Pumpkin spice and ghost abound, fledglings flying through the crazy

[HillsBesideTheSea]

Right for this seasonal thread of the Fledgings, I invite you to pull up a comfy chair around the fire pit and pour yourself a mug of something that you fancy.

We loosely follow the flylady system and her babysteps. But we have our own spin, our own abbreviations and have been around for far longer than some of us would like to admit. If you are new to these parts welcome in, we'll get you up to speed in no time. But we have rules, yes rules!

Rule 1: No fledgling left behind.
life happens. If you fall off the thread, jump back when you are ready.

Rule 2: If you wouldn't say it to someone else, don't say it to yourself
Be kind to yourself, the world is still crazy, and life happens. Just do what you can, when you can.

Right that's the rules now for the fun part. Acronyms and autocorrects!
Amongst others (and there are others but we'll have to explain as we go along)
It's all gone a bit ponty pridd - tits up, pete tong, wrong etc etc we get to thank auto correct for this
WOW wash out Wednesday - humps days often don't go to plan and get washed out
LOL round these parts it is load of laundry

Urm... Yeah about that fire pit and comfy chair... Dibs on the big floofy one with fluffy blankies... Last one in brings the marshmallows!

willow I'm actually only spoiling the DC this year. My nieces and nephew and already bought for. I've started on my DC too. The adults are only going to get a little bit, maybe a few little things in a gift basket, including my homemade truffles & caramels. I may do gift cards. I want to keep it simple this year, I actually only do cards for close family, that's it.
For me, if you don't want to spend time with extended family, for whatever reason, that is OK just make something up, or only designate a couple of hours a few days before or after Christmas itself. If your adult DC will go to yours for dinner, assign them a dish to bring and be in charge of, to reduce your cost and stress. Plus they'll feel better for contributing.
But most of all, it's okay to not be in the mood for it, especially when it seems it's more focused on things being perfect (which they rarely go that way) and spending the most money, which is unnecessary.

lazy day here. the business of the last week has taken a toil.

Should have been getting on with all the things. but yeah, it has not happened.

Had a stare at a screen morning, have managed a to do list but little else so far. About to get everything sorted for ds going to his dad's for contact later this afternoon / evening.

I need to focus and get all the things done. But today is not really happening. running out of time to get things done though which is an issue.

To do
get a load of washing done
ds to dad
chicken noodle soup on to cook in slow cooker
tackle the kitchen some
wash up the storage tub for the fridge
do some study

So much for flying today. But I think I can reclassify it as errand day plus some crafting this afternoon with Teen. We painted some tea light holders for her Halloween party on Saturday.

Not done much the last few days but need to post this

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
TaDa
cleared my inbox
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, only one of my two inboxes, but still...

Might get the other one done tomorrow.

Wow, Merry, good going!

I have no idea why I'm up at a quarter to four in the morning, except that I was hungry and keep having dreams about falling off things and waking myself up yelling. So WillowHound and I are on the kitchen sofa drinking tea.

merry
Willow normally I'm up by then gawd know what happened but alarms just woken me at 6(was asleep at 11) such length of snoozings unheard of and I feel most discombobulated!!
Busy day here today
Lil zoo off out pre birthday lunch with dd1 and taking my share of her birthday money

willow I hope you were able to get back to sleep.

hills lazy days aren't always bad. Sometimes I'll promise myself a lazy afternoon as long as I get everything done that I want to do. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't and nothing gets done.
Well done merry that can be an accomplishment of its own, we'll overlook my own inbox, although I try to keep on top of the work emails and sort them as needed.
goth that sounds like a great day! Tuesdays are normally my home bleugh day, although today was a little crazy so didn't get done 🤫

Very quiet in the thread today (Tuesday of course)!

My ta das:
🐈‍⬛ Made cheesecake for the big boss at work since it's his birthday tomorrow
🦇 Took dog to the vet for her parvo vaccine
🕷 Cooked casserole for lunch (I made it on Sunday, just needed to be cooked)
🕸 Took DD to urgent care, she has strep throat, so no work or school until Thursday.
👻 Went to the pharmacy to pick up her antibiotics
🐈‍⬛ Washed all of the bedding on our bed and DS'S bed & one other load (4 LOLs total)
🕷 Made DH breakfasts for the week
🕸 Did my nails with gel while watching Nightmare Before Christmas & Halloween Town 2

Normal week again, so 3 more 10hr shifts to do, then our Halloween Party on Saturday. I have lots to do this week with 2 birthdays at work, but trying to make life easier on myself.
🍒👋 to everyone

zoo I cross posted with you! That's a great amount of sleep, especially for you. I hope you feel well rested and energized for the day. 🤞 things go OK for DD2, that sounds like a big step for her.

We seem to have turned a corner now with baby sleep and for a week or so have had NO night feeds! He has been waking around 5/530 but i'm just calling that morning. Works much better than him waking at 4am and us staying in bed and going back to sleep for an hour or so

Hope your busy day runs smoothly zoo

I have LOADS of stuff i have sold online which needs wrapping and sending. Aiming for half of that today i think

Annoyingly Open Uni have asked to see documents i cannot easily place hands on to approve my study costs so i need to try and do something about that

Hope your boss appreciates the cheese cake hazel

Willow hope you get a nap at some point

Tada
Cats fed
Wash on
Wash up
Wipe surfaces
Wipe dining table
Sweep lower floors
Research furniture for lil zoo side of the room
Wash hung up
More in
Wake dd2 for meds
My breakfast

I am actually presentably(as I get) dressed,hair proper brushed and secured off my face!!
Need leave with dd2 in about 15 minutes

that yay to baby sleep!hope you find documents
Hazel I feel a bit odd tbh.cant remember last time I had such a chunk of sleep in one go!(2years+ ago)

Morning everyone. Have barely even been posting let alone reading, most unlike me!

Merry inbox zero is a massive achievement!

Those aaaargh hope you find the documents

Hazel hope DD feels better soon

Willow I hate those falling mini dreams

I am very much not wanting to be awake now. I couldn’t sleep till gone 3, partly stupid brain and partly tickly throat. But today is busy. Floor needs finishing and then we can move stuff back in, we have two visitors, I have an appt, etc. So I need to really hit the power of threes hard today. Which is annoying as I feel like crap - double ear infection confirmed yesterday, only outer ear so have a drop/spray thingy which feels really icky 🤢

po3.1
❗️Meds and water, I have already scoffed chocolate chip brioche
❗️Make self vaguely presentable enough for zoom lesson
❗️Set up for said lesson

Woohoo for sleep Zoo!

Boohoo for early waking Willow, hope you managed to doze back off.

Good luck finding the documents Those.

for inbox sorting Merry

I had a good go at yesterday’s to do list:
👻 stickers removed from DD’s bedroom walls and placed on the original backing paper that I’m
very proud of myself for keeping. Not convinced they are going to stick again in their new home though
👻 DD’s room tidied
👻 sorted financial stuff out
👻 answered the door to numerous nesting-related deliveries
👻 grocery shopping done and put away, including tidying and wiping out fridge
👻 meal plan
👻 tidied tupperware drawer that was irritating me
👻 token effort at sweeping of the hard floors
👻 cleaned living room window and sill
👻 made/hung up Halloween decorations and lights

Ta didn’t:
👎 hoover or mop
👎 carve the pumpkins - DD seemed to forget about them and I was very glad. I seem to hit a wall at 4pm and nothing much is achieved after that.

This morning’s ta Das:
🦇 fed humans and cats
🦇 DW on
🦇 benches wiped
🦇 swept under dining table
🦇 bed made
🦇 LOL in

To do:
✍️ sweep rest of downstairs and mop floor
✍️ hoover stairs and upstairs before it all becomes one giant fur ball
✍️ Clear dressing table to be photographed to see if anyone wants it before it goes to the tip.
✍️ put virtually full wardrobe minus maternity clothes into vacuum bags
✍️ pumpkins
✍️ take DD to library as books are due back

I’ll be happy if I achieve that today I think.

Good morning,

Fell off the thread and been trying to catch up with it.

Cagletini Happy belated Birthday same day as DH who is a little older.
Hope you had cake!

Those great news about sleeping babe. That is a great stretch and if you get stuff done then once DC are at school you might persuade baby and toddler for a nap in the afternoon and have one too. I used to put alarm on for school bus pick up. 20-30 mins made such a difference.
Merry great work.
Hazel you sound very busy, hope DD better soon. Lots of ice cream 🎃
Zoo yeah some sleep.

Willow hate those type of falling dreams you wake with such a start!
Up lots of nesting, Hope stickers stick.

Not a lot of flying here back still playing up and neck has joined in at times. Managed to make chocolate cake for DH mmmmm.
Found the wool I had bought for scarf and crocheted with pattern off Internet. Finished and spurred me on to do more so one two toned and a child’s scarf plus one on needles still. Cumbria Way Scarf Challenge 2021.
DD phoned last night. Not seen her for months. They are away at Airbnb for a few days. Going for a walk/ trek at Milford Sound next month. Then planning to move on.
DS1,2&3 all came for Chinese takeaway on DH birthday. I bought him a jigsaw with a steam train only 10 in the world😲and we might have a couple of nights away after half term.
Feel tired this morning despite a good sleep 8 hrs 💤 but it is really dark here. DH brought me a mug of tea👍It was so wet yesterday we didn’t go further than the summer house and it is getting a bit chilly in there. I need to prepare window sills for DDs plants.
Have Sweep on order but no fire on until then.😧

Off to see what I should be doing fly wise.
🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋to those I missed off list.

Lesson went really well despite the fact I only made the files a few minutes before 😳 will need to make homework for her and another pupil later today. But for now…

po3.2
❗️Check progress of clearing up downstairs and check Caglets are helping
❗️Bit of tidying
❗️Shower, hair wash and clean clothes

Ta da

🍁 all up fed dressed
🍂 dw empty
🎃 dw reloaded
🍁 breakfast tidy up
🍂 5 parcels packed up
🎃 parcels posted
🍁 picked up bits from shops inc couple xmas presents as dc not with me
🍂 took baby for jabs
🎃 checked emails and replied to one
🍁 1 x LOL
🍂 towels all folded and away
🎃 baby clothes folded and away
🍁 bottles washed and sterilised

slept through morning meeting to discover that it had been cancelled anyway

ta da
load and put dw on to run
attend lunch time meeting
put tea on to cook in the slow cooker
study some

It is a multi task if you can kinda day. with a high focus on study

Finished a child’s scarf. Red with flecks. Hoping I have enough to make a matching hat.
Made curried parsnip soup with a huge parsnip. Just needs liquidising.
Made bed

Checked out some emails and possible scam.

Glad you got a decent sleep Zoo

THOSE that's a nice point to reach - I remember ds getting there and same as you I just called it morning. I've remained a pretty early riser ever since.

Willow I'm with you. It's still a way off but I really don't feel like the hassle and money side of Christmas. My sister and her dh have to stay overseas this year as they'll have come back for funeral and then have to be back again in January for a graduation. We usually have Christmas at their house with everyone from both sides of their family.

I would really like to go away for it this year but ds doesn't want to be away from GPs and I don't feel right about being away from him. It's also an opportunity for me to get to Egypt and sort some property stuff out after I couldn't travel there in the summer but I don't feel I can force ds to come or go without him so? Not feeling enthused.

Not exactly been flying. Went to school yesterday to do some marking and printing and sort out a tech issue and then visited parents.

Today is limited tadas:
-lol
-emails, banking etc
-ordered ds clothes for funeral
-finally booked an optician's appointment

My report card says, must try harder

ta-dah

First set of this week’s s afternoon, was over in East Kilbride today, back out tomorrow in Edinburgh so that’s most of the day wiped out.
And I got my reports written up and emailed in

Finished a hat, was pattern-testing for a friend

Finished this week’s weekly bleugh, only taken 3 days. Will look at missions tomorrow.

Those 5am start 🥴 that's early. Congrats on no night feeds! I'm yet to reach that point. McBaby (McToddler?!) is in bed with us and has full access to his milk bar through the night, so he kinda just helps himself.

Ta da:
🎉Multiple kitchen clean up. Honestly, it's relentless.
🎉LOL
🎉Folded and put away mountain of clean clothes
🎉 Lovely cleaner done the home bleugh
🎉Pothos plant arrived today. Hills I'm going to try do that aquarium thing with a cutting of it. Let's hope my goldies don't munch on it..

Mc - i agree, the kitchen is relentless. Its in constant use, sometimes I feel like putting a padlock on the door.

I usually loove Chirstmas, but I truely am not feeling it this year.

Tadas-
I spray painted a small unit to match a table I painted a week ago. It does look good. Its a lovely colour it would blend in with your walls scream.

Cleared my kitchen table for veg prep.

I tried to cook a quorn curry and rice. Something easy to dish up in the evenings. Ds bless him tried it and didnt like it. Dh refused it as no meat. (Honestly i give up.)
I tried it and its ok but tomato ketchup made it taste better. It very very mild. Huge vat of it 🤦‍♀️ made with frozen quorn fillets diced up - I cant refreeze it can I ? I have enough portions for a dinner party of 8. 😳 big portions. 🤦‍♀️

I decluttered the hallway on Monday and it looks beautiful. I bought a shoe mat/mud tray from Ikea and it done a fab job keep dirty shoes in one place!
I filled in the gap at the front door and tiles with concrete. It was very quick and easy to mix..its.been life changing- no slugs! Hooray! And its been alot warmer around the front door. Win, win!

Cheery waves to everyone!

Hi,
Could I stand DH on the tray? That man still doesn’t wipe his bloody feet when he comes in. Mud all over the kitchen floor yesterday.

DH brought a baguette halved and a pasty home from town as he decided to get a haircut.

Weather is awful here we are on flood alert. Fourteen flood alerts in the county. Worse to come on Friday. I hope no one gets flooded it really is awful. DS1 was two streets away last time. DDs School was flooded when she was doing her GCSEs and they were out of school then went part time for months as they used part of the college. The school got flooded again so they got permission to build a new one which is beautiful. If it wasn’t for Covid I might have gone for a job there as it is our side of the city and only takes about ten minutes from here. They were desperate for cleaners.

The curried parsnip soup was delicious. Just how I remember it.

Hope everyone well.

Up since 530. Sorry you haven't escaped the night feeds yet mc how old is baby/toddler now?

The 5/530 waking isn't too bad as it gives me chance to wake up a bit before the toddler is also up running around

I have 7 lots of stuff sold online. to package and send, so will try and do four today i think. Lots more bits to photograph and list too. Made £75 so far all from stuff that was just sat around or in the back of a cupboard.

Sorry the curry didn't go to plan dancing

Fingers crossed for no floods Red

Been trying to work out what to do pram wise once baby outgrows carrycot. I either need to buy another seat bit (£100) or a new pram probably side by side (£200+) Side by side i could get bigger seats so toddler has more space but then wont be able to store in my narrow hall. Hmmmm

I'd refreeze it Dancing - it's not dangerous territory like meat or fish. You could do other things with it - eg. add flavours, gravy and cornflour to make it more meaty tasty and turn into shepherd's pie? Quorn is pretty bland and doesn't seem to take in or hold flavour easily.

Pleased for you that your dc is such a good BF'er Mc - if ds could have been like that I'd have kept it up a lot longer but it was a saga, he was probably tongue tied, no one checked and I didn't know about it at that point.

Well done on the decluttering plus making cash THOSE

I woke up at 4am for no reason and now really tired but can't go back to sleep as I'm scared I'll sleep through the tesco delivery. I also have to decide whether to go to the gym or not.

So far I've walked the dog and fed animals.

Potential to dos in no particular order:
-pick up meds
-make a decision and contact friend about the gym
-tidy the kitchen
-get all rubbish out of the house ready for tomorrow's collection.

Even that sounds ambitious currently.