Trio of Old Friends

This is the first time I've ever had neighbors who are close, but not easily reachable because there is a natural barrier between us...the Lot River.  I can't walk up the hill for a coffee or an apero, but from time to time I can hear their conversations (in French of course) perfectly clearly from the other side of the river.  I took my visitors-Fran Clarke and Toni Daigre-to that Saujac side of the river with me yesterday.  The view of our side of the river is incredible.  It was also just the right time of day to get those "Monet-ish" reflections in the river with intense, profound color.  Turning around from my Monet moments I smiled, I had discovered my three old friends sitting beside an irrigation pump.  I met them for the first time a few years ago and fell in love with their strength, color, utility, spring sweetness and charm...just like my new Louisiana friends.   I'll be riding into Cahors with them this morning to make sure that their rental car gets turned in and they make that 12:46 train to Paris.  Me, I'll be on the 12:40 bus coming home hoping that sometime in the not too distant future I'll be able to turn around and see my new "old friends" pulling into the drive of the Chatette.  It's nice not to be the "lone crazy American" from time to time!  Yesterday, we were three!