Waves outside crash against the coral and limestone shore with distinct punctuation. Some are a WHEEEEEE of spray that is audible, ending in an exclamation point. Others are a solid thud of a period at the end of a statement. It is a sound that I will never tire of and laying in bed at 3AM it is calming adding to the volume of peace my heart feels on this vacation. 
The hubs retired last week and my day is at the end of the month. I will continue to teach yoga and do personal training at a local fitness center but my days in the corporate world doing consulting are done with the exception of a little something in the form of a project each year to keep my professional credentials current.
This vacation has been like none previously spent on our island paradise. We've been coming for 27 years now, at least twice a year and each trip has its own special memories. Three of those trips saw new fur kids come into our home and one is there now cuddled with her furry sister next to our beloved neighbor gal who housesits for us. We have 3 sleeps to go before we have to get on a plane to return to the frozen, grey, brown spot we call home. I am feeling pangs of regret that we did not take 10 days instead of a week because right now I need the additional down time. 
We have decompressed quickly this time. Laying in chaises by the infinity pool that drops its view directly to the sea. The beginning of the morning is spent cat-napping and quick dips in the pool to cool off then reapplying the white paste that is sunscreen. The hubs has a book I gave him for Christmas that he moves through methodically between siestas. I have a book as well and have adopted the same leisurely pace of reading. A tiny bluetooth speaker sits between us on a pool table gently allowing music from the Buena Vista Social Club to melt into the seaside sunshine. 
Getting to this peace was something I did not think would happen, especially this quickly. Getting the hubs retired was no small effort. The paperwork, the return of the company car, the return of all of the technology, GAWD it was EXHAUSTING! So by the time we got on an early morning flight to connect in Dallas, I would have walked to Cozumel given the chance. But off we went and when we connected in Dallas the assortment of characters we picked up to go onto Cozumel, well... was interesting. Travel always is... And it added one more layer to the complete feeling of WT___? that I had been experiencing in getting to this vacation point.
One of these characters insisted on making sure we all were aware of his presence. He was roughly 60, 5'5", 300 lb with about 3 dozen hairs on his head tied into a tiny ponytail with a rubber band. I doubt he had washed those hairs, his body, or shaved in a good 10 days or so. His voice landed on the senses like sandpaper. His Hawaiian shirt clearly did not cover his belly that took on the form of what my Dad used to call a "Dunlop" as in his huge belly "done lopped over his belt." (You have the picture yet?) Neither the shirt nor his shorts had seed a Tide pod in quite a long time either and I tried not to look at what his feet sported knowing it could not be any better that the full monty I was looking at.
As we took off from DFW and made it to cruising altitude, I got up and made my way to the back of the plane to use the lav. In the galley directly behind the opposite facing lavs stood two female flight attendants prepping the service cart. They appeared to be a bit younger than myself (who will be into Medicare next year...) I checked the lavs to see if there was a green indicator showing one open and one of the two was "green." I opened the door.
What came next was NOTHING I expected to say the very least. I opened the door to find Mr. Hawaiian shirt standing in front of the toilet. As I gasped and uttered "Oh my God, I'm so sorry," he wheeled around to face me, one hand "in position" and the other waving at me saying "no problem!"
You cannot make this stuff up, I thought as I stepped into the galley.
I apologized to the flight attendants for stepping into their space and one looked at me and stoically said "Uhhhhh huh, can't unsee that, can you?" I asked if she knew he was in there and she and her compadre giggled and the other gal said, "burned in your brain forever, isn't it? We've been there." We shared a few good giggles and Mr. Hawaiian shirt came out of the lav and made his way back to his seat...3 seats behind mine.
As we FINALLY got through immigration (the line was worse than ever this trip) and to the condo, the smell of the sea air seeped into every pore of my body. There is something about the smell of the sea that is like no other and it instills almost instant calm in me. We got to the condo and went in and immediately went out on the balcony and looked at the sea. Stood and looked at the water...
Our dear, dear friends from Canada stay in the condo next door. We lovingly exchanged hugs and said hello as they walked out. We have not seen them in 3 years. I didn't realize how much I missed them. His hair is whiter and is what I wish mine would look like, hers is longer and beautiful gentle curls; she calls it her pandemic hair. It is so wonderful to be there with them; easy couple to be good friends with. We find spots around the pool and talk during the day but there is not that feeling that you have to hang together. They are just "easy" friends to be there with.
We have our traditions in Cozumel and on the trip every March we have our dinner with our Canadian pals. For years it was the same spot and that was remodeled and just not the same. We found a spot on the water in town and it was lovely and we could see sunset. But this year we went to a spot that we had not been together but individually over the years. Beautiful location, restaurant, amazing food and great company. Sunset was stunning as it always is and the annual dinner was 5-star.
I can't remember feeling this relaxed in a long time. And it feels like everything on this trip is a delight to the senses. We've slept every night with the windows and balcony doors open with a breeze floating through like a silk sheet gently laid on top of us. The smell of the fresh bananas I've been eating is intoxicating. And knowing that they came off of someone's tree locally in the last few days adds to the taste when I choose one for breakfast. The limes that I cut to put into my cold beer simply tickle the nose with their incredible freshness. Fish that was swimming that morning tastes so sweet and the vera cruz part of its preparation is savory with local herbs and veggies. The perfect blend of the margarita at our traditional first night dinner spot is the perfect end of the hot day spent napping and reading. And as we lay in bed drifting off, the sound of the palm leaves brushing against each other in the wind is like a quiet percussion to soothe the soul.
Visually it is sometimes more than I can imagine Mother Earth is capable of and yet here it is. The blue of the ocean is hard to describe and a color I cannot take my eyes from when I see it. The bougainvilleas in their magenta outerwear outside our kitchen window and all over the island simply shout their beauty as we drive by. The hibiscus is the color of the tropical sun and joins the bougainvilleas in proclaiming their presence. The beautiful colors of the buildings...yellows, blues, bright pinks and such can cheer even the coldest winter soul.
It is all just more than I could have asked for in preparing to get here. I always hate the prep of packing, getting things ready for the sitter to stay with the pups, the "getting here" on the plane and through immigration...it is wearing and people are more hateful and rude than ever so it is a test of patience to just get to where we stand and look at the sea, smell it, and open a cold beer as we sit and exhale. But this trip...
This year seems to have been more than either of us could have imagined and I cannot think of a time when I feel like I need it all more than I do right now. The coming days will be a big change for the hubs and I hope as life moves along he will find his groove. I am already there, just need to close out this last client and then keep teaching yoga and doing personal training. I'm ready, I hope he is. I've been working paying jobs, the ones that pay into taxes and social security, since my 14th birthday. I'm ready...
Let the retirement commence!
But for now, let me have the sound of the waves, the smell of the limes and bananas, the colors of the island and a little more Buena Vista Social Club music...maybe a margarita tomorrow afternoon. Then maybe I can handle the thought of coming home to taxes and snow. 
Maybe...
For now, I'll soak in my island blessings. Every moment I can get...
