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

More Glimpses #newbook #booklaunch

18 Mar 2019 12 Comments

Highly recommended!
Congratulations Hugh!

Sign #writephoto

14 Mar 2019 39 Comments

by Ritu in #WritePhoto, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #MicroPoetry, #WritePhoto, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, poem, Sign, Sue Vincent, tanka

Sue is back with a new #WritePhoto prompt.

Always welcome here
Witches, Wizards, Mystic folk
Fairies, Goblins too!
We all need to quench our thirst
Come in for a tasty brew!

Ritu 2019

Thursday photo prompt: Sign #writephoto

The Day The Moon Began To Disappear – Speculative Fiction – March Edition

06 Mar 2019 72 Comments

by Ritu in Challenges, Fiction, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, D Wallace Peach, Flash Fiction, Speculative Fiction

Diana has another intriguing photo for her March prompt…

The Day The Moon Began To Disappear

A fine dust was falling from the sky, coating everything with a light, ethereal film. The dust settled on the ground like a warm snow fall, yet as I stepped upon it, my feet sank, as if in sand. The powder swallowed each foot and released it as it took it’s next step, leaving not a blemish upon its surface. A strange smell filled the atmosphere.

And that moon… it drew me closer and closer. The eerie glow from the eclipse was almost hypnotic.

I reached the point at which it looked like I was standing directly below this usually friendly satellite of the earth, then squinted upwards. The advice was to never look directly at the sun, but the moon was in the way so I felt no fear.

Until I realised that this dust appeared to be falling directly from the moon..

And that the moon was actually nowhere near the sun…

And that there was indeed a little man sat on this sphere…

Grating.

It all began to make sense… and yet it didn’t.

Now we know for sure that the moon really is made of cheese. The parmesan, stinky sort. That is what the smell had been.

And the ethereal feel of the earth?

Those shavings had taken away a side of the moonlight and laid it upon our surface instead.

Leaving the moon with a dark, dull face.

https://mythsofthemirror.com/2019/03/01/march-speculative-fiction-prompt/

One Liner Wednesday – #1LinerWeds – Teacher/Mum Problems

06 Mar 2019 52 Comments

by Ritu in #1linerweds, #onelinerwednesday, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #1linerweds, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Guilt, Linda G Hill, one liner challenge, Parent, Teacher

“Being a teacher and a mother is a really tough double role; you are paid to spend your days nurturing other peoples’ kids, yet feel guilty within, if you need time to look after your own…”
Ritu

By no means is this a dig at anyone who I work with.

I am lucky with my management team. They totally understand that family is a most important part of our lives, and that work/life balance is key to happy teachers and success at school for all.

No.

I am talking about that internal tug of war we educators will all feel, at one time or another, if we decide to start our own families.

The amount of times I have had to argue with myself about letting my class, the parents, and the school down, if I end up taking a day or two off because own child is unwell…

It’s silly really, isn’t it?

Obviously my child should come first, and they do, believe me, but I am also lucky that under normal circumstances, I have their grandparents to help out if they are under the weather. If they are really bad, there are times only mummy will do.

But times like now, when the in-laws are away, it gets hard.

Take today for instance.

Lil Princess was battling with a severe headache on the weekend. She woke up on Monday with a slight ache still, but wanted to soldier on. Dosed up with Calpol, she went to school but I worried about her a lot, as she wasn’t right, and I also had the added joy of Parent’s Evening that night, until 7pm…

She walked to her grandparent’s house at the end of the day and developed a really bad cold, which was what the headache was a precursor to… Head cold. No fun.

Tuesday, she was full of it. Bunged up. Head ache, cough. Temperature.

It was awful for her.

My bro and sis in law were both home and they had already offered to have her the next day, as they knew I had another Parent’s Evening and they happened to be home.

But I felt so bad.

I know this parents meeting is really important. But so is my kid.

Again, I feel thankful. I am lucky enough to have a solution to childcare. And the offer of her being there today too, if she is still not right, is reassuring. I am not fobbing her off on anyone. But the guilt…

The guilt that I am projecting on myself… I should have stayed at home. I should have not thought a toss about work.

Yet I did.

And I left her… (in good hands, of course)

Written for Linda’s #1LinerWeds Challenge

Chai And A Chat #21 #ChaiAndAChat

25 Feb 2019 42 Comments

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

Well hello, again Peeps! Have you got that drink ready? My chai is waiting!.. I have a doozy of a week to tell you about!

If we were sipping chai together I’d sigh and possibly be looking for something stronger than a chai! (That, I said last week, and it still stands this week too!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the half-term holidays is a chance to recharge your batteries… yeah right!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that the simple car service and MOT did not go to plan. I can’t bore you with all the details, but if you click here, you can read my anguish in full! Basically, it failed its MOT on something ridiculous and the garage could have sorted it out easily… and there were other issues, I have emailed the company I booked through to complain, and am still waiting for a response… Oh, and it was dang expensive!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say the above rigmarole really messed with our plans. As it was Lil Princess’s birthday in the week, there were umpteen things to do, and being without a car for two days really didn’t help. But it did give me a chance to do more #KonMarie- clearing! I got up into the attic and really had a good scour around, in the dusty place, found some gems and got rid of loads again! I think another 10 bags or so of old soft toys, puzzles, more toys and clothes, again!

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If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that all was not lost though. I treated myself to the All-New Kindle Paperwhite and it is lovely! All my unread books are ready for me to dive into, which is just perfect! My old one was cleared and set up for Lil Princess, and she loves it!

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If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that on top of the car-aziness on the Monday and Tuesday, we had an impromptu visitor. Hubby Dearest informed me that his cousin, who was visiting from the USA, was popping over, and would possibly be staying over. I do get on with this cousin of ours. He is great fun. The kids love him too, but it was just a bit manic, with my hallway full of black bags full of stuff that no longer sparked joy and me with no car. ANd the worst thing? He was driving up in his parents’ car, and all the electrics failed as he was nearing us, so he had to abandon the car, and get a lift to us too. I don’t think this is a good week for cars in our family…
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that Wednesday and Lil Princess’s birthday finally arrived. She tells me it was her best birthday ever! We finally relented and got her a SIM card for her phone, and as she walks home alone some days, I feel it was a good call, but not before a lot of coaching on the appropriateness of how to use a phone, Social Media, sending (or not sending) photos to people, etc. She also got an Instax camera which she thinks is the bomb! Added to a catch up at an ice cream parlour with her friends, and CAKE, and lots of lovely presents, she really did have a wonderful day!

If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know we even managed a mother-daughter nail appointment on Thursday, a girlie lunch date on Friday while Lil Man was meeting his friend, and on Saturday, we had our hair done. Truly a great bonding week for us both! We also watched Life of the Party, where a mother ends up going to college with her daughter, and despite huge embarrassment and misgivings on the daughter’s part initially, they both have a fantastic time in the end. (I still don’t think Lil Princess is convinced that it is a good idea for us in the future thought…!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you Lil Man discovered his Dhol drum again too, and I really wish he’d take it up again. He is so good… That is my boy playing below. What do you think?

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If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know we managed to help the in-laws get packed and ready for their extended trip back to the Motherland too. It’s always bittersweet when they go. I appreciate the freedom we suddenly have but miss all the support they give, and the reassurance I have that no matter what, the kids are always in a safe place.

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that it is back to school time, and though I am always up for the new challenges that every term brings, it’s always a little fraught while the in-laws are away, and I can never give my 100% as I am worried about my own children after school!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that we find out where Lil Princess will be going to secondary school this week too, and I am as nervous as anything. She wants to go where her brother is, and I am hoping she gets her place there, but you honestly never really know… Roll on Friday, with some good news!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d add that I’ve also got another Tootie Frootie night out planned on Saturday, to a comedy night, and I am just a tad excited, especially as I personally know two of the fantastic comedians who are performing!

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!