But I Smile Anyway…

Can you believe that May is nearly done? When I said time was flying, I wasn’t kidding!

Right, drinks at the ready? Let’s catch up!

• If we were having chai I’d let you know that school has been hectic, as usual. There are so many things going on, right now, from working out how we are assessing the children, to ensuring we have covered enough of the learning that we wish our children to be exposed to, to spending that quality time with them, too. Monday was Pyjamarama, and the children loved coming into school in their pyjamas. We devoted more time than usual, looking at books, and reading stories together – my favourite thing!

• If we were having chai I’d not be able to let the post go by without showing you the monster pear that came in the fruit for the children! Talk about wonky fruit!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that Lil Man completed his first week of assessments. He’s enjoying coming home early, but it is a battle to get him to revise… typical boys! One week to go for him, then he can relax.
• If we were having chai I’d say that I am still pretty shattered. We’ve been carrying on with the major clearouts, to help whenever we move out of this place. There is a lot less ‘stuff’ around, and I have got very good at getting rid of things, but, Hubby Dearest has been outed as the biggest hoarder there is!
• If we were having chai I’d have to get you to raise your cups to Pops, who turned 75 on Saturday! If only I was in a position to go and see him. We can’t stay overnight yet, so it;s a long journey for just one day, especially given that Lil Man is in the middle of his assessments, but hopefully, soon, we can be together!

This week, I am in and out of school, for some specific reasaons (to be revealed soon enough!) but, suffice to say, there is some big stuff happening here! Lil Man finishes his GCSE exams that aren’t meant to be exams on Friday, so he will be free, too. OMG!

As will I. We break up for our half term. on Friday, and though it feels like a short minute since we had Easter, the last five weeks have almost killed me! It’s been a hard slog. There is so much going on in school, and at home. I can’t wait for our break!

This still stands, too!

Now, I will say this here, so hold me accountable, folks.

On top of school, the next two weeks will be hectic. We have Lil Man with his GCSE year, coming to an end, so even though they don’t have exams, there are still assessments happening, starting today, so his teachers can submit their grades for qualifications… And there’s the house. I can’t say much, but, things are moving, and this is why I need to step back, a little from some of the weekly prompts, so I can get the clearout done! Evenings and weekends will be being used to sort out the chaff from the wheat, so to speak… And, to add to that, Lil Man’s Cricket, as well as countless courses and forums we have been asked to be a part of, to keep up to date with school changes.

So, if you see me on here, too much, call me out!

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!

The holidays are officially over. I am gutted!

I feel like I haven’t done anything productive – I had plans, you know! But what I have done, is switch off, and not think, too much, about anything, other than my little family.

So, do you have your drink handy?

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that despite not being in school, it hasn’t been far from my mind. We are trialling the new curriculum, in our school, which is a strange new thing for us, especially within this pandemic time, as well as me being the Phase Leader, so needing to know much more about the mechanics of the curriculum, and data (Oh, I hate data!) I found a great group n Facebook with a whole host of schools who are in the trial, using the new framework, and there were so many great discussions, as well as ideas. I downloaded loads of documents and sent them to my work email, so I can read them when I am at work. Refused to do it at home. Also, some of my dear colleagues did go into school, to make a start on a sensory garden that we are setting up for the children. I can’t wait to get into school to see what they have been up to!!
• If we were having chai I’d say that considering I did nothing else, I did read plenty. And I am glad I did because I might need to channel more of my time to clearing out the summer house and attic, ahead of actually moving out of this place, soon enough. We have said skip, as I mentioned last week, but I didn’t make a dent in filling it, because I was just feeling Meh! Actually, that is a bit of a fib. I did do some clearing. I went through the freezer, getting rid of the out of date bits, and seeing what I actually have in here, then doing the same with all my food cupboards. I have found so much that was out of date, as well as items I know I won’t use, but in date, so I will be doing some donating to the foodbanks!

• If we were having chai I’d have to say that I did manage to get my hair cut and coloured, now we are easing out of lockdown! And eyebrows threaded. I feel like a new woman!
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that cricket took over a lot of my week, too, with Lil Man’s countless training sessions, and three of them were forty minutes away, so I was sat in the care for much longer than usual. It resulted in a backache… but, on the plus side, I discovered a beautiful park there, with a lake and I even treated myself to lovely ice cream!
• If we were having chai I’d admit that I also ventured out to Bluewater, for. the first time in 7 months. It wasn’t as busy as I thought, and because I was alone, because Lil Princess was meeting friends, I was able to peruse the bookshops and stationery stores at my leisure! It was bliss!

• If we were having chai I’d need to update you on that kitty, too… His new trick? Sitting in the tissue box, because there is obviously nowhere better to sit!

This week, it’s back to school, and some semblance of normality for us.

Now, I will say this here, so hold me accountable, folks.

On top of school, the next six weeks will be hectic. We have Lil Man with his GCSE year, coming to an end, so even though they don’t have exams, there are still assessments happening, so his teachers can submit their grades for qualifications… And there’s the house. I can’t say much, but, things are moving, and this is why I need to step back, a little from some of the weekly prompts, so I can get the clearout done! Evenings and weekends will be being used to sort out the chaff from the wheat, so to speak…

So, if you see me on here, too much, call me out!

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!