PLANS: GOD'S TICKLER

The past few days I had made plans to enjoy the company of some interesting people, both friends and family. First off, I was to meet a nice, compassionate, intelligent friend (are there any other kinds of friends worth having?) We had planned on meeting for coffee at our favorite locale, and the challenge was trying to maneuver around the detours, saw horses, missing sidewalk sections, construction workers and lack of parking spaces. Once we arrived at the coffee house, the brew and conversation were both flavorful and satisfying. It's always fun to have conversations with this friend and the list of topics is as varied the combination on the coffee menu board. Delightful time to introduce two nice people to another person who appreciates the flavors of life. Age differences shrink when conversation is open and free. Great way to start the weekend.

Next on my plans was to attend a HUGE CLOSEOUT SALE that my husband wanted to check out. As we waited for the entrance time, we watched the crowd begin to que. Chuckling, my daughter made an observation about the the people who waited for the opening time and then she even laughed harder when she realized that we were also waiting for the opening of this HUGE CLOSEOUT SALE. When the line began to move closer to the entrance, smiles soon turned to frowns as it was announced that there was a cover charge to enter the facility. We quickly decided that we would spend the cover charge money some place else; as we couldn't grasp the idea of having to pay to shop and not receive anything in return.

On our way out of the park, my daughter spotted a nearby garage sale where that cover charge money bought quite a few things for her home office. She is beginning to sell MARY KAY cosmetics , so her little office space will be dedicated to her new business venture. I am hoping that her sales will boost her family's fiances. With the help of my husband to transport the larger items home, we turned the disappointment of the CLOSEOUT SALE into a rewarding little side trip.

Saturday was to be spent with relatives in San Antonio, so we got up before the sun and prepared for the long trip. Gentle rain started the trip, but we weren't very concerned. Instead of the sky brightening as the day progressed, it became black and the rain came in torrents. Before we could even travel forty miles, the sky had opened up with lightening bolts and more rain than the wipers could clear.

Sitting in the backseat a wave of foreboding came over me. When I caught my husband's eyes in the rear view mirror, there was a question coming through those deep pools of blue. A bolt of lightening and its companion thunder woke the baby next to me and he startled.

"Pull over and turn around, I don't feel that this is safe," I pleaded with my husband. Soothing the baby and waiting for a consensus didn't take long, as our daughter agreed that considering the hazardous driving conditions our safest course was to head home.

A phone call to San Antonio relatives was made. Predictably, disappointment clouded their judgment of the situation; they didn't think we were making the right decision by turning back home. I explained that we couldn't see and the rain was coming along with the gusting wind. They pleaded with us to continue because weather conditions at their house were clear. Unfortunately, for us it was another hundred miles to that destination and the storm was a force of nature that we weren't willing to fight. Driving back home allowed us to begin to breathe again and feel comfortable with our decision to cancel our trip.

Flowers for graves and a birthday celebration can wait until another day. Precious cargo and safe traveling were not something we were willing to risk.

Some plans were pretty much the way we envisioned and others were just sand-written ideas that people and nature changed. At the end of all of the events, we were safe and that was what really mattered.