But I Smile Anyway…

Happy Monday, Peeps! I am sitting here with a hot drink to soothe my aching throat today, rather than to enjoy… But hey ho, one week of term to go!

You got your drink?

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that school was hectic this week because we had a huge amount of staff absences, as well as children in and out, as these bugs do the rounds. I barely had a moment to sit down, if I am honest, with rehearsals for the nativity, planning solo as the teachers I work with were off sick, a rehearsal for our staff panto, and a parent craft morning. But we made it through!
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that last week I commented on hopefully seeing the end of these bugs, but unfortunately, it has been even worse this week in our house. Hubby Dearest succumbed on Sunday evening and then, in his kindness, passed it on to me. I have been battling it and dosing myself up with all manner of drugs and herbal remedies, as I had to be in school. Lil Princess, who appeared to be a lot better after last week, started coughing again on Thursday night and is rather unwell again. And the in-laws had to go to the hospital last week, where Mother-in-law appears to have picked something up, so she is suffering.
• If we were having chai, I’d shiver and say it has been freezing here, literally! We haven’t had snow yet, but the frost is thick, and we had freezing fog all day on Sunday, and I dread the drive to work this morning… But it looks so pretty!

• If we were having chai, I’d say that I decided to have a go at this new AI trend that is happening… and there are some of the pics that it generated of me. At least while I have a red nose and look awful, I can enjoy the AI version on Ritu!

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that despite being a little unwell, I went out for dinner with my girlfriends, the Tootie Frooties, and it was a blast to spend. a bit of time outside the house with some great company. I even managed a spot of solo shopping in Bluewater, before I met them. It was a fun evening, but the Thai curry I had, hoping it would clear the nasal passages, didn’t work. Still. a bit bunged up!

• If we were having chai, I’d have to mention Sonu Singh. No pics this week because I have been falling asleep early every night, and on the weekend, I was shattered and was either in bed, resting, wrapping presents for school, or out for my one dinner! Sonu has spent time chasing around the Christmas decorations, and sitting on top of me when I have been in bed. Bless him.

This week is the last week of term. Yes, it’ll be hectic, but it will be fun, too! We have the staff panto, our Reception nativity performance, a visiting panto, Christmas lunch and all the fun of the last week before Christmas holidays in a school that doesn’t have the threat of OFSTED over us anymore! I’ll see you on the other side!

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Happy Monday, Peeps! We only have two weeks of term left! I don’t know where this year has gone, but I can’t believe that we are trying to put together the Christmas Nativity show and get things geared up for the end of the term, too!

I have my chai Latte this morning. I need comfort!

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that it is always strange going back to school after an unexpected time away. The week went fine, including a visit from the soon-to-be new CEO of our Academy Trust and a luncheon he held. We have also begun practising the play in earnest, singing Christmas songs in my sleep now! The children have been unwell. attendance has been low because of so many viruses, and this new Strep A that is going around and has been responsible for the deaths of some Primary aged children is also a worry. I forsee that I will be stepping in to say the lies of. a few characters…
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that things at home have been a little calmer, but my unwell child from the past week is still not 100% or wasn’t during the week. Fingers crossed, we have overcome the worst of these horrible bugs now.
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that I had a little feedback from my sensitivity reader, and he’s not finished reading yet but said, “Honestly, it’s looking really good. I’m getting triggered by the family cultures, the comedy of intergenerational and cross-cultural communications – too authentic! The gay bits are writing are coming off good and well, too!” I think I can take that!
• If we were having chai, I’d say that, as you knew, the cover reveal was happening at the weekend, and it has gone so positively! I hope you like it!

• If we were having chai, I’d say that the Bookapalooza event I took part in seemed to go well, and there was lots of interaction on my post, considering there were 50 authors taking part! How many copies of books were sold, I don’t know, but hey, it’s all good promotion!
• If we were having chai, I’d smile and say that the Christmas tree is finally up, too, so Christmas is here in the Bhathal household! We bought a few new choice ornaments to add to our collection… what do you think?

• If we were having chai, I’d have to mention Sonu Singh. Of course, he was the first to try and be helpful when it came to getting the tree decorated… and began chewing it at the first chance he got! We have been spraying it with a behaviour spray, which is meant to deter him… let’s see how long it works for!

This week I have more Christmas rehearsals for the kids’ nativity, as well as our panto rehearsal for the children’s panto we staff are putting on during the last week of term! Dear God! We have data meetings and reports to get ready for the children as well. I have a night out to look forward to on Saturday, too, so that will be fun!

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!

Happy Monday, Peeps! I don’t quite know where to start, but it’s been a bit of a surreal week, this week.

Got your drink? I may have to get a double strength something or other!

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that I was only in school for a couple of days. They went fine…
• If we were having chai, I’d sigh and say that I was off because one of my children wasn’t well. They needed their mummy with them, and I can only thank God that my head at school is such an amazing person, who knows we need to put family first, and that I have such a brilliant team who pulled together in my absence to keep things going. I tell you what, this week made me really remember that we are not irreplaceable anywhere other than in our families.

• If we were having chai, I’d reassure you all that they are on the road to recovery now after giving us a scare, but fingers crossed things are better for them going forward. Your prayers that they feel 100 % better soon would be much appreciated. 🙏🏽💛
• If we were having chai, I’d get a little emotional with this next bit. I needed as much light in my life as possible, and I have been waiting for a certain reader to finish Marriage Unarranged before he reads Book two, as I needed quite a specific sensitivity reader. Now, I can’t say anything about what he thinks of book two yet, but his review of Marriage Unarranged reduced me to happy tears!

• If we were having chai, I’d remind you that I am a part of this Bookapalooza event on Facebook this weekend, so if you are interested, become a member, and I assure you, you will find loads of amazing new authors and a chance to win a paperback copy of Marriage Unarranged!

• If we were having chai, I’d also say you should keep your ears and eyes peeled, as there will be a cover reveal for book two next weekend, too!

• If we were having chai, I’d have to mention Sonu Singh. He’s spent quite a bit of time with me over the last few days, sitting next to me, laying with me in bed, and watching a film with me, too! I think he could sense I was quite stressed out. He’s a good boy, is my Sonu Singh… 😻

This week I have a busy one at school with some staff out, meaning that we need to juggle people about. I also will be keeping an eye on above-said child to make sure they aren’t overdoing things. And I will be waiting for the sensitivity reader feedback… as well as the reactions to the cover reveal, plus the fun of Bookapalooza! And it’s December on Thursday, as well, so I can’t wait to get that tree out and ready to decorate, on Saturday.

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!

Happy Monday, Peeps!

Got your drink?

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that I am sitting here, and I honestly can’t remember much about the week! Things were happening every day, and it was busy. That’s for sure!
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you we had a special cycling workshop for the reception children on Monday to help them learn about road safety, as well as introduce them to balance bikes. The kids absolutely loved it, and the team who delivered it were amazing, too! We even sorted out the cast for our Reception Nativity too. I love this time of year! I also had a meeting with some other Early Years leaders from our academy and another, which was an enlightening catch-up, as well as a chance to vent about things that others don’t understand about how our kids learn at such a young age!
• If we were having chai, I’d suddenly remember that I was going to update you on my HRT situation! See, the memory is shot to pieces with this Perimenopause! So the Dr called me and was more than happy for me to try a different oestrogen application to what I was originally prescribed as this one is more in tune with our natural oestrogens. Then, as she went through the dosage, she picked up on the fact that I am still on the pill, which I have told her several times, as well as it being on my records which are in front of her. “Oh! We need to change this. You need to stop your pill…” Okay, Dr. Fine by me… I hung up, thinking she was a bit airy fairy… then she called me back ten minutes later. “I just spoke to my colleagues to make sure. You should not stop the pill since it is a contraceptive.” Er, yes, I know that… “But take the rest of the stuff as I have advised.” Okay, Dr… I guess I should be relieved that she at least went and double-checked with her Dr friends before sending me off with the chance of a Menopause baby surprise!
• If we were having chai, I’d excitedly tell you that I was featured in the latest edition of my old school magazine. Always wonderful to get some recognition from the people who were in my past!

• If we were having chai, I’d mention that it was our wedding anniversary too on Friday. 21 years together. And I spent the majority of it at school, dressed up as a giant yellow bear, seeing as it was Children In Need, and I always wear my Pudsey onesie! But we had a wonderful weekend celebrating by going out as a family for the first time in ages, and we watched Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and ended with a meal at Nandos!

• If we were having chai, I’d also say that as I geared up to write this post, I saw that I have already published 4500 posts! It’s been nearly 8 years since I started blogging, and that is a lot of posts! But, then again, I do have rather a lot to say, whether anyone likes it or not! My blog is the one place I can say what I want or need to without someone not listening. If it is read, then fantastic. If not, at least I have said (typed) my piece!

• If we were having chai, I’d have to mention Sonu Singh. Storytime for you all. This face, below, though it looks cute, is the sheepish face of a kitty who has learned how to open his food cupboard. On Saturday morning, after I had fed him, he ransacked said cupboard, helping himself to another pouch of food, demolishing it, and eating half the packaging, too! This is him after I found the evidence and had to tell him off! One of my tasks on our family trip to Bluewater was to buy child locks for the cupboard! I thought we were done with them, but obviously not!

This week I have one late evening training day with school, and a couple of staff members out, too. Other than that, I hope it will be a chilled-out week. We have an 18th birthday to attend on Saturday. One of Hubby Dearest’s mate’s son is becoming an adult, and he is also Lil Man’s friend. Scary thought. That will be us in a few months, soon. Parents to a legal adult! Oh, and I hope to get some more words written for book three. I started it on Sunday, in earnest! Eeeek!

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!

Happy Monday, Peeps! Sorry I’m late, today with my Chai. and Chat, but I have just had one of those weekends! But, I’m here now. Better late than never!

Got your drink?

• If we were having chai, I’d tell you that work went by in a blur. The second school week flew by, and there was so much going on, that I didn’t have a moment to catch my breath. We had parents’ evenings, on top of other meetings, and it just felt like a whirlwind!
• If we were having chai, I’d tell you there were a few hairy moments, with awkward conversations needing to be had, but as we have to, we got through it!
• If we were having chai, I’d excitedly share with you that we had our OFSTED report results officially, and we have been graded as a GOOD school! This was what we were aiming for, to celebrate had a meal out together on Friday night which was wonderful. So that means, unless anything suddenly changes, we are free to breathe and enjoy our teaching for at least 4 years. It’s a shame, though, isn’t it, that this threat of inspecting, even for a school that knows it is doing well, can cause so much stress? And it makes teachers lose their enjoyment. of the job they want to do.
• If we were having chai, I’d mention that the garden is looking beautifully autumnal, right now, as the golds begin to show themselves to us…

• If we were having chai, I’d also say that I thought cricket was done for the year, but on Saturday Lil Man was called up to ask if he fancied playing in an indoor cricket match for the club. My goodness indoor cricket is a whole other beast! I was expecting to have to give up my whole Sunday, but it was a quick match that lasted 45 minutes. The rules were totally different, with regards to scoring, so I was lost, but they won!

• If we were having chai, I’d have to mention Sonu Singh. Now I am pretty sure he is not allowed buttered crumpets, but it didn’t stop him sitting there and staring at my breakfast the other morning… cheeky little so and so!

This week I still have meetings galore, including a school improvement officer who comes regularly, to see that we are all doing as we should be, whilst providing support, as well as a meeting in a totally different town, at one of our sister schools, to talk about the Early Years. We have a balance bike workshop for the children, as well as celebrating Children in Need on Friday! (Oh, and it will be our 21st wedding anniversary, too.) And I have my first check-up appointment about how the HRT is going, too!

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!