Wheeew!!! It’s been a minute since I last wrote. Like 6 years? It’s like a lifetime of shit has been slung into that ever-spinning fan since then. Finally came ashore, tried to settle down, life came at us CAT 5, and all we could do was secure the decks and hold on. If I painted a portrait of what life was like back in ’14 and edited it for time and changes, I’d be back to a blank canvas, except for Sparky and me standing there looking disheveled perplexed. Plans?

“A man may plan as much as he wants to, but nothing of consequence is likely to come of it until the magician circumstance steps in and takes the matter off his hands.” Mark Twain

We had plans… God laughed at us. Circumstance relieved us of any obligation to carry out any plans. Yet, we continue to plan….

‘The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.’ Albert Einstien

But if we quit planning, we’ll lose motivation and vision. Most importantly, we’ll lose hope. So we push forward insanely, God keeps laughing, and circumstances keep getting crazier.

Sparky and I are opposites in planning. My method is to throw out a broad concept and her’s is to break it down to the nittiest-grittiest pieces and what-if it to death. Like when we were retiring (a loooong time ago) – “What will we do when we retire?” My answer? “We’ll live in a house in Florida.” slap, slap, slap – that answers THAT! Sparky’s answer? “Where?, what street?, how many bedrooms?, how many bathrooms?, will our toilets be low flow?, what about if we get palmetto bugs?, I don’t have a weed whacker, what color should the bedspread be, will the front door open in or out….?” She’ll ponder each of those questions throughout each night – while I sleep peacefully. I’m a little better at accepting that circumstance is going to dictate most of these answers. Conversely, if Sparky didn’t do what she does, I’d likely find myself sitting on the toilet, surrounded by palmetto bugs, trying to order toilet paper online but not sure of my address, while Sparky was out directing the goats around the yard to the weed patches.

So what now? Every time we think we’ve seen it all? We haven’t. Every time we think – this is the worst? It isn’t. So far we’ve gotten pretty good at making lemonade – but we’re kinda feeling like we’re dancing to the devil’s tune just to survive!

I could say that this year is worse than last, was worse than the year before, which was worse than the year before… and on. In truth, we’re able to say that each year has been better. We’ve stayed hopeful and optimistic and found ways to weather each storm as it comes. Not sure how this one comes out, but I wasn’t sure about the last one either and it came out ok. Best we can do is stay resilient and have a plan. My plan is to make it through this damn lockdown. Sparky is worried about food, shelter, and all the rest….

I did a blog entry….I did my part! I’m hoping that my family and friends stay up and realize that things will get better. We’re living proof…and that’s a literal statement! We’ve had a few “So this is how it ends” moments over the last few years and we’re still here and still dancing. Turns out it wasn’t the end – just a challenge to get to the next level. We’ll get through this…