“There’s nothing like returning to a place that remains unchanged to find the ways in which you yourself have altered.”
~Nelson Mandela~
Well, hello, my dear, dear Peeps! And, thank you, Spidey, for coming back with a great quote to start this post. 🙂
Thank you to those who have kept in touch over the last year despite my not being so active on here. I have visited blogs here and there and posted book reviews and book tour posts, but other than that, I have been a bit caught up in a whole load of other things, personally.
So, what’s been happening in the life of Ritu?
I left you guys dangling a bit when I went ‘on a break’ at the end of September, 2023, after finding myself at the point of breakdown.
Lil Princess suffered a lot these last few years, with still to be diagnosed ASD, as well as some severe Mental Health problems. And I was her chosen person, so I had to ride the increasingly dark lows as well as the manic highs with her. It took a toll on me and my own health, as she wouldn’t communicate with anyone apart from me and one of her teachers at school.
I ended up off work for six weeks before Christmas to support her lowest period.
I won’t go into the details, but suffice to say, I would never wish the situations we encountered upon any family. It was extremely tough. The hardest time of my life, to be honest.
It was even tougher as she wasn’t up to sharing anything with the rest of the family which impacted her dad, Hubby Dearest, as well as her brother, Lil (Big) Man. Feelings of helplessness were big…
But, over the last nine months, things have changed, and with a lot of support she is in a much better place.
Such a good place that, despite missing around 30% of her learning time and education, she still managed to pass ALL her GCSEs, as well as gaining an A in her Literature and B in English Language! She’s off to Sixth form this week, to start A-Levels – a day I wasn’t sure we would see, at some times.
Lil (Big) Man has completed his first year of his apprenticeship, and apparently, he is one of the top-performing apprentices in the company, which is a global firm. Fantastic news!
I’m still driving him around though, so we are working on getting that license, when I will be able to hang up mum taxi duties, for him at least. Keep your fingers crossed!
I’ve not been able to spend as much time with Pops and Mum as I would have hoped, because of being needed to ferry Lil(Big) Man around, but they spent time with us at Christmas, and a few days in. the summer too. Pops was in hospital, too, at one point, and it has just highlighted how fragile life is. He’s 78 now, and Mum is shouldering a lot. I am always there, as well as my Brother, emotionally, but not being able to be there physically, all the time, is a different drain on our hearts.
Sonu Singh is now ten years old, and still as wonderfully grumpy as always. I do love him!
Then, in April, Lil Princess got a new kitten, Minnie Kaur. She is a little minx! But, so, so cute. These two are still working on being friends, but they are getting there! Here’s Minnie!
School was tough in its own way, as we had our first full academic year as a part of a new academy. So many changes, and expectations that weighed heavily upon a much-reduced staff, with inconsistent leadership as our head left, and we had an interim head, (our original deputy) who moved on to pastures new. I had several members of my team who had long periods of time off, due to health, which impacted everyone, including the children. An unintentional injury sustained after trying to look after an SEN child has left me with a scarred arm and a dodgy knee. All this, plus I had that six-week stint where I was out, too, meant it was pretty rocky, most of the year.
However our new head joined in April, and things are beginning to ease into a more consistent routine.
I’ve spent the last couple of years spilt between two classrooms, as the EYFS Phase Leader. This academic year, though my management role is the same, I am now going to be in my own classroom for the whole week (bar my management time). I have a class name, too, Hedgehog Class, and have spent a lot of time in school over the holidays, shifting things around, cutting and laminating, and creating a new environment for my first batch of Hoglets!
Here’s hoping this academic year is more stable with a solid leadership team, and, fingers crossed, my own personal circumstances more settled, too.
Writing-wise, I have news, too.
It took a long while for my writing mojo to come back after a year or so of not being able to focus, given what was happening at home. However, in April, with everything on a relatively even keel, I wrote LOADS! And then, during the May half term, I wrote THE END on book three in the Rishtay Series, In God’s Hands.
The story has a heavy dose of infertility, which was quite emotional to write about, given my own fertility issues when trying to start a family, but I hope my own emotions helped to mold the story.
It’s with the publisher and editor now, and we are scheduled for a November 5th release.
Feedback from my three alpha-readers has been positive, and that is without edits. I’ve made a grown man cry several times, and been told it was real women’s fiction, gripping, and they felt compelled to read more.
So far, from my dear publisher, I got this: “Absolutely loving book three, think it’s your best yet. So proud of you!”
Lil Princess wants me to add a book to the series, highlighting Mental Health, too, so maybe that will be an addition in the future. I’m too close to that situation right now to write it.
Right now, I am planning another project, which, when underway I will reveal more about.
Healthwise – perimenopause is playing merry havoc with my system, right now. We thought we had the HRT prescription down, but things are not quite right so I am waiting for another set of appointments. The probable Fybromyalgia is still there, raising its head once in a while, and now there is a chance I may be lactose intolerant! So, I’m doing a bit of a lifestyle overhaul, but nothing too over ambitious. No dairy, and short daily Pilates session, along with a couple of supplements to help with hormone balance and gut health. Wish me luck!
As I did mention in a review post last month, I went on holiday for the first time in 20 years. Like a proper break, to Gran Canaria with Lil Princess. It was much needed, and we had an amazing time.
I also attended my first Romantic Novelist’s Association conference. A whole weekend, and two nights away, with no-one but romance writers, and plenty to learn. I met people I have conversed with, virtually, for years, and that was one of the most magical things about the conference. It was in the hallowed Royal Holloway University, and I think I 100% want to sign up for the next one in 2026!
Don’t worry, I shan’t be disappearing any time soon. I think my priorities have changed, and as that happens, so do we, as individuals, evolve.
I’ll still be reading, reviewing and blog touring, as well as popping in more regularly with updates and, who knows, I might have the energy for a few writing prompts, but no promises!
Also, I turn 49 in a couple of days, so this is the last year of my 40s… Eeeek!
Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “sup.” Use it as a word or find a word that contains it. Have fun!
‘Sup?
I was on a break, ya know… I needed a time out… lost my spark… my Blo-Jo had totally gone.
So I spent the best part of six weeks doing nothing really creative.
I read.
Even reading took its toll. I was so tired, I was falling asleep partway through pages, but I enjoyed a good few books.
Then there was school.
It’s the last term of the year and there are still 2.5 weeks to go for us… assessment, reports, progress grids… sorting out class lists for next year…
And we converted to part of an Academy. It was supposed to be a simple changeover, and by and large, it has been, but there are always teething problems, and as part of the changeover, I am no longer a Governor. I really enjoyed being part of the governing body, but it is a lot of extra work, so, unless they decide they’d like to reappoint me, I’ll enjoy the breather!
Being mum has been interesting too… Lil Man turned Teenager officially, Lil Princess turned four eyes (part-time, for reading and screen) and all the hormones flying around the house are incredible!
But I’m back now, trying to post regularly, as, despite being exhausted, I really missed my challenges and those little sparks of creativity, well, they keep me sharp for when I begin my novel rewrite in earnest in the summer holidays!
I entered the first 3000 words into a first novel writing competition too… won’t hear (if I do at all) until September so I have to keep myself busy!
I’m also due to become an aunt any time soon too! My 3-year-old nephew will be becoming a big brother, and the world will be gaining another Finndian!
So, there’s my lil #SoCS for today, thought I’d update you on the world of Ritu!
It’s been a truly hectic week. I have not been for any formal exercise, except for one walk, when I decided to leave the car and walked the 1.5KM to my in-law’s house. Painting, and decorating, lifting furniture and building flat-packs have been my workouts instead!
And I have tried… oh have I tried… to eat as healthily as I could. But there have been more occasions than I would like to confess to where we have succumbed to takeaways. I have tried to choose the healthier options, but it’s not always possible. And where I have eaten healthily, the naughty snacks have crept in… Chocolate and biscuits… oops!
Here is a small selection of the meals I have eaten, breakfasts, lunches and dinners… They don’t look too bad, but they also don’t include the Egg and Bacon McMuffin we had on Sunday morning, or the Pizza with the kids, or the Chinese takeaway with the family…
I have found a few snacks though that are healthier alternatives… Lentil crisps (yes, really!) and 9Bars with a carob topping to satisfy the sweet tooth.
I thought maybe I need a proper kickstart to this whole weight loss thing. In town, there was a woman selling the Aloe Vera Detox Cleanse. I have heard a lot about it, so I went to have a chat. 9 days. A lot of Aloe Vera juice, other vitamins, a shake and calorie controlled meals, along with 30 minutes moderate exercise every day, and you are guaranteed to lose at least a dress size in that 9 days.
So, how much would this miracle cleanse cost? only…£100! I hid my cough and splutter, and said I’d think about it… Oh, and as a parting shock, she mentioned that the 30-day after care plan is only a mere £200! Maybe when I win the lottery, eh! I have dug out some old exercise DVDs to maybe try next week…
Instead, I have dug out some old exercise DVDs to maybe try next week…
Bollywood Burn! Sounds fun, eh! and the 10-minute workouts… who can’t spare 10 minutes?! I’ll let you know how I get on!
So, the thing is, did I actually lose any weight this past week?
I did, not a lot, but I did… 0.5lb! I am very proud of me! It’s been on average 1lb a week… I can cope with that!
And I was spurred on to do something physical tonight too, so 20 minutes on my exercise bike, and I now have pleasingly aching legs!
So, here’s to another week of trying to change my living habits, including more exercise and better eating!
So week 2 in the teaching world was great and ended with a high, as I had a company called ZooLabs visit the nursery twice, so each of the sessions of children could see what they were going to do, and boy did they all enjoy themselves!
Zoolabs are a science based educational company that do workshops around schools on various topics, but the main thing is they bring creatures, and mini beasts to the children!
We met Colin the cockroach, Sonny the Snake, Rosie and Phyllis the tarantulas, Tick and Tock the Rat sisters, Milo the millipede, Henry the Giant African Land Snail, to name but a few!
It was so delightful to see the children’s reactions to the animals, and they were so brave, and confident to touch, or hold creatures, and ask lots of questions!
This week, I am out for the week at another school. Remember my Return to Teach Course? Well I am still completing that, as even though I have my job, I can’t waste the money we spent on it! So I am doing a placement, and it is at a small village school, very different to my own, where we have a large intake of children, it’s in the middle of a busy multicultural town, 49% EAL, which means children of other language. This school has, perhaps 2 children regarded as EAL, and is half the size.
But I have been given a warm welcome, and the children in the class where I will be based are lovely! I have already had a declaration of love, and many running hugs, where I nearly lost my balance! Oh its a good thing I love children so much!!!
2 nights of Single Parenthood, as hubby Dearest is away for work, and I am missing him so much, though, I seem to have got an awful lot done over these 2 evenings! Including scheduling lots of posts!
Thank you all so much for your good wishes this morning…
I have been keeping you on tenterhooks with something that I was waiting for, it’s been nearly 2months since it’s been playing on my mind…
But basically I had a job interview today…
A teacher’s job interview…
A Nursery teachers job…
At my existing school…
And I GOT IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But I Smile Anyway... 