In addition to the standard keeping myself and my offspring alive and fed, and attending all scheduled appointments, I did the following:

• Researched and watched videos regarding the diagnosis and repair of my washing machine, with plans made to further troubleshoot and possibly replace broken part.
• Researched suspicious vine located in garden, confirmed likely specimen of Solanum dulcamara (bittersweet nightshade), and used m trusty long Kershaw knife to extract it from the ground.
• Did two loads of laundry, using the hard reset method to turn on the machine (see repair needed above.)
• Checked my blood pressure at the local pharmacy. (It’s actually quite good, especially after my kid has been quiet for a minute or two.)
• Researched how to remove odd clear gel splotches that appeared on my car, and were resistant to the Brown Bear Carwash. Used method recommended in a Town and Country article to remove tree sap: hand sanitizer and then a wash down with a wet rag.
• Made homemade avocado salsa (like guac and salsa mixed up.)
• Cleaned kitchen to prep for dinner.
• Watched an episode of Star Trek: Voyager while folding laundry.
• Opened the windows to let the fresh air in after too many days of smoke outside.
• Shipped N95 masks to my mother, since she doesn’t have Amazon Prime and needed them sooner.
• Watered the ailing azaleas, peonies, and tree in my yard.
• Fixed the air valve with replacement part on a Klean Kanteen water bottle.
• Closed a couple tickets doing tech support for a volunteer gig.
• Let my kid watch too much TV.

I have a problem with the terms “house wife,” homemaker, or Stay at Home Mom (even worse is SAHM, the acronym.) I haven’t found any other moms near me that have quite the affinity for resolving technical issues as well as doing the usual “homemaker” stuff. I can think of one other person, a former boss, actually, and she put my affinity for these things to shame. (She could bake 4 dozen perfect cupcakes before daybreak, or draft and make a skirt, then come to work and handle technical issues all day long. She also was excited to find out someone had a machine shop she could powdercoat and customize her industrial Kitchenaid mixer.)

It’s a particular kind of ennui driven by the fact that even in Seattle, being a parent means occupying extremely binary spaces.