It's July, Fledglings are Flying towards Freedom (hopefully!)

[EverythingDelegated]

Hello and welcome to the July 2021 Fledgling Flylady Thread. Thank you Willow for an excellent pair of June threads. Welcome to one and all, old hands and newbies, lurkers and longtime posters and anyone in between. This thread keeps us vaguely on track with Flylady and is where we post our Ta Das and Yes Ta Das (what we did yesterday 😁), our To Dos and To Didn'ts, and discuss anything that comes to mind (often not housekeeping!).

The beauty of Flylady is that you are never behind, the whole system repeats every month, just jump in wherever. The aim is to gradually get into good habits and regular routines that keep the house ticking over rather than having a huge blitz on it.

To help you with this I'll be posting links to Flyady's Flight Plan and other useful parts of the website, which is updated daily, it's also good to go in and have a browse (some of it is a bit twee though). Do NOT sign up for the emails, you will be inundated.

The system divides the house up into weekly zones, then in each zone there will be timefor decluttering, a small daily task (the Mission) and each day of the week has a theme too (eg Errand Day). You can switch things around to suit your circumstances, there is a weekly Sneak Peek page to help you plan ahead. There are also 31 Babysteps, small daily habits to adopt (eg wearing shoes around the house if you'd rather not). Finally Flylady wants you to make time for you and your family, so weekends are more relaxed.

Jargon
Flylady (and the thread!) has a little bit of her own peculiar jargon it can help to know:
S&S - swish and swipe - a quick go round a bathroom or cloakroom to keep it acceptably fresh
LoL load of laundry. We are not collapsing into hysterical laughter over the state of our washing baskets
Hotspots any areas that tend to collect clutter no matter how often you clear them - mine is definitely the corner of the worksurface by the kitchen door, and the bookshelf at the bottom of the stairs
5 minute room rescue a quick whizz round any room to create a semblance of order
Weekly Home Blessing (often Home Bleugh here) - an hour a week to keep the house acceptable. I think this can only be done in an hour if you only have one bed in the house to change, so take it with a pinch of salt. I spread mine over the week as I cannot get it down to an hour and don't have an hour to give to it either.
Ned and Ted - imaginary friends often draughted in to assist with washing and ironing
BRC Bag, or box, of Random Crap
(D)LMS (Didn't) Lose My Shit - often a necessary acronym around spouses and teens!
Naughty Corner - the thread's imaginary space for rest and recuperation when it all gets too much. Often stocked with soft cushions, blankets, drinks and snacks. May or may not have a free bar, fire place, sunloungers, hot and cold running barmen etc.
Cherry waves 🍒👋 - lovely type for cheery wave that stuck!
All Fed and No One Dead - a good outcome to a busy day.

The beauty of Flylady is that is can be adapted to any household setup - lots of DC or just one, or none; a partner / spouse, or ex, or those going it alone; those working within or outside the home; shiftwork, you name it.

Our motto is No Fledgling Left Behind, so if you are a returner or a lurker, welcome on board, there is always space her for more Fledglings.

Up thank you, that's very reassuring to hear.
Hills I hope your assessment went well!
Merry I am sorry that interview didn't go so well. Chalk it up to the experience, you will ace the next one.
Dancing sending strength. Vacation with kids sounds stressful. You can do this, mama.
Yup enjoy your 4 days off! Any plans?

I am in a funky short tempered mood today. No flying done. Our bedroom is too warm, 27 degrees despite open windows and fan cooler thingy on (the rest of the house is fine, it's just the bedroom that's like an oven). I am not comfortable.

Crikey this thread is moving quickly.
Just popping in before I go to sleep. Just had a lovely night sitting outside the pub with some other villagers. Need to be up early as have a meeting down the Lakes in the morning.

Still trying to get rid of the mites bloody thousands of them. Just went down to count my chickens because they have been out today. Manage to puff stuff on the mites. We have kept them out of the coop to try and get on top of this outbreak.

Re organised wardrobe.
Still have several baskets of RCs need to sort some for the charity shop.Managed to chuck some stuff out. Mainly paper and leaflets from Singapore expecting to go again the next year but then mum died. Years old now so out of date.
Went through tights, re hung scarves and shawls on hangers and put in other wardrobe.
Put woollen jumpers in plastic bags. Fitted well into drawer.

Have done nothing to bathroom bar S&S as really keen to sort bedroom. Slow but steady.

Persuaded chickens to get back in pen.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋👋🍒🍒👋 to everyone and hope to catch up later tomorrow.

you going the de route or a chemical route red?

Apparently i really needed to be in so much pain i woke up around half 3. I am going to try taking some pain killers and sleeping. Panic is mildly setting in...This flare needs to fuck off for 24hrs i need my brain! i can crash after that. But right nows i need my brain.

and sleep. i also need a little more sleep!

I woke up an hour ago. Builders are coming at 8.30 to shift all the large appliances to temporary homes. Washing on, DW emptied, now sitting in the garden with a cuppa.

Red - have you come across diatomaceous earth? Its a ground up mineral powder, excellent for dealing with insect infestations, it dries them out, I use it for ants as its safer than chemicals around cats. Says suitable for red mites on the container. I have had mine for 20 years as I only use it occasionally so I can't remember where I got it, think it was probably an eco gardening site.

you can get DE (diatomacious earth) on amazon. Apparently if you need for putting on food plants it is recommend that you get the food grade version(?) I am currently looking for neme oil. And comfrey. Comfrey spreads like wildfire but hey ho that'll only be revenge on the neighbours that encourage the ornamental grasses that are an arse to get rid of.

Should be focusing and actually running through a past paper. what is actually happening is SQUIRREL

Good luck with getting prepped ED

Hope you got some more sleep Hills and can stave off the flare for one more day.

Dancing I'm glad you've found a way to get more sleep, sorry DH doesn't understand. Do you have to sleep in with the DC at home? Glad DH took the kids out and you got a bit of a break, even if you were sorting out the house.

Merry sorry about the job and the fitness tracker, and belated happy birthday! Frankly, after such disappointment making tablet was the only answer. Hope it was delicious (and please could you share your recipe?).

Yup hurrah for 4 days off! Will this allow you to relax a bit more, so the reflux recedes?
Mc sorry it's so hot, it's hideous being uncomfortable like that. Hope the temp has dropped now.
ED that sounds like a heck of a day, running from pillar to post. You must have slept well! Good luck with appliance shifting today.
Red sorry to hear the mites are still troublesome. Sounds like you are making great progress with the Boudoir and had a lovely night out. Hope your meeting this morning goes well.
Hazel you asked about my surgery - after 8 months it's not recovering any further on its own and I still have to make a daily choice between dog walk or walking 10 minutes into town. This really isn't sustainable for another 40 years in that way, so they have suggested surgery to straighten my second toe which will hopefully pull everything back into line. It means six weeks off my foot again, in a boot and with crutches, while it heals, but I think that's probably better than restricted mobility for the rest of my days. Not being able to move is certainly not helping my weight!
Up glad the test was negative and you still got some stuff done. Has your second trimester glow arrived in the post yet? (Mine never, ever did!)
Foxes hope you are still there and not too busy to have a birthday. How much house do you have at present?

🍒👋 to zoo, THAT, MrsTidy, Honey, SC, Hope and all our lurkers and occasional posters.

I have been up since 6 when the bloody dog went off at the milkman again, MNing and trying to make a plan.

To do:
🏋️ Post birthday cards to DS1, who will have his first birthday away from home on Saturday 😭
🏋️ Read more of my very interesting book on inter-war house design (I know how to live, me)
🏋️ DH is off to Actual London for a meeting
🏋️ Morning routine
🏋️ End of home bleugh (I will finally wash the kitchen floor)
🏋️ Filing and shredding for work
🏋️ Writing
🏋️ Y7 Taster lesson for DS3
🏋️ Really start on DS1's memory book - I have been avoiding it because I do not want to accept that my firstborn is going to be 20.
🏋️ Small nap?

Good luck with the day, everyone.

Tada!
Yesterday's washing off line and taken upstairs
Today's washing on line
DW emptied and wiped down
Fridge emptied and wiped down, all shelves and baskets removed for washing
Garden watered (WM will be in shed connected to outside tap).
Shower and dress
More stuff taken to shed
Supervise DH moving some furniture
Kitchen table decluttered and wiped down

To do

Supervise builders shifting appliances
Wash fridge shelves and reload
Clear coffee table to make room for microwave and coffee stuff
Empty remaining cupboards (mostly the stuff we'll still be using) and find places for it.
Sort humongous pile of laundry
Take cats to cattery
Pick up key from friend for cat sitting
Hopefully take DD swimming tonight.
Pack (did I mention holiday tomorrow)

Oh and in between that lot I need to take DS to an appointment an hours drive away.

Good luck ED! Hope the holiday will be restful. For North Norfolk take one more woolly than you hope you'll need, and don't assume you can get a mobile signal. I've spent many holidays there hanging out the window with one leg in the sink trying to get enough signal to make a call! 🤣

Morning.
po3.1
❗️Get dressed
❗️Meds and breakfast
❗️Sterilise cup as AF decided to return to a shorter cycle this month (wondering if all the changes were actually jab related as many seemed to have found this?!)

Ta da:
❤️ Washed, dressed, breakfast, vitamins
🧡 First wash done
💚 DW rotated, kitchen wiped, sink shone
💙 First wash on line, second wash in
💜 Downstairs cloakroom S&S
🤎 Recycling out before the bin men arrived! 🥳
🖤 Milk in off doorstep
❤️ Dinner out of freezer
🧡 DS3 dispatched to 8 am lesson
💛 DH dispatched to London
💚 DNLMS when DH WhatsApp'd me a list of things he wants me to do while he's out (water plants, feed fish, put chemicals in paddling pool) because I don't have enough to do myself 😤
💙 Sort post, file post, be quietly pleased with lovely new jewellery from Tatty Devine that I spent some pocket money on.
💜 Dispatch DS2 and GF to work.

Now I am finally going to wash this damn floor!

Eek, that might be a problem, we do need to be on the end of a phone for the builders.

Right, well better late than never some links

Thursday is Errand Day. Our mission today is to stockcheck our bathroom for shampoo etc, have a think about anything we'd like to revamp, towels etc and to clear our desks.

Flight Plan

4 days off

Dancing hope you got restful sleep last night and your DCs too.

Willow hope your next surgery does the trick and I hope it's soon. Hopefully with me, next few relaxed days should mean the reflux will calm somewhat but it can take a few weeks for it to clear. It's been a while since I last had it.

Mc. No big plans as I just don't have the energy. Spend time in garden, going for walks in neighbourhood, resting, pottering and reading.

Hills Good luck with your studies. When will this round of assessments be over or it is your finals? And what is SQUIRREL?

Everything enjoy your holiday. Fingers crossed you can get phone signal.

As I was languishing in bed, DP came to tell me that we had run out of milk. Since he went shopping last (we take it turns), I was very cross as he obviously hadn't bought enough milk to last the week. 😡

Ta-Da
Milk and top up shop at 7 in the morning
Reminded DC to get ready for the day (and hallelujah it's happened)
Breakfast

To-do
LOL
Get myself ready for day
Tidy living room/Dining room

🍒👋🏼 to everyone

po3.2
❗️Maths with DS
❗️Put laundry away
❗️Put away “too advanced for Cagletini, too easy for DS” puzzles in our room for now

Yup grrrrrrr at DP finishing the milk.
ED if you have broadband in the house you'll be fine particularly if you've got VOIP, but you'll get no reception at all on the beach.

Ta da:
❤️ Kitchen, utility and cloakroom floors finally washed
🧡 bathroom floors washed too! I am on it today.💛 Poked DS2 into walking the dog
💚 Wash 3 identified and gathered up
💙 Emails sent
🤎 Plant watering done for DH
🖤 Ten minutes writing done in 3 minute chunks because people keep asking for things 🤬

Sterilise cup as AF decided to return to a shorter cycle this month (wondering if all the changes were actually jab related as many seemed to have found this?!)

Sing. It might be. Same thing has happened to me too.

Last day of term tomorrow and then I might actually start to focus on the house again.

Keep going badger not long now!

Just trying to manage a very stroppy Cagletini. Found out my job centre appt has been moved to phone though so that’s good, as I’d have had to get a cab there (not sure I’m even up to walking to town for a bus, let alone walking all the way). Plus I can stay in my scuzzy clothes now. 🤣

That's the sort of thing that would make me very happy Sing

I've coloured in next years timetable and starting looking at my groups and changes we've made to curriculum etc. Want to try and be as organised as I can (lots we won't know till we go back in September so you can't be totally organised) before starting next year to keep September stress levels low.

I very much relate to that feeling of wanting to be as organised as possible for September! This is the first year I’ve felt really capable of doing this, although I did fairly well last year and got some stuff set up before running out of steam.

Bit overwhelming. And I only have one kid (two if I consider the supporting DD1 with school too) to worry about - I really admire teachers who have tons of classes!

Just had my phone call (I am properly dressed though) and just writing a quick plan for job hunting and places to look for volunteering/work* before my online maths lesson.

*If anyone has any ideas for charities etc related to mental health/SN/parent caring do give me a shout! 💐

Must actually finish putting the laundry away now 🙄 and DS needs to do an LFT.

Then

po3.3
❗️Find homework for maths pupil and send to his mum
❗️Write up this week’s lessons
❗️Make sure DS is ready and presentable for tap video filming

Today's achievements of a non work variety include...

-lol (which I first did yesterday and forgot to hang out so had to be rewashed and hung out today)
-getting all the rubbish and recycling out for collection day tomorrow
-dealing with doctors (have had such a saga trying to get something emailed to me with two weeks of repeated phonecalls and promises that didn't come to fruition but hopefully now are resolved)
-booked a blood test at the hospital in a couple of weeks time to get the surgery off my back about not having had them for ages (hypothyroidism and vit d deficiency)
-checked bank accounts

I actually thought I'd done nothing so it's better than I thought anyway.

I will try to fly from Monday.

Honey I bet you'll be so relieved when term finishes tomorrow. Am impressed you have started organising for September.

Ta-da
Got ready for the day
Lunch made for DC and myself
Washing up breakfast and lunch stuff completed
Recycling taken out
Bins emptied
Drawer decluttered & tidied
Washing out
Plants watered
Dinner cooked
Cleaned bath and surrounding area

To-do
Remind DP to water hanging basket (am too short - water ends up on me )
Tidy living room so that little Boosty (our Eufy) can go round.

Bring washing in and put away