So I've been told...

...that I need to update my blog. By my father who says he's taken to reading back issues due to my lack of writing lately.

I guess what daddy says, goes although I am of course going to start off by defending my lack of posts. You see, we're getting towards the end of the school year around here (just over 1 month to go), the end of what has been a very hectic year. And it's only getting worse.

Any of you who read this blog somewhat regularly will already be aware that my youngest is very rarely in school due to various illnesses we've been fighting. Although he's meant to be in school several days a week, our current schedule is closer to several days a month and as a result, I now strongly believe he's actually allergic to school. No, not in the psychological sense as most of you are probably thinking. At 3-years-old I think he's too young yet to be making himself ill about having to paint and play with cars, although I will give you that the following orders thing seems to be causing him a few issues. And the occasional meal at the school cafeteria seems to go over like a lead balloon with him as well. And preparing for the end-of-school dance with his classmates has caused more than one clash between him and the teacher.

I suppose I should probably think more deeply about the fact that his teacher wishes me "bon courage" (good luck) when I pick him up in the afternoon, but I think for the moment that denial is working better for me. I truly don't want to overthink the fact that we seem to have a dictator-in-training à la Napoléon (he's not very big in stature, quite large in spirit) though I did mention to hubby last night that perhaps we should have thought twice about naming him after a famous European despot as it may indeed be somewhat of an omen.....

Needless to say, all of this has been exhausting enough this year. And yesterday it was all exacerbated by a 3-hour long flute exam for my 8-year-old. Yes, three hours. No, she didn't have to play Au Clair de la Lune for all three of them. Thank goodness for small favours! But France is a special country when it comes to children's activities. It's very difficult to do an activity for the pure pleasure of it and everything ends up been graded and quite publically so. And so yesterday, after her first few months of flute lessons, we packed ourselves up for the exam. Dress and flute and music in hand for my daughter. Backpack full of toys and diversions for the 3-year-old. The oldest had been packed off to a friends' house.

The exam: Each child presents herself on stage (there seem to only be girl flutists) and plays her prepared song then nods and leaves the stage. This is done accompanied by the pianist and in front of all the other students, parents and a jury. Yes, a jury even for Au Clair de la Lune or La Fête Foraine as was her actual music. Once all the students have performed, the jury convenes in a secluded room and we are all left to wait and wonder, but mostly wait. Approximately 1 hour later and preceeded by a lot of scuffling and excited whispers, the jury returns. The students must stand on the stage in the order of their performances and their results are read aloud for everyone to hear. Of course, this is lovely for those who do well. Not so lovely for those who didn't shine. And according to the official results, there was a slight lack of luster to last night's performances. Poor dears.

This year we were lucky and my daughter received a mention bien which is quite good. Bravo! But once I had enjoyed that moment with her, I quickly grasped another idea - I had to get home and get oldest daughter practicing for her cello exam today! You see, whereas daughter 2 is quite the little worker and takes her lessons pretty seriously, daughter 1 hasn't ever been formally introduced to Stress. I keep trying to at least set up an informal get-together for them, but to no avail. She's too busy playing and having fun to meet Stress. Fabulous for her state of mind and overall health. Potentially disasterous in front of this jury. Wish us well this afternoon!

And so all of this - unwell children, running around like headless chickens and preparing for exams and so forth - has resulted in a lack of attention to my blog.

I promise I've not forgotten. I just don't know what to write about!

Addendum: Cello exam has been an success (after another 3 hours of listening and waiting) and daughter 1 has come out of it with a mention très bien! Insert proud mummy moment here.