Plans, schmans...

Honestly, I had a plan for today. I did. No, sorry, I didn't get to writing it down. It was in my head.

My plan for Friday October 30th, 2009

Go for a walk with the dog.
Visit mother.
Transcribe the tape of an interview.
Wrap some presents for a person who is going to have a birthday soon.

So, LAs, that was my plan. The reality was a little different.

I missed the dog walk because my left foot was extremely painful for no obvious reason, but I could scarcely hobble on it.

New plan: add yoga to the to-do list for this evening.

Cross out the go for a walk with the dog entry.

Decided to change the order so I fetched the tape recorder and began to listen to the tape while thinking I would visit mother after finishing a half hour of transcribing.

The tape was impossible to decipher - there was a loud hum on it, and a hissing. I told H. who went to check that one of our other phones would work with the tape recorder. To do that, he had to 'phone a friend' and get her to chat to him. So I couldn't transcribe the notes I had taken because I was reading them and typing a copy on the computer. My computer clacks loudly. I had to stop. Meanwhile the dog needed attention.

After the phone situation was resolved, I went back to transcribing my scribbled notes - the interviewee was lovely but a very fast speaker.

I finally completed my transcript at 17:02.

Should I wrap presents? But the place I wrap presents in is being used as an office at the moment and I can't disturb those people who are using it.

Maybe this evening. If I am not too tired after a visit to Mother.

Meanwhile, there's dinner to see to, and the dog to move from his flake-out on an electrical socket. He just loves to lie there, where his rear end might be engulfed in a blue light at any time.

New plan - move dog.

Still have not visited Mother, walked dog, made dinner or wrapped a single present.

And, whoops, forgot that important shopping I planned to do earlier.

Plans, huh!

So, if the LA was judging me on my plan for today, I'm sorry I would just have to be sent off to school.

Plans never go to order. Never. That's the nature of plans (says E) and I agree with her. A plan is a mere guide. It should never be slavishly adhered to. What if you planned to watch t.v. and your house caught fire? Would you sit on your comfy chair while your toes charred and burned? Or would you flee like a mad thing?

Of course you wouldn't stay in your comfy chair.

You cannot count on plans. They are not dependable.

They are from the machine world and helpful when you are building a house. They have their place, I guess, but you can't rely on them.

Like the Local Authorities really.