It was said about a Catholic priest, who I believe died while giving Last Rites to 911 victims, that he had a saying he loved to tell people: "If you really want to make God laugh", he said, "tell Him what you'll be doing tomorrow". Some of us seem to do better if there's more sameness and predictability around. All of it isn't bad, but in the past week this is what I've learned or noticed.

I was making usual rounds at work, giving medicines and doing other things for patients, when one little lady who has lived there quite a while kept moving her wheel chair out of her room, until she and it were almost in the hall. She brushed the back of her hand across her face, and started to speak, and I could tell she had been crying. Management had sent out letters to residents' families, informing them that their moms and dads would be relocated to rooms on other nursing units, because major renovations and turning semiprivate rooms into private ones will soon be done there.

The lady who was crying so was having a hard time understanding why they are doing this, and I was having difficulty choosing my words carefully, while trying to think of something I could say or do to help the little woman not feel so upset and sad. Changes are hard for people like her, whose lives have become a day after day sameness.

On my way home from work that night, I thought about her need for things staying the same so she doesn't have to deal with new and uncertain situations, not having to worry if she won't have a window to look out of, and I thought about being so upset myself when so little about using my new Dell computer programming was comfortable to me. I considered all the changes I've chosen to take on in the last two years, and decided I would rearrange some, and not even blink about what my choices cost me.

Now one family member has a new monitor, and another has other parts of the Dell, and I am more than happy with what a computer person put together for me, and I don't even have to worry over it not having a warranty. If it stops working, my son and that nice computer man will fix it for me.

So much is in the how we see things. One son who has to be a little worn from long years of an apprenticeship and schooling, was laid off from work, but he's not fretting. Sees it as a chance to catch up on things, and do some extra jobs, and maybe some golfing.

Another son may travel out of state for his work, but he's not worried about being at only one job site, and besides, he says it's a great chance to see more of our country.

And most of you heard the good news that daughter, Barb, at "A Chelsea Morning" is finally approaching using her ability to make so many things. She is creating a web site business. Her kitchen table where she's made so many family memories, will soon see a labor of love I am sure Barb will do very well with.

My other daughter, Bev, at "Scratchin' The Surface", well she's almost in home repair Heaven, swinging that perpetual paint brush of hers.

My son, who never took a formal class for it, but is very good at building computers, has spent so much time, making them for me, trying to get me interested in using them, and in this latest episode about the new Dell, even though he's very busy, he took time and provided back up safety for my pictures, and other stuff I wouldn't want ruined, and put in better virus protection. He asked if I was selling the Dell, and if so, what would be my price. I reminded him of all he's done for me, not just in making the computers, but again and again, helping, especially when I was moving. I told him yes, I do have a price, and my price is zero, not anything at all, Some things just are not measured in dollars.

Today we spent a lot of time together while he set this computer up, and then he and a special lady he knows and I, just about overdosed on giant hamburgers at Gunther Toody's. It was quite a hoot looking at all the 50's relics that decorate the place, even a real automobile is on display.

Tonight, after checking out so many things on this computer, and loving that it's all familiar to me, I decided to make myself clean up the kitchen, even though I'd rather play with this outer space stuff I'm learning how to use.

I am at the kitchen sink, and no water is turned on, but I begin to hear something with a steady beat, and it isn't raining. I take a few steps toward where it's sounding louder, and realize what I don't want to believe. There's another slow but steady leak in my sun room, right along a ceiling seam. I put a big container under it, and walk away, but the sound still irritates, so I grab a towel and lay it in what I've put under it to silence it. As I walk away from it, I am even able to laugh a bit. Come Spring I will have a new roof put on.

Last week my biggest problem was the car door lock not working, and I'm getting good at how to get in the car and secure the doors, and it's going to take a whole lot more than that, or a pesty leaking roof to upset me. I am having so much happiness pushing familiar computer buttons again that I can't be upset about almost anything.