The best laid plans sometimes go awry…then you pivot. My peaceful
Saturday was hijacked by a host of unplanned activities. My pre-planned agenda
included hanging around the house – working on a writing project, decluttering
an area I’ve been putting off, then leaving the house for outdoor adventures.
At some point during the day, I knew I wanted to go to the
laundromat to wash the blanket I keep across the foot of my bed. It’s one of
those thick fleece blankets that keep you warm when your body settles into the
coolness of fresh bed sheets.
I planned ahead and placed the blanket in the trunk the
night before, so I wouldn’t forget it when I went out to run errands. Before
the birds updated their morning playlist, I was up for my morning coffee and
meditation. This was followed by my symphony of tasks that included – starting
the dishwasher, a load of laundry, working on comedy. All by 8am on a Saturday.
I felt like a Superhero. I called a friend and said, “Hey,
what time is that Walk for a Cure? I might be able to make it after all.”
“It’s at 9.”
“I’ll see you there.”
It would take less than 15 minutes to drive to the event
location. A 9 am start time would give me time to participate in the walk then
get to the bank before they closed at noon. I needed quarters for the laundromat.
As the best laid plans go, there was an interruption; the 5K
walk didn’t start until 10am. It was all the pre activities that began at 9.
All was not lost, I visited the vendors, got my face painted, got my body
moving with the warmup stretches. However, I did have to leave before the walk
ended, in order to make it to the bank on time.
My plotted-out plan was redirected because I remembered that I wanted to go by Sam’ Club for a couple cases of water and Skinny Pop popcorn. Sam’s Club was ten minutes from the event location, so I stopped by there before dashing across town to the bank.
Since I had time to spare, I stopped by the laundromat on
the way to the bank, to see how much it would cost to wash the comforter. The laundromat
was only a couple of miles from the bank.
Proud that I had accomplished this just before noon, I
returned to the laundromat ready to wash. I carried the oversized bundle in my
arms and stuffed it into one of the front load washers. It’s been a while since
I visited the laundromat, so I read the directions.
Insert clothes.
Twist handle.
Add detergent…
I stood like a deer in headlights…I had no detergent.
Although it would have only taken me 10 minutes to go home
and retrieve my detergent, I didn’t want to. I had been home once to drop off
the cases of water and a couple of unplanned refrigerated items I’d purchased.
I left the comforter in the washer, got back in my car and
drove up the street to Kroger (across from the bank). I purchased the smallest
container of laundry detergent that I could find. In less than fifteen minutes,
I was back at the laundromat, adding detergent, and feeding quarters to the
washer like a slot machine.
My advice (although you didn’t ask), don’t overload your
schedule. However, if your best laid plans go awry…go with the flow.
