Post-Christmas Stuff

Christmas is over for another year.  It's time to unwind and de-stress from all the self-imposed Christmas goals and deadlines.  I don't know why I put myself through it each year, trying to have a spotlessly clean house, the best homemade cookies - 12 different kinds - the perfect gifts, and all the social outings, and I don't think I'm going to do that to myself anymore.

I had planned to make up a bunch of neck warmers for my knitting group ladies, but I ran out of time, and so rather than add any more stress to my life, I gave them each a nice hank of Malibrigo, the very yarn I had intended to use for their neck warmers, instead.  (Heck, they're knitters, aren't they?  They can make their own stupid neck warmers!)  Actually, it was a bit of a bust - I really wish I had completed the projects and I feel bad that I didn't - but at least I got their colors right and they all said nice things about me. 

Looking at other blogs, I see a lot of folks posting their annual intentions/resolutions list ("I'm going to write the Great American Novel and then in my spare time away from my busy medical practice, I'm going to feed all the homeless orphans and build designer bird houses" or some such nonsense).  My  list is far more simple and is not in any particular order:

• Attempt to learn to crochet.  (Got a project that incorporates crochet and I'm having a doozie of a time with it.)

• Try to keep the house clean.  Well, cleaner anyway - at least keep the filth down a bit.  That may mean I don't have as much time to knit, but some sacrifices must be made on behalf of the local health code.

• Knit down my stash.  Not ALL of it or anything that drastic, but I no longer have a place to store my pretties since my daughter moved back home and took back her room (which was my former stash location).  It really sucks, but at least now I've got a really good idea on what my inventory is.  I'm starting with my bulkier yarns and trying to use them up first and then work my way down to the skinnier yarns (they take up less room than the fat yarns).  I see lots of new sweaters in my future...

• Attempt to get better at focusing on the current project at hand and not putting it down when it gets boring.  Yes, I am so totally guilty of that!  The lure of the new patterns and exciting yarns call to me, but I must be strong and finish what I start before moving on to the next project.  At least that's what I'm telling myself - I'll let you know if it works.

• Most important, spend more time with my family, who absolutely mean the world to me.

May your New Year's Resolutions be simple.