Big Plans

Saturday morning Ginny & I drove to Country Kitchen for a leisurely breakfast before a trip to the grocery store. As the waitress cleared the table we broke out pens and planned our menu for the next few weeks.

Yes, we are planners.

Years ago Ginny made out this menu planning form which we use constantly. One side of the sheet lists the days of the week; the other side has a topical grocery shopping list.

First we fill in the dates, then write down activities we’re involved in. For instance, a friend asked me to drive him to the hospital on Sept.2^nd; Ginny has an eye test Thursday, etc. Then we write down meals which fit in with those activities (Finger food for Monday Night Football) .Then, on the grocery side of the sheet, we write down what we need to buy for that particular meal.

Our planned menu is not chiseled in stone but on any given day we have a fair idea of what to cook for supper without having to make a decision at the end of each day.

Today we also added items to replenish our hurricane supplies. Of course, being Floridians, we keep basic hurricane supply kits in car and closet year round, but a few weeks ago we crossed paths with a poor family going through a rough patch and they got our surplus food stuffs so we felt it wise to restock.

Hurricane Katrina still hovers south of us and that causes us some anxiety.

No, the projected path of the storm does not include Jacksonville. No problem there -- maybe.

But there’s a kicker for us in that we plan to go on vacation in a couple of months – we reserved and paid for our cabin back in January – and our vacation spot on the Gulf lies directly in the storm’s path.

That happened to a friend of our’s last year, when he went to his cabin, a storm (I think it was Francis) had wiped out the state park, he had to turn around and come back.

Assuming that our cabin on the beach is not washed away by Katrina, we spent all afternoon planning our vacation trip.

The anticipation is so much fun!

We floated on air mattresses in the pool talking about what to pack (our binoculars and bird books, mosquito repellant, negligees ), what to buy (good hiking boots, digital camera), where we want to eat (Bamboo House and that fried oyster place for sure), things we want to do (boat tour on the Gulf), sights we want to see (Lighthouse Point, wildlife refuge), and even clothes we want to wear (the tee shirts we bought at Goodwill last year).

We had such a wonderful time planning and anticipating.

Looking forward to an event can be as much fun as the event itself.

Of course, all our plans hinge on following the will of God. Here’s a link to a cartoon I enjoy about planning (It’s supposed to move but I can’t get that part right).

We love to anticipate happy things such as our vacation, but we also plan as well as we can for less desired events. For instance, when we bought our home ten years ago, one of the things we considered was our age and health; if we should ever need a wheelchair ramp, we can install one here.

The tiniest things can knock plans whopajaw. A ring of the phone, a knock at the door, a microscopic virus, a dead cell in the car battery, a drunk driver – tiny, unforeseen, unplanned for factors can change lives and plans forever.

In January 2004, we started planning a vacation trip for last year but as soon as we started, both Ginny and I felt a check in our spirits. That’s hard to explain but we both independently knew that we should not make that planned trip. So we cancelled those plans. This year, we both feel free to plan and anticipate the same trip.

Odd.

So, some events we view with anticipation while others we regard with apprehension. As we do our part, the final outcome of any matter is all in God’s hands.

Here’s another matter of some concern for us.

Friday night Donald called saying he wants to bring his new girlfriend to meet us over lunch today. We wonder if we will pass inspection.

Poor Donald.

As my old aunt used to say about another young man, “I think the devil owed him a debt and decided to pay him off in women”.

Donald’s heart has been broken several times as he courted various girls and saw things disintegrate for one reason or another.

I don’t understand why he has such a difficult time hitching up with a dream girl.

Donald is employed and sober and he actually wants to get married!

In this day and age, considering the other young men I see around, those three qualities alone should put him high on the list for any young woman.

In addition, he is kind, generous, intelligent, and romantic. He wants someone to love and lavish affection on.

On the other hand, he does keep a vile, nasty cat – but then you can’t expect him to be perfect.

He has said that he wants a marriage and family life just like Ginny and I have.

We’re flattered.

But I feel a little apprehensive about meeting his latest date. I sure don’t want to scare her off. Ginny and I plan to be low-key and nice and on our best behavior.

I don’t have time to mow the yard today, but we plan to clean house. And I’ll shave. And I won’t smoke inside around her. And I won't tell her any of the good jokes. And we plan to ….

To Hell with plans!

Never fails when we expect company....

Ginny just walked in telling me that the toilet won’t flush! I’ll have to fix that immediately. And we have this over-the-commode cabinet thing filled with plants and seashells and knickknacks and bottles of shampoo -- that thing has to be moved before I can lift the tank lid…

Damn.

This is not the way I planed to spend my Sunday!