Fledglings Soar Calmly into September - the FlyLady Thread

[StillUpholding]

Calling all fledglings, newbies and lurkers to the September FlyLady thread! Join us as we try to sometimes rather loosely follow FlyLady’s routines to steer us gradually towards clean and tidy homes and organised lives, with lots of nattering and support along the way.

The more the merrier, so please feel welcome to join. I’ll post daily links to try to keep us on track, and I’ll explain the system as we go if we have any newbies. If there’s anything you’re not sure about please ask. The website is here but be wary of signing up to the emails. There are lots.

Thanks to our lovely Sing for keeping us flapping through August, you did a grand job.

The naughty corner is fully stocked for anyone needing a little respite. I am already keeping it warm for everyone today and I’m not even sorry

Remember, you are never behind, just jump in where you are. Let’s do this Fledglings!

YesTaDa
🦠bit of piano
🦠various phone calls/emails
🦠discussed new tuition work

ToDayTaDa
🌸lots of phone/online admin re covid
🌸prepped for lesson which then needed rearranging for next week
🌸prepped for tomorrow’s lesson
🌸finally chose science books for DD1

Errr that’s about it really. Not sure I have an excuse to have been quite so lazy since I’m not actually feeling that bad 🤣 but ah well. To be frank it is hard to tell the difference between any aches/dizzy spells caused by covid and my regular stupid body related issues 😳🤣 but I do keep feeling a bit hot (which could easily be the weather!) so I’m not keen to do much really.

Caglets are fine with the start of basic “school” work tomorrow - they’ll have 6 weekdays of that as the girls can go back to school/nursery on the 16th.

Best go clear the bed as I shoved all the stuff in the zoom background on there earlier 😳 and make sure everything is ready for 9am class.

And then probably figure out the plan at least for the rest of this week for DS.

Ta Das:
💛 Gel on toe nails
🧡 Watched a movie with DS, who was home not feeling well today
❤ Got dressed (just before noon, but still in the morning!)
💛 Washed ALL of my bedding. Normally the comforter doesn't get washed very often (doesn't have a removable cover like a duvet) we use a top sheet, so it doesn't get bad. I also washed our mattress and pillow protectors. So 3 loads total.
🧡 Took DD to local bigger town to return something and do more bulk shopping for food. I actually think we're good for a while now and shouldn't take much to make meals. Would just need to get fresh veggies mainly.
❤ Rotated DW
💛 Gel on finger nails
🧡 Yoga

I did download the flylady app. I will have to customize it to our household, but that could really help. I've struggled to get back into a routine since we've moved. With DS home today, it really threw me off kilter.
I must get going, I need my sleep. Waking up is really going to suck 😴

Morning all,

I slept better last night. Yesterday was fairly relaxing, I took another half day of work. I think two consecutive half days is better use of an odd day holiday evem with driving time factored in than one whole which I wpuld probably have frittered.

So, work in the morning, picked up tiles and came home, took DD shopping and MacDs lunch (she goes back to school today). Then flopped in the garden for a couple of hours in the shade.

Wandered up to the allotment to pick raspberries then came home and did an hour or so of admin while watching the last two episodes of Clarkson's farm. DS rang, he was feeling unsettled and a bit lost at school, so looking forward to seeing him on Friday.

Hazel I have done my nails too, not gel bit managed my first ever passable French, I found a new technique on youtube last week.

Ed- your nails look really good!

ed they look lovely

Tada
Cats fed wash on
Check DD moving/taking meds
Wipe surfaces,incl dining table
Wash up water bottles that didn't appear last night
Emergency 1/4 fill and lay flat in freezer to get some ice before school time
Iron t shirt
Locate cup D's "can't find"(so close to his nose it could've bitten him if it had teeth!)
Sweep lower floors
Sort bins

Washings ready post school run with DD
I need to s+s and wash up before we leave

Last sunny weekday D's will have before school integration begins.i asked dad if fancy coming out with him to walk...yesterday was too tired.today it's too hot,maybe another day.ffs.i explained it's last sunny day to do it.i give up
We will be heading out once I've drop DD by ourselves
Yes I'm hot
Yes I'm tired- phone said I walked best part 20,000 steps yesterday and around 10 miles but I can't just check out because I can't be bothered
It matters to D's,do it matters to me

Lovely nails ED!

It appears my long post from last night never actually posted. There’s a good chance I just previewed, but not posted, but I’m going to blame MN anyway .

DD’s first day at school went well. Our DW was fitted yesterday. I did a big supermarket shop.
Cleaned and organised the fridge, tidied the ladder, and hoover rolled downstairs.

Just sorting DD’s breakfast and I’ll be back with links…

I’ve had a quick skim through to see if I can remember the personals I posted yesterday. Limited success

Cute definitely don’t worry about the getting dressed if it doesn’t work for you. I think it’s a symbolic thing for being ready to start the day so maybe adapt it for yourself - wash and teeth clean or something? I think we all adapt FlyLady a bit to suit our own needs.

You aren’t a rubbish parent at all Dancing . You reminded me I need to book Breakfast and after school clubs for next week, so thanks.

Today is anti-procrastination day. I have quite a long list of admin stuff to cover that, but I also have an appointment this morning and a shopping trip planned with DM so we shall see. Mission today is to sort out our fridges (one step ahead ). Launchpad

Just finishing breakfast and then I’m off to test run the new DW. So glad to have it back!

Morning!
So glad school went well up 💖
Ed nails look great!
Hazel I hope DS feels better today

I’m feeling very bleary eyed this morning. Stayed up a bit too late really although worth it to finish making the stuff I’m using in my lesson today. I’m quite proud of it 😁

I also made a chart for DD1 for the six days she has at home instead of school, and printed DS’ targets for this week. Not going fully into “home ed mode” until the girls are back but he’s got a bit of chemistry and physics revision, we will start the maths books I’ve made, he can get back to Duolingo and we will start the read aloud as well. He can also do the writing needed for a couple of Scout badges. But no rules on TV etc for now. Hopefully it’ll work well.

po3.1
❗️Meds and breakfast
❗️Get self and zoom background ready (really need to properly tidy the bedroom!)
❗️Maths lesson at 9

Morning

Lovely nails ED

Ta da
saw the sunrise
blanched 2 batches of runner beans
put in freezer
beat the owl (duolingo - he can be really snotty sometimes - i need to find the notifications setting)
swear about the fact there is no hot water in the kitchen again
had a chat with ds who was in bed early yesterday so I didnt see him

Still feeling really off. But it is a work day so gotta make a move.
Have a good one

Very nice nails ED. Looks very polished, if you pardon the pun.

Am doing sheets atm. Have bought a narrow console table for the hall on etsy. Have long wanted one.

Hope the day improves Hills and that you feel progressively better.

Hills the owl can be a right dick, frankly 🤣 I read something about how they’ve progressively made him cuter to persuade people to study more 🤣

Lesson went pretty well. I got downstairs to find DH about to give DS some maths work from my tutoring folder! NOOOOO! 🤬🤣 I brought down the plan and he has done physics instead, and is now playing ringfit on the switch. Cagletini has done some “numbers and letters” - she really wants to write bless her.

DD1 is making her breakfast and watching Netflix. 🤣

Hope- I love hallway tables! I cant have one here as its too narrow. We need a picture pls!

Up- thanks lovely. Great your dd got to school ok yesterday. Fab news on the dw.

Waves to everyone.

Struggling abit. Ds has very wobbly tooth/bloody so he had no breakfast.
Dd had breakfast then by mistake knocked the bowl onto the floor which smashed.
2 tearful kids needed cajoling to get dressed. Got to school very late.
I just want to curl into a ball.

Tadas

1. Bed stripped and in wash

2.measured new shirts against the old shirts. We might have enough blooming school wear to last till summer. 🤦‍♀️

1. Feel lost and saw a lady that looked just like my mum would have looked if she was alive. I feel out of sorts- dont know whats wrong with me. I miss my kids.

Its a lovely sunny day here. Going to hide in the house and keep chipping away at chores.

🍒👋 to everyone

po3.2
❗️Make sure DD1 has actually checked Google classroom and at least decides which type of extra study to do today (maths or English as science books haven’t arrived yet)
❗️Try and actually sort the boodwa a bit - it is awful!
❗️Drink at least another cup of water while catching up on the thread

Will delegate some tasks too - determined to be at least vaguely productive today. DH and I do feel a bit under the weather but really nothing awful. And the slightly sore throat/ear I had yesterday have already vanished so maybe that means I’m already over the worst?

dancingbig big hugs lovely.what a start to the day
Will DS eat a Cadbury fudge?they're quite useful for wobbly tooth extracting!if not how about a yogurt,custard,jelly,soup,mash
Sing glad lurgyville hasn't taken anyone down

Tada
Tasks needed complete done before walk DD in.very very anxious today
Was text me by 9am having cry in loos half hour with friend from last year
I had to be firm as she was saying I can't do lessons etc...I told her she had start riding the anxiety til it passes not keep distracting/avoiding.i am now the devil incarnate(and a hypocrite as it's taken me til I recently when I got a really good anxiety work book to start recognising where I go wrong and the feeling of wasted years is overwhelming me,and fearful she will end up the same)
Anyhoo
Took D's out for a walk did local cycle path by river that was once a traintrack, up p by farm shop,thru village and back across nature reserve to home.took 2hours,and phone in pocket(incl 20 min each way school run with DD) says I've walked 17.000 steps so far today....

Had a banana,now watch D's play with cossima

Will post picture dancing when it arrives. My hallway is super narrow so it's a narrow plank (16cm) on hairpin legs.

To go here. Not much room at all...

Oh gosh, zoo that's hard, I'm so sorry. The worst bit about having an anxious child, I found, was having to apparently be harsh to them instead of comforting and taking the discomfort all away, which is the parental instinct.

Dancing that's a morning and a half, hope it improves. DD lost a tooth eating soup when she was 8ish, might that help?

Hills hope today sorts itself out. Are you adjusting to the new, super-organised, responsible Teen? 😁

Hazel DS3 has just learned to fry eggs too! He now has 5 meals he can cook, six if you count pasta twice (once hot with sauce, once cold as tuna pasta salad) so I can be sure he won't starve.

Hope oooh console table, how lovely. We need to extend the hall / move the front door to be able to do that, and have only had plans in place for 16 years now...

Sing A SHEET FROM YOUR TUTORING FOLDER? Is the man deranged? You need to put a lock on it, like those secret diaries teens buy.

ED beautiful nails! I have bitten all mine off again due to sensory overload (I could feel them on the end of my fingers and the pressure on the nail bed was too great 🤮) but when they've grown back I aspire to just such a lovely manicure.

Duolingo owl is a total dick and I have switched him off and abandoned Welsh for a bit because he was driving me insane. And I was really fed up with repeatedly practising "I am washing Megan's tights" when they resolutely wouldn't explain the forms of To Be, they just expected me to absorb it through osmosis. I need verb tables! and noun lists! and proper parts of speech!

Honey hope teaching today is going ok.

Cute the brilliant thing about Flylady is that you can flex it to suit you. Hope you are ok today.

Up enjoy your time with your Mum!

No ta das here, but plenty of to dos:
🍟 More writing for client - I have reached the generation with the Man Who Disappeared, so that's quite interesting
🍟 Watch A House Through Time from last night
🍟 Wait for drains man - we have blocked at the road end again and are now waiting for an Imminent Risk Of Flooding appointment to avoid sewage going everywhere. Sewer under the road is now 85 years old an not properly maintained, so this is an ongoing problem.
🍟 Rest! As other foot is now showing signs of wear and tear and I'm not doing this again.

🍒👋 to foxes, Mc, That, Red, MrsTidy, merryhouse, Yup, flower and everyone else.

dancing hope things going better now.🌷

Caught up with thread and doing maths with DS. Also played the shopping list game with Cagletini. DD1 is in a mood because she’s had her counselling appointment through and she will have to miss school or be taken out of class. She doesn’t even want to do it and is so worried but it’s a Hoop To Jump Through. (I know many here will recognise this with child mental health care!)

po3.3
❗️Finish making and then eat my lunch after maths
❗️Yet more admin relating to appointments and such
❗️Try and get DD1 to do some English without too much trauma 😬🙄

Realised I forgot to reply earlier - zoo I’m sorry DD1 had such a rough morning. I think you did the right thing being firm, and it absolutely was not hypocritical. You recognised how hard it was, and you are aware that you are benefiting from what you’ve learned - you just want her to learn it sooner than you did, with your support. 💖

Ooh I have table envy - I’d love something like that. We do have quite a big hallway but with all the shoes and such I don’t think it would work. I do need to get one of those radiator shelf thingies though since the other shelf came down.

School is done for the day. How is it that DS happily did 3 pages of physics and 3 of maths, and DD1’s one page of English was torturous for both of us 😭

Willow verb tables you say? :o And yes totally need one of those little padlocks on MY STUFF. I almost told him to sod off when he was helping with the maths… he is quite rightly being involved in the home ed, but maths is MY THING. 🖕

po3.4
❗️Make and send some homework for today’s pupil - yikes I nearly forgot!
❗️Sort some sellable stuff that I gathered earlier, while watching Netflix
❗️BRC sorting (or more likely shuffling/moving)

Kitchen was clean and tidy for about five minutes.
Fridge-freezer under reasonable control.

Laundry is now in the garden, in various tubs and bags.

Utility rearranged so that LOs can abandon their stuff in an orderly way. So that means shoes off at the door, bags and lunchboxes and PE kitbags into large tub at kitchen door, jackets on to pegs, uniforms into tubs. Then straight into toilet to wash, etc.

Might sound like micromanaging, but there is one door on each wall of the utility, and the potential is enormous for stepping on things and churning up lost items.

Starting to feel a bit concerned at the lack of homework. All the passcodes for the Teams accounts from last year have been made inaccesssible, so we can't look back and polish up anything they were unsure of. I'm very unsure of what to expect in secondary, but I had hoped that the three Rs would be a priority that could be practised at home. Especially with so little else to do in the evenings still.

We looked through a box of children's games yeaterday evening, and found two that they agreed were a bit babyish for them. So these are now in the Too Young cupboard, to be donated or whatever later in the year. Three shoeboxes now reduced to two.

MrsT it's subject specific hwk at secondary in general. At ours subjects with lots of lesson eg. Science, Maths, English should set a weekly homework then subjects with less lesson time like mine (History) set fortnightly hwk in ks3. There's sometimes a delay until all kids have had the ict lesson that sorts out their school emails, how to use the school homework platform etc and known passwords. So I have my 3 year 7 groups on Friday for the first time and will give them paper copies of their hwk task in case they're not up and running on our systems yet. Have you had parent email about what platform they use etc?

Teaching went ok - thanks for good wishes. I felt a bit rusty and chaotic with silly things like distributing worksheets and keeping an eye on the time and my voice is not used to so much use but it'll soon feel smoother hopefully. Nice groups so far.

No work tomorrow and will try and get house stuff done. Tonight ds is determined I have to cut his hair (first day back tomorrow) but absolutely neurotic about how much I'm allowed to cut off etc. I'm not a hairdresser but he wants back and sides short and blended into his top mop of curls which I'm only allowed to take x amount of etc I could really do without it as I'm knackered after day in school plus after school training session but needs must. I also must cook us some dinner but that's it for me tonight.

How was dd after school Zoo - definitely it needs push as well as protect - avoidance just fuels it doesn't it. Hopefully she's feeling glad she pushed through and that gives a bit of confidence to build upon tomorrow.

Ed I'm impressed by your nail job! I just cut mine and try to keep them clean.

Sing I hope you're feeling a bit better - I missed that you had covid - hope you have a mild case.

Sorry - I can't remember anything else - brain is fried.

As for the Scotland/England thing I guess we'll know more about how they compare in a couple of weeks time. Don't know about you guys but we still haven't gotten everyone in at once till tomorrow and won't be finished the first tests till Friday.

willow i keep getting the phrase 'on wednesdays we wear pink'
I do NOT need verb tables. I never learn what a verb, adverb or any basic grammar was. let alone the fancy ass words for grammar they teach the kids in primary these days. I will learn by osmosis. I like the obviously sarcastic teenager style character, but have no idea why the bear is reading books in the meeting?! some of the sentances are a bit

Survived work but the heat needs to fuck off 4 hrs ago, i was supposed to be making pastry and the rest of the pies. It is too dang hot to even make pastry let alone pie. Going to be a late night it would seem.