So Little Progress in Four Years

This evening I spent some time with my neighbor LJ talking about knitting patterns. We are both going through a baby shower season and thinking about projects we'd like to complete for the expectant mothers around us. One pattern that she is considering is the Moderne Baby Blanket from the book Mason-Dixon Knitting. Since she is still a relatively inexperienced knitter, LJ asked me to look over the pattern and see if it would be too difficult for her. As soon as I read it, I realized that it used the same technique as the Rambling Rows Afghan that I attempted almost 10 years ago. I taught several coworkers to knit using the RRA pattern so I know that LJ would be able to make the Moderne Baby blanket.

Once I came home, I continued to think about the RRA. It occurred to me that I could resurrect it and give the finished product to my nephew. I wanted to get ABM's opinion on the idea, so I looked up an old post I had written about the afghan to show him a picture of it. Wow! Not a lot has changed for me in four years. I have the same UFOs sitting in my garage. I still have problems with my gauge. I still can't bear to rip out a project, even if I don't think I will ever finish it. I'm still having trouble sticking to an exercise plan.

In my fantasies of a perfect life, knitting and exercise are a priority. They are a part of the well-rounded person that I imagine I am. In reality, I think more than I do. I think about writing instead of putting words on the page. I flip through knitting magazines rather than picking up the needles. I actually feel healthier just from reading about healthy lifestyles, even though I haven't moved an inch! Thinking and planning are good ideas for most people, but maybe I need to think less and move more.