Chai and a Chat | But I Smile Anyway...

Chai And A Chat #35 #ChaiAndAChat

03 Jun 2019 31 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up, get that drink ready!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that it’s been a lovely, buys, but not busy first week of the break. As you read, Lil Man is back to school, and Lil Princess and I are embarking on the first of a few girlie days this week!
If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that the kids have been out most of the week for hours at a time, playing with their new street friends. I am seriously so happy that they have bonded with each other, and that we can let them out with no worries (well, almost no worries, but the story of this gang deserves another post, of its own!)
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that we ended up at the cinema twice this week too, to watch The Secret Life of Pets 2 and Aladdin. The kids really wanted to see the first one, and I was desperate for the Disney one! Actually, Lil Man refused Aladdin at first, so the plan was to watch that with Lil Princess next week… who I had to bribe to watch it with me… But, that was the film we saw first last week, after Lil Man had a change of heart… and it was such a good movie! I absolutely love the animated version, so was skeptical of a real life copy, but I had no need to be! Aladdin was gorgeous, Jasmine was beautiful, the sets were amazing and Will Smith as the Genie did Robin Williams proud, both making the character his own, as well as keeping the original Genie spirit alive. The kids were buzzing after it, and I was singing the songs to myself all evening. In contrast, The Pets film was… cute… but a little flat after the magnificance of Aladdin. Can’t wait for The Lion King now!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you I started the arduous task of EYFS report writing for school. It is so time consuming and the information needed changes from year to year, so we have to start early… just so the end of July doesn’t fly by in a haze of paperwork.

If we were sipping chai together I’d say that I managed to read lots too, as well as get started on the editing of my book, which was really exciting, and fueled by an hour long conversation with my editor, who is just lovely, and was so encouraging with her comments. I forsee a little work, not crazy rewrites, but some overhauls, and a few additions with a couple of take outs as well… but all in all, positive stuff! So positive that I have started the hunt for my book cover too!!!

If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that I have done hardly any house work… is that bad of me? This week has been about relaxing, letting the kids be kids and the Ritu be Ritu! Aside from the cursory wipes of surfaces and hoovering, and the dishes, oh, and the laundry, I have done none. And I feel great for it! Sometimes you have to let go of routine a little!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that Hoppaling Hubby is no longer in a cast! Yay! But he is now in a walking boot, which is a cumbersome device that means eventually he will be able to put weight on his foot, but there is still a definite second lot of 2 weeks where he can’t drive or go to work… Frustration is getting to him, as it would to us all… Cabin fever and all that … but we did get out to Lil Man’s cricket match, which was a change for him.

If we were sipping chai together I can’t forget to mention that I was driven to emotional tears of joy from a most wonderful review of my poetry book, Poetic RITUals, by the lovely Lucy Mitchell! Check it out below!

https://blondewritemore.com/2019/05/28/bookreview-poetic-rituals-ritubhathal-poetry-tuesdaybookblog/

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that, as I mentioned earlier, this week will be devoted to some girlie time with my Lil Princess, a little shopping, a little hair pampering, a little nail stuff… that kind of thing.
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention I shall be taking Hubby Dearest to his office one day, for the first time in nearly 8 weeks. I hope he appreciates the taking away of my holiday time… but it means lots more uninterrupted reading time for me whilst he is catching up with his colleagues!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d say that another exciting thing is that I am being interviewed for a Podcast tomorrow! More shall be posted, as I know more!

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!

Chai And A Chat #34 #ChaiAndAChat

27 May 2019 39 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: #ChaiAndAChat, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up, get that drink ready!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that I am sat here, rather late on Sunday evening, typing this up, but relatively relaxed, as we have finally started our two week mid term break! Phew! I really need this!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that as usual, school has been a haven, but a busy one, what with the joys of assessment, and planning, coupled with preparing for reports that need to be written for the end of next term. Yes, I know that may seem like a while away, but our Early Years reports are so indepth that to get a head start is the only way to cope! So, I have come home for my break accompanied by my laptop, which I never usually take with me. I will have to bust it out a few times at least, but once I’ve made a dent in the 30 reports, I’ll chill!
If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that we had a Teddy Bears picnic too, at nursery, which is always so cute, and one was interrupted by a fire alarm drill. I was very proud of my little mumchkins, who trooped to our safe spot, with their handmade bear ears on, confused and not knowing what was happening… then they got back in time for some more teddy bear fun!
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that the rest of the week was pretty normal, for me. LAte finishes at work, then picking kids up and ferrying them around to training etc. but the addition of them playing lots outside with their new street friends was really wonderful. They have been on screens a lot less, which has been a blessing, and out on bikes, which means Lil Princess especially, has increased her physical activity! And one of her new friends also loves art, so they spent part of yesterday, painting too! The icecream truck has been coming and the guy knows there is a gaggle of kids at the bottom of our road every night now, so he’s happy, and so am I!

https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx0G9GWph89/

If we were sipping chai together I’d also mention, rather excitedly, that I got my manuscript back from my editor (feels rather special to say that, my editor!) with plenty of notes and so much positive feedback about the story too! We are going to be chatting on the pone this week so I can start implementing some changes… once the dreaded reports are under way!

If we were sipping chai together I’d say that the weekend has gone by rather peacefully, with books being read, summery drinks being consumed in a sunny garden and generally, happy families all round! Can’t complain, can I?

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I’ll be taking Hoppalong Hubby to the Fracture clinic tomorrow to get his cast removed, but it’s not the end yet. He’ll be needing another now, but weight bearing one this time, I hope!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention I shall be taking the kids to see The Secret Life Of Pets 2 as well, and am hoping to twist their arms to go and see Alladin too! (that one is more for me!)
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d say that after this week, Lil Princess and I get a second week off, whilst Lil Man goes to school so there are many girly plans afoot for our mummy daugher time!

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!

Chai And A Chat #33 #ChaiAndAChat

20 May 2019 42 Comments

by Ritu in Chai and a Chat Tags: #ChaiAndAChat, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Catch Up, Chai and a Chat

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up, get that drink ready!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that it’s been another week of rushing around… And it won’t end anytimes soon either… not whilst that cast is still on Hubby Dearest’s foot…
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that this week we had to tiptoe around Lil Princess… Yes, I know she is moody at the best of times, but the past week was stressful for her and her compadres, as it was SATs week. The time the government wants us to test the 7 and 11 year olds, supposedly to see how the school is doing, but inevitably, it ends up stressing the kids out too, no matter how much we try to play them down at school. At 7 it’s a lot easier to make things seem like a usual school day, but at 11 the classrooms change round, with display boards covered up, and desks lined up in exam formation, so even if we are trying not to make things different, they are. She was okay with the English tests but he is not a fan of Maths and they stressed her out, especially the reasoning papers… Still, they all got through and I am told the papers appeared to be pretty fair. So it’s up to the children, as to how they perform. We try, at home, not to make too much of a big deal about it all, but she is old enough to understand that she is being tested and marked… and it affects a child. We celebrated the end by going for icecream at the local Treatz dessert place! (Maybe more my treat than theirs…!)

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you the usual backs and forths occured with training and tuition, from Tuesday to Sunday… and culminated in a cricket match on Sunday morning, which they lost… but Lil Man bowled pretty fantastically in. Though there were no blue skies this time!

If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that, if you remember, I am the head of the School Council, and we have been raising funds for improvements within the school. One idea we had last year, was to provide books for the three playgrounds for use during lunch time. Not every child wants to run around like a loony, so I made this my project, but time was always against me. Last week, I was informed that I needed to spend the year’s budget, so off I went on Saturday and spent a cool £100 on books for my playground boxes. I also raided my kids bookshelves as there are so many books there that they havem but don’t or won’t read… and hey presto, we have three fantastic boxes ready for the children to dip into!

If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that the rest of the week went relatively smoothly, but I am still tired!

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that this week cannot go fast enough, as we will be on our half term break from Friday for TWO weeks! Even though it feels like a short while since we had Easter break, the past 5 weeks have been crazy, and I can’t wait!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention we have meetings with the Head this coming week to discuss our futures at school, and possible classes for next week… who knows what it may hold????

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!

Chai And A Chat #32 #ChaiAndAChat

13 May 2019 35 Comments

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

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up, get that drink ready!

If we were sipping chai together I’d remind you that last week I had already said I’d probably start the week tired, and boy, was I right!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that on the night before leaving Brum, my Pops checked the car, as he always does, and the tyre pressure was low on one tyre. Upon investigation, there was a little damage to the tyre and the possibility of a slow puncture. So we went to change it to the spare for the long journey back, but there was no jack in my car! Or my Pops’ vehicle, as he has one of those new fangled foams you put into punctured tyres to make it safe to drive until replacements are available. Neither was there one in my brother’s hire car. Apparently they never give one as most people (myself included) can’t change a tyre, so they recommend you just call out the AA! And as it was bank holiday weekend, nothing was open before I was due to leave, so no tyre change, but the advice that I drive VERY Slowly… Background info here: I haven’t had the best luck with tyres and cars the last couple of years. Two years ago, driving back from Brum, my car suffered a blowout on the motorway, and I had a horrific accident. Then last year I got a slow puncture on my way to Brum, when I was going to be nursing my Pops after his op... So, understandably we were all a bit nervous about me driving back. But we did it, slow and steady, with a couple of stops to check the pressure and top up air on the way! I got it checked in the end and it wasn’t a puncture, the ‘tear’ was just surface damage, but the rim was very dirty, with corrosion, so it was cleaned and sealed, and so far, seems okay!
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the pressure of the drive, and tiredness from the busy weekend meant I arrived back with energy from a second wind, unpacked, started laundry off and went to the supermarket with my Hoppalong Hubby, so he could get a change of scenery too. Got back, unpacked the shopping, and then I just collapsed into bed and slept for an hour! I was so dissorientated when I woke up. I could have slept for 24 hours! But there were still plenty of things to do, to get ready for the next day…
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you the school week was pretty smooth again, thank goodness, though we are trying to plan school trips and my being in different places means that it looks like I miss out on the fun of the trips, unless my head of dept agrees to be swapping days so I can go!
If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that Wednesday was a rather sad day, as I went to attend the funeral prayers for my Tootie Frootie BFF’s dad. It is always emotional, and though I was unable to be there for the whole ceremony, I wanted to be there for her in some way. Then on the Saturday I was woken by my mum on the phone, with more sad news of a cousin of mine losing her husband. She was much older than me, and her daughter is my age. Another girl losing her daddy… It pulled at my heartstrings even more. And all I wanted to do was to hug my own Pops closer. Thankfully my parents popped over for a visit on Sunday, as they wanted to see Hubby Dearest, and make sure, for themselves, that he was okay. Many hugs were exchanged. ❤
If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that though school was quiet, home life most definitely wasn’t, what with Hubby Dearest starting to get quotes and ideas for renovations at our house, and the children’s endless trainings after school. Tuesday was maths tutoring, Wednesday was cricket, after the funeral, Thursday was Badminton, and Friday was a shopping trip, followed by a late one at the in-laws. The weekend was no different… Saturday – swimming, followed by badminton. I squeezed a trip to the nail salon in whilst they were there! Then we went out with my Brother in law and his wife for dinner and a cinema trip. They all wanted to watch The Avengers – End Game, but Lil Princess and I have NO INTEREST in Marvel and Superheroes, so we watched Little, which was fun, and we had time for a sneaky ice cream after the film, whilst waiting for the rest to finish their film! Sunday, I was cricket mum taxi, taking Lil Man to his first match, then dropping one of his team home as well, followed bu lunch at the in-laws and my parents popping in. The evening was filled with me being exhausted, while the boys watched football… again. It’s all about the football at the moment, isn’t it? The UK clubs are doing so well (apparently… I have no clue!)

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you I don’t know how I got through Sunday. The exhaustion had hit big time. We were up early for the cricket match, which they lost, by a very small margin, though Lil Man bowled well, being given 3 overs to bowl on his first match. Pops and Mum popped over and we had a couple of hours together, then once we got back, I was pooped! I just about got through the afternoon and evening, had a bath, and collapsed into bed by 9.30pm…

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that I can’t wait for the weekend again, but I have no clue what it will hold as the match/training schedules are to be sent out to us as yet… fingers crossed it’s a quiet one!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that I am getting rather excited for the Annual Bloggers Bash too! Not long!!!

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!

Chai And A Chat #31 #ChaiAndAChat

06 May 2019 44 Comments

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

Hey there Peeps! Time for our weekly catch up and you know I’ve had an exciting weekend! (I apologise in advance if anything doesn’tmake sense, this was written late at night with a very tired, but happy head!)

If we were sipping chai together I’d let you know that I managed to write a whole 1000+ words on a new story, a spin off of my original WIP that is sitting at the editors, at the moment. I sketched out plans for a possible two novellas or even novels if they become long enough, and started to write!

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that the school week has been pretty good. The course was an interesting one, to do with the teaching of phonics within school, and a sort of project to get going on, teamng up with other local schools to share best practice, etc.
If we were sipping chai together I’d mention that Hubby Dearest is still obviously sofa bound, but we’re 3 weeks in and he has another 3 weeks to go until this cast gets changed for something he can move around in easier. He’s been a better patient than usual, and is becoming pretty self sufficient, and proficient at balancing things he needs along with his crutches. A good job as he was home alone for the weekend, with intermittent visits from his parents… because…well, you know where I was!
If we were sipping chai together I’d gush about our weekend with my Finndian family! We battled with traffic, roadworks and rain to get to my parents after school on Friday night, determined to be there for when my nephews woke up on the Saturday. It was nearly 9pm when we arrived, so they were most definitely asleep then. It was wonderful to be there with my brother, and sister-in-law. We get such little time together, that each moment we were able to sit together and talk, we savoured as if they were hours long.
If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you how I was awake at 6am, impatient for 7am to come round, as that was when the little ones would wake. The first moment of seeing my baby nephew was just magical. He was laying in his cot, and his daddy, my brother, opened the door and said good morning gently to him. He heard another person in the room, and looked at me for a while, then hearing my voice, gave a tentative smile. All I can say is thank goodness for video calling. Because we try to speak and see each other weekly, he was familiar with our faces and voices, and it helped. But nothing beat that moment when I could finally hold him. Even as I type this, my heart flutters. He has a way of greeting, which is to touch your cheek with his hand, and when he did that to me, it felt as if I had been accepted by him as someone special. I spent a lot of time with him, learning his routine, feeding him, changing his nappies, playing with him, and those moments are etched on my heart forever, and in my phone’s photo album!

If we were sipping chai together I’d not forget to say the reunion of the cousins was also a huge success. My Finndian #1 nephew is such a character and speaks fantastic English, and fluent Finnish, with a few Punjabi words dotted around so we can all understand him. He speaks English with a beautiful Finnish lilt, and it sounds so cute, I can’t explain! We played Lego, baked cakes, read stories, and even tried to play his own made up version of Scrabble! And how can I forget, he even helped to make my porridge on the first day we were there! On Sunday night, I read him his bedtime story, and he told me he loved me so, so much, spreading his arms as wide as he could… I’m gonna miss these munchkins…

If we were sipping chai together I’d tell you that my kids had wonderful bonding time with their uncle and aunt too. Lil Man received two intensive coaching sessions for his cricket, and even went for a 4 km run in the morning with him! Lil Princess got some cricket training too, and collaborative art was done as well!
If we were sipping chai together I’d say that the prayers function my parents had organised, to bless the little one, went smoothly too. There was a huge amount of family there that I hadn’t seen for many years, so the catching up was fun, though short, for individual people as not only was I trying to mingle, but also needed to be on hand for my sister-in-law and nephews, and my own in-laws who were there for the function too. It was quite a full on 3/4 hours for us all, so it was even more so for the smaller members of the family. Many new faces determined to meet the ‘special guest’ of the function, pinching cheeks etc, coupled with him teething and having a slight runny nose meant he was fine for a while, then things got too much. I don’t blame him. But once he was home, everything was perfe

I’m not looking forward to the leaving on Monday morning. There will be tears and upsets, and that’s not the kids I’m talking about either! I wish we were all geographically closer. I thank God that we are close as a family at least, so we keep the links alive.

I’d love to share photos of my beautiful family more, but we have agreed not to share their images on social media, so the pictures above have been taken in as artistic a manner as I could so share them, and the joy of being with them, as well as keeping them unidentifyable!

If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d tell you that know I’ll be tired again this week, but thank goodness for a bank holiday, eh! As you read this I’ll probably be driving home, ready to get unpacked, laundry washed and ironed, shopping done, and getting set for the school week. thankfully only 4 days long!
If we were sipping that chai together, and possibly reaching for cake or cookies I’d mention that aside from keeping awake for long enough to get through the day, I’m not planning anything major at all this week… apart from resting in the evenings… will see how that goes!

Have a wonderful week, Peeps! Let me know how your week went!