diff --git a/cl-todo.lisp b/cl-todo.lisp
index 948e0a9..1ce985f 100644
--- a/cl-todo.lisp
+++ b/cl-todo.lisp
@@ -11,30 +11,39 @@
 ;;TODO change into a list of lists
 ;;TODO add text field at end of file
 (defvar *task-list* NIL)
+(defvar *note-text* "")
 (defvar *runfile* (uiop:native-namestring "~/.todo"))
 
 
 (defun launch ()
-	(setf *task-list* (load-task-file))
+	(multiple-value-setq
+		(*task-list* *note-text*)
+		(load-task-file))
 	(make-gui)
 	(bt:join-thread (gtk-thread)))
 
 (defun load-task-file (&optional (file-name *runfile*))
-	"Load a list of (task) strings from the run file"
+	"Load a list of (task) strings and the note text from the run file"
 	(with-open-file (f file-name :if-does-not-exist nil)
 		(when (null f)
 			(format t "~&No task file found at ~S" file-name)
 			(return-from load-task-file))
 		(do* ((line (read-line f nil nil)
 				  (read-line f nil nil))
-				 (tasks NIL))
-			((null line) tasks)
-			(setf tasks (append tasks (list line))))))
-
-(defun write-task-list (&optional (lst *task-list*) (filename *runfile*))
-	"Write the task list to file, one entry per line."
+				 (tasks-complete NIL)
+				 (tasks NIL) (notes ""))
+			((null line) (values tasks notes))
+			(if tasks-complete
+				(setf notes (concatenate 'string notes line (string #\Newline)))
+				(if (equalp line "!=====!")
+					(setf tasks-complete T)
+					(setf tasks (append tasks (list line))))))))
+		
+(defun write-task-list (&optional (lst *task-list*) (notes *note-text*) (filename *runfile*))
+	"Write the task list to file, one entry per line, and append the notes."
 	(let ((f (open filename :direction :output :if-exists :supersede)))
 		(dolist (i lst) (format f "~&~A" i))
+		(format f "~&!=====!~&~A" notes)
 		(close f)))
 
 (defun add-task! (task)

diff --git a/cl-todo.lisp b/cl-todo.lisp
index 948e0a9..1ce985f 100644
--- a/cl-todo.lisp
+++ b/cl-todo.lisp
@@ -11,30 +11,39 @@
 ;;TODO change into a list of lists
 ;;TODO add text field at end of file
 (defvar *task-list* NIL)
+(defvar *note-text* "")
 (defvar *runfile* (uiop:native-namestring "~/.todo"))
 
 
 (defun launch ()
-	(setf *task-list* (load-task-file))
+	(multiple-value-setq
+		(*task-list* *note-text*)
+		(load-task-file))
 	(make-gui)
 	(bt:join-thread (gtk-thread)))
 
 (defun load-task-file (&optional (file-name *runfile*))
-	"Load a list of (task) strings from the run file"
+	"Load a list of (task) strings and the note text from the run file"
 	(with-open-file (f file-name :if-does-not-exist nil)
 		(when (null f)
 			(format t "~&No task file found at ~S" file-name)
 			(return-from load-task-file))
 		(do* ((line (read-line f nil nil)
 				  (read-line f nil nil))
-				 (tasks NIL))
-			((null line) tasks)
-			(setf tasks (append tasks (list line))))))
-
-(defun write-task-list (&optional (lst *task-list*) (filename *runfile*))
-	"Write the task list to file, one entry per line."
+				 (tasks-complete NIL)
+				 (tasks NIL) (notes ""))
+			((null line) (values tasks notes))
+			(if tasks-complete
+				(setf notes (concatenate 'string notes line (string #\Newline)))
+				(if (equalp line "!=====!")
+					(setf tasks-complete T)
+					(setf tasks (append tasks (list line))))))))
+		
+(defun write-task-list (&optional (lst *task-list*) (notes *note-text*) (filename *runfile*))
+	"Write the task list to file, one entry per line, and append the notes."
 	(let ((f (open filename :direction :output :if-exists :supersede)))
 		(dolist (i lst) (format f "~&~A" i))
+		(format f "~&!=====!~&~A" notes)
 		(close f)))
 
 (defun add-task! (task)
diff --git a/gtk-ui.lisp b/gtk-ui.lisp
index 0e229d6..4387407 100644
--- a/gtk-ui.lisp
+++ b/gtk-ui.lisp
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 								:orientation :vertical
 								:spacing 5))
 				 (input-field (gtk-entry-new))
-				 (text-field (gtk-text-view-new))
+				 (text-pane (gtk-text-view-new))
 				 (text-scroller (gtk-scrolled-window-new))
 				 (tabs (gtk-notebook-new))
 				 (scroller (make-instance 'gtk-scrolled-window
@@ -46,17 +46,22 @@
 			(gtk-container-add scroller (create-task-widgets inner-box))
 			(gtk-box-pack-start outer-box scroller)
 			(gtk-notebook-append-page tabs outer-box (gtk-label-new "Tasks"))
-			(gtk-container-add text-scroller text-field)
+			(setf (gtk-text-buffer-text (gtk-text-view-buffer text-pane)) *note-text*)
+			(gtk-container-add text-scroller text-pane)
 			(gtk-notebook-append-page tabs text-scroller (gtk-label-new "Notes"))
 			(gtk-container-add window tabs)
+			;;autosave the notes panel
+			(g-signal-connect (gtk-text-view-buffer text-pane) "changed"
+				#'update-note-text)
 			;;ESCAPE quits the program
+			;;TODO switch tabs with ALT+LEFT/RIGHT
 			(g-signal-connect window "key-press-event"
 				#'(lambda (window event)
 					  (when (equalp (gdk-keyval-name (gdk-event-key-keyval event)) "Escape")
 						  (gtk-widget-destroy window)
 						  (leave-gtk-main))))
 			;;show the window
-			;;TODO make window decoration switchable
+			;;TODO make window decoration switchable with ALT+W
 			;;(setf (gtk-window-decorated window) decorated)
 			(gtk-widget-show-all window))))
 
@@ -82,6 +87,11 @@
 		(gtk-box-pack-start box task-button)
 		task-button))
 
+(defun update-note-text (text-buffer)
+	"Update the notes buffer with the contents of the text pane"
+	(setf *note-text* (gtk-text-buffer-text text-buffer))
+	(write-task-list))
+
 (defun gtk-thread ()
 	"Return the thread object running the GTK main loop"
 	(dolist (th (bt:all-threads))