February 9, 2021. Playa Royale, Mexico. My Friend David.

Gill suggested I ask my helper, Anna, to ask if she could accompany me on the cruise. This was last summer when we were discussing the two cruises. She knows I have difficulty in new situations so she was anxious that I would be travelling by myself in new situations. For Anna for her to come with me is not an option because she has other responsibilities, which I told Gill. But in the middle of the night I went through all the people I knew to see who might come with me. By then last summer in Nova Scotia, I had already taken two excursions with friend David. The next time he came for a conversation, I asked him if he would be interested in accompanying me on the two cruises. He was delighted to oblige but he had no passport. He assured me that he would work on getting it. I was thrilled and the next day I called Pearl Sea Cruise Line to see if I could get him a single cabin. Fortunately, Pearl Seas is one on a few ships offering single cabins. When Gill takes cruises she always pays double. Fortunately, I was able to book a single cabin for him. I was already in a single. We were set for 2021 to cruise from Portland to Toronto and then from Toronto to Milwaukee. And David was willing to wait another year until 2022. He is the reason I was comfortable booking for 2022 even though I will be 84. When we first met in 1999, David was a 41 year old curly haired skilled carpenter who was pleasant and loved conversation. Now he is a 62 year old curly white haired skilled carpenter who is still pleasant and still enjoys conversation. I feel fortunate that he is willing to accompany me. He is thrilled too with the prospect of the two cruises. And by then, he just might have gotten his passport.