Chai And A Chat #140 #ChaiAndAChat

21 Jun 2021 12 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: , , , , ,

So, the first week of the last term has whizzed by, and boy was it a doozy!

Let’s give you a quick recap, along withour weekly drink! Ready?

  • If we were having chai I’d start, as I always do, with school. So, I always love this last term of the year, it is a time we see so much development within the children. But, what I didn’t count on was being short staffed! It was a bit mad, I’ll admit. One of my team was really unwell, meaning we were down for four days, then another who works two days, had to be off as her daughter was isolating, due to a bubble bursting in her school… plus, we had candidates in every morning, being observed for a position as a one to one support TA for one of our children. Oh, and I had a new student, in, too! There weren’t enough hours in the day, to be honest. I had hoped to try and write a few more reports, but that didn’t happen, either! In fact I did bring my laptop home for the weekend, but it has sat, untouched, as I was so exhausted. It was also Olympics week, through the school, so we tried our hardest to give the children lots of opportunities to learn, about the games, the different sports, the history, diversity, through countries taking part, and the Paralympics, and also a topic on Japan, as that is where the 2020 games (2021!) are meant to be held. The children loved it, to be honest, and seeing them so engrossed was lovely.
  • If we were having chai I’d tell you that another reason I was shattered was that for the first two evenings, I also acted as Cricket Mum taxi, and we didn’t get home until past 9pm, due to Lil Man having games. I don’t mind taking, him, I never have, but it made for very long days… on top of extremely hectic school days.
  • If we were having chai I’d excitedly let you know that my reading/writing area is pretty much ready, too, and I managed to spend all of Saturday afternoon there, not writing, unfortunately, but reading, and enjoying my own peace!
  • If we were having chai I’d say that as it was Father’s day on Sunday, we went to see the In-Laws, as well as spent a while talking to Pops on the phone. It’s not the ideal way to celebrate, but at least we had some sort of contact! And Then Sonu Singh and I chilled to read! Well, I read, he chilled!
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This week, I hope we are fully staffed, so things can be a little back to normal, though what normal is, I don’t know! I have three SEN children being observed, a phone interview about an initiative we were meant to use, but didn’t get to, a meeting with the rest of the Academy EYFS Phase leaders, then a meeting with our Senior Leader tutor… and that’s just school! Cricket will factor in it too, weather-pending, but how many games or practices, I don’t have a clue!

And while you’re here, did you sign up for my mailing list? I am in the middle of writing an exclusive Chickpea Curry Lit story for my subscribers, and there will be news, tips and even recipes! You know you want to join… go on! Click the pic below to sign up!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 328 – Father’s Day

20 Jun 2021 39 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: , , , , , , ,

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“My father has always been my hero.”

Gregory Hines

Yup, Spidey, I agree with that quote 100000%!

My Pops is the most wonderful father there ever was, and I never leave it to one day a year to tell him. Every time we speak, I make sure he leaves the call, with me telling me how much he means to me, and whenever we see each other, that hug is what conveys all the emotion. It works both ways.

I could myself blessed that I was born his daughter. The wisdom he has imparted upon me, the love he has showered on all of us, the constant, invisible support he has been for us all…

But, my Pops isn’t the only father in my life…

I have my father-in-law, and hey, if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have the gorgeous husband that I was lucky enough to have been blessed with! Thanks, Dad!

Talking of Hubby Dearest, I couldn’t ask for a better father for my children. He is the sweetest, most caring, amazing dad to our two teens, who test us daily. He showers them with love and makes sure they want for nothing.

I couldn’t write this post without mentioning my brother, who has proved to be an equally fabulous father, to my tow Finndian nephews. I am so proud of how he has adapted to being a Dad, as well as working, and supporting his family. It always warms my heart to see how he is with his two boys.

I am incredibly lucky to have these amazing fathers in my life, and I am well aware that there are many out there who either do not have that kind of role model around them, or maybe have lost their own.

My heart goes out to you ❤

So… tell me, if you do, how do you celebrate Father’s Day?

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps  And enjoy your week! ❤ 

Chai And A Chat #139 #ChaiAndAChat

14 Jun 2021 38 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: , , , , ,

I was lucky to have had two weeks off, for half term, considering the housemove, but it went so fast!

And now, before I get an early night, ready for school, let me have a catch up. Drinks to hand? Mine is an ice cold glass of water, as it is boiling here!

  • If we were having chai I’d sigh, and say, we are so happy to be in our new home, but boy, are there still lots of silly things going on! The Vendor never got back in touch, so we will have to take other routes to resolve some issues, but we will get there. The garden is looking lovely. In fact, I am sitting outside as I type this! And I feel at peace, totally, right now.
  • If we were having chai I’d tell you that Sunday nght I went to bed shattered, but really happy, as I got my writing/reading space organised. Now, it wasn’t where I had planned it to be, because there is an l-shaped room in the eaves that Hubby Dearest was going to use as his office space, but due to internet issues, it wasn’t working out, so he ended up shifting to the spare room, downstairs, then into the small bedroom, which was actually going to be my space, once I was all ready to set it up. Anywho, things happened, or didn’t, and he is now going to stay in the downstairs room, as it is more light and airy, considering he will be in there all day. But I have now been gived the upstairs area as mine… and I have been very busy, ordering shelving, storage, etc, for the room. Hopefully next week, I can share photos! But I was building flatpack furniture in the heat we are experiencing right now, and that wasn’t fun! My new chair should be arriving tomorrow, and I can start to slowly shift books here, ffrom my in-law’s house, where they have been in storage the last few months! Boy, have I missed those!
  • If we were having chai I’d mention that we’ve been practicing the new commute, since Lil Princess didn’t have 2 weeks off, like me, so that was handy, but I have ended up driving double what I would usually do, as I was coming back home every morning, then doing stuff, and then driving back, picking her up, then going to cricket matches, or practice! Cricket season is very time-consuming, I tell you! Actually, on Tuesday, we went to a match, and I had been so busy all day, I hadn’t even eaten lunch! So, I ended up with hot chips as we watched. I can’t complain!
  • If we were having chai I’d say how on Tuesday we ended up staying the night at my in-laws, as I was taking my father -in-law to have cataract surgery, and we needed to be there at some unGodly hour, so if I was travelling from home, I’d have had to be up and out the house by 6am! And to drag Lil PRincess too, at that time, would have been unfair. Anyway, we stayed, and I took him. I was there for around five hours, as the procedure was taking place, so I took time to relax, a little, and reaad, but ended up chatting to two other women who were waiting for relatives to have theirt procedures done too!
  • If we were having chai I’d mention that I managed to watch Friends; The Reunion, too and I was so glad I did. Watachinng Friends when it originally came out, during my years in Kingston, living with a Friends freak, I became a huge fan, too, and even now, when the reruns are on, on the Comedy channel, I could watchc the epsiodes over and over. It was actually pretty emotional by the end!
  • If we were having chai I’d have to tell you that ‘that time of year’ has come. Report writing time! So, even though we aren’t officially at school, I needed to make a start, which I did. Still loads to do, but, as I said it’s a start!
  • If we were having chai I’d like to end, today, on some of the flowers that are in bloom, right now, including my first roses! So pretty!
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This week, we are back to school, thata grindstone well and truly on… But this week, we are celebrataing the Olympics for the whole week, so it is going to be off time table learning, with lots of opportunities to teach the children, school-wide, about the games, and diversity, too! Home wise, there will be cricket (when is there not?) and more getting things sorted out, slowly… Oh, and more reports, obviously!

And while you’re here, did you sign up for my mailing list? I am in the middle of writing an exclusive Chickpea Curry Lit story for my subscribers, and there will be news, tips and even recipes! You know you want to join… go on! Click the pic below to sign up!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 327 – The Daily Grind

13 Jun 2021 50 Comments

by Ritu in Spidey's Serene Sundays Tags: , , , , , , ,

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“Life is a grindstone. Whether it grinds us down or polishes us up, depends on us”

L Thomas Holdcroft

You picked a good ‘un there, Spidey!

The grindstone is pretty much everywhere in my life right now, from the daily grind, to the tough graft of setting up a new home, to the work graft which will be starting up again tomorrow!

Currently, we are settling up the home office spaces, and trying to get the wardrobe situations under control. I am constantly on the go, it seems, either cleaning, ordering and paying for new stuff, or putting flatback furniture together!

It is definitely a grind, I tell you! But, I’m positive. It will get so much better, because of all the effort we are putting in! Our new home will be polished in every sense of the word, because of all the work we are putting in.

So… tell me, ground down, or polished up, what’s your take?

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps  And enjoy your week! ❤ 

Waiting To Begin by @MrsAmandaProwse #NewRelease #BookReview

11 Jun 2021 11 Comments

by Ritu in Reviews Tags: , , , , , ,

Now, if you read this blog regularly, you’ll know that I am one HUGE Amanda Prowse fan, and any book she releases, will automatically go to the top of my TBR pile, because, well, you know, she is my FAVE!

So, a few short months ago, I was approved for an arc of what is her twenty seventh full length novel, called Waiting To Begin. Here’s my signed copy! (Sorry, #fangirling like mad, here!)

Here’s the blurb:

From the bestselling author of The Girl in the Corner comes a story that asks: what would you risk for a shot at happiness?

1984. Bessie is a confident sixteen-year-old girl with the world at her feet, dreaming of what life will bring and what she’ll bring to this life. Then everything comes crashing down. Her bright and trusting smile is lost, banished by shame—and a secret she’ll carry with her for the rest of her life.

2021. The last thirty-seven years have not been easy for Bess. At fifty-three she is visibly weary, and her marriage to Mario is in tatters. Watching her son in newlywed bliss—the hope, the trust, the joy—Bess knows it is time to face her own demons, and try to save her relationship. But she’ll have to throw off the burden of shame if she is to honour that sixteen-year-old girl whose dreams lie frozen in time.

Can Bess face her past, finally come clean to Mario, and claim the love she has longed to fully experience all these years?

And my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!

Waiting To Begin is the story of a woman, Bessie, but told on two simultaneous days, her birthday, but thirty-seven years apart.
At sixteen, Bess thinks she has it all. Her results are out today, her future is all but planned out, she just needs those results to get where she wants. Bess’s family is your usual type, a caring, but an annoying set of parents and an older brother who is just – urgh! She’s got a tentative boyfriend and dreams of their life together
Thirty-seven years later, Bess is content. Well, on the surface, anyway. Nothing quite panned out how she hoped, but she’s not unhappy with her life. A doting husband, two great kids, one of them married, their own home. But, there are still gaping holes in her life. There are still secrets that are eating away at her, affecting everything she does, though no one else knows.
Not wanting to give the story away, I will comment on the essence.
Decisions we make, flippantly, can have huge effects on our life. The need to be keeping up with the rest of the world can eat away at you, making you do things you might not have, otherwise.
My heart filled with pity for teenage Bess. I wanted to scoop her up into a hug, and tell her everything will be okay. I will admit to wanting to physically harm a certain young man, too,
The same sorrow was felt for older Bess, who is sifting through her life decisions, not sure whether to rock the boat, but finding herself in a situation where she has no choice.
An emotional story that will definitely tug, hard, at your heartstrings.
When Waiting To Begin flashed up as another new book to come, by Amanda Prowse, I jumped at the chance to read, because she is my all-time favourite author.
Her stories never fail to touch the heart, and the way she tells them leaves you emotional for a long time to come,
Many thanks to NetGalley, Amazon Publishing and Lake Union Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Amanda Prowse

Amanda is a hugely prolific author, writing stories that really resonate with the reader. You need to check out her website to find out about all the amazing books she has written. I can proudly say, I’ve read them ALL!

http://www.amandaprowse.com/about/

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