Canal du Midi 3

An earlier start this morning, with breakfast booked up at yesterday's coffee and dinner venue. Locks, turns out, have to be handled differently on the way up, but we had time for a team talk and not only worked out a strategy, but also a back-up strategy in case I turned out to be rubbish at throwing rope. Happily I passed and we looked, I thought, almost professional.

Beautifully hot sunny day, so after lunch (by a lock that we got to just as it closed for lunch) there was lounging and sunbathing while the blokes drove and talked about tax.

Once back at the hire place there was cleaning of the boat, clearing out of the stuff we hadn't eaten and drunk (a suprising quantity given my fullness and hungoverness) and then we headed off back home to check the kids had been looking after Mam right. I have to say I will never take a proper toilet for granted again. The one on the boat seemed more effort than it was worth so me and Mr B relied on country facilities and restaurants. Not sure I could deal with that for a week!

All was calm at home so we caught up on everyone's news and had an early night and a blissfully comfortable sleep. What a fab weekend. Though it began with some news from our friends that made us sad, it was wonderful to spend time together - mostly laughing. I have pulled a muscle in my tummy from laughing too hard. Happy times.