So, two days on the island – lying in the sun – and I have my Isla mojo back. The birth certificate in question has arrived in Denver and said boyfriend is hopping on a plane to arrive in paradise early Xmas morning. Life is very very good!

Mario was flying on the same red-eye and so I made sure that I arrived at the ferry by 6:20am. This is a feat in and of itself. You see, I don’t have an alarm clock and neither does anyone in my party (that being my brother and my daughter). Don’t think of this until it is much too late to go find one. Of course, there is no such thing as a wake-up call. Just going on pure faith (and the fact that I am normally an early riser) to ensure that I get there in time. I have also covered my bases by telling Mario that if I am not at the ferry by 7:30, he should grab a cab and come to the hotel. No problem – I even have time for coffee and a cigarette before I have to go. I grab my book, my water and away I go. I am even a few minutes early.

And there I sit. And sit. And sit. Did you know that the Ultramar doesn’t start running until 8:00 am on Xmas morning? Yeah, me neither. The old ferry runs normal hours but not the Ultramar. I told Cancun Valet to take him to Ultramar – they obviously didn’t know either. Poor Mario. Do you suppose at this point he is starting to worry that this is going to be the trip from hell?

Now, Mario did what he does, while waiting for the ferry. He had a nice long conversation with someone on that side. He took pictures. Have I mentioned he has the patience of a saint?

Thank God I had my book with me. I too ended up chatting with someone – that is how I knew I wouldn’t be seeing the ferry on the Isla side until about 8:30am. I did briefly contemplate jumping on the other ferry and surprising him over there. But I didn’t have enough faith in my Spanish to feel really good that I completely understood the conversation and I had visions of us passing each other in the middle of the Bay. So I sat. And read. And chatted. And read some more. And sat some more. And because I am into the Isla mojo, I enjoyed my time on the pier and I enjoyed my book.

Hey look – it’s about 8:30 and here comes the Ultramar – I did understand what the guy told me in Spanish. I was feeling very competent. And there is my redneck Texan boyfriend waving at me from the upper deck. Okay, now I really can breathe.

I have no idea what we did then. I just know that we were together, we had a golf cart, and we are at my favorite place in the world. I am a truly blessed person.

Ps – a correction to the 1st part – I know it was Hurricane Wilma, not Emily. Don’t know why I wrote that.