Life Happens

It's easy to make our plans and see where everything will come out okay and we'll all live happily ever after but then - life happens. While making the decision to leave what had been my home for so long and strike out on my own again I looked at all the positives, or at least what I thought were positives.
1. I have a good job. My job, I felt at the time, was relatively secure. The head bookkeeper would be leaving, I would take over all bookkeeping responsibilities, get a raise and live happily ever after, but then - life happened. Not only did I not get a raise, I took a 10% pay cut to be followed by another 10% cut 6 months after that. Money became an issue.
2. The house I was moving back into, that I grew up in, would be fixed up in a matter of just a few short days and I could spend my time decorating and covering things with a fresh coat of paint, but then - life happened. There was far more damage than anticipated, the remodel took months instead of days and is just now approaching completion (5 months later), and paint will not fix everything.
3. I had a good grasp of my emotions and my mental health seemed fine, but then - life happened. As all the other things in my life seemed to be collapsing around my head, I noticed that I cried like a girl over little things all the time. What could possibly be wrong with me? I'm only 46 years old and - oh no. Surely Mother Nature wouldn't do this to me now! But yes, judging from the increase in hot flashes, night sweats and mood swings, Mother Nature is exercising her authority and ushering me into another phase of womanhood fondly referred to by those who haven't gone through it as menopause. Believe me THIS is the curse of Eve - not that little monthly visitor all women get. To quote a line from a movie, "I will go insane and I plan to take you with me!"
I don't guess I planned for life to happen to me when I made my plans. Would I go back and change my decision if I could if I had known all of this? Probably not. Because while money is tight, the house isn't finished and I'm losing my mind there are still some positives.
1. I can still afford to buy brownie mix, ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
2. My freezer, refrigerator and stove all work and I can use them to store my ice cream and hot fudge sauce and bake my brownies.
3. Even though I may be crying like a girl, I can sit in my living room with my pajamas on, mascara running down my cheeks, eating the above mentioned brownies, ice cream and hot fudge sauce and no one will ever know! And THAT my friend, is living!