Weekly Flylady Thread 9th October 2017

YORKSHIRELASS

Hi roundtoit small steps is definitely the way, dont they say it takes longer than you think to keep doing the same thing before it becomes an ingrained habit? I started taking a water bottle to work with me in January and I found that by having it on my desk I would drink it. I am still keeping to it and I have one of those water jug filters for the fridge at home to fill it up. Our water at work tastes grim.

Good post JoJo. I took the dog for a walk earlier and made a conscious effort to relax and breathe, listen to the birds, notice the colours of the trees. Sounds a bit silly but I know it does me good.

Thanks for all the kind words and advice about my own situation. OK my first thought was I cant go on strike - having a messy house sends my anxiety through the roof. But I could stop doing as much for the boys (yes I know I have said this before) and I could prioritise better. I think I am with you taking those small steps roundtuit.

So quite a chilled out day here. Some paperwork done for DH. Some laundry, some tidying, some consumer rights fighting, quick visit to the shops and my parents. I need to mealplan and make lists and I am putting it off. Might have an hour with my book.

pigpen

YL.. I don't know what I've done wrong but my lot will do pretty much anything I ask.. not that I ask unreasonable things.. The DW, the laundry (though noone is allowed to fold it because they do it wrong) vacuuming, running baths.. I don't actually know how I've managed to get them so helpful.. but what I do is say 'would you mind doing X so I can do Y??' Today DS3 fed Twinkle, DD3 tidied the toys in the middle room while I did dinner.. So they, like toddlers, don't feel like I am sat watching doing nothing while they do 'my' jobs.. I also will ask them to do a few bits while I go out.. 'While I am out would you (collective) load the DW, deshpoop the litter tray and bring the washing out of the bathroom please?' ... 9 times out of 10 it is done.. even when it is just the 2 boys with issues left in the house... I'm not brave enough to let them do my dinner though lol I find acknowledging their effort helps.. you know the things you wish the other half said when you'd been slaving all day?? 'Wow the kitchen looks great, thank you!' .. 'that was really helpful of you, thanks!' ... I do also bribe them with lollipops, pringles and haribo!

If any of that helps for you?

DW done, recycling and maggot bins emptied, everyone fed and watered and girls just going to bed.. DD3 is helping them brush their teeth while I boof Twinkle.

YORKSHIRELASS

Thanks Pigpen. You do have a lovely family and I know you hate mushy stuff but you are a great Mum. My boys are good kids but this is what happens here. DS goes to put something in the kitchen bin and says "yuk something in there stinks". So I say cheerily "hey, how about emptying it then and chucking some bleach in it and giving it a swill out". By the time I had finished saying that he was halfway back upstairs. He did come back and do it but you would think he had just climbed Mount Everest by the fuss he made.

I need to be tougher. Been thinking a lot about priorities. If I can keep the kitchen, bathroom and our bedroom (in that order) clean and tidy that's the most important.

The second thing is evening meals. DH is on a restricted diet (so no-one wants to eat the same as him), DS1 gets home at 4.30pm starving and DS2 doesnt get in until 6pm. I have never been keen on batch cooking but it makes a lot of sense. We could even have some nights where everyone chooses a meal from the freezer and heats it up themselves. This would not only cut down on cooking but washing up too.

Going to make some lists and have taken some meat out of the freezer to make a start tomorrow.

ionafan

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

Thanks Pigpen. You do have a lovely family and I know you hate mushy stuff but you are a great Mum.

I second that, pigpen :T

YORKSHIRELASS wrote: »

The second thing is evening meals. DH is on a restricted diet (so no-one wants to eat the same as him), DS1 gets home at 4.30pm starving and DS2 doesnt get in until 6pm. I have never been keen on batch cooking but it makes a lot of sense. We could even have some nights where everyone chooses a meal from the freezer and heats it up themselves. This would not only cut down on cooking but washing up too.

Have you got a slow cooker, YL? If you threw everything into it in the morning - maybe having prepped the night before - and left it cooking all day, everyone could dip in when they get in, and any leftovers (or is that wishful thinking?) could be frozen for PYO days. That would only leave your DH's meal to worry about. Microwaved jacket potatoes and microwaveable individual bags of frozen rice from !ce1&nd are the easiest carbs, or pasta is only slightly more complicated. BTW, you don't need to brown meat before putting it in the SC, and if you add lentils it thickens the stew *and* makes it more filling. To use a Honey Bear phrase, I heart my SC.

Today I have spent 4 hours at a church discussion meeting (very interesting and productive), 3 hours walking (including delivering 70 leaflets in a road with huge gaps between small groups of houses, and going for a long constitutional with DH and Rosie up a different hill from usual), 2 hours doing college work and other stuff at the computer first thing this morning, 2 hours in front of the TV this evening (during which I fell asleep), and I really don't know what happened to the remaining hours in the day. Cooking, eating, reading and dreaming, I suppose! Oh, I did make our bed and S&S the bathroom...

The owls are screeching outside so it must be time for bed now.

Valli

watched that a capella thingy on sky two because niece's best friend's hubby was in one of the groups (though he wasn't actually a hubby when it was recorded). He was behind me, in the church, at niece's wedding. Singing the hymns with vigour.

His bride was on Sat Yes To The Dress...

Had quite a good day

bathroom clean
kitchen clean
DS's bedroom clean
DS's bed and my bed changed
Car washed

pigpen

TY.. but I'm just as rubbish as every other parent.. lol.. Just praise them like toddlers it still works when they get big.. we all like to be appreciated

OH just tested my cardio function.. he said he was hoping to leave work about 9:30.. and got home at 11:30... by which time all manner of fates had befallen him.

Watched 'Elf' ... I love that film!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I think I might like the Idiot Cat again.

Came down because I heard a bit of a scuffle (after waiting a suitable length of time to establish it wasn't human in nature, as anybody doing that can have my handbag and nob right back off again when I'm not in full zombie hunting gear :eek:).

By the time I crept down the stairs and switched the light on, Idiot Cat was curled up into a smug little ball of pride on the sofa.

And on the floor in front of him was a scrunched up ball of The Biggest Arachnid I've ever seen in a house. Dead, very, very dead. But still the size of a fracking ping pong ball.

He's getting Dreamies and tuna in the morning.

kazwookie

Morning

Daily stuff done

JoJo love the cat and spider, my cat just leaves dead mice about, but I never hear him overnight because of my poor hearing...........

Overcast here and look damp outside, was hoping to cut grass, still it is still early, so I might be able to do this later on in the afternoon

Valli

3rd load in WM, dishwasher has been on too.
I HAVE to get the laundry through today...
Now back in bed for a bit, with a :coffee:

atypicalblonde

Morning All

Not long after I posted yesterday the aerial chap turned up. He didn't manage to fix the downstairs TV, but has suggested a cable that may help so we ordered that. Big plus side was that he sorted an aerial point in our bedroom so we have a TV in there now :j

I have wanted one up there for ages especially as DH works away most weeks and I much prefer being snuggled up in bed watching TV with a cuppa than downstairs alone. Fell asleep watching First Dates last night :rotfl:

Kiddies have been fed and are playing with Lego. I am waiting for DH to get up and hoping he will make a cooked brekkie. Sunday lunch at sister-in-laws so no cooking needed :T

If I do nothing else today I must pay a tax bill and write my :rudolf: shopping list.

Have lovely days all xx