Honestly, the way I am feeling, I’m not sure I have the energy for a drink, let alone a chat, today, but I will stop, and sit down for a short one with you, because it has been another crazy week, and thankfully, today is the first day of half term… and, boy, do I need the break!
If we were having chai I’d take a huge sip, before starting up with school.Week eight of the term that feels like it’s been going on forever, in a surreal parallel universe… Well, the Pumpkin Soup learning went down well, and then we got the beginning of a Chicken Pox run in my class… then, as we crawled towards the end of the week, the inevitable happened… and we ended up with three bubbles closing within school as we had four cases of Covid-19 positive results. A nightmare to end a term that has been hacking away at all of us. Thankfully, it wasn’t our bubble, but still, that’s a lot of potential people it could affect… I’m glad we’re all home for a week, now, to have that total break.
If we were having chai I’d remind you that in the summer, my classroom floor was meant to have been sanded and polished, but due to the guy being quarantined, it got postponed. Well, as we are off this week, it was booked in, so Friday evening saw me humping furniture off the flooring, onto the carpeted area, again, and though the floor will be lovely, shiny and new, it also means that I have to be in on the Monday, brighter and earlier than usual, to get everything put back into place! I need something to cheer me up, so here is a little gallery of prints (swipe on the Instagram post to see the different ones) of portraits done by my students over the last few years!
If we were having chai I’d tell you that though nothing major happened with the house, it has been great to have no one around, tinkering with things! And I did manage to contact some estate agents, who will be coming round this week to give us valuations. It’s really happening, y’all!
If we were having chai I’d tell you that I was pretty excited to have finally hit the 2k follower mark on Instagram, too, last week! Its gone up and down, since that post, but still… 2k!!
If we were having chai I’d tell you that we managed a brisk faamily walk to the local prom on Sunday afternoon, after an extremely lazy day, since the clocks went back, allowing for a lie in! I needed that blast of cool, refreshing air.
This week, it’s my brother’s birthday so I’ll be celebrating from afar, seeing as he is in Finland, and, even though we are on half term, there are countless things to do, including getting another skip to do more clearing out, taking Sonu Singh to the cat dentist as he has bad teeth (and it’s so expensive!), and ferrying Lil Man to get measured for his new cricket bat, as well as getting valuations done on the house. But, my top priority will be rest.
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!
Earlier this year, I had the honour of reading an ARC of a very special book. Special because it is written by one of my favourite authors, Amanda Prowse, and her son, Josiah Hartley.
The biggest difference between this book and the numerous others Amanda has authored, is that her previous works were fiction. This is about reality.
Bestselling novelist Amanda Prowse knew how to resolve a fictional family crisis. But then her son came to her with a real one…
Josiah was nineteen with the world at his feet when things changed. Without warning, the new university student’s mental health deteriorated to the point that he planned his own death. His mother, bestselling author Amanda Prowse, found herself grappling for ways to help him, with no clear sense of where that could be found. This is the book they wish had been there for them during those dark times.
Josiah’s situation is not unusual: the statistics on student mental health are terrifying. And he was not the only one suffering; his family was also hijacked by his illness, watching him struggle and fearing the day he might succeed in taking his life.
In this book, Josiah and Amanda hope to give a voice to those who suffer, and to show them that help can be found. It is Josiah’s raw, at times bleak, sometimes humorous, but always honest account of what it is like to live with depression. It is Amanda’s heart-rending account of her pain at watching him suffer, speaking from the heart about a mother’s love for her child.
For anyone with depression and anyone who loves someone with depression, Amanda and Josiah have a clear message—you are not alone, and there is hope.
Can I just say… I was hugely affected by this book. Honestly, I think it should be compulsory reading for all parents, especially at the moment, with the effects of the Pandemic upon the minds of our youngsters.
Now, let me share my ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!
The Boy Between is a gut-wrenching memoir delving into the depths of depression, written by mother and son duo; award-winning contemporary novelist, Amanda Prowse, and her beloved son, Josh Hartley.
Imagine being that child, for whom nothing seemed to come easy. Perceptions and thoughts as a young person, differing from others all the time. Then finding out you were dyslexic and overcoming your learning difficulties to become a top student.
The world is literally at your feet. Universities of your choice sending offers, fantastic predicted grades.
Suddenly, a fog enters your mind. Nothing appears to stay in your brain. An overwhelming exhaustion hits. Nothing is more important that getting to that bed.
Now, flip the coin and imagine being the mother of that child for whom life has been quite tough. Finally, he’s got his break. He’s doing so well. You only want what is best for your boy.
Then a change comes over him. Interest in his work dwindles. He doesn’t want to really talk or interact. A call from his tutor confirms that there may be an issue.
What no one seems to realise is this is the time that child has begun to descend into the dark hole that is depression.
I was in tears, reading so many sections of this book.
Josh’s openness and honesty buried deep inside me, I could feel the darkness he was spiralling into.
Amanda’s recount of the same days, as a mother, who would never want anything negative to happen to her son, was just as heart-breaking. The realisation that her child was suffering from an illness, which she would not be able to heal easily, was hard to read, but so well written.
I applaud both Josh and Amanda for tackling an issue that is oft swept under the carpet. Depression can creep up on anyone. It doesn’t matter where you are from, what your background is. But it is serious. Serious enough that people take their own lives when they can’t take it anymore.
I can’t recommend this book enough.
Available from 1st November from all good book retailers.
About the authors:
Amanda Prowse is an International Bestselling author whose twenty five novels and seven novellas have been published in dozens of languages around the world. Published by Lake Union, Amanda is the most prolific writer of bestselling contemporary fiction in the UK today; her titles also consistently score the highest online review approval ratings across several genres. Her books, including the chart topping No.1 titles ‘What Have I Done?’, ‘Perfect Daughter’, ‘My Husband’s Wife’, ‘The Girl in the Corner’ and ‘The Things I Know’ have sold millions of copies across the globe.
A popular TV and radio personality, Amanda is a regular panellist on Channel 5’s ‘The Jeremy Vine Show’ and numerous daytime ITV programmes. She also makes countless guest appearances on BBC national independent Radio stations including LBC and Talk FM, where she is well known for her insightful observations and her infectious humour. Described by the Daily Mail as ‘The queen of family drama’ Amanda’s novel, ‘A Mother’s Story’ won the coveted Sainsbury’s eBook of the year Award while ‘Perfect Daughter’ was selected as a World Book Night title in 2016.
Amanda’s ambition is to create stories that keep people from turning the bedside lamp off at night, great characters that ensure you take every step with them and tales that fill your head so you can’t possibly read another book until the memory fades…
Praise for Amanda Prowse:
‘A powerful and emotional work of fiction’ – Piers Morgan
‘Deeply moving and emotional, Amanda Prowse handles her explosive subjects with delicate skill’ – Daily Mail
‘Uplifting and positive, but you will still need a box of tissues’ – Hello!
‘A gut-wrenching and absolutely brilliant read’ – The Irish Sun
‘You’ll fall in love with this…’ – Cosmopolitan
‘Deeply moving and eye opening. Powerful and emotional drama that packs a real punch.’ – Heat
‘Magical’ – Now magazine
A keen environmentalist and animal lover, Josiah (Josh) Hartley lives in a remote farmhouse in the West Country with his two idle and arrogant French Bulldogs, Dottie and Beau. Happiest following the music scene in Bristol, at a festival or watching rugby with his mates, Josh enjoys the outdoor life and often heads to the sea to surf and sit on the beach watching the sun go down.
After a stint at the University of Southampton, another at the University of Bristol and one planned suicide, Josh decided to write about his descent into mental illness and the depression that held him in its grip for the past few years. The Boy Between carries the overriding message that things can and often do get better. It is a book of reflection, raw, honest and full of hope – the proof being that Josh is still here and excited about what comes next. He’s ready to catch any opportunity that life throws his way; quite a thing for someone who only a few years ago was living in a world gone grey, ready to disappear from the face of the earth…
“When you reach the end of your rope, tie a knot in it and hang on.”
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Gotta say, Spidey, you hit the nail on the head with this one, this week!
Ever had that feeling that you are literally at the end of your tether, and one more thing will just cause you to totally lose it?
I, personally, have been feeling like that the last few weeks. So much going on, at work and in my personal life, at home, that I waas beginning to feel like that camel, anxious about the last straw that was going to break my back.
What with the home ‘improvements’, errant builders and decorators all vying for attention, or disappearing before finishing things, or trying to get more money out of us because they misquoted, Hubby Dearest has been on edge. This, in turn, affects me, as he is trying to work from home, as well as trying to manage these issues, and when I get home, he has a list of complaints, moans aand worries, and the worst thing is I, physically, can’t do anything, unless I jack my job in.
Then we have my job.
I am loving the new challenge of being the Phase Leader, and I think I’m doing okay… but the stress of a mamagement role, and especially any role in leadership, during the pandemic, in a school, is TOUGH! It’s not as tough for me as it is for the Head, but still, there is a huge responsibility upon our shoulders, and this first term has been a killer eight weeks long.
We’ve all been slowly crawling to this week, where we finally get a week off, but the world didn’t want us to have it too easy, throwing four cases of COVID-19 into the mix at school, in the last two days. (Thankfully, not in my bubble, but still…)
Then dealing with an extremely close family member getting a diagnosis that no one wants to hear, and being helpless, being in a different country, and unable to be there, or to be with the people in this country, who need support, due to this danged Pandemic…
And, to top it off, a teenager causing grief for his grandmother… and needing to act as a mediator…
Tether? End? Yup. I’m there.
But, I’ve tied that knot, so to speak and held on, and finally am in the week of holidays. I’m not sure quite how restful it will be, what with estate agents due to come to arrange valuations, etc, but I’m planning on resting, as much as I can, reading, clearing out more junk, so whenever we do move, there is less to manoever, and hopefully, writing!
So… tell me, how easy do you find it, to ‘hang on’?
Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps. And enjoy your week!
I’d love for you to pop over to my other blog, to read about something really fun that happened to me – it’s Ritu meets Book Club! Click below to read and comment.
“Good things come to those who wait. Better things come to those who try.”
Nishaan Panwar
Thanks for that reminder of using patience, and a little effort to get where we want to, Spidey!
So, as you know, we have been waiting, patiently, for the builders and decorators to finish up work around the house, and I can finally say that it is all done!
(Pretty much.)
There have been niggles, but which job doesn’t have those?
Contractors who seem to be great, then they begin to show true colours. Trying to pass off extra costs above the agreed price, turning up late, making excuses…
But, no worries. It’s done, more or less, as I said.
We now have the joy of tidying up after them, getting the aethetics right, getting the agents round to do the valuations, then putting it on the market!
Our plans to start this project began a couple of years ago, and as we were gathering quotes and recommendations, getting geared up to actually start, the pandemic hit.
This scuppered so many of our plans, but we persevered, and got there in the end.
No point waiting for this pandemic to disappear…
Here’s to more positive steps!
So… tell me, are you a wait-er or a do-er?
Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps. And enjoy your week!
But I Smile Anyway... 