Fledglings assemble for the nurturing November thread!

[foxessocks]

Thank you to EerilyDeleted for being an excellent leader on the October thread! Time to put your feet up for a well earned rest now!

This is my first time running the thread so sorry if the links below don't work I'm learning as I go!! If they don't I'll come back and try again

If you are struggling with C.H.A.O.S. (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome) and S.T.U.F.F. (Something That Undermines Family Fun) then this is the thread where we (loosely) follow the step-by-step Flylady housekeeping system (in our own, unique, relaxed style) with lots of support and chatter along the way.

The FlyLady link is here Don't be put off by the twee language of the site – we all agree that the underlying system is very effective.

This little-and-often system is designed so that you can follow a series of steps and routines each day (which gradually become second nature) in zones of the house which are designated weekly; defining and minimising housework - which in theory should leave you with loads more time to do something more interesting instead.

At the same time it is intended to reduce that panicky "rabbit in headlights" feeling when you are overwhelmed and everything needs doing all at once. No problem if you miss a day or two; just jump right back in and it will all come around again next month.

It's up to you, but we advise not signing up to receive the Flylady e-mails as you will be swamped with marketing nonsense. All the information you need will be linked here on a daily basis.

From the first of the month, we will be following Flylady's steps and routines using a three-pronged approach (dependent on the stage everyone is at):

• start or repeat baby steps
• repeat baby steps + do 15 minutes a day decluttering in the current zone
• reinforce baby steps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering.
• And if you are really enthusiastic and have finished decluttering - you can go on to detailed deep cleaning in each zone.

There are three key points to keep in mind throughout:

• No perfectionism allowed - this is harder than you would imagine and many of us on this thread struggle with this one.
• You are never behind - just start where you are and anything you do is progress.
• It didn't get into a mess overnight, it won't get tidy over night - accept it will take time to get on top of things and you will be happier.

If you are new; then trying to spend 15mins decluttering daily and doing the baby steps is a good way to start. Some of us (mentioning no names) can have scary looking ‘ta-da’ lists but don't let that worry you. Do what you can, anything is better than nothing, and don't judge yourself against others.

If all else fails, a brew + the power of three technique + a bit of support on here can work wonders.

Here's the launchpad for more experienced fledglings Launchpad.

Don’t let it put you off if we appear a bit cliquey, we really aren’t. Some of us have been on here for years – but all lurkers, intermittent returnees, oldies and newcomers very, very welcome.

SingToTheSky put together a 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!

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.

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.

Home Bleugh - Flylady's Home Blessing routine

And a few basics:
LOL - load of laundry
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer
DW - dishwasher
HSL - hallway, stairs, landing

And finally "The Naughty Corner" - this is for Fledglings who perhaps didn't get done what they had planned for the day but are in need of a comfy seat, pile of cushions, tasty snacks, stiff drink and friends to chat to

Morning all
The election both fascinates and terrified me in equal measure..

Tada
Wash on
Fed cats
Harpic lav
Wash up
Wipe surfaces
Sweep kitchen floor
Sweep living room floor

Start work filling out D's DLA forms.i hate all that what can't he do stuff.depressing

Breakfasts
Quick wash up/wipe down kitchen(5 minutes)
Off out with dd1 and her doggo over nature reserve shortly.hes a daft thing.thinks still a lil pup.reality whacking great big alsation/shepherd cross.im deffo a cat person but he is a cutie id make an except for.this is him as a pup❤️

ta da so far
📊digital decluttering
📊reading
📊duolingo
📊up and weighed self (twice because I forgot the first number)
📊decent breakfast
📊made more of my bujo pages
📊LOL
📊self care sfuff

Have made DD1 go and tidy her room and she has homework later, they need to do their laundry over the weekend too.

I should really be doing some decluttering/tidying but my leg still hurts a lot. We are meant to be doing a walk every Saturday and Sunday but I think I’ll have to only join them for the first part so I still get outside for a bit.

I just lost a really long post I need to go make lunch now so will write the rest out again later but here is my bookcase I have decluttered and added a board game shelf this morning... I'm not sure I'm happy with it 🤔

And yes I've had to put a blanket on my new chair because the cat claimed it as hers and is getting it all hairy 😂

Lovely dog zoo. Your cat has good taste Foxes - good spot. Shelves look amazing.

Agree about the DHs&DPs do they genuinely not see it or can’t be arsed. I think the second but do sometimes wonder. Although we have a dishwasher (now reduced to integrated slimline due to newish kitchen) he rarely uses it and prefers to wash up but doesn’t always wipe the worktop furthest away and sometimes misses the hob which now has a mark on it I can’t get off. He has never cleaned the hot plates even though he has seen me do it and I am the one with arthritic wrists! Doesn’t consider wiping the table or the place mats and never sweeps the floor. I haven’t said or he goes in a man child huff and doesn’t do any “ because I can’t do it properly” so I have taken to washing sometimes and demonstrating putting everything away and doing the other things only to turn around sometimes to find he has disappeared to computer or tv. Oh and it hasn’t worked so far. I don’t actually say I just HOPE that he will notice and learn by example. In fact he isn’t doing much housework at all. I left bathroom but no not even a swish an swipe.He does chop and bring in all the wood and coal for the fire though and I let him.

So another bad nights sleep so I stayed in late because I can now. I feel for you but I don’t actually like it because I am a morning person. I long for my days without meds to get up at 6am and be nearly finished by late morning so I could do something else. Even when working I squeezed in an hour and a half or two before work. I was usually pretty stressed and tired afterwards.

So not much of a list
Bed made
a little tidy in boudoir
Cleaned bathroom bar screen and floor do later when I get stuff out of shed.
Dressed to not shoes. 👠
Gorgeous day out hoping DH will go for a walk with me.

Macaroni cheese is probably the thing I miss most as DF now.
I used to make it a lot for the kids sometimes plain, sometimes I put cauliflower florets and also broccoli 🥦 in it. Another way was to put slices of tomatoes and some bread crumbs mixed with cheese across the top before putting in the oven to brown off the top and melt the cheese so you get a crunchy topping. Warn about the tomato being hot though if you do it this way. It was a good way to use up a bit of parmigiana mixed with cheddar too.
My favourite was Mac cheese but now probably veggie with fresh tomatoes ( using up our final tomatoes) or spaghetti and meatballs. Out I like Puttanesca best and I do sometimes make that at home. One of the Italian restaurants ( there is a lot) makes Molfetese which is seafood in a tomato based sauce. Mussels( not keen) prawns, calamari, cockles etc. I eat about four mussels and give DH the rest. They also make the most delicious ? Aubergine and tomato layers with cheese so I can’t have it any more.😟

I haven’t finished the dining room so will try to incorporate that this week. Despite LMS last week about craft room he has actual put the stuff back in and left it even though the bed is there. He is planning a trip to see DS3 bubble to watch football so I need to get it ready. He had just offered bacon and eggs😳

Crossed post🍒👋🍒👋

Very tidy. I have a games shelf too also wanting to put them somewhere else. Need to continue decluttering jigsaws but I presume all the charity shops will be closed now.

Thanks
Good suggestion glittery, I will give that a go! (Dh will be eye rolling at the amount of time I'm spending on this bookcase 😂)

Christmas cake: make sponge cake, put jam in middle, decorate like traditional christmas cake

Afternoon. I crashed again. Not long been awake. need to actually get up. I just want to roll over and go back to sleep tbh, but that will affect my ability to sleep tonight so not going to do that. I need to reconsider my plan of action for what i want to do today.

foxes I also store my board games sideways, like books. Just make sure you have everything bagged inside if it's not a right fit or it can be a mess in the box. We do have a lot of games and a deep shelf, so I have some behind the front ones. I have a basket for cards and smaller games as well. Mysterium doesn't fit on the shelf (square box, too tall for the shelf) is not ideal where it's at, but it works, I suppose. I do love your shelves, they look very pretty and organised.

zoo gorgeous dog, enjoy your walk!

I drank too much last night and had acid reflux until about 4am 😭 finding it hard to get moving today (it's already just after 11am)

To Dos:
🍂 Mow the grass for a final time, to pick up leaves before the first snow - should be tomorrow!
🍂 Sweep path to the front of the house
🍂 Sweep patio in the back
🍂 Rake leaves from flower beds and fire pit area, knowing there are still leaves falling off the trees 🤦‍♀️ but I do need to try to clean up.
🍂 Make rolls for dinner tonight
🍂 Reheat southwest chicken chili for dinner tonight, we are taking it to ILs tonight instead of them coming over. FIL is having long days at work so I'm doing everything I can do to help him out.
🍂 Relax (somewhere in there). I want to watch a Christmas movie while DH is out of the house (he thinks it's too early) but the outside needs to be my priority today.

🍒👋 to everyone today

hills I like your idea of Christmas cake, although I wouldn't even use marzipan. I don't like fruit cake though. My mum would always make a chocolate yule log, ginger cake and fudge cake (like millionaire shortcake). I haven't attempted the yule log as I'm afraid I'll Crack the cake when rolling it, but have made the others since I'm not ever home for Christmas even though we were supposed to go this Christmas stupid rona

Yule log: Buy chocolate swiss roll. cover with chocolate butter icing in a swirly pattern

Loving holds Xmas cake ideas
Wooly they are sooo much more than the sum of can't Do's
Foxes lovely tidy shelves
Bower violife is,in my experience nearest to "proper" cheese and can be used as sub in Mac n cheese.available supermarkets too,although hills as has so many allergy issues at home may have another option?

Well doggo disgraced himself after a bit of a set to with a loose part husky that saw owners need separate them(he was on lead but start it barking and showing teeth) it got point he kick off every dog within a couple of metres of him.poor dd1 was both upset at others glaring at her for having a devil dog(he was on lead/harness and was try hold him off but loose dogs coming up to him got him going dreadfully,and in reality he is a total softie with people and is fine at doggy daycare)plus zoolets were bit scared when there was minor fisticuffs..we cut walk short and she took him home.hes worse when just her,her partner is the alpha of the house and he will back down harder for him.plus they think he feels need as part collie to "protect" her?they had signed him up for training but pandemic squash that.hes well integrated family dogs and has no problems,and at doggy daycare plays just fine dogs of all sizes.

Had nap after lunch(salmon and med veg in a wrap and some crisps.dd2 has crispy tortilla strip's over roast carrots,peppers,blackeye beans and red cabbage with sage.top sunflower seeds that were toasted last couple minutes)
Watched uncle buck together,bit recipe sorting/menu planning

Dinner tonight- Yorkshire puds with parsnip and potato mash and peas for lil zoo and D's,followed by apples and bourbon biscuits
Green beans,peppers and squash roasting with Italian seasoning for dd2 and i.will be sprinkled cheese near end of cooking and served lots crusty bread

Hazel I heard on BBC they've predicted certain outcome of election.i hope whichever way you voted(and it's truly not my business) that unity and peace can be prominent going forward for all over the pond❤️

I wish hills I've not really seen any over here (USA) especially here in Idaho 😢 that is something to keep in mind if I do find any though

Ta Das:
🍁 Mowed lawn, picked up most of the leaves
🍁 Swept all paths and patio (mostly wanted to get the pine needles picked up before snow comes)
🍁 Warmed up lunch for DS and I
🍁 Just about avoided the storm, got rained on a little while mowing, but it's now pouring down

To do:
🦉 Shower
🦉 Everything else left on my list earlier 🤦‍♀️

DS might have a friend over for a couple of hours this afternoon, just waiting for a text back.

X post zoo I can't vote as I'm not a citizen, they say Biden won though. Who knows what will happen now. I just go with the flow anyway and avoid politics at all costs!
Sorry to hear about incident with DDs dog. It's frustrating when other dogs approach when not welcome. Our dog tolerates other dogs, but doesn't like them in her face and will growl at them as a warning and snap at them if they don't listen. She's a lovely dog but is very opinionated! Yorkshire puddings are always a good idea for dinner, it all sounds delicious 😋

Bower We don't use any of the vegan cheeses as the teen doesn't like the texture. But nutritional yeast if you can tolerate is used to give that kinda cheesy nutty flavour. It comes in tubs in either the healthy eating aisle/allergy isle or health food shops. It is going to be a suck it and see thing. Sorry can't be much more help

Love the cake cheats Hills. You need to write a book of Christmas Culinary Tips

Sorry the walk didn’t go to plan Zoo. Cute dog though, you could forgive that face anything.

Shelves look lovely Foxes.

How’s the leg Sing?

for FIL woes Woolly

Ta Da:
🙌🏻 kitchen tidied, benches and hob wiped, floor swept and mopped
🙌🏻 s&s x 2
🙌🏻 lovely new bedding on. Dirty lot washed and hung on the line. Brought in 9 hours later still damp
🙌🏻 hallway tidied, swept and mopped
🙌🏻 dining table cleared of crap and washed down
🙌🏻 sideboard dusted, pulled out, swept underneath and mouldy patch on wall wiped
🙌🏻 Patio doors cleaned
🙌🏻 dining room swept and mopped
🙌🏻 cat radiator beds de-haired and in the washing machine
🙌🏻 WM de-haired
🙌🏻 made mental note to whinge to DH that my recently cleared utility room seems to have acquired several piles of his crap.
🙌🏻 utility floor swept and mopped
🙌🏻 living room tidied, swept, mopped
🙌🏻 clean laundry away
🙌🏻 Bread bought
🙌🏻 roast veg risotto made for tea

The rest of the day included a trip to the park to tire DD out, fulfilling DD’s demands requests to draw pictures for her colour (“a Christmas dog chasing a Christmas cat” was a highlight), a few games of pairs, and the building of a “village” with blocks.

Poor DH didn’t get home until 6:30 and has to leave at 6am again tomorrow, so I’ve told him to leave the dishes - I’ll save the pitchfork for next time thanks Zoo. Glass of wine then bed for me.

Upholder

Zoo sounds like doggo felt threatened. Lovely photo I remember her getting him. Training is a good idea. In the meantime is there any YouTube videos that they could follow. Someone has bound to have made one.
I haven’t tried making it with violins but I’m not that keen on it. I can tolerate sheep cheese but it is too expensive to make Mac cheese with.

Hazel you sound very busy. Great list.

• Woolly I have never thought about turning them. We never play ours now so I might get rid of them all. Leave Mandarin for DD.

I wiped up very quickly as DH decided it was more important to find out a song and which film it was from.🙄 I felt annoyed. I spent a while cutting up veg and making a lovely sauce. He put two types of pasta on. So found packet, poured into pan boiling water. He did get the pan and the water.
So I also washed up, wiped worktops and he brought me dirty pans. I was expecting him to offer to finish off. Grrr! So I wiped table and swept floor at which point he disappeared again. It is like living with a teenager. Maybe Kevin those that remember him.

We went for a walk today and chatted to vets wife who we rarely see as they live on the edge of village. DS3and her son often played together. Both quiet boys so enjoyed each other’s company. Then met our new neighbour across the road. Then mum from the house across from him. Her children used to play here. She is really lovely and we seem to get on well but we were too busy with children to have more than a chat sometimes. She was walking the dog. On the way back. She had seven children.They have twelve grandchildren so far. We saw a heron while we were out and I saw a bird of prey swoop down as I was driving yesterday. I don’t know who was more surprised it or me.

Christmas Cakes. I do Australian Women’s Weekly Golden Christmas Cake although I am sure it is sweeter than it used to be so I use less sugar. I have a very fruity, dark cake which is a bit slower to make. It is what I have used to make a couple of three tier Wedding cakes as it is firm it takes the tier weight well.
I made Delia’s Classic Cake yesterday. You soak the fruit first I actually find this helpful as you can weigh the fruit then the rest the next day so doesn’t take so long. It would be quite an easy one if you haven’t made one before. I left the nuts out as ours aren’t keen on nuts in fruit cake. She gives good instructions.

Wow Up That is some list.

DH is going out in the afternoon so I am hoping to crack on in dining room or make another cake. I don’t like working on Sunday although feeding people is ok. Baking is ok as it is pleasure not work. If warm and dry I might do some gardening instead.

Thanks up it still really hurts TBH 😳 I did go for a walk though in order to leave the house and clear my head (and catch Pokémon obv) but it’s been difficult to get stuff done in the house on top of that.

So of course I have been very productive by starting a wish list on my library catalogue, even though I have loads of other stuff I should be doing, and plenty of books on my shelf ready to read.

Procrastination thy name is Sing!

ta da continued
📊made lunch
📊made some more tracker pages
📊maths with DD1
📊chose some dramas to try and watch in lockdown
📊walk
📊put new screen protector thing on iPad
📊enforced some semblance of evening family routine
📊found some books to put on my wish list (also bought two on kindle 99p deals... yes, I already have plenty on my kindle too!)

Right, CBA to decide a power of three, so I’m going to try and get through my other daily habits which is mostly five minute tidies in a few rooms and some stuff on the iPad. I’m determined not to fail on day 3 and hopefully the effort of doing it all in one go will remind me to get it done earlier

Woolly that's a great tip re nose. Thanks!
Foxes impressive job on the shelves. I've got 'board games on top of the kallax' situation giving on. Don't have space for them on the actual shelves. I still don't know how I feel about that.
Zoo pup looks adorable. I am sorry your walk got a bit derailed. I watched one too many programs of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly and the guy gives a lot of good tips on training there. Don't know if that might be of use to your DD.

Ta da was more PO3 today:

• LOL
• Evening tidy up
• Beds made

Tomorrow is another day.

More ta das:
🦊 Pumpkin cheesecake mousse made
🦊 Rolls made for dinner tonight
🦊 Chili warmed and in slow cooker to keep warm
🦊 Handwash dishes done, dry and put away
🦊 DW rotated
🦊 Countertops wiped down multiple times

We will soon be heading to ILs house, dropping DS friend off on the way. DH just took DD to work, it'll be a late night for her.