Here There and Everywhere

Expat wanderer

This is the Day We’ve Got

April has been full of the unexpected.

I have a scientist friend who attributes his success to being prepared to seize opportunities. April has been a month of unexpected opportunities.

I’m a planner and I have an idea how things should go. My plans are mostly shot down this month as I take advantage of other opportunities. I confess, it jangles me a littles, rattles my world. I have ideas for what I want to accomplish, and I end up accomplishing something else. As my friend says, I am prepared, my life is flexible enough to accomodate changes. My mind, however, needs to stop and take a deep breath. I need to tell myself “SWITCH!” to shake myself out of my mind-set.

March was a month of switched-up scheduling, as we had appointments scheduled daily around our normal lunch time, and ended up eating lunch much later than usual, which impacted our dinner, which we tend to eat earlier. It is a relief to be back on our preferred schedule.

I had a list for our favorite handymen; he always comes and takes a look to see what he will need and schedules a day when he can come and get it all done. Last week, he arrived, saw what needed to be done and spent the day fixing our weatherstripping, caulking and putting up a discreet outdoor drying line so I can dry my sheets and blankets in the open air. I hadn’t expected him to be there the whole day, but it worked.

There was a fan he couldn’t fix and advised me to call the electrician; fortunately I had some other things I also needed the electrician to do so I called and left a message – almost a week ago. This morning I got a call and even as I write, the electricians are installing some new lights and fixing the fan with new switches. It wasn’t the day I had planned, but it is the day we got, and I thank God for it.

I think of my friend and his philosophy about being prepared to take advantage of opportunities. I might have plans, but my plans were flexible enough that I could stay home and accommodate having workmen in on the day they were available. We keep a reserve of funds available for maintenance and for emergencies, so I am able to pay the workmen for their labor.

Underlying my satisfaction about getting these small jobs done lies some apprehension. My handyman friend is so successful that he is hard to book – I was surprised he was able to work the jobs on the same day. The electricians had two big jobs postpone while people decide when to schedule, so they were able to help me today. I don’t want to take too much away from these two experiences. It does makes me wonder if the economy is slowing and people are hesitant to commit to repairs.

April 8, 2026 Posted by | Customer Service, Economic Issues, Family Issues, Florida, Home Improvements, Living Conditions, Money Management, Quality of Life Issues, Technical Issue, Work Related Issues | | Leave a comment