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July 29, 2014: The Best Any of Us Can Do

The best any of us can do is plan for the immediate or distant future. Things may go as we envision them to go, or not go as we envision them to go. We never know. Our plans may be dependent upon the plans of others, the weather, or the nature of the task at hand. Future planning is, of course, in part dictated by hindsight.

Today’s plans, mine, are being dictated by others. When, like now, several people are involved, I take action accordingly. Pete (yesterday) decided to take the kayak rack off Sputnik and put it on The Mothership. However, he discovered that he was missing parts,


Hrimmi saying hi to the pigs

so he’s now on his way to Anchorage where he will locate and purchase them. So my plans now involve cleaning the house, watering the garden, and taking the dogs he left behind for a walk.

This afternoon Claudia is coming over with her two horses and we are going for a ride. We of course includes Pete, and now my friend Victoria. Claudia’s plans were initially dependent upon her husband Frank’s plans. He owns a para gliding business. He said yesterday afternoon that if the weather was bad that he’d cancel the day’s lessons and go for a horseback ride with us. The weather is good today, so he’s going flying.

Victoria’s plans are dependent upon whether or not she can get in to see a dentist. So she may or may not ride with us. Claudia had suggested to Pete (when talking to him on the phone) that we go riding at 2 p.m. I, when asked, said that this worked for me, because I want to go to lesson this evening. Right now, it seems like lesson will be a go, but it will run late if Beth gets home late from work.

It’s sometimes good to go along with others’ plans, and make one’s plans accordingly. I do okay making short term plans because they are like writing deadlines, meaning I must then commit. There are times when ya gotta forge ahead, and go where no planner has ever gone before. I have a harder time making long term plans – seems like then that there are too many choices – committing to anything then becomes difficult. Like our deciding to go to Fairbanks. It was Pete and not I who said that tomorrow we are going to go to Fairbanks.

One long term plan has become a short term plan. Tomorrow we are leaving for the Interior bright and early, at the crack of dawn. Okay, we won’t get going early because there will be too many small things to tend to. It always seems to work this way for us. Our leaving has of course meant that we needed to enlist the services of a house sitter. We had two choices. Choice #1 had lined up another job. And choice #2 is right now up in the air. Pete, on his way to Anchorage, was to stop and talk to Sitter #2. If she has other plans we’ll have to make other plans.

I am planning (while in Fairbanks) to meet with James Englehardt, and talk further with him about my proposal. And maybe also meet with Fran Buntzen and talk with her about horses and gardening. And I am planning on hanging out and talking with friends. Everyone has plans, and so I of course have to take everyone else’s plans into consideration when making my own.

And yet two other long term plans are on their way to becoming short term plans. Pete’s going dipnetting in Chitna next week, leaving on Monday. This means that I will be the farm frau. No problem, I can take on his gardening duties, duties that formerly were mine. And after that I will fly to Portland and spend time with my mother and sister. That is, if all goes as planned. I have to get down there before late August, when my sister resumes her teaching duties.

Everyone (of course) has plans, meaning that we must all take one another’s plans into consideration when making our own. After, we (in hindsight) attempt to take action based on whether or not our carefully thought out plans did or did not go awry. Past and future are always fraught with uncertainty. The present (of course) is always the best place to be.

Next: 207. 7/30/14: Lessons Learned: Only Connect