Weekly Flylady Thread 16th March 2026

Honey_Bear

BlackCats I think most carers find that one of the hardest aspects of looking after their elderly relatives is the attitude that anything carers do isn't ever enough, and even the idea of gratitude often seems to be rather imaginary. I was amazed at how much both my parents deemed was necessary for me to do without so much as a thank you. I sincerely hope I behave better than that if I'm lucky enough to make it to old age. 70 isn't old, is it?

Round - did you slap Babs?

Fayolle, for travel in this part of the world I would use the GWR app too, but this is for going up to Scotland and back, and two lengthy day trips up there. The prices booking this far in advance on train - line were considerable cheaper than anywhere else (or flying) and because I insured the journeys, reclaimable when a train were booked on was cancelled. It's one of the trips that a replacement bus would have meant there was absolutely no point in doing the trip. What I learned from that process though was that if I use train - line again I won't download the tickets to my mobile until much closer to the day of travel. It was getting a pair of tickets off the phone that was delaying the refund, but it's now sorted. Not sure how, but it is.

So today:

• we waved goodbye to our lovely theatre chaps, this time with a lump in my throat. I very much fear that the one I'm particularly fond of will retire fairly soon but I'm being selfish saying that;
• I stripped their beds and have put three loads through the WM and pegged it all out, having wiped down the lines in the yard because they haven't been used all winter and were minging. Most of the laundry gets dried on the sundeck but superking bedding needs quite a bit of space;
• cleaned the shower room, which took 12 minutes from start to finish - it's one of those jobs I procrastinate over which is bonkers given how much time it actually took, and how much it preys on my mind when I don't just crack on and do it;
• made leeks in cheese sauce to go with tonight's roast lamb which Belovéd is going to do;
• made a batch of cherry muffins - delish, having done quality control - which uses up another thing from the food stash;
• washed out five new to me storage jars my lovely next door neighbour has given me which will be very useful;
• measured out Wren's food for the next three days;
• salvaged a wilting primrose;
• watered two pots on the front steps that were bone dry with big plants in them that are just coming in to flower, and
• put a pack of soaked overnight chickpeas in the slow cooker to do their thing so I can use some of them for lunches this week and freeze the rest for when I next want some.

SandyShores

Just popping in at the end of the week 😀👋. I've been an infrequent visitor to fly ladies and never seem to last very long. Five days a week working and I just never seem to prioritise cleaning - we're only a little bit messy but I'd love a sparkling home.

My life is getting a bit easier and I'm getting a bit more space (Mr Shores cooking regularly is a big help), and soon I maybe getting even more time. I scrubbed down the outside woodwork and have done lots in the garden and HBs signature is so true. Plus the spring sunshine shows up the dirty windows and dust!

I'd like to give it another go, if that's okay.

Blackcats

thank you @Honey_Bear - reassuring that it's not just me that sometimes feels put upon. Dad's world is now so small that little things get magnified to near disastrous level - he's still disgruntled that there was no sugar in his cup of tea on Wednesday afternoon 🙀

weenancyinAmerica

@Blackcats - I had the same problem with my parents the last couple of years. Worse, I was official caregiver for a roommate for a few months and she was so bad with the queenly thing that I gave it up. Never again.

kazmeister

Your responses do make me feel much better about the amount I do, thank you

Feels like I've been busy but more to do

• Update spends
• Shop run
• Wipe skirting boards
• Wipe window sills
• Wipe doors and frames
• Dust living rooms
• Hoover through the house
• Stop for cuppa
• Tidy last bits and pieces away
• Update freezer list
• Prep dinner (cant believe for a half decent [not huge] piece of beef its now £18)
• Clear away dinner + put DW on
• Prep for early morning start tomorrow - stuff for DGD kitchen work and stuff for baking
• Ask DH to mop all the downstairs tomorrow
• Water plants or that will become a DH job tomorrow

I have not gone near my bedroom as no-one goes up there (although I did sweep the spiral stairs to it which hadn't been done in a long while), and I wont touch DD's bear pit which rarely sees the light of day, and DH's room is full of carp he can't bear to throw away or stuff he needs to hoard.

Blackcats - wow 98 that's an incredible age. My dad is 89 this year and still living independently and if I'm honest we have to keep telling him to slow down. One day last week he spent the morning mowing one of the lawns and then scrubbing the bathroom floor in the afternoon then wondered why he felt bazookered. I told him he needed to slow down so the next day he only mowed the other lawn. He really should be asking my brothers to do this for him. He also wants to paint his living room and I have offered to take a day off to help but he said no 🙄

Dinner prep next which as it is Sunday will no doubt be accompanied by a glass of wine, so need to restrict myself so I can finish the jobs.

Does anyone use a Robot vac/mop and if so which one do you have, would you recommend. The only problem I have is the ground floor isn't level so could only do 1 room at a time but wondered if it was worth it.

YORKSHIRELASS

Round my Mother told me at length today that a photo of me that went in our local paper to do with a work thing was terrible. Was I squinting at the sun? Why did I not smile? It was truly awful apparently. I haven't seen said photo.

I am soo tired after a night out last night, and no alcohol was involved. Flying is not happening as much as it should which is making me grumpy.

Ah well, fresh start tomorrow.

SandyShores

@kazmeister I've got a Kyvol Cybovac - bought it from Amazon for £150 over 5 years ago. It won't replace my Shark, but you can definitely gives that just vaccumed look. I like setting it off while I'm working from home, or doing other cleaning - feels like I'm getting double the work done. I bought the same one from Ebay for £75 for DD and hers is still going strong too. She's got a flat so it can do the whole thing at once, but I set mine off upstairs or downstairs (that's probably the battery limit) and have recently bought a shark cordless/handheld for the stairs. I've heard that Eufy's are a good budget one too. If you don't mind moving it around between rooms, I think they are great - I'd get a mopping one next time as any help to get the cleaning done is appreciated here.

Valli

I have had a busy day. DW stacked for second time and there is still more to go in - and I did a WUALTD too

So the opening remarks will be added tomorrow to the

new thread

eta Round - I agree with Honey_Bear re Babs.

and boo to grumpy demanding people

I did roast gammon dinner, with pudding (Eve's) today which I shopped for today so no wonder I'm bazookered though I did set aside a blissful hour for Miss Bennett. Also pegged washing out but made DD get that in.

Saw one mouse in the compost bin. ggrrr

SandyShores

Such a busy day today, lots and lots cut back in the garden - feels huge now. Emptied the DW and did a load in the WM. The downstairs is in need of a hoover but had to put it on the 'do tomorrow list' as exhausted. A few things happening in the next week to 10 days, such as the new sofa is nearly ready for delivery and I haven't painted the living room! Feels like these next couple of weeks will be productive but exhausting. Flying might have to take a bit of a back seat. I watched Stacey's sort your life out tonight and realised my office is becoming one of those rooms on there. Not hoarding as such but its a dumping ground for things I'm trying to get rid of. I'm formulating a plan for it to become one of the after photos rather than the 'before'. Clutter definitely weighs you down - at least its just one room.