But I Smile Anyway…

Hello, all! ISo, I survived week one of school, just!

Did you grab your drink? I hope mine won’t go cold, as I regale you with the tales of the week gone by…

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that the house woes decided to follow us into this week, too! We had a boiler and Water tank service booked, as it needed doing. That was completed, but in doing so, we found out about more incompetence surrounding the previous owner! The service engineer recognised the property. He’d been there before, not to service, but to attend an insurance call out. He knew this, because there were still markings he’d left, with recommendations, around the boiler! One included the replacing of a part costing a mere £10 that would avoid the risk of toxic gasses entering the environment. This hadn’t been done, yet that huge boiler was in a cupboard in the room that was the previous owner’s child’s room! And he just left it! He also insisted that he had had the boiler serviced, the year before, but was unable to provide the certificate. The engineer confirmed that this boiler had not seen a service for several years… Still, it’s all rectified now, along with the radiators all being checked, and the new remot Hive system all being set up, too. That, however, wasnt the end of the house giving, and giving, and giving… On Wednesday night, the elextricity went off in one area. This switch has tripped before, and even though I did report it to the insuranc,e it seemed to reset itself. Well, on Wednesday, it wasn’t resetting. So I arranged another emergency call out, as we had no lights, and no ppwer in the kitchen. Long story short, we got an engineer the next evening, and he was gobsmacked at the way the place had been wired. To start with, you couldn’t open the fuse box without removing the door to the fuse box cupboard! Once open, there was so much cross wiring, and overloading, he just mumbled and tutted for two hours, as well as hummed and laughed at his own comments! So, two main faults were found, that he, I think, has rectified, with no need for any follow up. Let’s hope the week to come brings no more house shaped emergencies!
• If we were having chai I’d take a deep breath, and say school… We had the children in for the first time. They were only in for half days, but I can tell you now, that the exhaustion I felt by Friday was unreal! Honestly, I have a lovely bunch of characters in my class. Many who are truly ready for school, but a lot who have reallt felt the effects of the constant lockdowns, with nerves, and delayed development in certain areas. I also have a lot of Special Educational Needs, so, we had our hands full, dealing with settling the whole class, as well as being hands on with the children who needed the additional support. We had things thrown around, tantrums, a few behaviours that I will need to squash early on, pooey nappies timess two, a child peeing int he playground, one eating Playdough, as well as a runaway! So the doorhandle is being moved higher to prevent the runaways! The rest? We will see what happens. But, honestly, they are lovely. They are already sitting beautifully for circle and cafrpet time, most are tidying up a dream, there is amazing imagination, and many are fantastic with numbers already, too! It will be a challenge, this year, but I feel I have already set up the foundations of good relationships with parents, so fingers crossed, this year will be a good year! Fingersw crossed for no more lockdowns!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that my own two children were back for their first week, too. Lil Princess has a spring in her step, again, despite having to get up a little earlier, and Lil Man, who is not so little, has been fantastic, too, even sitting up, studying in the evenings, which I didn’t think he would do. There is some conscientiousness there, I believe! And seeing him in his suit, every moring, oh, my heart swells!
• If we were having chai I’d mention that I was bracing myself for the late evenings due to cricket training, but in the end I didn’t have to worry, as the club is closed for work to be done of the grounds! He did have one match, though, on Saturday, which Hubby Dearest took him too, and he played really well, again! Three wickets for twelve runs off eight overs! Boom, Lil Man!
• If we were having chai I’d say that I think the weight loss thing might kick back in, now, as gthe routine of schoolis set again. I can’t sit at home grazing all day, and I am hitting my step targets every day. Again, fingers crossed!
• If we were having chai I’d sigh with relief and tell you that Sunday, I was able to have a full day of rest, after making sure all my tasks were completed on Saturday. Grocery shopping, done, houe cleaned, laundry up to date… Perfect! Just us at home, and me with my books!
• If we were having chai I’d leave you, again with an image of that furry baby of mine, Sonu Singh!

This week, at school, we will be having the children in for lunch as well, so I will get a weeks work to f school dinners, as well as seeing how the children cope at lunchtime! I’m pretty sure I will be knackered, but I am hoping that cricket practice, and games are now well and truly done for the season!

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!

Hello, all! I’m back, with my first update of the New Academic Year!

Just about enought time to squeeze in a quick cuppa, while I tell you how my week went!

• If we were having chai I’d not start with School, because last Monday was a bank holiday. Instead, let me regale you with a set of disasters that started before school, and didn’t really conclude until Saturday! So, I woke on Monday, earlier than the rest. That’s a usual occurrence. I sipped a cup of tea as I read, before thinkint I’d wash up the dishes and go shower. Except I couldn’t. Because there was no WATER! After a little digging, it appears that a water mains burst, near us, rednering waterless for the best part of the day. That is no fun! It came on briefly in the afternoon, allowing Hubby Dearest to shower, but then went off again until 8pm. Great! Still, it was back. However, I woke on Tuesday, a little nervous about school, to find that a switch had tripped in our electrics, meaning no lights downstairs, at all, and the whole of the kitchen was without power, lights and sockets! Cue me running around, trying to find alternative sockets for the fridge freezer, and a place to plug in my kettle! Then I got a message from one of my team. She was ill, and wouldn’t be in. No worries. We were on INSET day, so that could be managed. Left the house with Lil Man who had to go in for his first Covid test, pre starting Sixth Form. And the road was closed, out of our lane, meaning I had to find a new way to get to school! A little later we arrived at our destination, frazzled, but ready for a new day. The power was restored at home mid morning, but the internet decided to be a pain, instead, disconnecting itself from all the WIFi discs we have around the house. So, that evening, I was trying to help get it all reset, and then proceeded to lose my phone behind a radiator! Don’t ask. forty five minutes of struggling, but we got it out. The internet issues didn’t, end, with the connection going again on Thursday, and it took me until Saturday to actually get it all set up again. Fingers crossed, it is all okay, so far.
• If we were having chai I’d catch my breath, then let you know about school. So, we had 2 full days of INSET, which is in school training and preparation days. These involved meetings, to go over changes, and developments, time to meet new staff, training on a few new ideas, and refreshers on others, as well as time in the classrooms. At least these went relatively smoothly…! Thursday and Friday were the days we had booked for home visits to children who weren’t a part of our school nursery, so we could meet them, and they were a little familiar with them. And weren’t they eye opening?! I am already aware that we have a large number of high needs pupils beginning, but all I will say is that we will have our hands full! No further comment. Oh, actually, there is one. Despite a slight fear of what is to come, the children do seem lovely! And another, some of these children have gorgeous pets! I was in school until a little later on Friday, so I could get the room as set as possible for Monday, when the children are due in for half days. Someone has misplaced an important set of keys, which opens one of my storage areas, so it was a little tough. I am hoping we find that sooner, rather than later!
• If we were having chai I’d have to say that, as always, cricket was still there, hovering in the background, and sometimes coming forwards… a couple of weeks to go… He had two training sessions, and then on Saturday played for the Mens 4ths team, and got Man of the Match! Three wickets taken. Well done, Lil Man!
• If we were having chai I’d have to mention that it was a special day for me, on Friday, as most of you know. It was my birthday! Needless to day, aside from the fact I was at work, it was lovely! Actually, the work part was as good, too! My colleagues were amazing, and I left work feeling so loved. At home that feeling continued. My dining room table is filled with cards, and I was even sent one from my own school, as I am a part of the Old Girls Association there!

• If we were having chai I’d say that we spent Sunday going out to lunch, as well as heading to the in-laws to cut a belated birthday cake, followed by much ironing and getting the kids ready for school/Sixth form, today!
• If we were having chai I’d leave you with my ever present furbaby, Sonu Singh, curled up on Sunday morning, beside me, keeping me company as I read!

This week, well, it’s time to welcome those little lovelies into my classroom for the year, as well as prepare all manner of other documents, ready for this academic year. The kids are both in school as of today, so a semblance of normality should settle, now… here’s hoping!

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!

And that’s it. In the blink of an eye, the holidays are toast!

I’ve got my last drink of the vaycay. Have you got yours?

• If we were having chai I’d probably begin by lamenting the speed with which the time has flown. I feel like I havent been very productive this summer, because, usually, I would at least write – but the mind has been nowhere near ready, I’d have been in and out of the school getting things ready – not as much as I wanted, and I’ll explain my frustrations a bit more, below. I’d had plans to get a lot more of the little bits and bobs done in the house, but, apart from new garden furniture, nothing else was done…
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that I have continued to read. My reading mojo picked up, at least, so where I feel I have been extremely lazy (though I wasn’t being lazy, I was resting and recuperating, when I could, with a book or kindle in my hands!) in many parts of my life, I read almost twenty books!
• If we were having chai I’d mention that, obviously, cricket was another big part of our week,w ith Lil Man having two matches for his District team, three other training sessions and a mens match for his club. There have been some interesting conversations over the week, regarding what he needs to do, next, to progress, because, unfortunately guidance and support has been lacking where we had hoped he would receive it. however, early days… I’ll fill you in more, when I can! He did, however, have many compliments thrown at him, on Saturday from his club members, for his amazing improvement and performances over the last year, which was nice… but. a little too late?

• If we were having chai I’d have to admit that though the sky looked like that on the Monday, Wednesday’s match brought a very hot afternoon, adn this silly cricket mum forgot her sunscreen, so ended up with a burnt nose, arms and chest! Ouch!
• If we were having chai I’d say that we managed to get to Bluewater as a family, to a) pick up the remaining bits of Lil Man’s suit for Sixth form, and to have a lovely meal in Nandos. It is the first meal out we have had as a family, since the pandemic started! Oh, and finally got Lil Man’s hair cut, ready for his start of term. He’s also got his vaccination, since the 16 and 17 year olds were offered their one shot, too.

• If we were having chai I’d end with a little photo of Sonu Singh. I did open my laptop to do stuff, but he was havnig none of it. It’s like he knows time is drawing closer, when we won’t be home with him, all day… I’ll miss my fur baby when we are back at school!

This week, well, aside from going back to school, and keeping track of the days I have to ensure my two are in for their pre starting school Lateral Flow Tests, it will also be my birthday week!

As a little gift, so to say, for all your support for me, Marriage Unarranged is discounted for the week, so, if you fancy a fun read, please go ahead and download it, and it’ll be like a birthday gift to me, too!

https://getbook.at/MarriageUnarranged

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!

Oh, Lordy, four weeks down, and only one to go!

Well, if you’re ready with your drink, I’m ready with my recap!

• If we were having chai I’d start with a little sigh, and say that I still feel very, very tired. It’s not going to be a long post, today. I don’t have it in me, to be honnest, and with just a week of holiday left, I am not sure I will be firing all cylinders at the beginning of term.
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that we went suit shopping for Lil Man and his Sixth form. It’ll be strange seeing him getting ready to go to college, rather than school… with his suit on rather than uniform, but how wonderful, too!
• If we were having chai I’d mention that I popped into school briefly on two occasions, to move a few bits around, and get some things ready. There isn’t a huge point in doing too much right now, because we really don;t know what the cohort of children will be like, so the basic preparations will be done, and we can take it from there.
• If we were having chai I’d go a bit quiet and say that, again, I have eaten far too much this week. The scales are mocking me. Nuff said…
• If we were having chai I’d excitedly tell you that this week Lil Man’s Under 17s team won their league, and the cup match, then on Saturday, the 4ths Mens team he plays with, also won their match, meaning they will finish top of their league! And on the cricket front, my brother was playing a T20I tournament with Finland, against Sweden, and after four matches, they drew 2-2, so not a bad cricket week, all round!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you it was Rakhri on Sunday, where brothers and sisters celebrate their love for one another. I miss being with my own brother, but always feel blessed that my own two have each other to continue this tradition with.

This week, I still have two intense cricket days, where Lil Man is playing for his District team, along with three traininng sessions, and another match on Sunday. I also have to go into school for the day on Tuesday, to spend some time with my team, getting set for September. But Hubby Dearest has time off on Thursday and Friday, so it will be lovely to chill with him, too, and hopefully relax a little before back to school hits!

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!

Have three weeks of my break really passed me by? Do I really only have two weeks left?

Well, if you’re ready with your drink, I’m ready with my recap!

• If we were having chai I’d start by telling you that since the holidays have started, I have no idea what I am doing… my life is so up and down, with things going on, constantly, that I forget what happened last week/this week, what is yet to happen… I think, this week, my mind spin is coming from the fact that I didn’t have a huge amount planned, so I was a bit lost, to be honest.

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that, as always, cricket still featured heavily. (It’s the summer, it’s the season, I can’t get away from it!) He had two more one to one sessions with some of his district coaches, who appeared very impressed with his skills and progress. There were three club training sessions, where I had a great chat with one of the ‘cricket widows’ as she described herself, with her husband being the director of cricket for the club, and two sons who have been immersed in cricket since they were mere dots. Then, he had his club match on Saturday, where he did phenomenally. 3 for 11 of 9. In plain English, that means that he bowled for nine overs, and managed to get three wickets (batters out) only giving away eleven runs, which is pretty good!

• If we were having chai I’d mention that Lil Princess and I went to the haidresser for trims after a good six months. I have also decided that I need to sort my diet out, so after a post I saaw by my author friend Dan Wilcocks, pledging to only shave his beard once he hits his target weight, I have created my own little challenge #keepinggreyuntililovehowmuchiweigh – yes, I am not dyeing my hair until I hit that target. My roots are pretty obvious already. Who knows, I might just like the au naturel look, but for now, that is my incentive, and boy, do I need it… I ate FOUR donuts in one go on Saturday. I am SO ASHAMED!
• If we were having chai I’d say that

• If we were having chai I’d excitedly tell you that Lil Man’s GCSE results came out, and HE PASSED! So, as of September, he will be attending the Sixth form of his choice to continue his education. We are so proud of him!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that we had a lovely lunch on Sunday, with my in-laws who came around after a long time. My Bro in law has been in plaster and a walking boot since April, and he was unable to move, before this, so it was his first time at the new house. Such a lovely few hours, it was.

• If we were having chai I’d leave you with an image of Sonu Singh, who is still very haappy with the new table!

This week, there is cricket, as always, but only the the club training, and a match on Saturday (and possibly, Thursday). I have an appointment to take my father-in-law to, on Wednesday, and I really need to log into my work laptop, and also pop into school, too… But, I also am still on r & r mode… I need to be in tip top condition for the begining of school, so I’m still reading and relaxing!

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!