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.

I'm that sick

Aw hope you feel better soon hope 💐

Shoes trousers and a Proper Grown Up bag ordered. So just need something long sleeved and I’m sorted.

I’m thinking about examples for possible questions too.

I’m not worried about not getting the job if I don’t do the best at interview (much as I do actually want it!) as long as I don’t make a total fool of myself 🤣

The hiding hasn’t really happened. I need to focus my attention on YouTube or something. Being stuck self isolating is not the ideal time to be trying to relax

Half - oh no, sending you get well vibes! Hot toddy sound lovely. What do you put in yours.

Foxes - hello lovely, jump in! You have got alot on.

Willow- thanks for article.

Badger- 2am rice sounds nice.

Sing- fab you are starting thread.

Allow me to fully rant please.....a i may implode with rage.....god know what this is doing to my chakras.......

Does the universe hate me?

So I should have organised ds toys into boxes and shoved all toys neatly into the suitcase.
Put all the clothes into shopping bags and into the cupboards.

Nope. I lounged on the sofa. Then made a fajita lunch for everyone in my clean shiny tidy kitchen.

Dh was forced the kids to go for a walk with him. He told them to get dressed 50times. Finally he got them to go to there room to find clothes.

I hear a massive thud upstairs and my dd screaming.
So i run upstairs screaming my ds name.
The radiator was on the bedroom floor and a water fountain coming out of the walls.😱

Its been 2 hours of wet towels trying to dry the carpet.

Internal rage picking up all lego and putting all shitting toys into the suitcases.
Need to declutter the room and wipe and vacuum.

First i need to shower.
Then continue with room until plumber gets here.

I have told dh to keep the kids away from me so i can empty the room of toys.

I can only conclude, the universe hates me.
We were supposed to go to dbros house for a family takeaway dinner. I wanted to float in relaxed and unflustered.

Right now I feel like popping helium ballons with a sharp pin.
🤦‍♀️

Sending get well vibes Hope - also now craving a hot whiskey! Myself and a few others on my pgce course used to spend Sunday nights together lesson planning at an Irish guy's flat and hot whiskey was our Sunday night thing

Nightmare Dancing ! Hope the plumber comes soon.

I have managed to write ALL of my year 7 and year 8 reports. That's one big job done and dusted slightly ahead of time.

That's all I've done though. No housework.

Oh no dancing 😭

Honey I think you can be excused from housework when you’ve done that many reports, wow!

Sing- just seen your message.

In the interview they asked me to answer the questions with real life experiences in life. Not theorectical answers.
My best interview was where i told them stories of my real life problem solving skills. You will be great at interview Sing. You just be yourself.

Honey- welldone on doing the reports!

Plumber is on another job and will come when finished could be anytime.

I have been slowly moving things out of the room and picking small things off the floor. Then will sweep and vaccum.

I have had to lie down for abit. Its too much with ontop of everything a bald patch on my head. Think alopecia patches are making a comeback. I have been very very stressed the past few months.

Its ok, i just need to get through 1 hour of tidying up and cleaning. Then stop and go over to dbros house to try a destress.

Deep calming breathes. It will be all fixed. And ds bedroom will be decluttered and clean by 7pm today. Silver linings and all that.

Mmmmm hot toddy! So good when you're sick, works for me. I hope you feel better soon hope

dancing that sounds so stressful. Hopefully you were able to reset in the shower and that the plumber shows up quickly. Do you know what actually happened to cause the radiator to fall to the floor? Try to enjoy the takeaway dinner at your brother's house.

Sing I'm sure you'll find something for the interview. What you are planning to wear sounds perfect. Honestly, in the type of job you are applying for mentioning your personal experiences does seem appropriate to me, but not necessary to go into detail iyswim. Make it brief if they want examples and if they want to know more tell them to hire you! Just kidding about that last part, but you can tell them you don't feel comfortable going into details at this time, they should respect that.

honey well done on your reports, housework can wait.

So on Wednesday evening I was annoyed that I had to rotate the DW before going to bed because the DC hadn't done it (or any chores for that matter) Thursday I was impressed and surprised that they had rotated the DW, checked the mail and put things away, so I really didn't have to do anything when I got home from work. Friday was the same, we went out for dinner. There's a 4th of July celebration that's 5 days long in the next town over and they had food booths, so we went there to eat. I was unimpressed by the food and wait time, as well as them running out of everything, including the salad that I wanted. So after that disappointment I'm not doing that again. Feeling like crap isn't worth it at all.
I do have to say I'm so happy that I've lost 4 pounds this last week, just cutting out the carbs, and I feel so much better for it still a long way to go though

So far today I've had 2 cups of coffee and taken DD to work. I actually went to bed early last night (also before 11pm!) And feel much better for it. It's 10am here and been relaxing on the couch. I'm on my 4 day weekend now!
I do want to get some pictures up on the walls, but it's hard deciding what to put up and where. There's also boxes that need to be emptied and lots of things need to find homes. Maybe I'll make some progress with that this weekend 🤷‍♀️

Evening all, sorry about the lack of links this morning, i tend to assume no one bothers too much with flylady on a Saturday.

Hazel - well done on the weight loss. I have just finished reading a book called Why We Eat Too Much (there have been a few threads about it) which was fascinating. I am going to be making a few changes based on that, cutting out sugar and wheat initially. Wheat will be hard for me.

Dancing - oh now, what a disaster with the radiator. Sympathy with the alopecia too, I have had it in the past a couple of times and I do dread it happening again.

Foxes - welcome back. Glad you've got the blood test booked, it's so easy for hormones, vitamins etc to get out of whack.

Honey - well done on the reports!

Sing - I think answers to interview questions can draw on non-work experience, so many people do useful things outside work like volunteering. Also, things like HE and your tutoring all mean you have plenty of experience to draw on.

Hope - hope you feel better soon (see what I did there).

Willow - I'll read that article properly later, I don't always manage my time very well.

So, tada!

Words have been had with DH regarding non-participation of the organising and admin side of running the family. In response he has done about three hours cleaning. Which wasn't quite the outcome I was looking for but I'll take it for now.

We have also been to a local uni open day. I have booked several more for the next few months.

Been to the allotment, had a long chat with a friend who called round to drop something off.

Helped DS treat sunburn he acquired yesterday by falling for the "it's cloudy so I don't need it" thing. Hopefully he will learn from that.

Finalised menu planning, Sainsburys and Riverford orders and tweaked the milk order. Updated bullet journal.

Helped DS mow the lawn (we did No Mow April/May/June in one section but it looked awful so it has all gone, but was quite tricky.

DH has gone out for takeaway before the football.

hope get well soon
Brain has funked out rest replies....

I've made 10 fez today,not sewed up but it's a start!

4lbs is awesome Hazel

Ds has gone to a friends to watch the football - there's a few of them watching it together again and he's getting a lift there and back from someone else's parent whose going so I don't have to worry about him cycling back late.

I've read the specification for a new thematic we're doing from September and written some work emails that I've and scheduled to send on Monday morning. I've also had an email exchange with a student whose flapping about how to catch up on things she's missed and arranged to meet with her to calm her down and give some pointers.

So today has been a work day really. I need to mark some assessments that I've been procrastinating over tomorrow and at least do a lol and little basics in the house. I will sort out the entranceway and gift football boots and astro turfs ds has grown out of having barely used them and chuck out shoes he's outgrown that are beyond gifting and make sure I haven't got too many pairs of shoes that I don't wear regularly taking up space down there.

I'm now going to have a g&t and watch something then take the dog out before bed.

Well done on the Fez production Zoo

Enjoy the football ED we have it on and I'm half watching with a glass of wine 🍷

It's been a good day overall, nice meal out and we watched honey I shrunk the kids with the dc when we got home, then I read lots of Matilda to them which they are loving. My energy levels have been ok today although I haven't really done a lot, just a quick tidy here and there and 1 X LOL. Also finalised booking days off over the summer with dh. But my anxiety levels have been high again a lot of over thinking going on and replaying conversations in my head thinking who I have offended, it's irrational, and it's really annoying me. I am just fed up now with feeling unlike myself, like I've just lost myself and I can't even remember when I last felt "normal".

Aw foxes I’m sorry you feel so rubbish :( you sound burned out, I hope you can get some proper rest soon 💐

I finally feel a bit more human now, I had a horrible evening feeling super moody and “stuck” - I know it’s just because of the interview, I will likely be a Horrible Person until Thursday 😳

Still, I did stories with Cagletini and that reset me a bit, I then ran the DW and we watched the rest of the Croods after the football 😀 Caglets are happier this evening and did some Kpop dance routines on YouTube, they are now having a sleepover in the living room. I also potentially have some more tutoring work and another piano pupil so yay.

Should really go to sleep but that aspect of self care has gone entirely to shit again.

Sing- self care does go onto the back burner at these times doesnt it.
Just be kind to yourself in your mind. You have alot to think about and juggle so its ok not to be super duper amazing on it mum for a bit. You need brain space to do something for you too.

Hazel- 8 lbs thats bloody amazing!
My ds stood on the radiator to get into the wardrobe! I think it was held in with 2 screws. They have used completely the wrong wall plugs and the plastic pipes had just snapped with his weight.
Its like they let a bunch of clowns out this house together.
I finished cleaning up, tidying and sweeping the floors. Then vaccumed as much of upstairs that i could manage by 7pm.
I was very good for my mental health to get out to my dbros house and slowly forget being so angry about the radiator.

I wish it was 8lbs dancing it was 4lbs lost, although I'm still very pleased with that 🤩 I'm looking forward to being in the 160's again, although my goal weight is 155lbs. Just over 15lbs to go, but I know I'll lose more inches than pounds, so I'm focusing on how my clothes fit me.

dancing it's good to hear that going to your brother's house is good for your mental health.

foxes it really sounds like you need a break, so you have an opportunity to get away or have some time by yourself?

Had a relaxing day today, did our bulk shop and headed to my ILs for dinner, where we are still, in the back garden. No flying today, but it was a good day.

Sing sorry to hear that is hard for you to prioritise sleep, I really hope that you can find a good balance for you

I am a sleep sacrificer to get stuff donesing
Hazel well done on 4lb loss
Dancing you've been really busy past few days!
Foxeshow old are you?peri started off like that for me with anxiety ramp up and exhaustion...
I was hoping for a lay in as was gone 11 fell asleep(DD complained I never stay up with her and was cross my reply was along the lines cos I get up early and do stuff rather than lay in bed scrolling)but alas 5 am and bodyclock declares it's light wake up...
I've done y best for,but not happening
Need shop today as lil zoo back on ed plan which means lots fruit and veg and extra proteins and df dairy need buying

Sorry if I’ve got mixed up was it you having blood tests ?

Hazel I have a very similar goal weight to you but nearly twice as much to lose. I only lost 0.2lb this week 😆 however I did gain some muscle so swings and roundabouts.

Weird night’s sleep repeatedly waking up thinking it was morning. Gave up at about 5am. Off to take the dog out now then need to hunt for washing. The basket is nearly empty which leads me to believe there’s a load in ds bedroom.

Then I really must kick my own butt to mark these assessments.

Will leave out for those waking soon.

X posted zoo. Morning. I too was hoping for a lie in.

Morning
Honey- hope you manage to make a start on the assessments. Sorry you couldnt sleep properly thats annoying.

Hazel - did you have dinner outside at your inlaws house? That must be lovely to sit outside. I was watching Escape to the Chautau Diy and they helped build a beautiful pergola and outside seating area.

Zoo- sorry your body clock wouldnt let you sleep either. Yes, I have been trying to just push myself forward and declutter and put things away. I have to do the for my sanity and then i can follow the daily tasks on the cleaning.

I can see the carpet in ds room alot more. Randon missing clothes have been piled into my 3 washing baskets. My aim is to wash and dry a load and put away.
Toys in the big ikea wardrobe will be kicked out. I have filled up in the downstairs wc all the things that need to be send to charity. Two big boxes of happyland stuff in there.

So i was woken up by a water noise....dripping....i thought is it raining. No. It was the radiator broken pipes. Thank goodness a bowl was still there. Central heating is off but the boiler was heating up the hot water and pushing bits of water through. Hot water has been switched off. Kids are still asleep so I need to rest while i have the chance. 😴

🍒Sunday morning 👋everyone.

zoo I'm 33 (soon to be 34) , I really had to think about that as I can never remember my own age anymore!!

Yes I'm having a blood test next week

dancingdrippy bathroom tap is now constant running today so leaky water also a problem at zoo house

Yesterday a pesky bluebottle came in when scoutcat sneak door open and left wide open(how big is he FFS?)and decided as I try swat it/chase out to land on multiple things on surfaces/pot/things that live on surfaces so massive wash up(4bowls)wash up,dry and return to places
Load 1 wash in drier
More on
Living room floor swept
Quick tidy in there too
Breakfasts done
Wash up

Now need write shop list/check cupboards and go shopping

Hmm,that's perhaps bit early(dep on fily.my mum passed away aged 52 and still having periods like clockwork)maybe iron or just wonky hormones/stress/thyroidFoxes(disclaimer-i'm not nor ever have been medically trained

Morning.

So, I’m a complete idiot. With being so distracted over the job stuff, I managed to forget to order my meds. I realised this morning that I have one left, so I’ve had to miss that and keep it for interview day. Which means three days of useless brain. Worst part is I don’t actually know if the psychiatrist completed the shared care transfer - I gave them the info they asked for, but they aren’t known for their organisational skills any more than I am. So I guess tomorrow I will be phoning around to see.

I can’t even think of a power of three yet. So I’m doing phone puzzles and listening to Spotify.

🤦🏽‍♀️

You need to ring for an emergency prescription first thing tomorrow - don't go without and mess with your head. Sorry for nag.

I have:

• marked the assessments
• scheduled some more work emails
• planned lessons for tomorrow and sent resources to the printer job box to print out when I get in tomorrow
• put a lol on and folded the dry stuff in preparation for hanging this load
• put stuff in the dw.

I'm actually pretty impressed with myself Just going to chill out now for a while before even thinking of what else needs doing. The got to be done by tomorrow stuff is done.