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The Bloggers Bash 2018 – My take! #BloggersBash #MondayBlogs

21 May 2018 112 Comments

by Ritu in #bloggers bash, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: #bloggersbash, Awards, Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Fun, George IV, Mingling, Presentation

Saturday the 19th of May took it’s time to arrive, but equally, it sped its way here, if you know what I mean!

Nominated

The Annual Blogger’s Bash is one of the pinnacles of my year (I can’t say THE pinnacle… family might object lol!) and I always look forward to it immensely!

This year we were in a lovely venue, the George IV in Chiswick, and the weather was glorious!

Of course, we also shared the special day with a couple of other minor events, such as the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan (congrats!) and the FA CUP final, and my best friend’s daughter’s first birthday… certainly chose a popular date!

There were a few notable absences, where certain folk were either unwell, or caught up in the ridiculous traffic that clogged the roads and trains.

But there was a healthy turnout of both familiar faces as well as some new ones (to me, anyway!)

We chatted, mingled, networked, asked questions, gave advice, ate drank and were merry!

The committee was up there, introducing, presenting and generally making merry!

My nerves when I was speaking were evident, as I physically shook when I started, but once I got my groove, all was well! There were even questions at the end, which I’m told is a good thing!

Sacha’s presentation about mailing lists was really enlightening too! I may even start thinking of starting one!

Awards were handed out periodically through the day, as were book prizes for a raffle that had several draws… And I won one of those prizes!

Gotta love a book prize!

And I was also asked to be part of the panel discussion, where I felt just sitting and smiling through would be sufficient, but I did input a little!

And I am honoured to say I was awarded Third place Runner up for Best Overall Blog 2018. There was some tough competition, but what an honour, to get some recognition!

Thank you Voters!

There will be a much better one of this shot out there, but my long-suffering Hubby Dearest, who accompanied me, took a sneaky couple of all the attendees!

I am really grateful to Sacha, Geoff, Hugh, Suzie, Shelley, Graeme, Helen and Adam for taking so much time over the last year, organising such a fantastic get together!

The Fab Committee!

Thank you to all the Committee for creating such a wonderful event for us to be a part of.

Congratulations to all the Winners, Runners Up, and Nominees! You are all stars!

The awards are fun, but the Bash itself, and meeting other bloggers out there – priceless!

I simply can’t wait for next year!!!!

My first working weekend as a teacher!

07 Jun 2015 22 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Fun, Party, Weekend, Work

Well, I can now say I have done my first FULL week as a teacher, weekend included!

I updated you on the first half of the week, and on the last two days, Thursday and Friday, I was to have my first experience of being the ‘solo’ teacher! I was nervous, but really excited, and it was fun! We did all the activities the littlies know, and I added in karaoke as circle-time, so I could hear them in action individually, and there was one little girl with a beautiful voice, and at 4, was enunciating all the words from ‘Let it go’ clearer than some adults! It was such a cute activity!

We were also lucky as the weather turned to what should be summery weather, with nice sunny, hot even, days, where they could play outside in the water, and it was a joy to see them!

Of course it’s not all just playing with them, but I have to be tactically observing the kids too, and with the use of some new software that the school has invested in, I was happily taking pictures and notes. I am guinea pig for this software in Nursery for this term, and hopefully I will become an expert, ad teach the others for full roll out come September! Still, the notes and pictures also needed transforming into something that others could understand… ah well, leave that for Sunday!

Saturday was lovely, and though I didn’t work, we had a childless evening and night, as I had a colleague’s birthday party that Hubby Dearest and I had been invited to. It was great for me to be able to bring him with me, so he could meet all the people I talk about so much! The kids had a lovely evening with their grandparents!

We danced, sang, drank, ate, and generally did all the silly things that teachers do, once kids are not around! It was a laugh, and even Hubby Dearest enjoyed himself, meeting other hubbies that had been dragged out, and bonding over beer!

This morning, I managed to wake up, and I knew I could not avoid the inevitable.. I had to work too!

Lil Man was lucky enough that he had been invited to an American Speed-fest event at Brands Hatch, with his best friend, so he had his fun, and we went to pick up Lil Princess, had lunch with the in laws and generally chilled.. me with my work iPad attached to me.

But at least the work is done now!!!!

YAY! And now, I shall enjoy the rest of the day, or evening at least, outside, appreciating the lovely weather, with my darling family!

Enjoy the rest of your Sunday Peeps!!!

And in other events…

21 Mar 2015 14 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Dinner, Fun, Health Check, Shopping

I was dreading yesterday…

We were all scheduled for a health check at work, just a wellbeing check, BP, cholesterol, BMI, Sugar levels, etc. and I was dreading it… What where they going to say? With my Pops family history, the cholesterol was a worry, and the general weight issue. We have had several instances of breast cancer in my Pops side too,a small that was again a worry.

But I was fretting unnecessarily! Apparently I am in good nick! BMI healthy, BP perfect, cholesterol at 4.95 so it’s unlikely that I have the hereditary gene…all the other tests were normal.. Phew!

But, there’s always a but… My waist measurement puts me in a higher risk category of things like heart conditions, diabetes, cancers etc. The nurse did stress that I was not to worry. I am not overweight at all, but to try and trim 2-3 inches off my waist. And what did she suggest? Hula hooping for 10 minutes a day! Oh to have a spare 10 minutes to start with… And oh, there is the fact that I can’t hula to save my life!!! Maybe I’ll have to dust off the wifi fit hula game then!!

So armed with that knowledge, I ate pizza, and ice cream too! ☺️😁

And today, I was a total durr brain (yes that is a technical term, didn’t you know?!) went grocery shopping,many it usually costs me between £120-150 a week. It was nearly £200 this time, eek! But there were important bits n bobs that needed replenishing so, you know, these things happen.

Anywho, I got home and started unpacking. Got to the last bag and realised something was missing… Actually not something, but lots of things! In fact a who,e bag full probably about £30 of items! I checked the car, the kitchen, everywhere it could have been then it dawned on me. I had hung one bag in the end it the shopping trolley, I bet I forgot it there. No hope. Someone got a bag of shopping for free! Damn!

I called the local Asda, and the woman said “I know. And it was handed in!” So I rushed back there to get it. I couldn’t believe it! Honesty is still around in this world! Ok so I had to rush around, make two trips, that was my fault, but a huge thank you to the couple who handed my shopping bag in!

And we’ve had a lovely evening with Hubby Dearest’s niece who came for dinner, and exhausted the children too! So they’re asleep, and I’m ready for bed now too! Kiddies Karate grading tomorrow!

Sleep tight folks!

Oh God! She’s dressing up again!!!!

08 Mar 2015 13 Comments

by Ritu in Humour, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Blog, Blog Post, Blogger, Blogging, Costume, Dress Up, Fun

You know I mentioned how I love to dress up, whenever there’s an opportunity? (If you missed that post, here I am making a fool out of myself, as usual!)

Well, I came across some pictures from a couple of family functions where we all dressed up! I can’t shame the others, I’m not sure they’d talk to me after, but at one of me nephew’s weddings we had an International theme, but a few of us girls thought it would be great to just cross dress! My Precious Pops tied our turbans, we wore the traditional Lunghis or Kurta Pyjamas that a man wears… liberating to be a man for the evening!

Bhangra King(Queen)!

Yup, that’s me!

And then I had my choice of the ladies too! One very happy Mr Singh, I was that evening!

Which one, which one?

So enough of me looking like a fool! At my niece’s wedding we raided our mother’s wardrobes, and found old 60’s/70’s sarees and outfits to wear! I think this was way more flattering than the above!!

60’s Bollywood queen!

What do you like to dress up as? Do you even like dressing up? I’d love to see some pics! Maybe post them, and ping back to my post!! Go, on… be brave!!!!!

Our Day at the Zoo

17 Feb 2015 2 Comments

by Ritu in Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: Animals, Blog, Blog Post, Blogging, children, Elephants, Endangered, Fun, Gorillas, Howletts, Rhinos, Zoo

Yesterday, we had a great day! The visit to Howletts went swimmingly!

We had great weather, no rain, even though Lil Princess still managed to be smothered in mud waist down(??!).

The animals were fantastic!

We saw elephants, rhinos, many different monkeys and primates, like gibbons, and macaus, baboons, tigers, leopards, wild dogs, fishing cats, pallas cats, lemurs, river water hogs, bongos ~(did you even know there was an animal called a bongo?!)

Mummy and baby

Sibling tussle!

This guy was so cute, he’d hit a box hung high with his trunk and it would shower him with carrot bits to eat!

Hungry!

Lemur

Lemurs!

Loud lemur!

Did you know lemurs got their name from the Latin word for ghost? In days of old, they would hide in the forest canopies and the humans would not know where the noise came from! They thought they were ghosts!