• a babysitter training cd. mac and cheese, hide and seek, time for bed. done.
• pocket diary for 2010. no entries.
• remote control for discarded docking station. don't get me started on the amount of money i have spent on substandard technology.
• stuffed dog. ugliest toy ever made.
• huge pink pom-pom keychain. for this we have rendered the earth nearly uninhabitable.
• seven magazines. I should stop being shocked every time i find another stash.
• four books. outdated eventually becomes uninteresting.

• a pair of sunglasses. surprisingly effective, but one of possibly eight pairs in this house.
• small pink hippo. when did we become a household overrun with stuffed animals?
• the small bag that holds a fold-up umbrella. I am quite sure the umbrella will never fit back inside.
• a calculator. still in packaging. why does a calculator need packaging?
• a glass coaster/window ornament. made by me.                

• one slinky with ceramic face. toy?  sculpture? creepy? yes.
• a whiteboard eraser. you guessed it, no whiteboard.
• a plastic bracelet. utterly charmless jewelry ever made.
• a plastic egg. first drop of the tidal wave.
• one half-full box nag champa incense. truly, words fail me.

• six single socks. so sad.

• a pair of shoes. shabby shoes. dislike.
• a pair of socks. how can socks be uncomfortable?
• two washcloths. our washcloth inventory is excessive.
• a book, much beloved. borrowable.

• grammar and writing practice book. what? we're not using that?
• a stack of watercolors. process, not product.
• a small pink stuffed elephant. so much cuter than it sounds.
• a rubber duck. with a painted tartan hat. oddly creepy.
• a hairbrush. from shortage to overabundance.

• a small purse. sadly empty of cash.
• a painted wooden box. also empty of treasure.
• one shower cap. standard hotel issue.
• a lavendar-filled pillow. more relaxing when not clutteringup an unopened drawer.
• one scarf. pretty, but.