The whole western world is coasting towards the Easter holidays.  But not us here in secular France.  We've got three more weeks at the chalk face; Marianne's finger to religion.  She's right, of course, but my head is in holiday mode.  

My Muslim boys cradle their heads on their arms because they're hungry and loll around on the staircases between 12 and 2.  Ramadan is full on, pesach and Easter just around the corner.  We battle on but I'm just thankful  that 1st April fell on a Saturday.

Isaac turned up, tall and willowy and as epic as ever.  He printed out our Springsteen tickets and took to trawling through the CDs by the light of an electric drill.