Fledglings bolt into Spring! Fresh air, fresh flowers, fresh sheets – No fledgling left behind…

[BeanAnTae]

Thread starts on 1 February, but you are welcome to land and say hello until then
Thank you to Hills who has given us a tour-de-force thread for the deepest, darkest days of January when we were all flagging. We all know you are really busy and appreciate the time you took to go in depth with the baby steps.
Welcome to Flylady if you are a newbie or a regular fledgling– it is a zone based cleaning system, spread out over 4-6 weeks (depending on how the month falls.) The zones cover different areas of the home so we concentrate on a particular zone in a given week. But there is also a weekly hour of cleaning (can be split into 10 min segments) to make sure the bins are emptied, main areas hoovered, sheets changed – you get the drift…
And each day of the week has a focus – Thursday is errand day for example.

So , today is Tuesday 1 February – the first day of Spring if you are joining us in the North Hemisphere or Happy Autumn to those in the South. This thread brings you right up to Pancake Tuesday which is 1 March 2022.
Flylady site
This week we are in 2 Zones:
Zone 5: The Living Room
Zone 1: The Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room
February Habit: Decluttering for 15 Minutes a Day

Monday – Weekly Home Blessing
Tuesday – Plan and Play
Wednesday – Anti-Procrastination Day
Thursday – Errand Day
Friday – Clean-out your Purse and Car Day
Saturday – Family Fun Day
Sunday – Renew your Spirit Day

It is plan and play day on Tuesdays – I usually plan menus and things to do on Tuesdays but the system is customisable to what works for you and your life.
Feel free to jump onto the thread and post your To Do list of household and family stuff achieved and, if you like, post your Ta Da list when you’ve got stuff done. We all encourage each other along and we all have different lives, pressures etc and we are not at all precious about the system – it can be used as you see fit. For example I don’t clean my dining room in zone 1 as it’s part of my living area so I do it in zone 5.
There is a general mantra of ‘No fledgling left behind’ which basically means you can’t fall behind in the system – you just start up again. So there’s no need for a massive Spring Clean – you just jump in.
Some jargon has evolved over the years, for example – cherry waves was an autocorrect of cheery waves, the pointy stick ---> is sometimes requested if you are having particular problems with procrastination and the naughty corner which is where we collapse to take a break.
As well as ‘To Do’, I’m going to try ‘To Be’ because I’m a Human Being not just a Human Doing. So my aim is to be more present (on the thread and in my head!) and more positive. I live far north in the UK so it is pretty dark here at the moment and I am SO looking forward to more daylight. And a shiny sink!

[Exit stage left pursued by a child]

On fire Zoo !

I remember playing my grandma went shopping (and going through the alphabet for the items) MANY times with a new admission who I was doing 1:1 obs on because she had a back injury and couldn't be admitted to the first floor secure adolescent ward yet - she was in an awful state bless her, hadn't had any therapy or a nurse assigned or anything yet so there was just me, a teenage care worker with her for 12 hours a day. I refused to call the awful restraining team in so when she started really freaking out I would just basically sit on her bed, hold her hands down gently but firmly and say, right! My grandma went shopping and she bought.... The things that girl had been through and disclosed to me in the days I was with her possibly changed me forever - just knowing things you can't un-know.

Interesting that we both came up with similar techniques! I don't know where I got the idea from - probably from memories of trying to distract myself from panic attacks. I bet you're such a good Mum.

Ta da:

Got up!!!
Put lol on
Put fresh coffee on
Took the dog out
Brushed the cat
Sorted litter tray
Went through emails
Paid council tax before they end up taking me to court out of my sheer procrastination

Feel much brighter today and hopeful things might get done. My to do list is to long to bore you all with but next little burst will be:

-make more coffee (i have a one cup coffee filter - going to see if you can make a drinkable second cup with the same filter full of coffee)
-empty clothes stand and fold clothes
-hang out washing
-clean bathroom sink and toilet and put some bleach around the manky edges of bath and tiling shelf - for some reason everywhere anything rests, like shampoo bottles on the shelf or edge of bath, ends up with orangey muck gathered around that spot - what's that about?

Oh and yesterday I filled out a council housing application. I don't know for sure I'll send it off but I realised the anxiety about how much rent I pay and how tenuous my situation is ie. if the landlady decided to sell I'd be homeless because according to estate agents I don't earn enough to meet their affordability criteria for anything even if they did accept tenants who weren't in full time employment and had pets.

My rent and council tax eats all but about £150 of my salary and I live on the universal credit top up and child maintenance basically. Part of my stressing yesterday was worrying that any time now I'll probably get a letter saying my rent is going up in the new tax year again and looking at property to rent and sell on rightmove and realising all over again how fucked we are financially in the bigger picture even though we manage fine day to day. So I filled it in. I would need to do an intrusive form about my medical condition also and provide a load of documents to go forward with it which I'm reluctant to do but I think I really should because housing security and affordability is basically my biggest worry so if I did get a council house with a secure tenancy and lower rent my life would be significantly improved and I could pay more into pensions etc rather than my landlady's pocket.

I had a period in my life where my health was so bad I was entirely dependent on benefits and having gotten out of that position and being a lot better in myself there's something... I don't think it's pride as such but a sense of feeling like haven't to go cap in hand and explain my issues and try and seem needy and deserving enough etc just feels quite humiliating and like a step backwards but I need to try and push through that.

Sorry bit off topic but it was a bit of a breakthrough - or will be if I can see it through.

I get what you mean fly 💐 I hope you can submit the form, we had to do a medical reason application too which was depressing but very much worth it - life feels a lot better in our secure HA property 💕 you have health difficulties, there is nothing to be ashamed of needing help from the government for that, but I know it still feels bad :(

Had a bit more sleep last night, loads to do today but I don’t want to do anything 😳

YesTaDa
🧐litter tray, hay etc
🧐two LOLs
🧐downloaded some maths resources and sent homework and zoom link
🧐contacted dance teacher and a piano parent

Think that’s about all I did.

Right just need to get on with the day now… still don’t want to!!!

po3.1
❗️Rejig bedding in dryer and add last night’s small LOL
❗️Put non-tumble LOL on
❗️Look at to do lists and try not to get overwhelmed

What sing says Fly. Try to see it as having more agency over your situation. I think you are doing a wise thing 🌷. Yes the paperwork and the questions on them are intrusive but for more security I'd go for it. ❤️

Ah that sweet to see litter tray on your to do list sing. I thought you were zoo for a moment.

Ta da
Baked oatmeal,
Laundry on
Kitchen tidied.

To do
Work emails and form
Stretches so that this 50 year old feels vaguely human
A walk - cardio and sunlight for mood
Take up two pairs of trousers.

Nah it's not off topic fly. Not by a long chalk.

Baked oatmeal with pears and ground linseed not pudding, oh no!

Yum bean!!!

po3.2
❗️Rotate DW
❗️Make sure DD1’s friends leave at 12 and the living room is vaguely sorted, and try not to have too much contact with grumpy teen
❗️Make small achievable [famous last words] to do list for me and DH after the girls leave

There are some productive little souls around this morning!

Well done on doing the form Fly, I also think you’re doing the right thing. From my limited knowledge of council housing, in my area you’d currently be quite far down the list, but if your landlady decided she wanted to sell then you’re already on the list and would move up it to a more urgent spot. It’s terrible where we are at the moment. House prices have shot up as has tourism, so there are lots of landlords selling, rent is going up and up, and so many house are becoming holiday lets or second homes. I know a few people really struggling to find somewhere. You are being very sensible making moves to protect yourself. I also get the orangey pink stuff in the bathroom. I find if I regularly dry the shower tiles etc it keeps it at bay. Unfortunately I don’t .

You’ve had so much on with work Bean, hope things start to settle for you soon. Appreciate you leading the thread in amongst it all.

I felt like a slobbing around sort of day today but after reading everyone’s lists I have managed to shower and dress, as well as getting DD’s ready. I’ve also emptied the DW and put breakfast things in, made the beds and put in an LOL. I got DD1 to try some clothes on that I suspected were outgrown and they are now piled up to put away for DD2. I’ve also emailed the dance teacher and paid for our garden waste bin for the year. DH is out running (he’s training for a race) but he did feed us all before he left.

Awful weather here today so if we get out it’ll just be a short walk. I’ll be happy to get some ironing done otherwise.

Thanks all. I'm in a village where massive building has been taking place and every development has to include a certain amount of HA places. We are the far end of a distant housing authority though and far away from their town (way closer to another but that's a different council that starts it's borough about 50 yards up the road from me) so possibly not that many people putting this village on their application. So not too bad a position if that made any sense to you.

make more coffee
empty clothes stand and fold clothes
hang out washing
-clean bathroom sink and toilet and put some bleach around the manky edges of bath and tiling shelf - whole bathroom soaking in bleach currently.

I've also ordered meds.

Next list:
-rinse toilet and sink
-scrub tiles and edge of bath after bleach has had good soak then rinse
-try and get limescale remover to sit on a vertical surface - glass shower screen which is very annoying to clean. Still - yep all of these jobs would be easier if I just regularly rinsed and dried things off but sadly like you I don't.

-consider cooking a proper meal and sending ds into shock

fly agree with others this is the right thing to to
Bean breakfast/pudding looks delicious😋😋😋
I've a recipe for baked oats with raspberry's and chocolate I keep meaning to make for lil zoo but we've not gotten round to it yet..

Tada
Bathroom
Cleaned windows and mirrors
Wipe sill
Wiped bath skirt
Wipe all tiling/splash backs
Scrub bath and sink
Sweep floor

Dd2 bf text her in a tizz her parents are splitting up(dad drop bombshell last night he's leaving as "things aren't working out").she has a levels in few months and is in pieces as came as a total suprise.i walked DD over to meet her by their school and then D's and I popped Morrisons as local to that(15/20 mins walk) they had nothing I wanted and was chok full people coughing not in masks and in my face.i gave it zero stars and won't be going in there again in s hurry(Asda/Waitrose are nearest to home.asda has 1/2 to 3/4 wear masks still 3/4+ still in Waitrose so it felt suddenly very weird and unpleasant)
Diverted back to co op near school for the specific rolls zoolets like.now raining...
Got in rather moist,but fires now on and I'm drying out
Lol I left on the ho is done so now in drier,pile dry stuff on dd2 bed ready to be put away
DS load is now in wash- he spilt mackerel on his dressing gown yesterday and I said that has to take s priority wash tom or he will smell vile!

Left over upside down cake with custard is totally proper breakfast.

Slow going today. don't want to anything.

Still up - it's a pleasure to lead the thread. I just felt I wasn't giving as many personal replies as I though I would 😬 Work is exciting but I'm jittery.

Hope you get out for your walk stillup!

Sorry you’re feeling jittery bean

po3.3
❗️Hang out washing
❗️Eat something
❗️Go through diary with DH (never found the proper one!)

Ta da:

-toilet and sink thoroughly cleaned
-tiles, wood work and floor around sink cleaned
-bath/shower still covered in bleach mainly because I ran out of steam but a good long soak won't hurt
-groceries ordered
-animals fed
-worked out how best to arrange my bedroom and to solve a problem with the living room being overcrowded simultaneously. I think my dressing table and chair have to go so may add putting them on a for sale page to my list of things to do this half term.
-discovered what causes the pinky/orange staining around bottles etc in the bathroom www.jblantonplumbing.com/where-did-those-pink-stains-in-your-bathroom-come-from/
-updated lists of dailies, one and done's and habits.

I actually broke down what 'cleaning the bathroom' entails and it's actually about ten jobs that need doing to do it properly. So as it's the zone this week I'm going to aim to get all of them done as well as working on other areas of the house as needed.

Bean ha! Thank goodness in this house we are not American football fans. We will not be participating in the super bowl we went to a friend's house once a few years ago, it's not for me!
fly that's a great ta da list! It's not a bad thing to ask for help when you need it, and housing security is one that everyone needs and deserves. That's why these programs are there.

Those baked goodies look and sound so good!

YesTaDas:
🍬 grocery store for a few things, will do pick up later
🍬 picked out finish for our steps out the back door (French doors we had put in, DH & DS built a ramp for the dog)
🍬 made peanut butter truffles since I didn't do them the other day
🍬 had DS help me make garlic rolls
🍬 made dinner to take over to ILs
🍬 spent the evening relaxing at ILs

Today's to Dos:
💘 make Oreo truffles (both regular & gf)
💘 put orders together & the gifts for my family
💘 drop off one of the orders today
💘 sort my list out, and enter grocery pick up order
💘 pick up my order
💘 go out for dinner as family for Valentine's Day, DH & I will go out tomorrow night, but DH wants the DC involved too tonight
💘 possibly do my nails

It's almost 9:30am, I best get moving, after I finish my 2nd cup of coffee of course!
🍒👋 to everyone, especially those I missed for personals

po3.4
❗️Change litter and give Cagbunny some cabbage
❗️Decide with DH about what days to have regular tesco deliveries, book slots and crucially, make note in diary for when to book the next lot!

Oh. Clearly I didn’t want to do three things.
❗️Go upstairs and hide before I LMS

Flylady has her calendar in her bathroom - er okaaaay www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/day-14/

And tomorrow is home cleaning hour www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

We are in the zone 3 - bathroom and one other room. 😁 Flylady will no doubt be cleaning her calendar.

Today has been A. Day. Everything that can go wrong has. Trying not to dwell on it, but honestly you couldn't make it up.
🤯 Got up to make tea. Dog went bananas in the utility room trying to get under the units, sniffing madly, which is unprecedented. Discovered something rodenty had got in where the water pipes come up to the cloakroom and tried to get a sheet of dried noodles back down there 🤦
🤯 Made tea. As arse touched chair, DH WhatsApp'd to ask for coffee, painkillers and an anti-histamine as he had not slept.
🤯 Got on with dog walk. Went further than intended due to meeting another dog WassailHound knows well, with nice owner. Knees painful by the time I got home.
🤯 LOL and other house stuff while DH enjoyed his new office
🤯 Took DS3 to meet friend and then go on to run errands. Friend not in, despite agreement to meet at 1.30. Journey then went Tesco -> friend's house -> charity shop -> friend's house, til friend turned up.
🤯 Went to tip. 3rd go at stopping at charity shop on the way home
🤯 Got home to find DH having an argument with FIL and DD disappointed that I hadn't bought mini-eggs
🤯 Tesco order had arrived in my absence. Mostly still on kitchen table due to Football.
🤯 Scrubbed out cupboard where rodent had been
🤯 Swapped LOL over, put another in
🤯 Got DS2 to help me dismantle my desk and take it down to the study
🤯 Put blackout linings in our bedroom curtains as DH complaining of light leakage
🤯 Put roast beef in
🤯 Sent DS2 to collect DS3, where he just opened the front door and came out. No parent, no friend who invited him, nothing. Am pissed off and horrified with friend's family, who use us so they can be "free and easy" because we manage all the hard shit for them 🤬 (long history of "missing the train" when they boys were at infant school together, since they knew I'd pick them both up and have their son to play until they deigned to arrive)
🤯 Got DD to make pastry so I could make apple pie. Pastry flatly refused to co-operate, had to make 3oz more even though the 12oz she made always fits that pie dish.
🤯 Put pie in oven, did veg, roasties, yorkies etc. DD made excellent gravy, meat deliciously pink.
🤯 DH 10 minutes late to the table and complained the beef was overcooked. Was lucky not to get it on his head.
🤯 Asked DH to tidy up as I cooked. Ended up wiping up, again.
🤯 Tried to run a bath. No hot water.

Am properly fucked off with everything and I still have to rebuild my work set up tomorrow morning because DH has been focussing on his. Mutter.

I can’t bloody believe it’s Monday tomorrow. I’m nervous - I know I say that a lot about work while I get used to various tasks! This is definitely a New Thing as I’m actually going to talk about the charity in person rather than online. Not especially looking forward to the early start but at least the train is heading away from London so shouldn’t be too busy.

I hid upstairs for a while watching Community and skipped dinner to avoid killing anyone. Have now eaten some crackers and need to sort the tesco stuff before my next power of three

Hang on wassail that's not on: Tesco order had arrived in my absence. Mostly still on kitchen table due to Football.