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Chai and a Chat – #2 #ChaiAndAChat

15 Oct 2018 44 Comments

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

Well hello there!

A week has gone by and it is definitely time for our weekly catch up over a chai, or any beverage you fancy!

Chai and a Chat

If we were sipping a chai together, I’d tell you that my exhaustion has not stopped. In fact, it near killed me at the beginning of the week, with a two-day migraine, that got me sent home from school on Monday and kept me off on Tuesday too. I even missed a trip to take the children to the library, so you know it was bad!
If we were sipping a chai together, I’d tell you I was pretty nervous about going back to school, but that everything was actually pretty good in the end!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d let you know that another extremely special BBF of mine had her 45th birthday, and we celebrated by her drinking her pink gin present, followed by me getting another migraine!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d be complaining about the fact that my taxi service is back in service now too, now that Lil Man’s indoor Cricket training has started up! Meh!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d be discussing the 11+ tests, and telling you how hard it was to see and hear about the children who had passed/failed – cried/jumped for joy, all for this selective education that is not actually accessible to everyone, and the results of which can affect a child negatively, if they think, at 11, that they failed.
If we were sipping chai together, I’d confess that I have become a Baby Shark addict and that I play it as a get-up and dance song with my nursery children on the two days I am in charge of them!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d tell you that we had a wonderful Friday evening with my Brother in Law and his wife. It was an impromptu evening full of food, drink and a whole lot of belly laughter!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d mention that we had a day out as a family on Saturday and I had the joy of taking a certain young lady for her first bra fitting – EEEK! We went to the cinema and watched Night School, which was really funny, but also touched upon Special Educational Needs – a topic close to my heart.
If we were sipping chai together, I’d say that Sunday was almost idyllic, with me sitting on the sofa most of the day, unless I needed to feed people, reading. My perfect downtime.
If we were sipping chai together, I would tell you that Pops cataract operation went really well, and hopefully, the follow-up appointment will be positive, resulting in him getting a date for the other eye op too!
If we were sipping chai together, I’d be showing off my lovely french manicured nails too. I do love a fresh set of nails!!!

And for the week ahead?

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies, I’d let you know that I am trying not to count down, as every day is a new day, but that this is the last week before our October half term week off!
I would mention that it is harvest festival at school this week and that I need to remember the donations for the food banks that my kids need to take in!

So, what’s your week been like, and what are you looking forward to?

If you want, drop a line in the comments, or even link back to this with a Chai and a Chat post of your own!

Spidey’s Serene Sunday – Part 191

14 Oct 2018 43 Comments

by Ritu in #bloggers bash, Audio, Family, Spidey's Serene Sundays, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Anton Checkov, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Dreams, Imagination, Quote, Serene, Spidey

“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.” Anne Lamott

Thanks, Spidey!

I think we may have read this one together before, but it is so important, I’m glad Spidey brought it to my attention again.

I am constantly on the go; work, family and writing.

It is non-stop, seriously, and I didn’t understand before, the importance of putting myself first at times, and listening to my body telling me I needed time away from the rigours of life.

But I have managed to balance things now, and learned to spot the signals that I need to rest, break away from normality for a while, in order that I stay on track for 99% of the time.

No one can be on it 100% of the time, but we just need to learn when to switch off, and charge up!

I’ll sleep, watch films of programmes I never get a chance to, read, potter about my house, that is what I need to ground myself.

How do you unplug? 😘

Have a peaceful Sunday Peeps ❤ And enjoy your week!

Writer’s Tag

13 Oct 2018 33 Comments

by Ritu in Tags, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Writers Tag

Thank you Simon, of Planet Simon blog, for tagging me in this Writers Tag!

☆ Post the Tag and Image on your blog (see above).

☆ Thank whoever nominated you and give a link back to their blog.

☆ Mention the creators of the tag and link back to their blogs.

☆ Nominate 6+ deserving bloggers and notify your nominees by commenting on their
blogs.

This Writers Tag was created by Lorraine Ambers and Ari Meghlen. Click on the highlighted names to check out their blogs and don’t forget to leave a comment to tell them that you’ve played the fun Writers Tag so they can connect with you too.

So let’s get started with this fun, quick-fire Writers Tag and get to know each other a little better.

The Questions!

Name one novel that inspired you to write – I have to say Enid Blyton’s books carried me to another world as a child and made me want to write stories!
What’s your favourite genre to write and read? – pre-blogging I was a bonafide Chick Lit reader. the stories I wrote seemed to have that chick lit flavour to them too. But since blogging, I have been introduced to so many different genres, I don’t think I can actually say I have a preference to read any more! Writing-wise is the same. I have tried a few different styles and find that they all satisfy me as a writer!
Do you prefer to write stand-alone or series? Having only been in this writing game a short while, I can honestly say I have only written one full-length novel, and it was designed to be a stand-alone, though since finishing, there is a possible novella spin-off that could be written!
Use 3 words to describe yourself – eclectic, positive, loopy
Reveal your WIP aesthetics or an image that represents your MC or setting. Ooh, this is hard! On my mock-up cover, I used this image…
How long did your first MS take to draft? Mine was an epic journey and the idea and first words were written in 2001. The last words of the first draft were typed in April of 2018… my teenage WIP turned adult!
Who is your author idol? Having had the pleasure of getting to know her, my author idol is Amanda Prowse, best-selling author of over twenty books. Her story of how she got to where she is now is inspirational. She started out as an indie, like many out there, and her sheer graft was rewarded by an agent approaching her and a fantastic publishing deal… and the best thing? She is so down to earth!
Share a writing memory that made you determined to carry on. Reading my WIP out aloud to my children, and them wanting me to carry on reading this story!
Tell us something surprising or unique about yourself. I don’t think there is anything surprising, or unique about me! I’m a run of the mill British Indian, born to parents of Indian descent, but born in Kenya, themselves!
Share the hardest part about being a writer and how you overcame it. Time. I think time, for me, was the biggest factor, and I knew with my teaching career, that things like NaNo, though amazing, would never work for me, timing wise. So instead, I created my own writing month, RiNoWriMo, in August last year, which was when I managed to add 50,000 words + to my now finished first draft!
What’s your favourite social media and why? Share your link. Oh I have to say I love far too many! Facebook for the camaraderie and interaction, Instagram because I love sharing and looking at photos, and Twitter for the ease of sharing!
Share some uplifting wisdom in six words or less – Never give up on your dreams ❤

To my nominees, here are the questions for you to copy should you wish to play this tag. I’ve left them the same as the question I was given…

Name one novel that inspired you to write.
What’s your favourite genre to write and read?
Do you prefer to write stand-alone or series?
Use 3 words to describe yourself
Reveal your WIP aesthetics or an image that represents your MC or setting.
How long did your first MS take to draft?
Who is your author idol?
Share a writing memory that made you determined to carry on.
Tell us something surprising or unique about yourself.
Share the hardest part about being a writer and how you overcame it.
What’s your favourite social media and why? Share your link.
Share some uplifting wisdom in six words or less

I nominate:

All my writer friends that are out there in the blogosphere!!!!!

#SoCS October 13/18 – Precious

13 Oct 2018 34 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS, Poems, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #StreamofConsciousnessSaturday, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Family, precious, Socs

Linda’s prompt for SoCS this week…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “precious.” Use it any way you like. Enjoy!

So sorry for the late response (well, for me anyway!).

It was a busy evening last night, where I usually type up my SoCS piece ready to publish the next day, so I had precious little time to actually write!

But for good reason.

It’s really important to have that quality time with family, both your immediate, and your extended ones.

Last night, I rushed back after work with Lil Princess, and we cleaned the house from top to bottom (that’s my usual Friday routine, so the rest of the weekend is free!). Lil Man went to meet his mates for an hour.

We finished up and went to my in-laws to chill out with them, as though I see them every day after school, it’s usually a rushed pick up of the kids and a quick hello.

We chatted, then my Hubby Dearest, brother-in-law and his wife got back from work too. After a quick chat with them, we decided to get back to ours as the kids needed to eat and go bed.

It ended up being an evening of laughter, a time where more precious memories were made. My brother-in-law is so funny, I was laughing hysterically. I haven’t laughed like that in a ling time, you know, the whole-tears-streaming-down-your-face laughter.

And we decided to have a family day today, just the four of us, not the usual weekend of being sat at home, but getting out and actually doing something together.

The kids are getting older, it won’t be long before they are making their own plans with friends, and us parents are just a liability (for a while at least – I know you regain that respect and understanding of the importance of mum and dad when you get older, but as teens and tweens – we are just the ones that seem to say no a lot, and give out money when needed – personal cash points!) so it’s great to actually do things together.

Precious times.

Catch ya later Peeps! Happy Saturday!

https://lindaghill.com/2018/10/12/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-13-18/

Lorna’s Gin-spiring Prompt #6 – Crossed Wires #Ginspired

12 Oct 2018 16 Comments

by Ritu in #LornasGinspiringPrompt, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #Ginspired, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Crossed Wires, Lorna's Ginspiring Prompt, Writing Prompt

The lovely Lorna over at Gin & Lemonade With A Twist Blog has started a new writing prompt.

She hasn’t named her challenge, so I have – Lorna’s Gin-spiring Prompt!

Gin-spired

This week, we have the word: Crossed Wires

It’s all too easy to get your wires crossed, isn’t it?

You could be talking about one thing, and the person listening could be taking everything you say in the totally opposite way, depending on their mindset at the time.

Sometimes it can be amazing to see which way a perfectly innocent conversation can end up going if those wires get crossed.

It’s happened to me plenty of times.

I make a perfectly innocent comment, and it gets misconstrued, then you have a whole load of explanations to make to clear up a mess that really should never have even been made!

There are the harmless wires crossed things, like two people each thinking the other said they would bring the wine… (though that may not be harmless to some!) Sure, you might be thirsty, but it’s not end of the world!

Then there is the “When I said yes, I meant to a drink, not marriage!” kinda wires crossed, that can get you into all sorts of trouble too!

I had a recent incident, actually, which I cannot fully divulge, but it wasn’t a fun kind of crossed wires. And it wasn’t actually anything I had said,yet it involved days of uncomfortable silences… no fun at all.

https://ginlemonade.com/2018/10/11/how-to-do-more-with-your-blog/