Hey there Peeps! I hope you have your beverage of choice ready!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you – “Week Five– In-Law-less – done! and 10 days to go!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I woke up on Monday aching! all that walking on the weekend meant I was physically exhausted! But it was great fun! so much so, that I ended up joining in again this weekend just gone! Obviously, not with as much gusto as it was Mother’s Day on Sunday, but I did get to first place at one point on the Saturday!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that school was great fun, with the introduction of Space. The kids loved their new play area and joined in the learning with gusto! It’s a shame we can’t continue it until after the holidays, but we have to cover Easter this week! But there was a great moment when we were debating about Pluto and it’s planet status…
5 yo: Mrs B, I said there are 9 planets but 2 girls keep saying there are 8.
Me: well, you're both sort of right. Pluto was a planet, now its a dwarf planet.
Other 5 yo: yes, Pluto's not a planet any more. Now its Mickey Mouse's dog!
— Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 #ChickPeaCurryLit (@RituBhathal) March 27, 2019
If we were sipping chai together I’d say Nursery was wonderful, with us getting ready for Mother’s Day. They all had a chance to paint their mummy for our I Love Mum Because… gallery! They saw my paintings of my mum and them did their own. Too cute! I loved getting their mummies to come in and have a look!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that generally, the rest of the week went pretty smoothly. Lil Man had his badmindon academy training on the Thursday, and he actually gets coached by someone who was seeded #8 in the UK when she played for England! Pretty special! Lil Princess enjoyed her swimming and has now decided that the thing to wear to her lessons, (not during, though. That would be silly…) is a onesie! She saw some other girls doing the same and decided that was it. Her thing for next week!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, speaking of Lil Princess and her healthy endeavours, she is also playing badminton, and doing really well. This week, I dropped her off, hoping to get back and do some ironing, but we arrived at the leisure center to find she had decided that Silver sparkly pumps were the right footwear for sport! Cue me rushing off like a loon to get her trainers, and haring back!
I mean… really?
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you I am trying very hard to read fast. I joined NetGalley at the end of last year and have been happily reading and reviewing arcs for authors and leaving reviews, but my biggest problem is that I get excited and end up with too many books to read! And that is not counting the TBR list on my Kindle, or the pile by my bed! Eeeeks!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that I had a most wonderful Sunday. It was Mother’s Day here in the UK and I woke early, as I usually do, to a bunch of flowers, chocolates, cards and my new mug as my last Mum one broke. There was also a little Pandora charm tucked into the gifts too, followed by a trip to Bluewater where we had lunch together, and I was able to peruse the bookshops.. but I didn’t buy! A few pink bubbles at the end of the day really set it off as the best day!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that there is one week left of term then the Easter holidays are upon us! Whoopee!!!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that I still need to be prepared for Thursday night’s School Easter Disco, and the Nursery Easter Egg hunt on Friday (times two; once for each session!)
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d say I am rather excited about Saturday, as my bestie is coming to stay with her hearly two year old!!!!!
Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!
Hey there Peeps! I hope you have your beverage of choice ready!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you – “Week Four – In-Law-less – smashed it!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you about ‘that’ observation. Yes it happened. I was so worried about it, but even though there were some silly niggles (there always are!) I didn’t need to have it postponed, or anything, and I got the most lovely comment from my team leader!
My observation feedback included the following comment…
"Class teacher has a wonderful aura around her that makes the classroom environment inviting, entertaining and the children wanting to learn."
— Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 #ChickPeaCurryLit (@RituBhathal) March 19, 2019
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, the next bit of fun has been getting our new topic set up for the class. We are introducing Space to the Reception year, and have never done this before, so it has been all systems go, trying to get everything together for a fresh start on Monday. Seriously, new roleplay area, which is a space station, new resources for the learning, new everything! I had a mad dash into town to get bits for the topic on Thursday with my children, after school and I was buzzing, rushing around like a headless chicken. The kids were exhausted with keeping up with me!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that it’s been quite a calm week with the kids, as Lil Man has given his a self-imposed reward chart as he wants to earn money for a new badminton racquet. I’m not complaining. It means there aren’t as many arguments, and I have NEVER seen his room so tidy! Oh and his first session at the Badminton Academy went really well. There was an England coach there too, so he was stoked!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, I have been working very hard on making sure my new Zen-like kitchen is kept pristine… but why do others NEVER put things back where they are meant to be??? Mentioning no names here… If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you I still had to get up early on Saturday morning for Lil Princess’s swimming lesson.. What I wouldn’t give for a little lie in… but the thing is, I can never actually stay asleep more!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that despite intending on a really quiet weekend, I woke on the Saturday to a challenge. A FitBit challenge! One of my friends added me to a Weekend Warrior challenge, to see who in the group could get more steps in over the weekend. Well, usually this is my chill time… but I can’t step away (see what I did there!) from a challenge, and I ended up walking around my living room, and even ended up doing a 3 mile walk in the afternoon! I was aching by the end of the Saturday, but felt quite invigorated! Saturday steps were over 25K in the end! Sunday, nowhere near as many, but I was going to relax, no matter what!
If we were sipping chai together I’d also say we had a sleepover on the Saturday night too, with the Brother and Sister -in-Law! The parent’s in- law are still away but we thought it would be lovely to chill out together on the Saturday evening, and it was lovely, but I ahve to say, I really don’t like not having my own bed at the end of the night!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that I did something… something HUGE… I finally sent that WIP off to my editor…EEEEEEKS!!!!!! Could 2019 be the year for me???
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that it’s nearly time for holidays… I am crawling towards that goal that will be here in two weeks!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that it’s ~Mothers Day here in the UK on Sunday… Hmmm… I wonder what we will be doing to celebrate?
Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!
Hey there Peeps! I hope you’re ready … never a quiet one in Ritu-World!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you – “Week Three – In-Law-less – done!!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you work has been manic (isn’t it always? Life in an Early Years class…) We had Science week, so hyped the kids up with a chance to meet some minibeasts, like ginat Africam landsnails, tarantulas, African milipedes, cockroaches and a snake! Then on the Tuesday, my day started with a panic, as my team leader was off sick, and there was a moderation meeting happening the next day, across the schools in our academy. For those of you that don’t know, moderation is when you compare your judgements about pupils with the other schools, to make sure you aren’t making too easy/harsh judgements about how a child is progressing. I was worrying as I have never done one of these without here there, and the other Reception teacher has never been to one before… blind leading the blind? Yup! On top of that we had planning to do the next day too, which was going to be cut short because of the Moderation meeting. So by 9am on Tuesday, I had gathered moderation information, chased up paperwork, and created a skeleton plan for the following week’s learning. Phew! But thankfully my Team Leader ended up back that afternoon, because she cannot stay at home! So no panic in the end! But the day did not end without a tension headache… oh yes…
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, moderation went well. I kinda feel a lot more confident about these things now, and hope that the experiences will help me further along in my career.
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the rest of the school week was relatively simple, until my kids decided to embarrass the heck out of me first thing on a Friday morning. Playing up and messing my classroom before the day had even started, arguing and generally making a nuisance of themselves. I ended up blowing my top at Lil Man before he headed off to his school… Seriously? Can children not even keep calm for at least 10 minutes, without causing a storm? BP felt like it rose high!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, on the flip side, he has done really well in a Maths test, proving that the tutoring we send him for seems to be working! And he is also playing badminto regularly, on top of the cricket, and on Sunday, he was scouted for a Badminton Academy! I am very proud of him and his strengths. (Not so much, his teenage strops and attitude!) If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you Lil Princess got me worried this week. I would walk past her room, and hear her shout ot periodically, “Just shut up…!”… Turns out I didn’t need to worry! Apparently she did really well, but I couldnt watch as I was short staffed at the time!
Got a little bit concerned the last few days… Was my daughter beginning to suffer some form. Of Tourettes?
— Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 #ChickPeaCurryLit (@RituBhathal) March 14, 2019
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that the weekend was absolutely wonderful with Pops and Mum. They brought a huge box full of my old photos from infanthood to university and I spent a long time perusing… they also found old certificates of mine, and embarrasing school photos too! We spent a long time chatting, reminiscing and talking about all sorts, and I learned so much from them both, about their lives, and customs and traditions in our culture. It’s amazing how I learn new things about my parents every time we sit and chat. Seriously, you think you must know everything about them, and then they tell you things that make your head spin… I hope to share some of the stories one day, on the blog, but I tell you what, Mum could write a memoir, and it would be amazing!
If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that mum even managed to help me Marie Kondo the heck outta my kitchen which I had been dreading! We stripped countertops, emptied cupboards, threw out of date stuff away, made a (huge) donate pile and scrubbed cupboards and drawers and walls too (bit of a condensation issue in the kitchen) and then put it all back, wrapping up equipment that is used less frequently so it stays clean and generally more organinsed. Feels good, but 8 hours of that andf my shoulders are killing, my body is exhausted and eyes are itching from dust and all sorts! Still – feels GOOD!
If we were sipping chai together I’d also say we had to sleep on the sofa bed for two nights, as I would never inflict that upon my parents, and I totally appreciated that Sunday night bubble bath that I have made sure I enjoy each week, as part of my ‘self’ word of the year!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know we went a bit spiritual too, at the temple on Sunday, celebrating the birth of a baby in one of Hubby Dearest’s friend’s family. Soul cleansed, kitchen cleansed, body cleansed… just need my mind to be emptied now, though I fear that will never happen!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that official lesson observation week is also this week, so I just need to get Tuesday out of the way, successfully (my observation day) then I can breathe and relax!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that this coming weekend, NOTHING is planned – honestly! I hope for lots of lazing around. I need it!
Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!
Hey there Peeps! I hope you’re ready with a large one… I’ve had one heck of a week!
If we were sipping chai together I’d probably whimper (through tiredness) that we made it to week two with no in-laws!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that when the kids are ill, appreciation for my in-laws peaks. Lil Princess started with a headache on the Sunday evening, which didn’t disappear overnight. She battled through school on the Monday, and was in tears by the end of the day. Obviously, I had Parents Evening too, so was reassured by the fact she could go home to my brother-in -law and rest up. By the end of the day she was full of cold, and a cough was coming too. Total head cold, poor thing. My dilemma was the next day. There was no way she could go to school, but I knew her uncle, and aunt, were working from home so they were more than willing to have her. I still had another parents evening to go though. I toyed with the idea of missing it, as my co teacher would be there, but bless her, she was also suffering with a lack of voice. We were in a dilemma. Do we cancel and reschedule or tough it out, as no matter what, this evening would have to happen some time? In the end after consulting my daughter and sis in law, it was decided that I finish up my work resonsibilities. She was in good hands. But it didn’t stop that motherly guilt that I should be with my kid, not worrying about 30 other children. She needed the next day off too, and thankfully, her uncle was home again too. Finally, Thursday came and she began to perk up… the ups and downs of being a working mum…
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that, on the flip side, both Parents Evenings went pretty smoothly, all things considered, but they were LOOOOOONG days! No more this academic year now!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that World Book Day was on Thursday, and we love to celebrate it at school We encourage the children to dress up as their favourite book characters, though most end up wearing the latest costumes on sale in Asda… And as a staff, we usually have a theme for the year. This year was Witches and Wizards. And I, not one to follow the crowd, decided to be the witch’s cat, Wilbur, from Winnie the Witch books!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that after the positive rejection last week, there was more news! I logged into Twitter on Thursday, and learned about a hashtag called #PitMad. It happens quarterly, and basically writers can pitch their written novel in 280 characters to agents. Only agents are to like the pitches but you can support one another as a writers community by retweeting and commenting on the pitches. Many people will spend months tweaking their pitch… I wrote one in a few moments, and didn’t expect a thing.
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that I got a genuine agent like!!! And over the last 24 hours we have been emailing. She loves the idea of the book, the story, and said it needs to be heard, and gave me some amazing feedback on what she had read, with really workable critique suggestions. She also suggested that I get a critique partner and, once polished, she would love to read it again!
"Please keep fine tuning this. The world needs your story. And yes, please let me know when you get this all polished up."
Those words… Just made my day!#PitMad Agent feedback!
— Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 #ChickPeaCurryLit (@RituBhathal) March 8, 2019
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that I acted upon her advice and I have ordered another craft book to help me wean out the show vs tell issues, and I have approached an editor to help with with critiquing and advising me where to go next. I have the problem that I am too close to the book, and I can’t change anything as I can’t look at it objectively!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I went a bit Easter Egg mad too… We will be holding a Nursery Easter Egg hunt on the last day of term for the nursery students and their parents, and I decided that instead of trying to hide millions of eggs, I would find lots of Easter themed items, such as chicks, rabbits, and little eggs, to hide around the allotment, for them to look for, and use a tick sheet to say they found them. Then at the end, they could get a prize. And then I saw Tesco had a deal on 75p medium sized eggs…. and I ended up ordering 55! Enough for the children, and for my team too! Lil Man’s face was priceless as he saw the guy unloading my home delivery. I did have to explain to the guy I was a teacher and that these were student gifts, and not that I was some sort of Easter Egg trader, or chocaholic! So now they are hidden away from anyone with a sweet tooth, in the hope that they will last until the end of term!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I celebrated my favourite inspirational woman on International Woman’s Day on Friday… my mum ❤
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that we kept the weekend very down low. Everyone needed a rest and, aside from the kids playing badminton and cricket, we did nothing! And I scheduled posts and read. Perfect!
If we were sipping chai together I’d have to admit that the end of Sunday was not as smooth as I hoped, as teenage hormones coursed around the house and Lil Man showed his attitude BIG TIME. Actually just trying to take deep breaths right now so I don’t go and strangle him… Seriously, parenting teens and tweens is no fun a lot of the time (though there are ups too!)
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you aside from one late evening at moderation, so we can see if our kids are progressing as others are, there should be no more late ones, phew!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that I am so excited for the weekend as Pops and Mum are coming to spend it with us!
Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!
Well hello, again Peeps! I’m already chugging away at my chai as I type this to you. Yes. Week one of no In-Laws is over!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say “Yes! We survived the first week!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that things have been going pretty smoothly on the kids at the end of the school day front. They either come to me or to their uncle if he’s working from home, and that has been really helpful… except one day when Lil Man (he had to do something, didn’t he?) when he took so long to get to me, I wandered the roads outside our school for twenty minutes and even called up his school, only to find him sauntering into the gate, with a lollypop stick hanging from his lips and a blue mouth! He can’t seem to grasp that I have to fit a whole load of work into less time at the end of the day at the moment, so I don’t leave late, and takes his sweet time getting anywhere!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that the migraine decided to come back with a vengeance too on Monday evening… I guess I am stressing a bit about everything. It made me go to bed early, after popping a pill, and I woke with it still there. More tablets and I managed to get through the school day, and once that finished, it reared its ugly head AGAIN! No fair! But please don’t worry, I am better now!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I’ve had a few interesting emails over this week. The first was one from that blessed car servicing place, who tried to fob me off with a 20% discount on next year’s service, even though in my original email I had expressly said I would not be using their service any more. Then they came back and offered me a £20 refund… I still haven’t replied, since I paid nearly £300 for the pleasure of being carless for 2 days for NO REASON!
If we were sipping chai together I’d excitedly say we got some lovely news on Friday for Lil Princess. She got her first choice for her secondary school place in September. I can’t believe she will be going to big school soon, but am so happy that she got where she really wanted, as so many kids out there didn’t… seems the Government forgot there was a baby boom in 2007/2008 and places were going to be scarce!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know I got another email that, though it might seem negative to some, is actually really positive. I received my first REJECTION from an agent. This is, so far, the first and only one I have sent out, so to get a response was just amazing!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that my Tootie Frootie lades and I had a great night out on Saturday for a Comedy Night, a few bevvies and a bite to eat. We giggled our way through the evening!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I had a lovely video conversation with my Finndian family on Sunday morning and I can’t wait for a couple of month’s time when I get real cuddles!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that we have managed to book a long weekend away to yet another Center Parcs too, this time in Elveden Forest! Another exciting time! We need to get booking activities now!
f we were sipping chai together I’d say that thankfully the in-laws arrived safely, though my father-in-law left here feeling a little under the weather. We were a little worried about the whole India Pakistan thing going on, especially as they closed the airport closest to where they stay, but they assure us they are okay, if wet, as they combat rain, whilst here we had three days of glorious weather, and on one day we were hotter than the tropics! (It’s wet now, but shhhh!)
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I have two busy evenings this week, with Parents Evening rearing its head. So School gets me for nearly 12 hours on two days… I know it is a long day, but I do enjoy catching up with the parents and discussing their children’s’ progress.
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that I don’t want to have anything else planned next week. I deserve a quiet rest of the week, after the parents evenings, but let’s see…!
Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!
But I Smile Anyway... 