Now here's a tough one.

My friends keep a guest log, a handsome journal with a special pen beside it for visitors to write their impressions and thanks. What can I say? This has been a difficult time, waiting and worrying. If you've read the last two days, you'll know why. And my absent hostess still hasn't had her surgery. It's been a limbo time, a twilight zone, and the weather hasn't helped: on and off rain, more on than off, inadequate sunshine and warmth, dreary, in fact, though one cannot overlook the beauty of the surroundings - lake and sky and trees. Mostly, I've admired it from indoors.

And today I must leave, still not knowing what happens next. Well, of course, we never know what's going to happen next but we make educated guesses and take calculated risks. Today, this week, it's very clear that we don't know nothin'.

I swam only twice and I was cold. I cooked for my host, who can't cook, is a picky eater at best and not too keen on food at all right now because he is so worried. He's not really here; he has spent his days on the phone, checking with the hospital and doctor, or phoning and e-mailing friends to report. I brought work with me, and finished it, not much because I was planning on vegging out in the sun. So I cooked, using mainly leftovers. I could take a little longer and clear out the fridge, but I have other commitments. You do know I'm the Leftover Queen. My first cookbook was about leftovers. I used to make house calls. Well, I guess that's what this visit was: a house call. I hope I helped.

I hope all goes well.

"Life is what happens when you were making other plans."

A lot of people have said that, I think John Lennon was one of them. Oh, dear, I suppose I'll have to look it up.

I did and it was: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." It's a line from the song he wrote for his son Sean, the child he had with Yoko Ono. So I guess other people who have said it were quoting him. It's a good one.

Anyway, yesterday was like that, and it wasn't my plan that went badly off course, it was my friends'.

I was invited to spend a couple of days at a lake, breathing clean air instead of concrete dust (from the ongoing balcony renovation), swimming (I know, I do that every day but not in the velvety soft water of a lake), drinking wine and talking to dear friends.

But one of the dear friends fell and broke her hip the day before, so it was her life that changed direction. Her husband phoned before I left and urged me to come in spite of that. His urging outweighed my reluctance so I went, driving my rental car, getting into his car when I arrived and spending the rest of the day in the hospital (another hour distant). Poor lambs. They had to make new plans that include, of course, surgery - in yet another place, about two hours away by ambulance.

We left the wounded one and drove back, with errands on the way, and I finally swam in that blessed lake at six o'clock with the sun hiding behind the tall pine trees. Then my friend made necessary phone calls while I cooked dinner for us (cheese and mushroom omelet). By the time I cleaned up it was late and so I came to bed....

...and could not keep my eyes open.

Who knows what will happen today? I'm not making any plans. I pray all will go well.