Weekly Flylady thread W/c 26 August 2013

Valli

bossymoo wrote: »

I'd be happy to volunteer as challenge "keeper" - it might be added incentive to stick to mine

Fine by me!:D

Episode 2 of Under The Dome watched...

ooo DD and I are enjoying it...

beckseven

I've been lurking on the thread for most of this year. I've been off with my kids for the whole six weeks and this thread is what has kept my house from falling into a state of mess! Feeling achieved today as all flying done- goin to tackle the ironing pile this afternoon and will beat it! Next weeks aims are to do the extra tasks too

LameWolf

skint_breeder_5 wrote: »

Bonus of not hacking next door's overgrowth back this summer is that I found that I have quite a number of over-hanging sloes.....can they be used for anything other than sloe gin? (I can count on one hand the number of alcoholic drinks I have had in the last 4 years :rotfl: )

Sloe Jam
4 lb (2 kg) sloes
6 lb (3 kg) sugar
1.5 pints (900 ml) water

Wash sloes. Place in preserving pan with water. Bring to the boil. Simmer 30 minutes. Add warmed sugar, stir til completely dissolved. Boil rapidly til setting point is reached (book suggests 10 minutes, roughly). Most stones can be skimmed from top of jam when boiling. Pot up as normal.

Paraphrased from recipe in "Nature's Wild Harvest" by Eric Soothill & Michael J Thomas. I have done this recipe myself a few times, and it does work.:o

I believe the book is out of print, but a library might have a copy if anyone wants a good read of what to do with stuff you can forage for.

Valli wrote: »

i likes a RAWHIDE one meself

head 'em up and move 'em out!

Sheepdog: Round 'em up and point 'em in the right direction.:rotfl:

Honey_Bear

Thank you Decog for the photo-ditching success story. I think that's the approach I'm going to take - get rid of anything that has negative connotations. Bonnie I'm actually a bit concerned by the amount of stuff people are storing on clouds and websites - and the future value of what we've 'given' to them for free and the use to which it might be put (but I'm a cynical old boot). One of the problems is that I've already been given some significant family photographs from the 1920s, '30s and '40s. I had them reproduced and sent around the members of the family that wanted them - which then generated another batch being sent to me!

Thanks Valli for the temperature. I thought it probably was 180 but when I put all of the ingredients together, I discovered OH had been on a banana-scoffing binge. I really, really need to try it because I want to make it part of the film 'Goodies Box' so I can make it, slice it, and freeze it ahead. Next time around I'll be doing lunches for 25 (plus dinner for six at home every day) wherever they can't get local catering. It's a real challenge on a budget of £5/day/person for lunch and the Treats Box, eating healthily and making it interesting. I'm taking my time over planning, and the first thing I've realised is that I need another fridge/freezer and a fan to cool food quickly. Decorating the cupboard under the front step was Stage 1 - it's where the f/f will be. Then back to Regenerate to see if they'll let me have a f/f for about eight weeks and then take it back. Plan, plan, plan.

I'm definitely up for the Flylady Challenge and although I was going to suggest you do it Valli seeing as it was your idea, I think anyone who volunteers should be lassoed in instantly. I foresee Bossy living up to her name, which might be a good thing. Could you give us the heads up when it goes live?

Thank you Lamewolf for the Sloe Jam recipe. First one I've ever seen, and we have buckets of them down here, even in bad sloe years. OH loves jam.

Valli

Honey_Bear wrote: »

I'm definitely up for the Flylady Challenge and although I was going to suggest you do it Valli seeing as it was your idea, I think anyone who volunteers should be lassoed in instantly. I foresee Bossy living up to her name, which might be a good thing. Could you give us the heads up when it goes live?

Gracious Honey Bear - gin, chocolate and firemen and now an abundance of wild fruit...

I am GREEN with envy ...


as for the challenge thread - I'm with you ENTIRELY;)

You could make Sloe Jelly (this would save stone skimming). If I were going to do it I would wash the sloes; place in a pan (with a lid) with enough water to cover + a bit, simmer.
Strain juice through net or muslin, (preferably overnight) allow 1lb sugar to 1 pint of juice, bring to boil and boil rapidly for 10 minutes; test and pot.

I've never done this with sloes (but I will;)) but I have done it with Damsons, when I realised that standing over simmering jam skimming stones was tedious in the extreme. However, if you DO wish to make a jam (which includes the pulp of the fruit) count your sloes/damsons in and count the stones out;)

That is a guessed recipe but it's more-or-less what I do for Bramble Jelly. As blackberries are low in pectin I boil them with a cooking apple, washed and quartered. Doesn't matter about peeling/coring as you're collecting the juice.

I make EXCELLENT jam! *boast*

LameWolf

Valli I've never done jelly, but I'm certain your method would work with sloes, and would indeed eliminate the pesky little stones.:beer:

Sadly, the council, in their wisdom, sent their [STRIKE]thugs[/STRIKE] workmen to chop down the blackthorn I used to gather from.:( So no sloes for us this year.

Re the Challenge - I'm in two minds whether to join; I'd like to get back to actually being able to do a bit more on a daily basis, as well as coping better if I have to interact with people, but I fear I would fail miserably on both counts.:cool:

decogecko

LameWolf wrote: »

Re the Challenge - I'm in two minds whether to join; I'd like to get back to actually being able to do a bit more on a daily basis, as well as coping better if I have to interact with people, but I fear I would fail miserably on both counts.:cool:

We flyladys don't fail - we may have set backs, but at least we've tried (will repeat this mantra to myself when I go to the cinema on Thurday :cool:).

decogecko

Hi all

Been at the paid stuff this morning.

Since I've been home:

WM x 2 - 1st load hung on line
Shower room cleaned
BR & landing hettyed
Flung some books in bag for CS
Flung my old bedding in a bag for CS (still in good condition but I'm a 100% cotton convert)
Some paperwork shredded
Boxes broken up and put in the recycling

I seem to have the urge to declutter, not a want to declutter but a need if that makes sense?

Off to put second WM load on line

Deco x

Sequeena

Manic Monday

15 Minutes

[STRIKE]S&S in the bathroom.
Wipe over sticky areas
Wipe the loo (different, dedicated-to-the-loo cloth for the outside)
Bleach round the bowl[/STRIKE] one bathroom done, 1 more to go.

30 Minutes - as above plus

[STRIKE]S&S in the kitchen
wipe over the worktops and taps
empty the bin
wipe the handles[/STRIKE]

1 hour - as above plus

run the vacuum over high traffic areas
[STRIKE]empty all the bins[/STRIKE] Half done, just bathroom bins to empty
[STRIKE]peg out some washing - let it blow dry![/STRIKE] Not good enough weather so put it in the tumble dryer

Ruby Tuesday

Bedroom antics! Main bedroom (yours!) or one in dire need!

15 Minutes?
Clear that floordrobe.
Vacuum as much of the carpet as you can easily access

30 minutes?
Dust every surface
Polish those mirrors
Dust the headboard if it's solid; vacuum it with the upolstery brush is it's padded
wipe the switches

1 whole hour

Strip the bedding
get that duvet on the line outside to air in the sun
vacuum and turn your mattress
dust the skirting board

Extra challenge

pick a drawer and sort it. Lets have some order and no holey knickers, laddered tights or anything else LLA (left lying around) if it's past it's best it needs to GO!

Hump Day! Wonderful wiping Wednesday
love your lounge!
15 minutes?

[STRIKE]Open windows[/STRIKE]
[STRIKE]think about where you sit - and ensure that the most irritating/annoying/niggly area in your line of sight gets some lurrve...clear a hotspot![/STRIKE] Cleared table next to sofa and TV unit

30 minutes?
[STRIKE]dust everything you possibly can[/STRIKE]
wipe those light switches and [STRIKE]ICKY remotes[/STRIKE] and any other sticky spots

if it's a whole hour
then FULL MONTY - bring out the big guns - whatever equipment you need and tackle that floor; moving furniture if you can
don't forget the skirting board - if you've got it, it needs dusting!


Thrilling Thursday

beautify the bathroom

15 minutes?
[STRIKE]clean the bath and polish the taps[/STRIKE]
if there's a shower screen wash it down with detergent and hot water

30 minutes
once it's washed give the shower screen a polish
[STRIKE]scrub the loo inside and out[/STRIKE] 1 bathroom done 1 to go
[STRIKE]buff that basin[/STRIKE] 1 bathroom done 1 to go

Got an hour?

[STRIKE]as above plus tap polishing[/STRIKE]
dusting
[STRIKE]mirror buffing[/STRIKE] 2 mirrors done 1 to go
clean the floor


Friday's Final Flying Frenzy

make an entrance...

Halls, Stairs, Landing etc

15 Minutes ONLY?

Vacuum/sweep/mop that floor
Bang the door mats against the wall (outside) - put washable mats IN THE WASHER and get them on the line

30 minutes
Put something welcoming by the door
- might be a bright, clean mat, flowers, a pretty plant or a polished mirror
Get some soapy water and wash the front door

a whole hour
dust everywhere
make sure there is nothing left lying around - your whole way should be a clear passage way not a dumping area - if it is a dumping area attack a hotspot

Extras - next weeks meal plan won't write itself
shopping list - get it up to date

Extras done today:
Dishwasher x1
WM x1
Tumble dryer x1
Hoovered through (something I need to do every day. Carpet and toddler and crumbs!!)

Valli

I have just amended my post - I had spelled muslin with the same letter at the end as the beginning - oops!

Also added to strain overnight. Don't force the juice through; apparently it will 'cloud' the jelly.