But I Smile Anyway…

Oh, my, can you believe this will be the last weekly update of 2021?! This year has truly flown by, I have to say…

So it’s a Christmas recap, now. Are you ready?

• If we were having chai I’d begin by saying our family member who has been in hospital, was discharged on Monday, so we were all relieved. It is not a great place to be, at the best of times, but right now hospitals are the last place you’d want to be, so to have a vulnerable elder there was worrying for us all. Thank goodness. That was a good start to Christmas week!
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that I enjoyed may hot dtrnks, all thanks to that Tassimo machine we got Hubby Dearest. I have been indulging in a Chai Latte daily. I know, it’s a little decadent. but while I can. I should, isn’t that right?

• If we were having chai I’d say that we did brave Bluewater, one evening, because the male contingency were desperate to watch Spiderman, while Lil Princess and I spent a couple of hours wandering around, and trying to locate some last minute crackers. Old BoZo had announced that we were to be allowed to mix for Christmas, and we weren’t planning a party, however we would go to my In-laws, and my sis-in-law went to get the food, but forgot crackers. You’d think, in a place as large as Bluewater, that we would find some, but what a mission! We walked the whole way round the shopping centre, twice, upstairs and downstairs, and only found ones with whistles in, so you could play tunes (LP said ‘No way!’) some with skittle in so you could play a game (again LP ruled them out, along with the ones that played a Piggy Race game!) and there were shed loads of ones that were Fill-Your-Own style, but I didn’t have the time or energy to then find gifts for them. Eventually, at the last place we looked, I found some with little chocolates in them, and Charades prompts. She said yes. (I didn’t mention the Charades game, but she actually enjoyed playing it at the table, even though she had no clue how to! I think the hight from the presents and money she had received meant she was less sulky teen, and more giggle girl for the day!)
• If we were having chai I’d mention that where my reading has been very, very slow, I managed to read approximately a book a day, (actually, Maybe more…) including my first full reading of Charlotte’s Web! (I have had it forever, but never read it as a child, and Jennie is always talking about it, so I had to read!)

• If we were having chai I’d say that Christmas Day came round and we had a blast. I was awake early, but the rest surfaced a lot later. We got ready, and opened presents, before heading off to the In-Laws. Dinner was already on the go, and I stationed myself in the kitchen with my dear Sis-in-law, where we made the final preparations to the meal. Everything was delicious, and we had fun. It was lovely to be together after such a quiet one, last year. I have eaten so naughtily for the last few months, and this last week has been uber full of convenience foods, as well as rich, festive food and puddings. I mush be a healthier eater, soon!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you I feel blessed. The children were happy, Hubby Dearest was happy, and so was I. Did I mention that I got a fantastic present? Hubby Dearest bought me a new Kindle Oasis! I was toying with investing in one, to be honest, as I have never been one to get into audio books, however, this means I can now dabble! Plus it feels so great to hold. So light yet it feels decadent. My first finished book on there was The Art Of Spirit Capture by our own Geoff Le Pard. And it was a fantastic read! I thenk followed int with Mary Smith’s Donkey Boy and other Stories. I am determined to plough though my vast array of TBR books already on the Kindle, before buying more. I know this will be tough, becaue I can’t not by books, but I realise some I have are from years ago, and I have been putting all the ARCs ahead of them. So, I finished my last NetGalley ARC (Ithere will be more next year, but I shall be more discerning about what I request…) and started upon the TBRs. I do love a chance to just immerse myself in books!

• If we were having chai I’d mention that I am now waiting on a contract from said publishers… it could be a very different year for me, next year!
• If we were having chai I’d leave you with the cute pic of Sonu Singh, from his younger years, when he allowed me to dress him up! I have to admit it’s one of my favourite pics!

This week we have a couple of bank holidays, and I am hoping beyond hope that I am able to fit in my visit to Pops and Mum, even if it is only for a night. We then have the New Year to bring in, in our new home, which we are so excited about, too! And, it’ll be 2022 the next time we reconvene to chat about all things that happened the week before… and I’ll still be off school on that Monday, at least!

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!

Aaaand… at ease, every educator out there! (Well, most of you, anyway. I know some schools are still going for a couple more days!) It’s the Holidays!!!!!!!

Are you ready with your drink?

• If we were having chai I’d have to start by telling you all about the nativity! So, we practiced every day, after our lunch hour, as the hall was always free then, and each day, I saw the children’s confidence, and performances getting better and better! Thursday arrived and I had a nervous tummy, I kid you not! It was also my directorial debut, so there were added nerves. New show, new songs… EEK! But, those children did us proud. There were one or two absences, but we managed to cover them. One of my SEN children was out, and the mothers of the other two sat with their children, to help them out with such a big change. One sat on his mum’s lap the whole way through. The other sat for a while, then did try and storm the stage a couple of times, but only to join in with the singing, and to check up on baby Jesus in the manger! The parents were happy, the children were wired, the staff were relieved! We did it!
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that the rest of the week was not quite a right-off, learning wise. We still had our activities, but the children were definitely in a heightened state of Christmas excitement. Maybe it was the consumption of chocolate with breakfast, as they cracked open their advent calendars each day. Or just that feeling of manic energy you get when you are all so tired. Or was that just us staff? Whatever it was the week went smoothly, even though we were all wondering if the Government would suddenly decide to put everyone on remote learning for the last week, seeing as the Omicron cases slowly rose. Part of me wanted this, as it could be the circuit breaker we may need, in order for everyone to have a decent Christmas. But, another part of me desperately didn’t want it to happen. Remote learning is a bummer for little children, and another end of term with no Christmas festivities for the children would have been awful. So thankfully, we got to the end of term. Crawling, I have to admit, but we got there!
• If we were having chai I’d say that I felt extremely spoilt and appreciated, again, with all the love showered on me by parents and colleagues. The whole team were, actually. I cant thank everyone, enough!

• If we were having chai I’d mention that even the Secret Santa gifts were gigglesome!

• If we were having chai I’d have to put this out there, though, especially… One of the little lads in my class, I have great affection for, because, even though we have some tussles with some of his choices, and behaviours, he really does try hard, and wants the approval and praise from the adults around him. After school finished, he came back with his mum with a beautiful box of biscuits from Fortnum and Mason’s along with this lovely message, that I want to frame and keep forever! The biscuit tin is also musical, so it’s another lovely keepsake!

• If we were having chai I’d let slip that I had a preliminary meeting with the publisher, on Friday, too… watch this space, is all I can say, right now!
• If we were having chai I’d let you know that the weekend was very, very quiet. We did hardly anything, but to be honest, I don’t think I could cope with much more than that, given the tiredness! The weekend involved, aong with a little laundry, grocery shopping, and housework (necessities!) plently of reading and drinking warm drinks! A perfect weekend!

• If we were having chai I’d share tghat even Sonu Singh decided to give me a lie in on Saturday, with no 5/6 am racket, demanding food. In fact, when I had fed him, and came back to lie down, for a little longer, he joined me!

This week will hopefully be finned with the joys of the festive season. We have a family member who hasn’t been well, and should be back in the family fold by the beginning of the week, and everyone is tentatively waiting for any last-minute announcements from the Government, regarding Christmas and mixing households… I am sure that I shall have at least two more trips to a supermarket, since the teens have turned into gannets, and even the shopping I did on Saturday seems to have already disappeared! Fingers crossed all the presents arrive as well, so I can get them wrapped. The next time we meet for a drink, will be the last Chai of 2021… where did this year go?

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!