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.

The glass fronts of the wall units are all clean sparkly now, along with microwave and oven doors and front of fridge-freezers. Shed a tear at the end of the Wrath of Khan, as always. Then a stunningly lovely railway journey to the Matterhorn with Bill Nighy. Now on to Grand Designs, which always makes me wonder where everyone keeps all their crap.

I'm trying to empty the utility room of all the homeless stuff. I found wellies under a stacking crate of.... wellies. Seven pairs in all, and two odds in different sizes. Not sure how that happens without a child complaining about it. And it means that two other odd wellies are someplace other than this house, which even weirder. Hmmm. I shall drink coffee and watch Kevin's explanation of heat pumps.

Now on to Grand Designs, which always makes me wonder where everyone keeps all their crap.

It's so aspirational clutter isn't allowed to exist. I suppose with glass walls you just can't have any.

You may need to call pest control for those wellies mrstidyhouse

Evening all,

Masha - welcome to the thread, please ask if there's aything you don't understand.

Red - my DH doesn't always appreciate my suggestions of better ways to do things either (he managed to get bitten by the cat while trying to give her a tablet the other day because he didn't listen when I said he needed to put her in a headlock).

Sing - well done on managing to rearraange the interview.

MrsT - you are doing so well! Grand Designs is oddly complusive viewing isn't it?

Zoo - I think the minimiser is a good suggestion, or maybe a sports type crop top? You are right IMO to try and steer away from binding. Poor L'il Zoo, it's hard being 13 and growing up.

I have officially reached the point of no more kitchen cleaning other than wiping surfaces and sink. This weekend we will be starting to move everything out ready for the big refit. Gulp!

Evening all.

In 12hrs it’ll pretty much be over I have completed a mind map with some examples for specific skills, and DH helped by pointing out some skills I didn’t know I had 🤣 although I’m struggling thinking of actual “anecdotes” for things. Had another look at the website too. Not sure I could prepare much more TBH.

Zoo I am sorry I missed the bit about LilZoo looking into chest binding. I've got no useful advice, but I do have a supportive handhold for you and LilZoo. Sounds like she is having a tough time.
Sing good luck! You will ace it!

Like MC I also missed the part about binding zoo. The advice on sports bras sounds good to me. I think this is new territory for many parents.

I'm shoving on the coffee in the naughty corner. It's mid week in the kitchen zone so we need it 😁☕

Morning all,

Sing - best of luck today, the Fledglinngs are rooting for you!

Half - thanks, a coffee is just what I need right now.

Tablet is nearly flat, so can't talk for long, back in a minute with links.

Wednesday.

Flight Plan - our mission is to clear out the fridge.

Weds is Anti-Procrastination day, tackle somethinjg you've been putting off.

Good luck sing 🍀

Tidy we have lots of wellies too, i keep eyeing up those racks that go on the wall but can't decide where i would put one / whether to get one big one or two small ones

zoo sorry lil zoo is struggling

Welcome masha

Someone asked the other day how DP had been since the arrival of baby, he's actually been really good!

I haven't done any more than the basics in the kitchen. However, I've half swapped over the DCs bedrooms. I'm finding lots of old crap which should have been binned years ago stuff. Hopefully the rooms will be easier to maintain once its finished.

Ta Da
🌟 all up fed dressed
🌟 dryer on
🌟 bottles soaking
🌟 breakfast table cleaned

Morning lovelies

po3.1
❗️Start moving stuff out of the way of zoom background!
❗️Read through mind map again
❗️Pick outfit

My work coach is ringing at 9.45 to chat through some ideas :) best put my phone on charge and crack on.

Morning!

Glad DP is stepping up That. Sounds like you’re doing great with the new arrival, like he’s just slotted in nicely. Gives me hope

Welcome Elfy, Yup and Masha, lovely to have you all aboard. I seem to be permanently in the naughty corner at the minute. Hope I don’t lead you all astray.

Good luck Sing. You’ve got this!

Hope you’re feeling a bit better Foxes? Fingers crossed the bloods throw up an easily fixed answer.

Sorry, no advice on the binding Zoo. Such a difficult situation . How are you doing with the hats?

There were more personals but they aren’t coming back to me so 🍒 👋 to Willow, ED, Hope, Hazel, Mc, Dancing, Tidy, Red, Badger, Hills and there’s definitely someone missing from my list so enthusiastic and apologetic wave to them.

Today I’m really going to have to sort my life out.

So far I have:
✅ helped DH find his van keys and DLMS
✅ fed cats and made scrambled egg and toast for DD and I
✅ put on an LOL
✅ carried armfuls of sylvanian families downstairs at DD’s request.
✅ paid nursery bill and responded to the transition to school report
✅ waved sheepishly at the window cleaner while sat in my dressing gown, with DD running round naked, cringing at the state of the house.

To Do:
⭐️ get dressed
⭐️ Reclaim kitchen
⭐️ s&s
⭐️ make beds and tidy boudoir and DD’s room
⭐️ unpack last few bits from camping trip (mostly clean clothes, we were good and put away the camping equipment before we even sat down when we arrived home)
⭐️ hang washing up and stick another load in
⭐️ get DD to try on the uniform items that have arrived. Sort any necessary returns
⭐️ text a shopping list for DH for on his way home
⭐️ Fill in and email forms for DD’s new school
⭐️ do a lateral flow test prior to hopefully visiting a vulnerable relative we haven’t seen since pre-Covid this afternoon
⭐️ Do some ironing
⭐️ update diary - have appointments etc coming out my ears and I’m definitely losing track!
⭐️ book DD a dentist appointment and possibly a Clark’s shoe fitting appointment for school shoes (any other ideas for school shoes? We got her first few pairs there and they lasted well. Last nursery ones were Boden sale and were dropping to bits and in the bin after a couple of months )

Really should do some actual cleaning too but I think I need to concentrate on getting organised again first. Pregnancy seems to have reverted me back to my early 20s which I spent lazing around, constantly trying to find clean clothes and being late for stuff . FlyLady must be so disappointed in me.

Just realised the interview is tomorrow l, sorry Sing. The good luck and you’ve got this still stands though!

No it is today up in one hour in fact! :o

Room/zoom rescue well underway, shelves curated 🤣 and had a nice chat with my work coach. Got a few bits to think about now.

po3.2
❗️Print CV and covering letter and read through again
❗️Tidy self up a bit - face, teeth, earrings, hair etc
❗️Look up other organisations mentioned in job spec

Sorry I’ve not been keeping up with the chat - just a tad preoccupied 😬😳 looking forward to when it’s over, when I’ll curl up with my phone and some chocolate to catch up 🥰

Up half night with panicking dd2,then insomnia said let's stay awake.90 mins sleep occured,60 of that was before she woke me,so I've had 30 mins since 1130,(sobs)

Tada
Cats fed
Wash on
Oven on to heat up
Sort pile building corner by where I sit on sofa
Bake part bake baguette for lil zoo/D's lunches
Bag up rubbish
Sweep kitchen floor
Baguette out to cool
Wipe surfaces
Wipe dining table
Wake D's
Breakfasts and a pack up made
Wash up
Wipe down
S+s
Walk the School run with arsey 13 yr old..ended with character assassination again so I said am I pick you up as raining or are you making own way home so I don't get soaked.dont care was reply,so can make own way back
Wake dd2(let sleep in won't make her sleep again tonight)
Breakfasts for us
Wash up the 2plates and knife,dry put all stuff away
Ring council to chase up leaking hot tap in bathroom repair(anti procrastinating,I rang Monday and they said would get back to me putting in date 14th SEPTEMBER in interim)
Turns out the back office had not even looked at email "as busy"..they agree it's not fair to be emptying prepayment gas meter over it that long and emergency plumber coming today(stay in)
Plans take D's to first wellbeing at church scuppered

Bathroom
Scrub bath panel thoroughly
Clean end bath
Litter tray done
Fresh air freshener added in case Nelly adds one of her stinking speciality poops whilst my backs turned..
Scrub floor,removing all traces of litter

We have children's trust visiting tomorrow,so front room is next under attack.its not filthy but so bloody cluttered...

Oh and two loads wash done
One dry fold put away,sec about go in dryer
More to do

Whoever asked about hats,I haven't had time but need seriously knock some out today.as not got get lil zoo aiming complete chores by lunch then knock out minimum 10 this afternoon!!

Ta da Continued
🌟 school work printed for dd
🌟 wash on
🌟 paid council tax and sorted direct debit
🌟 sent couple of important messages
🌟 submitted dds work for the week so far
🌟 bottles in steriliser

Kitchen
Scrub out bins
Mop floor
Find where stopcock is
Gut hall
Scrub floor on hands and knees
Demud welliesand replace in tidy row
Sort coats
Tidy shoe rack
Bag in kitchen bin,add bin buddy freshener
Hoover stairs and spray
Open windows

Just had call lil zoo school.she disclosed I don't allow her access to food and I'm be reported social services...
She's not allowed help herself as just eats sweets/junk and then won't eat meals and she wont ask either for a snack as tends to want one just before meal to avoid eating said meal....ds/dd2 have access to sweets,biscuits(the tubs on table but they not her personal faves so won't eat them)and happy to ask for snacks.i never deny food unless dinners nearly ready.im told it's why she wants to return dd1(she ate shit and didn't follow meal plan/had no end bowel probs as not going for a week etc sue to poor eating)im really upset she seems hell vent on getting back there whatever cost to everyone else

I’m easily confused Sing. Hope it’s going well. That chocolate will be well deserved.

Progress report:
✅ showered and dressed. DD partially dressed
✅ beds made
✅ LFT done and happily negative
✅ DW set off, benches wiped, random ingredients put away
✅ s&s upstairs, plus bathroom bin emptied
✅ uniform tried on. All fit (until 7 weeks time when DD will no doubt start again with “it’s tooooo tiiiight!!”). Put away.

Power of 3 needed next I think

1. finish getting DD dressed
2. shopping (DH has to work late and just realised we haven’t even got anything in for lunch)
3. put it all away

Then I’m thinking

1. lunch
2. laundry reboot
3. last of unpacking

I’ll then do the admin type stuff once we are back from my relatives, and will do the ironing while DH does bedtime or I’ll fall asleep and panic iron uniform in the morning

That’s so upsetting Zoo . You know there’ll be nothing to worry about from social services as they will see she has food issues and you are trying to support that, but it must be so frustrating having her wanting to go back to Dd1 when you know that what you are doing is best for her. I’m clinging on to the (probably overly optimistic) hope that it might result in more support re the eating for you both.

Phew. Done. Went well I think - I don’t think I could have been more prepared or given better answers than I did, and I’m not feeling I made a fool of myself (my main fear) or kicking myself with stuff I should’ve said etc. So I am happy that if I don’t get it it’s because there are better candidates, and I’m sure they’ll take the time to give me useful feedback too if I ask. Hopefully having to interview via zoom hasn’t disadvantaged me, but it is what it is, bloody covid! Can’t remember if I said we did get our negative so the girls are back at nursery/school and now the interview is done hopefully life can get vaguely back to normal for a bit.

Thank you all for the encouragement from applying to this morning by the way! My job centre coach left a good luck note on my journal (universal credit website thing) as well which was really sweet :)

Right, time for some forced relaxation now I think, I’m running on adrenaline!

Oh Zoo , lovely, I am so sorry you have to go through that. I am absolutely positive SS will see it for what it is, a manipulation by LilZoo. I completely understand this is scary to any parent when they get involved, but please please keep in mind that they are a resource to support you and your zoolets. Like Up , I am hoping they could come up with more support strategies. A big hug (((())))

I nearly LMS this morning with DH. McTiny is a bit stuffy these last few days, and last night he was waking himself up with a bit of snot stuck at the back of his throat. So around 4 am I decided to use saline nasal spray to dislodge it. Baby did not fancy that plan and did his best impression of an eel whilst I was trying to spray the stuff into the nose, in the dark, half asleep. DH woke up as well (he is a light sleeper), but instead of giving me a hand so we all could get back to sleeping, he just lay there checking his phone 😠 And when I asked to give me a hand, he replied 'but I won't get any sleep until wake up time now' 🤬🤬 So not impressed.
It also makes me feel sad. Situations like these make me realise he only agreed to having a child to make me happy. I'm sad on my son's behalf that his dad wasn't that keen on being a father.

Sing well done! Sounds like it went well! When do you find out the outcome?
Willow how was your glorious day alone in the house? What did you do?

Well done sing

Tada
Plumbers been!
Didn't go for stopcock,turned off a boiler
Good job dd2 heard him ask where boiler was and threw hoodie on as he head up the stairs as was sat on bed in sports bra type top and jogging shorts!
Tap changed as old one had seized the matching cold one is tucked inside bath panel.he will get that booked as needing doing,along with fact overflows not connected to anythingso that's flagged up also(he's an emergency only plumber)
He commented on all the stuff stacked on landingwhich I was embarrassed over,but rest of house he saw wasn't a disaster zone

Ds has had lunch,asparagus that needs using up now roasting along with wrinkly pepper for part dd2 and I lunch
5th load wash on

On note masks,how's everyone feeling about rule change?
We personally are intending to continue to wear masks indoors
And try and maintain some distancing where possible.obvs not as bothered outside,but try not get caught up in crowds
Given steep rise in delta cases and the new lambad strain(sp?) From South America that appears to bypass the vaccine used there is a bit concerning.plus fair few threads on MN about how many vaccinated people are still getting delta,and some are still ending up in hospital who were fit/young beforehand