Chai And A Chat #197 #ChaiAndAChat

Hello, again, Monday! And it’s the 1st of August!

The holidays are here, and I am trying to squeeze as much of what I want to do in the next few weeks, but first, let me tell you about last week!

  • If we were having chai, I’d maybe cheer just a little and say SCHOOL IS OUT!!!!! It was a strange couple f days, Monday and Tuesday. I had most of my kids in, but some classes were severely depleted as parents decided to keep their younger kids off, not bothered about the last two days. Still, we enjoyed our last days together, allowing the children to lead the activities, do things they were going to miss next year, spend time talking to each other, and we had a film day on the last day (They chose Encanto!) As always, the children and families spoilt us. We had cakes, other food, and so many thoughtful gifts. And you know this. I always say it’s unnecessary, but we all feel the appreciation, so thank you all! This has been a very challenging year, but the children have been little angels (for the most part!) I am going to miss them so much! I will head back into school at some point, but as I don’t have a classroom officially next year, it’s more to clear up my stuff, help the other two teachers set up their rooms, and get exercise books and folders all ready, too.
  • If we were having chai, I’d say that the plan was to rest up for a few days and just rest and recuperate. Well, I kind of did it, but then inspiration hit. And from Wednesday, words flowed for book two! I am so close to writing The End, but there is still so much to finish! On Facebook, author, Florence Keeling, started a hashtag #FloSoW Florence’s Summer of Words, encouraging others to write as little or as much as they want. I love a hashtag, as you know, so I joined in, just altering the hashtag slightly to #RiSoW, Ritu’s Summer of Words. and I wrote! I started with little treats to encourage me at every few hundred words, then I made the chart below to keep me on track, and guess what? I added 10K!! I am in a bit of shock! Still got around 8 chapters to close the story, but the end is in sight!
  • If we were having chai, I’d mention that I jumped on the Little Miss Meme bandwagon on Instagram. Have you seen it? People make their own character names suited to their likes, dislikes, or personalities. Of course, I had to do mine and ended up with four that I made!
  • If we were having chai, I would tell you that cricket featured, as it always does. They won both matches, but Lil Man was still not happy. Are teenagers ever happy with their performances?
  • If we were having chai, I’d have to mention one of the biggest moments in England’s football history, as the Women’s team, the Lionesses, beat never-defeated-in-a-final-before Germany to win the UEFA Women’s European cup! I don’t like football, but I admit to having the match on one screen as I was writing words on Sunday evening! and I did shout and cheer when the nail-biting extra time was finished, with England as the winners! Well done to the girls! What a team filled with inspiration for all the young women out there!
  • If we were having chai, I would end, as always, with Sonu Singh. He’s been keeping me company in the mornings, as I write, while the rest of the house is asleep, still. And this week, he even acted as a promoter for me! You know you’d buy a book from that little cutie, wouldn’t you?

I am visiting Pops and Mum with the kids this week, which I am really excited about! I hope words will continue to flow, as well as a fun visit to some of our old university friends on the weekend. Here’s hoping the weather stays good!

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!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 386 – Inspired

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“Do not wait to strike til the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking.”

William B.Sprague

Thank you, Spidey, for a thought-provoking one, this week.

This week I finally broke up for the school summer holidays. It’s been a heck of a year, as you know if you have been following me. The first full one in school after two disrupted Covid years. The first one where I got Covid.

This meant that, despite me trying to get off the mark, writing has come a poor third to my work life, and real life as a wife and parent. (I am sorry to those of you who are patiently waiting for the next book!)

But, I am fully aware that we have to make certain things happen if we want them too.

Like knuckling down and getting words typed up, and a first draft finished within the next couple of weeks.

I am inspired, but my energy levels have been so low, I haven’t been able to devote the time and brain power to finishing the story.

So, this is where the above quote hits the nail on the head.

I knew I was going to need some time to refresh myself, so I aimed to not write for a couple of days. Instead, I wanted to rest, and read, get ready, then write.

That lasted all of 7 hours. Because something inside was telling me I could write, and do it now. I could push my own boundaries, seeing as I am not in school right now, and kickstart my flow.

So that is what I did on Wednesday, the first day of my break.

I wrote 750 words.

750 more than I had thought I would, which is a start.

Then on Thursday and Friday nearly 2k poured out on each day.

I am writing this on Saturday evening, and so far another 1k has hit my screen. Who knows, there may be more.

This a crux moment in the story, where things are coming to a head, and there is so much I want to write. I feel like this one, the story of Sunny and Milan, Book 2 in the Rishtay Series, will end up as an epic saga if I am not careful!

But, do you see what I did?

I struck, despite my iron not being hot, and I really did heat it up myself! The word count written this weel is 7 k so far. The total is 87k now, and there are still around 8.5 chapters to write!

Dear God, don’t make this a 100k story!! (Or maybe do. I hope whoever reads in will want it to go on fo a bit longer!

(Note to self – you do realise half of this will go in the editing ruthless cut stage?!)

So, do you believe in taking the bull by the horns, yourself?

namaste

Wishing you a wonderfully peaceful Sunday, Peeps!

#SoCS July 30, 2022- Wash/Awash

Linda’s SoCS prompt.

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “wash/awash.” Use one, use both, use ’em any way you like. Bonus points for using both. Enjoy!

Last week, after experiencing that water shortage, I can tell you that I have a newfound appreciation for a good wash.

Washing hair with little to no pressure is high on impossible, too.

Our local Facebook group was awash with posts about who had water, and who didn’t, and there were plenty more posts from people offering help or assistance. Offers to leave their hose pipes out for those without water, or to collect bottles from the water bank that had been set up by the water company.

And that is my story of a wash!

Throwback Thursday #48 – First Dating Experiences

Having another go at Maggie and Laurens, Throwback Thursday challenge! This week it is Lauren who has set the questions.

This week’s prompt is: First Dating Experiences

  1. On your very first date, did you do the asking, or were you asked out? My first ever date was a pretty big thing, especially as I really shouldn’t have been on a date as a good little Indian girl! I was in my first few weeks at university, finding my feet as an individual, with no parents keeping an eye out for me. I was asked out by an older guy, someone who was a real gentleman, when I look back, and yes, it was him who did the asking, after seeing me at a house party he was DJing at. We went to Central London, for a movie and dinner.
  2. Were you typically stressed out before a first date? Did things seem to be easier the more you dated the same person? I think it was more nerves than stress, but things got much easier as you continued to date the same person.
  3. What did you do to prepare for the date? Did you wear new clothes or special outfits? Well, you would have to do something special on that first date, didn’t you? I remember giggling with my friends as I prepared for this first grown-up date! Not new outfits but carefully planned!
  4. How did you meet those first dates? Were your dates with friends of a family member or friends of a friend? At university, friends of fellow students.
  5. Did you have a curfew on those early dates? Did you typically arrive home on time or were you constantly breaking curfew? I was at university, so my curfew was of my own setting!
  6. Did your parents insist on meeting whomever you dated? I introduced my parents to the one person they needed to meet. (I didn’t date LOTS, honestly, but I wasn’t going to introduce them to everyone!)
  7. Where did you usually go when on a date? (movies, concerts, picnics, etc.) It was a mixture of dinner, cinema, bars…
  8. Did the boy/man always pay for the date, or did you go Dutch treat? At that time, it was more or less always the guy who paid for dates, but I also have.
  9. Were you typically the talker or the listener on a date? I try to be both, but I tend to talk a lot, as some of you who have met me would readily agree!
  10. What did you do if the date clearly wasn’t going well? (feign a headache, ask to go home, end the date early, etc.) There is always that backup plan, isn’t there? Luckily I never had to use mine!
  11. A connection from the past to the present, if applicable. How long did you date your current partner before marriage? We just celebrated our twentieth wedding anniversary in November and have been together for nearly 25 years, so it was around 4 years before we married that we dated.
  12. Bonus Question: Care to share a disastrous first date?????? Thankfully, no disastrous first dates to report!

I did it! I made a throwback Thursday on a Thursday!

One-Liner Wednesday – The End!

“And it’s (finally) a wrap!”

Ritu Bhathal (Exhausted teacher Ritu on the first day of her Summer holidays!)
Teacher appreciation. Ever grateful 😍

For Linda’s #1LinerWeds

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