Family | But I Smile Anyway...

Happy 1st Birthday Sonu Singh!

20 Jan 2015 10 Comments

by Ritu in Sonu Singh Tags: Birthday, Cat, Family, Kitten, love, Presents, Sonu Singh

How he's grown!

Happy Birthday Lil kitty cat!
No longer a kitten, finally he must be reffered to as CAT!
Never thought to get a pet of the furry kind before.
One evening it just happened. We’d talked about it, discussed pros and cons, but no decision.
I went to a parents evening… Came back to this gorgeous bundle of fluff!
The adjustment was a Lil tricky, but he firmly nestled himself in the heart of our family. The kids call him their younger brother!
We wouldn’t have it any other way, now he’s here with us!
Sorry mummy, daddy and the slightly bigger monsters aren’t here with you all day, Lil Man thinks it should be a National holiday! But after work and school, we’ll be back with lots of lovely surprises!!
Now go, enjoy your birthday brekkie in your new grown up bowl!! (It no longer says ‘Kitten’ on it, but ‘Top Cat’, because you are!!)

Pics of present fun will follow this evening!

The ostrich effect

14 Jan 2015 7 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Family, Friends, Ignorance is Bliss, Truth

La la la la la la la
Fingers in my ears
If I can’t hear what you’re saying,
You won’t confirm my fears.

Burying my head in the sand.
Is this the best way to live?
If I don’t acknowledge it,
I’ll have no opinions to give.

Totally oblivious,
Like an ostrich bird
Sorry, what was that you said,
I don’t believe I heard.

By Ritu

I’ve never really been one to hide my opinions and emotions, we’re a huge family, and there is always something happening. Lots of people do this whole ‘ostrich’ thing, but is it the best way?

At university some of my fellow students and I wrote a short play with the above title, ‘The Ostrich Effect”. It was an account of the ways, your possibly stereotypical, Indians thought of homosexuality, and AIDS. At the time some of these issues were echoing in some of our lives and it felt like the right issue to write about. You know, the whole “Gay? My son/daughter? No, no. No,no, we’re Indian, don’t you know. We don’t do that!” People dying of ‘pneumonia’, not the HIV+ that caused it…

It’s still there, in different manifestations around me. From that individual who refuses to believe their partner is cheating, to the person who won’t believe that someone close to them is an alcoholic, to the one who, despite having been diagnosed, ignores all health warnings…

Why don’t people understand that facing up to their fears, meeting that truth head-long, may be the hardest thing you ever have to do, but quite possibly the best thing you ever do…

(By the way, I’m fully aware that those last few pounds I want to lose won’t drop off themselves, unless I lose a limb, or maybe go for a wax, (tmi I know, but ladies will understand the forests that grow in the winter… We can get away with tights, leggings, and trousers… No leg-sposure!) but that box of chocs last night, and that nearly full box of biscuits I devoured tonight… It won’t make a difference… Honest! 😜)

So, what did you do?

02 Jan 2015 Leave a comment

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: children, Chilled, Family, New Year

Well. We have now seen the new year in, it kinda crawled into our household…

Sat at my in laws house, watching the London fireworks on TV, not toasting the end of one year and advent of a new one, because yes, I would be driving home!

Kids high on an excess of sugar because there is far too much available to them, and no one has the energy to stop them reaching for that third candy cane/fifth biscuit… But no Coke! I draw the line at fizzy drinks lol!

So as I said, it kinda crawled in, then we got home to wish our beautiful Sonu Singh his first Happy New Year! He was sat at the front door waiting for us… It’s very rare that mummy and daddy and the crazy kids leave him during an evening, so he was a bit lonely… I felt awful, looking at his little face, staring up at me! I’m sorry gorgeous kitty! As a treat, he slept on my bed, bless him!

So, late wake ups for all, especially for Hubby Dearest… Yes, I had the driving to do, he didn’t!

Then a visit to the Gurdwara, to give thanks for all we have experienced in the past year, and to seek blessings for the one to come. Oh and eat lunch!

Pop in to the in laws, say hello all, then back home to vegetate…
And vegetate we did! I got straight back into my PJ’s and TV in, slouched in bed all day! Kids ran round the house like loons, as usual, and occasionally joined me in my bed, Hubby Dearest pottering around and enjoying setting up his new phone.

Dinner, oops, somehow a pizza got delivered…. See, that healthy life thing is not starting today… But personally I think I’m better at starting theses things on a Monday! Roll on a better me! (Cone Monday… And I haven’t specified which Monday either!😝)

Bath for kids and bed again…

Yup, a chilled start to the New Year, I liked that!

Looking back at 2014 ☺️…Ushering in 2015 with a smile!😊

31 Dec 2014 4 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Family, Friends, Happy, Happy New Year, love, Wishes

2014…
It’s been a good year in many respects…
The BIGGEST reason? Well, I became an auntie!!
The beautiful Sonu Singh joined our little family
I got a promotion of sorts.
We spent a lot more quality time as a family.
There were several beautiful weddings in the family.

There’s much to be thankful for…
Thanks that we’re all still here, in one piece, ready to start the next year.
Thanks for keeping a roof over our heads.
Thanks for the support of our families through tough times.
Thanks for allowing my children to grow and flourish into the loons they are today.
Thanks for the friends that have stayed by our side through thick and thin.

There’s been sadness…
Losing loved ones.
Hearing sad news about people in the family.
Tragedies around the world.
Not being able to see my new nephew yet.
Not getting Lil Princess to stay in her bed… Thereby not getting full nights sleep!

But 2015 is nearly here.
Not even 24 hours left of this old and creaky 2014…
So, I’ll spend a few hours ironing, and cleaning,
Changing bed sheets and vacuuming.
In the hope that if I’m not doing these things tomorrow, on New Years Day,
It means I won’t be doing just that, all year!
Yup, silly superstition in Ritu’s mind!

What I aim for, me and the family, next year.

1) Continued Happiness

2) Getting to Finland to see my gorgeous Nephew!

3) Further success at work/school, for us all

4) Losing that half a stone that just seems to live my belly so much, it won’t go away!

5) The ability to operate a washing machine without dying the family’s clothes pink, or yellow! ( long story but I’ve never done that before, and yet this year, 3 times!!! Hubby Dearest’s shirts, kids uniforms… Yup, I’ve altered em all!)

6) This one is along the lines of #5… Taking care with my dryer! I’ve shrunk far too many things this year, forgetting to take thinks out of the load before switching the dryer on!

7) Really getting to grips with what I love to do, writing… Maybe there is something in what I write, maybe I can make it a success.

So, hopefully that’s all kinda achievable! Well I hope so!!

All that remains for me to say is …
🎉🎊Happy New Year to my new blogging family!
May all your wishes and dreams come true!🎊🎉

Jealous!

23 Dec 2014 8 Comments

by Ritu in Family Tags: Cuddles, Family, Jealous, Nephew

So Christmas is upon us, I’ve got my gorgeous lil family around me, slowly recovering from the lurgy, my in laws here, getting geared up for a family Christmas, and though I’m excited, a little piece of my heart isn’t in this…

Because it’s not fair!!!!

*toddler style tantrum being thrown in my mind, by me*

While I’m sat here, my Pops and Mum, are over there, in Finland, with my brother and sister in law, and MY BABY FINNJABI NEPHEW!!!! Yes I know I’m shouting, I said, didn’t I, that I’m tantrumming!!!

I’m super jealous! We’ve skyped, I’ve seen them getting the baby cuddles, and I want some NOW!!!!

We will go over there as soon as we can, but it’s just not soon enough!

Ok, jealous rage over…