I know. I said I would have that baby blanket finished and mailed out by Christmas. I did not get it done. And let me tell you, it ate away at me. I felt terrible, an utter and complete failure. Well, last week I said on MeWe that I was going to finish it so I could pick up knitting again this week.

I brought my project bag upstairs and sat on the couch and finished the section I had been working on; with two left to do. Each night this week, I’ve sat on that couch and crocheted away, getting the last two sections stitched up and moving along. This morning, between lunch and naptime, I finished the body of the blanket. Yeah!!! I cut the yarn and pulled out the new skein to start the border, and got it half done before it was time to bring Little Man down to sleep. Guess what I’m doing once we get back upstairs? You’re right; I’m going to finish that border and call it a day on the blanket. Keep an eye out on FaceBook or MeWe…I’ll share the pictures on there once it’s all done.

This means I can mail it out tomorrow, once I run to WalMart to get a box (I don’t think I have any Amazon boxes that are small enough in the house right now). I’ve got a very nice card to send to my cousin, apologizing for the very loooooong delay in getting her the blanket. I mean, the baby will be one in April. Better late than never, am I right?

Anyway, I already have a project set up, maybe two. One of my good girlfriends informed me a few weeks ago that her mother was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I’m devastated for her; they are such a tight-knit family. I looked up the colour of the ribbon for Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, and found that it is a neon lime green. I’m sorry, but I just cannot make a blanket in that colour. So, instead I asked what Mama’s favourite colours are, and bought several skeins yesterday while at Hobby Lobby (all yarn is on sale this week. 30% off!!!!). I also picked up some new knitting needles and yarn markers. I got the circular needles, because I don’t want to worry about losing one. An awesome person from the Living Free in Tennessee MeWe group just sent me an easy knitting pattern for a blanket, so I’m going to take a look and see how difficult it will be…after I YouTube how to knit. It’s been almost 20 years since I last picked up a pair of needles and tried to knit anything. I definitely need a tutorial.

That being said, this year, I’m all about making decisions and finishing what I’ve started. Squatch and I enjoyed a lovely breakfast date on Saturday, followed by (finally) opening an account at the local credit union. I had been talking about opening a local account since shortly after we moved up here. I love my long-time credit union, but with it being based in Illinois, it’s a bit of a pain in the rear when it comes to customer service. Squatch said he would do the homework on the local banks and credit unions, but he just could not pull the trigger and commit to one. A few weeks ago I mentioned that it would be great to have a local account so we could deposit any checks we get instead of asking MIL to cash them for us at her bank in town. I’ve also got him to agree to start looking for our own place. As great as it has been staying with his parents the past [almost] 6 months, I need one-on-one time with Little Man, and we need to be a family of three again. We are NEVER alone here. It’s a bit claustrophobic at times, and I find myself starting to become more and more pessimistic. So, I make sure to get Little Man out at least once a week for story time or to the store, get outside for a short walk every other day (it’s been so darn cold lately!), and just focus on the positives. A new, local bank account and a plan to get our own place this summer are just what I need.

It’s amazing, really. This past week and a half, I have not felt as antsy and restless as I have. When you make a point to take care of business, complete projects, make decisions, it truly does make an impact on your own well-being. As I said, keep an eye on the FaceBook or MeWe pages to see the finished result of the blanket (I’m thinking I’ll get the pictures posted tomorrow, when I’ve got some morning light coming in to take the picture), and watch here for more completed projects and goals!