Sunday 25 May is Mothers’ Day in France and it did not go unmarked in this household.

Tom’s class made presents for their mums – hand painted jewellery trees, accompanied by a note assigning descriptive words for their mothers starting with the letters in Bonne Fete Maman. Tom had copied his adjectives out off the board in his most exquisite cursive writing.

Tom also spent much of what he thought was ‘spare time’ in class drawing three additional beautiful hand made cards for me. He came home distressed on Friday lunchtime reporting that his teacher had confiscated them and put them in the bin! Imagine his delight and our relief when he returned to school after lunch to find them on his desk. Lesson learned: I guess that wasn’t spare time after all! Also, his teacher is not (quite) as mean as he perhaps thought.

We are in France, so of course the children had wrapped the presents beautifully, including with ribbons.

Poppies from the country roadside out of Quillan, courtesy of Stephen.