Peg Kerr's Journal

The holidays are over

Tue, 06 Jan 2015 01:59:50 GMT

and I sat down this morning and within fifteen minutes had come up with a forty item to-do list. I won't reproduce it here; some of it is quite personal to people other than me, and Rob doesn't agree with all of it.

Yet I have to do it.

I've knocked several items off today, but just looking at the list makes me tired.

No wonder I have a headache.

comments

Updated to do list again

Fri, 21 Nov 2014 04:19:31 GMT

Peg's to do list for the next several weeks before (and possibly after) Rob is out of the hospital:

~~•Finalize the kitchen repairs bid and pick paint colors~~ Edited to add: The numbers are still a little squishy and may simply depend on what they are able to accomplish before Rob comes home.
~~•Contact bathroom contractor about coming back to do the tile work in the kitchen~~
~~•Speak with kitchen contractor about turning utility closet in the kitchen into a pantry.~~ Spoken with him. This still needs to be done. Edited to add 11/24/14: The contractor is going to be doing this today.
•Buy new blinds for the kitchen.
•Determine what furniture to add to the kitchen (drop leaf table? Possible new center island?) and what, if any, should be taken out (coat box? Microwave cart?) If I decide on new pieces, try to find them for a reasonable price. Edited to add: Have ordered microwave cart--already received, ~~which I need to assemble~~--and kitchen island. Coat box has been moved to the garage, and I have an interested buyer; just need to decide upon and let her know the price.
~~•Call Open Arms of Minnesota to notify them I need to cut my delivery in half since Rob is hospitalized.~~
~~•Get Rob checked into the hospital.~~
~~•Vote~~
•Go to work. Pay ALL the bills. Including the ones that Rob usually pays.Edited to add: Ongoing.
~~•Move stuff wherever possible so that the kitchen repairs can be completed. (Into the den? From one end of the kitchen to the other? Um...)~~Edited to add: OMG, so much moving around and shuffling of boxes. It feels like it is neverending, but my sister and mom came over and achieved superhuman work, shifting stuff around and paring and organizing. My guest room is now nearly finished. We can actually walk through the dining room now.
~~•Cull stuff from kitchen cabinets~~ Edited to add: Ongoing.
~~•Contact the carpet installer and have him put the new carpet into the den.~~
~~•Contact the carpet installer again to let him know he left a carpet sample behind and leave it for him on the porch for him to pick up~~ Edited to add: I've contacted him several times. He still hasn't picked it up.
•Contact bathroom contractor and ask him to remove trash receptacle from my garage. It is preventing me from parking my car inside the garage. Edited to add: I have attempted to contact him several times. Maddeningly, he still hasn't picked it up so my car is still outside. Continually being covered with frost and snow.
~~•Move Rob's car for street cleaning of autumn leaves~~
•Move Rob's car to Fiona's apartment building garage Edited to add: This has been delayed because we had to get the fob back from one of her roommates' mother. I desperately hope I can get this accomplished before Rob gets home from the hospital. But it takes coordinating schedules with me, Fiona, and someone who can drive me back after I drop the car off. Have been too busy to arrange. Edited to add 11/24/14: Done! And I forgot the handicapped tag from the glove compartment. Fiona has the fob but doesn't have Rob's car key. She is going to get the key from Rob on her next visit, get the handicapped tag, and return the key and tag to him.
•Pay the contractors when jobs are done. Update the spreadsheet and keep track of the receipts. (Ongoing)
~~•Set date and send out invitations for Garage Tetris work party.~~
~~•Pick up pallets from Best Buy for the garage reorganization~~ Thanks for providing transportation, Dave M.
~~•Reorganize the boxes in the garage so more can be added (work party).~~
~~•Take the bookcase out of the garage~~ and use some the contractor's paint to paint it. When it's dry, it'll go into the dining room and be restocked with books. Edited to add: Had hoped the kitchen contractor could do this, but he may not have time before Rob gets back. Now it looks as though we will use some of the paint left over from the kitchen and do this ourselves. Edited to add 11/24/14: Bookcase is now in the kitchen. Contractor has agreed to do this and hopefully will complete the project today or tomorrow
•Delegate some people to take certain objects out of the garage to possible new homes. ~~Top of barbecue to scrap metal dealer. Old bicycle to nephews for parts?~~ See if anyone can take the task to see if the ebay store in Edina would accept Rob's law library books to try to sell on eBay. Edited to add Partially done. My nephew is now doing a blog about the process of stripping down and rebuilding Rob's old bicycle.
~~•Take boxes in Fiona's old bed room and move some to garage, and the rest to the den.~~
•Turn Fiona's old bedroom into guest room. Rearrange the furniture, including the new futon. Rearrange the closet in there, and put sheets and towels in the dresser, clean out old medications, and set it up to be a medications/first aid only cabinet. Buy lamp for corner table. Hang artwork. Edited to add: ~~Fiona still needs to go through some things.~~ I still need to file some things. One piece of artwork is hung, another needs to be put up. But it looks much, much better.
•Text girls regarding various objects: keep or discard? Are they willing to take them? Ongoing
•Visit Rob in the hospital (ongoing). Take him his mail, bring home his dirty laundry. (Dirty laundry which must be washed SEPARATELY due to nasty chemotherapy drugs). Bring clean laundry back.
~~•Return Rob's books to the library. Pick up the book he had placed on reserve and deliver it to him.~~
•Buy a love seat for the den (We've picked one at Ikea. And no, I am not going to drive to pick it up or assemble it myself. I will PAY to have someone do that).Edited to add: shout out of thanks to my neighbor who has volunteered to pick up and assemble this once we purchase it. Done!
•Buy a single sleeper futon for Fiona's old bed room/eventually my office (several relatives have volunteered to come from out of town for caregiving, and we have no guest room). Fiona asked me to have her come along since she had plenty of painful experience with Bad Futons and can hopefully help me avoid them. Edited to add: As mentioned above, futon now has been picked up and is in place.
~~•Finish research and buy an air purifier.~~ Edited to add Mom bought two hospital grade HEPA air purifiers for me, and I've been running them. My asthma is already better. Thanks, Mom!
•Buy a medical alert bracelet for Rob.
~~•Contact my nephews and arrange time to put furniture back in the den.~~ Edited to add: This was done by the Garage Tetris Party work crew
~~•Put up the floor-to-ceiling bookcase in the den and replace all the books.~~ Edited to add: Okay, some of the books. What do I do with the rest?
~~•Put up new cases for media~~ Edited to add: Garage Tetris party did this.
•Do my best to set up Rob's electronics in the den Edited to add: My nephew David got a start on this.
~~•Move the large screen TV into the den, which is where it has belonged all along.~~
~~•Contact someone to do duct cleaning~~ Edited to add: I contacted a company to arrange this. I had naomikritzer come over and help me disassemble an entire bookcase because it was standing on a cold air return. The bookcase and sixteen boxes of books were put out on the front porch. But when the duct cleaners arrived today, they said they couldn't clean our ducts because we have an old octopus-style furnace, and forcing air through the duct system would simply blow asbestos into the air. Not what we want, particularly with someone immune impaired. They suggested I cover the outflow vents with cheesecloth. And buy a new furnace. That latter bit of advice, especially, was not very helpful. And it was maddening that we had taken down that bookcase (and put it back up) for nothing. But look at it this way: I saved $400.
•Buy cheesecloth. Cover the vents. (maybe we won't need to do this until we reach the stem cell transplant stage.)
~~•Steam clean the carpets upstairs~~ My sister Betsy did this; thank you, thank you.
•Dust everything everywhere (ongoing) Edited to add 11/24/14: Much dusting was done this past weekend.
•Put the garden to bed Edited to add: Alas, a premature snow storm may have rendered this moot.
~~•Figure out where family thanksgiving will be held (not my house, obviously).~~
~~•Figure out whether Rob can attend (probably won't know until that week).~~ The doctors say he can.
•Figure out how I am going to get the items I received from Open Arms of Minnesota for Thanksgiving (frozen turkey, pie, other Thanksgiving fixings) to my sister-in-law who is going to be cooking the Thanksgiving dinner. Done! Ingredients handed off.
•Figure out how to get Delia home from the University for Thanksgiving if I can't leave Rob alone. Perhaps she can grab a ride from someone, or perhaps she will stay there and have Thanksgiving with her uncle and aunt? Some other arrangement have been made, and Elinor Dashwood is not talking about it.
•Set up 24/7 caregiving schedule for Rob (through Christmas)? Edited to add: Uh, I know who the caregiver is for the first week.
•Christmas shopping. Probably entirely on line.
•Buy a new electric blanket (ours is old and grotty and therefore unsafe for the immune-suppressed) and new sheets (we have only one set, and they have to be cleaned/changed frequently when he comes home).
~~•Buy pillow protectors for our bed and a mattress cover for when guests use the futon.~~ Done!
~~•Buy a throw rug for the entrance to Rob's den/mancave.~~ Done!
~~•Arrange to have new smoke detectors installed~~ Done!
~~•Arrange to have new doorbell installed~~ Done!
~~•Arrange to get the light over our bed fixed--pull chain got pulled out of the overhead fan.~~ Done!
~~•Pick up chain extender for pull chain for the light.~~ Done!
~~•Pick up Rob's glasses for repair because the nose piece snapped off and get them back to him.~~ My sister Betsy picked them up and got them repaired and handed them off to me, and I got them back to Rob tonight.
~~•Clean EVERYTHING in the kitchen once doors are rehung. Counters,~~ floor, ~~appliances, inside cabinets.~~ Edited to add 11/24/14: The contractors are back today doing touch ups, so more cleaning may be required.
•Buy a new flatware chest for the good flatware kept in one of my kitchen drawers, since my old one is falling apart and the part that holds the knives is flopping over the other pieces. (Stopped at Bed Bath & Beyond yesterday, but discovered the piece I wanted was online only. Will do further research).
~~•Lay down new shelf paper and repack the cabinets, pulling the kitchen back together.~~ Done! At least as much as can be done until the pantry is finished and the kitchen island is assembled.
~~•Pick which items will go in the new microwave cart once it's assembled, pack it, and put it in place. Get rid of old cart.~~ Done!
•Arrange with ~~Betsy and Greg~~Luke and Julius to pick up the kitchen island from my workplace once it's delivered there (they are going to take it ~~to their home~~ here to assemble ~~and then deliver it to mine~~). Put it into place and fill the cabinets.
•Buy stools for the drop leaf table at the kitchen cabinet.
•Send out holiday cards and letter (already purchased).
~~•Speak with visitation pastor at church about coming to give me communion. I won't be able to go to church until Rob can be left alone--I'm not planning to arrange caregivers for the weekend~~ Edited to add: I've spoken with him, but we haven't set a time yet.

It would be nice, but I'm not sure I'll get to it:
•Contracting for electrical repairs
~~•Contract to get an iron hand rail installed for the steps up to our house~~ Done! And installed.
~~•Buying new towels and rugs for our newly refinished bathroom~~
•Thank you notes Edited to add: I've managed to write a few. Otherwise I'm relying on heartfelt, short emails.
•Keep up with Alternity

comments

Today's accomplishments

Tue, 18 Nov 2014 04:40:16 GMT

•Called insurer with a question about coverage
•Called a medical provider for Fiona and argued with them about a bill
•Texted both girls inquiring about insurance coverage they have through their colleges.
•Ordered microwave cart
•Attempted to order kitchen island (back-ordered till end of the month) and had myself put on list to be notified when they are back in
•Researched duct cleaning companies
•Asked naomikritzer to check out their reviews on Angie's list
•Using the information naomikritzer gave me, contacted three duct cleaning companies and lined up an appointment with one to come out and clean the ducts Thursday
•Emailed my mom to ask her to research best buys on electric blankets
•Arranged to get work off Thursday, arranged for helpers Wednesday night and Thursday morning to pull boxes, etc., away from ducts for Thursday afternoon appointment
•Received and reviewed updated kitchen bid from contractor, sent reply email
•The stair rails outside our house have been installed! Spoke with the contractor about arranging to get him a check tomorrow
•Dashed home for five minute consult with kitchen contractor, took pictures of stair rails to send to family, picked up a coupon
•Went to therapy appointment. Delivered note from Rob to another medical provider.
•Grabbed a quick dinner on the road
•Drove to hospital where I visited with Rob and friends Scott and Dana
•Reviewed information Mom sent about electric blankets
•Contacted both girls to ask what color blankets they would like
•With Rob, ordered electric blankets for family online (more than 50% off!)
•Briefly discussed kitchen bid with Rob and got check from him to give to kitchen contractor tomorrow
•Took a few items home for Rob
•Home at 9:30 p.m. Briefly considered balancing my checkbook and decided Nah. I've done enough today.

comments

Updated to do list

Mon, 10 Nov 2014 03:44:58 GMT

Peg's to do list for the next several weeks before (and possibly after) Rob is out of the hospital:

•Finalize the kitchen repairs bid and ~~pick paint colors~~
~~•Contact bathroom contractor about coming back to do the tile work in the kitchen~~
•Speak with kitchen contractor about turning utility closet in the kitchen into a pantry.
•Determine what furniture to add to the kitchen (drop leaf table? Possible new center island?) and what, if any, should be taken out (coat box? Microwave cart?) If I decide on new pieces, try to find them for a reasonable price.
~~•Call Open Arms of Minnesota to notify them I need to cut my delivery in half since Rob is hospitalized.~~
~~•Get Rob checked into the hospital.~~
~~•Vote~~
•Go to work. Pay ALL the bills. Including the ones that Rob usually pays.Edited to add: Ongoing.
•Move stuff wherever possible so that the kitchen repairs can be completed. (Into the den? From one end of the kitchen to the other? Um...)Edited to add: partially done, by a crew of lovely ladies who came this past Thursday. Thanks!
•Cull stuff from kitchen cabinets Edited to add: Ongoing.
~~•Contact the carpet installer and have him put the new carpet into the den.~~
~~•Contact the carpet installer again to let him know he left a carpet sample behind and leave it for him on the porch for him to pick up~~
~~•Move Rob's car for street cleaning of autumn leaves~~
•Move Rob's car, as necessary, during snow emergencies (ongoing) Edited to add: This morning's golden realization: Fiona has an assigned INDOOR PARKING PLACE at her apartment building that neither she nor her roommates are using. She's going to check, but we think Rob's car can move there for the winter.
•Pay the contractors when jobs are done. Update the spreadsheet and keep track of the receipts. (Ongoing)
~~•Set date and send out invitations for Garage Tetris work party.~~
~~•Pick up pallets from Best Buy for the garage reorganization~~ Thanks for providing transportation, Dave M.
~~•Reorganize the boxes in the garage so more can be added (work party).~~
•Take the bookcase out of the garage and use some the contractor's paint to paint it. When it's dry, it'll go into the dining room. Edited to add: Have emailed the contractor about seeing whether he can do this and what it will cost
•Delegate some people to take certain objects out of the garage to possible new homes. Top of barbecue to scrap metal dealer. Old bicycle to nephews for parts? See if anyone can take the task to see if the ebay store in Edina would accept Rob's law library books to try to sell on eBay. Edited to add Partially done. Some of these items were simply left out for sanitation. My cousin Jill helpfully took a carload of stuff to Savers. I took the punching bag and sold it today to Play It Again Sports. Still need to get to the ebay store.
•Take boxes in Fiona's old bed room and move some to garage, and the rest to the den.Edited to add: Partially done. Garage boxes are out.
•Text girls regarding various objects: keep or discard? Are they willing to take them? Ongoing
•Visit Rob in the hospital (ongoing). Take him his mail, bring home his dirty laundry. (Dirty laundry which must be washed SEPARATELY due to nasty chemotherapy drugs).
•Buy a love seat for the den (We've picked one at Ikea. And no, I am not going to drive to pick it up or assemble it myself. I will PAY to have someone do that).Edited to add: shout out of thanks to my neighbor who has volunteered to pick up and assemble this once we purchase it.
•Buy a single sleeper futon for Fiona's old bed room/eventually my office (several relatives have volunteered to come from out of town for caregiving, and we have no guest room). Fiona asked me to have her come along since she had plenty of painful experience with Bad Futons and can hopefully help me avoid them.
~~•Finish research and buy an air purifier.~~
•Buy a medical alert bracelet for Rob.
~~•Contact my nephews and arrange time to put furniture back in the den.~~ Edited to add: This was done by the Garage Tetris Party work crew
~~•Put up the floor-to-ceiling bookcase in the den and replace all the books.~~ Edited to add: Okay, some of the books. What do I do with the rest?
~~•Put up new cases for media~~ Edited to add: Garage Tetris party did this.
•Do my best to set up Rob's electronics in the den Edited to add: My nephew David got a start on this.
~~•Move the large screen TV into the den, which is where it has belonged all along.~~
•Contact someone to do duct cleaning
•Steam clean the carpets upstairs
•Dust everything everywhere
•Put the garden to bed Edited to add: Alas, a premature snow storm may have rendered this moot.
•Figure out where family thanksgiving will be held (not my house, obviously).
•Figure out whether Rob can attend (probably won't know until that week).
•Figure out how to get Delia home from the University for Thanksgiving if I can't leave Rob alone. Perhaps she can grab a ride from someone, or perhaps she will stay there and have Thanksgiving with her uncle and aunt?
•Set up 24/7 caregiving schedule for Rob (through Christmas)?
•Christmas shopping. Probably entirely on line.
•Buy a new electric blanket (ours is old and grotty and therefore unsafe for the immune-suppressed) ~~and new sheets (we have only one set, and they have to be cleaned/changed frequently when he comes home).~~
•Send out holiday cards and letter (already purchased).

It would be nice, but I'm not sure I'll get to it:
•Contracting for electrical repairs
•Contract to get an iron hand rail installed for the steps up to our house
~~•Buying new towels and rugs for our newly refinished bathroom~~
•Thank you notes
•Keep up with Alternity

comments

Clinical trial starts TUESDAY. And we could really use some help

Sat, 01 Nov 2014 01:14:27 GMT

Read the details at our CaringBridge post here.

Peg's to do list for the next several weeks before (and possibly after) Rob is out of the hospital:

•Finalize the kitchen repairs bid and ~~pick paint colors~~
~~•Call Open Arms of Minnesota to notify them I need to cut my delivery in half since Rob is hospitalized.~~
~~•Get Rob checked into the hospital.~~
~~•Vote~~
•Go to work. Pay ALL the bills. Including the ones that Rob usually pays.
•Move stuff wherever possible so that the kitchen repairs can be completed. (Into the den? From one end of the kitchen to the other? Um...)
•Contact the carpet installer and have him put the new carpet into the den.
•Pay the contractors when jobs are done. Update the spreadsheet and keep track of the receipts.
~~•Set date and send out invitations for Garage Tetris work party.~~
•Reorganize the boxes in the garage so more can be added (work party).
•Take the bookcase out of the garage and use some the contractor's paint to paint it. When it's dry, it'll go into the dining room.
•Delegate some people to take certain objects out of the garage to possible new homes. Top of barbecue to scrap metal dealer. Old bicycle to nephews for parts? See if anyone can take the task to see if the ebay store in Edina would accept Rob's law library books to try to sell on eBay.
•Take boxes in Fiona's old bed room and move some to garage, and the rest to the den.
•Visit Rob in the hospital (ongoing).
•Buy a love seat for the den (We've picked one at Ikea. And no, I am not going to drive to pick it up or assemble it myself. I will PAY to have someone do that).Edited to add: shout out of thanks to my neighbor who has volunteered to pick up and assemble this once we purchase it.
•Buy a single sleeper futon for Fiona's old bed room/eventually my office (several relatives have volunteered to come from out of town for caregiving, and we have no guest room). Fiona asked me to have her come along since she had plenty of painful experience with Bad Futons and can hopefully help me avoid them.
~~•Finish research and buy an air purifier.~~
•Buy a medical alert bracelet for Rob.
•Contact my nephews and arrange time to put furniture back in the den.
•Put up the floor-to-ceiling bookcase in the den and replace all the books.
•Put up new cases for media
•Do my best to set up Rob's electronics in the den
•Move the large screen TV into the den, which is where it has belonged all along.
•Contact someone to do duct cleaning
•Steam clean the carpets upstairs
•Dust everything everywhere
•Put the garden to bed
•Figure out where family thanksgiving will be held (not my house, obviously).
•Figure out whether Rob can attend (probably won't know until that week).
•Figure out how to get Delia home from the University for Thanksgiving if I can't leave Rob alone. Perhaps she can grab a ride from someone, or perhaps she will stay there and have Thanksgiving with her uncle and aunt?
•Set up 24/7 caregiving schedule for Rob (through Christmas)?
•Christmas shopping. Probably entirely on line.
•Buy a new electric blanket (ours is old and grotty and therefore unsafe for the immune-suppressed) ~~and new sheets (we have only one set, and they have to be cleaned/changed frequently when he comes home).~~
•Send out holiday cards and letter (already purchased).

It would be nice, but I'm not sure I'll get to it:
•Contracting for electrical repairs
•Contract to get an iron hand rail installed for the steps up to our house
~~•Buying new towels and rugs for our newly refinished bathroom~~
•Thank you notes
•Keep up with Alternity

Do you wonder why I've turned out all the lights tonight and am not handing out trick or treat candy?

comments

Today's schedule

Thu, 21 Aug 2014 00:40:20 GMT

5:40 a.m.: Alarm goes off.

6:40 a.m.: Get into car with Rob and Delia

7:00 a.m.: Drop Rob at hospital for antibody infusion. Drive Delia to another location for a medical appointment.

7:20 a.m.: Delia and I stop for breakfast

8:00 a.m.: Delia has her medical appointment. Receives her prescription for a light box for seasonal affective disorder. Appointment lasts until 8:50 a.m.

9:00 a.m. Drop Delia off at home

9:10 a.m. Drop off prescription for light box at medical supply company

9:30 a.m. Arrive at work. As I work, monitor Rob's progress in the hospital (via phone) and Delia's progress (via email) in trying to get her student status unstuck with her college (see previous entry).

2:45 p.m. Leave work

3:00 p.m. Pick up Rob, who is tired, hungry and rather grumpy. Also irked that they can't take his PICC line out: he is extremely low on platelets and will have to go back into the hospital on Friday and possibly Monday to get some.

3:30 p.m. Arrive home. Rob decides he really really really must have pizza.

4:00 p.m. Arrive at Little Caesar's Pizza and buy something totally grease-laden that he just has to have.

4:30 p.m. Bring pizza home. Rob asks, "Don't you have to pick up the Open Arms delivery on Wednesdays?" Curse a lot. Get back into the car.

4:45 p.m. Arrive at Open Arms and request this week's allotment of food.

5:00 p.m. Arrive home with the food, which Rob and Delia put away.
At this point Rob informs me that Delia is hosting a birthday party for a friend at our house tomorrow night and has invited 30 friends via Facebook. This is the first I have heard of it.

5:10 p.m. Go to Delia's room and ask, in a rather shaky voice, what, exactly, she expects me to do to help with this party. She looks alarmed. "It won't be 30 people! Promise! Maybe two people will show up, and that's just because we texted them. We can serve spaghetti. It'll be easy!"

5:30 p.m. Go out on an additional errand. At this point I decide I deserve dinner out myself, dagnabbit, and so I eat at Chipotle.

7:00 p.m. back home. Make previous entry and this one. Still to come tonight: at 8:15 I'll be flushing Rob's PICC line with heperin (?) to keep his blood from clotting, a ten to twenty minute ritualistic procedure (involving a fair number of steps to ensure sterility). This has to be done at least once every twenty-four hours.

After that, I am probably going to be curling up with a good book. Somehow I doubt I'll get around to doing laundry, washing the dishes or balancing my checkbook. And nobody better disturb me, dammit.

comments

To do list accomplished - last four days

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 02:25:04 GMT

Go grocery shopping (I went about five times this weekend, picking up various supplies at different places)
Drive Rob to chemo
Send in the paperwork for Rob's disability parking permit
Go to work (Thursday)
Pay bills
Pick Rob up from chemo
Brew Commonweal Healing Tea (healing tea from The Cancer-Fighting Kitchen. Kinda like chai, except without any tea. A two and a half hour process)
Make ginger syrup for homemade ginger ale (same cookbook. A two hour process).
Make dinner
Do the dishes
Breakfast Friday: buttermilk pancakes from scratch
Do the dishes
Take Delia to two different doctor appointments
Stop at Walgreens for more supplies, prescription
Ran Delia to the church for an overnight
Returned Fiona's library books
Email
Dinner out at a friends' house Friday night (thanks,minnehaha B and K!)
Continuous phone calls all weekend with various family and friends checking on Rob's progress
Breakfast: pumpkin waffles from scratch
Do the dishes
Take Rob to Best Buy to pick up various things
Take Delia to Target to pick up school supplies
Get my hair cut (as previously reported, learned that my bald patch is spreading)
Keep checking on Rob's welfare, making sure he's drinking liquid at all time (i.e., mix the Commonweal tea, mix the ginger ale)
Make dinner
Do the dishes
Do CaringBridge post
Go to church
Skype call with Fiona
Start beef broth (same cookbook. An 8-24 hour process)
Make homemade ice cream (all for ME! Neither Rob nor Delia will eat avocado ice cream)
Go for a half hour walk for exercise
Order various cancer-related books online
Do the dishes (ha, didn't have to make dinner this time--my sister brought it over! Thanks, Cindy!)
Strip the bed, launder the sheets, put them back on the bed

For some reason, I didn't get the kitchen floor washed or the lawn mowed, or the garden weeded.

Geez, I'm such a slacker.

comments

If you've sent me email in the past week

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 03:29:03 GMT

I'm having terrific troubles with my computer, which has been fritzing out and crashing repeatedly (which has been driving me up a wall), and I've been excessively distracted with all the end of the year stuff and Other Stuff Elinor Dashwood Does Not Mention. I'm afraid I have been very spotty about responding and may have missed some things. Leave me a comment here if you need to yell to get my attention for something. I do not usually feel like such a ditz, but somehow I am this week (Exhibit A: my last entry).

comments

Supermom

Tue, 04 Jan 2011 16:11:44 GMT

I was a super mom yesterday.

Went to work. Earned income.
Stopped at bank. Took out money to give to husband since he is not earning income or unemployment.
Came home. Made nutritious dinner (chicken, brown rice, fruit salad: apples, oranges, pomagranate seeds).
Counseled Delia on a school problem and helped her brainstorm a strategy for addressing it.
Went to sparring with Fiona. Hit people. Hit pads. Did abs workout.
Came home. Assisted Delia with homework project.
Then shortly before 10:00 pm, just as I was sitting down with a sigh of relief with my new Barnes & Noble Nook, Fiona came to me and said, "I just remembered: there's a book that would be perfect for my IB Extended Essay [the mega-important paper that is due on Friday; she's doing it on the Woman Warrior in fantasy fiction.] I heard the author speaking at Portus and I thought that what she said about the book would be spot-on for my project. I just remembered it now. How can I get the book in time to use it for my paper?"

I suppressed a groan. "Fiona, why are you telling me this now instead of a month ago?"

"I forgot it was being published. But it would be so perfect..."

I looked up the book online. It would be perfect. I checked the Hennepin County library system. They didn't have it. I checked the U of MN library system. They had it, but it was in the St. Paul library, and I don't have check out privileges anyway.

"Maybe there's an e-book edition?" We checked. It wasn't available for the Barnes & Noble Nook. But it was available for the Kindle.

Damn.

I thought. My parents have a Kindle. But 10:00 p.m....they'd be in bed already. Then I thought of my sister Betsy, who I knew had one, too. I gave Fiona a look. "I could call Betsy, and see if she'd load it and then drive out there to pick it up." I winced. "Tonight. You owe me."

"I know." She gave me a doe-eyed look. "Please?"

So I called and spoke to Betsy's husband, Greg. It turned out they would be willing to download the book and loan the Kindle (Fiona had $20 to pay them). They were just about to drive downtown to drop their son off for a bus ride to Chicago. So Fiona and I drove downtown and met Betsy, who gave us the Kindle. Fiona started reading it on the drive home and said, yes, it was perfect.

So I get karmic Mommy points galore. Fiona has already announced on Facebook that her Mom's the best.

comments

The smugness of the virtuous

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 02:44:10 GMT

I filed much financial paperwork. I caught up on my financial bookkeeping. I hectored Fiona into signing up for Fastweb. I did laundry. I tried a new nutritious recipe so breakfast for the girls tomorrow is ready and waiting for them. I walked to the hardware store to get hardware to allow me to hang the new Moroccan lanterns on the porch (they look lovely). I downloaded the karate belt test pictures for two dojos, cropped them, and got them off to the webmaster. I updated the names of the kids who passed this month's test. I cleaned part of the living room, discarding outdated mail. I updated my address book. I went out for coffee with Mom. I got painting supplies so we could get the last painting job finished (the trim on the garage). I bought new drinking tumblers. I gave the girls backrubs. I did dishes. I read fun, mindless books. I gave myself a manicure and pedicure.

Okay, I didn't do slow kicks. Shut up. Don't judge me.

Still, I'm really happy with all that I got accomplished this weekend.

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