A tale of Two Cousins

 The tale of two cousins  For that is what it is.  IS is a word I can contemplate, our existence is in the moment, for a brief second, and then also a millions of other seconds we exist for the world to see.

So it is with this trip, I visited my sister-in-law in her well appointed apartment, her life like mine slowly coming to a rest and she sits within her world happy and I think content.  Though of course her 'contentedness' might be in my imagination.

Then there is my daughter's cousin, Marc.  I remember him as a child, fierce and excitable.  He is a big bear of a man now, gentle and looking after the family with great kindness. He reminds me of his great grandfather Con, and I realise  that those early teachings of grandparent have fruition in their children. 

Also everyone I am an aunt to this paragon of virtue, I must also realise my duties quite seriously.  Probably I will just restrict it to good advice, but he seems to have managed without it for many years - fortunately.

Okay he managed to open a sushi factory in the middle of a sea starved country and we are all very proud of him and now he plays golf, and I managed to be quiet about how golf courses don't grow food for the poor.  But I can keep my 'socialism' under wraps for the time being.

As we all dined out in a large group, there were ten of us, Marc explored the grandchildren's lives.  There is my glampuss Matilda with her partner Lucien, Marc now calls Lucien 'The Mathematician'.  Matilda and Lucien make a lovely couple ;) But leave us to visit Lucien's parents on holiday.  They are supposed to go 'serious' hiking but no one believes Matilda will make it.

 Then there is Ellie and Tom, married but a year ago and deeply in love.  Off in October to explore a part of the world for six months.  There is talk of eating insects and spiders in these Asian countries.  Fancy eating the furry legs of a tarantula spider? 

There is Ben fresh back from Milan and serving the needs, or photoshop, for his famous racing car driver and talking about taking up golf. God he has grown up that lad.  Though there was the incident of the midnight train he panicked on.  Which he was convinced would not stop in Vevey but go on to Sion.  It did stop and then the chat group went silent for the night and we all slept.  Another one safe in the fold.

Lillie was at her happiest, drinking her coffee down by the lake and ordering us all around.  She fetched stuff from Migros and the Co-op, almost as if it was a home from home.

There was my daughter immensely proud of her family and as we talked, walking beside the magnificent lake with the mountains in the background (it really is a Swiss Riveria) we talked of a dynasty that has suddenly developed over time.  She is justly proud of her little clan, and as I am of her.

But Andrew I am not forgetting you, for your organising of the whole affair, for Ubers and travel times for planes. Without Andrew I doubt the whole thing would not have become reality.  For just being there and supporting my daughter, thank you.  You are a joyous addition to the family.

Vevey is a sweet little town, full of small pedestrianised lanes.  Switzerland is so much more glamourous than old messy England. Paul would have loved it, it would have reminded him of mooching around Kyoto.  The quiet intimacy of a small  town slaked in history. The weather went down so quickly as we bumped into Manchester airport - cold and rainy. We had been blessed with very warm weather in Switzerland.  

Nearly every one swam in the lake, the ferry boat still caused wakes of waves in the water as it went by, tooting its horn.  And the little baby gannets that floated round the rocks had the same sound as the curlews up on the moors.

There is one more person I must not forget and that is Jeannot,  Annabel's husband.  He was with us as well, bless Marc for being there for everyone.

General impressions will come later.  Marc had calculated I had lived 30,000 days on this planet, calculate your lifetime and philosophically ask yourselves.  What did I do in all those days upon this Earth;)  Perhaps you should have followed a different star but I don't believe in regret.  Life just happens be grateful for it.