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

Chai And A Chat #66 #ChaiAndAChat

13 Jan 2020 43 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Happy Monday to you all! I hope your week was as good as mine!

If we were sipping chai together I’d sit back, relax, and tell you that the first week back to school was actually pretty good! The new girl is still growling, but peppering the growls with smiles, though she did kick out at a member of staff, which wasn’t so good… Still, baby steps. She’s going to be doing half days for a short while, and hopefully, once a bit more confident, she’ll be with us for the full day. Honestly, she’s like a frightened animal.
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that book-wise, things are going well too, I have finally got all the niggly changes made, and everything is all set for Pub Day on the 9th February. Still working on the actual blog tour posts, though! One highlight was taking delivery of my new book marks.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were sipping chai together I’d have to mention another awesome thing that happened. someone I don’t even know, someone who looked at my cover and blurb, shared it in a Romance group on Facebook! And I didn’t even have to ask! I was speechless. That means there are people out there who will read my book, even though they don’t know me!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that we took a lovely stroll along the prom on the weekend. It was beautifully sunny, but chilly, with a bit of a wind whipping up around us, but still… fresh air! Got Lil Princess out of the house willingly. That was worth it, itself!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Ritu Bhathal ✍🏽📚💜 (@ritubhathalwrites)

If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that two evenings a week are now keeping me busy, with the taxiing to tutoring on a Tuesday, and now a Thursday for Lil Man and his Winter Indoor Cricket nets, along with getting them both to Badminton on a Saturday morning. I’m glad though, that is a good few hours that they aren’t glued to screens!

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d say that we have Lil Princess’s first ever parents evening for secondary school on Wednesday. Somehow, her one doesn’t fill me with the dread of Lil Man’s! (wonder why?)
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I really need to finish writing the blog tour posts!!!

Right, that’s me done Peeps! Let me how your week has been!

Presence #writephoto Colleen’s 2020 Weekly #Tanka Tuesday #Poetry Challenge No. 159, #PoetsChoice

10 Jan 2020 39 Comments

by Ritu in #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge, #WritePhoto, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #ColleensWeeklyPoetryChallenge, #WritePhoto, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Photo Prompt

I’ve decided to combine two prompts for this one piece of syllabic poetry, a haiku/senryu with feeling, Hairyu, anyone?

I have combined the photo from Sue’s #WritePhoto prompt, and entered this in to Colleen#s weekly syllabic poetry challenge, #TankaTuesday. This week it is Poet’s choice of words!

Six silent sentries
Watching our every move
Nature's Guardians

Ritu 2020

Thursday photo prompt: Presence #writephoto

https://colleenchesebro.com/2020/01/07/colleens-2020-weekly-tanka-tuesday-poetry-challenge-no-159-poetschoice/

January 9: Flash Fiction Challenge – Over The Threshold

10 Jan 2020 25 Comments

by Ritu in #CarrotRanch, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: 99-Word Fiction, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Carrot Ranch, Charli Mills

Charli’s Carrot Ranch 99 word fiction prompt this week:

January 9, 2019, prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less), write a story about a carried wife. Why is she being carried? Who is carrying? Pick a genre if you’d like and craft a memorable character. Go where the prompt leads!

Nina giggled as Rakesh swept her up into his arms.

“Come on, Wifey, let’s get you inside.”

“Stop it!” She jumped down as soon as they stepped over the threshold, and turned towards him. “Why did you carry me over? We’re not English, you know!”

“Oh, I thought that’s what people do when they get married.”

“Have you never been to an Indian wedding before? Come on. I know you were born in the US, but surely you know some of the traditions,” she took his hand. “I know. If your parents were alive, it would have been different…”