It's February - Fledglings are Flying (let's face it there's not much else to do).

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Here we are on the February 2021 Flylady thread - this time last year we were just starting to realise that the world was going to change in a big, big way. The Fledgling threads have pulled us all together and been a great source of comfort and distraction from it all.

This is a friendly housekeeping thread based (loosely... Extremely loosely sometimes 😂) on Flylady's housekeeping system . Welcome one and all, lurkers and long-time posters alike. Join in, hang out, but above all remember you are not behind, just jump in where you are.

The beauty of Flylady is that you don't have to flatten yourself trying to get your house clean to begin the routine upkeep; the first - and only - thing she asks you to do is to shine your kitchen sink. Routines - morning, afternoon and evening - are built gradually through her Baby Steps. To those, you add a Daily Focus and a weekly area to concentrate cleaning on. By the end of a month, your whole house will have had some attention. If you miss a bit, never mind, it'll come round next month!

For this month, I'll be posting daily links to the Launch Pad on the Flylady site so you can follow the daily focus and cleaning missions. You can sign up to receive emails from Flylady, but we suggest you don't - she sends masses, which will clog up your inbox and drive you insane into the bargain.

Because this thread has been running a while, there are some acronyms we use to make life easier
S&S - swish and swipe, round the bathroom to keep it acceptable daily
LOL - load of laundry. No, we don't find washing that funny!
Ned - born of a typo, a mythical being who assists with laundry mountains
The pointy stick ----> to motivate people
PO3 - Power of 3, if you can only face a few tasks. People often find groups of 3 tasks stack up over a day!
The Naughty Corner - where we head when it's all Too Much. Usually stocked with fresh coffee, fluffy throws, delicious snacks and the opportunity to sit quietly with friends or build a blanket fort and sulk in it if you need to.

During the Pandemic, we have also been using the KCC or Keep Calm Corner, invented by long-time poster / thread leader SC. This is a regular dose of memes, questions for discussion, random trivia etc to distract us from the rest of the world. All contributions welcome!

Remember - No Fledgling Left Behind!

Don't apologise MC, please. I've found the posts so helpful. Are you enjoying the snow? It's like a white Christmas here all over again! On the subject of teaching, I have a good friend who had a near breakdown as a student teacher due to the system. Such a shame as she'd have been a fab science teacher. She left immediately and did other stuff.

It's just a sheet of white blobs outside ❄️❄️❄️❄️

I don't know if you can see the Mr Tumnus lamp...

Dancing it is getting worse. The academies are just corporate business. It will be part of the reason my face didn’t fit. I was one of the most expensive too so they seem to be trying to get rid of those. It was a shame my boss retired early as it was a lovely, caring place when he was there. It is an area of deprivation so we gave a lot of care to those kids with difficult home lives. I don’t suppose they will feel like that now. It is all about performance from the sound of things. I am in touch with two of the TAs and one says it is horrendous and she can’t wait to get out. She is looking for another job. It is so sad for the dedicated staff like yourself. Several have left and are working for children’s charities so you may find something later on. For now just enjoy your own. You can’t get that time back.
Butta you will be tired from the pregnancy. Glad everything going well. Have an afternoon nap if you can. I used to have 1/2 hour. Reading feet up and doze off. Set a timer so I didn’t have too long then not want to go to sleep later. Does Elijah have an afternoon nap still?
My eldest didn’t at that age but the others all did.

Sing your Dd made me 😂 re dishwasher. My answer to that would be “ You should have washed up more then!”🤣

Hazel oh didn’t want you to feel outed. Sorry.
Thanks for the look of that one. Definitely needed a second visit. It looks rather like some of the older Australian houses like my aunts had. Is it weatherboard? Some of the out side wood reminds me of it. I liked them. Is there a good garden it looks like there is? Happy house hunting.

Unfortunately you will have to do your own ironing. Ned and Ted are following Boris carefully and are ‘ staying at home’ so no chance I am afraid. I could do with them too.

Right better get back to it.

Ta da ...not many!
S&S
Another part of work top cleaned and polished. Just have the plant window sill to do.
Shower tray and glass.

Started on the room of doom. Furries are residing on my bed at the moment so plan is to sort one basket/ bag per day and I missed yesterday. If I can do 30 minutes to one hour a day I might have cracked it by start of Lent. I am going to have to decluttering some of my craft stuff I think. Or box it up and take it to attic in other house let them assume it is DDs. I may find some of hers in there in which case it can go there.
I need to get off here and crack on. Thanks for links will have a quick read but priority for me is room of doom. I keep on top of kitchen since new one is easier.

Crossed posts.

Foxes you can’t do everything. Risk it if chance of snow tomorrow and go then otherwise black bin bag and 1/2 an hour if possible.

Hope oh you have more than us. Not much last night and sunny so it is melting. Forecast more on local news. Sis sent me a picture of up there. Lecht near Aviemore has loads you can hardly see snow plough. Sis is further north and won’t have as much but says a good fall.

Afternoon all! I woke up after less than 4hrs but took meds and went back to sleep as you don’t need food with them. So got up around half 9 instead. Felt better for it although I’ve still not done much other than reading to DS, and defeating the next boss on RingFit Adventure so at least I got some exercise. Might try another snowy walk later but I sent the big two to the park for a bit to just be kids and have fun (much needed) - so grateful we have the big park nearby. DH has to go and fetch a prescription now so I won’t be able to go until later. Hopefully I can get the Caglets to do a bit more work later, they are warming up in front of some anime right now.

I’d better email my tutor now as the deadline was today - she already knew I’d be late but we didn’t agree an actual deadline (not that it especially matters with this course, you have an overall deadline to complete but the individual assignment deadlines are more just guides)

💖 you guys on here are lovely. Thank you.

Oh and the dishwasher has already been on today 😂 I didn’t think we had much to wash. But it’ll be good to start cleaning stuff like the utensil pots which are probably pretty grim. I’m wondering if the cutlery tray and stuff like that are dishwasher proof, must check that out.

Also - fat. I’m assuming that’s pretty bad for the machine? Like if you roasted something you’d have to be quite careful about mopping it all up first? Or would it just get caught in the filter and solidify?

You sound like you were a lovely teacher dancing I’m sorry the system destroyed you and I don’t blame you at all for getting out. It’s so sad that it does this to great teachers. Interestingly a lot of home ed parents locally were teachers first too. One of the other ladies on my group therapy course for CFS/ME was doggedly trying to get through her PGCE but kept getting unwell, it was so exhausting - that was part of what scared me off TBH.

Mc as others said don’t apologise. And don’t feel bad for dwelling on this stuff either, it’s natural for it to come up for you now as you’re bringing up your own little person. There’s no right or wrong way to feel about it. 💖

No need to apologise Red that house has way too much that would need to be done. It would need at least $50,000 worth of work done and that's not all of the work we would want to do. It's already listed for more than I would spend on it to buy it. Those pictures were taken the end of summer, everything is brown here now. The outside space would have been perfect for us.
The houses here are mostly stick built homes, but we don't really deal with a lot of extreme weather, just wind since we're in a valley.
We'll keep looking and waiting. We are going to look at a couple of new houses tomorrow. One's 6 years old, the other isn't quite complete yet. I would love to find a house in-between lots of work and brand new. I really would like a 4th bedroom.

Anyway, DW is exciting Sing reminds me that I need to do mine, was lazy last night and didn't rotate it. Although it's usually something DD does and she went home early from school yesterday, not feeling well.
So sorry that so many of you who were teachers left for the reasons you did. It's always the best ones who leave first as their heart was in the right place. It shows how much you cared, unfortunately it's always the DC who lose out in the end. And you, of course!

hope I love the snow picture and love that you have a Mr Tumnus lamp!

I'm stalling today. I have lots to do and putting it all off. Does anyone have a pointy stick?

Yes but I am not sharing it!

😂 zero stickage here. I didn’t quite have time to get out for a walk before DH’s video appt and it’ll be dark after. I can’t believe how late it is already. Cagletini is in a vile mood.

You'll have to encourage Cagletini to use her considerable superpowers as a force for good

Well she appeared to cheer up after being allowed to sweep the kitchen she’s helping DH make dinner now. I braved the elements for another walk/pokemon hunt, wasn’t quite as enjoyable today (colder, icier, no falling pretty snowflakes!) although I’m glad I went. Feel inexplicably MEH now though. DH had a crap appointment too, so the mood in the house is somewhat flat.

I broke the stick,and maybe a few days before I am encouraged to whittle a new one
Dancing I've heard this time and again in recent years,those who care are driven out of the classrooms when they are honestly NEEDED.an all round education starts with feeling heard and valued.im glad your husband recognises the destructive nature returning would bring and is keeping you solidly on firm happy ground.
Sending a big hug and 🍫 as I'm tired and uncertain if I'm putting both feet in my mouth or waffling!!

dancing hills my dad was a teacher, he suffered terribly with stress and panic attacks towards the end of his career, he gave it up and became self employed and was much happier. It's a shame because he worked so hard to get to where he was and had always wanted to teach . I wanted to be a teacher when I was young but it really put me off.

No pointy stick here either, I have not done a lot of flying today. Work has been busy and difficult. Hardly done any school work with dd. They did get to build a snowman when dh got home though. No time for sledging but they were happy in the garden. Ds stayed out there playing with his cars in the snow for ages.

Dh tripped upstairs with tea and it went on his face so that was scary but he is okay luckily just a bit sore.

Ta das
Nursery run , packed lunch etc
Work
Phonics , spellings and maths with dd
Made lunches
Picked up ds
Dishwasher
LOL
sorted click and collect food shop for tomorrow
Cleaned kitchen and table after dinner
Tidied living room

Meant to say I can totally understand why people leave the profession

And more work and more work...thankful for my day off tomorrow!

Well, someone must have poked me with a stick, even if you say you weren't going to share hills!
I know today isn't anti-procrastination day, but I made ALL the phone calls I have been putting off the last couple of weeks!

Ta Das:
🍫 Called the school to excuse DD since she's home today
🍫 Called about water softener salt, we didn't get our delivery last month and now we are completely out in our water softener. She had someone deliver it already today!
🍫 Called doctors office to update pharmacy info for birth control pills (they usually automatically get mailed to me every 3 months) I'm on my last pack already 😳
🍫 Skyped mum
🍫 Put grocery pickup order in
🍫 Called health insurance about reimbursement for hearing protection, forms filled out and sent to DH to print out at work
🍫 Ate the whole bar of Galaxy 🤦‍♀️
🍫 3 LOLs done so far
🍫 Rotated DW

To do:
🦥 Ironing, ironing and more ironing
🦥 Pedicure on myself
🦥 Pick up DS from school
🦥 Pick up groceries

I really want to get more stuff done around the house ready to sell, there's painting to redo, packing more boxes up, decluttering. I do feel like DH is putting off the inevitable. He had a shock when I told him how much a storage unit was to rent. He wanted me to get one now, I told him we need to get one closer to us moving. My ILs pay $50 a month for theirs, which is why I want to wait.

foxes I hope your DH is okay, that sounds painful

Eek. I have a Scary Ta Da. I got an email from a local disability charity about a befriending scheme where parents can mentor other parents going through autism diagnosis with their kids. I have emailed back to enquire. Definitely something I could do! 6 weeks training on zoom first.

Aaaaand even writing this post the Fear is setting in. Aaaaagh.

Brilliant sing - you could really help people ♥️

Aw thanks hope I hope so. A useful role and a good start towards getting experience for when I get my degree in several years. Glad I struck while the iron was hot as the whatwereyouthinkings and OMG YOU WILL BE TERRIBLE thoughts are now piling in, obviously. 🙄

I actually managed to sublimate that anxiety into scrubbing the toaster though, so that’s something.

The kitchen looks so much cleaner already - DH has been DWing the random bits and pieces like the utensil pots and random Tupperware lurking with odd pens and magnetic letters etc all over the place (why? Why do we have so many of these?).

I have brought down the bath toys I was planning to chuck as hard to clean... worth a try right? 😂 A review said they survived fine, if they still don’t seem properly clean then I will get rid.

Thank you for all your kind reassuring words, everyone!
Sing that's a great opportunity. You know what they say, running towards what you fear most is the road to success and freedom. Your support will be invaluable.
Hope I am fed up of the snow already 😬 Mainly because both cars are snowed in and roads are not gritted where we are for whatever reason (you'd think they would be as we are quite central). I actually had to do online tesco shop to be delivered tomorrow as DH couldn't get the car out to go physically, wheels just spinning through, and that's with all weather tires.
that best of luck with your scan! Are you going to find out if you are having a boy or a girl?

Ta das:
💥LOL x1
💥S&S
💥Cuttlery drawer cleaned
💥DW rotated and kitchen surfaces cleaned
💥Downstairs hoovered

Hope everyone is having a relaxing evening. 🍒👋

I don't have to make a phone call!

Medical centre have obviously run out of people who can make outgoing phone calls and moved on to the rest of the list, so I now have a flu jab appointment for next Friday.

The letter has been sitting on my Pile for about 4 weeks, so I got quite a buzz from it being sorted even if I didn't do it myself

That was about it on the TaDas

Tomorrow I need to make a lasagne, set the oven and tell the household I have a meeting till 7:30... then I need to look at the thing I got sent yesterday. Fortunately it's only training so I don't actually need to have an opinion on it in advance.

Right now I need to Future Friend and then go to bed (bathroom availability permitting). Maybe I'll whittle a new stick in my sleep.

Glad you’re getting a flu jab merry!

Thank you for the kindness mc you’re right I just need to do it. With piano teaching it all happened by accident this time round and the first lesson was arranged within a few days, having no time to overthink it definitely helped!

I have done my challenges, done my weights routine looked at funny things on fb and admired my shiny toaster (don’t worry, that didn’t go in the dishwasher). Will read for a bit now or I have no hope of finishing the book on time for the Fb discussion (I had thought I wouldn’t even attempt to but since I’ve started...)

Just noticed how grimy the kitchen radiator is so I guess that’ll be tomorrow’s “clean something” euwww