Gosh I don’t think I have ever worked so much in my entire life. Day and night, night and day, trying to bring myself ahead, and all for the sake of a few days off next week. We are heading to Paris and Eurodisney, and I most definitely will not be able to do anything there. A few nights, while I was working on my laptop in bed, words dancing in my head, Caterina sleeping in her cradle next to me, I wondered whether it was worth all this effort.

But you know what? I think it will. Nicco is so excited at the idea of going to Paris. We have read a few Madeleine’s stories, re-read Laurence Anholt’s Degas and the Little Dancer, planned to see it (and Mona Lisa) at the Louvre, and talked about the chocolate shops and ice cream parlours we’ll hit.

Faced with this, what does it matter if I am tired, sleepy and headachy? After all, it’s nothing a good croissant can’t cure.