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!

ta da
spend hour trying to work out how to rearrange pantry
spend half hour talking about family traditions, new and old and where we can bring different beliefs together quietly to cause minimal conflict
Write the Christmas menu - it makes sense on a budget with allergy foods being hard to get hold of this year.
Write Christmas baking list
Check pantry contents and write a shopping list.
Check what is on the batch cooking list and see what can be done today
Wash, weigh and chop rhubarb for a batch of jam.
Harvest the applemint and dehydrate it
get some bread doughs on to rise
take chicken out the freezer for making chicken pie filling tomo
collect laundry downstairs
collect washing up down stairs
run DW
beat the owl he is a snotty thing sometimes
clean the lounge windows and the hall mirror

I am about to head into the office. Which is going to be a major feat of tidying cleaning and organising. If you dont see me about later send a search party...

Gosh Hills you're ahead of Organised Mum (Gem Bray) who starts her Christmas prep on 6th Sept. Given the transport issues and lack of drivers it's not a bad idea to think ahead this year.

I am now only taking bookings for event after christmas, life is batshit between now and then. This year we are late in the list side of things. But quite frankly there will be no brain space for planning between school starts and christmas ergo the list part happens early. And anything i can prep early and get in the freezer makes life run smoother. And I have got to go with that.

By the end of the next month i will need to have found a new course provider, a new job, changed all the things, dealt with new meds, prepped the house for the next round of building work and stocked the batch cooking in the freezer.

My mind has already melted just contemplating what should even go near the to do list tbh

Baby steps Hills 🌷

For MC and Hills - interview question prep...

Crivvens, and my brain melted just trying to get my head around batch cooking! That's a lot going on Hills, try to protect yourself too.

I am glad it is not just me trying to wrestle the thinking aspects of Christmas this early. There are so many variables this year (where will DS1 and DS2 be? Are they coming here? Are the GFs coming too? (I really hope so) Is Father Christmas visiting everyone under 21, or just a selection of people? What do we do about the Food Issues? Are we going to have to do Big Christmas with my family god I hope not? What will we do with FIL?) I don't really want to face it.

DS3 is packing for his seaside adventure, discovering he has no clean pants and socks, and panicking about catching a train. Changes of plan may be afoot.

Also I've taken codeine so apologies for typing! Might need a small nap now.

Being organised and prepared is the only form of protection that is easily accessible atm.

Right, carpet evicted from one quarter of office. Moth and bug spray applied, discussions over small child toys that are lingering had. Waiting for things to air out a bit before heading back up to hoover and put things away.

Then it is on to more organising in the main section so that the office space is useable, and the remaining quarter can be emptied, carpet removed and bug sprayed. but that will be another day. There is too much to sort and get organised to get to a working office space. And I really want the work space for studying in this new academic year.

Oh no I hope it all works out for DS3’s trip willow and the codeine helps without sending you too loopy!

We’ve decided not to do lazer quest tomorrow as DD1 is barely able to move - she’s so run down and the dancing plus a day out yesterday has done her in! So just a lazy day at home with Lego etc and their friend is coming round later for games and a sleepover.

I do want to get on with stuff a little, but DH is shattered too (he was stewarding our first local Pride for the weekend) so I’ve left him upstairs since despite his protestations that he was fine, he dozed back off 🤣

po3.2
❗️Book dancing for Thursday (not today as she’s not up for it)
❗️Email workshop teachers to say thanks for the classes and the lifts
❗️Clean planner board as I forgot yesterday

po3.3
❗️Make myself some decent lunch
❗️Go through rolling to do list
❗️Entertain Cagletini

Awww that’s an adorable picture zoo Mine’s laid out on “his” bench in the garden, he’ll be after his mid-afternoon biscuits soon.

Sing it sounds like you deserve a quiet day.

Hills that’s the level of organisation I aspire to (never attain but the aspiration is there)

Done
Cat fed
Birds fed
Dd to school (not a bank holiday here)
DD’s curtains down, washed, dried, sewn & rehung
S&S
Vacuum downstairs
Mop floors downstairs
Washing up

To do
Get sourdough starter out of fridge & feed it
Decorate cupcakes I made yesterday
Vac/ mop upstairs
Dinner

Honestly Goth, it is also a level of organised I aspire to too. Never quite seem to achieve it.

Right back into the bug sprayed area to hoover, put back and spray the middle section that was missed earlier.

The old carpet was taken to the tip by a people earlier. This was appreciated. The people have also decided to give me and my work zones a wide berth today. Which is appreciated as i am a bit all over the place with what i am doing and where i am working.

I had an out of nowhere aura earlier which kind of thwarted plans to get things done. Now have the headache over one eye and into my skull. Not unbearable but I've taken the max dose of codeine you can get over the counter which is mixed with ibuprofen and I am having a glass of wine. Sounds bonkers but codeine, sugar and a small amount of alcohol seems to work best for me after decades of experimentation and re-experimenting each time my migraines have mutated into a different form. I have some valium and might actually take one and just try and rest now.

I did manage to load the dw and do a couple of bits before it kicked in and hopefully after a good rest I'll manage to at least get a lol done.

Tomorrow I will try to make progress with the one corner of the living room (where the dumping ground of a desk is) that is still a mess. Back to work Wednesday. Summer has flown by without much summeryness here.

Well Cagletini dozed off for a bit and is now awake and helping DH and DD1 make a birthday cake for DS. Friends will be here soon so I’m going to dash round getting ready.

po3.4
❗️Get dressed 🤣
❗️Hang out duvet and put another wash on
❗️Quick rubbish and recycling check upstairs

honey hope your chosen mix of helpers quells the migraine.nasty beasts that they are
Hill if I wore a hat I'd take it off to you my love.just thought all that makes me want to lay down,I don't think I would even be able to write it down legibly I'd be jibbering..
Happy birthday mastersing
Hope love that Lego pic😁
Willow Santa still brings selection boxes for dd2/husband💖and funny socks(I used to do pants for the girls with Xmas designs but 2020 it was all I'm on Santa's naughty list etc rather than cute patterns with reindeers/Xmas pud etc,so we switch it over to candy cane etc patterns on socks !)

I've forgotten what else I was going to say....
Well ,post Nelly cuddles I have done multiple loads of laundry
Made lunch(pasta pesto with carrots(broccoli too for D's) and white fish fillets for D's /lil zoo)she appeared 20 minutes before readydemanding a snack.i asked could she wait.no I need crisps now.I calmly said could have a small snack of veg sticks and hummus which I got classic eye rolls and snorting but stomp back upstairs.by time appeared again was a mere 7 minutes til ready!she ate it and start playing keyboard.i had to tell her 5x to stop and wash hands once it was dished up.lasr time voice was raised a bit and a firm if it's cold that's not an excuse to refuse to eat it..I discovered cup on bathroom sink,so CLEARLY went down plughole
Ate most lunch,stomp off again
I cooked and ate with dd2 which I deliberately did separate as I don't want ruin my already questionable digestion with her antics
Exhausted a nap followed,pin to bed by Nelly on my legs!
Up at 4(bit late,not slept well lately even by my standards)lil zoo whining for snack.given multiple options she stand sulking.think was hoping to continue her multiple packs of crisps a day habit from dd1 house as they WFH and not watch her.in end huff n puff but chose hummus(only had small spoon before lunch with minimal carrot sticks) and breadsticks.about escape upstairs again I reminded her needed to drink.admitted as a suspicious parent I felt plughole had enjoyed this morning's offering and she was to have something down here...did pour another water and drank it.extra loud stair stomping followed!
I've hit the wine gums,which my joints will not thank me for in a day or two
We have til lunchtime Saturday of this HELP!!!!!!!!!!

Oh zoo I feel your pain. Can you be calmly implacable about actual food / drinks and not rise to the stair stomping? So much easier said than done, I know!

Can't remember if I'm repeating myself, but I had lovely cake on Friday and Saturday, then joint and shin pain woke me up at 3am Sunday morning. I bloody hate gluten and sugar.

It's a balancing act willow as I'm sure you know with your DD.lil zoo is still under the eating disorders team.her weight has never been a problem really,but her disordered attitude has.she won't drink regularly,at all if has go anywhereand eating has deffo gotten less predictable since staying with dd1 who appears to let her lead completely and eat what she wants when she wants.might work with one kids and two adults that are not responsible for long term nutrition but as her oparent living only on apple juice and lemonade as fluids isn't ok,nor is 3bags of crisps over real food
Only raised my voice once so far,and that was repeat asking her sort self to eat as was ready and getting cold and being ignored
Ooooh cake.i love cake

Sorry things are so trying food wise Zoo
got nearly half the office sorted. It was the easier half though so that is
I am another who needs the alarm clock adjusting ready for the new year. So as I am tired I am going to try to crash and get up nice and early. Tomorrow is a long day as teen is coming home in the evening so it is a trek across country to fetch him after work.

Hills I always picture you in a lovely big farmhouse style kitchen when I read about your jam making, harvesting and dough. I think you’re an actual machine finding time for it all. I need to start on Christmas prep too. I think it’ll be an easy one food wise with lunch at MIL’s for us, as I’ll be waddling about and baby Up will likely be imminent. I still want to do the decorations and the outings for DD, and obviously the presents, and I’d still like to make my Christmas cake.

Sounds like Lil Zoo let her match with you today Zoo!

Happy Birthday to your DS Sing. Sounds like an enjoyable day.

Hope you got on top of the migraine and you’re feeling better now Honey.

Ta Das:
✅ home bleurgh downstairs (upstairs can be done on Wednesday as we decided to go out for the afternoon)
✅ cleaned living room window, mirror, TV
✅ sorted a couple of hotspots in the living room
✅ got rid of mountain of shoes, coats and bags in hallway.
✅ 3 x LOLs, sorting of clean washing and tackled
the very tip of the ironing pile
✅ sprayed mould and mildew spray on tiles in shower
✅ washed the never ending stream of dishes (a week until DW arrives 🙌🏻 )
✅ bought DD some trainers and boots for winter
✅ remembered that 20% off kids stuff at h and m ends today so stocked up on joggers, t shirts etc. It’s on til midnight if anyone need anything - you have to sign up as a member but there’s regular good discounts.

Evening all. So tired but DS has had a lovely day, thanks all ❤️ despite us really not doing anything he enjoyed building his Lego, watching and eating stuff he likes and organising his Pokémon cards (he got some new cards and an extra album for storage). Played a game with his friend and his mum, the kids are now playing upstairs. Cagletini has been allowed to stay up :o

po3.4
❗️Put clean sheets on Cagletini’s bed (might have to be a blanket on top though as I doubt the duvet is dry)
❗️Move laundry to dryer and put another LOL on (breaking the one load a day rule there but oh well, I’m not going to be putting the dry stuff away tonight anyway)
❗️Quick tidy up of living room before the kids take it over!

ta da
🎁laundry
🎁stripped and remade Cagletini’s bed
🎁bit of room rescuing living room
🎁gathered rubbish and recycling
🎁bit of email admin

🌻home bleugh
🌻sitting room declutter
🌻DLMS at DH who has been a bit annoying.

Got to sleep about 1145
Woke up by lil zoo not be able to sleep at 1(try reading I said and come back an hour still awake)
Rip from sleep 2am by dd2who woke up in huge panic attack
Try put TV on
Virgin won't work.45 very tired minutes later realise she pulled out virgin cable to back TV the other day to connect her laptop to TV.ffs

Very wide awake.shes happily on fucking Twitter as all her u.s mates are awake.aaaaargh

I have a camhs online meet with D's at 915
FML

Hope you got back to sleep zoo

I have just fed and changed THATbaby, nappy leaked second night in a row

Although THATbaby had a bank holiday lie in THATtoddler did not, and so neither did i. Our younger four are all early risers and it is very unusual for none of them to be up at 6am!

Yesterday i built a couple of smallish bits of flat pack. Also went through THATtoddlers clothes and took out all of the small stuff. Found and put for wash some hand me downs in next size. Also found some 3-6m stuff which will shortly fit THATbaby and put these for wash too.

Zoo- oh no! Hope you get back to sleep!

I have quickly skimmed through the thread as I couldnt wait to read up on wedding update!. Zoo, what lovely photos! Your dd1 looks beautiful in her wedding dress and the navy bridesmaids dresses are beautiful. Your kids look lovely all smartly dressed up- i bet you were chuffed! Thank you, as its the closest I have been to a wedding in years. (I used to love watching say yes to the dress.)

I am awake as my mind wont settle. Hopefully it will soon.

That- sorry I missed the other night feeding BabyThat. I hope he settled quickly back to sleep.
I will leave teas, coffee and apricot flapjacks in the naughty area for anyone that wakes up.

Sorry xposted That.
I hated it when babys nappy leaked...as it was another thing to deal with.
You have very early risers That. Hope you get some sleep now babythat is comfortable.🍼 😴