Fledglings are Marching into March (and tentatively inching closer to freedom): The March Flylady Thread

[StillUpholding]

Welcome fledglings old and new, to March’s Flylady thread!

For any newbies who have stumbled across us, we are following Flylady’s housework system which is based around routines and short bursts of activity to try to keep our houses and lives in order. (Sometimes we follow it more loosely than others). Feel free to join us, the more the merrier! We post our ‘ta da’ lists for motivation (no matter how long or short), and enjoy some random chatter along the way.

The link to Flylady’s ‘flying lessons’ is here . Have a read, and if you have any questions, just ask. You can sign up for emails but be warned there are lots so most of us rapidly unsubscribed.

I’ll be posting links daily to keep us all on track. Jump in wherever you are, remember you are never behind.

This is a long running thread and we’ve developed some lingo along the way:
LOL = load of laundry
S&S = swish and swipe, a quick daily clean of the toilet and sink
PO3 = power of 3. When motivation is on the low side or you’re overwhelmed just pick 3 things at a time and do them
DNLMS = did not lose my shit
Ned = our mythical mate who helps with the laundry (hasn’t paid a visit to me for a while)
Pointy stick —-> = for when a fledgling needs a motivational prod (we can be gentle if required)
The naughty corner = a relaxing haven where we hang out when motivation is low, we are on strike, or we need a rest and some TLC

I’ve just realised that it’ll be around a year since our lovely SC came up with the idea of the Keep Calm Corner (KCC) to keep us going in these strange times. I’ll try and keep the tradition going with little snippets of happy stories, memes, questions and distractions. Any contributions welcome as we enter what could be the final stretch to some sort of normality.

Thanks to ED for being a lovely thread leader for February and keeping us (mostly) on the straight and narrow, despite being very busy herself.

Right, quiet at the back there, have we got everyone? Let’s head into March...

Change of plan here. I dragged my arse out of bed, got dressed and the DD came down with a nasty cough. Hoped it was a one off but no, it’s a proper, new, persistent cough. So test booked, nursery and work informed, and I settled down in the sofa. I’ve since hung the washing out and stuck another load in, s&s’d, washed up and got DD dressed. DH is planning on cracking on sorting the garage/shed so at least there is a silver lining. DD seems fine and I’m sure it’s just a cold. Not ideal work wise for either of us but after only a few hours sleep I am grateful for the new napping potential.

Hope the funeral goes as smoothly as possible Red and you enjoy tipping the gin.

Any joy on the remote front yet Zoo? Ours regularly goes missing, Dh has a habit of leaving it round the house.

Zoo sending you a warm hug. If I were you, I'd boycott housework for a week.. Just the bare minimum to get by. You are being a great mum 😘
ED I hope your DF gets better soon and has speedy recovery.
Hazel I hope you get the house!
Aloeha impressive DIY. What does your little one think of her newly decorated room?

I love how many of you already have ta da lists before 8 am. I feel like death if baby decides to wake up for the day at 7am 😬 (usually it's more like 8-8.30, followed by another half an hour in bed feeding, cuddling, and reading).

Had a lovely mother's day weekend, no housework whatsoever. Now I am paying the price for that 😂 House is like a hovel. Will need to get cracking with that. Not before a walk though 😬

MC what time do you fall asleep,how many times are you woken at night and what's your optimal amount of sleep?
Remember caring for little ones is exhausting.i get huge tada in at silly oclock as I'm awake early and burn down by lunch and by 4pm will be incoherent and barely able feed zoolets let alone do other stuff!

I could never achieve anything worthy of note before 10am when DD was mctiny’s age Mc. I think the baby days are a different pace of life and broken sleep is not conducive to productive mornings. I was never a morning person at all until I went back to work after mat leave. Now DD sleeps well but wakes early and I can get a lot done but tend to crash in the afternoon. Doesn’t really matter when the tadas happen, as long as it suits you.

Up- sorry your dd is ok!

Mc- honestly in the baby days....there was no way in hell, i would get anything done before 1pm.
Lack of sleep meant I was a walking zombie most of the time 👻.

You on the other hand....do loads, you are doing great 💖 xx

Zoo- have you been at the tick tics again?

Red- hope the funeral goes well.

Up

Sorry that was meant to say....

Up- sorry to hear your dd is coughing - hope she is ok.

Goodness, lack of sleep is affecting me. Just been worried about back to school on mondays.
Sorry

Hi,
Sorry I wasn’t going to funeral just stood outside just along from our house and lots came with it being dry and 😳sunny! So about 10 making a guard of honour both sides of the road and more opposite the church front door. So the hearse was walked past us both ways. He was elderly late 80’s I would say. His wife will rattle around her family house as it is very large, old house. She is made of strong stuff though. I really liked them both. I kept my horse there for two years.

DH went walking this morning and it still out. 8:30 - 4:30

We have left overs for tea. So easy. Haven’t got much done. I went done to the Summerhouse and cut out recipes. It was so lovely. I had Radio 4 on and could see the hens and hear the sparrows and one brave blue tit. I cut back the plant on the veranda so ready to repot them hopefully tomorrow.

Dancing that made me laugh I read it twice thinking it was me then confirmed to self a typo! 😂
Up I hope it is just a cold. Weather has been very changeable and if she has just gone back to school likely to be a cold. 🤞🏻
MC like the others I got by. We had just moved into a chalet by the beach open plan( freezing cold) downstairs and bathroom. Upstairs two bedrooms with sloped roof. Sunroom downstairs where I kept the pram. It was cork floor( 70’s) so swept floor. Kitchen was minute. I used to read a lot ( no tv) and walk a lot as he cried a lot but did sleep in the pram. Woke up as soon as the pram stopped. He was a really sickly baby. I think you are doing amazingly well. Second, third and fourth were easier.
I’m not even up before 8am now.

Aloeha great job. I need to do my room we’ve been putting it off...for years!

Ta da
S&S bathroom
Stripped bed.
LoL sheets.
Wash up breakfast dishes( DH )
Wiped work tops.
Looked in Rof D but overwhelmed. No go today.
Plants trimmed.
Indoor plants watered.
Swept kitchen floor.

Promise self to achieve more tomorrow. May get ironing done tonight as duvet cover in wash. Two t shirts. Need to do one more LOL.

Well dd1 has been called for vaccine(asthma).shes terrible needle phobic and in a tizz.ive bitten bullet and agreed register as parent carer to get mine and she will wait for me get text and go together.her fiance has been given strict instructions he's driving so we can go straight away,and he's on duty if either of us drop bad a)looking after her b) help out anything we need/with zoolets if nec.hes a good egg.x

Will ring parent carers tom and get them to contact g.p I should've added!

Ta Das make you move! I have now

Vacuumed all of downstairs. Kitchen , dining room, sitting room and hall.
Logs and kindling in.
Fire set.

Mother’s Day

DH collected gifts and cards from each child/ man!

So/ card and box of three different teas from DS1.
Card and orange gin with a special glass saying Shall we? DS2
Card and a box of Black Magic chocolates. DS3.
Card and a Lost Words jigsaw DD
So thoroughly spoilt.

Also DH bought a rib of beef and roast veg. He didn’t start it while I was at church so we ended up eating about 5pm no lunch. I ended up doing a lot then left him to watch it. He turned the potatoes but didn’t check the beef so when I took it out 45 mins later no gravy as it had dried up and burnt. I had put wine in it too. The beef was just perfect though so thank you again Mary Berry. The butchers had Carmel Sticky Toffee pudding +3 others for 1/2 price so I didn’t have to make it.
I didn’t see the boys as wet, very cold and sleet. So I said we would celebrate another day. DD had a call though so I saw her. She looks very well. Lovely skin must be the good air and vegan diet.

DH had a phone call from a NZ guy he knows so I spoke to him for 10 mins then DH turned up. They are still chatting nearly one hour and DH says I can talk!

Yeah dancing I do a either days or nights. Both are 12.5 hours 7-7.30.

Aloeha when mine were little I barely got dressed some days and did even less when I was pregnant.

So I've spent most of the day watching TV. Few ta-da's though
LOL on the line and the bits that had dried I brought in and ironed.
Made beans on toast for me and the little fella then cleaned up from that
Packed my bag while he was having a nap.
Made a chocolate and coconut torte which is delish. I've already had a piece and I've brought another for my break along with a bag of tangfastics 🙈
School run
Made packed lunches
Made chicken curry for DH & DC

I've just parked up now and going to go grab a coffee before I have to head in get changed. Won't be home now until Thursday so won't be many ta-da's from me. Joys of a hotel stay someone else does it all for you 🤣

Double- hope your shift goes quickly.

Red- that so lovely everyone did a guard of honour.
Glad it made you 🤣 its meant to say tic tacks.😂

Zoo- thats lovely you are going to support dd1 when she gets the vaccine. Good you will get it too.

Tadas
🦁 so much laundry and bed sheets since saturday i am suprised my washing machine hasnt walked out!😳
🦁mutter darkly at all the f shoes chucked anywhere and all the B ing dried mud everywhere and only me cleaning it up.

🦁sitting room tidyish
🦁hallway nice except for pushchair
🦁kids hooked on using the mini vaccum cleaner and now my stairs have been vaccumed 3 times in one day. Then batt ran out or they would have kept vaccuming the stairs all night!
🦁2.5hours cooking Ds fav dishes while entertaining kids on dining table making thier own lunches and them helping me with dinner.
🦁ds loved my food.😊
🦁kids to bed late but we had a lovely family time.

Half- hope you are ok?

🍒👋everyone

Zoo McTiny feeds every 2-3 hours around the clock at the moment, thankfully it's a relatively quick affair in the night. Pre pregnancy/baby I was one of those people who needed a lot of sleep, 9 hours of uninterrupted sleep ideally (job got in the way of that regularly, but I could manage it more than occasionally). Since baby was born, I am actually doing OK so far. I surprised myself, I thought I would really struggle with lack of uninterrupted sleep. Baby is down for the night around 8.30-9pm and then I sit in bed reading until about 10-10.30pm. That's my me-time, as I don't really get any during the day (he naps either in the pram or on me, and not for very long..).

I only tend to get going with housework in the afternoon.

Ta das:
💥lol x4
💥Folded and put away a mountain of clean clothes.
💥Fishies sorted, all 3 tanks.
💥Bathroom blitzed
💥Dusted downstairs and upstairs
💥Antibac-ed surfaces in the living room, including remote controls
💥Hoovered downstairs, stairs, and upstairs.
Dancing I hate hoovering the stairs with a corded hoover. What type of mini vacuum cleaner do you have?

House is starting to take some shape now.
Time for my book. 🍒👋 to everyone!

Well done for doing that zoo

I’ve done nothing today 🤧😷🤒

MC I have a Dyson 7 for the stairs ( and other places) it becomes much smaller when the centre pole is taken out so it is much lighter and I am not trying to balance it like the main vacuum.

Dancing 3x in one day 🤣 unfortunately the novelty will wear off.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋 to everyone I haven’t mentioned.

Super busy at work today, which helped take my mind off the offer we submitted this morning 🤞 only another 24 hours before we find out if we got the house or not 🤷‍♀️
I'm starting to panic, we really don't have the house ready to sell. We need to replace the roof (which we will have to do as part of the sale) and we have so much stuff in our house still that needs to be donated or packed. I feel like I'm the only one doing that. We also need to rent a storage unit for the extra stuff, and ILs have said we can borrow a little desk they have instead of our ginormous one. DH doesn't like the idea, but I'm just going to have to get things moving I think.

Red sounds like the send off for the gentleman you knew went well
mc my DD slept 7 hours the first night in the hospital, I had nurses yelling at me for not waking her, I may have been young, but I wasn't stupid - you don't wake a sleeping baby! I kept waking up to check on her still though. From that night on she was on a 4 hour schedule for feeding, she did it herself, and slept through the night at one month old 11pm-7am). DS on the other hand.. I think he finally slept through the night consistently at 2 years old 🥱 I was exhausted. It is tough, but the time really does fly by.
DD will be 17 tomorrow! We have a couple of things for her, DH is worried it's not enough, but it's really plenty. She has yet to figure out what she wants for dinner tomorrow night, but I need to go grocery shopping.
Sometimes I think it's pointless taking a day off to not do anything (mother's day, for example) because it just means everything is delayed as no-one else will do anything that needs to be done.

Sorry I'm rambling, I'm tired. 🍒👋 to everyone

Things started to pick up again here after I posted and got such nice replies. Thank you!

There was just enough dry weather for me to finish putting bricks and blocks along the edge of the path in the front garden to stop gravel and soil drifting down on to the path. Which also means that the back garden is a tiny bit tidier now without that stuff lying around to trip me up.

Had three large storage tubs in my bedroom, and couldn't remember what was in them. Looked in, and they were clearly the result of some kind of stash-and-dash several years back. Everything now where it belongs, three tubs can now be stacked in understairs cupboard. Don't really need an office as such in that cupboard, as so much day-to-day stuff is on my tablet or a laptop.

Decided to blitz the shed, with a target finishing date of the start of the summer term. It's gradually become a confused mess of just-in-case bits and pieces, with archaeological layers that I can't even remember. I filled several supermarket bags with household things from the shelves then filled the shelves with stuff that had been on the floor. Gradually able to see what there is without having to bend down. The bags are in the kitchen for sorting, eg, keep curtain cord, hooks, etc in the same place. Also several ice-cream tubs all labelled "Ikea". Then I'll scour the garage for any similar items. After recycling and binning of useless stuff, goal is to fit any and all household items into stacking tubs, label with masking tape, and keep in understairs cupboard. Think I'll make up a small toolbox for myself to keep in there as well.

Some bugger's nicked my food waste bin again!

Hazel - great you have put a offer for a house! My babies didnt sleep till they were 4! 👻
It what you said about mothers day. Happy birthday to your 17th year old!

Mc- i have a G-tech handheld. Its very powerful.

Red- i really wanted the kids to vaccum under the dining table after they had eaten. But they were to busy taking turns vaccuming the stairs- shouting out- its amazing mummy! (It was thier 1st time using the gtec on their own.)
That when I shouted for the millionth time- can someone please vaccum under the table- the battery ran out! 🤦‍♀️

Morning. Was just settling down with a cuppa to catch up on the thread when the text has come through with negative 🙌🏻. So now need to dash to get us both ready and head to work.

Here’s the flightplan and I’ll try and catch up tonight (Dancing I knew exactly what you meant ) 🍒 👋

dancing I'd be happy to take helpers with a hoover to my stairs anytime.as small people can I pay in homemade cake rather than cash?(I have more cake than spare cake.always!😁)
Sing hope you feel better today
Hazel 🍀🍀🍀🍀
Tidy I have bin issues,namely passive aggressive returning assisted collection bin to block the front door.i put in official complaint yesterday.hope you find your bin!

Tada
Cats fed
Harpic lav
Tidy cupboard one,adding extra tins from spares understairs
Tidy cupboard two,noting need more pasta and lentils
Tidy cupboard three,need more sultanas and light brown sugar
Tidy understairs food stuff,moving into circulation anything there was missing.noyed what needs adding to list to keep up a few spares on standby(in case dd1 ever can't help shops/I'm unable to go>
Breakfasts
S+s
Wipe kitchen surfaces
Find email and get dd2 to print D's timetable
Menu plan for the week
Ring parent carers and arrange for contact to confirm status with g.p
Prof DS with stick to do school work online/supervise he don't slope off

*spare cake than money

Zoo they won't let you go straight away and it is actually dangerous to do so. That window is to make sure that you don't have a rare immediate reaction to the drug. Our covid centre let people sit in the car and a volunteer was sent to "check" on you at the end of the 15 mins. the check was - you feeling ok? yes, ok you can go. They were incredibly strict about it. But they were clear - either in the building for the 15 or in the car and checked on. Military organisation style.

I am call thread bankrupt. No way i can catch up properly. Sorry. Also will probably vanish again soon. I have really over extended myself this month.

The people were left in charge of the house for the last week I just cooked and asked people to run the dishwasher. They did but didnt really do the not dishwasher stuff, and when they did forgot the no cross contamination rules. So i need to rescue that mess. I also opened the fridge door yesterday and it was pretty much empty and as we have to book a slot for shopping a week ahead, and it was confirmed no one had I did a massive food shop yesterday. All the gaps were filled (the in person shop shopping done which was what we had most gaps of for the allergy friendly stuffs). Today I need to clear out what ever the hell that was and restore some sort of sensible order to the shopping that was stopped and dropped in the lounge.

I am also sick of tripping over the boxes of stuff for the tip so once I have fixed my car (oil, water and boot catch) I want to do a tip run to get rid. Plus there are things like condolence cards needed, cheques and banking, and letters to post. So it is going to be a long busy day.

I had my jab on Sunday, I was advised to sit in the car for 15 mins afterwards but nobody checked on me once I'd walked out the door. I sat in my car to play with my phone and drove off. No side effects so far other than feeling slightly warm and tired the next day. DH felt quite rough 24-48 hours after his though and has an achey arm.

Red - we haven't confirmed on colour. Wavering between blue and dusky blue at the moment. I like aubergine but it doesn't go with our decor or any of our stuff. I like sage too but DH wants a brighter colour.