But I Smile Anyway…

Morning, Peeps. I honestly don’t know where the time is going!

Got a drink? Great!

• If we were having chai, I’d say that week five in school was all about seeing how the children settled into the proper Reception routine and timetable. Reality has definitely hit for them now, as they realise that school isn’t ALL playing. There is a lot of it, but we must start focusing on certain things that they HAVE to attempt so we can help them with the beginnings of academic learning, as well as nurturing their social sides. Bugs are hitting, too, with temperatures and coughs and colds… A typical start in EYFS, to be honest!
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you my own two are settled back into school now, with Lil Man gearing up for his final exams in May/June (how did that happen?) He isn’t interested in going to university. He’d rather get a job, or start an apprenticeship of some sort, in Business and Marketing and learn while he earns. Fair enough, I say. We had an evening event where the school staff talked about the options available to the children after A-levels. It is so different to when we were at this age and stage of education that I am glad I went to gain an understanding of what is out there.
• If we were having chai, I’d say that the weather has definitely turned, too. It was cold most mornings, and the wind and rain really picked up on Frida evening and Sunday morning!
• If we were having chai, I’d mention that I tried something new on Sunday evening. Lil Princess and I went for a walk, as has become a lovely habit. She has become quite introverted over the last two years, and it is great to see her begin to come out of her shell and ask to go for a walk. Anyway, I digress! We walked a little further today, as she suggested we walk to the local Co-op. All in all, the round trip was 3.2 miles, which was further than she had walked in a long time. I was out of breath and experienced hot flushes as we hit the home run, but it was worth seeing her out and about. While there, I picked up this intriguing new Coca-Cola flavour, Dreamworld… There was nothing on it to describe the flavour. Apparently, it tastes like dreams! It was weird. I am not sure what my dreams would taste like…

• If we were having chai, I’d leave you with Sonu Singh. He decided I had been reading too much, so fell asleep on my Kindle! Bless him.

This week, I think school is relatively ‘normal’, though what is ‘normal’ when it’s at home? One staff member is on a day off on Monday, so cover is to be provided there, but the rest is pretty much the usual, apart from Thursday when I have a meeting at lunchtime. And I have a doctor’s appt to discuss the perimenopause again on Tuesday… wish me luck!

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Morning, Peeps. It’s Monday again. Where is the time going? Week five in school already!

My drink is in hand… are you ready?

• If we were having chai, I’d say that school has been good but hectic. We still know Ofsted will be calling at some point, and until that is done, we are all on tenterhooks. There are so many plans and hopes for school this year, and September is when we are all getting our heads around everything. This week my children started their first-ever full-time week. Though it was only four days, you could see the tiredness in their eyes by Friday (as you could ours!) But they coped exceptionally well. You can certainly see the characters coming out now. I am in each of my two classes two days a week, along with one day of management time, and it whizzes by. I am getting to know 60 children well, instead of 30, which is a feat in itself and keeping track of the almost 40 we have in Nursery. All a joy to behold! (Is it any wonder I am shattered!)
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you things at home are always busy, too. Lil Princess wasn’t feeling unwell one day, which had her messaging me from school, wanting to go home, and me trying. to contact her school to find out what was going on, a doctor, and juggle a child who had been struggling with his behaviour in class, resulting in me needing to speak to several parents, too… All at once! And Lil Man picked up his first cold, so it was teenage stroppiness, times 2 as he insisted he was fine when he wasn’t!
• If we were having chai, I’d say that I made a conscious choice to not do any housework or ironing during the week, and Saturday found me cleaning and washing, changing bed linen, and unpacking grocery shopping, as well as taking Lil Princess to her optician’s appointment, and cooking a roast dinner! Hubby Dearest was tackling the windows, inside and out, and giving the summer house a clean, too! Sunday, devoted to that huge ironing mountain, and then chilling!
• If we were having chai, I’d give you a peek at Sonu Singh since we didn’t get one last week. He’s been keeping his Daddy company in the week and taking great pleasure in waking me up at the crack of dawn every morning to get his food! But, as the cold weather begins to creep in, it is lovely to have him curling up with me, warming my feet!

This week, it is pretty manic in school, with me at a training session all day, today, then staff illnesses and planned absences meaning the whole school will be trying to club together to ensure all avenues are covered all week! I can’t even remember what is happening at home! Oh, yes, a Futures Exhibition for Lil Man, and a special appointment for Lil PRincess on the weekend!

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Morning, Peeps. It’s Monday again, and the morning of the Queen’s funeral.

I’ve got my cuppa, and will spend the morning watching the proceedings on the TV since school is closed today.

• If we were having chai, I’d say that school was an excellent place to be, with the children beginning to stay for lunches with us. You can tell this is the year group who have been least affected by the last couple of years’ lockdowns, as it feels like a more typical intake compared to the last couple of years. There will always be wrinkles to iron out, but nothing that appears to need industrial action! We stayed with the children for their lunches last week to ease them into it all and allow our lunchtime supervisors to become familiar with them and their personalities.
• If we were having chai, I’d say that I had a first this week. Lil Man is no longer a Lil Man, as he was invited to his first proper party, with his mates all getting to that turning 18 time of life! We live a little further out now compared to before, so it was engineered that we spent the evening with the in-laws, and were able to pick him up before heading home at around midnight. It’s scary, that first time, letting go. But he has a sensible head on his shoulders and as long as he keeps it that way, there are no worries. I think he had a good time, but he was shattered after!
• If we were having chai, I would tell you that I have nothing more to report, since the week has been busy with school… Sonu Singh is fine, but a reluctant model this week, so no pics today!

This week, school is only 4 days what with HRH the Queen’s funeral today. The children start full time with us as well, so I am sure I will be even more knackered than usual, too!

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Morning, Peeps. It’s Monday again, and I am feeling a tad sombre.

Have you got your drink?

• If we were having chai, I’d say that school went relatively smoothly. For the first week, we had our children in class. They only stayed until 12pm, before lunch, but it was a good time to be able to get to know the children and for them to become familiar with the adults they would be working with and some of our rules and routines that they would come to see as second nature soon enough. There was a bit of upheaval as we had a couple of staff shortages, meaning we needed to juggle our teams around, but we managed!
• If we were having chai, I’d say that Thursday was a tough day for us all as we learned of the death of the Queen. It affected me more than I thought it would, but what made it even harder was that I also lost my great aunt that same evening. I’d like to think that they board the same flight up to wherever to be with their husbands who will be waiting for them.

• If we were having chai, I would tell you that the tiredness is ever present I have found a new app that helps log menopause symptoms and when we are experiencing them, which I can compile into a report for whenever I need to see the doctor. That will be helpful. I don’t want to rush down the HRT route unless I have to, but I am definitely beginning to understand my body better.
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that reading was slow, expectedly, but I managed a couple of books over the week. Unfortunately, I had no energy for the editing I really need to do, so I may need to focus on that more these coming weeks!

• If we were having chai, I would end, as always, with Sonu Singh. He’s had Hubby Dearest for company, all week, and we have been here during the weekend. I think he could feel I was down because I’ve had a lot of snuggles from him over the last few days, bless him.

This week, we will be having lunch with our classes, but they leave just after 1.30pm, so we have time to recoup, as we have lunch with them, too! A few appointments to go to, as well as a possible meeting with the Society of Authors local group, though I am not sure I will make it, with everytiing else going on in life! The weekend is ours since cricket is 100% finished for the season, but let’s see what it brings.

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Hi there, Peeps! One partial week of school done!

It was good to be back, but I am ready with my cuppa to let you know how it went!

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that Monday was a bank holiday, so we chilled out as much as possible. Well, I did, anyway, since the rest weren’t back until Friday!
• If we were having chai, I’d say that school started for me on Tuesday, with two Inset days. We had a motivational speaker in to help us learn how to respond to situations productively and not to dwell on the small stuff, and then there was some time in our classrooms and a few other meetings. It is strange this year since I don’t have my own room, as I will be teaching across both Reception classes, which will be good for me to understand the whole cohort, but it also leaves me without a home! Still, we got stuff done. Then the last two days were home visits to the children who will be starting next week but who didn’t attend our nursery. They are always a good opportunity for the parents to speak to us in their own home environment, as well as for us to see the child in a secure place for them. I think we are ready for Monday when the children will attend all week, but just in the mornings, but the question is… are they ready for us?

• If we were having chai, I’d say that I definitely knew I was back to school since my eyes start to close at 9.30pm! But i am 100% certain that I am feeling a lot of things due to Perimenopause. I was speaking to my beautician, too, and she suggested I talk to the doctor about HRT, before my symptoms get worse.
• If we were having chai, I would share with you that it was my birthday on the weekend, and though I had an awful headache that day, it was still lovely. I was spoilt by my family. What more could I ask for?

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that we had the final cricket training and match on Saturday, and he finished with a bang! No batting, but he bowled exceptionally well; 5 for 35 off 9 overs, and one of the wickets he took, he bowled and caught, one-handed! They won, and I think they finished second in their league, and it looks like a promotion for next season! A great finish!

• If we were having chai, I would end, as always, with Sonu Singh. I think it will hit more this week, but he could see the changes happening this week, with me being out every day and the kids not there on Friday… I hope he’s not too lonely going forward! He had great fun knocking my cards down, though, constantly!

This week, as I mentioned before, my classes will be in, but only for half days. It’s like the calm before the storm, you know! But it will be good to see the children where they should be; with us, enjoying learning! The rest of my life is pretty chilled, thankfully, because I have my editing to do!

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