Fledglings Flying into the Festive Season

[ExquisitelyDecorated]

Well here we are, December is upon us and we are settling in for the winter. We aim to 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 maintenance system, some combine it with other systems such as TOMM. Links at the end of the post.

These threads have been running for years, many posters have been here for a long time but new Fledglings and returners are always welcome, just jump in and ask if you don't understand anything.

Experience has taught us that these threads are only loosely about housekeeping, they are more about keeping good company and looking out for one another. So we have the naughty corner fully stocked with cushions, blankets, hot water bottles, comforting drinks and snacks, with a few sausage rolls and mince pies in a nod to the season (gluten free, vegan etc all catered for).

A few of our abbreviations and sayings:

BRC = box of random crap
Mount Washmore = out of control laundry
CHAOS = can't have anyone over syndrome
LMS / DLMS = lose my shit / didn't lose my shit
It's all gone a bit Pontypridd - it's all gone pear-shaped (some sort of spellcheck error)
No Fledgling Left Behind - there is always someone here to lend a listening ear, whether you want to have a grumble, let off steam, or just feel a bit behind or out of sorts. We recognise that many people have a lot going on in their lives, caring responsibilities, work, health conditions, general family life

So, with that, I will pop a couple of links to Flylady pages here:

www.flylady.net/ - homepage

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/flying-lessons/ - getting started

We suggest you do NOT subscribe to the emails, unless you want a very cluttered inbox. Ask here instead.

www.flylady.net/d/cruising-through-the-holidays/ - seasonal stuff

Oh the bastards hills 🤬 bloody cowboys, hope it can be fixed soon!

I’ve had an absolute nothing day. Just been on my phone doing nothing useful - browsing various online shops and not even made decisions about presents really!

Get them back out and utilise your best death stare Hills

Hopefully it will all be smooth sailing, fixed without a problem and happiness restored.

Decorating the tree. Feeling quite smug about taking the time to organise and pack the decorations properly early this year 😁

We just spent a worrying amount of time arguing about the names of our two new decorations.

Finally I can introduce Hamlet the Bee, and Gloria the Dinosauria

Ah very clever @sing. To bee or not to bee. Also like Gloria

Indeed :o we did consider Eric but it’s clearly a whole bee and not Half a Bee

You are going to have to explain that one to me @sing!

What ho peeps!

Good luck with builders today Hills!

Gloria is my fave Sing!
Glad meds working and you don't feel any worse anyway!

Thanks for reminder about glasses Merry! Sat on mine and they are askew!

I am afraid I took your advice rather too literally Wassail! Take it steady yourself!

Yesterday did washing (not enough) , towel folding, on-line present buying, chocolate buying (in an actual shop) and tracked a vacci-bus around town and managed to dispense with appts on websites and access a walk-off-the-street-in-to-bus-without-prior-appt-Booster-jab! And what's more I feel fine so far, apart from a bit of a sore arm!

Then did quick bakery & butcher dive on way home and made a sort of "throw everything together that is lurking in fridge and needs eating" nasi goreng equiv. Phoned a friend and then thanked everyone by e-mail who I spoke to or saw yesterday for their (work) contribution (took an hour) , emptied & stacked dw, and that was the day gone in a flash, argh!

Need to work harder to pack more in but let's just say that dh's presence is looming large again as he has returned to wfh [sigh]. I feel very mean saying ir, as rules is rules, but I get on a lot better when I have a few hours to myself in the day, so it's more me than him (but the constant kitchen forays, spilling of coffee across hall floor, trails of cables, pocket contents, shoes, books, papers and 13 couriers arriving in one day - setting the dogs off barking) doesn't help).

Today:
Must NOT get distracted from choring!
Must NOT get drawn in to anyone else's work or study dramas!
Must not allow myself to sit down without having done substantial amount of boring choring!

Cleaning lady (who previously came once a week and then did fortnightly ironing) has only visited three times since start of pandemic, now cannot come before Christmas because she has been bitten by her dog unfortunately, so I am on my own with it. And I am up against it frankly as standards have not only slipped, they have landed on their *rse too!

Have a productive day everyone! Deep breathes! We can do it! (She says while trying to marshall the 75 things jumping about in her brain in to an achievable list.)

croissants and bacon rolls on naughty corner bar for everyone to help themselves!

Sorry ED that was far too long!
Can't seem to help myself!

Threw my back out moving my mattress this morning. People are peopley.

Nothing wrong with long posts sc :o

It’s a monty python song half - Eric the Half a Bee. “Half a bee, philosophically, must ipso facto half not be”

Feeling very tired this morning, but I seem to be able to breathe without rattling so that’s a good sign :o just feel like I have a lead suit on.

po3.1
❗️Try and doze a bit more until I really have to get up (nursery closed due to positive cases and DH has to leave for physio before 10)
❗️Meds and breakfast, and drink lots of water
❗️Make decisions on presents that I dithered over yesterday

Sorry, hoping normal service will resume soon. This week has been manic and today looks no less so (nothing bad, just v.v. busy even for me).

🎵🎶Ho ho ho, hee hee hee, Eric the Half a Bee 🎶🎵

Sorry about your back Hills. Have you got any Naproxen?

Hope someone managed to get Lilzoo up and out this morning zoo, and good luck with jabs. Remember to rest!

SC progress is progress! You have our full support. And I totally recognise and sympathise with the spilled coffee, crumbs, endless parcels, trails of keys and coins and socks etc that come with a DH working from home.

ED don't worry, we're all running up the down escalator to Christmas now. Lead when you have time to draw breath!

Ta da:
❤️ Wrote letter to friend and packed parcel
🧡 Wrote last two overseas Christmas cards. DH to post them all later
💛 Woke DD and DS3, both of whom overslept. No-one late, thank goodness.
💚 Discussed FIL's Christmas present with DH. FIL "can't be bothered" with chocolates or treats and can't read without a magnifying glass (WHY ARE YOU STILL DRIVING, THEN?), so he'll just have gin please, he's nearly finished the bottle we gave him for his birthday in November 😱

To do:
🐧 Quick whizz round with hoover, broom and mop
🎄 Usual morning stuff
🐧 Make soup?
🎄 Find vegetables fod chicken and veg pie for tea.

Covid is closing in rather here, we're gone from DD's history teacher having it to teacher and one of the class, to the parent and sister of the girl DD walks to the station with... Not enjoying this bit very much.

No pain killers of any form higher than 2 ibuprofen for the next 2 to 3 months Wasailling I have a heat pack and a back support. Will have to do unfortunately.

We no longer have a storm rattling through, and moods are improved.

I am just going to put tea for the people in the slow cooker before I get ready to head out. Am going to go have my day trip out. and then come home, hoover up, restore my furniture, sort out my tea,

How can it be the 10th?

Crumbs you have all been so busy.
That cake looked yummy Wassailing

I felt ill until about 9pm when I felt hungry and had two boiled eggs. I made the cake. I figured putting all the rest of the ingredients in the mixer wasn’t going to contaminate anyone and it was baked for three and a half hours. It is and easy cake to make. Delia Smith Creole Cake.
So had to stay up to wait for it. I was wide awake anyway. So cake two done and going to start cake 3 today same recipe so soaking fruit in booze.

I did 2 LOLs and have one in and ready to turn on this morning.

Have pain inside. I have had a grumbling appendix in the past hoping this is not it again. Could be bowel condition but as in same area who knows. Normally would see GP.
Must get up.

Need to order something I was going to attempt to make but now chickened out because it might not work.

Need to buy a Secret Santa gift for next week but gets handed in on Sunday.

Need to clean tip of a room. Dining room and bedroom. Tree not up yet.

Lovely tree thread on Christmas section. If procrastinating!

Found present for DS1 need to order.

Sister hasn’t said gift has arrived so either hasn’t arrived or she doesn’t like it. Haven’t texted her as wanted to surprise her. Perhaps it wasn’t a nice surprise.🤔

Right please stick pointy stick right up my...

Hills can you have Deep heat/ Deep freeze?

You’ve reminded me I need to feed my Christmas cake Red, thanks. Fingers crossed the pain goes and it isn’t grumbling appendix!

Glad the breathing has improved Sing, hope you continue to feel better. Love the decorations.

Hurrah for the vacci-bus SC. I was absolutely fine after my booster too. Hope you continue to be.

Oh no at the putting the back out Hills. Enjoy your day out.

Hope DD has managed to avoid Covid Wassailing. It’s scary when it comes close isn’t it. I’m trying to avoid too many people as I really really don’t want to have to go in to have the baby Covid positive. We have a Christmas event this weekend and I’m pleased the mask thing has come back in (was going to wear one anyway but good to know everyone else should be too!) and then once DD breaks up from school next Friday we won’t really be seeing anyone. It would be just my luck to have spent most of the pandemic patient facing, been triple-jabbed, and then catch it at home where I’m mostly sat in my arse just before giving birth .

I had a similar optician experience as a child once Merry. I was clearly giving the ‘wrong’ answers between ‘blurry’ or ‘clear’ (I wasn’t!), and in the end he said “well I think that one is actually blurry isn’t it” and gave me glasses. Which I never wore and have never been told I need since (better than 20/20 vision here )

Hope all is well for Dancing, Foxes, Badger and MrsTidy if you’re still with us.

Ta Das for the last few days:
🤶 supervised DD writing out her Christmas cards and got them to school along with various donations/raffle ticket money etc.
🤶 dealt with roofer who is coming next week 🙌🏻
🤶 gradually reclaiming each room with little bursts of tidying. The house no longer resembles a junk yard though still has a way to go before it feels sorted.
🤶 dusted boudoir
🤶 emptied upstairs bins
🤶 wrapped lights around little potted Christmas tree by the front door. Rather well if I do say so myself.
🤶 changed our bedding
🤶 stayed roughly on top of the laundry and kitchen
🤶 larder and utility back in some sort of order
🤶 further festive snacks decluttered and binge watching of Netflix and napping

Need to hang up the latest LOL and spend another 5 minutes tidying downstairs and up before the school run at 3pm.

I didn’t manage to get back to sleep earlier and I’ve very much felt on the back foot all day. Also forgot to take my meds and realised too late to take them. How is it half three already?!

I have ordered presents but that’s pretty much it. Regretting saying yes to DD1 having a couple of friends round this evening as now I’m grumpy and unsociable but I dare say they’ll mostly stay in her room other than perhaps doing some other decorations.

po3.2
❗️Decide on ice breaker quiz questions for work zoom party (proper party cancelled) and send round
❗️Quick room rescue bathroom
❗️Work on laptop once it is charged

Public Service Announcement: a small person singing “it’s the beeeest daaaaay eeeeverrrrrrr” loudly and repeatedly while strumming a ukulele somehow makes it much less likely to be the best day ever.

Oh bless her Sing apart from that are you feeling any better ( physically ignoring grumpiness) today?

Glad to help Festive how is it smelling?
I gave DH a sniff of the one out of the oven last night he nearly keeled over especially when I started the next one while we were waiting for the kettle to boil. He fetched the rum through and then some others while I measured. The brandy was in the baking cupboard...well of course where else would it be. So 3tbls rum, brandy, cherry brandy, port and 1 1/2 teaspoons of angostura bitters. The weigh the fruit and put that in I don’t put nuts in as some don’t like it. Then simmer for 15 minutes put in airtight container and mix every day for a week then you add the other what DH asked ...how does it stick together? I did restrain my self from 😂 laughing.

Where is everyone today?

Hope those absent Mrs Tidy, Dancing, Foxes, Badger, MC are all ok and just busy we are missing you if you are doing a read and run. I wonder and hope Princes is ok on the barge. Must be a bit chilly but maybe not maybe lovely and cosy while looking out on cold.

So I went to the Christmas fair / market. There are some very creative people near me. All local I think. I got my Secret Santa. Bought some earrings and a necklace and on the way out a bauble for the tree so £9:50 and I might make a brooch if I can find similar colours. I was very pleased with that. My main aim. Bought DS1&DS2 a air freshener thing for theirs cars well DS 2 as DS1 car has gone to be scrapped! Bit upsetting and car prices have risen apparently so think we might have to lend him some money. I told him I won’t charge interest and he does have to pay back until May as he has a loan for his kitchen which ends cost more as when you start stripping back sometimes it is worse than expected. DShas told his dad he might like a jacket. I have some socks for all ...well what else do you buy men? Nordic socks I bought some for me too they are lovely and cosy. Gorgeous patterns.
I am about a 1/3 way through my knitted scarf for December and need to get them taken to various places. Homeless, Women’s Refuge and Refugees. Two for each.

Been to Mass after the window opening which just across from us. Then up to BF on the way home for a catch. Her lovely, lovely son is going to cut out the nativity for me then I will have to paint both sides and have it ready for the 24th. Two weeks today arrrgghh! How did that happen? Better get the wood tomorrow.

I think I better go to sleep. Sets hot chocolate up for Hazel did you know there are such things as Hot Chocolate Stations? If you didn’t have a look on the Christmas thread. How the other half live.
Send the people there Hills if they get too peoply.🤩

Morning all (leaves freshly baked sultana bread on naughty corner counter for everyone to help themselves).

I am awake stressing/upset. Suffice to say, people are over-burdened with work & study and are taking their stresses out on me. And well, it is difficult.

And I am supposedly managing building project where time line has slipped badly resulting in significant extra costs for us, as other trades are waiting, builder not answering my calls (which he only does when something has gone v wrong) and difficult conversation is down to me (because dh is working seven days a week currently as clients push through end of year proj and is getting antsy with me about delay but won't do any actual confrontation himself, he hasn't time tbh, and anyway I said I would handle it not knowing then that contractor has misogynistic attitude worthy of 1980s football player so anything I say he chooses to ignore and is only interested in speaking to dh, who doesn't want to speak to him aarghhhhh). Also, contractor concerned has tricky personality as they are strong \intimidating on one side, with tendency to be easily hurt on the other (sigh) (Their work is to a v v high standard but they are awful at managing timing\sequencing\budget.)

So I have crept downstairs and am sitting with a warm dog, nervously drinking tea, going over papers, & specialist vocab, and running through my little speech and verb tenses etc so I am well prepared for difficult encounter this morning (well, how difficult it will be depends on how much he has got done which I will only know when I get there as he is not communicating. He is not expecting me so should be interesting.) Then I am going to shower quietly and pack car & go. Oh and everywhere here is a mess and it is physically too much for one person to do so I feel crap & frustrated about it. But now is not the time to buy in cleaning help.

On the positive side of things, I finished present buying yesterday for employees, associates & UK family.

And have done some more washing. And emptied and cleaned fridge and freezer. Meant to clean oven but didn't get that done.

Hills I am sorry about your back

Sing haha about small person & ukelele

RedSquirrel bravo for knitting You sound very on top of presents! Hope you can resolve digestive troubles as they can be miserable

Stillfestive+ great that roofer is coming next week! Bravo re: list of things achieved. And hope you can continue to dodge Covid!

Hope you have managed to dodge Covid in your household too Wassail

ED

Nervous waves to all!

[Wrote that an hour ago and forgot to post! I am leaving now! ]

Hope everyone has a good, not too stressful, weekend. Remember to take some time out for yourselves!