But I Smile Anyway…

One week of the holidays done, and I have to say, it doesn’t feel much like rest and relaxation, especially when you have a son who plays cricket.

Also, I have been overindulging here so my drink of choice is a green tea. What about you?

• If we were having chai I’d start by giving you a quick overview of the week… It was busy. Not one day was filled with nothingness, which I think I realy need, right now, but the plus point pf not being at school, was that I could sit back and nap, when needed!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that there was, as I mentioned earlier, a whole lot of cricket happening this week, Lil Man was selected for the District team this season, and they had a three day cricket festival to attend. He was due to play two of the matches and was very excited. The place the festival was being held at was a very prestigious boys boarding school, not far from where we live, with sports facilities that would shame your local sports clubs and gyms, seriously! We arrived on the Tuesday to be told the match was cancelled, as the other side couldn’t get a team together. Obviously, he was disappointed. But the coach said they could stay for a while and train in the state of the art cricket nets that this school has, so while he did that for an hour, I went for a stroll around the grounds of this school, that looked a bit like Hogwarts, I kid you not! The mixture of old buildings (school establised in the 16th centure, I believe) and modern facilities was amazing, along with beautiful gardens, filled with colour, and gorgeous lavendar. We walked around 8k steps!

• If we were having chai I’d say that Wednesday was a more successful day for him, Cricket-wise. The weather was rather inclement, with covers having to go on three times, as we ran under trees for shelter, from torrentioal downpours, but they won the match. Though he only bowled two overs (should have had more!) he got two wickets so left the game with a huge smile! And on Cricket news, he played a mens game on Saturday, and again was left to bowl at the end, but only managed one bowl, getting the final wicket out on his first, and only throw! Sunday was a whole afternoon of cricket again, with his club having a cricket week for this next week. They kicked it off with an inter club fun tournament and he got a wicket again, and caught one out, too, so pretty productive!

• If we were having chai I’d sthen fill you in on the next exciting part of my week, which was Pops and Mum coming over to see us, in the new house. I haven’t seen them for a year, so this was so, so special. They arrived on the Thrusday afternoon, and we spent the three days they were with us, just chatting, eating, reminiscing, walking, and Pops got to watch his grandson play cricket for the first time, too! Originally we had plans to go out and about more, but due to the current circumstances, we decided to limit that. But, mum did request visits to the local supermarkets, because she is odd like that! It was blissful. There were tears upon them arriving, and when they left, but I feel blessed to have had that lovely time with them!
• If we were having chai I’d sigh and admit that the writing bug hasn’t hit me, yet. I was hoping that this holiday would give me the boost to really get going with writing again, but energy levels have been so low, I just can’t get my brain into gear, yet. But I have been catching up on my reading, as well as ending up with more new books on my Kindle and shelf! Ooops!
• If we were having chai I’d leave you with an image of Sonu Singh, who seems to be using my desk chair more than me, recently!

This week, yuo, you guessed it, cricket, as always, with a game today, maybe Friday, and Saturday… but I also have a new duty this week, of hospital visits, for the in laws, as I am on holiday, so it means no one else has to take time off to take them to their various checks. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday are my medical days, that means! Maybe, just maybe, some words will appear on my screen, and I hope to devote more time to doing things that will male Lil Princess happy, too, since cricket is definitely not her thing!

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Boy am I glad to say this… I am finally on holiday!

Still, an eventful week, as always. Is your drink ready? Mine is, and for once I can drink it while it’s still hot!

• If we were having chai I’d start by updating you on the final week of school. Wow. Seriously, what a week. It was our last week with our current class, and the emotions ran high, the whole week! We started, on Monday, with a transition day for the children, where they go and meet their prospective teachers for the next year, and spend the day in their soon-to-be classrooms. Usually, I would have the children we will be teaching in, in reception for the morning, too, but this year, being the way it is, we couldn’t do that. Instead, the day was filled with phonecalls to the new pupils parents, introducing ourselves to them, and answering any questions. All I can say is that next week will be very interesting! On Tuesday, another bubble burst in school. This time the Year six classes, which was so sad, as that meant these children were to miss the last ever week of their primary school. The chance to say goodbyes, taken away… it was so sad. That was a class I had from Reception, so I was especially gutted not to have been able to say goodbye to them. We had a mini graduation for our little lovelies, too, which was precious. They all wore a little mortar board had, and had their graduation scrolls created for them, and a photo taken too. We made Little Bags Of Happiness with them, too, as a gifts for them to take home from us, filled with little significant goodies, and a poem attached. They had a film afternoon, and plenty of fun activities, followed by a class dance party before the final day ended. IF you read my Spidey post from yesterday, you will know just how emotional everythig was, and we were spoilt rotten by the parents, I’ll be honest. There were tears but laughter, too!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that my head teacher took the leadership team out for a meal on Friday night. That was my first meal out since the pandemic started. It was such a lovely evening, too, with everyone who was able to come, fully relaxed, and happy. And I am pleased to announce, that you are reading the words of the new, permanent EYFS Phase Leader! This year was a trial run, as I wasn’t sure I would cope, but you know what, though I miss the time I can’t be with the children, I have loved having ateam to manage and look after. And to be honest, they are the best team ever. We all gel so well – long may it last. Yes, the responsibilities are huge, but the rewards are just as great… just dreading the thread of OFSTED now, which is due to happen next year!
• If we were having chai I’d say that outside of school, I have cricketed every night, pretty much this week. We had three lots of training sessions for the North West Kent District team that he has been selected for, as well as two lots of training with the adult teams in his club. Then, well, I am such a proud cricket mum right now. On Saturday, he played with one of the adult teams, and he was just on fire, and even received recognition for his performance! He got five wickets for eight runs in five overs. The lad hasn’t wiped the grim off his face since Saturday!

• If we were having chai I’d sigh and, with a smile on my face, say that finally I am on my break. I have high hopes for rest, writing, etc, but who knows what the next four weeks will bring… I did open my Scrivener project, the other day, to make myself feel writerly, again… and my furry muse sat with me! We all need our personal cheerleader, and this one is mine!

This week, it is still filled with cricket, with a three day tournament with the District team, followed by cricket week at the club, the week after, but forget taht. My most exciting news is taht Pops and Mum are coming down to stay! I haven’t seen them in nearly a year and I can’t contain my excitement, seriously!

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Finally, I write this as I hit the last week of term! I am sorry it’s late, but life has been hectic in different ways.

Let’s give you a quick recap, along withour weekly drink! Ready?

• If we were having chai I’d start by telling you that I wasn’t at school, at all last week… Yup, our bubble popped, due to a staff member testing positive, and as a result the nursery, and my Reception class was affected. So, instead of celebrating the last full week with the kids, I was drafting up home learning again, with the children, recording stories, and catching up on the mountain of emails accumulated in my work in box. It was very productive, but I really wish I had been at school, instead!
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that I have been horrified by the racism that poured out onto the screens on social media, and even out there, in reality, focussing on three individuals who happened to be black-skinned, and who missed penalties, meaning that England unfortunately didn’t win the Euro 2020 final… sickened, I was…
• If we were having chai I’d say that the temperatures have been getting higher and higher, ending in an extremely warm weekend, so it stands to reason that we spent a long time in the garaden. The inflatable pool was out, ice cold drinks, ice creams, and fun!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that I have been sitting here, stewing over the prospect of #FreedomDay that Boris Johnson has decided wil happen today… wheree all restrictions will be lifted, more or less, because, desipte numbers rising, he says, “Well, we have to do it some day…” I really don’t know what to say… Actually, I do… My thoughts on Instagram, yesterday…

This week, it’s the last week of term, so there will be lots of fun, on top of the push to continue to plug gaps created by lockdown. The children met their new teachers today, and I spent all day calling my new parents for next year. Had my end of Year Performance Management, finished doing all the ones I needed to do on my team, changed display boards… The rest of the week will be a mish mash of the same, with 5 days of cricket training or matches, and hopefully, I’ll end the week, with a meal out with our management team, fingers crossed!

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So, we are finally at the penultimate week of term, and it’s going to be different, but that’s for next week! Last week? Well, read on!

Let’s give you a quick recap, along withour weekly drink! Ready?

• If we were having chai I’d let you know that we had another interesting week at school. It was all a bit higgledy piggledy, because we had staff in and out, school work experience pupils in, and with Monday being a staff INSET day, that left us with just 4 days with the children. We also had the height, weight and vision xhecksfir them, that are usually done much earlier in the year!
• If we were having chai I’d mention that we did manage to have our children’s first ever sports day, of sorts. it wasn’t the way things usually are, with the parents coming, and EYFS and KS 1 joining together, because of needing to avoid bubbles mixing, but the children had a whale of a time! We had balancing races, the egg and spooon race, the over under game, a sack race, as well as some running races at the end. And, I won the teacher race too! That is more of an achievement, to be honest! 😂
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that data and reports are done, all proof read and printed out, ready to go out.
• If we were having chai I’d let you know that I am trying so hard to make sure I read, little and often, as it isn’t easy right now, and I need that wind down time, but it’s little and not as often as I’d like!
• If we were having chai I’d share that Lil Man had the last match of his Under 16s league and their team won. He was even more excited that he came out as the top wicket taker of the team for the year so far! I was extremely excited that I got to try a new Kitkat at the match!

• If we were having chai I’d also remind you that I am still doing Sacha’s challenge over on Instagram. Head over if you haven’t seen!

• If we were having chai I’d tell you that I am writing this before the BIG MATCH. As you are all mostly going to be aware, England are in the Euro 2020 finals, and the country is going mad. The first major tournament final that has been reached by the Mens team, since 1966! Still got my fingers crossed! UPDATE: So, it was a nail-biting game, with an early goal by England, which got equalised in the second half. Another 30 minutes of extra time gave no winning joy. So, we went to penalties. And in the end, Italy won at 3-2 penalties. Well played Lions. We’re proud of you. I dread to think how fans reacted, last night, though…

• If we were having chai I’d end by updating you on tha cat of mine, Sonu Singh. He’s been doing his usual, and though there was no sneaky treat stealing, he has been begging for food a lot more! Oh, and he spent lots of time with me, up in my writing room, in Saturday, as I read, while he lounged on the armchair with me!

This week, it may feel a little slower, but that doesn’t mean I get an easy ride. There is still so much paperwork for me to do, along with keeping the kids (mine, as well as my class!) on track, so I will just keep trucking along, and hope the week passes smoothly!

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So, Three term weeks, down. Three more to go… I’m not counting days, honest…

Let’s give you a quick recap, along withour weekly drink! Ready?

• If we were having chai I’d start, with that thing called school. So, paperwork wise, I think I managed to get pretty much everything done that I had hoped to. Using two evenings of working until 10.30pm, I finished most of the reports, and only have a few little statements to add to several of them, which should be done by Monday this week. Data – we smashed it out. The Good Level Of Development that is looked for by all is extremely low, but considering the lockdowns, and level of need in our year group, it was expected. All kids have made progress, and are ending the year happy, fulfilled little people, and that is all I can expect, especially with the hear we have had.
• If we were having chai I’d mention that I had a new pupil start on the Wednesday, less than a month before we break up. It’s never easy for a new student to start, especially one so young, from a different country, who has never experienced school, here, before. Still, he did say that school back home wasn’t as fun as ours, so that was good. Poor thing had to be sent hom, after being unwell, though on his second day, so that was a bit sad. Still, I hope he is better for this week! The rest of the class have been great. We are a hardy bunch, in my class, whereas the other Reception class was dropping like flies! We were secretly worrying that our year group bubble would burst, and so close to the end of term, that is not what you want, or need! We are already getting emotional at the thought of these children aready moving up to Year One, because, quite honestly, we don’t want to lose them, yet!
• If we were having chai I’d tell you that there was still cricket, as always. (When is there not, in the summer months, for me?)
• If we were having chai I’d let you know that this month, I am taking part in Sacha Black’s month long #WritersOfInstagram challenge on Instagram, so if you’re on there, you’ll see daily posts from me, as I try and post. I am so excited to be a part of her street team for her newest Non-Fiction book all about Side Characters, too!

• If we were having chai I’d share that the weather has been very inclement, but not cold. We have had sun and rain, but it is sticky and humid. Still, the garden is getting a good drink! We also had our first visitors to the house, aside from the in-laws, which was lovely! It was Lil Man’s birthday on Tuesday, as I mentioned to you last week, and he is now a fully fledged sixteen year old! So, a friend of his came round with his younger brother and mum, who is a good friend of mine, and we had a lovely catch up.

• If we were having chai I couldn’t not mention the Football! Okay, so I don’t watch it, but how exciting that England are in the semi finals!
• f we were having chai I’d end by updating you on that kitty, Sonu Singh. He’s happily finding his feet here, in the new houe, and not long ago, I found him sat in a strange place. Somewhere he doesn’t usually sit. So, I looked at him, said “What are you sitting there for?” and got on with putting clothes in the dryer. Then I noticed some little pieces of paper and card around him. Picking them up, I pondered upon where they had come from, when I realised he was sitting on something. The cheeky cat had got into one of the cupboards, and jostled a treat packet out. He’d had a go at opening it, before realising it was fruitless (treatless?), so sat on the evidence! What a naughty kitty! Love that cat, mischief and all!

This week, we have a team building Inset day first, which means a four day week with the kids, and data will be done and dusted. Reports should be gone, see ya, bye bye! Maybe, just maybe, I will be able to chill a little. Oh, Sports Day, too, as well as Hearing and Vision Checks for the whole class, then cricket. There’s always cricket. abnd Lil Man has a dentist appointment. I’m already tired!

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!