I Have KITCATS

Where does the time go? There just never seems to be enough time in one day to do everything I need, and let's not forget all of the things I want to do. Being obsessive as I am, it is impossible to sit down to focus on a knitting project, when the laundry needs to be done, the dishes need cleaning, groceries need to be put away, my bed is not made, or any one of the other myriad of items on a busy mother's "to do" list.

I am convinced that I have an undiagnosed case of KITCATS (that's Knitter's Inability To Complete Any Task Syndrome). How many times have I started to make my bed, picked up a pair of shoes to put away in the closet, and -- TA DA!! -- there is the dirty clothes hamper. I pick up the laundry and start a load, only to discover that the (new) bulldog has left me a wet surprise in the laundry room. In order to fully clean this, I plug in the steam machine (which takes about 10 minutes to heat up), and head into the kitchen to throw away the paper towels used to clean up the wet stuff. The trash can in full, so I tie up the trash bag and head out to the garbage cans -- oh! there's the mailman. I trudge down the driveway to get the mail (which is about three-fourths of the way full of my 78 year-old father-in-law's offers to win an astronomical amount of money if he would only send $29.95 today to cover "handling costs"). Back inside, the steamer is ready, so I clean the laundry room floor, put a new trash bag into the kitchen trash can -- and the dishwasher needs to be unloaded and reloaded. There are crumbs on the kitchen floor (what else is new?), and the washing machine has just beeped. I unload the laundry into the dryer, and put a new (dirty) load into the washer.

Chewy, the bulldog, needs to be fed then taken outside for ... (you know). More on Chewy later. Oh! It's lunchtime. First, put something together to eat, rinse the dishes, start the dishwasher. I need a nap! Snooze for about 30 minutes, and it's time to pick the kids up at the bus stop. Snacks, referee, homework, referee, dinner, referee. Knitting? Knitting? Oh heck, I forgot the laundry in the dryer. My bed has never been made and my husband is wondering what I did all day. Yes, it's true. I have KITCATS. Sadly, there is no cure, because as I get older, the days go by faster and faster. I can only take a deep breath, and hope against all hope that I will be able to carve out some time to get to the computer to talk to the universe at large and put a couple more stitches into my latest project. Okay, truth be told, it's the latest project that has my attention, because I know that YOU all know I have a LOT of knitting projects going on at once and quite a short attention span.

How did my obsession for knitting become an obsession for keeping my house clean? Hmmmmm.......

Projects

Usually there are many projects lying around my house. Most knitters that I know are also like me. I will start something, and quickly get bored with it (especially if it's in stockinette stitch), at which time I will find something else to get my creative juices flowing. I was down to only one project shortly after Christmas!!!! Who would have guessed that any knitter could get to that point. But, as you can see from my previous post, I quickly added another one to my endlessly circling queue. I have posted pictures of the Christmas projects I completed for my children. Needless to say, as any knitter knows, I was knitting right up to Christmas Eve on this one! Enjoy.

Perplexing Question

Well, thanks to you all who gave me feedback on my first entry. I really enjoyed hearing from you. Today I have mostly been contemplating the baby sweater that I am knitting. It's a darling pattern from Debby Ware called "Gumdrop Sweater." It's probably about the cutest thing I've ever seen! I'm sure you will agree. Now, here comes the dilemma. My foster daughter (she's 27 and married) has a 2 year old who could wear this (let's call my grandbaby Lisa). We also have a next door neighbor (who we dearly love) with a darling little girl of the same age who would also fit in it.

I know the neighbor would really appreciate and understand the love and effort that goes into an item such as this and my 13 year old says our foster daughter won't appreciate it. My husband says you don't do things for other people because they will appreciate it, you do it because you love them. That I understand. But after Lisa has outgrown it, will it end up at -- heaven forbid -- Goodwill? Is it wrong of me to give the sweater with the caveat that when she's finished with it, return it to me so my other granddaughters can enjoy it? I know. I know. I'm being petty. Why, I could just solve the problem by knitting two sweaters! Allright! Allright! All you knitters out there, pick yourselves up off the floor. I know you're rolling around laughing. You, there! Wipe that grin off your face! Okay, where was I? Oh yeah. Please help me, because I'm in a serious conundrum here. This has me truly perplexed. I look forward to your comments.

Obsession

I have come to the conclusion that I am obsessed. Note to self: mother has obsessive compulsive tendencies -- can't stay away from Home Shopping Network or QVC. The UPS man knows her by name, since at least one package a day gets delivered to her home. Could those tendencies have come from her? Hmmm..... Anyway, back to the matter at hand. I was at my favorite yarn store knitting with some of the women who were making a bobble purse. We were absently talking about kids, husbands, work, you know, the usual, when I said I should find a project for all of the yarn under my bed. Slowly, all eyes were directed toward me. What? What had I said? Don't you have yarn stashed around waiting to be knit into cute little sweaters, mittens, hats or gloves? "No," one woman said. "I buy the yarn for the project I am planning, finish the project, then go on to the next one." "You only work on one project at a time?" I inquired. The answer was slow and deliberate. "Why, yes. Don't you?"

Now, I have met quite a few knitters since my reintroduction into the enticingly soft and delightful world of Yarnia. Most of them have several projects going on at the same time. Yet, I am the odd (wo)man out in this instance. I start thinking about all of my abandoned projects, my neglected yarn, so forlorn, lonely and dejected. There are two large plastic boxes filled with yarn in all varieties, textures and colors -- hidden, for my own selfish desires -- under my bed, not very unlike a pirate with his secret treasure trove carefully stowed in a trunk and hidden in some dark and mysterious cave. Whenever I encounter a store that sells yarn, I walk through the proverbial armoire into the land of Yarnia, where my hands touch, caress, even stroke each and every lovely skein. I can't help myself. I am weak. I know it. Compelled by some unforeseen force, I purchase some and greedily bring it home, opening my "booty" trunk and quickly stuff it into the box, so no one but me can enjoy the bounty of my stash.

I love color. I love texture. I am obsessed with it. I can't help myself. When I find the right project for each of my little treasures of yarn, I will knit it up. But until then, I will secretly continue to savor each moment as I open my trunks of treasure and dream of the day every one of them with have a purpose more glorious than my obsessive, greedy little self.