Best Laid Plans

The Gig Race - Second prize winners!"The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry" Robert Burns

It is interesting how we always make plans but often these plans do not come to fruition. We have mentioned this before in "The Perfect Home" but this weekend is a case in point.
Plan A: Sleep in on Saturday, have lunch and go to the Robertson show in the afternoon.
Reality: The boys noticed there were bicycle races they could enter starting at 11:00am, and you had to register at 10:00am. This meant leaving home by about 8:30am. We were woken at 7:30am anyway by Rose hopping in bed. OK. Off we went.

Plan B: We'll get some bread at the hot bread shop and bring all the bits so we can have lunch and dinner without paying show prices.
Reality: We did get the fresh bread rolls, and we did pack all the bits to go with it in cooler bags. We even stopped at lunch time and went to the car and had some rolls with ham and cheese. But dinner never happened other than some dry rolls as too much was happening! The children were too busy to think about food - other than chips and crackers and drinks we had brought with us.

Plan C: We wanted to leave early before the fireworks in order to miss the car park mess that always happens when everyone wants to leave at the same time.
Reality: Half way back to the car, we had to turn around for a toilet break. Then we couldn't see Peter, so Eric and I went back to the car to see if he continued on. He had actually made the first U turn and was already at the toilet block. Re-united we finally got to the car as the fireworks ended, but we did miss the worst of the car park chaos.

Plan D: We were to pick up all of our show entries and prizes early and put them in the car.
Reality: This all went pretty well except that Peter's Outlaw cross stitch had fallen out of Lana's pocket. We didn't discover the loss until after we were home and the children were all in bed, leading to ...

Plan E: We would sleep in and go to 11:00 am Mass and have a lazy day at home.
Reality: The show was open today from 9:00 am to midday so we had to get up and attend 9:00am Mass, the drive to the showgrounds to see if the cross stitch was either where we were sitting, in the Pavilion or in the car park. Someone had found it the night before moments after Lana and Ariel had left with all our entries and handed it in to the Show attendants. It was waiting for us safe and sound in the Pavilion.

As a great person once said "If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans."
I figure that if God can make Good things happen out of evil, surely we have little option but to make the best with whatever reality throws at us. After all, most time and events are only parially in our control. Accidents and "acts of God" happen and it is up to us to handle the changed situation as best we can.
So the results of our changed plans meant we were able to enjoy the following:
- The children entered their bike races and lots more besides;
- We enjoyed a whole day (and too much sun) at the show;
- Everyone else saw the fireworks while waiting for me to return from my search for Peter;
- We had pies from the famous Robertson Pie Shop today; and
- Lana got a new lounge.
And we kept smiling and enjoying the life God has given us!