13

Here in France it's now officially 1st April (no kidding), which means it is now officially 13 years that D and I have been "married". Even though we're not actually married. But this is the anniversary of our first "date", I guess (not a particularly auspicious start, and I'll spare you the details).

13 years. Wow.

I checked on some website and apparently 13 years is either lily of the valley (not quite in season) or lace. What on earth was I supposed to get D with those two things as the traditional symbols?! So I bought him a Rahan book - his favourite cartoon from when he was a kid. Nothing to do with either lily of the valley or lace, but I'm pretty sure it doesn't matter because my guess is he's probably forgotten anyway.

As for our woes, well, the printer's still fucked and the car seems to be pretty much dead. I don't have the least idea how we'll ever be able to afford another car - my debts just keep on growing, and it doesn't matter how much I work (and lord knows I work a lot), I'm still in debt. That said, life without a car seems pretty unimaginable too, so this all looks complicated and nasty and expensive, whatever we do.

And of course I haven't really got anywhere with my accounts or tax forms or anything and I'm stressed beyond belief.

On the good news side of things (there has to be one somewhere), C has finally started to lose her baby teeth - the first one came out on 22 March (after she hit it on the side of the swimming pool on 14 March it started moving quite a bit, the dentist said it was OK and it came out all by itself) and the second one on 30 March. She's so pleased! And she looks so cute with her huge gappy smile!

Also, I'm starting to get my shit together for L's birthday party on 26 April. I know that seems ages away, but I had to get the invites done and given out at school because half term starts this Friday (3 April) and they don't go back till 20th... We're just going to go to a park (pray for good weather - I don't want to have to do it here!), but it should be fun, as long as enough of the kids she's invited come... Can't believe my baby's going to be 5...

So, it's now 4.30 am yet again and I have to be up tomorrow (I mean, today) by about 9.30 because tomorrow's the big checking-C's-heart-murmur-at-the-hospital day. She's pretty scared, I'm trying to reassure her but am pretty scared myself. Not much fun for April Fool's Day (although it's all about fish here in France).

Wish us luck at the hospital tomorrow morning, and pray that we find a solution for our car!