I let my third blog birthday slip by uncelebrated on July 7th (well actually I celebrated, but enough about that already), but I see that right about now it is a full calendar year since my world went utterly stark raving mad.
Starting, if I remember correctly, with a phone call from Radio Five Live while I was in the middle of signing up for unemployment benefit at an ASSEDIC office near Père Lachaise, the day Colin published his scoop in the Daily Telegraph.
Colin, my friend and mentor throughout, has written a post about it all here. What a difference a year can make, indeed.
In a couple of weeks’ time I should know for sure whether the legal battle is over, or whether I’ll be limbering up for round two sometime next year. As for the press madness, I suspect I should brace myself for a not very low profile 2008.
But in the meantime, I can be found lounging by the pool enjoying what anonymity I have left, in style. And that sure beats typing dictations and formatting accounts, I can tell you…
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books
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petite anglaise 
Hahahahaha!! I’m ready for my close-up Mr. De Mille… That’s a very nice piece by Colin. I remember I was lying on my bed when you sent me a text to say me you’d been “dooced” – and I had to look it up ‘cos I had no idea what you were talking about!! You’ve worked so hard on this whole thing, you deserve all the success, hon. And I’m hoping to cash in with that collection of compromising photos I’ve been building up…:D And what I wouldn’t give to be lounging by a pool at the moment…
Comment by rhino75 — July 17, 2007 @ 12:14 pm
Following your appearance in the Big Issue the other week, I bet you’re wondering where else your photograph and story is being sold and discussed.
It’s a strange world, isn’t it – many bloggers seem to crave the attention of the masses, and yet you have now seen “the other side of the fence”. Perhaps one day it will calm down enough to give you some perspective.
Here’s hoping :)
Comment by Jonathan — July 17, 2007 @ 1:56 pm
Pleased to know you’re enjoying the advantages :=)
Comment by Roberta Collins — July 17, 2007 @ 2:17 pm
Oui je crois franchement que tu le mérites !
Sorry hein ? J’écris en Français mais comme t’es fluent ça devrait pas trop te poser de problèmes !
Donc, bravo !
Longue vie !
Etc…
Comment by violette — July 17, 2007 @ 3:22 pm
I’ve only recently started reading your blog, having just discovered the world of blogging and started my own. Have read your story with great interest and am glad that things have improved for you. Thank you for your very entertaining, touching and amusing writing – it has been an inspiration to me.
Comment by Hails — July 17, 2007 @ 3:40 pm
If you can, visit World Heritage town Sintra near Lisboa and take time to walk in the lush green hills around the village. The outline of Palácio da Pena (Palace of Sorrow) at nightfall is spellbinding – and I’m sure Tadpole would love to see photos of the perfect fairytale palace…
Comment by happyforyou — July 17, 2007 @ 3:44 pm
I second Rhino’s notion: I would give anything to be lounging by a pool — or at the beach for that matter — right at this moment too!
But ’tis well-deserved, your success, and I’m sure it will continue far into the future, with your talent. Enjoy every wonderful moment.
Comment by Alice — July 17, 2007 @ 3:57 pm
Congrats on a good (in the end) year.
By the way, I can’t believe CNN used the term ‘unmarried mother’ – of course you are one, so is my Mum, there’s nothing wrong with that at all but that term just seems so judgemental in their part. What has it to do with the story? What about ‘popular blogger’?
Comment by Emma — July 17, 2007 @ 4:24 pm
congrats — you’ve made something of a silk purse out of a sow’s year of an annus horibilis — I’m looking forward to the book very much and imagining that there might be a movie at some point.
my post today is a wee tribute to your blog and an order to all 10 or so of my readers (hey, I have a large extended family!) to go read your blog. Not that you need more advertising.
Comment by materfamilias — July 17, 2007 @ 4:32 pm
Happy Belated 3rd Birthday. Looking forward to the book.
Comment by Jester — July 17, 2007 @ 6:18 pm
Petite, thank you. For sharing your life with us.
Comment by beaunejewels — July 17, 2007 @ 7:23 pm
Eh? Where is that post gone about the celebrating?
Comment by Annie Rhiannon — July 17, 2007 @ 8:26 pm
It’s a tough life, Petite!
Comment by Jean-Luc Picard — July 17, 2007 @ 9:02 pm
Hadn’t realised your ex-employer had to refund 6 months state benefits as well as a whole year of your (not inconsiderable) salary, plus damages.
Did your first round of compensation come in one fat cheque? I do hope so!
Comment by andrew — July 18, 2007 @ 1:14 am
Now THIS is an anniversary to celebrate! Enjoy your much deserved rewards, like trips to Portugal. You may not know what’s next but it’s been one wild ride so far, and I think it will only get better (short of having to deal with more media insanity).
Comment by The Bold Soul — July 18, 2007 @ 2:28 am
Many happy returns for your blog’s birthday! (and hopefully many royalty returns from your upcoming book!)
Comment by Meesha — July 18, 2007 @ 7:15 am
Isn’t it amazing how something that is awful which happens in our lives can turn to something wonderful? I’ve had that happen in my life-it just didn’t get exposed to the world. Good for you.
Comment by Linda — July 18, 2007 @ 7:32 am
I can’t image how you went through all this… I was fired recently, without the explanation, I found another job though, but the feelings will never be the same.
Comment by julie — July 18, 2007 @ 8:44 am
@Andrew. I won’t get anything until we are sure there is no appeal, and even then I doubt they will pay up any time soon.
The ASSEDIC will be reimbursed the benefits I received (up to a maxiumum of six months, but I only claimed them for two), my lawyer will get 10% of the total also.
I’m not holding my breath, but it will be nice when it finally comes in.
Comment by petite — July 18, 2007 @ 9:51 am
bring a big pair of sunglasses next time we meet
Comment by rivergirlie — July 18, 2007 @ 10:15 am
Happy blog-birthday! I read your blog everyday and I really enjoy your writing/stories.
Comment by Mais oui — July 18, 2007 @ 10:47 am
well, I’ve never been dooced petite darling ( apparently you actually have to have a job for this to happen) but I was once banned from the village post office because of my blog so I think I can understand what you have gone through. Anyway, Happy anniversary and all that and chin up!
Comment by Rilly Super — July 18, 2007 @ 12:00 pm
#8 What’s wrong with unmarried mother? Facts are facts…
Enjoy your vac, you’ve more than earned it, Petite!
Comment by purple — July 18, 2007 @ 1:13 pm
@23 I found it rather unsettling to be defined first and foremost by my marital status. I am a single mother. I was unmarried even when I lived with my daughter’s father. And is this fact relevant to why I was sacked, or why I was in the news?
Plus it was coined by the Daily Mail – the very people who turned up on my parents’ doorstep, tried to interview my neighbours and local shopkeepers, and made bogus calls to try and find out my daughter’s name – so its use was anything but neutral.
Comment by petite — July 18, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
“Unmarried mother” is a ridiculous term to use
BUT i have to say the situation has been a tiny bit milked, non?
I was wrongfully dismissed about 2 months ago and lost my much loved career, and im now going through the legal process… Sure it wasnt because of a blog but something equally as silly. Im more or less fully recovered now. I understand it takes longer for some, but i duno, im still sensing a bit of milking. I got all the financial help i could, gathered my strength quietly and got on with it
Unfair of me, maybe?
Comment by Maxi — July 18, 2007 @ 5:38 pm
No doubt the DM’s intentions were not very honourable portraying you as an “unmarried mother”, but maybe your own description of your marital status on the blog
(“After living ‘in sin’ for 8 years…”)
left you more vulnerable to that kind of interfering comments?
Just a thought…
Wishing you the very best of good vibes and inspiration on the last lap of tweaking and fiddling!
Enjoy the summer!
Comment by happyforyou — July 18, 2007 @ 5:42 pm
Of course, the terms “single mother” or “unmarried mother” conjure up the idea that the child’s father is not present or around, which is definitely not the case, as you always speak well of Mr. Frog in that regard.
Your marital status is absolutely irrelevant, of course…
Comment by happyforyou — July 18, 2007 @ 5:45 pm
Sometimes talent does pay in the end ;)
A warm hello from Thailand were we actually are “lounging by the pool” in a refined and chilling cocoon with mister Shuey and LadyV…
Comment by Emmanuel Vivier / BuzzParadise.com — July 18, 2007 @ 6:16 pm
gluck, gluck, gluck…
Comment by Trevor — July 18, 2007 @ 6:58 pm
Being a Mother means that you are a very important person, does it matter if you are married or not.
Andy
Comment by Andy — July 18, 2007 @ 8:03 pm
In Canada, single mothers (or unmarried mothers, for that matter) are hot. :)
Comment by Bridges — July 18, 2007 @ 8:36 pm
I agree Petite, I couldn’t understand why you needed to be described as an unmarried mother, this statement does not define you. It was in fact unnecessary. You may or may not be a great mother, it has nothing to do with your ability to do your job. I think you are in a very enviable position but I am well aware of the hard work and courage it has taken to get to this point. Well done.
Comment by Victoria — July 18, 2007 @ 10:30 pm
I’m sure Petite’s single status played a big part in this. I remember the headlines well and her single status was at the forefront all over the press.
Petite, I hope this case is resolved without appeal and you can put this part of your life behind you and concentrate on other things. Congrats on your anniversary and enjoy the rest of the summer.
Comment by Diane — July 18, 2007 @ 10:50 pm
I agree completely that your marital status is completely irrelevant, especially in France. After all, the losing Presidential candidate was an unmarried mother of four children with the same long-term partner (if I remember correctly). Also I read somewhere that 50% of children in France are born out of wedlock. Unfortunately, some countries have a less liberal attitude, hence possibly. the CNN view.
It is so lovely to have you back after what felt like interminable silence.
Comment by Pierre L — July 19, 2007 @ 12:02 am
Happy belated blogging birthday, petite. This longtime reader and first-time commenter wishes you all the best. I always enjoy your posts and look forward to the ones to come. And in the meantime, bonnes vacances.
Comment by B. — July 19, 2007 @ 2:05 am
Happy er, blogday petite.
You may not appreciate their description of your status but you cannot deny its accuracy. Name, age, sex, marital status, job and location are pretty common journalistic descriptors: they haven’t exactly singled you out.
Save your ire for the day when they print some real b/s.
Bridges wrote, “In Canada, single mothers (or unmarried mothers, for that matter) are hot.”
Speak for yourself my friend. There are a LOT of guys out there who would disagree with you.
Comment by bonkers — July 19, 2007 @ 1:40 pm
Your third birthday blog. I haven’t even had a third birthday yet!
annathetoddler.blogspot.com
Comment by annathetoddler — July 19, 2007 @ 4:26 pm
to # 36 There are a LOT of guys out there who would disagree with you.
i don’t know who those guys are …
but believe me single mothers ARE hot
kisses
rose
Comment by selavy — July 19, 2007 @ 6:24 pm
Hey Petite,
Hope you’re enjoying Lisbon. I visited a Portuguese friend of mine there last year and I fell in love with the city. Go to the botanical gardens if you get chance, they’re so beautiful and they’re calm and shady, if you’re an English rose like me who craves the shade from time to time! Hope you’re eating lots of sardines and those little cake specialties from Belem, can’t remember what they’re called…
Go for drinks in the Bairro Alto, so many cool bars and pretty boys!
And I adored Alfama, there was an amazing atmosphere when I went last June, there was some festival and the locals were barbecueing sardines in the streets every evening. Oh, you’ve got me reminiscing…Enjoy your break. x
Comment by Helen — July 19, 2007 @ 8:23 pm
I’m not at liberty to sample the pretty boys – but the pasteis de nata more than make up for it…
Comment by petite — July 19, 2007 @ 8:42 pm
Cream cakes, eh ?
And yet, as you say, one year on, la creme de la creme no more … It sounds like this new jet-set life of yours certainly beats the crap out of office life and filing reports for a living.
Cream cakes were always advertised in the UK as ‘naughty but nice’. And that part at least you can certainly put down to research for your next novel.
Comment by Roads — July 20, 2007 @ 12:48 am
selavy (rose) said, “to # 36 There are a LOT of guys out there who would disagree with you.
i don’t know who those guys are …”
No, I’m sure you don’t. I don’t either.
Comment by bonkers — July 20, 2007 @ 4:21 am
Hi Petite,
assuming your passage is to go to the next level, i.e. if your case is going to the Paris Cour d’Appel, I think you would be best disposed to adopt the ‘Brace, Brace’ position ….
There is a severe backlog of files or cases, and speaking from my own experience, a case in front of the Prud’hommes, the case was heard in July 2006, judgement received 3 months after, and, wait for it, or adopt the brace position, arriving at Cour d’Appel in June 2008, the motto of the story being —
just surfing in and not expecting to provoke a sense of ‘mardi night blues’…
But it does make you wish that Sarko & Co will direct enough of their current budget deliberations that I see are taking place right now. Perhaps you can start lobbying for increased budgets on the prud’hommes in Paris, spending on the Garde de Sceaux etc …
Ok. I’m rambling. enough said.
Comment by not another john — July 31, 2007 @ 9:37 pm
All that time I spent believing pasteis de nata was some kind of pastis…
Well, happy happy everything then !
And of course single mothers are kind of superhot ! The use of “unmarried” instead of “single” is but a poor device to try and pour some water over that oh so unbearable hotness…
Comment by Annabel — August 7, 2007 @ 4:16 pm