Putting Together A TV Stand The Flylady Way!

Very early this morning my new TV arrived at my door.  I wasn't expecting it until Friday or Monday.  I purchased the TV Stand at the store on Black Friday.  I figured I would have plenty of time to get it together.  Why I didn't start this earlier is because Perfectionism showed up and kept me frozen.  Now I have my TV and in order to set it up I have to get the stand put together.


You see I have a tendency to do things backwards.  I have a mild form of dyslexia and it really comes out when I am tired.  Now, to get over the anxiety of putting the parts together the correct way.  I have had experience in this department.  I have put together 10+ cabinets that are of pressed wood.  Still, this TV Stand is very important as I don't want my new TV to tip over.


So how am I to do this project?  None other than good old fashion babystepping the Flylady way.  I have learn so much from this woman and that gives me courage.  That is what I am doing with this stand.  I was careful to read directions and put the correct hardware in place and try not to do it backwards.  So far I have 5 of the 13 steps done.

TV Stand In Box

Parts Of The TV Stand With Hidden Cams And Cam Dowels

All The Parts That Are To Be Used

Will Go Into These Wooden Parts

The Hidden Cams and Cam Dowel Go In A Certain Way.  Magnetic Catch Is Placed This Way.

The Valance and Molding With The Correct Screws

Time for a 15 minute break and on to step 6,7, & 8. Wish Me Luck!

Fasten The CENTER BACK To The TOP.  Tighten Two HIDDEN CAMS.  Fasten The CENTER BACK To The RIGHT UPRIGHT.  Use Two BLACK 1-7/8" FLAT HEAD SCREWS.

Getting Ready To Turn Over To Put The Back On

Looks Like I Have The Parts The Right Way So Far

Got The Backs On

All That Is Left Is Putting On The Doors

The Doors Are On!  There is a shelf to put in the middle.  I'll Wait to Put It In When I Hook Up The TV

How Is This For An Afternoon Project!!   As Bad As I Want To Watch My New TV, I Will Wait Until Tomorrow When I Can Find Someone To Help Me Lift The TV Out Of The Box.  

Keep Flying!

Marilyn

Fixing Your Light Fixture The Flylady Way

I don't know of anyone who hasn't had the experience of a burned out light bulb separate or break leaving the screw end of the bulb in the fixture.  What do you do?

You have probably heard about using a potato to stick into the socket (Of course with the Light Off) to help you unscrew the remaining part of the light bulb.  My problem was I didn't have a potato to do the job.

Yes, I had to put my thinking cap on.  I was either going to have to replace the light fixture or wait until I bought a potato to solve my problem of low light in my kitchen.

I guess you can say, the light bulb in my head went off.  I thought, what about a "Carrot"?  It seems that it is about the same size as the end of the light bulb.  I went to my fridge and found the "Carrot" that was going to light up my life.  I spend 80% of my time in my kitchen and I like to see what I am doing.  Many of my projects are done on my table.

I got up on my ladder with "Carrot" in hand to use it like one would with a screw driver and unscrew the metal socket of the burned out light bulb.  The task was successful!  I am jumping for joy!

What can I do to avoid this mishap in the future?  I took the new light bulb and lubricated the screwed end of it with a small amount of Vaseline.  I don't know if it is right or wrong, but I have done this before to make it easier to screw in the bulb.

So next time this happens to you and you don't have a potato, use a carrot instead!
Keep Flying!
Marilyn

Socket Still In The Light Fixture

Use A Carrot To Remove It

Full Lighting Once Again!

Black Friday

Day 270
Black Friday, November 25, 2011
THE FLYLADY WAY  Car & Purse Boogie Day, Paperwork Day
I have to be honest here.  I have been dragging all day.  Yes, I participated in the Black Friday Festivities.  My family and I had a wonderful Thanksgiving and with it ever expanding, most were off to another gathering.  I had run out of basic items that I eat so I thought, I will go to Walmart and see how busy it is.  This was around 6pm.  It actually wasn't that bad.  They had all the stuff that would be on sale at certain times of the evening all bound up.  It was rather interesting.  The last time I was involved with Black Friday was in the early 90's where I had a part time job at Target in Arlington, TX.  The popular item of the season were the Cabbage Patch Dolls.  I am sure many remember this.  It was like a herd of cattle racing to get them!  I don't think I have ever participated in a Black Friday until this year.  I did it a bit different.  I was in the store and looked at the item which was a TV, got the information I needed from the gentleman that helped me.  My research told me if I bought a TV online I would get free shipping.  Can't beat that.  What I did purchase at the store was the TV stand.

Stepping Stones To Meal Planning

November's Monthly Habit is Meal Planning.  Many of you have been excited about this habit.  I am truly happy for you too.  For myself, I cannot seem to get as excited about it.  My meal planning is for one and a sample treat for Lily.

 Maybe my perfectionism is getting in the way.  Maybe I am, as a friend of mine likes to remind me says, "Marilyn, You are thinking too hard about this."  Ok, I am willing to be open to this idea that I could be.  But wait, I am hearing of flybabies planning up to three weeks of meal planning!  How does one even know what one would like that far into the future?

There is one meal I have down and have for years.  I always, always eat breakfast.  My recent regime is one 6oz of Yogurt and 2 Slices of Earthgrains Wheat Berry Bread with real butter on them.  I make 2 slices of toast and Lily always has 1/4 slice.  She eats her fourth of slice and then goes to her dog dish to eat her Science Diet food for Mature Dogs.

I probably make at least 3-4 decent dinner meals a week.  The rest of the time I will snack on yogurt, cheese sticks, fruits and vegetables, frozen yogurt and smoked turkey deli slice with a bit of mayonaise.

So what is missing?  Lunch time!  Maybe it would be a good idea to start doing this.  I don't want anything heavy because I can get sleepy.  Why not soup?  Not out of the can but soup I make from scratch?  I used to do it all the time.

The problem was the aftermath.  You see I would make maybe three different soups at a time.  I am chopping up veggies so I might as well, right?  Wrong.  Thinking I am so smart to cook in bulk like this and by the time I have got the marathon of peeling, slicing, and dicing all my vegetables you can see I have a big project

FLYing During A Fibro Flare

There has been more than half a dozen times in my 266 Days of Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Make up that I have found myself in a Fibromyalgia Flare.  For those who don't know what Fibromyalgia is the definition that best explains it is "A Disturbance In The Force"  There are too many factors that trigger this to list.  I will say all of these factors begin cascading themselves.  It is sort of when we open too many windows and programs on our computer that we begin to get glitches.  If we don't pay attention to this and start closing windows and programs our computer will lock up.  Well, that is just what seems to happen when one gets into a Fibro Flare.

Trigger points is probably what most relate to when they think of Fibromyalgia and that is how doctors will determine if you have it.  They are trigger points in ones neck and shoulders, lower back, knees and elbows.  That is where the cascading begins.  It begins from these trigger points and we all know how much we use these areas of our body to perform daily activities.

I am sure you have heard the phrase, "She Is A Pain In The Neck"  When you think about this, it really doesn't make sense any way you look at this so why say it.

I have had to throw phrases like this right out the window.  If I don't, the next phrase that could come is, "We Have Been At Each Others Throats All Day"

Flybaby Sue

Wow!!!  I am SOOO PROUD of my Flysisters!  You are giving Flybaby Sue the best advice!  I feel some purple puddles of joy coming on.  And yes I know what you mean Flybaby Sue.  I was feeling the same way you are feeling a year ago.  I am feeling a blog coming on with this subject.  The one thing that I did was make a commitment to do all the habits for each month and build upon them.  In order for me to do this, I had to practice at it in the month of November and December to get used to the idea and that is how I have been doing Flylady.  Flylady cannot just be, here is a list, do it.  We are SHE's and are not built that way.  We have to find creative and fun ways to do things.  That is why I like a lot of FLylady's tools.  They are mostly purple and now I associate the color purple with flylady.  We have to practice small and not buy into get your house squeaky clean in 30 days.  Granted it sells lots of books and products because this is what we wish.

I Always Make Progress When I "JUMP" Back In!

This past week has been a different kind of flying for me.  Sunday morning I got the call that my Uncle Rollie had passed away.  He has had poor health from Diabetes and Alcoholism and as my cousin put it when he spoke of his dad during the funeral service, Uncle Rollie had nine lives.  He quit drinking when his wife had breast cancer to be there for her.

When Uncle Rollie was diagnosed with Diabetes his life changed.  If he wanted to live he had to form habits and routines to manage his Diabetes and he did it.  He loved company and it was always a treat when he would stop by my house for a cup of coffee and visit when he saw my mom's car.  Then like clockwork right before 3pm he would say, "Time to go home and watch Dr. Phil."  He had associated this program with testing his blood sugar and having a snack.

Can you see a pattern here?  Uncle Rollie devoloped his habits in such a way that his routines gave him MORE free time to visit with us all.  How do I know this?  The church was "Standing Room Only".  It truly was a "Celebration of His Life".  In case you are wondering how he kept his house, I am here to tell you it was always neat and clean.  No sign of clutter.

Through all the times Uncle Rollie came close to the brush of death, something changed in him each time.  Yes, Uncle Rollie kept jumping back into life and each time learned that people not things were more important in life.

Some of us have been flying for some time now.  Some of us are just starting out.  The one common thread that I read time and time again is the fear of sliding back into old ways, not being able to keep up, always feeling like I am trying to catch up.  This is so self defeating.  How do I know?  I caught myself getting sucked into that world again.  Then I thought, "Wait a minute."  "I Always Make Progress When I "JUMP" Back In!" I now have 263 Days of Getting Dressed To Shoes Hair and Makeup to prove it.  I always, always do my Before Bedtime Routine and my Morning Routine.  They are sacred to me now.

My home has some hot spots from all the comings and goings I have been making this week.  I need to remind myself that this is exactly what they are:  "Hot Spots" and I have now have a bag full of tools to remove these Hot Spots.  Some of the tools I can use are 15 minutes DeClutter, 5 Minute Room Rescue, 2 Minute Hot Spot Drill, and 27 Fling Boogie.  I can also play the game of Fly Lady Bingo, Flylady Triple Dog Dare and Flybaby Surprise.  As Flylady says, "If we make it fun, it will get done!"

So now when the old thoughts of stinkin thinkin emerge like I have fallen behind, I need to catch up, what a mess I have again, replace it with "I Always Make Progress When I "JUMP" Back In!"  The key to Flylady and the magic pill that you must take is "Jump Back In."  Take it with your vitamins and you too will always make progress when you jump back in!
Keep FLYing!
Marilyn

The Flylady Way's Daily Flying Chart Is Born!

I am an administrator for the Closed Group The Flylady Way.  Most of you know about www.flylady.net   Recently the new website was launched and it got raved reviews.

Our SHEness Is An Asset

We love to plan and scheme and scheme and plan; oh, let's not forget our love of making lists

Getting Your Yard Cleaned Up The Flylady Way

If you are an impatient person, this blog won't be for you.  With all of the gardening I did this past summer, I have learned much about patience and doing many things in babysteps.

Today I am working on some of the leaves.  Notice I say some.  If I looked to do this project all at once, I would be down for a week after.  That is how I did everything before I found Flylady. It was full blast or nothing at all.  Guess where it got me.  Sick.  Today I live with Fibromyalgia and therefore deal with pain in my muscles on a daily basis.  For years I used to tell people when I am on, I am on and when I am out of sorts, I am REALLY out of sorts.  Everything had to be so intense all of the time.

In 2005 I found Flylady.  She told me I could do babysteps and get things done.  She also told me I could do anything for 15 Minutes except whine.  Those two really stuck in my mind.  Most importantly she says you have to get rid of your clutter.

I stayed with Flylady in some form since I found her. I kept babystepping my way out of clutter and found a direct relationship as to how I felt by looking at the clutter I saw in my home.  Today I am not completely clutter free.  Let me tell you, flybabies I have come a long way!

Today I am not pain free.  I have just learned a different way to do things and that is why I named my blog The Flylady Way.  This was the first year in five years that I have had a vegetable garden.  I did it all in 15 minutes at a time.  I cleared the clutter out of my shed, my yard has taken shape, and feel very rich from what I learned this year.  There are so many tools and techniques and flying lessons that make so much sense.  I guess you can say I found Flylady just in time.  Not for others, but for me.

Flylady has revamped her website and I ask all of you to visit the new site by clicking on www.flylady.net  and now you can see how wonderful and useful this site can be to you if you are ready to get rid of your CHAOS.  You get rid of it in more ways than one!

If your yard if full of leaves and don't know where to start, this is what I have learned and it has worked for me.

Turn your yard into five zones
Each corner of your yard is a zone.  The center is your 5th Zone.  Start with one corner/zone to clean up your leaves.  You can do this from left to right clockwise if you would like.  Try this doing each session for 15 minutes and make sure to take rest and water breaks.  This is what took me so long to learn.  To tell you the truth, I am still learning this and have to remind myself of this daily.

Today I was having so much fun I kept going.  I believe I stayed outside for longer than 15 minutes without breaks and I am feeling it.  If I would just take my own medicine


Keep Flying!
Marilyn