Self Cleaning/Pay Toilets 1, The Ducklings 0

On one of the recent beautiful days in Toulon (ok, who am I kidding? It has been hot, really hot), the Ducklings and I headed to our favorite beach. Although a mere 5 minute walk from our villa, all the Ducklings needed to visit the self-cleaning/pay toilet immediately upon arrival. If you have visited San Francsico or Paris, you may be familiar with this creation, a nice public potty, that flushes and cleans itself after each use. A brilliant idea really, but it seems the reality is somewhat different. If you have ever visited one with a toddler, you know what I mean. The floor is always wet, but at least it is cleanish. Anyway, being the organized mommy that I am, I only had 20 centimes with me, the cost of one visit to the potty. I therefore insisted that all the girls go in together, all use the potty, and then all come out. I put in the money and the girls entered. I walked away to set up camp, a distance of about 20 feet, when I heard them call to me with the door open. They could not find the lights. They found them, shut the door and then about 20 seconds later chaos, and screams of terror. Apparently opening and shutting the door set off the self-clean cycle on the potty...with all the Ducklings inside. I dashed over and yanked open the door just in time to see the biggest Duckling sliding to the floor as the toilet retracted into the wall for cleaning. Water was spraying from the walls, and the girls were pretty much terrified, the big Duckling with her swimsuit around her ankles. I did my best to put on the "good mommy face" and not laugh, but it was tough. The dark-haired, twin Duckling just kept repeating over and over, "Mommacita, that was so scary. I was terrified." After a quick rinse in the beach shower, they were off into the water. The "terrifying" trip to the self-cleaning potty quickly forgotten. I really must learn the French trick for never having to use the potty.