Françoise’s Diary, March 8, 2016

Dear Diary,

 

I had a birthday party today.  My second.  My real birthday was yesterday.  I turned 11 on March 7.   Grandma Elly wanted to do a combined birthday with my Aunt April, who was born on April 1.  My mommy said it was too long after my birthday on March 7, and she wanted to do a birthday party for me at her house.  My mommy and Mommy Elizabeth yelled at each other on the phone, until James started crying and the Mommy Elizabeth slammed the phone down.

 

Auntie April decided it.  She decided she didn’t want to come to Milborough for her birthday party.  She’s staying at university.  Then Mommy Elizabeth decided she would have a party for me and I would get two parties.  That sounded good.  I never had two birthday parties before.   My best friend Robin, who is also my cousin who goes to Grade 5 with me at Angus Martin, would be at the Mommy Elizabeth party.   I love my brother James, but he is only 6 years old and he’s not as much fun to play with as Robin.  Robin is the only kid in school who doesn’t make fun of me for using French words or call me “Frog Princess”.

 

My family from my mommy were at the other party.   Grandpa and Grandma Arsenault and Grandpa Gavin and Grandma Clarice.  new Uncle MaxGreat Uncle Max came.  Aunt Abby came from her university even though she wasn’t on break.  Aunt Abby is daddy’s sister even though he is a lot older than she is.   She’s my daddy’s favorite of all his family.  He smiles a lot around her.   Mommy gets nervous around Grandpa Roger because she works for him now.   She wanted the birthday party to be perfect.  She says Grandpa Roger will judge her by the party.  I don’t really know what that means, except Grandpa Roger doesn’t smile when he’s around mommy.

 

We had a pony ride and a jumping castle and a clown that blew up balloons.  It was très magnifique. so much fun.  I wish Robin could have been there.  He would have loved the bouncing castle and the clown.  Some of Grandma Clarice’s nieces and nephews were there, even though they are older than I am.  There were also some kids from people who work for Grandpa Roger there.  I don’t know them, but they were totes chouette, really cool.  They wear nice clothes.  After the party, I got to spend the night at mommy’s house.  She used to have a boyfriend Pete, but she said he was not worthy of the Arsenault name.  It was just us.  I got to sleep in mommy’s bed with her.  Her bed is really soft. 

The next day after my party, daddy came to pick me up and he said he and mommy needed to talk about my other party.  They were in mommy’s bedroom a long time before they came out.   Daddy and mommy talk a lot whenever they are at mommy’s house.   It’s ennuyeux, really boring.  When I got home, Mommy Elizabeth was running around the house cleaning and she said, “What took you so long?  How long does it take to pick up one kid?” Mommy Elizabeth told me to help her clean and I got to run the vacuum.  I like running the vacuum.  Daddy had to go and buy the cake and other birthday stuff.  Mommy Elizabeth was really mad he didn’t get that when he was picking me up. 

Grandma Elly and Grandpa John got there with Merrie and Robin and Aunt Deanna and Uncle Michael.  My Uncle Gordon and Aunt Tracey were there and they brought their daughter Rosemary.  She’s babysat me before and she’s really nice.   We had peanut butter sandwiches, celery and cheese, and the cake daddy bought. Merrie and Robin and James and I got to play “Pin the tail on the donkey”.  Grandma Elly said that was the game all her kids played when she was throwing birthday parties.  Daddy always says, “Grandma Elly has to have her traditions.”   We had to let James win at “Pin the tail on the donkey” so he wouldn’t cry, but I didn’t care.  Merrie got bored with  “Pin the tail on the donkey” and she got on her cell with her boyfriend Ethan.  It didn't matter.  Robin was there and I always have fun playing when he’s there.  Mommy’s party had better games, but it didn’t have Robin.  He is the nicest boy.

After everyone else left, Uncle Gordon and daddy started talking about work.  Aunt Tracey and Mommy Elizabeth were cleaning in the kitchen and I could tell they were talking about mommy, because they kept on saying “Thérèse”, but they were talking really softly.  Rosemary and I were playing with James.  Rosemary asked me if I was going to marry Robin someday.  She was just joking.  I told her she was silly.  We’re only in Grade 5.  Rosemary said she's already picked out her husband and she said I should pick too before all the good guys were gone.   Then Mommy Elizabeth started yelling about how I was not ever going to marry a Patterson.  She scared me and Rosemary and she really scared James.  He started crying.  Mommy Elizabeth picked him up and looked really mad at Rosemary and me.  Daddy said it was time for everyone else to leave.  I said goodbye to Rosemary and Aunt Tracey and Uncle Gordon and then I had to go to bed, even though it was still light outside. 

I had a hard time sleeping.  Marry Robin.  I never thought about that before.  It made Mommy Elizabeth really scary mad.  I love Robin, but I don’t want to marry him.   He's my best friend.
 

Bon soir diary,

Françoise Francie