Fledglings January 2023: the one without an interesting title

[CurseYouPerryThePlatypus]

Hello everyone, it’s that lovely time of year when we all aim at a fresh start! Welcome back to our regulars, and if you are new or returning, a huge welcome to you as well! Please feel free to post or lurk, whatever helps you most.

So, Flylady. That mysterious system that promises a lovely clean house! This link is a good place to read about the basic principles, but we strongly recommend ignoring the first bit - do not sign up for emails as you’ll be inundated!

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

If you’re new to the system, or are wanting a refresher course, the baby steps may be a good idea. Some are more useful than others, we’ve found, and stuff like affirmations may not work for you, so pick and choose what you want to try. You don’t have to do it all! Perfectionism can be left at the door, we celebrate any achievement here no matter how small it seems (this is why you’ll see our Ta Da lists as well as To Do lists!).

www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/

There are parts of the house called zones, each taking a different part of the month, and missions in those zones to do little tasks we may have neglected. If you don’t feel ready for those though, a good way to start is doing 15 minutes decluttering in that zone! Remember it didn’t get messy in a day so it won’t be fixed in a day either. Slow and steady.

Then there’s the daily focus - each day of the week has a theme, although many of us switch them around to suit our own lives.

Each day I’ll provide the link to the launch pad, which is where you can see what is meant to be done that day (but again don’t feel you have to do all of it! That way lies burnout!).

A couple of principles we talk about on here are:
Future Friend - the idea of doing something today that benefits you later, such as choosing your clothes or making your lunch the night before.
Power of Three (po3) - if you’re overwhelmed, just pick three easy tasks - no matter how small - and forget about the rest until they’re done. Then reassess and decide another three.

Finally a few acronyms:
DW - dishwasher, not dear wife!
LOL - load of laundry, we aren’t finding washing hilarious
WM - washing machine
TD - tumble dryer

well this morning started with an urgh.

ta da
unload, reload and run dw
put tumble dryer on - underwear and socks... <sigh>
deal with the bathtub in which a plant decided to die and no one else bothered to clean out
get teen up for college
get person up for meeting
find person an eye wash pod and give instructions on how to use - need to get an eye bath to make that process easier
test the nightshade free mayo by making egg mayo sandwiches- yum
hard boil a pan's worth of eggs for munching on by people
catch up on international news
deep condition hair
assess the to do list - feel torn in 2 directions and decide leaving house is the only way to be productive.

username , lasagne was very tasty . Our fridge started to do that, we ended up replacing it , as it was 10 years old . No help on the fixing front
willow, your poor DD sounds so painful and the timing sounds stressfull 💐
Tadas
🍊put lol on timer before work
🍊made dc packed lunches
🍊worked 6.5hrs
🍊dried washing when home
🍊leftover lasagne for dinner
🍊work and school outfits ready for morning
🍊All dishes washed and dried
🍊0 spend day , day 9 😁

Aim to put away small pile of washing tonight but otherwise feel extremely tired so will rest 😴

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights I cannot believe that GP queue. What an absolute nightmare.

🥶 home bleurgh except bathroom
🥶 cleaned pram that was caked in mud from farm trip
🥶shopping for birthday bits
🥶 cleaned up cat poo from garden 🤬. It's my cat and we live rurally so behind us are fields galore so he's very much in the bloody bad books.
🥶 lol
🥶 coloured some rice for playing with
🥶 made playdough
🥶 made banana bread muffins
🥶 rotated toys

Aiming to do the evening po3 and wrap some birthday presents ready for Thursday

Not a zero spend day but most things were on the list except some hair accessories and Xmas wrapping paper that was a bargain for next year

Happy birthday to Baby Pompoms 🎂

Congratulations on your savings Peach, £40 off one shopping trip is amazing. I'm doing a low-spend 2023. I won't survive a no-spend, I need some treats or I'll go mad and blow the lot. 💸

I've always wanted to try TaiChi Perry, have you done it before? I like the idea of it, inner peace and all that. 🧘

UNP can fix the fishtank leak or do you have to buy a new one? 🐠

What colour did you do your toes Hazel? Mine are pink 💅

Happy birthday Willow 🎁 Can you contact the exam board about DD? They could maybe do something because of mitigating circumstances. Grade her solely on coursework and predicted grades, something like that. 🎓

Hope you got done whatever you needed to Hills (there was no beavering away emoji, so have a bomb💣 you can throw it at all the stuff you didn't get done!)

Happy birthday to Baby Pompoms 🎂

Congratulations on your savings Peach, £40 off one shopping trip is amazing. I'm doing a low-spend 2023. I won't survive a no-spend, I need some treats or I'll go mad and blow the lot. 💸

I've always wanted to try TaiChi Perry, have you done it before? I like the idea of it, inner peace and all that. 🧘

UNP can fix the fishtank leak or do you have to buy a new one? 🐠

What colour did you do your toes Hazel? Mine are pink 💅

Happy birthday Willow 🎁 Can you contact the exam board about DD? They could maybe do something because of mitigating circumstances. Grade her solely on coursework and predicted grades, something like that. 🎓

Hope you got done whatever you needed to Hills (there was no beavering away emoji, so have a bomb💣 you can throw it at all the stuff you didn't get done!)

Happy birthday to Baby Pompoms 🎂

Congratulations on your savings Peach, £40 off one shopping trip is amazing. I'm doing a low-spend 2023. I won't survive a no-spend, I need some treats or I'll go mad and blow the lot. 💸

I've always wanted to try TaiChi Perry, have you done it before? I like the idea of it, inner peace and all that. 🧘

UNP can fix the fishtank leak or do you have to buy a new one? 🐠

What colour did you do your toes Hazel? Mine are pink 💅

Happy birthday Willow 🎁 Can you contact the exam board about DD? They could maybe do something because of mitigating circumstances. Grade her solely on coursework and predicted grades, something like that. 🎓

Hope you got done whatever you needed to Hills (there was no beavering away emoji, so have a bomb💣 you can throw it at all the stuff you didn't get done!)

Oooo double posting. Can I keep the second bomb for another day incase of need?

Sorry about earlier people, Mumsnet was being glitchy

Yes ta-da's:

🌟 Morning routine
🌟 Unpacked Amazon order, nothing exciting
🌟 Present ordered for DP
🌟 Took a walk
🌟 Pizza and film night
🌟 Painted my nails
🌟 Evening routine

Today's ta-da's:

🌛 Morning routine
🌛 Home blessings
🌛 Decluttered some empty bottles from the bathroom
🌛 Took a longer than expected walk, got lost 🤦, eventually found the way back again. Everything looks different in the dark!
🌛 Evening routine

Triple post Hills, you've got three bombs! I suggest juggling them whilst staring your enemies in the eyes manacingly 😁

Thanks Ditzy, I am pleased , we are having a few veggie meals but we don't mind that.
I really need to paint my nails , I have a uv light , which I use gel polish with, only nail varnish that stays put on my nails and doesn't chip. Have to resist the urge to peel them off though . * *

Ooo i like that thought ditzy! I was asleep, i am now playing the wait for the phone call to retrieve person from A&E but it will be a while yet as they only left here in an ambulance not that long ago.

Just popping in before starting work, I haven't kept up with the thread very well this month (or the FLying). The decluttering is going slowly, I seem to have had a huge amount of other stuff to sort out (usual for this time of year, tax return, general look at finances, Christmas decoration sorting, two birthdays coming up, new term stuff, plus quite a lot related to my volunteer roles. However I have kept up laundry, morning and evening routines etc.

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights hope DD gets a clear plan for treatment following the US, what an awful start to the week for you both.

@HillsBesideTheSea hope the A&E visit wasn't too prolonged and the treatment has been successful.

@Redsquirrel5 I tool note of your EH cleaning mention last week, ours is looking quite bad at the moment, really need to switch it off and have a proper go but don't want to at the this time of year.

@GreenWillowAndFairyLights thank god you've been to a and e! I really hope things improve VERY FAST.

@EspeciallyDetermined what's an EH?

YesTaDa
🪁changed Cagbunny litter
🪁shower
🪁meetings
🪁other work stuff
🪁phonics reading book with Cagletini
🪁English with DS
🪁made decent lunch
🪁cleaned weekly planner board (should have done this on the weekend)
🪁English revision with DD1
🪁maths revision with DD1
🪁more work and updating calendar/diary
🪁put Cagletini to bed
🪁started watching An Inspector Calls with DD1
🪁DLMS when DD1 argued with me as she didn’t want to do what she’d already agreed to do 🙄 TEENAGERS 🤬

Today I have had a staff meeting so far, got another school visit in a couple of hours so need to get myself sorted. Links shortly.

⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰
Monday 9th January

Today’s mission is to wipe down the doors of the kitchen cabinets.

Tuesday daily focus is planning - shopping list/menu plan, diary check etc!

Baby step #10 is about the power of 15 minutes - a good reason to try the decluttering session if you haven’t already!

Here’s the launch pad:

www.flylady.net/c/lp.php

⏰⏰⏰⏰⏰

Oh willow your poor DD!
hills I hope the person in the hospital is able to come home soon.
Ditzy my toes are also pink, really light though. Peach I'm the same, have to use gel as nothing else holds. I've tried multiple brands too and finally found one that works! I'm getting rid of all the others to a coworker for her daughter, once I'm not pissed off with her though (coworker, not daughter! 🤣)
Perry teens are hard work!

Ugh, I'm in a bad mood and everything is irritating me today, I don't know why 🤷‍♀️ I'm not working today! I think I might be tired though.

Ta Das: (so far, it's almost 11am here)

🐒 cooked DH his eggs
🐒 stripped our bed, sheets washed & currently in the dryer
🐒 towels in the washer
🐒 video chat with Mum
🐒 took blankets off couches in living room
🐒 put clean clothes away

To Dos:
🐶 take Dobby to vet for next round of vaccinations, hoping for no reaction this time 🤞
🐶 give Dobby a bath (Maybe before he goes to the vet)
🐶 deep clean kitchen surfaces
🐶 vacuum and mop floors
🐶 more laundry
🐶 clean bathrooms
🐶 take a nap!?

I have to get out of this funk. I'm sure it's to do with being tired and the way I woke up this morning!

@HungryHazelEyes is it a hormonal thing? I get at least a day a month like you describe.

I feel like I'm smashing Flylady right now and life in general but I know that all good things come to an end and it's all a cycle! I know when I'm on a high like this it doesn't last for ever.

❄️ gave sink a good go as didn't do it yesterday
❄️ cleaned bathroom thoroughly
❄️ cleaned toilet and sink downstairs
❄️ went to soft play
❄️ decorated cakes made yesterday
❄️ had a baby party in afternoon
❄️ wrapped birthday presents
❄️ made cake decorations for Thursday's cake.
❄️ lol
❄️Evening po3

@freezingpompoms EH is short for Everhot, it's a type of always-on range cooker a bit like an Aga which both Red and I have, they are a bit quirky so owners tend to share tips. Glad Flying is going so well.

Work today, then it was supposed to be book club but so many couldn't make it we decided to postpone for a couple of weeks, so I have done my tax return instead, which is a relief. It wasn't hard but it does hang over me till it's done.

This laptop is creaking along so I'm going to stop here

DH has gone to bed and I was about to until I was just passing here.

Willow - bit of a shock that and she will not be able to fly long distance for a while. Friend at work had it and they had to postpone NZ trip. Hope they sort it quickly.
Belated Happy birthday.

Hills- hope the person is ok.

Pom Poms -Yes ED and I both have one, they stay on all the time so you get some heat from them as an extra. Means you can bake at the drop of a hat.Makes lovely slow cooked recipes, we had Pulled Pork last night and tonight cooked for 5 hours. You don't have to clean them as often (or at all). Mine has 3 ovens, a hotplate(hot and simmer) and an induction plate. The microwave packed in just before, likewise the kettle and we rarely use the toaster as you can do it on the hotplate.

ED I just did the top, lifted the hot plate surround and wiped the inside lids and outside lids plus back.Haven't done the ovens yet and not likely too unless i spill something. Could do with DH taking the shelves over to DS2's dishwasher. Maybe suggest we do it this week though we are watching the flood alerts this week.We were flooded on all roads bar one on NYD.

Perry I watched some of The Inspector Calls.

Peach great savings. I bought a little cash book to keep note of spending.I had a friend years ago that did this and she wrote every spend every night.I admired her motivation on tracking every day and it worked for her.She marked in her bargains as little triumphs.Her other half was a musician but he never gave her much money. He worked spasmodically due to his lazy arse ways. I heard she left him eventually.Anyway I am going to give it a try as my bank account seemed to be getting a bashing before Christmas and I want to see if i am spending unnecessarily or it is just life.

Hazel You seem busy as usual.Did they love the truffles? I didn't get mine made but might make some this month and some fudge or tablet.I have just discovered you can get Vegan tinned milk.
Dancing how is it going now you are back at school?

Well I got a bit done yesterday. some home bleugh-bathroom and decluttering another bag.Two LOLs. Vacuumed the sofa again.Sitting room looks very tidy and i like the cushion covers and only put four on.Two large and the two small the same as sofa.Dining room is minus one bag.

Today sorted some cards into my card box. Put away a couple things made tea and took it back to bed. I haven't been well since Sunday evening. Flare up of medical condition though I thought the girl in Costa had given me soya milk by mistake because it started about 2 hours later. Really awful stomach cramps so felt fairly washed out after a bad night again last night. So i decluttered some magazines and started a project that I bought the wool for about 15 years ago.It is a blanket I have the first oblong nearly finished. I am hoping to feel better tomorrow and start on the kitchen.It is fairly clean and tidy though.I bought one of those brooms on Sunday Beldray £6 from B&M I don't go in there but bought some books and pencils for Ukraine and had an hour spare before picking up for choir so I had a good browse.It is around the corner from DS3 and it is huge.Baxter soup is 79p so I am going back to buy some for the cupboard. At that price DH and I can have lunch for about £1.20( bread roll). Baxter's is the only tinned soup I have in the store cupboard. Like homemade.
Right must get to bed. Hope everyone is better tomorrow.

ta da
🔨staff meeting
🔨showered and made self presentable enough to boost confidence
🔨walked to project school from town
🔨reading
🔨had meeting
🔨visited a couple of shops and had nice lunch on my own (definitely spirit renewing)
🔨booked a couple of nice things (one for me and a friend or DH - depending on babysitting possibilities - and one for Cagletini)
🔨maths and a bit of English with DD1

Just realised I need to book Cagletini’s dance classes that start back tomorrow. Oops.

Red I did the spend diary one year it was enlightening to see where all the money went.

You've cut that fine with the dance class Perry.

Glad DD got seen Willow fingers crossed for a swift recovery.

Hope your people came out of A&E ok too Hills.

Congratulations on finishing the tax return ED. I wouldn't like that hanging over me either but it's the sort of thing I'd procrastinate forever.

What's your cake theme Pompoms? Can you make fancy ones? I can only do the basic sponge with icing. Which is mostly down to being too lazy to learn, to be fair.

Hope you feel better tomorrow Hazel.

Ta-da's:

🌀 Morning routine
🌀 Cleaned out the car which was absolutely disgusting
🌀 Evening routine

@EspeciallyDetermined @Redsquirrel5 these EH's sound wonderful. Do they come in different colours like a range?

Re. The vegan tinned milk. Are you making something interesting with that? And are you allergic to soya? Sounds awful. M

@CurseYouPerryThePlatypus is it ballet? We should be booking it but I've decided little pompoms is too tired after school to do her class so we are having a break.

@DitzyBluebells our theme is Tiger who came to tea. I've got tiger lanterns hanging up and tiger plates and napkins, tiger clothes and party favours. We are going to have (a large ikea) tiger turn up at the door for tea with us Saturday when I have 5 little ones coming over.
Our house is tiny so instead of a big party we are having a week of birthday play dates and tea parties. But Saturday is the main one where I'm going to make a simple tiger cake and I'll post pictures as the week goes on. So, fancy enough for us but not fancy by todays Instagram lives standard. For the little birthday tea on the day it's just family and I'm going to make a cake with plastic wild animals on and I've made little party hats for them to wear.

I've obviously got too much time on my hands! I also haven't bought all this stuff, but middle pom-poms and baby pom-poms have had the same party themes each year so I buy once and use twice. Not sure how long I'll get away with that!

pompoms I doubt it is hormonal for me. I think it was the way I woke up this morning. I haven't been in a bad mood like that in probably years! I have my moments, but nothing like this morning. I'm sure it's sleep related. Monthly I get emotional and could cry easily if I let something get to me though.

Red yes, everybody did enjoy the truffles! I had a lot of caramels left so DH took some to work with him, I took whatever DS didn't want

willow happy belated birthday! 🥳

I had a nap earlier (shortly after I posted), I slept for almost an hour and felt so much better for it! I had to send an apology to my Mum as I was awful to her. She forgave me 🥰

More ta das:
🐶 blankets washed, dried and put back on couches
🐶 vacuumed main floor
🐶 vacuumed couches (before blankets got put back on)
🐶 took Dobby to vet. They gave him antihistamines before the vaccines, he did have a reaction, but they're thinking he moved or something. He is in pain 😪 he should be fine in the morning if the last time was anything to go by.
🐶 spin workout on my bike
🐶 cooked chowder for dinner tonight
🐶 had DS rotate DW
🐶 had DS take bin out ready for tomorrow
🐶 wiped countertops

Back at work tomorrow as normal so probably won't have ta das 🙄 other than the usual - finish loading DW, get clothes out for next day, get lunch ready for next day. I'm usually too tired to do much more than that!

@freezingpompoms yes, they come in several sizes starting at 60cm and about 20 colours, ours is dark blue and 90cm. My DD was obsessed with tigers when she was younger, she would have loved all that tiger themed party stuff.