Darkness drawing in, Fledgling flying through November

[HillsBesideTheSea]

So another month another thread.

first things first: Naughty corner is over there ----> stocked with comfy chairs, blankies, cupboard of comfort food of your desire, something strong if you require and a nice warming fire.

Right next up the formalities.
We loosely follow the fly lady system. It does work if you follow it, but many of us have found that it works better if you combine it with an additional decluttering system to speed up that process. Flylady is more of a maintence system and build routines to prevent system

This is a loooooong running thread. We seem clicky but welcome new blood to the brood, and you will soon catch up. We don't leave fledglings behind. But also we would like to remind you that perfectionism and comparison can be thieves of joy.

This year has been hard, this winter looks like it will also be hard. So remember to be kind to yourselves. We are all juggling a lot. The house, work, kids, animals, partners, bills, being the family brain. This thread is here to support. So if it looks like sometimes we chat more than we fly, then that is ok. Life is more than living in a show home, and real life is chaotic, messy and loud and that is just what it is.

So welcome to November's thread

Up oh no. Sorry to hear that. You are on beverage duty only.

DH wanted a pint after lugging and stacking the wood. Had to oblige. Another tree down in village on someone’s longing ( drive) huge tree. They have no electric. Offered our oven for slow cooking.
Sing I have been eyeing up bcrs that I should tackle.
Merry did your rubbish get strewn everywhere? I’d still rather live in the country. Photo taken of view from table bottom of our garden.
Hills Snow on Pennines.

Been doing a bit of cleaning mainly kitchen and washed all of the pots that were sitting outside in a bowl waiting till I got around to cleaning them. All done plus other cooking stuff. We had brunch today bacon, sausage and Banty eggs. Bit peckish now.

Fire is on and pink sunset almost given away to darkness.

No plans for tea. Except blackcurrant crumble. We bought a chicken from a supermarket and went to cook it yesterday it was dated 26 th it was off. Lucky I smelt it. I had one years ago from Asda and since that I always smell them.
Better find something from freezer.

Advent starts tomorrow, no calendars here. What a ridiculous price some are. We had one with pictures when I was a child.

Beautiful photo Red! Glad the scan showed nothing scary, but sorry it didn't identify anything either. Very sorry to hear about your DS's car - I can't imagine why anyone would drunk drive at the best of times, but in weather like last night? Insane.

Definitely comfort food and feet up, Up. Sorry your newly decorated bits got wet, hope they all dry out quickly.

Ooh snow Hope! None here, just yellow-warning winds and rain.

Merry sorry about feral bins attacking your garden.

My covid booster is now making itself felt and I feel properly crap. I can feel all my skeleton.
I have
❤️ been to Tesco to backfill everything we need (milk, eggs, cheese, butter, bread, cream, yoghurt) because no milkman today (apparently he's ill, which can't be helped, but the company didn't tell us til we asked where our delivery was at 11am). Mutter.
🧡 Spoken to DM and had a brilliant idea for something she can give DS3 for Christmas
💛 Received parcels of Father Christmas chocolate and a poster for DH
💚 Talked to DH about what to do about FIL, who is not only not managing his financial stuff but has also said we're not to give the children the money he's given us for their Christmas gifts because "they might not invest it wisely". Miserable old git.

Now I have subsided into the sofa. FIL (who was on the phone for two hours this morning complaining that his computer was broken again because he keeps pulling wires out and randomly clicking about on the screen and turning things off) is now on his fourth phone call of the day - he's locked himself out of two different bank accounts in the last 90 minutes. This is all the websites "being unreliable".

I am going to do some sewing and consider starting the wine to dull the ache.

Red we have brought the Woollettes up with picture advent calendars only, like I had as a child in the 70s. They are so totally committed to the idea that they have all expressed loud horror at their friends who a) get chocolate ones and b) don't wait and open them on the right date! 🤣 Perhaps they are not such bad kids after all 🥰.

Fab pic!

Stuff is gradually getting there I feel like I need to watch something motivational - might finally watch that Stacey Solomon show soon.

po3.3
❗️Gather Halloween stuff as there are still various masks and bats lurking - need to chuck some tatty stuff too
❗️Gather paperwork bags and put in a box together
❗️Put some games on the Kallax and others in the selling cupboard

Hi sorry I fell off for a few days we’ve all had a bit of a bug again. The wind here was awful last night we had to have both DC in our bed because their beds are right next to the window and it was keeping them awake.
hope I hope you enjoyed your thanksgiving dinner!
hazel yes I definitely look pregnant😂. I’m sure they will expect me to cycle with a newborn which obviously won’t happen🙄. Sorry about the disaster on thanksgiving!
zoo sorry to hear Nelly still isn’t herself❤️ that blanket is so gorgeous😍
up the thing that annoys me with the other mums is that I know a lot of things I do are more environmentally friendly than them. Which doesn’t bother me but it’s just annoying that they’re so judgey and then aren’t perfect themselves. Well done on getting Christmas presents bought and wrapped!
red I have considered telling the nursery manager but I don’t want to cause any more issues. But if they do anything again I will just tell them to do one😂. Lovely picture!
wooly I love the nursery but some of the parents there are a bit 🤔.
sing ooh a new chrsitmas tree how exciting!!
Our Christmas tree went up today! It all feels so Christmassy now. We’re watching nativity and I think we might get a takeout for tea because I cannot he bothered to cook.

The bin was empty [preen] so no worries there.

Ooh, you've all reminded me I have another SYLO episode to watch. I proper LOLed in the first one, when they found a baby leg cast and Dilly said "who keeps THAT?!" and the camera settled on Stacey's face...

We've only ever had picture Advent calendars too (Advent is a FAST, dammit! I'm not making you observe the fast, but you can't have something celebratory made explicitly for the fast season, and that's that). I did get new ones each year though - my boys like to hear of our deprived childhoods where you take turns opening the same calendars for years . I remember in about 1980ish we got a new! advent calendar, with a snow picture of Mr Greedy on rather than the Mabel Lucie Atwell-type nativities with glitter that the other two are. Definitely a turning point into decadence.

I am keeping up with the loos, the washing up and the laundry; and gradually reducing the stuff in the freezer.

Also very glad the Weather is this week not next when we are Travelling to fetch S2.

S1 realised that we'd be going to his gran's and then seeing him, and has seized the opportunity to ask for the old Christmas tree in her garage. Who knows, next year he could be anywhere.

Yep,i know. Buxton is closed, the usual suspects of roads are closed. The not usual suspects are closed. grateful to have not been on the the m62 where the lorries got stuck.
It is a mess out there and the wind has been bitter today. It was lovely to see your blue skies, ours have still been overcast.

ta da
walk
too accidental nap

to do
cook tea
admit defeat and just crash

Me to people: Sorry i butchered tea.
People: yeah do that again another time. It's really nice
Me: ? i can try...

Too tired to get anything else done now so just need to try and make sure the place isn’t left in a terrible state!

po3.4
❗️Bag some smaller rubbish bags up and put a bin bag in the new kitchen bin
❗️Tidy living room and landing a bit
❗️Put fresh bedding on

Send help

The mess situation in my house right now is 😲

Throws life float to That and pulls.

Hills 🤣about tea.

Glad to hear some people are still having pictorial advents.
Merry That was our family rousing the da me one until the doors fell off. I can remember a bit of sellotape on one.
I was aghast at one with make up and moisturiser etc for £250😳 and completely misses the point of them anyway.
Fell asleep briefly while film on.
Made pasta with veggie sauce. Pudding with blackcurrants and cake topping.
Cooked mince meat. House smells of Christmas.
Washing hung over Lakeland heater for the night. Right I am going before I doze off and drop the iPad
Lots of villages with no electric,four tables of people in our local.

I have capitulated on Advent calendars as far as putting chocolates in the fabric one my sister sent us, in addition to paper ones. We take turns, this year only on a rotation of four. I didn't realise Advent was a fast but it makes sense in social terms.

Will S1 have finished studying next year, then, Merry, and be off out into the world? DS2 called in last night, as his GF was babysitting just round the corner, and has realised he's going to have to buy his own tree (he has plans) AND DECORATIONS. I'm not sure what he thought was going to happen otherwise!

THAT I am sending goggles so you can't see the mess!

Today needs to be tidying up and coping as best we can day - DH is still ill after his Covid booster 3 weeks ago. I seem to have got away with it, but I have a massive ulcer on the end of my tongue so I'm not resting enough. My aim is to try to fly properly between now and Christmas so the house is at some level, underlyingly clean.

Best get on, I suppose!

Morning everyone. Bit of a rough night here as DD1 had an asthma attack at 1am, her first proper panicky can’t breathe one. No idea what caused it.

Pleased about the progress I made yesterday but very tired and achy now. Should probably get up.

po3.1
❗️Meds/dressed/breakfast (may need DH to go to the shops for that one)
❗️Clean planner board
❗️LOL

Ha ha I love it. Proper grown up now DS2 buy your own tree. My DS2 did this when he moved. He has the perfect place for it as he has a long window in the sitting room so it can be seen from part of the road. He bought a tree and a box of red baubles of different sizes. Last year I put it up the novelty has worn off already. DS3 doesn’t bother with one.
I might put mine up earlier this year but need DH to agree as it is in the loft.

Much quieter night last night. Still in my snuggly bed but getting up as need to make piklets/ pancakes for church well for after Mass. oh just realised I have to go earlier as I need to drop DH off at Ds 3’s beforehand.

Up I hope your decorating isn’t too damaged. It would be really annoying to have to do it again.
That I hope you had some help tidying up.
Bramble your tree looks lovely and bright. I think I might put mine up next week. Tempted to buy a few more decorations for the room. We have plenty for the tree but a few more for the kitchen or dining room.

Well promised myself I would be up at nine so best get up now.

🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒👋🍒to everyone hope you have a good day.

DH has just come into room. Opened the curtains and said “ Look at this!”

It’s snowing!

Great big flakes. That might change plans today. I have Mass then tea &coffee, home till 2:15 then pick up girls for choir. Choir till 5 pm then drop girls back and pick DH up then home. I was thinking I might go into town as not much time between clearing up from tea and coffee and being out again. Maybe not now and wonder if choir will be cancelled. If so I will make another Christmas Cake.

We have a 60%chance snow later red
It's very cold in my house
I want to curl up and be warm
Cars are crowding laps try get comfy/warm
Could end up being in beds with hit water bottles as this house is NEVER cosy...

< clings to the life float while wearing goggles >

Everywhere is still a tip. However i feel less crap about it this morning.

Had a soak in the bath , finishing my cuppa then a power of 3. I think it will be .....

🌲 empty dishwasher
🌲 wash and sterilise baby bottles
🌲 wipe table down after ds2 clears it (his efforts re weetabix are poor)

Baby that is nearing 5 months. He seems to have reflux, experimenting with changing milk and have ordered new bottles. Sigh.

Christmas tree is up here but other decs need doing. We have chocolate advent calendars plus a fabric one that gets random stuff in. I have bought about 70% of presents, wrapped 0%

Woke to snow yesterday morning (we are not far from pennines) which has mostly gone now, more due this afternoon. Took dc out in it yesterday, then to local christmas event, then family movie night. Lots of "making memories" mess

Ta da so far ....
☃️ all dc up and fed
☃️ dryer on
☃️ washer on
☃️ quick bath and dressed
☃️ started shopping list for today
☃️ started tesco shop for tomorrow

Hope goggles and float are assisting, That. I have finally realised that Making Memories (good ones!) can be complicated with ND kids and am giving up!

Ta da:
❤️ LOL on
🧡 Dog walked
💛 DS2's business recommended to local mum who is also a junior teacher 😁

Going to do today as a PO3.

1. Post dog walk bath to warm up
2. Morning routine things
3. More embroidery of Christmas card for friend

To do
figure out how to get across the hills to collect ds safely.

Failing to do
figure out which roads will be passible and which won't

ta da
drink coffee and go la la la la la about the snow and road closure/death trap ice situation.

ds rings - we sort route and location, look out of window and we have snow, rather a lot of snow. bugger.

Ooh Hills my sister lives near Buxton. What did you do to tea? burn caramelise it?

We got snow yesterday late afternoon which is vaguely thawing now in the sunshine though it did try again a couple of times this morning.

-No ringing because too many people away (good timing, from our pov)
-Text exchange with (different) sister re present ideas.
-H walked to Tesco to get some broccoli (he seems to have taken against peas recently, dunno why) so picked up a few other things we'll need and we won't have to go again before fetching S2.
-Soup and bread from the freezer for lunch.

Must wash up. Should iron the towels and investigate the wash box. Oh yeah, need to go into loft and make the Advent ring. Maybe sweep dining room and polish table, why not. Then see if I can finish the last printed-out crossword (some of the special ones won't interact online).

woolly S1 is a 4th year, yes, so needs to find a job. There are engineering posts up in these sparse wastelands but far more down south. I suppose he could go for one in a certain town and live with Granny

Red aha, the sellotaped doors! I'd forgotten that lol

Tea? i threw random things together in a very lazy manner. sauted cabbage which had been finely shredded, fried up some onion and some bacon. threw those into some cooked spagetti, and then threw some rue based mushroom gravy over the top (i have a mushroom gravy mix that just gets added to lard if you can have butter, that is better but dairy allergies and water). just lazy throw together cooking, in a meh food works manner.