did bring some nice bread home because he couldn’t get sliced. He is driving me a little bonkers today.

Dining room.
Put away a random pile of crap, small.
Cleaned down the window and sill dusted the things on there.
I was going to do more but I haven’t.

Still to do
Make some meal.
Make my bed with fresh sheets but I can’t find another bottom sheet so will have to finish it in drier and back on bed. Top sheet beautifully ironed last week I have got. It was in the basket at the bottom of the stairs that DH asked if I wanted it brought up and I said yes. It has been there about a week. MEN!

sing I would go for slow this week and weigh it up for other weeks.
Zoo I sometimes do my on hands and knees. Often do the bathroom but kitchen is about 15’ by 12’ if I remember rightly so don’t always. Mops don’t always seem to clean the worst bits I agree. I have a steam cleaner in the bottom shed. DH put it there it was in the top shed. He buried it under stuff and I have to negotiate his bike and the mower to get it out. Next time he cuts the grass I will have to get it out. It is the size of a cylinder cleaner now they have brought out these slim ones. Wish I hadn’t spent the money on it but my back was very bad at the time. It does get it fairly clean and great at doing the other high bits I can’t reach. Spider areas.🕷🕸🕷

Oooh, I have been wanting to try dry brushing, I saved a couple diagrams on Pinterest on the direction in which to do it as that's very important apparently.

I used to use skin firming lotion and vitamin e oil when I was pregnant, but a lot of it is genetics too, depending on if your own mother had them during pregnancy.

Plumber has apparently come and gone and blockage removed so hopefully that's the end of that saga 🤞

Welcome back home I'm sorry to hear about your mum, it's hard losing a parent.

bower sorry to hear about your sister.

The problem is bower I swim a bit... weird I guess? I swim quite quickly but don’t do many lengths at once, it’s just what works best for me with my weird joint issues etc. I can’t do breaststroke at all 😳 I know I’m a lot fitter now but swimming is hard so I’m not sure I’d be able to keep going and I’m worried people will get annoyed at me for stopping at the end as they’d have to avoid me 😳 anyway. Going to just focus on the excitement of trying the gym again and I’ll get used to that first! 😍 The (gentle) yoga class I love is running too, but is full for tomorrow, so I’ll stalk the app and see if I can book for next time.

I’m feeling very lazy this evening 😳

Hi everyone, you’ve been a chatty bunch today!

I’ve managed to get myself out of bed on time this morning, so I got me and DD dressed at leisure, managed some yoga, s & s, emptied the DW and put an LOL on before leaving for work. I also left my phone in my bag when I got home which meant after playing with DD and eating dinner I did the dishes straight away and hung up this morning’s LOL. I waste so much time on my phone so im trying to curb it.

KCC - this morning’s yoga was a good start to the day, and I’ve moisturised before bed and gone up early with my book. I don’t get much spare time on work days but I definitely need to use what time I do have more wisely. It’s worked today.

Great to have you back home.

Glad the plumbing issues are sorted Hazel.

Hope your sister is doing ok Bower and for those of you that have lost your mums.

Evenin’ all. I’ve been entirely unproductive since lunch 😳 and am now trying to ignore an overtired toddler who is almost a mumsnet cliche - she’s having an everlasting tantrum because she didn’t want her pancake “cutted up” 🤣

She did make me laugh earlier though - when I got home she said “hi mummy! WASH YOUR HANDS MUMMY!” 😅 Got her well trained there at least.

👾hung up clean towels
🤖put dryer on
👽LOL
👾weighed self
🤖signed up for new maths thing
👽gathered rubbish including old toys
👾put a few toys away
🤖15min bike
👽decent breakfast
👾deleted recent emails
🤖showered and defrosted legs
👽spirit renewing lunch with friends!
👾sorted out amazon prime app with DSD’s help
🤖signed back into gym app and looked at session booking
👽more drying
👾reading

Zoo I might give it a go one day, I am a little afraid of what I am going to find 😬

Bower sounds like DH is not playing ball today. That's frustrating.

Upholder what's your secret re getting out of bed on time? I have a terrible habit of sleeping until the very last minute and then rushing around like a madwoman. I am currently trying to carve some morning time to put a bit of make up on before work, never mind yoga and housework.

Hazel pleased to hear that horror of plumbing has been sorted.

Ta Da for today:

🎉upstairs dusted and surfaces cleaned
🎉hoovered upstairs and downstairs
🎉LOL (here is me thinking i finished it yesterday...found more stuff today)
🎉manicure and pedicure sitting in front of the telly done.
🎉legs sorted. Feeling a bit more put together now.

Sing your toddler sounds awesome! ☺️

Still catching up on the thread #slackhostess but I am glad of the mention of command strips. For some reason I was remembering them as hooks rather than just the actual sticky strip thing, so I could use them for some of the things I’d like to put on the walls. For example some tiny display shelves (they’re more like little rectangular/hexagonal box frames I guess?) as they wouldn’t have anything heavy in them, they’d be much lighter than the framed prints we hung with them in the old house. Although now I can’t decide where I’d put them 😳 but I feel better knowing I could do something to change the look of the house a bit. And I’m trying to think of all the different things I could stick on the walls 😅 clocks? Big photo frames? Pegboards? Very butterfly friendly...

Also I had an idea as to what to put on the recently cleared trofast units on the landing. On the end by the top of the stairs I’m going to put two baskets. One for each big Caglet. Anything of theirs that needs to go back in their rooms (art supplies, Lego, Kpop photo cards, random transformer limbs...) can go in the baskets and the plan would be that they then put the stuff away from there every now and then. As so often when I notice things (we are all terrible for putting things down and forgetting) it’s the wrong time for them to go and put it away RIGHT THIS SECOND. So I just put it back down again and it builds up. Hopefully this way we can stop it building up.

I’m sry 2 hear about ur mum home

I’m sry about ur sister bower

mc I used vitamin E oil and didn’t get stretch marks. But it’s genetics more than anything I think! I’m 7 months on now and back 2 pre baby weight but need 2 tone up. But I do think having a toddler 2 run around after helped me lose weight!

sing aw she’s luvly! I’ve had sum awful tantrums from Logan 2day. Drained 2 say the least.

KCC oh I don’t know! I like 2 keep a gud skincare routine which makes me feel gud about myself. Also like doing the exercise I’ve started, but want 2 increase a bit more to tone up.

❤️Logan did fly kids challenge
🧡Exercise
💛Gave Sullivan his milk
💚Drank Sum water from my bottle
💙Planned dinner (chicken and mushroom risotto)
💜Decluttered
❤️Sorted out my hotspot
🧡Made lunch (Tuna fishcakes and kiwi side)
💛Put both boys down for a nap
💚Went for a walk
💙Washed up
💜Dried and put away
❤️Dusted front door
🧡Home bleugh
💛Fed Sullivan formula
💚Snack 4 me and Logan (cheese scone)
💙Arranged cupboard under stairs
💜Prepared dinner
❤️Put leftovers in bin
🧡Played with DC
💛Warm milk 4 Logan and CBeebies to wind down formula for Sullivan
💚Bathed both boys did eczema routine and brushed teeth
💙Bedtime stories
💜Asthma meds
❤️Showered myself
🧡Washed down bath
💛Took off makeup
💚Brushed teeth
💙Washed sink down
💜Wiped bathroom floor
❤️Put laundry in laundry basket ready for tomorrow
🧡Washed up from dinner
💛Dried and put away
💚Wiped kitchen surfaces
💙Wiped kitchen floor
💜Shined sink
❤️Put away kids toys
🧡Straightened our blankets and pillows on sofa

Forgot 2 post this morn! I started the day off with a maccies breakfast. DM came over and we got one and ate it in the garden so the kids couldn’t see. I feel cruel now!. Thank u all 4 the info about driving tests will lik in2 the theory app!. Another questions 4 u all (I’m full of them!) when did u start looking 4 primary schools. Logan won’t start until 2022 (I think I have the dates right) so not sure if I should start looking around yet?

mc I will have 2 try those command stickers!

bower I have also found a lot of really gud young mums and sum not so gud older mums. There’s good and bad in all and benefits 2 all ages I think. I feel like I’ll be the same and get really nervous lol!

I’ve just ordered loads of Disney DVD’s as I cancelled my Disney+ subscription will work out cheaper

I’m so sorry about the stress hazel!

THAT I’m also baby faced I deffo don’t luk my age and am 5’1. So I also get the looks!

Hi home:)

Ur so right meg every1 has an opinion

It’s njce 2 see so many of u were quite young I feel scared telling mn I’m a young mum as so many seems so much older than me and quite judgey.

Zoo I hope you manage more sleep tonight everything appears hard work when tired.
Hazel glad you got the plumbing sorted!
Sing really happy you can get booked in at the gym again , I prefer to exercise at home , mainly because I'm anti-social 😂 but it also works out better for me to work around the kids . Hope you get onto the next yoga class and enjoy your swimming .
Upholder glad you managed to get up in time - I am absolutely dreading the alarms in September, we had to leave at 930 on Sunday for ds's football match and that was hard work getting everyone up and ready when we've got so used to taking it easy in the morning! What book are you reading at the moment ? I'm always on the lookout for recommendations
Bower I didn't get into the garden but it's at the top of my list tomorrow! I agree it is better to keep in top of it.

Tada
Tea cooked & cleared away
Living room dusted & hoovered
Kids are all in bed

I'm just writing my to do list for tomorrow then I'll be up to bed to read.

Sorry I disappeared again. Definitely should have kept my old name 😂

Spent the weekend doing scouts camp at home with the boys. We had a blast but I got absolutely no flying done and I mean none🙈

Made up for it today though
⛺️ woke up before everyone else so went and made myself a cuppa and sat in the tent and read my book for a bit. Actually think I've slept better in a tent the past couple of days than I usually do in my bed.
⛺️ we needed the shop before breakfast so quickly got dressed and walked round to Lidl
⛺️ made egg in the hole bagels for breakfast
⛺️ DGM called round for a cuppa took one look at the state of the place and asked if I wanted her to take little one home with her and DH could pick him up on the way home from work so I could get some cleaning done. She's a diamond!
Big 2 went out on their bikes and DS3 played in garden with next doors dog for most of the day so I was free to crack on 🤞
⛺️ tidied H/S/L
⛺️ tidied LR
⛺️ made a cuppa and sat in the garden for 10 mins while I planned how I was going to tackle the rest. Yes it was so bad I needed a plan!
⛺️ gave the dining table and chairs a really good scrub
⛺️ went round the whole house trying to tidy and put everything back where it belonged
⛺️ polished
⛺️ made chicken sandwich and fruit for DC lunch
⛺️ windows etc
⛺️ emptied bins
⛺️ dishes
⛺️ cleaned worktops
⛺️ hoovered inc pulling furniture out in LR
⛺️ did skirting boards in H/S/L & LR
⛺️ tea break for me/milk break for DS3. He had it in a cup and saucer and thought he was the bees knees 🤣
⛺️ S&S
⛺️LOL. Left this far too late and missed all of the sunshine so had to put it in the dryer.
⛺️ ironing and put it all away
⛺️ stripped beds and remade all except DS1&2 as they camped out in the LR tonight to watch a film so I'll do theirs tomorrow
⛺️Sorted cupboard under stairs
⛺️ mopped
⛺️ sorted toy boxes
⛺️ made dinner. Egg and chips/belly pork and wedges
⛺️ made rock buns with DC
⛺️ dishes
⛺️ tidied out most of tent. Still need to sweep it all out and take it down but I think it's going to rain tomorrow so it may have to wait until later in the week.
⛺️ bathed littles
⛺️ walked to Lidl because I forgot something DH needed for lunch for work. Got there and realised I'd forgotten my mask so had to go back home for it then back to lidl again 🙄
⛺️ bath and a good defrosting.

After writing all of that I've forgotten personals so just 🍒 👋 to all

Some mega lists today!

I've had a really productive day too.

Went for a run
Baked sourdough loaf (made dough yesterday)
Ready for work
Busy but enjoyable day at work
Home
Dinner - spicy chicken liver wraps with salad
Made frozen yogurt lollies
Patches DD's jeans
Re-sewed elastic onto a mask
Swimming club return prep
Cleaned out a kitchen cupboard
Trimmed DD's fringe
Ironed and put away 1xLOL
Clothes out for tomorrow