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

Zoo That sounds very stressful. It was good you went for a shower and pjs. Hope you get some rest even if you aren’t sleeping

I have just watched Ambulance. DH hates stuff like that so when he went to bed I stayed up to watch it. It was so good. I take my hat off to them. I have a friend who is a paramedic.

Foxes yes, PIN numbers especially as we use contactless more. I put the wrong number in for quite a lot of shopping. I had to keep myself calm so I could remember it. Right numbers just the wrong way around.

Go to quick meal is eggs😁 boiled, fried in a bap, scrambled on toast, poached on toast or with asparagus and the most filling omelettes. I just love an egg. I wonder if Ms Edwina Currie eats any these days.
Hoping I am going to sleep all night.
Isabella that sounds awful with the noisy students waking little one.

Ha ha crossed post! Hazel might be along in a minute or Zoo.

Great list. Hope you get some sleep. The Oompa Loompa sounds yummy and must look cute.

Kcc
Fish finger sandwiches/rolls with pesto and salad/veggie sausages in finger rolls with homemade slaw are go to options for D's/lil zoo(lil zoo won't eat baked beans,chips(or anything similar potato stuff(waffles etc)she's the luckiest of mine.doesnt like pizza either)
Dd2 it's jacket spuds with beans,cheese and salad , veggie sausage oven chips and roast broccoli or pizza

Hi bower I hope you are sleeping well as I type this. I love eggs too, I bet your hens lay delicious eggs. One day I'd like to have chickens, but we have to move out of town, not allowed in city limits.
Good morning zoo you're up early again. Are you still having trouble sleeping?
Isabelle I love the story of your DS name! Fox is such a unique middle name, I really love it. I hope the students haven't kept you up tonight.

I can't remember what's on the previous page, I'm sorry. I did see ED pop in for a moment. I hope you stay for a cuppa.
No ta das today, I went to work all day as I'm off work the rest of the week. We were supposed to see Jeff Dunham on Thursday, but that got moved to April due to Covid. We are still going out of town (no lockdown here, thank goodness). We're still staying the night in a hotel and going to do an escape room on Friday. They aren't letting others join the room unless known to us, so it'll just be the 4 of us.
I did a body scrub tonight, forgot why I don't like the salt based scrubs - ouch! My skin is a lot softer but I don't know if I can tolerate it very much. My skin is super sensitive though. I bought new sheets as well, they are so soft, like fleece. Tonight's the first night so we'll see how that goes with DH or if he gets too hot.

I'm tired tonight, we had a couple of busy days this week at work so 5 days off is very welcome right now. I get my hair done tomorrow, as well as both DC and might be able to do my nails. Unfortunately my nails barely lasted a week (gel even!) So I must have done something wrong with preparation.

I hope you all have a good day. I'm headed to bed! 🍒👋 to all.

Morning everyone.
Today is my first day on my own with the beastie as DH is back to work from paternity leave. Beastie is in a fussy mood. Woke up hungry but still sleepy, so wouldn't latch on properly. Had to change his nappy before the feed to wake him up fully. I wasn't quick enough with a clean one and he peed on everything in the vicinity. Change of clothes and another nappy later, he suckled but fell asleep. Woke up few minutes later wanting seconds, and now just deposited a turd in his clean nappy. How can something so small fart so loudly.. Today is going to be a fun day.

Aw I remember those days with my wee beastie MC. There's something about a blast of fresh air on a wee winkie that triggers the fountain effect. He's clearly well hydrated and feeding well given the nappies! It's the perfect day for snuggling although a quick blast when the weather dies down might be nice for you both. On such an auspicious day of first time on your own as a little unit I'd say abandon flying. Just enjoy.

Aw MC it's a good job they are so cuddly and lovable isn't it?dd2 was a trumper.so loud startled us all awake once in middle of the night!
Sadly I'm long term insomniac these days,been over a year now

Tada
Wash on
Fed cats
Harpic lav
Clear dining table
Clean dining table
Polish front room
Sweep floor
S+s
Poo pick littertrays
Wash in drier
More in
Sweep kitchen floor
Empty bins
Breakfasts
Wash up
Check food in cupboards ready to menu plan/write shop list for dd1

Off out with "d"p for walk with zoolets pm as D's only has online classes this morning,lil zoo still doing half-day.we go walk down to old rail line that's now nature area.lots of beautiful countryside and the river

I should add for other fledglings that it's very windy with swirly leaves this far north today. Electrician has fitted new extractor fan, outdoor lights and another bathroom light. After the bills are paid for plumber and sparky we have to plan our next work on the house.

MC a trick I was taught when my DS was a baby - open the front of the nappy to get some air in, then put it back over again while they pee 😂 then change it after. Like Forestier said it’s the air that does it.

I was up just about early enough to take Cagletini to nursery. I’d rather do that than the noon which involves the cold playground after!

I am hungry now though.

The kitchen has been reasonably controlled over the past few weeks, with only the occasional descent into mad hatter's tea-party territory. I thought of clearing the kitchen table, then looked at the mad corner of storage tubs and melon boxes crammed with miscellaneous stuff that reaches high above the windowsill.

I put the tub of cables and plugs in the room where all the old tech goes. Then lined up the three remaining tubs, which have been unopened for several years. It was mostly stash-and-dash type stuff, bits and pieces that hadn't been put away at the time, and some Ikea-related mysteries.

The three tubs are now reduced to one. It was mostly sort and tidy, with some decluttering.

The playmobil barn has been moved from the top of the cupboard to where all the other playmobil is (after about a year). The shoebox labelled "small broken toys to fix or discard" is now on top of the toy cupboard to see whether I can be bothered.

It's weird how clutter becomes part of the scenery. I sat in a different chair, and thought that I might come to like this kitchen.

Decluttered - mug tree, six or seven ancient shabby children's book, a baby toy.

I really need to sort out all our playmobil mrstidy

Ooh that’s interesting about the feet woolly! Aaah little pudgy baby feet 😍👣

Just had Cagletini’s nursery review thing on the phone. Agreed to try potty training next week and they’ll help. I’m at a loss how to do it really as the other two just weren’t ready until around 3. Cagletini has been physically ready for months (can go nappy free for hours and tell us when she needs one) BUT she absolutely refuses to use the toilet or potty. Any advice please?!

Well done on the decluttering mrstidy!

Isabelle hope ds is okay today

Zoo we love fish finger sandwiches!

Bower I love eggs and so do the dc but they give dh indigestion sometimes so we don't often have them for dinner. I do them for lunch for the kids quite often (and for me!). They love boiled eggs the best I think, to dip soldiers in.

I'm loving all the talk of babies 💗 it's making me feel very nostalgic , happy memories (but its also exhausting so look after yourself MC!)

This week we applied for primary school for ds, I don't know how that's possible but it's making me feel very strange! He's growing up so fast and getting so tall. I've just had to clear out a load of his clothes.

Dd also has her first wobbly tooth, she is so, so excited, I think everyone else in her class has already lost some teeth she was the last one. It's only a tiny bit wobbly, hardly noticeable but she's telling everyone she sees 😂

Ta das
School run
Stopped at shop for fruit (and a chocolate bar for me 🤫)
Hung laundry up and put more on
Dishwasher on
Fish pie mix out of freezer for tonight
Sorted ds clothes out, found lots too small
Put lots of laundry away (still more to do!)
Tidied living room, dc bedrooms a little bit but they were in the middle of a game so didn't want to disturb it
Washing up
Food waste bin emptied
HIIT but only a short one as I was exhausted from housework anyway 🤦‍♀️

I'm going to follow all your leads and attempt some power of 3s today after a quick sit down.

First power of 3 done
Took contact lenses out to give my eyes a rest
5 minutes on rowing machine to finish earlier HIIT attempt!
Looked through dh t shirts to see which ones come up longest so I can order some for Xmas

OH god no. Not the weekend already! Shit.

Lost the whole of yesterday to crash and burn flare. Slept all bar about 4hrs of yesterday Still not feeling great and only just about managed to get up. ish. Clothes might be needed

To do:
laundry on
shopping from stop and drop quarentine zone away
deal with old clothes
Prep everything for tomo
Email boss as have to pop into office tomo and want to warn her in case I do something dumb again and set off the alarms
Finish watering the house plants - 2 more are currently in the sink soaking.
Face mask wash

If i achieve that it will be a good day. Goodness knows what tea will be. Teen obviously enjoyed the stew and there is not enough for leftovers tonight. He has the pasta he was supposed to eat yesterday if i have not decided to chuck it out as has been sat on the cooker for 2 days now. Yeah it goes.

Can i get a do over on the week and be more productive?

hills argh sorry you're having a bad week. Don't push yourself too hard today.

Next power of 3 done
Another load of washing
Mopped downstairs
Decluttered shoe basket by kitchen door

Stopped for lunch of leftovers and

Must try and stay motivated for the afternoon 🤔

Wow Foxes you have done loads this morning. Love the cat.

MC oh yes, boys! My mum have five girls. When my first boy was born mum was in and out of hospital a lot. She missed most of the first six months as she was in hospital most of it. One day when I was there DS1 needed changed and we were in her bedroom. She asked if she could change him so I left her while I nipped to the loo. I came back to mum laughing and saying” I’m not going to do that again. I took off his nappy and he peed in my eye!” 🤣Yep, mum got an eyeful, literally.😂
She was more ready by DS2, who adored my mum. They were always closer than the others.

Sing I would try just leaving it the room without mentioning it for a week, then maybe dolly could have a wee especially if you have a dolly that can actually wee. I want my potty story. I think it is a online story/cartoon now.
Nursery staff always seem to want to train them early. Maybe she has shown an interest in others there. DS1 &2 were about 2.4 and 2.6 I didn’t want to start with DS3 until we were well settled in the house as we moved from Scotland to England but lived in a rented first as we couldn’t live here as it “ was unfit for human habitation” so I thought we would wait. He had other ideas and once the new toilet was in that was it. I had to get him a step because he was so tiny. He trained himself with in a week somewhere between 18 mths and 2. DD was about 18mths because I don’t remember her wearing nappies at nursery. She started at 18mths so must have been dry at least some of the time. I don’t really remember much about DDand potty training. Hmm. She might have been nearer 2 I just remembered it was summertime.

Found an email late last night, read it but didn’t respond as I was quite surprised( neighbour) and because it was so late. I look at mine in the morning, usually before I get out of bed, on the iPad. I am aware some people use there phone so didn’t want to be annoying by sending it at midnight if they take the phone to bed. I don’t. Had her friend around this morning about 9:30 am. I had got dressed( but not to shoes, not even slippers) wanting an answer to said email for both of them. She asked me to tell her which were available and apart from three I couldn’t remember and was a bit taken aback. Complained about something I said( one word) threw her arms up and said don’t bother then. I had already said I was going to do it this morning. Wow talk about aggressive. It didn’t ask for an immediate response so I thought next day was ok. DH heard it all. I said, “Is it the way I talk to people?” As this was said to me by her and recently the Headteacher. Something I should have clarified before resigning and it wasn’t heard by her it was a member of staff who said it before Head even arrived. When everyone was extremely stressed except perhaps the new ones who I think it came from.
I hope people will reply in the next day or two but not immediately unless I needed an immediate answer like “Are you going to the meeting tomorrow? “ Am I behind in email protocol please let me know if I am because I didn’t grow up with all this technology. We didn’t even have a phone or a tv until I was nearly fifteen.

It has left me a bit shaken to be honest.

P.o3
🍁Washed up
🍁Put away things on table
🍁Washed kitchen floor

Had a chat to DH about food, freezer and fish. Also about the meal tonight. He has gone to take some rubbish to the tip and collect some from DS1.

Going to do some of dining room while he is away.

t is why i hate the smart phone thing bower people feel entitled to your time no matter when and if you response at your convenience it is wrong. I had an issue where it took me nearly 2 weeks to get hold of someone by phone and as I pointed out - they didn't want me ringing them at 11pm at night when i was by a phone as they got up at 5am and would already be at work when i got up at 8am. And this was the first chance i had to ring. When put like that i at least got grace.

The covid situation does not help. Modern society has a whole new system of ethics so I have an out of hours automatic response now that basically says that this email is only check between x and y hours on Z days. If your email is important and needs dealing with sooner please contact me by other means. Those who need it already have alternative means, everyone else can wait. Saves so much hassle. What the hell is with everything yesterday society?! Bat shit crazy it is!!!!!

I have had a phone call which means i have just ripped up todays plans to crisis manage.
2020 needs a sedative and a time out in the naughty corner.

sing I'm sorry I missed your post about potty training! I would wait a bit if she doesn't want to use a potty or toilet yet 🤔 unless she is doing it at nursery?! I remember being quite stressed with dd over it but she got it really quickly when we gave up and then tried again later! Ds we just followed his lead with it really, much more relaxed and he hardly used a potty at all which made things much easier all round! I remember dd hated using toilets in public loos because she wanted the little seat she was scared of falling in 🤦‍♀️ ds however used to find it hilarious, especially once when out with my mum and he did actually fall and he still to this day says to my mum "don't drop me in the toilet again grandma!' when he's out with her and she takes him, much to her amusement

Bower it is definitely not you!! Unless someone asks for an urgent response then I definitely don't feel the need to reply straight away to emails (or even other kinds of message tbh!!). She sounds very rude. Sorry it stressed you out, I would assume she has her own stuff going on making her impatient and give it no more thought than that.

Next power of 3 except it is actually 4 because I got diverted by ds clothes again - he has too many to all fit!
Sorted the socks and put them away
Sorted out ds jumpers and folded them neatly
Put rest of washing away
Cleaned the bathroom

I think I'm going to have a rest now before the school run

Oh no hills!
I agree re smart phones by the way. I was always looking at work emails on non work days, I need to turn the notifications off, it is better now because I have put an out of office on with my working days clearly on there so I feel able to ignore on my days off.

Hills&Foxes

Oh thank you so much. I was just beginning to feel a little better re anxiety and was starting to venture out a bit more when tier 2 then lockdown came. I really don’t like being shouted at ( from the gate) she was ‘ having meetings all morning’ this is the woman who told my builder he couldn’t park his van on the road outside her house and what was he doing in the village as he looked dodgy!” she had only just moved in a few months before.
It was about the Advent windows. I guess they expected a reply straight away. Anyway I sent the email as soon as she left. There was quite a lot to type in for choices. Most people have rung or sent a couple of choices when emailing. I am keeping the list you see. I wondered if it would go ahead but now I have about 12 confirmed. The school are going to take part and have 3. Really pleased they are going to do it.

Ah a new comer.... they are the worst. They want village life but they want the village life to be their view of it. We see it a lot. It is a pita in the extreme

Although tbf we have had some really good new comers and are lucky with most of our neighbours