Daily To Do List

I don’t know about you, but it’s getting more difficult every day for me to get things done the older I get. I finally resorted to making up a Daily To Do List and most days, follow it pretty well.

Daily to-do list for business.
Daily business to-do list

Every morning, I pick a few things I’d really like to accomplish and arrange the list according to the time frame in which they are to be done. Starting at the top, I then drill down the list and mark off as each item is completed.

Anything not done on that day, transfers to the next day and is put at the top of the list after exercise, breakfast, shower and that normal stuff.

Hunter's Cornucopia antler basket sculpture by Cathryn Peters
Hunter’s Cornucopia Antler Basket Sculpture

See those items on the Daily To Do List about website work, chair caning and antler basketmaking?

Since that’s how I make my living, they are actually quite important items on the Daily To Do List and are on every day, but might be on a different priority level.

When I was in my 30s and 40s, I had so many balls in the air at one time that it now makes my head spin!

Cathryn Peters weaving wicker baby basinett.
Cathryn weaving wicker baby basinett

As I was raising my two kids and taking care of hubby, I was also running my sole proprietor chair caning and wicker repair business, teaching classes, doing art shows, and my antler baskets were in several exhibitions and galleries across the country.

Cathryn Peters caning demo at wicker booth in Oronoco, MN antique show 1991.
Wicker booth caning demo at Oronoco, MN

During that time, I was the secretary and publicist for two arts organizations and was also the clerk and later the mayor of Hammond, the small town we were living in!

The Wicker Woman repair shop on Main Street in downtown Zumbro Falls, Minnesota 1994.
The Wicker Woman shop in Zumbro Falls, MN 1994


For eleven years, my wicker repair shop was located in Zumbro Falls, MN and we made it into this book, “Small Town Minnesota from A-Z” by Tony Andersen.

Small Town Minnesota from A to Z by Tom Anderson, front cover.
Small Town Minnesota from A-Z

Cathryn Peters, sitting on the front steps of The Wicker Woman wicker shop.
Cathryn Peters and old Zumbro Falls elementary school

Small Town Minnesota from A to Z, back cover.
Back cover, Small Town Minnesota from A to Z

I’m joking a bit there, but seriously, I think I was doing too many things at one time, not doing any to full capacity. How many of you can relate?

Well, now that I’m in my 60s, things have slowed down a bit, and I’m able to be more selective about how I want to spend my days.

For the coming year, I’ve decided to teach several antler basket classes and also chair caning classes.

Antler Basket Class at North House Folk School

Most, but not all weaving classes, have now been posted to the Cathryn’s Classes schedule page. Take a look and see if there’s anything you’d like to take and then we’ll see you in class!

Peters chair caning class at Marc Adams Woodworking School, in Indiana.
Chair caning class-wide binding cane

This is the year that I’ll be a student again at a few wonderful basketry conferences and conventions. That’s something I’ve rarely done — being a basketweaving student instead of the teacher.

In 1990 or 1991, I was privileged to receive a scholarship to study with John E. McQuire, a renowned Shaker basketmaker, author, and teacher from New York.

John was the instructor at the Split Rock Arts Program at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. I’m not sure if that program is still being offered, but it was wonderful during its many years of operation.

Black ash kitten head basket made under John McGuire's instruction in 1990.
Black ash kittenhead basket made in 1990 with instructor John McGuire

There were about ten of us in the week-long class, learning how to make a black ash basket from scratch. We pounded the wood to make the strips, then ran them through a cutting mill for the correct size.

Then we also carved our own handles and then wove the baskets over a plastic mold. What fun!

The basket above was one of five that I made that week with John McGuire, and thankfully was NOT in the many tubs full of baskets I had in my storage unit in Zumbro Falls during the fall flood of 2010.

Zumbro Falls Minnesota flood 2010
Main Street Zumbro Falls, MN 2010

High on my Daily To Do List for this week has been working on my website again. I’ve been updating the Furniture Repair Directory,™ the Cane & Basket Supplies Directory™, and my Classes.

What’s going on in your world, what’s on your Daily To Do List? Are you taking the time to slow down and enjoy the roses, like I’m forcing myself (or rather, giving permission) to do?

Until next time…keep working on that Daily To-Do List!

What are your thoughts about this blog post?

Leave your comments below and share with your social networks!

~~Live Well, Laugh Often, Love Much ~~

Happy Weaving, until next time!

Cathryn script signature

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7 thoughts on “Daily To Do List”

  1. Pam, former ZF resident

    Hi, Everyone –
    This is my first time ‘commenting’ on a Blog.
    Cathy: Your Blog is beautiful!! And, I really am enjoying seeing all your pictures of EVERYTHING.
    Please keep me in your “Blog List” so I can stay informed.
    My best to you, My Dear Friend…
    Pam Ponsart
    (Now living in Reno, NV)

    1. Oh thanks so much for posting, old friend. Isn’t it sad to see how the flood impacted Zumbro Falls? Although there are some businesses still in operation, a lot have closed and the residential area is now almost entirely gone from downtown.

      Most residents moved to higher ground and if they stayed in ZF, are now living in new homes in the new addition up on the hill by the old school house, remember that area of town?

      To make sure you receive my blog posts, just fill out the Subscription form that’s located in the top right sidebar. Then whenever I post (which has been infrequently for some time now), you will receive the post in your email box or by RSS feed.

      Love you, can’t wait until we can get together again and talk in person! Maybe this summer I’ll come for a visit.

  2. Forgot: That Split Rock art program used to come into my email. I don’t know if I unsubscribed or if it folded. It seemed to get smaller and then was just held in Cloquet. I really wanted to take a class or two, but the schedule never worked out for me.

  3. Hi. My to do list is too long and too unrealistic. And I get side tracked too easily. But I see that you have the “normal” stuff on your list, like having lunch. There are times I do that as well because it is SO GOOD to have something to cross off the list! Getting more sleep should be my top priority.

    1. I forgot to mention in the post, that most of my day-to-day troubles and forgetfulness was since John’s passing. Now, I need to write down everything on the To Do List or it gets forgotten. Like this morning, I forgot to eat breakfast and here it is after 11am and I’m wondering why I’m hungry! Geez, didn’t write out the Daily To Do List and see what happens?

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