Thank you Spidey, for finding such a lovely quote.
Yesterday, was Lil Princess’s birthday. My daughter turned teenager.
I am quite overwhelmed, you know, because, firstly, I am now a mother to two teenagers. So I feel old!
But mainly, because I don’t know where the last thirteen years disappeared to. It only feels like the other day that she arrived, kicking and screaming, into the world, and now, she’s nearly a woman!
When people say, ‘make the most of those young years’, they are right. At the time, you may be finding it hard to deal with young children, and you wish away the years where they won’t sleep, keep crying, asking “Why?”, follow you everywhere, even the loo.
But, honestly, you will suddenly find yourself here, like me, with the kids who are full of hormones, and they don’t actually want to be anywhere near you, (unless they want something, in which case they can be really sweel!), they don’t really talk to you, their rooms start to smell, because they live in mini pigstys, no matter how much you try to keep them tidy…
Then, the flip side, when they get older, they become mini friends. The conversations you can have with them, the jokes you can share, and, with my girl anyway, the advice and tips on hair, clothes and make-up! (Mind you, I really don’t care about those things, but if I ask her for help, she’s in her element!)
We enjoy music together, silly Netflix films and series. Baking together in the kitchen, girlie chats about life.
It’s all part of the joys of being a mother, you know, and though I miss my little squidgy baby, I have a beautiful young lady by my side, now, and she will always be my baby…
I am delighted to welcome the very talented, and generally very lovely Lizzie Chantree to my blog today, to introduce her new book, releasing tomorrow!
Over to you, Lizzie!
Why did you choose the setting you chose and do the locations hold any real life significance to you?I chose this setting because I’m from Essex and the coastline is beautiful here. I’ve always wanted to write a local story and I was sitting in a little cafe by the sea, when an elderly lady came in, sat down and began crying. The young waitress rushed up to comfort her and they spoke for quite a while. After the lady left the waitress told me they had only just met, which it made me think about the kindness of strangers. The cafe I was in was beautiful and had been family owned for generations. I wondered what would happen if they all fell into a state of disrepair and a story grew from there. The little ice cream shop by the sea is about unexpected friendships through the generations and how family heritage can sometimes mean more to some than others. This story has a bankrupt celebrity chef in it who flies in to protect his grandmother. What made you think of this character? Cal has had such success but overstretched his business and his world collapsed around him, so he’s been hiding and licking his wounds. Hearing about the ice cream shop owner, Genie, and her new friendship with his grandmother, he decides that Genie must be after his family money and rushes to protect his grandmother, Ada. He doesn’t realise that a few of his actions make the cracks in Genie’s relationship with her own parents even deeper and he uncovers a family secret he really wishes he hadn’t.
Blurb
From the international bestselling author of If you love me, I’m yours, Ninja School Mum and Babe Driven. Genie’s family is in crisis. Their seafront business is failing with the loss of Genie’s grandmother and her legendary ice cream flavours. Genie is determined to be the one to save her family’s heritage, but suddenly her mother wants to sell to developers and leave their shared history behind. Buying the business and taking on a sixty-eight year old business partner, Ada, with a mysterious past and a gorgeous but distracting grandson, Genie sets out to prove her parents wrong. Ada’s grandson, Cal, wants to protect his gran from ‘pensioner persuader’, Genie, but soon realises that living in a little seaside town and away from the paparazzi in Hollywood can actually give him time to heal. Hiding in a seafront business with its fiery owner and working as kitchen staff, is the only way he can think of to keep his ex-Hollywood glamour-puss, gran from harm. But his meddling might also ruin Ada’s second chance at love. Hiring a private detective and learning about Genie’s parent’s past makes Cal regret his own impulsiveness. The information he has unearthed could destroy their blossoming romance and turn Genie’s world upside down. Genie soon discovers that friends can become enemies and your closest family can have lied to you for your whole life.
Bio International bestselling author Lizzie Chantree, started her own business at the age of 18 and became one of Fair Play London and The Patent Office’s British Female Inventors of the Year. She writes books full of friendship and laughter, about women with unusual businesses, who are stronger than they realise.
Okaay, now this just getting to be a bit mad. We are already in the middle of February!?
Are you comfy, with your drink?
If we were having chai I’d start with m y school update. So, that wish of mine, to get snow? Well, we woke on Monday morning to a blanket of snow and very cold temperatures. I have been wishing for the white stuff, for so long, so I wasn’t going to complain! The only problem is, some of our staff life in places where the snow had come down even heavier than here, so I drove in very carefully, and we started the process of working out if we would have enough staff to look after the children. Nope. Even the head teacher was stuck. Monday morning was phone calls and rearraanging things. Then I had to get back home, ASAP, but carefully, as I was driving, to take part in a video call with the CEO of the Academy we are a paart of! What fun. The rest of the week followed in a similar vein. Tuesday was no new snow, but sheets of ice on the road, and if you read my Wednesday post, you’ll know that as I walked into school, I managed to slip, as I walked in. We were going to be closed, but due to GDPR, there are some contacts we don’t keep at home, so a couple of us who live within walking distance, came in to phone or email some of the parents to let them know school was closed. It thawed a bit by Wednesday, so we were open. After debating whether to waalk or drive, I chose the car, as one of our lovely neighbours had gritted our road! Bless youm Lee! I popped in, in the morning, as I wasn’t on duty with the children, did my planning and had a video meeting with my team, before, heading home to work from there, hot water bottle on lap. It was still very cold! Then, on Thursday, we woke, after one of the coldest nights, here, to more snow! The thawed snow from the previous days had become ice, and the new snow made it all look so pretty, but way too lethal! School closed, again. I walked, very carefully, with no slips to report, and we did the relevant calls, before heading home, to work in the warmth of our houses! I will openly admit to being in my bed, laptop on lap, as I worked, because it was freezing! As the day passed, the sun came out and melted the majority of the snow. And Friday is my usual work from home day. But I still went in, because it was the last day. And I forgot stuff I would need, during my week off!
If we were having chai I’d have to mention how wonderful it was to get the videos on our learning platform for the children to watch. The feedback was so fantastic. Kids were so happy to be able to see their teachers, and the comments they left, warmed our hearts. On top of that, I received a couple of messages from some of my team, that literaally made me cry. I dreaded the thought of being a ‘Phase Leader’, and managing people in a professional context, but, maybe, I’m not that bad at it!
If we were having chai I’d tell you that Hubby Dearest, and Mum-in-law also celebrated their birthdays, and we had another video cake cutting session. And for the first time, Lil Princess baked a cake for her daddy, which was so precious. 💜
If we were having chai I’d say that we still haven’t had an offer on the house, but another viewing was on Wednesday… keep your fingers crossed for us!
If we were having chai I would be bubbling with excitement to tell you there was another birthday. My book, Marriage Unarranged turned one, on Tuesday, too! I can’t believe how fast it has gone, to be honest!
If we were having chai I couldn’t forget to mention Valentines Day, could I? I woke up and no one else was up, so after reading, with a cuppa for a while, I made myself a self love filled breakfast! Once the rest woke, I was spoiled with chocolates and roses, but we kept it quiet, because, well, there’s nothing else to do!
This week, it’s half term break. We have been instructed to not think about work, and have aa well-deserved rest. So that’s the plan! I’ve got a fun FaceTime and Chai catch up planned with my dear friend Lucy Mitchell, a little later, today, as well as my car going for its service and MOT, (because the birthdays in my family this month are just not expensive enough…) And we end the week with Lil Princess turning into a TEEN! Eeeeks! This time next week, I’ll be a mother to two teenagers, God help me!
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!
Well, lookie here, it’s Loveuary! February, the month of love has started, and we’ve enjoyed the first week. How was yours?
Now, grab your drink, I definitley need a hot one, as it is freezing, here!
If we were having chai I’d start, as always, with school. It was my week away from the kids last week, but that doesn’t mean I got to sit at home, in luxury. As the Phase Leader, for the EYFS, I have to be in more than the others, to make sure everything in my department is running smoothly. I aim to be at home, working, on a Friday, but the rest of the time I am in. This week, however, I was also at home on the Tuesday, as I needed to add taking Lil Princess for her HPV vaccination, to my list of things to do, and I also had a long two hour + Google meeeting with an advisor who is giving me and a couple of my colleagues some support with leadership skills. But that means Monday, Wednesday and Thursday were pretty full on! We have had such a headache, trying to offer video provision to our remote learning, and I think, after what feels like weeks of testing, research and failing, we got there! So, we’ve been recording video introductions of our week, and getting stories read, and recorded, too. I hope the children enjoy and appreciate them! I had wonderful phonecalls with many of the parents, too, and even though we don’t know the definite end to all this, the majority of them have been amazing, and really appreciative of whatever we are trying to do for the children, and them. It’s times like this that I remember why I do the job, I do!
If we were having chai I’d remind those of you that have been with me for the last few years, that February is not only the month of romance, but in my in laws family it is full on birthday month! We celebrate my brother-in-law, then Hubby Dearest and my mother-in-law, followed by my father-in-law and Lil Princess. Last week was the turn of my Bro-in-law. It’s a strange time to be celebrating birthdays, during a lockdown, especially when we are used to being all together. We couldn’t even go out shopping for him, instead, relying on good old online for gifts. I delivered the bag, then got home to find that we had a delivery of our own. His wife, my sister-in-law, had arranged for a cake to be delivered to us, so we could do a video call cake cutting, and have some to eat, even though we were away from each other. How lovely of her! It was strange, but lovely, to be able to see them, and have a catch up, and the cake was yummy!
If we were having chai I’d update you on the house front. So, things are still, tentatively, going well. We had three viewings on the weekend, and there was promise from them all. Here’s hoping an offer materialises! It’s only once that happens, that we can take the next step, with our forever home, you see. We are trying hard not to dream too hard, until things happen, the way we want them to, but fingers crossed!
If we were having chai I’d have to tell you of my huge disappointment, yesterday. We had been told that there would, finally be snow. Lots of snow. The Beast from the Baltic was due to vistit the South East, bringing with it, around 20 cm of snow. I woke early, but purposely didn’t open the curtains, because all I wanted to do, was fling open my drapes and view the glorious blanket of white. Finally at 8.30am, I could wait no longer, and, looking out, I could see the swirling flakes of snow, but, on the ground, nothing. The snow continued to fall all morning. ALL MORNING! Yet still, nothing. We had two viewings of our house, at lunchtime, and, as we sat in my car, the flakes got bigger. Was this going to be it? No. It carried on, falling relentlessly, yet every flake melted, as soon as it hit the ground. It was only at around 4pm that we got this… I’m told, by the weather people, that tomorrow morning, I will definitely wake to proper snow. I’m not holding out any hope!
20cm… pah!
If we were having chai I’d end with letting you check out my new Kindle holder… 🙂
This week, I’ll be busy with Hubby Dearest’s Birthday (today), and mother-in-law’s birthday (also, today) followed by craziness at work, with parents coming in to pick up resources, weather-pending, and another Google Meet with the CEO of our academy, so I can demonstrate the home learning we have to offer our pupils, alongside two of my colleagues. I’m also on duty, this week, so, again, weather-pending, will be with the Key Worker and Vulnerable kids this week. Fingers crossed for some good news from the viewings, and it will also be Valentines Day on Sunday. Oh, I do hope for that snow!!!
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!
Another week goes by in a blur… and that’s the first month of 2021, GONE!
Anyway, let’s get to it. Where’s your drink?
If we were having chai I’d start with a quick school update. So I was on in-school with KW Children duty this week, and the week went pleasantly enough. We were given our LFD test packs this week, so we now have to test twice a week, to locate any possible asymptomatic cases within staff. I did my first one on Saturday. I was so nervous, to be honest. Obviously, I don’t want to be positive. For everyone’s sake, and for more selfish reasons. We had a few things happening this weekend, as well as several appointments over the week which I really can’t afford to miss or reschedule… the pack honestly looks like a pregnancy test, except you don’t pee on a stick, you still do the throat and nose swabs, before putting your sample on the test. It was Negative, thank goodness!
If we were having chai I’d tell you that I was very happy to hear that my parents got their first vaccinations on Saturday. One step closer to being able to be together, I guess! And my in-laws got their letter through to book an appointment for theirs, too. Mum in law wanted an asymptomtaic test first though, to ensure they were both fine, so I booked those in for them, and they also came back negative. So at least our parents will be vaccinated with the first shots. Thank goodness.
If we were having chai I’d update you on house stuff. So, we decided to get new photos done of the house, by someone more professional than the estate agent who did the original ones. I teel you whata, going professional is tiring! I spent Saturday doing a huge disappearing act, taking clothing off our clothes rails, losing unnecessaray furniture, stripping the kitchen bathroom and living room, buying throws and cushions to look a little more fancy, and dismantling Hubby Dearest’s office on our dining table, so the room could look more like a dining room for the pics. I exhausted myself on Saturday, then before the photographer arrived on, at 11 am, I was shifting furniture, and doing a last minute clean. The photos took 2 hours, with a bout of me running up and down stairs moving things. She was a great photographer, too. Then, when she left, it was mission get back to normality, again. I didn’t even eat, all day, until 5.30pm! And I think my Fitbit told me that before, I sat down, I did 20.5K steps! But, at least the photos are done, and hopefully, they will help get some more viewings in… then we are another step closer to our dream home.
If we were having chai I’d tell you that I received my January treat to myself. It’s a Covid mug! Can you read it without singing?
If we were having chai I’d finish by telling you that I completed my January journaling challenge! 31 days of prompts, and creativity in my journal. It has made me think about how I can use the skill regularly, now, too!
This week, I’ll be hoping for news on the house situation, taking Lil Princess for her HPV Vaccine, doing all the usual school stuff, as well as a few online trainings, and a Zoom meeting…
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!
But I Smile Anyway... 