But I Smile Anyway…

Happy Monday to you all! I hope your week treated you well. Here’s my half term update!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that, though it was half term, that doesn’t meal total rest for me… I must be really wicked! It was a fun, jam-packed one though!
• If we were sipping chai together I’d start off by saying that after 118 redials over half an hour, first thing on Monday morning, I managed to get through to the doctor and got a doctor’s appointment for 3.40pm that day. The doctor was baffled, and asked all the questions I’d expect, regarding sleep patterns, diet, stress at work or home, sudden weight loss (I wish!) etc, and ended up sending me for a whole host of blood tests to check pretty much everything he could… So off I went on Tuesday morning, all prepared for the wait, as I had a fasting blood test within all the others. It didn’t take as long as I expected, thankfully, so I was home within half an hour. I called up on Friday to see whether the results were back, and they all appear to have come back clear… so the reason for my tiredness is still a mystery. It’s a good thing I still kept that Friday appointment on the 1st November. I’ll be back to find out if the Dr has any more bright ideas.

• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the rest of Tuesday was spent finishing off bits and bobs in my classroom, ready for next week, and then packing for our trip to Birmingham, to see Pops and Mum. I couldn’t wait!
• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that the journey was pretty smooth, on our way to Brum, for a change, and we got there within the 3 hours. The kids always want to go swimming there, so that was the first thing we ticked off our list of things to do! Then it was a chilled dinner at home. Thursday morning was a great time, where we ended up going through some of Mum’s old outfits. Lil Princess loved trying things on! And Lil Man did not want to be left behind. Mum found her brother’s old things too, old pullovers, pens and instruments from the 60’s when he was over here studying for a PhD! It is wonderful to look at these things, marvelling at how perfectly things have been kept, for so many years, so they still look like new!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that we then went shopping in Solihull which is where I went to school. I was also hoping to meet my dear blog pal, Shelley Wilson, and we did indeed manage to catch up for chai (me) and coffee (the rest!) My parents loved meeting her, and I’m sure Shelley can vouch for where my chatterbox nature comes from!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that on Friday, we had lunch out, at a local Nando’s and it was a funny trip as there was a server, an English guy, who was obviously taken by my Pops and his turban, so he took it upon himself to pop over to us and let Pops know he had been to a village near Ludhiana (a district in Punjab, India), before disappearing to his job. Then, as we started to eat, he came back and felt the need to sing a snippet of a Bollywood song, telling us he loved it! We got a good giggle from that! After our serenading server, we went to the cinema to watch The Addams Family. It was okay… not the best, but not the worst. (and Pops fell asleep before the film even began – don’t blame him – the adverts were over half and hour long!) The evening was spent with some family visiting, which is always fun!
• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the journey back was far from stressless on Saturday. We woke to heavy rain in Birmingham and so left at 10-30am to give us plenty of time to get back. I still had laundry, shopping and cleaning to do when I got home, what with it being diwali the next day. It was nearing 4pm when we actually arrived back at our house. Nope. not a smooth 3 hours. There was rain, traffic, rain, traffic, accidents, traffic… you get my drift? And I still had to unpack and do the rest upon arriving back home! (Another week off please? Anyone?)
• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that other tham being with Pops and Mum, I also was back to my editing. I have decided to go Indie now, so I need to do those last changes to the MS so I can get ready to launch… ! Eeeeeek!!! And I found plenty of places to sit and write, in Brum, as well as back home. Oh, and somehow I managed to buy anpother notebook, and pen, but they match my MacBook bag, soI think that’s allowed!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that after taking Lil Princess to a birthday party, we did our preparations for Diwali on Sunday. A trip to the Gurdwara to pay our respects, plenty of food at the in-laws and then back to the temple to watch fireworks! It was a good day, all

• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I would love another week off… but alas, that won’t happen! Back to school, my lovelies!
• d possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that there is a Halloween school disco to look forward too… I think.
• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that we may go to the fireworks at the local prom on Friday too, for Bonfire Night, or Guy Fawkes night!
• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I hope the following weekend will be calm and quiet… I think I’dd need it!

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

Happy Monday to you all! I hope your week treated you well. Here’s my update!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that, as you read this, I might just have managed to get an earlier Dr’s appointment. The plan is to be ringing from 8.30 am when they open to get an on the day morning appointment, so I can hopefully get to the bottom of this tiredness thing. If not today, then Tuesday… otherwise I’ll be waiting for the 1st November, when I have one booked. Yawn…
• If we were sipping chai together I’d get back to my past week and tell you that our Reception kids were exceptional at their Harvest festival! Considering this was not only their first big assembly, but their first EVER assembly with the whole school, these Lil Beauts did fantastic! They sat and watched the other year groups perform little songs and dances for Harvest, then stood in front oof over 450 people who were bigger than them, and sang and danced their hearts out. It was pretty fab, considering the Reception class usually go into silent mode, and it’s left to us, the adults of the class, to sing the songs!
• If we were sipping chai together I’d have to tell you about the beautiful portaits the children have been painting, of the adults in the school who help them. We try and get a Reception set of likenesses of all the teachers, every year, and it is rather eye opening to see what they see us as! I have a lovely official one, which I will share soon enough, but this one, I love too, as I think I look a bit like a wise owl, with fab hair!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that even though I love my work, I was definitely glad it was the last week of this term. It’s been busy. There have been up and down moments, but nothing that can’t be dealt with. But I plan on enjoying the week ahead.
• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that Tuesday was an evening of quiet reflection and remembrance, as it was #WaveOfLight Infant Loss Day. Those who have lost a baby through whatever scenario, light candles at 7pm wherever they are to create a wave of light, to remember their lost angels. It was an evening that made me grateful for the two children we have been blessed with, but also a time to wonder what life may have been like, if my other two pregnancies hadn’t ended in miscarriage…

• If we were sipping chai together I’d lighten the mood to tell you that as part of a lovely group of women on Facebook, I was involved in an autumnal gift swap. The idea was for autumn\Halloween based gifts to be exchanged… but here, before the deadline of shipping, in September, there were only Christmas things available, no Halloween merchandise… really?? Still, I sent my parcel, which arrived safely, and on Friday, mine came from the US, complete with fantastic American Halloween candy, a book, some fantastic tea and two beautify scarves! This one has to be my fave!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that on Saturday, Lil Princess and I decided on a pamper day: hair, eyebrows, nails, that sort of thing. I had factored in a whole afternoon of treating ourselves… but didn’t factor in a LOOOONG wait at the hair salon. Where we usually go is a place where you don’t make appointments, but sit and wait. It can take around an hour, but I usually have my Kindle with me, so it’s no big deal. This time, we arrived and there were three ladies ahead of us. But the issue was the people already in the hairdressers seats. They were all having crazy big stuff done to their hair from perms to whole head high lights, to fancy hairstyles for nights out. And the poor stylists hadn’t had lunch or anything! I think we waited over two hours to be seen, then my highlights, roots and cut and blow dry took another three hours. It was dark when we left. I hadn’t even managed to finish my book as my Kindle battery died on me! Then, as we hurried to the car park, Hubby Dearest texted to ask where exactly we were… it had been over five hours by then! And the car park poedestrian entrances, and lift and stair well had been locked up! So we hurried around to the ramp entrance and got in from there. Goodness knows what he would have thought if I had to call up to say our car had been locked in the car park! And the most annoying thing? All the rushing around to get to the car ruined my blowdry! Grrr!
• If we were sipping chai together I’d say that as nails and eyebrows didn’t factor in on Saturday, I popped into town early on Sunday to have my nails sorted out, along with a LARGE Chai Latte, which was yummy!

• If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you we popped in to Bluewater for lunch and a little light shopping in the afternoon, and I might have just managed to slip a couple more books into my shopping bag… oops!

• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I can’t wait for Wednesday when we will drive up to Brum to see Pops and Mum. You don’t understand how much I need to be in the cocoon of my parents embrace right now.
• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d sheepishly admit that I will need to pop into school on one day at least, to get things ready for the new term. Just a bit of photocopying and data, honest!
• If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that it will be Diwali, or Bandi Chorr Divas next Sunday, so I’m sure there will be plenty of photos of food and fireworks for you too see!

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