If the past couple of years have taught me anything, it’s this:

Plans are fluid and at the constant mercy and whims of weather, health, accidents, family, prior obligations, unforeseen demands, defective materials, unintentional errors, and the always unexpressed: I just don’t feel like it.

This is how three to four months can easily become two years.

In August the same part of the patio was broken up again, the cable moved, holes and crack repaired, and concrete repoured. The patio is now whole, but marred by the new section’s slightly different color. No matter. We’ve had more rain and, so far, that part of the basement is dry. There’s still the mold to address, and water-damaged items to clear out, but that will happen as soon as we’re positive the fix is holding firm.

My husband is due for another scan in a couple of weeks. We’re already preparing for the possibility that his treatment will need to be changed. There are other immunotherapy drugs which work differently than the one he’s getting, and one of those might be more effective. There’s also a cancer vaccine trial going on near us, and it’s recruiting. Something to ask about at the next appointment….

In the meantime, my fracture is healing, but the “smart oven” is still conking out at odd times, and the countertop oven has been banished to the garage. My husband says he wants to try to fix it, but I’m convinced it’s a product of non-existent quality control and belongs in the trash. I have no patience for badly designed and built appliances. Some days I think I should pile logs in my fireplace and hang a cast iron pot over them; and then I recall the crock pot is still working. That’s something….

But I’m ever aware that the only permanent thing in life is impermanence, and that order is constantly moving toward disorder. It’s easier to stay grounded if I keep that in mind. It does mean abandoning illusions, being firmly rooted in this universe, rather than the one next door, but it also means having a keener awareness of, and deeper appreciation for the good days, the words of comfort and amusement from unexpected sources, unsolicited help that suddenly appears when needed, solicited help that is not begrudging, a natural world bearing common and rare gifts, a universe filled with mysteries….

…and absurdity in abundance…

To paraphrase Proverbs 16:9, Man plans, and God laughs.

Ain’t it the truth? Moving on….

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