To-Do Lists

I live and die by my to-do list. Seriously, if something doesn’t make it onto my to-do list, it doesn’t get done—other than brushing my teeth and taking a shower, and even then, it would be better to list those things (but I’m not that crazy...yet).

Sure, my calendar is useful for appointments, but my to-do list gives my days purpose. I know what work has to be done, what errands need to be taken care of, and who needs to hear what from me. 

So I check my list daily and get satisfaction from crossing things off of it.

Today was the day I was supposed to make the final decision about my Ann Arbor hotel reservation.

See, as soon as Banana Girl told me when her finals were, I reserved rooms in Ann Arbor so that we could go pick her and bring her home from her first year in college. Not knowing precisely what dates we’d need, I reserved rooms for the entire finals week (or two), and noted on my to-do list cancellation deadlines so we wouldn’t get charged for a room not used.

And then the Coronavirus hit. 

I remember the conversations my husband and I had about whether or not to have Banana Girl handle her packing and moving and storage by herself. I remember weighing things like independence, stress and efficiency. I remember laughable conversations with Banana Girl about those same subjects with very different outcomes. And I even remember my original plan to drive out to Michigan by myself to help her pack and move out of her dorm.

Our actual course of action was very different.

It seems like ages ago that my husband and I drove to Michigan with an empty car and bags of cleaning supplies. I remember sterilizing our hotel room. I remember how weird it was to move her out a full month early. I remember how different our departure day was from our arrival day in September.

She’s been home more than a month now. Currently, she’s taking an exam and planning out her finals studying timetable. She has a to-do list, too. She lives and breathes by it just like me.

But our lists are very different. Especially now.