Power of the Mind

I am a grown woman, and one would think that by now, I would have outgrown my procrastination proclivities....but one would be wrong.  I am even more skilled at talking myself out of doing something I need to do, having gotten better at it with age.  I do understand why I do this with a big project at work, or with house cleaning, or some nasty chore I don't know how to do.  But, why on earth do I do it with my hobbies?!?

Take the star blanket.  I decided to crochet this blanket back when Glenn's cousin first told us she was pregnant and was not going to find out the sex of the baby.  I decided that crocheting a burnt orange and red blanket for her baby would be appropriate regardless of the sex, since her husband is a basketball coach for UT and they bleed orange. 

I bought the yarn, I began. And lo and behold, I had issues.  My main issue is that I didn't read the pattern.  [Hand Slapping forehead] and it wasn't turning out the way I wanted it to.  So, like any true procrastinator does, I put it in a bag, worked on something else and tried like hell to ignore it.  But, it bugged me.  Just like Poe's beating heart, at night when I was falling asleep, or when I was working on something else, I could feel it nudging me to get working. 

After frenetic knitting on Christmas gifts, I began feeling the pressure to finish the star, so I got it out and ripped everything out and started again.  And AGAIN, managed not to read the pattern correctly.  Sigh.  So, on a trip to see hubys' family, he drove and I sat in the passenger seat frantically counting stitches and getting very frustrated.  THIS is when the negative mind association started.  I was so focused on the stitch counting, I got pretty car sick.  And now, I never wanted to see the darn star again.  And despite the fact that we saw his cousin, looking very round, I worked on other projects and left the darn star in a bag in my trunk...take THAT star.  Becuase every time I looked at it, I turned a little green.  So, perfect solution...don't look at it.

It still bothered me, but I ignored it.  So, on Sunday morning, when the text came that she had the baby, I did what any good procrastinator does.  I grabbed the blanket, I started over AGAIN and I crocheted like a fiend to have that blanket ready.  And I MEAN UP TO THE LAST MINUTE.  I bound off, weaved in ends, blocked and steamed and RAN out the door to the hospital. 

And luckily, Glenn's cousin loved the blanket.  We got to hold the baby and enjoy a visit.  And now, I can never show her this blog, because while it wasn't that I didn't want to make her a blanket ( I really did), one really shouldn't know that I had mad thoughts at their gift.  I am just SOOOO glad it is done.  It's like a burden has been lifted off my shoulders.  And do I start the blanket for the next cousin who is due in May?  Nope!  Like someone with a true problem....I merrily cast on this hat for myself last night.  I mean, the logic is undeniable, I fnished one, so now I start one, right?  So what that I have 4 WIPs beside the hat?!?

The Star in it's finished state.  I had already put the girls in their crates when I remembered to take the FO pic. 



And here is a shot of how the girls encourage my knitting. Do they try to talk me into doing projects for upcoming occassions instead of selfish knitting?  No! Basically, they are happy to sack out and sleep through endless B movies, or crime dramas while Mom knits whatever she wants to knit. Moxie will occasionally look up if there is a funny noise on the TV, otherwise, they meet their quota of 22 hours of sleep in a 24 hour period quite handily.

Bailey is in the forgeround and Moxie is laid out in the background.

Three Little Pigs Blanket Complete & Scottie Approved

I have been working on this blanket for a month or so. It was an easy pattern and I really loved the cotton yarn.  My friend K tells me it reminds her of bricks.  From there she thought of the wise third little pig, whom legend holds built his house of bricks.  :-)  Hence, the name. 

You didn't say anything about UNDER the blanket.

Of course, anytime I spread anything out on the floor, the dogs think I have laid out a nice new bed for them.  I had to shoo them both off numerous times.  Which led Moxie, the jokester, to try putting her nose under the blanket.  And my hurried laying the blanket out means that the pictures look all crooked.  I really don't think it is that bad in person, but I haven't blocked it yet.  So....who knows.

Since Moxie just got spayed yesterday, I am glad to see her seeming to feel better. Last night she laid around groaning in her sleep. She seemed dazed and confused.   Bailey sniffed Moxie head to toe when she got home and has generally been gentle with her. Ever the long-suffering big sister, she only too kindly offered to finish Moxie's dinner last night (perhaps she is one of the 3 little pigs) and I had to kindly turn down that offer on Moxie's behalf.  Today, she has seemed more herself, although somewhat slower than usual, but rather happy-go-lucky for 24 hours post-op. She will be feeling 100% better long before her shaved "poodle arm" from the IV will grow back.  Gotta love that look! Good things dogs don't care about stuff like that!

Now, here's hoping one of the several pregnant women I know (or the one's I am crossing my fingers for lately) will have a girl so they can have the Three Little Pigs blanket a good home. And an excuse to do another pink blanket would be great.  I am tired of blue for a while.