Fledglings are Flying into April, there's no fooling us.......

[EventuallyDistracted]

Welcome fledglings old and new, to April'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 Flying Lessons. 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

KCC - we don't do so many of these now, but these are little stories, photos, memes, off-topic questions, just to keep us all distracted from the general tedium of lockdown life. Feel free to chip in.

Thanks to Up for guiding us gently through March .

And off we go into April.

Dancing that is awful that you were assaulted all those years. I am shocked that your mum blamed you.
Sing it has brought up stuff because we want to empathise with you and DD but probably good too. Shows you how comfortable I am with people here as I have only told about two people in real life. Bf and DH might have told college friend. It shows paedophiles were about then and sly.
Dancing that is awful about the car. Years ago DH did something similar. Without discussing it he swapped the car with a stereo system with someone at work. It was getting old and spares were expensive but I would have kept it longer it was a great car to drive. Strange what goes through their heads.

Dancing . Sorry DH is being an epic knobhead. He sounds very controlling and you don’t deserve it. Did the car need fixing or something?

Sorry to hear of everyone’s experiences of assault. I’ve had similar but minor and nothing I ever felt bothered by, but it’s so wrong that it’s something that so many women experience at one time or another and most of us almost accept it as normal or feel ashamed to speak up. I’m so glad DD has spoken up Sing. She’s a strong girl.

Mc DD was also not impressed with a doidy cup, or water in general. The tommee tippee ones were the best (although I only liked using them for water, not milk, as I found the lids difficult to clean). I just used to put the cup down on her highchair every time I gave her food, and I’d sit and eat and drink too. She definitely started putting food in her mouth well before she started drinking water but did get the hang of it in the end. Any attempt from me at putting the cup to her mouth was not appreciated

at the Party We Do Not Speak Of Waders. DH did similar once. The noise at silly o clock in a terraced house was ridiculous, and I was worried about our elderly neighbour, and told them off. His friends all apologised and quietened right down. I’m normally quiet so I think they were shocked. One apologised every time I saw him for months . Enjoy your HCBs. I’m having one for breakfast.

Glad greenhouse is underway Red!

Hope busy April goes quickly Hills. See you in May.

Tidy maybe full school will actually be easier to get back into a routine rather than odd days here and there.

I slept really well last night, woke up at 7 and came down for a peaceful cuppa. DD came down and was very excited as I’d put up some Easter secs and laid out some Easter craft stuff, bunny cookie cutters and her new spring/summer clothes. She’s happily sticking glittery eggs onto card and I’ve therefore managed to catch up on the thread. I am really looking forward to this weekend. We have planned out nice food and activities and will be having an egg hunt with DSis and DN. Plus I have double the time to get necessary flying done so I feel more chilled. DH is planning on getting the garden summer ready.

Have a lovely day everyone 🐣

Morning all,

I am the only one up, on the sofa with a blanket and a cuppa which is nice. Need to go and start on some jobs in a minute - I have rashly invited some friends round to sit in the garden this evening so I am feeling like I have to do a massive tidy up even though they won't be coming inside. We will be doing pizza in DH's outdoor pizza oven. So I need to go and make lots of dough. Also going to attempt sourdough HCBs, I got lots of extra sourdough starter going yesterday. And the usual weekend loaf of sourdough bread.

I did my yoga last night, so had to shift the box files from the bedroom floor as far as the landing if not into the loft. I will do that today, I need to get the Easter egg hunt stuff down, every year I think the DCs might be too old but we always end up doing it. I put up the Easter decorations last week, I know some on MN are sneery about such things but I like them, makes the house feel spring like.

Back with links in a minute

Friday 2nd April

Flight Plan - today our mission is to sweep/vac the zone 1 areas, hall, porch, dining room.

The habit of the day is to clean out your purse / handbag and car.

Babysteps - today is the "get dressed to shoes" babystep. Yesterday was "shine your sink'. Link to all babysteps here babysteps

Red- yes, thats why me and mum never got on. She never believed me.
I am so sorry your car got swapped like that! I would have been upset!
Waders- I am so sorry that happened to you on the train. Its not right, and things do need to change.
Sing- I normally only tell people about me being assulted in town as I would want another person to know it 'you are not alone.' If it happened to you. As I was alone, holding onto this awful thing all by self at such a young age. Its so good your dd told you.

Yester ta das-
💥breakfast for kids
💥argh nearly forgot online diabetes course- log in through my phone so could hear the session.
-unloaded dishwasher
-stacked in breakfast dishes in dw
-wiped breakfast table down
-swept floor
-mopped floor with large floor wipes
-floor looks so much better

• decluttered a few more things from table
• kitchen looks much prettier.

💥dh stupid talk about my car- upset me. 💥called recovery trailer guy- he was super kind. 💥shower dress cried 💥lolx2 in 💥clothes for kids ready 💥oven food on for kids as i 💥scrambled around trying to find documents for my car and Id for me. 💥clothes into dryer 💥take car to car buying place. 💥them transport my car to garage and sold my car. 💥home cuppa and more crying to head explode. 💥kids back from park 💥i make jacket potatoes and warm up hcbuns- i eat 2 with another cuppa. 💥show kids all the easter eggs I have bought them at lovely reduced prices last week- they were thrilled. 💥told kids we are going shops to buy bread and a few essentials. 💥take kids to sains to see the peter rabbit display- but sains had put a giant pallet of easter eggs onto of the display blocking the view- ffs sainsbo! 💥swear never to take kids shopping again as they were so excited to wear face masks and see things in the shop- they were dragging me around. Got out of the shop as soon as possible. Never again! 💥trying to get kids to bed. Walking up the stairs my dd kicks her foot out and my cup of hot milk flies up and empties milk on the stairs. I tried not to cry over spilt milk- but I did. 💥feel like running away. Kids kept asking why I was crying. 💥finally got kids to bed. Woke up at 2am. 3am made myself toast and hot milk as I was starving. Was very tempted to get in the car and drive off by myself to get away from my house at 3.30am. 💥today I am going to keep chipping away at the housework as the hallway as my kitchen look so much better. Just the dining room and sitting room to sort. Oh and tidy house to put up my million easter decorations up for the kids! 🐣🐣🐥🐥🐇🐇🐇🐣🐣🐣🐣🐥🐥🐤🐤🐤

🍒👋everyone.

Morning. Can’t believe it’s the holidays. I have zero motivation to do anything TBH. We are seeing family tomorrow and much as I’ve missed them it’s been so long since we’ve socialised I am dreading it more than looking forward to it. 😳

Haven’t done the egg hunt clues or anything either

👋sorry up, Ed and sing x posts

Sing- thats how I felt about seeing family but I went on wed- last minute out of the blue - the kids missed their auntie- so we met in her garden - socially distanced. Kids were overjoyed to be somewhere different - played beautifully. Entertained everyone. Obvs they cried and fought at bedtime- but that was to be expected.

Up- I think the car is 15 years old maybe. Its had exhust and turbo problems and the door locks jammed on passengers side. All the usual seat problems. As I lost my job last year to covid, I knew I wasnt going be able to keep my car. We had it Sorn last march. H told me I can use 'have' his car and we hv put the carseats in there.
Thats sounds like a lovely Easter morning!

Ed- Pizza oven outside! We need pictures please!
I think Easter decorations are really lovely for the kids and cheers a house right up.
(Try looking at the bloody sour face i have seen this morning 10.30am- and you would wish you had bought more Easter decorations to blot it out! 🙄) 🤦‍♀️😂 (you would think I have asked him yesterday to dip his balls in candle wax and set fire to them himself!)
Oh I rang his mum yesterday and told her everything and she said- he needs some sense knocking into him- he needs to be knocked out. I like his mum.

Happy Easter everyone!

Oh and do you have any tradditions you have/do at Easter? Please share 💕💝

That’s reassuring dancing thank you, I feel a bit better about it now. It’s probably also because I’m feeling guilty we haven’t got family member so much for their birthday this time but they do understand money is tight!

I hadn’t realised DH’s last day of Easter bunnying was a full day rather than the evening. I feel less guilty for my lie in now 😂

I feel a bit clearer headed today and have dispatched the Caglets on a few basic chores.

Traditions wise, well Easter is not really a thing for us - we just do an egg hunt in the morning. Since home educating we’ve often done clues that are based on things they’ve learned so there will be maths, language vocab etc. It’s super nerdy. Not sure how it’ll work this year though as obviously DD1 is doing completely different stuff and isn’t so keen on puzzles anymore, and Cagletini will be more able to join in too with picture clues. I’m thinking of having different trails for each of them but then the last clue is like a puzzle piece so they have to put them together for the final clue which tells them where the main egg is 🤔

Here we are, pizza oven and Easter decorations, got these eggs from Lidl.

sing- wow Easter hunt in such detail! How do you think of it all!

Ed- love the Easter eggs and wow to the beautiful pizza oven! 😍

slips quietly onto thread - thanks ED and UP for thread leading. Many thanks for March UP. Great start to April ED. Got completely taken over with work and stuff. Very sorry not to be around.

Dancing big hug your way. I wouldn't have lifted a finger to get the car sold in your situation. If your DH thinks it's his car, he can bloody well sort it himself then.
Waders you had a busy day! Sounds like your DH will need a large glass of wine once he finishes.
ED beautiful Easter eggs! And I like your pizza contraption.
Up that's very reassuring to know! I think I need to relax a bit with the whole bottle/cup business.
Sing wow, your Easter hunt sounds fab!

Ta das:
💥LOL X1
💥Folded dry laundry and put away
💥My nursing chair arrived! So was moving furniture and putting it together. DH was Moaning Nelly 'it's too big, it wouldn't work' so annoying. Of course it wasn't too big and fit perfectly.
💥Took the opportunity to hoover the dark corners of the carpet in the bedroom when moving furniture.
💥Hoovered stairs and downstairs
💥Weeded front garden and put another layer of bark.
💥Found the kitchen and rotated DW

Now, need to find my cup of tea..
🍒👋 to everyone!

Hiya, I’ve realised I’ve not been posting my ta da lists, I have been flying but I keep falling asleep before I log in to post my ta da list. I’m getting back into doing my diary now though, so hopefully I’ll keep track of it now. The weather has been nice again today, sunny but a bit colder than it has been. We’ve spent most of it in the garden, DH finished work early so he made us tea outside. I’ve attached a picture of our sleepy boat baby❤️

sing I’m glad social worker finally showed up, I hope things are smoother with them now so DD1 will engage. I am very much like her, when I’m messed about I just shut off, so I understand how stressful it is💐. Your Easter egg hunt sounds brilliant, so much detail!

I am so sorry about what you’ve gone through dancing💐, it’s just awful. And sorry your DH is being an arse, sending hugs❤️

I’m sorry you also had a bad experience too waders💐 it sounds like you’ve had a super busy day!

up I’m usually the laidback wife, so DH’s friends were very shocked when I snapped. I don’t think they’ll be messing me about again😂 glad to hear you slept well!

ED I love the Easter decorations and what a beautiful pizza oven! DH was talking about getting one the other day, god knows where he thinks we’ll put it!

How exciting about the nursing chair mc let us know how you get on with it!

I’m so sorry to hear so many of you have been through some form of sexual harassment/abuse. It’s awful how many of us have stories to tell. I had a few incidents in high school, one of the main ones was a boy used to put his hand up my skirt in class, and I would let him because I was so embarrassed. He then told everyone and I got bullied for being a ‘slag’. I was also sexually abused as a child, but I’ve blocked it out and it only comes back in flashbacks as I have PTSD, it’s awful and for years I told nobody because I thought I’d made it up, telling people has made it so much better. Well done to your DD sing she’s a very brave person for speaking out, I’m sure you’re really proud of her❤️.

ta da
Made breakfast
Showered
S&S
Dressed DC
Packed DH’s lunch
Made beds
LOL
Cleaned outside of boat as was getting mucky
Dusted
Made lunch
Washed up
Bathed DC
Put DC to bed
Cleaned kitchen surfaces

Ships how adorable is your little one! Such a cutie ☺️

Morning
Trying to pull self back up
Did do stations of cross at church yesterday and a walk with zoolets

Heading off to walk in forest
DS,DD and I are fed
Cats fed
Lav cleaned

Will try and tackle laundry mountain and locate floors later

Dancing/red/sing such horrid experiences
Ship love your pic,gorgeous boat and baby❤️
Ed nice oven❤️

Love the pic! Think I missed an earlier one that was lovely too. I’m so behind on the thread! 😳

ta da so far
🛖yesterday’s LOL in dryer
🛖new LOL
🛖delegated tasks - DS took rubbish and recycling out, DD1 cleared kitchen counters (she made pancakes last night) and ran DW, then they both scrubbed the garden table
🛖pottered around tidying a bit
🛖downloaded a free game before I forget (if anyone has a PlayStation there are some nice freebies ATM, I have been wanting a puzzle game called The Witness for ages but it’s a tenner on iPad! Will make a nice family pastime I think)

House seems a bit nicer and it’s lovely how quick it’s been to make it passable. And even though we will be in the garden it still makes me feel more comfortable having people round IYSWIM? Especially as you can see in the living room from the garden!

Just need to sort out food. We’ve been very disorganised 😳

Zoo think of the naughty corner as a giant tortoise shell that will help you stay the right way up when you hide in it 😁🥰🐢

Sing- lovely to hear it so much easier to clear up and things look tidy! I bless all you guys on here everytime i walk into my kitchen which is lots more easier to tidy.
Zoo- lovely you are going for a walk together.
waders- oh no horrible dreams. 🙄 bloody nest. Lovely you worked on your book.
Ships- what a cutie picture of your baby boy! Love seeing your boat too.
Ships I am very sorry to hear what that horrible boy did to you at school and so sorry you were abused as a child. That is horrible- You are brave for saying it aloud too.

At my house I have been acting normal as I dont want a atmosphere so, i was suprised,
H told me he will transfer approx £280 into my account to buy food and feel like i have a salary as i am doing bulk of childcare and housekeeping. He said he will put money into kids accounts for clothes for the kids.
I said thank you. I dont want your money but I have no job i am struggling.
Let see if he remembers to do this....or he forgets.
I have told myself to get my health back and then start applying for jobs. I think a dinner lady is going to be be my best bet.

Cherry Saturday morning waves everyone

Morning all, I mean afternoon all .

I had a good evening with my friends around the pizza oven last night, but didn't sleep well afterwards, woke up about 3 feeling bloated / heartburn. Not good. Couldn't get back to sleep but ended up on the sofa with a blanket and snoozed there, very comfy. So I had a lazy morning, then remembered I need to get to the sorting office to pick up a parcel before 12 and did that, back for a bit of brunch and now I need to tackle some last bits of washing up from last night and general odd jobs.

Flylady declares Saturday to be Family Fun day. DH has gone off to see his Dad, first time since last summer. The rest of us are going to laze around at home, I'm tired, its freezing out.

Definitely family fun day here for once! Meet up was really lovely 🥰

Waders that's excellent your heating is back to working properly. The good old reboot. Sounds like a lot of DIY for you today. Hope your headache disappears soon.
Sing that's wonderful!

Ta das:
💥Sorted out aquariums x3
💥Rubbish out to the bins including recycling
💥LOLx1
💥Folded previous loads of laundry and put away
💥Bathroom blitzed

DH made brisket in slow cooker. He doesn't quite grasp the concept of slow cooker, and keeps opening the lid to turn the meat/check on it regularly. He gets irritated when I tell him not to do it as it drops the temp and prolongs cooking time, as he thinks he knows better. Well, as a result brisket was leathery. I had to really bite my tongue not to say 'I told you so'.

Anyhow, book and bed time.
🍒👋