Tag Archives: to done list

To Done, Saturday 10/6

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  • Up at 8:30
  • Made tea. Took toast — forgotten from yesterday — out of toaster. Put in new batch for myself.
  • Played “yoga class” with MJ and Mike. Wondered where she came up with move called the “humpback.” Did much videotaping. Realized the resultant footage would be interesting to 5-8 people on the entire planet.
  • Uploaded it anyway.
  • Realized I had forgotten my toast. Took it out, put jam on it, and commenced to eat it cold.
  • Lost toast to MJ.
  • Said goodbye to her and Mike, who left to go look at art.
  • Picked up every item on the floor in every room. This included yoga mat, a bra, my black heels, three corner protectors, 600 or so toys and parts of toys, miscellaneous ribbons, two magic markers, several Band Aid wrappers, two rubber stamps (aka foot killers), 18 stuffed animals, a Trader Joe’s receipt, a pantry’s worth of play food, and innumerable plastic dishes.
  • Vacuumed whole house, as well as couch, windowsills, and lint filter on dryer.
  • Mopped utility room and kitchen. Then the mop broke, causing me to fly into a minor rage at “cheaply made appliances.” Ruminated on whether or not a mop is an appliance. Decided not. Remained annoyed.
  • Threw away all trash in house. Including mop.
  • Watered tomato plants, which I’ve been doing just enough to keep them from dying, but not enough to make them produce more fruit. Realized I’ve put them in a floral coma. Wondered if this makes me tender, sadistic, or both.
  • Watered hibiscus. See above.
  • Threw away two broken paving stones from the large stack of them leaning in the corner of our driveway. Very heavy. Worried I would break the trash bin. Wondered if there was a weight limit for the same. Got distracted and confused. Moved on.
  • Emptied kiddie pool in front yard. Expressed under-my-breath revulsion at the natural detritus that manages to accumulate in it in “only a week.”
  • Cleaned half bathroom, which had gotten so dirty it was more like a science experiment than a habitable space.
  • Folded two loads of laundry.
  • Showered.
  • Sat down to eat leftover pasta and watch MJ videos.
  • Mike and MJ walked in. Pressed pause. Got up to make them lunch.
  • Finished eating.
  • Put MJ down for nap.
  • Watched rest of videos with Mike.
  • Drove to toy store to buy a present for a 3rd birthday party tomorrow. Simultaneously listened to a podcast about Genghis Khan. Nearly bought a fake sword and suit of armor for the little girl in question.
  • Drove home. Picked up Mike and MJ, left for parenting class.
  • Arrived. Dropped MJ in childcare. Went to class. Learned about empathy and “emotional flooding.”
  • Came home. Made MJ almond butter and jelly sandwich. Baby carrots on side.
  • Made Mike leftover pasta.
  • Washed MJ’s feet, face, and hands in lieu of a bath. Brushed teeth.
  • Felt wave of relief when she asked Mike, not me, to put her down. Empathized with her desire for “Daddy time.” Felt giddy. Empathized with my own giddiness. Felt flooded with giddy.
  • Checked e-mail.
  • Said goodbye to Mike, who was going out for the evening.
  • Put in a frozen pizza.
  • Spent the evening with Genghis.

To Done 9/6/12

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  • Woke at 7:30
  • Had tea.
  • Watered garden with MJ
  • Decided to fill bird feeders. In process snagged a brand new bag of Nyger seed on the cabinet door. It tore open, spilling microscopic black seeds all over living room.
  • Swept up seeds. Put contents of dustpan in birdfeeder. Wondered if finches would mind the dog hair.
  • Said goodbye to Mike.
  • Gathered laundry I have neglected for days. Tried to predict how many loads it would be. Decided six.
  • Put in first load with MJ’s help.
  • While in the utility room, noticed a pile of cushions Mike had removed from our dining room benches because he wanted to cut their foam down to the right size. This because I had previously — and accidentally — shrunk the covers. Decided I was tired of waiting for him to get around to it. His emphasis on “doing things properly” is an enemy to task completion.
  • Trimmed cushions with a butcher knife. Placed them back in covers. Realized I’d botched badly. Stuffed cushions with extra trimmings to make them look less floppy. Placed back on benches.
  • Sat. Cozy!
  • Got up. Switched laundry. In process of putting in new load found car keys that have been missing since Monday. In Mike’s swim trunks.
  • Called him to tell him of this. Also mentioned re-upholstering work. Calmed his unreasonable fears. Then burst into hysterical cackles. Hung up.
  • Made MJ lunch.
  • Heard landscaper arrive with his “masonry guy.” Let them in back yard. Locked frantic Mina in bedroom.
  • Chided MJ for making “bracelets” out of her spaghetti.
  • Had quick discussion with guys about the yard. Felt mildly encouraged.
  • Said goodbye to them.
  • E-mailed accountant to ask if our tax returns would be done soon and if we would be getting money.
  • Let Mina out of bedroom.
  • Put MJ to bed.
  • Watched final episode of “Breaking Bad” season 5. Felt guilty for watching TV during day. But it was really good.
  • Fell into a coma on couch.
  • Woke up when MJ did. Put in new load of laundry. Made tea. Searched everywhere for my favorite mug. Even looked in husband’s swim trunks. Did not find. Felt vexed.
  • Put tea in travel mug and took MJ to park. Spilled all over myself while walking.
  • Played in sand, pushed swings, acted like Minnie Mouse.
  • Realized we’d stayed too long.
  • Rushed home, made “dinner.” If a ham sandwich may be given the name.
  • Put in another load of laundry. Took down clothes on line.
  • Fed Mina.
  • Put away laundry. Found tea mug in MJ’s closet.
  • Washed mug and other dishes, tried to clean up for sitter. Contemplated thousands of toys on floor. Wondered how it’s possible for daughter to strew every single one, in a new and baffling configuration, every day. Her messes are like snowflakes. No two the same. This is no comfort.
  • Realized I smelled and needed to take shower. Left toys.
  • Saw I was running late. Skipped shower. Changed shirt.
  • Raced to grocery store. Shopped.
  • Raced to parent’s meeting at preschool. No AC. Sweated, nodded, and volunteered.
  • Raced home.
  • Famished, made cheese sandwich. Began to eat it. Husband came home.
  • Got into it with him about cushions. Apologized for impatience and sloppy workmanship.
  • Made up.
  • Complained of fatigue. Asked husband to clean up toys.
  • Took shower.
  • Went to bed. Realized it was covered with crumpled, clean laundry. Three loads worth.
  • Folded all.
  • Went to sleep.

To Done 3/26

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  • Up at 7 with MJ.
  • Watched, with her, while DWP repaired streetlight. Danced a victory dance.
  • Put in a load of laundry.
  • Emptied garbage in bathrooms.
  • Woke Mike.
  • Family breakfast — sort of. 
  • Drove to Silverlake with MJ. 
  • Stopped at Grow Kid Grow to sell a bag of used kids’ clothes. Realized I’d forgotten bag at home. 
  • Took MJ to gym class. The gigantic bouncy house was up. Myra-Jean — who has been in it many times before — decided that she was terrified of it. Refused to stay in gymnasium. 
  • Had snacks with other moms and kids after class. Worried about daughter’s phobic nature. 
  • Went to Trader Joe’s. Did huge shop.
  • Got halfway home. Realized I’d forgotten to buy coffee. Will have to go back tomorrow. 
  • Put MJ down for nap.
  • Put away groceries. Got hit on foot by falling box of butter. Wondered if toe was broken.
  • Made tuna sandwich. Realized I’d bought salmon for dinner. Worried about mercury. Ate sandwich anyway.
  • Swept living room. Mina is a fiendish shedding machine. I could stuff a pillow with her hair. Fantasized, for millionth time, about non-shedding Labradoodle we will get when Mina is no more. Then felt like a jerk.
  • Put in load of laundry. Folded load of laundry. Put clothes away.
  • Swept kitchen and dining room. Finally picked up pumpkin seed that’s been under table for two weeks.
  • Printed twenty-five page tax “organizer” sent months ago by accountant. Looked at first page. Had panic attack.
  • Wrote one thank you note.
  • Went and got MJ when she woke. 
  • Drove with her to Green Bean to sell the bag of clothes I forgot to sell at other store this morning. 
  • Went to library to kill time while clothes got priced.  
  • Library was closed. Caesar Chavez day. 
  • Consoled MJ over library disappointment. Cursed Caesar Chavez. Then felt like a big jerk. Who does that?
  • Brought MJ to Peekaboo Playland as consolation. Watched her jump in bouncy house. Tried to undertsand why she wasn’t scared now.
  • Went back to Green Bean. Thirty-one bucks credit! I am rich.
  • Attempted to shop. 
  • Left in frustration after MJ strewed dress shoes about store. 
  • Made tortellini for MJ’s dinner. She wouldn’t eat it.
  • Gave her a bath.
  • Got her ready for bed. Consoled her when she told me she was scared “of night.” Reminded her of fixed streetlight. 
  • Sang her a song, tucked her in, said good night.
  • Started to eat her tortellini.
  • Got called back in. MJ had pooped. Changed diaper.
  • Sang her a song, tucked her in, said good night.
  • Ate rest of tortellini.
  • Amazingly, another poop. In process of changing this one I dropped it on the floor.
  • Cleaned floor in dark while simultaneously reassuring MJ that “poop is good! Mommy’s just tired.”
  • Sang a song, tucked her in, said good night.
  • Washed dishes.
  • Cleaned stovetop.
  • Switched laundry. Folded load.
  • Cleaned toaster. Read warning label on bottom. Contemplated mortality. Realized I, too, am scared of night.
  • Watched episode of “Modern Family.”
  • Brought out trash bins.
  • Listened to silence of street light. Beautiful.

To-Done 1/31

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Exhausted, and it’s only 2:45 PM. Done so far:

  • Woke up at 5:45 AM. Immediately read MJ the same three Arthur books that I read her last night before bed, yesterday fifty times, and the day before that eight gazillion times. Hate Arthur with a violent, seething, unreasonable passion.
  • Made cottage cheese pancakes. MJ rejected them. Until her father woke up, at which point she ate his whole plateful.
  • Made pesto sauce out of basil that will go bad otherwise.
  • Started to make scones and realized that I forgot to buy oatmeal. This — along with the fact that I used up the rest of the olive oil on the pesto sauce — means another Trader Joe’s shop. Unbelievable.
  • Vacuumed living room and office.
  • Repaired torn page in “Arthur Writes a Story.”
  • Made Mike’s lunch.
  • Stripped bed.
  • Did load of laundry.
  • Filled out remainder of life insurance application, printed it, signed it, got it to Mike as he raced out the door. Not sure what I just agreed to. Hope I don’t die.
  • Went to post office, shipped box of Mike’s books. Media mail. They’ll get there in October.
  • Took MJ to World Music class.
  • Took her to favorite taco stand, which has recently been discovered by celebrity chef. Waited an unprecedented and vexing amount of time for burritos. Contemplated quitting, until burritos were really good again.
  • Brought MJ home for nap. Read Arthur books before putting her down. Found another torn page. Ruminated on possibility that I am doing the tearing subconsciously. Perhaps while sleepwalking. Promised to fix page.
  • Realized I have no more scotch tape. Now I have to go to Ralphs and Trader Joe’s.
  • Cursed Trader Joe’s for their “no office supplies” policy.
  • Wrote agenda for MOMS Club board meeting I have to run this afternoon.
  • Wrote page-long “board address” for newsletter. Contemplated its total lameness. Submitted anyway.
  • Resisted magnetic pull — surprisingly strong — towards unmade, sheetless bed.
  • Made bed. Still pulled. Resisted again.
  • Brought in empty trash bin. Regarded still-at-curb Christmas tree with grief and trepidation. Said a second, fervent prayer to Gods of sanitation that it might be picked up still.
  • Made ultra-strong cup of tea in preparation for board meeting.
  • Cleaned half bathroom.
  • Put in another load of laundry.
  • Waited for MJ to wake up. Enjoyed final moments of Arthur-less-ness. Stared stupidly into space.

To-Done 1/24

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  • Two loads of laundry.
  • Grocery shopped.
  • Took MJ to World Music class.
  • Brought trash bins back in. Noticed, in process, that Christmas tree has still not been picked up. It has been 8 days.
  • Called city about tree. They are “overwhelmed” but will pick up. In one week.
  • Considered re-decorating tree on curb to improve appearances for neighbors. Decided against.
  • Called DWP about buzzing street light above house. They are also overwhelmed. Will fix in two weeks.
  • Paid overdue doctor’s bill.
  • Cleaned up detritus of MJ’s toy pig, which Mina chewed to pieces this morning.
  • Cleaned half of one toilet.
  • Called mother.
  • Investigated tabby cats online.
  • Attempted to fill out life insurance application. Failed.
  • Cleaned up fallen potted plant in back yard.
  • Took MJ to an afternoon “Mommy Mixer”  at LACMA.
  • Sat in traffic for 72 minutes coming home.
  • Put MJ to bed late, after microwaved dinner, with no bath.
  • Picked up what seemed like every toy Myra-Jean has ever owned, for what seemed like the umpteenth time.
  • Investigated repetitive, droning, ET-like sound in kitchen. It’s the water filter. Unable to determine why.
  • Ran load of dishes to drown out filter sound.
  • Cleaned watercolor paint off of living room floor.
  • Used same cloth to clean dried dog’s blood off of MJ’s bedroom door.
  • Used — ahem — same cloth to dust bookshelves in living room.
  • Did one more load of laundry. Included cloth.
  • Watched 1 and 1/2 episodes of Parenthood.