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 everyone! Early start here, DD is awake and seems back on track to her normal self. I’m going to walk the dog with DD soon, we haven’t got our for a couple of days because of the sickness bug so will go for a long walk. My mum and nan might be coming over to look after DD for a few hours so I can get a few hours sleep.

Bower thank you, I will try to post lists soon. I have 6 weeks left until baby is born. So maybe things will change by then, I’d like for cafes to be open or maybe soft play so I can get out of the house a bit. I’m glad you like the name too!. I don’t know any babies that came on their due date, but I think I would quite like it if this baby did come on his due date. It sounds like you had a nice day.

Sherin- Ethan is a lovely name! I have always liked that name. Its trendy and a cool name.

Mrs tidy- So glad you had a calm bedtime. I like the sound of that tinkly music...send some this way please...it might stop my fraggles chatting me to death at bedtime...!

Bower- Thank you for letting me know about trimmings on ebay I will go look now.

Weldone for doing the village litter picking twice now. I truely cant understand why people throw litter or allow there household waste get blown into the trees and grass. We have a alley nearby, people have dumped things there... its so sad as its encouraging more people to do that.
Its a nice teeny, tiny place of communtiy trees and a bit of grass, its lovely for my little ones to explore in but I wouldnt allow to go in at the moment.
Its lovely you are going to go through Dec and make sure your village looks lovely for Christmas.

Morning all

Welcome new people

It is sooooo nearly Christmas

🎄🎄🎄🎄🎄

Sherin glad she's better.whens your due date?my eldest was born 5th Jan(1995)ten days after due date a pattern I liked to follow with dd2.ckearly I like cook mine a bit longer than recommended🤣if you were local to me I'd come help out

Haven't moved yetshiulderseized and tight pain my arms been sending shocks last two hours to elbow.bugger.been faffing on phone try ignore fact when I am upright gravity of weight of arm could be excruciating...

I desperately need a we and my furry overlords are reaching angry impatient stage.besr get up...

sherin I went into labour on my dd due date but she arrived at 2am the next day so almost!! I couldn't believe it when I woke up on her due date and started having contractions, I thought wow my baby is very organised!
Ds was a few days late but it felt like forever waiting!
Glad your dd is feeling better this morning, enjoy your long walk.

Bower well done on the litter picking that's amazing!!

Saturday is family fun day and I think we are going to put our Christmas decorations up and watch a Christmas film, can't wait. flight plan . No mission because it's the weekend.
I will need to do some housework today because it's been a bit neglected this week.

Have a good one everybody ☺️

zoo hope your arm is ok b

Happy Saturday everyone! We have two weekends left of DH working . I stayed fairly on top of things over my work days but all seemed to go to pot last night and downstairs is a disaster zone.

Ta da:
✅ fed everyone
✅ sorted rearranged Santa visit (it’s moved outdoors so can still go ahead despite us being in tier 3)
✅ unloaded dishwasher
✅ caught up on thread

I also love the name Sherin. Glad DD is on the mend.

Tidy i agree planning an easier Thursday sounds a good idea. It makes sense - if Thursdays are difficult anyway and you don’t get much done you might as well embrace it, take some time to relax, and not feel any guilt.

Sorry DD had a difficult time with CAMHS Zoo. Hope the second coat was ok once it dried.

Hope you had a lovely thanksgiving Hazel.

Dancing I made my first Christmas cake this week. I looked at some recipes linked on the thread, an old recipe from a family friend and also googled ‘easy Christmas cake’. I sort of did a combination of them all (I rarely just manage to follow a full recipe I like to read a few to work out which bits are necessary and which bits I can miss out if I don’t fancy nuts). It seems to have gone well! It was much easier than I thought. Lining the tin outside and in was the worst bit. Give it a go!

Sing thanks for offering to do December. Casual links are good with me. I have a lot of annual leave in December so could do it if you change your mind.

Bower well done on the litter pick. I can not understand the mentality either. Just put it in the bin when you get home! I often have to pick stuff up left by people on the beach opposite us. Glass bottles, carrier bags, I’ve even seen dirty nappies

Woolly that dress 🥰. It’s fabulous.

I seem to have forgotten the rest of my personals but hope everyone is well. Aiming for downstairs bleurghed, fresh air for DD and the new dehumidifier unpacked. Currently cuddled up watching gnomeo and Juliet, and DD wants to do a Christmas card for Santa.

Back later 👋

UP- thanks, I never even thought of lining the outside of the tin...off to research.

woolly D's ended emergency sect after induction as placenta was failing at 40+2.lil zoo planned sect at 38 weeks

My arm Is cooked.need keep elbow tucked into body and wrist parallel or above elbow or its excruciating.bugger,bugger,bugger

Oh well.it is what it is
Painting won't do itself,nor laundry or keeping everyone fed etc

*fooked not cooked

I had no idea about lining the outside until it was mentioned on a few recipes, and a few wise ladies advised that I shouldn’t be lazy and miss out that step as it stops the outside burning before the middle is cooked. I just wrapped about 4 layers of greaseproof paper round and tied it with string. Mine was very similar to Woolly’s but my fruit was soaked in brandy and orange juice/rind overnight first and it’ll be fed with a bit more brandy before decorating day.

Zoo don’t overdo the painting with that poorly arm

That I am also now feeling festive 🎅 🎄 🎁

My DD arrived at 38+5 after failed induction for high BP and emergency section. Everyone was convinced I’d go over but I knew she was going to be an April baby, not my May due date.

Ta da take 2:
❄️ Both of us dressed
❄️ Beds made
❄️ chilly walk
❄️ DW and LOL set off
❄️ nursery / work bag emptied
❄️ s & s downstairs
❄️ clean washing and various random bits carried upstairs
❄️ general downstairs tidy

I feel like chaos has been resolved downstairs now, but it’s grubby. Wooden floors, 2 cats, a messy DH and a 3 year old means the floors should be done daily really. Both of us working full time and neither of us liking that idea mean it’s once a well plus the odd spot clean.

Quick cuppa then tackling the Santa list which she wants to ‘send’ in the form of a card

up our floors only get done weekly too, you're not alone! Maybe when I get my new kitchen I will make more effort, our current kitchen floor always looks grubby even when it's just been cleaned.
I also always dread the unexpected toy being mentioned at the last minute 😱

Ta das
We started off very lazy, only got ready dressed and teeth etc at about 10am which is late considering we were all awake at 7. But since then we've all been busy cleaning (well ds hasn't but we haven't got to his room yet but he has been happily playing with the toys we have dug out from the bottom of dd toy box!) . I have been helping dd clean her room, so far we've decluttered all the Kallax boxes and some other storage boxes too.
Still got loads to do. Dh has hoovered downstairs and is cleaning the windows now.

Trying to get it all tidy and clean before the Xmas decorations come out but it's taking so long and the dc are desperate to start decorating! I have had to stop for a mince pie break.

Hoping dh will pop to the shop in a minute for some bacon for lunch to go with our bagels...

Zoo might seem like a weird question but do your shoulders feel tight? My physio correctly diagnosed a lot of my arm issues to there being problems with my shoulders. Physio exercises with a tennis ball/foam roller in the shoulder areas really helped with the arms. A hot water bottle in the shoulder area might help relax a few things for you.

They say that you hold stress from responsibility in your shoulders and stress from your emotion in your lower back. Not quite worked out if that is a thing or an old wives tale though.

Urgh. I have just had to resolve a massive issue and my mind has gone blank. Sorry I will try for more personals later.

Slept really badly, didn;t fall asleep til 4am and have been up since the alarm went off at 10.30am. Couldn't find the pain killers without the affending ingrediant. and pain levels got real high last night and have not really lowered this morning.

Everything on yesterday's list got dealt with, with the exception of the shopping from the stop and drop area. It is going to take 2 loads for the tip so will have to suck up 1 load staying in the house and the car is loaded up already. Same issue with the charity shop, so need to find one that is open and arrange to get the first lot dropped off.

I did have some help yesterday. Just the other adults in the house are physically and cognitively hindered by medical conditions. Neither can safely climb ladders, one can't sit or stand for long. Teen is often more of hinderance then a help but is going to be sulking cos school book sorting WILL happen today. And next week revision WILL happen. both are probably lies and we will probably just argue about it

I think i am starting with laundry this morning. No idea. Get up and go was rude and walked off this morning.

ta da
eaten breakfast
Sorted the ordering of new cooker
delegated the washing up of the recycling

to do
Write shopping list
find stuff for printing
Order books that should have been done a while back
laundry -kill of normal washing

Just realised it is Saturday not Sunday Lost a day in my brain somewhere. Oh that helps. A slightly gentler day can be taken...

Right also to do:
reformate mum's Christmas letters for her
make sure they are printed and ready for her to finish her cards
Assist with the stamping of cards
fix mum's window
Put all cards in bag ready to go Thursday
Encourage the completion of the present making so they can also go on Thursday.
Get slow cooker going with tea for tomo - am not going to bother with alarm clock tomo so will probably sleep 14hrs straight. Which makes slow cooker tea and issue. Also mushrooms need using asap
Make a master list of to dos...

Oh! just realised the irony of saying a gentler day and then writing a rather long to do list whoops. Sorry about that.

Hills you have so much on your plate.

Woolly- sorry for the ex post this morning!
Thank you so much for sharing your Christmas cake recipe, I will definately have a go. 🍰🎂🎄🎀

Up- thank you too for sharing your advice about makingba Christmas cake too. I will line the outside of the cake too. 🎂🎄🎂🎀

Oh my goodness! I've finally caught up with the thread.
Thanksgiving dinner went well, once we realised the turkeys weren't cooking in the roasters (for 2 hours! So they were cold still) that delayed us a little bit, but not too much of a problem really.
I have well and truly eaten way too much though and have gained at least 3 pounds in the last 2 days!
I work today so not much flying, but have done some around the house.
ta das
Wednesday night
🥧 Made pumpkin pie
🥧 Made Butter Pecan Cream Pie

Thursday
🦃 Made ranch dip
🦃 Took all food to ILs
🦃 Made rolls x2
🦃 Got ham in slow cooker
🦃 Went home to get ready
🦃 Skyped mum
🦃 Went back to ILs and stuffed myself silly - we didn't even start on any pies!

Friday
🎆 Did a little shopping and checked schedule at 2nd job
🎆 DH had started to put DDs skirting board up, they had been sitting in the hallway for months
🎆 Got Christmas decorations out
🎆 Put the tree 🎄 up and let DC decorate it (with just a little help from me) while listening to Christmas music
🎆 Skyped mum
🎆 Went to ILs for dinner (leftovers)
🎆 Watched fireworks - they turn the lights on in the center of town and set of fireworks at the same time. We could see the fireworks from ILs office window
🎆 Came home and DS vacuumed - there was a glitter explosion!
🎆 I mopped most of the house
🎆 I watched a movie under a new blanket

today
I have to work so only had 1 cup of coffee this morning. I'll get myself ready and go (after a 2nd cup of coffee that is)

Hi hazel! Love your name change by the way not sure I spotted that before. Glad Thanksgiving went well

Ta das
Did more decluttering in dd bedroom, it is still not finished
Decluttered and cleaned ds bedroom, it is nearly finished but not quite
Dusted dc bedroom furniture
Dh went out to buy new tree lights as he wanted a different colour this year
Went for a walk with dd
Kids have decorated the house and the Christmas tree and it looks like a Christmas explosion has happened...
Made squash soup
Ordered ds Christmas present from dd while he was out, dd had chosen a very specific toy dinosaur
Ordered some chocolate for dh from dd
Roast chicken in the oven, roast veg in the oven
Dishwasher reloaded
Switched the books on the living room shelves to make space for Xmas books
Put some Christmas ornaments out

Ta didn't
Any washing at all

Need to finish cooking dinner, have made a large G&t because the kids are being so loud and so excitable and there is stuff everywhere and I need to calm my nerves!!

There's a lot that's gone on over the last few days, I know I won't be able to remember everyone, sorry.

hills I'm glad you found the culprit of your allergy. I hope your pain goes away soon. Is there someone who can go to the shop for some pain meds that you won't react to?

I love the name Ethan!

bower I think it's great that you go litter picking, but very sad that you even have to.

🍒👋 to everyone! zoo, up, that, glittery, dancing, foxes and many more. I have to head into work now. Catch you later!

Hi everyone! I feel a bit better today, DM came to help with DD and I got to nap for a bit. I’ve set up the cot for the baby in my room (I’m in a tiny 2 bed flat, DD has a tiny room and I have the big room and will keep baby there until he’s too big for the cot and then swap rooms with DD and the 2 of them can share the big room). I’m feeling quite prepared and refreshed now. We put the decorations up today, DD and I are watching elf on the sofa.

Thank you for the love for the name. It’s between Ethan and Reuben I think. I will see when I look at him which one suits him best.

zoo my due date is the 7th :). DD was 3 days late, I’m not sure I could cope with 10 days!. Thank you for saying you’d help that’s really kind of you :). I hope your arm is a bit better.

foxes that must’ve been so exciting having contractions on your due date!. Thank you! DD is much better and me and Ddog really enjoyed the walk.

Thank you up, great list!. You’ve reminded me I need to do a Santa list. I’ve ordered a few bits and bobs but not sure what DD wants.

I do feel a bit better wooly, now I’ve narrowed it down a bit. I’ve always wondered what happens if you go into labour before a planned c-section is scheduled. Very annoyed about the DC asking for different pj’s!

Enjoy your g&t foxes you’ve done a lot today!

You’ve done so much hills, I’m sorry that you didn’t get much sleep.

I’m glad your thanksgiving went well hazel. Love the Christmas name.

I forgot I was going to post a picture of my tree. The DC wanted to do a Grinch theme again. We still have lots of lights to put around everywhere, I might do that Tuesday when I'm off.
DH and DC were working on laundry when I was leaving, I did get one load going this morning. Hopefully one of them will clean the bathroom, then the house will be ready for ILs coming over tonight, and bringing the leftovers!

ta da
🫐dragged the whole family on a walk! Yay! The older two took skateboards.
🫐boxing workout
🫐walked to asda with caglets, bloody hell, so stressful. And I forgot to even use the nearly-expired vouchers which were the reason I went there for fruit and milk. Also spent a fortune. Fucksake.

I don’t think I actually achieved anything else TBH, got another sicky headache for a while although toad-in-the-hole and gravy helped a bit, thanks DH :o

Tomorrow I need to study and prepare for the week ahead. Also want to see exactly what still needs getting for Christmas - would love to have any stray bits ordered by the end of the month, although there are a couple of things that will have to wait for lockdown to end - I want an exact list ready for that because today clearly showed (again) that I absolutely cannot do sensible shopping when I am stressed, and shopping in covid times is stressful as anything. DH has already been told he is doing the last supermarket shop between our last delivery and Christmas Day. I normally don’t mind it (my bank balance does) but I really can’t handle the thought of it.

Anyway I must go to bed and it will be another “put Friends on in the background” sort of night I think. My mood has definitely lifted a bit in the last few days though, being outside has helped!

🍒👋

Hi, I didn’t get on here early as I was feeling rather faint. This was due to the builder and his mate turning up and just as they were leaving a message from another joiner. He came this afternoon and it upturns out he was one of the lads who put our new windows in a few years ago.

The rubbish picking. We have village litter pickers we can borrow you just request. A family do about two miles near their house so we try and keep the bit near us done. It will bright.

Christmas cake. ..brown paper folded I half length wise round the tin , overlap then secure with string.

Ta Das

I cleaned around kitchen.
Organised a an event in the village( I don’t normally organise anything)
Wrote card and parcelled up present for my little girl in Africa. Posted! Yeah me posted with days to go. Been meaning to do this.
Made some cards to send.
Went out to large butchers and got five things four marked down including a big piece of pork marked down to £13 enough for two Sundays. Half a garlic chicken for £2:50 fish pie mix £3.50 and found whirls of Cumberland thin sausage. DH treated us to a steak. It was delicious.
Loaded dishes in dishwasher so I could sterilise the jars for mincemeat.

Ta didn’t
Ironing