After my husband left, I was left with a 100-year-old house with filthy molding, damaged plaster, cracked windows and peeling paint. I had to sell it, because all he wanted out of 40 years was the equity, plus I couldn’t really afford to live there.

Stripped, patched, and sanded
I transfigured the hallway
My life, not so much

Umberto Eco said, “The list is the origin of culture. Wherever you look in cultural history, you will find lists.” My lists exist on every surface of my life- the car dashboard, my desk, the fridge, the spiral book I carry everywhere. I have two list apps on my phone. I had those little moleskin notebooks where I organize my lists into meta-lists. A notebook for the rehab, and one for the house search, and the one for the new database.

My lists move
From list to list
An illusion of control