Thoughts Opinions & Memories | But I Smile Anyway...

SoCS – Real 26/3/16

26 Mar 2016 36 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Chocolate, Real, Socs

After a post I wrote earlier today, the word ‘real‘ made me think back to it.

I had compared our UK Malteasers to the USA’s Whoppers, and I lamented at the taste of the chocolate from that side of the Atlantic.

Then, through the comments, I find that actually, my American counterparts don’t actually get to eat real chocolate! You poor things!

According to legislations out there, the amount of Cacao that can be used is significantly less than here, and there are all manner of fillers used, corn starch, and fats, to bulk it out.

I feel like that is a true travesty! How can someone tamper with something like chocolate?!

REAL chocolate! I feel privileged to be able to get decent, real chocolate here. Even the cheaper brands still taste good!

Written in response to Linda G Hill’s SoCS prompt this week.

The BIG UK Vs. USA Debate – Malteasers Vs. Whoppers!

26 Mar 2016 77 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Chocolate, Competition, Humour, Malteasers, UK VS USA, Whoppers

My post for Hugh’s challenge this week, featuring Malteasers, started a little debate between myself and PJ of Priceless Joy blog fame.

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Well, debate may be a bit of a strong way to describe, but I am a firm Malteaser fan. I may go so far as to say they are my most favourite chocolate treat EVER!

So it was interesting to hear that the US had their own version, called Whoppers. PJ was sceptical that the US one would taste better than the UK one, and being a bit biased, I was inclined to agree… I have tasted American chocolate several times, and I’m sorry but I much prefer my UK chocolate thank you very much!

So when my family and I went for a day out to Lakeside Shopping centre yesterday, it wasn’t my intention to do this, but we passed a candy store which holds all manner of imported US candy. I asked out of curiosity whether they stocked these Whoppers. Alas they didn’t… but there was another store of a similar ilk that was possibly a stockist.

Right! This was great! I was so excited! I could feel a comparison post coming on, if only I could get hold of these Whoppers… and YES! They did!

My favourite!

The imposters!

So armed with my boxes of chocolates, purely for research purposes, I’ll have you know, I came home and the ~~eating~~ reviewing and ~~eating~~ photographing commenced!

Sorry, but I love my Malteasers packaging too much… so that was one point to them straight away!

Now to look at the product itself…

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Note the glossy finish of the Malteaser, compared to the misshapen sphere that is the Whopper… Hmmm… another point to the Malteaser for appearance!

And then the biggie, the taste test!

A Whopper, has that different aftertaste, chocolate wise and the ‘malt’ or honeycomb inside was rather hard and dense to bite into.

A Malteaster, the chocolate was beautifylly milky, and the honeycombe centre, light, yet crisp.

Point 3 awarded to Malteasers!

I got the family to do a blind taste test too, and they were all unanimous in choosing Malteasers as the best taste!

An amendment here, Lil Princess liked the look of Malteasers but thought the Whoppers tasted better! Sheesh! I’m going to sent her to live in the US, traitor!!!

Sorry USA, but I think we won this one hands down!

And if you would like to read about more of my Malteaser adventures, click here! Malteasers apparently help with mindfulness!

(Shhhh! Don’t tell anyone but I have hidden the rest of the Real Malteasers now! They are mine… all mine!!!! Mwahhhh ha ha ha!)

Arise, Teachers of England: the game has changed.

26 Mar 2016 Leave a comment

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories

Woe is the UK Education system!

Tim Paramour

Yesterday, I was invited to speak to a group of actors and directors from the Royal Shakespeare Company about the crisis in our school system. We discussed in detail the narrowing of the curriculum through the government’s testing agenda, the asset-stripping of the public realm through the academies programme and the “culture of fear” that has taken hold in so many of our schools as a consequence of flawed accountability measures, leaving teachers and young people alike anxious and uninspired.

Many of the questions I was asked were, quite rightly, about what we can do about all of this. One member of the group expressed his frustration that a mood of “exhausted resignation” has settled over those who want to protect our public services. During the last parliament we held strikes, we went on marches and we signed petitions; at every step we fought the government and at every step…

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The Bloggers Bash Awards ARE HERE!

25 Mar 2016 21 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories

Time to get your thinking caps on folks about who you want to nominate!
I was honoured to even be nominated last year, and I’ve met many more deserving bloggers since then!
Roll on 11th June!!!!

Sacha Black

Who Nominate? This is it. These are your Bloggers Bash Awards. BIG thank you to everyone who made suggestions. The committee spent an entire evening discussing all of them. Lots of them were similar or connected to each other, so rather than take each one specifically we have tried to incorporate as many as possible under the awards we have chosen.

We have a number of new awards this year, and some changes to the old ones.

For those new to these awards, they are part of the Annual Bloggers Bash. A physical get together in London, England, every summer. This year’s is on June 11^th, if you’re interesting in attending then drop us a line on:

Annualbloggersbash(AT)yahoo(DOT)co(DOT)uk

2016-03-09 13.23.08 You can find more information here, information about the venue here. If you can’t make it but want to follow electronically, you can join…

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Last Day Of Term!

24 Mar 2016 39 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, end of term, Holidays, Parent, Teacher

Goooooooood Morning all!!!!

Yup yup the last day of term! Finally!

And you can bet there are a lot of teachers out there who are secretly breathing a sigh of relief too! Then may not me as silent once 3.30pm hits though!

What with assessments, report writing and progress grids squeezed into the last weeks of a fairly short term, it can totally exhaust a person. Alongside the actual teaching of course!

We had a great day yesterday in Mad nursery world! Easter egg hunts completed and chocolate nests made! And today we have a mobile farm visiting too!

Last night we had a school disco for the older children so my two, ahem, Angels, ahem, were all dressed up and ready, Lil Man being the too cool for Skool 10 year old that he is, Lil Princess being the over excited 8 year old on her way to her first big kids disco!

I was there on staff duty, perfect opportunities for embarrassing my children!! (Not that I could ever do that!)

There was face painting, and my daughter asks for “make up, like real makeup!” (Madam!)

Lil Man, who didn’t initially want to come, ended up in the middle of a dance off competition and won 5 out of 6 off his dance offs! Lol! (Not sure who the judges were but hey, if it made him happy, I’m happy!)

Now the thing is, I have 2 weeks with the little loves….. And seeing them argue just this morning, I think I’d rather be back at school!!!!

#lifeofamother

#justcan’twin

#tiredteacher

#endofterm