Festive Fledglings are Flying into December

[EspeciallyD]

Welcome, everyone!

Here is the December 2022 Flylady thread. We use her system to get on top of our housekeeping and our lives and families and, mostly, it works. By all means have a look at her website - www.flylady.net/ but don't sign up for the emails if you value your sanity, she sends hundreds!

The system is very straightforward. Starting one thing at at time, you build up morning and evening routines to keep things on an even keel daily. Then you add a weekly structure to get various jobs done:
Monday - quick whizz round the house cleaning
Tuesday - planning day
Wednesday - anti-procrastination day
Thursday - errand day
Friday - clean out your car and handbag / date night
Saturday - family fun day
Sunday - renew your spirit
Then, through the month you have a weekly cleaning focus Zone so the whole house is mostly cleaned every month.

It can look overwhelming if you've never tried ot before (and even if you are 19 years in like me have), so go slowly, do what you can.

Two important things to remember are:

you are never behind. Just jump in where you are and do something
you can't clean clutter, so if you need to run round with a binnag once a day for the first week / month / year then it's ok to do that.

I'll be posting links to the Launch Pad every day, which you can click on to find basic tasks, Zone cleaning, daily focus etc.

There's also a Flylady app if you like ticking things off on your phone.

Although this is a long running thread with many regular posters, all are welcome, if you are curious about the Flylady system or just fancy joining in the chit chat while you go about your daily life please join in, also ask if you don’t understand anything.

ED oooh, that sounds even better that is covering all of winter! I will have to check it out, thank you.
willow I love the biscuits 😍 they all look so good! I especially love turning the Daleks into Christmas trees 🌲

I lounged on the couch for a bit this morning, but decided that because I was feeling a bit better (no sore throat today, yay!) I actually got pretty much all wrapping done! There's a few things coming still that I need to wrap, as well as the finishing touches on a few gifts, but otherwise I think I'm almost done completely! This is a new experience for me. I know what I need to get still, but even that isn't much.
I'm hoping I feel even better tomorrow so I can get some of my candies made that I'm selling & gifting. I don't want to make any unless I'm feeling better, and I have a lot I want to make.
I also need to finish decorating. I have a lot of lights that still need to go up inside the house.

Morning everyone

Hope you feel better soon Hazel! Well done on being so organised. I’m feeling in control of christmas but still have some last bits to get - vouchers etc. I haven’t done any wrapping yet but I have A Plan for when it’ll be done and I’ve bought the baileys for when I do it.

Daleks being on your festive shape list made me smile Willow, then it all became clear with the Christmas trees. They look great.

Hope the shoulder feels better soon Hills.

Gorgeous wreaths ED.

Hope the pain has lessened today Perry.

Those blankets sound lovely Red.

I dream of the day MiniUp sleeps in her cot PomPoms. She’s coming up too , but my DD1 was also 2 when it happened with her. I’m going to have a go over Christmas when I’ve got time off for but I’m not expecting wonders just yet.

Yesterday we honoured family fun day with a Santa visit and meal out which was lovely. Today we are putting the tree up and I intend on renewing my flagging spirit with a hot chocolate and film in front of it.

I have a fair amount of laundry and ironing to do though, and the floors needs done in the living room before getting to that point. DH and the DC have treated me to a cuppa in bed this morning, but I can hear ructions beginning so I best go down and assist

Oh, I made a post last night and it has not posted. Grrr.

Anyway, my hectic week last week is over and normal service is resumed. Not much done at home yesterday, unpacked, one load of laundry, a very small amount of food shopping and some online shopping.

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights so glad DD's birthday went well, I always get nervous about these things. Fabulous biscuits!

@Upsadiddles sounds like a lovely day seeing Santa, I miss that now our DCs are older, but the traditions evolve.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT!

You may have seen, but IMO it has not been very widely publicised, the Royal Mail has pulled all the last posting dates forward due to the strikes, UK inland 2nd Class is now the 12th.

Flylady

Flightplan

We are in Zone 2, the Kitchen and our mission is to wipe down the cabinet fronts. Monday's focus is Home Blessing.

Yikes. Need to find the stamps that need to get used up before the end of the year and get them used then. I am not the level of organised required to facilitate that right now.

ta da
2 loads washing
journal
crash out blood sugar and feel horrific. Not diabetic but wouldn't be surprised if this needs to be rechecked in the new year.
deal with the low blood sugar visual disturbance migraine.
Figure out that 4hrs sleep ( i swear it was 6 and i was not up for the day until my 6am alarm not the 4am that fitbit insists) probably isn't helping the headache/functioning situation
steal myself for the drama that could unfold today
Journal
knit 2 rows on a pair of socks and get bored half way through the 1st half of one of the pair. - it will literally take me less than half an hour to finish (incl end weaving) but cba

next up is to go find more coffee and think about dealing with the kitchen.
Maybe take pain killer as my shoulder is mad at me after we got the christmas decoration boxes out the loft last night. <sigh>

Any one else get the feeling it is going to be a very long week?

Is that the stamps without the barcodes @HillsBesideTheSea ? I went to look that up recently as I have a big stash of them, and it's only the plain ones that need using up, any Christmas ones from previous years or other special editions will remain valid, I hadn't realised (most of mine are Christmas ones, I buy more than I need every year to get ahead of price rises).

It is, i don't have festive ones just the plain no barcodeytype ones

I need to check my stamps then.

I've been off here again as it's been my birthday but back at it today with increased vigour I must say!

🎂 A full home bleurgh achieved
🎂 washed kitchen cupboard doors
🎂cleans table and chairs
🎂went for a walk
🎂cooked the Xmas cake (I know I'm late)
🎂sat and read my book for ten mins

I feel great. Plus such an exciting (to me) thing happened today. A pheasant came and ate from under my bird feeder. It was a new feeder for my birthday and I'm obsessed with watching the birds and then was shocked to see the new bird on the block today!

Namechaged MC here!

I keep falling off the thread and then wondering back on, but you, lovely bunch, are always at the back of my mind 😊

I know it's not a form to announce these things early, but it looks like I am pregnant with McBaby#2! Eek. Have early scan booked for this weekend. In the meantime, I am trying not to panic about how I am going to cope with two 😬

Exhaustion is something else, but I have been flying:

• laundry tackled
• dinner cooked
• kitchen cleaned
• McToddler entertained

I still haven't decorated for Christmas, really will need to get a move on, otherwise we are risking of not having a tree this year.

Happy birthday, *PomPom! Did you have a good one?

Eeek! Another thread baby on its way! Congratulations mc don't wear yourself out! How would you prefer your username shortened (since that's what we do around here!)?

pompoms happy birthday! 🎉🥂🎂 a pheasant would be an unusual sighting around here for sure, at least in town anyway.

willow that sounds like an extremely stressful few days
hills crashing blood sugar isn't good! Take care of yourself
ED I had forgotten to tell you that I'm sorry for your loss, sorry I didn't mention it before.
Up did you manage to get your tree up as you intended? Your weekend sounded perfect (minus the laundry of course!)

I'm feeling lots better! I ended up baking some blondies last night (co-workers birthday potluck today). It sucks that I was sick all weekend, but I'm sure my body needed the rest. I just have a stuffy, draining nose and coughing phlegm up (TMI, I know).
Back to work today, other than cooking dinner and cleaning up afterwards, no flying was done.
I did have DH clear out some things from the fridge, but I'm sure there's more that I'll tackle tomorrow.
I really need to get working on my truffles and caramels, but I need to be 100% better first.

Oh I forgot, here is a picture of our tree this year 😍

@UsernameNotPresent congratulations! I know how much you wanted another McBaby!

Yesterday was busy (work, food shopping, zoom call and yoga class) but I did do some food prep for the rest of the week and wipe down the visibly grubby parts of the kitchen cabinets mainly the ones underneath where DH makes his coffee. Having just checked the calendar, I have realised I am going to be out for at least part of every evening until at least the 17th I am planning a night in tonight to catch up with paperwork and Christmas cards.

Thank you all for your kind word’s about my friend’s funeral last week, it was a long journey but I’m really glad I went, his family are lovely and I hadn’t seen them for over 30 years (since he left home), lots of happy memories shared.

Today is Tuesday, Planning day, here is today’s flight plan, our mission is to declutter the cutlery drawer

www.flylady.net/c/fp.php?tzm=0

Hi mc congratulations!!! So exciting 🤩🥰

Hazel love the tree!

Staff lunch was absolutely lovely. I really do work with such a fabulous bunch and two of the trustees were there too, they are such great people!

I am feeling most unmotivated today, partly no doubt because I haven’t had my meds today or yesterday (diagnosed with gastritis and need to sort that, turns out one of my meds can contribute and I had no idea I’m meant to time it with food etc).

What I really should be doing is getting a few little jobs out the way - tomorrow is my birthday and although we won’t be able to do much (Cagletini has been unwell too, fever etc) I don’t want to be thinking about stuff I’m meant to be doing! But I’m tired and grumpy. I really don’t want to be feeling guilty on my birthday though, so it’s power of three time.

po3.1
❗️Pay for next block of gymnastics
❗️Log on to work laptop to send a few emails and check/update calendar
❗️Email volunteer supervisor about January

Just went online for a bit and ended up working for an hour without actually checking January’s calendar 🙈 FFS.

After that I need to edit the tesco. Although two bottles of Malibu wouldn’t be the worst birthday present…

Happy birthday Perry 🎂 🥳 🍹

Ta Das:
🍬 washed mattress protector, dried & put back on bed
🍬 washed sheets, dried and remade the bed
🍬 made some truffles centres
🍬 took Dobby to the vet for the first time. He has reacted to the vaccine so he's been given some Benadryl to help with swelling and he cuddling up on me now. He's in pain and I feel terrible 😭
🍬 meal planning done for the week with help from DH & DS
🍬 went grocery shopping, everything put away

I still need to cook DH his eggs for the week, and I may make some more truffles centres.

Perry Happy birthday, lovely! Hope you have a good day ☺️
Pompoms my toddler is just over 2, and he still comes in with us around 2-3am. All night sleeping in the cot is great achievement!
Willow such busy lists, where do you get your energy from? I will need some of that 🙃
Hazel beautiful tree! ED love those wreaths 🥰

Hazel aww little Dobby. I hope he recovers soon after his jabs. Lots of sofa cuddles is mandatory!

Re zones, my kitchen is actually ok How did that happen? But boudoir needs some TLC, it's starting to get cluttered again, so I might focus on that this week.

More ta das:
💤 cooked DH his eggs
💤 washed the handwash dishes, dried them and put them away
💤 wiped the countertops
💤 cleaned the stovetop
💤 wiped the front of the dishwasher (I wiped the cabinet fronts a few days ago 😇)
💤 DS rotated DW
💤 currently laying in bed with Dobby snuggling up to me. I'm thinking he may be doing a bit better now, we'll see how he is in the morning

Back to work for the rest of the week, I may be able to stop by with a ta da or 2!

Morning all, I am being “assisted” by my cat who insists on rubbing her face along my arm as I type, she is a gorgeous snuggly girl but does get in the way.

Happy Birthday @CurseYouPerryThePlatypus !

@HazelNuttyElf hope Dobby is feeling better today.

@UsernameNotPresent well done on the kitchen, outs isn’t too bad at the moment either, I checked the cutlery drawer yesterday but I did a big clear/clean of it a few weeks ago and it is still OK.

Today is Wednesday, which means anti-procfrastination day, I must write some more cards tonight, I have done all the aunts and uncles but still have a few for friends that will need posting.

today’s flight plan

Our mission today is to declutter the fridge, I do need to do that but might not have time as I’m going out tonight and cards take priority. Off to work now.

Gratuitous cat photo

@UsernameNotPresent I'm exactly the same I'm Yo-yoing with the thread. And big congratulations on your news.

@HazelNuttyElf that tree is epic!!!

@EspeciallyD I find that quite thrilling that you are out every evening. What a busy person you are! Also I can't believe we are back to the cutlery drawer. I feel like an old pro now that we've done a full circle. Couldn't have done it without all these threads.

@CurseYouPerryThePlatypus happy happy birthday. We could practically have a joint birthday party!

🎄 organised a baby and toddler party and that quite frankly is enough for anyone to bear for one day. Chips for tea.
🎄 swish and swiped and that's it!