Oh my goodness, it seems forever since I gave SB a hug, and I really do miss her. 15 weeks till she comes home. Trying to tell myself we are nearly half way through. SB has returned from a holiday to the cote d’azur, staying with a friend of V. [it is clear SB has decided to call them V and E rather than maman and papa] The weather was good, they swam in an outdoor pool and also the sea – voice of shock that the french sea [the med] is warmer than the english sea [the north] -well duh! but she is happy that she is climbing, as really enjoys that. They seem to have had a lovely time, and she has had lots of fun in the 2 weeks holiday. Lucky her to have had the opportunity for 2 holidays so close together 
WHilst away in paris she did apparently close her hand in the train door 
but luckilly nothing broken
She is a bit sad that she doesn’t get to bike ride or play board games after all [so I have taken the game out of the christmas parcel] and of course she doesn’t get to read, so 3 things she loves she is missing currently. However, hoping she will get more enjoyment out of them when she returns [being bracing 
] Tho taking out and bringing back the bike is a bit of an effort for the lack of use! We discussed xmas pressies, as she doesn’t think she can send any from france, so i will be sorting them out for her this end. [bit of craziness with phones so we couldn't overhear plans for other people!]
She is actually looking forward to going back to school. She is friends with the whispering, giggling, interesting people, rather than the clever ones [which are FrB friends]. She says they are fun and helpful. SHe was given a detention for collecting 7 red lines – talking, jiggling her desk, not doing the work, not getting her homework book signed etc – but the principal cancelled it as couldn’t believe she would have 7 red lines in only 2 months [ I hadn't predicted her to be one of the naughty girls] , but she did do better in the last english control [18.5/20] and civics [5/5] and is hoping to do well in maths. School is clearly not so terrible now as it was at the start, she has got into the flow of how it works, has some friends there, and understands more now she has better french
I do hope that when she looks back on this she will be glad that she has done it. I do worry a bit about whether she really feels part of her french family [I haven't asked her, so I could be wrong and be an overthinking parent left at home symdrome!]. Maybe that comes later, or maybe it is because she is older going out than our friends were? But she does now seem happy there. This phone call is the first one she started a sentence in french to us so i guess french is becoming more instinctive now.
When we get some photos of her coastal break I will add them. But good luck SB, and seize the day
edited to add that V has added some pics on SB’s flickr account – thankyou – so here they are
