Tadpoles on the wall

I last saw my cousin when I was eight. Thus, when she said she and her husband would be in France I not only jumped at the chance, I jumped on the train to meet up with them on their canal boat in Montauban.

In one way I felt like identical twins must feeling being reunited after years of separation to discover that they are so similar. We have enough similar quirks, single daughters born days apart (and explaining why neither of us were at a cousin's wedding), similar tastes. Fortunately there was enough differences and her husband was able to tell us apart without difficulty. The discovery of another person is always wonderful. That alone would have been enough.

But then to be on this wonderful boat and going through nine locks and noticing tad poles clinging to wall where the water had deserted them, having the helpful locks keeper (or whatever he is called) drive ahead, and chat) helping a bit by roping the boat the way it should be, docking, have a great meal (while still talking, talking, talking) and going to sleep in a comfortable bed just made things better and better and better.

At breakfast I missed the muskrat, but the female duck that had been playing hard to get with two mallard males, seemed to have settled down. The beautiful weather of the day before, had disappeared but that did not slow us down from wandering through Montauban with its little shops and boutiques, oohing and ahhing over the patterned stone sidewalks, and find a restaurant that was dry and warm for lunch.

Having grown up without much contact with my father's side of the family and remedying it somewhat, my cousin also filled me on things, I had no idea about. A good time...? Even as a writer I can't express the total feeling of joy I had.