Happy Days

Ok, so WOW my optimism has been mind-blowing this week! :) 
Yesterday I sent out an email to some lucky people from the same au-pair site I'd used - they were all my age (by coincidence), able to drive and cook, and looking for a short period to au-pair. I think just writing about it (in a positive, 'BUY THIS!' way) made me realise how amazing this experience is! And even just the thought of having to LEAVE it all in April - with only 2 months to go - is actually really sad! So now I've been making the most of everything! (And no, that doesn't mean free telephone calls with the house phone), but just enjoying my time here, seeing the funny side of everything and being happy with and for the family. Because they really are lovely, Even when they won't get out of bed until we need to leave in the mornings, and then William tells me I need to leave the house at five to eight, or when Crazy Caroline comes back and raids the kitchen whilst I'm seconds away from serving tea, or she starts eating tea OUT of the cooking pot with the spoon I was using, or when Marie-the-Menace insists on taking Speedy in the car, even though I know I'll be the one to have to bring it back... It's a bag of laughs! 

Today, by some MIRACLE, I managed to see the new Harry Potter. Most of the cinema times were too late to go, so I was pinning all my hopes on this 9.45am showing in Chatelet Les Halles. What I hadn't planned was Juliette calling me as I had my foot out the door (after loading and putting the dishwasher through, tidying all three rooms and putting all the towels through the washing machine) asking me to come and pick her up. At 9am. Do these girls actually EVER go to school? So grudgingly (but of course, with a big optimistic smile on my face at how lucky I am and amazing my life is) I got in the car and picked her up from school. 

I dropped her back at home, parked the car, and ran down the the station and fortunately there was a train waiting at the station (see how LUCKY I am?!). However, the downside, is that all the morning trains seem to be MUCH slower than usual... maybe to reduce the number of people missing the trains? Anyway, it practically CRAWLED through all the stations, with several 'rests' in between stations, whilst I continually kept checking my beloved Blackberry for the time. 5 minutes to go. 3 minutes to go. Remember, there's always 15 minutes of adverts... 2 minutes... 

AMAZINGLY, (did she do it? did she get there?) I got to the ticket booth at exactly 9.44am. Just. Amazing. The ticket man was really nice, and I even spoke pretty amazing and understandable French! And I was in time, exactly, for the start of the adverts. (I do love all the adverts.) SO, I've finally got to see the new Harry Potter! It came out in Paris yesterday, but EVERYONE seems to have seen it in England twice over! I'd expected the cinema to be packed, but it was only about 60% full (look at me with my maths skills!) - I guess people (kids) were either waiting for the weekend, or were seeing the dubbed version instead. 

So it was a pretty eventful day! I did another spot of Christmas shopping after the cinema, and got home to a fantastic email to one of my au-pairing applicants who's travelling round the world and currently in Australia. I bombarded my reply with heaps of photos of the house/rooms etc  which she'd been asking about. Then this afternoon is HAILED!! I mean, I dread to think what it's like in England. Usually when it's 'ok' in England it's heatwave-weather in Paris, so if Paris is bad, jeeze - bring out the sandbags and stock up for the Winter peeps!! 

Hmm. Now the question is: what shall I poison the family with tonight for supper? :D