Yesterday equaled another setback, not one caused by a dumb mistake (thank goodness-  I do have a shred of self esteem to protect)  but by life, and I didn’t get near enough done last night to feel okay about my progress. 

I’m at the colourwork part, and as always, the set up rows are the hardest.  This sweater has a mirrored pattern, rather than a repeating one, and that means that the colour rounds aren’t simple and straightforward, like they would be in Fair Isle.  There’s no "5 black, 1 white, 5 black, 1 white, 5 black, 1 white…" where you could memorize and carry on around.  Instead it’s more like 5 black, 1 white, 7 black, 1 red, 3 black, 1 white, 9 black, 1 white… so all of a sudden I’m rather slavishly attached to the chart, and can’t carry on conversation or knit on the bus.  Realizing this last night while taking the bus and then trying to carry on conversation made it painfully clear. I am only glad that I gave up, rather than knit poorly. Moral and time wise, it’s easier to be behind than to be arsed up and have to pull back.  I quit while I was ahead, but that means that in today’s assessment, I’ve got a problem.  I wanted to be halfway by the halfway point, and that means that the body should be done by tomorrow, and I should be starting the sleeves.  (I’ve allowed half the time for the body, half for the sleeves and a spare day for steeking, sewing up and finishing.)  For that to happen now, I need at least one of the following to occur. (Maybe two. Trying to be flexible.)

– The orbit of the earth could be shifted to allow for a 28 hour day.  I realize this could be both difficult and inconvenient for the other denizens of the planet, not to mention it’s effect on clock radios worldwide.  Not caring much.  It’s a temporary request.

– Human physiology (or just mine, actually) could be altered to allow high functioning on less than 4 hours sleep.

– Red wine needs to become a performance enhancing drug. (Also, free.)

– My family needs to have no requirements of me for the next several days. This includes (but is not limited to) no cooking, cleaning or – frankly – interacting. 

– At a bare minimum, the phrase "I’m counting" needs to come to be understood clearly. It means "I need to focus right now, my little poppets and IS NOT a trigger to shout random numbers to try and screw me up, no matter how funny that is in your head. I don’t have time for your shenanigans. Get off it.

– Proper interpretation and use of the word "crisis".  The fact that your sister touched your new mascara after you told her not to is not really my problem or a crisis.   Go upstairs and work it out.  Don’t come back down here unless someone is bleeding or on fire.

– I need to rise above the human need for food and drink.  In this context, eating is a  time suck. 

If you possess the personal or supernatural powers to influence any of these matters, please notify me immediately.  Just not while I’m counting.