Brent & Michael at the cruise terminal in Galveston

Yesterday we boarded the Carnival Ecstasy for our annual cruise to Cozumel.  The Ranchers have been suffering mightily all week for the day to arrive, and left the Ranch in the bus, and on time, ready for the four-hour trip to Galveston.

I rode with Genie, our board president, who picked me up in Austin and we arrived about an hour later than our crew.  Genie dropped me off in front of the cruise terminal to go park while I dealt with our luggage.  I thought our crew was probably already inside the terminal standing in various lines but suddenly I heard an ecstatic, “Look, there's Judy!” and saw a mob running toward me.

Mark, Sterling, Kyle and Kelly rushed up and threw their arms around me, nearly knocking me to the sidewalk.  Bystanders might have thought I was their grandmother who had been held as a prisoner in Siberia for the past ten years, instead of having been with them at the Ranch less than 24 hours before!  (This happens when they spy me shopping in Wal-Mart also.)

Our group consists of 66 souls this year–Ranchers, staff, families, friends of families.  It's a great rollicking bunch.

Once inside the terminal, we stood for the next hour in snaking lines that doubled back and forth, and the Ranchers made great sport of seeing one another, then not, then seeing one another again.  While watching other people shuffle along, seemingly just enduring this part of the journey, I marveled at how much fun we were already having. 

It really is all a matter of attitude.

Finally we made it onto the ship, and lunch on the Lido deck was tops on everyone's agenda.  It was almost two and we were famished.  Despite gentle reminders that we were to eat again in just a few hours, the Ranchers fell upon the pizza counter with undisguised glee and very little restraint.

The seas are calm, the skies are clear, and it grows warmer by the mile.  Tomorrow we'll hit the beach in Cozumel, and I'll tell you all about that.