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!

which reminds me, i need to ring the council as there was no bin collection last week. so fluff knows which bins they are collection this week.

Morning. No idea what day it is. huge amounts to do.

put in prescription request
go collect and pay for car
another one who has to tackle the kitchen
finally re pot monstera
deep clean a tank - no fish it was a shrimp tank and a snail got the lot
set up tank with substrate and ornaments
look at ordering a new filter
tackle the dining room
do a water change on the main tank
pick up some more RO water
discuss with teen when he is coming home (I think he was hoping for tomo)
water plants - going to try the "use the dirty fish tank water removed" method as no treatment in the water and apparently should be a good feed for the plants.
put bread now cooled into the freeze
get the slow cooker on for caramalized onions.

I had another quite productive day yesterday:
🍁 cleared and wiped down dressing table, and also did part of bookcase with handbags etc on
🍁 4 vacuum bags filled with clothes (still a few things left which can go in with DH’s, and I need to do the actual vacuuming part
🍁 library trip
🍁 hair appointment
🍁 rest of downstairs swept, half-arsed attempt at mopping
🍁 attempt at hoovering upstairs. Shark not picking up and needs it’s filters washed/roller de-haired etc. Mission happily aborted.
🍁 made lasagne
🍁 living room tidied before bed

Still ta didn’t:
👎 hoovering
👎 pumpkins

Today we have a pumpkin trail thing planned so I’m not expecting much in the way of ta Das. Should sort the vacuum out though so the filters are dry for the weekend. Tomorrow DH is off and we’ll be getting ready for the painter coming.

I’ve really embraced the idea of a simple Christmas this year Willow and Honey. We’ve reduced buying for family right down and it’s mainly experiences/trips away/meals out/magazine subscriptions etc sorted between me and siblings. There are a few DC we buy for and I’m doing cinema vouchers and sweets. I know what we are getting DD and I’m just holding out for a price drop . Ive planned one visit to the shops in early Novemember and I won’t be venturing back. I’ve been buying a few Christmas nibbles to store away, and it’s probably going to be a simple Christmas lunch just the 3 (or possibly 4!) of us. Not buying any new decorations, minimal cards, and we’ve booked one Christmas activity and will do a drive out to look at the lights. I will still be making a Christmas cake though.

I think the official rules with quorn are no reheating or refreezing Dancing, but I have definitely done both with no ill effects

Hope there’s no flooding Red.

I’m hoping I get a sleepy baby this time round Those. I’d definitely accept the early start with no wake ups! DD was like mctiny and fully embraced the all inclusive.

I’m on day 4 of attempting home bleurgh and counting Goth

We are in a new kind of crazy.send sanity or chocolate?!

Oh dear. Here you go zoo 🍫

Not much flying going on here, just the basics.

Christmas is a tricky one. We always went to DPs parents but both have passed away within the year. We're not sure what we are doing. DS has asked for a retired Lego set. It's going to be costly but just as problematic is that I can't find any online for sale in this country.

Good luck with your list hills

You should be fine to refreeze dancing.

Hope everything is okay re: flood situation red

Well done on decluttering and making some money from it those those

Breakfast calls.

🍒👋🏼 everyone

Goth and Still your posts about home bleurgh going on for days have made me realise I'm probably about 4 months into my first home bleurgh and still nowhere near - in fact probably worse than half way through.

That's why I'm meant to focus on babysteps and missions I guess which I stopped doing (not entirely convinced I properly started). Going to look at launch pad.

We have really slacked on halloweeen (oops, extra e! Never mind it makes it look spooky…) this year. Feel a bit guilty as the Caglets like it but we have been somewhat distracted by living room. Floor is done, it’s not perfect - turns out one bit of wall is not actually perpendicular to the other 😬 - but overall I am absolutely thrilled with it. And we had our first spill yesterday (Cagletini + fruit corner yoghurt = disaster) and it was SO EASY to clean 🤣

I’m still lying down as the room keeps spinning when I sit up. DH has done my ear stuff for me. Yesterday I had my job centre appt with the self employment specialist, that was good. Today I’ve had my phone call with the OU and I need to wait for the official email, but they see no reason not to lift my restriction (in place due to having dropped out when I got sick in 2012). Basically it’s all go to start my psychology degree in February!!!

po3.1
❗️Try and get up once the spray has settled, get dressed and have breakfast
❗️Tutoring admin (homework and invoice etc)
❗️Reorganise Kallax which is now back in living room - will get Caglets to help

Those he is one. I'm anticipating night feeds will increase when he starts nursery properly next week and drops few day feeds. Thankfully I don't really wake up anymore when he feeds at night.
Up is your DD excited about a new sibling?
Hills I concur, dirty aquarium water is amazing for plants. I've been doing that for a while without regrets.
Dancing lock on a kitchen door...I like your thinking!

McBaby is in a mood to throw his food this morning. Ugh. I am not in a mood to clean it up though. Can someone come do it for me please? Pretty please?

Haven’t done my list. Only came downstairs less than an hour ago - ear issues seem to now include vertigo 🤢 so I’m lying down on the mattress! Less than 24h till sofa arrival though, very exciting. There are a few details unfinished in the living room - eg we still want to replace more plug points and the light switches, need to put pictures up etc. But we’ve done enough for now. The others have cleared the hallway to make the delivery easier. Not going to worry about arranging everything else for now - get the sofa in then we will just relax for a bit, and catch up on the rest of the housework that’s been even more neglected than usual 😳 we also need to make sure we are ready for back to school. And work. 😬

I'm horizontal Hills

I did take a load of rubbish out and put away shopping and cooked us lunch and set up new water filter system and ordered some things we need ish.

I'm feeling a bit fed up with how rubbish I am on the one hand whilst on the other hand thinking resting is not a waste of half term.

Honey- its good you are resting if thats what your body needs.

Hills- what was causing the bleach smell? That is one hell of a list!
Didnt know flour and rice cud me frozen to kill bugs.

Thank you everyone with advise with the quorn curry- i will freeze it.
And yup try and add gravy for taste or something else.

I crashed this morning and went back to bed i slept for 2hours lightly- i could hear everything. Ds whinged thro night with cold and knee pains.
I feel ill - again. Resting and when i have energy - putting things away.
I can see my dining room floor.
Next i need to get rid of the kids baby bath and put away all flipflops and sandals.
Kitchen table cleared.
Makeup put onto makeup box and christmas advent makeup stuff put in there too (3 years old stuff. Never opened never used. 🤦‍♀️)

Kitchen still a bomb site.
Dining room looking pretty.

Mc- I will clear up the baby splashes and hold Mctiny for a bit, if thats ok.

Red- men! Bloody muddy shoes!
Hope you are all safe and no one gets flooded! Take care.

Scream- ear pain is horrible - make sure you rest- vertigo is no joke- its horrible too
Hope the meds start kicking in. You have made so much progress!

Little ones are in bed...better give ds calpol so poor thing can sleep.

Waves to everyone i have missed.

Tadas

Hoovered living and dining room
LoL
Put 2 washes away
Sorted anti virus on laptop
Money moved between accounts
Stripped 2 beds
Washing up
Made 2 beds
Set off Boosty in bedroom
Dusted bedroom
Helped DS with revision and quizzed him on upcoming test
Sorted stuff to go to charity shop

Yep dancing 3 weeks but if you want it for a while it helps. it might still get them but it really reduces the chances

Not done on the list loads of stuff still to do and has been done. little of it one the original list

Bleach smell was due to some disinfectant wipes. Biocide component. Apparently not supposed to touch without gloves. really horrid stuff when you looked at the ingrediants. bought at the start of the pandemic. they have been donated else where

Oh Dancing 😘😘 I'm getting a kettle on! Hope your DS is feeling better.

Evening all!

Dancing sorry you feel rubbish and DS has knee pain. Is he warm enough? I get joint pains when I'm too cold.

Mc I will join the queue to hold McTiny if you like. Those I will hold BabyThat too (but not at the same time!) if you need a spare pair of hands. I am a complete softy when it comes to babies

zoo hope things have calmed down a bit in your house.

hills that's a megalist! How you can term it a "break" when you haven't had coffee I cannot fathom...

Yup you are properly back on it too.
Scream hope the vertigo / dizziness is abating - is it part of your ear infection? Very excited for you, for your new sofa tomorrow

Red what is it with men and treading mud all over the house?

Today has been more full-on than I've managed since before I first hurt my foot, I think.

Ta da:
💖 First pilates class since Feb 2019. I survived! I can still walk!
🧡 Took DS3 to the dentist
💛 boughten lunches acquired on the way home
💚 Received flowers for DM sent, to mark her retirement, to the address she left 6 years ago and redelivered to us
💙 Ate lunch, sent emails, reviewed Tesco order with DH
💜 Took flowers to DM. Successfully broached the idea of a quiet Christmas without all hell breaking loose.
💖 Came home, made cottage pie with leftover beef and gravy from Sunday, and left over mash from yesterday.
🧡 Slammed in oven, took dog for a walk
💛 Brought dog back again, cooked veg, served dinner
💚 Watched Zoom webinar re: London Underground posters from the 1920s and 1930s via the Art Deco Society
💙 Retired to bed to surf web

I am really rather tired. Will try to do pilates again tomorrow, but have unaccountably promised DS3 pancakes for breakfast. Hey ho.

🍒👋 to everyone, including but not limited to Hazel, ED, foxes, AbandonHope, Goth, Honey and Merry. Apologies for anyone I missed, memory is still absolutely rubbish.

Willow- I don’t know. His mother wouldn’t have allowed it. When we were first married we lived by the beach so maybe that had something to do with it.

Had an afternoon out with DH to an old friend and his boss at one stage in his life. They both enjoyed it. I knew his wife a little as we had both worked at the same place for the same people but not at the same time. She did come a few times while I was there to visit. She was lovely today.
Feeling a bit grotty now not sure why. Food related I think but not had a lot of food today. Curried parsnip soup and toast. Piece of tea cake, scone( might be culprit) a couple of halves of cider and then 2 poached eggs with smashed avocado and tomato. One side seemed inflamed.

Flood wise we are ok. Some roads flooded across on the way to friends but only a couple of inches. River Cocker looks ready to go. The Eden in parts it was pretty high when we went over it to friends certainly to the arch of the bridge. Wast water area flooded road just passable in Four wheeled drive. Other areas of the Lakes flooded. Keswick campsite( always floods) and several minor roads with cars floating and the emergency vehicles cannot get through. Next village flooded not sure where we saw a video. There are lots of dips in the roads. Some people’s houses flooded but didn’t say where. Poor people I have known quite a lot of people who have been flooded at least twice. It must be heart breaking and very frightening for some. We have certainly had some rain and more to come tomorrow and the weekend. Let’s hope the barriers work this time. On amber alert.

Need to get my flu jab.

Take it easy Hills mammoth lists.

Red- you are awake late today. Your curried parsnip soup sounds lovely. So nice you got out to friends. Very worrying to read about the floods.

Willow- thats brilliant you got to do pilates! Love pilates -.havent dont it since before ds was born - it was the only thing that managed to shape my body. I bought an 2nd hand aeropilates machine 3 weeks ago. I need to fully wipe it all clean before I use it.
Wow, the webinar on underground posters sounds amazing to me! How did you find this art webinar? I guess you have to pay? I love talks like these. I love a good wall poster!

Mc- thank you. Ds is now sleeping soundly and dd has woken up loads. Gave her antihistamine liquid to help stop skin itching. I need to feed her more healthy fruit and veg.

Hills- I also hate, hate, hate smells of certain types of bleach products. It definately made dh asthma worse. Interesting to know its that chemical and I am going to try and avoid it.

Yup- weldone for getting stuff done.
I am considering getting boosty or a unbranded vacuum cleaner - what is it like? Is it worth it? Does it encourage you to keep the floors clean?

I am up as i feel the illness in my back. I must take paracetamol.

Leaving hot drinks out in thermoses for any late lurkers or early risers.

Those- especially for 5am wake ups! Great babythat is sleeping through.

I jinxes it

I am sorry that

Had a very long conversation with MrTidyHouse the other day about Getting Stuff Done. I think I've reached the limits of my patience. But no anger. Instead, a cold, steely determination. Ploughing through the layers of crap on his garage workbenches and shelves, I see things that he denies all knowledge of, and that could be put to good use to keep us more comfortable. And the relentless negativity. God give me strength, it has sucked the life out of me for forty years and I didn't really notice until I had a chance to think straight during lockdown and spend hours and hours just reading and reading and reading here on MN.

Oh mrsT I am sorry :(
Hope you are asleep again those :(
Ooh I saw an exhibition of old underground/railway posters in a museum a few years ago.

It’s a miserable morning here which is frustrating as we are meant to be meeting my dad in town - he’s coming down to see the exhibition DH was involved with. Will likely get the bus anyway as the dizziness is still bad (I am assuming it is indeed related to the ear infection willow - feels like labyrinthitis which I’ve had a few times). Gaaah.

I’ve been putting off an awful lot this week while we pour any available energy into the living room. But the bulk of it is done and I really need to get on with everything else.

po3.1
❗️Meds, ear spray and food
❗️Get dressed
❗️Anti-procrastination - messaging (I am once again avoiding a lot, bit peopled out - but there are events coming up so I really need to be brave!)

Mrs Tidy- i understand the 'relentless negativity' as my dh just adds heaviness to life.
You makung great progress by being determined.

Those- oh no! Hope you get some sleep!

Hills- you are awake early!

Morning all
IKEA trip yesterday for the room revamp
Was bit crazy
Dd2 has The Hump over fairer room division and lil zoo new things...

Lil zoo birthday today
We are going into town at930 chazza clothes shopping apparently
Also her choice of dinner....takeaway pizza😜

Happy bday lilzoo 🎂