Can it really be?

Can it really be that I've had a second FUN-DAY this week? Really? Me, the eternal whinger and whiner? Good lord, what's happening to me?!

Seriously, today was nice. Of course, I got very little sleep last night, but I didn't let that bother me till we were home and I could pass out on the sofa once the girls were in bed.

We got to the station at about 10, picked up our pre-paid tickets, bought a couple of drinks and waited for the train. It arrived more or less on time, we set off and trundled through the pretty landscapes of Frontignan, Sète, Agde and all points in between before arriving in Béziers at 11.10. M and his daughter E arrived not long after and we set off back to their rented house in Cruzy.

What a beautiful place! Their house is outside the village (or appears to be - you can't see anything resembling a village anywhere near it) and has an amazing view over vineyards and the Canal du Midi. The house itself if small but lovely, very homely and comfortable, and the pool/deck area is stunning.

The children spent most of the day in the pool - before lunch for over an hour, then after lunch and an obligatory "it's-too-hot-you've-just-eaten-go-play-with-Lego" break, for another 3 hours or so in the afternoon. They had so much fun!

And my sweet little L, she who refuses to take swimming lessons, TAUGHT HERSELF TO SWIM! By the time we left, she was leaping in, doing widths underwater, doing handstands... I'm sooooo proud of her! And so, so happy that my girls get along so well with W and E.

Truly, today was idyllic!

We caught the train at 6.45, arrived in Montpellier at 7.30 and had McDonald's for dinner (is there no end to the gloriousness of this day?!). We came home and, after the girls had showered and tooth-brushed, we then played 2 games of Uno in a wholly good-humoured atmosphere: no fighting, no sulking, no poor losing (despite the fact they were both exhausted).

As I said, an idyllic day. I can't thank J and her husband enough for coming here this summer. I know they're having a great time, so it's obviously no chore for them, but them being here, being so sane, so normal, so familiar, has been wonderful for the girls and has made me feel human again for the first time in months. I miss them enormously and would love to have the means to go and see them more often, but as that's not a possibility, this, this amazing year of a trip to their place in late October followed by them coming here in late July is pretty much perfect.

I actually feel happy for the first time since I can remember. Yes, I'm tired and I'm still worried about money. Yes, the imminent "discussion" with D about "the girls' future" is still kind of freaking me out, and I'm stressing about arrangements for next week (I have to try and fit two more days with J and 2 days with a friend in the Cévennes, both currently scheduled for more or less the same days) but I'm still feeling that it's all manageable, doable, within my range. Because I feel happy.

Feeling happy is such a novelty for me right now, I'm positively wallowing in it!

And, of course, I am technically on holiday myself right now (not officially till Monday, but no work will come in this weekend so...). Yes, I still have invoices to do/send, and student work to mark, but... I AM ON HOLIDAY!

I think August is going to be a good month!