Finished!

The good thing about having Startitis is that one day you finish lots of things all at once. Now although this is only one thing, it's made up of a back, 9 small squares and 4 fat beady tassels.

Here we have the back of the cushion that has been made up of left-overs from the Mystery Blanket. I love stripes, there's something very pleasing about the way they look so stripey!

And here is the front. Quite like this side too. What do you think?

Oh and by the way, I finished the i-cord bath mat. It took some doing, starting to panic somewhat on Christmas Eve, but it got done and wrapped in time for the big day! Photos another day. If I remember!

Christmas Day

The turkey's in the oven, the pudding is sitting happily in the slow cooker, Mr Stressy is for once not living up to his name and the children are on the play station, merrily killing aliens.

Happy Christmas to you all, may your day be calm and peaceful and your new year bring nothing but good things.

I'm off for a sherry - anyone want to join me?

xxx

Brownies (or how to put 3lbs on in one day)

When I go to Fat Club tomorrow and have put weight on, I am blaming this woman for sending me her recipe for the Best Ever Brownies. They truly are the best I have ever tasted. And what a lovely change to not have to battle with raisins or walnuts, but to just savour the delicious, fudgy, chocolaty brownie. Mmm, mmm, mmm.

General chatter.

Ooh, sorry. How long ago was it that I wrote to you all? Truth be told, I wouldn't even be here now, I'd be sitting knitting, but my men are watching the Sun Military awards. I managed about 20 minutes of this, but was crying so much I had to come away. As soon as they got to honouring Wooton Bassett, I knew that was that. No more tears, I can bear this programme no more.

I have always held all Military Personnel in very high esteem. Quite apart from the uniforms (be still my beating heart!), I have always been in awe of their dedication and bravery. Many years ago, Mr Stressy - a soldier at the time - declared that he was disappointed not to be heading off to war in Iraq, that he felt a party was going on to which he wasn't invited. He had trained for war for much of his life and was to stay in this country. To my simplistic mind, this was insane. And my God, was I glad he didn't go.

The fiance of a friend of mine is serving in Afghanistan as we speak - he comes home tomorrow for a 2 week break, then heads back to finish his 7 month tour of duty. My heart goes out to him and everyone out there. Come home safely one and all.

But enough of this, it's nearly Christmas, time to be happy.

It is snowing again. If it carries on snowing, we shall be looking forward to Christmas dinner without the turkey. I'm not going out in this weather.

But I'm a bit stuck anyway - our car broke down nearly 3 weeks ago and went to the garage for repairs. Sadly the engine has to come out, pistons need replacing and the whole thing sounds scarily expensive. I am trying not to think about it! (But in the meantime, I wish they would lend me a courtesy car.)

Oh bugger. I'm doing it again aren't I? Come on woman, cheer up.

Tell you what, let me show you something exciting.


Having seen the fabulous Advent garland over at Attic 24, I just knew that I had to learn to crochet. So a lunch was arranged, cake was promised and Picperfic and blogless Cybil came over to teach me. And look what I made! Me! I can crochet! I tell you everyone, I am so proud of my little stars. But now that I have a few, I've decided that I really only want them in Christmassy colours - reds, greens and whites. So the pinky ones will just have to be used elsewhere.

I'm still plodding on with the i-cord bath mat. Barely 3 days to go, so I seem to be sewing up at every available opportunity. But Mr Stressy is here now and I don't want him to see it. I am determined to get it done - it's much bigger than when I last showed you. Maybe next time it will be finished.

Dare I mention the diets? I managed by some miracle to lose 1.5lbs last week. Due to large quantities of mince pies, I do not expect the same result this week. Oh, yes and I made a new pudding tonight - chocolate Christmas Pudding was its title. Amongst the ingredients were plain chocolate, breadcrumbs, milk chocolate, cream, butter, white chocolate, cocoa and flour. All the things which Slimming World frowns upon. But I tell you now people, it was worth every single ounce of weight that will go on the hips. It was delicious. It was so delicious in fact that I never even got round to taking its photo. I was too busy ramming it down my throat!

Until next time - I promise a pre-Christmas update - take care and keep warm.

xx

Millions of miles

You may recall that sometime ago I mentioned that I had about a million miles of i-cord. Years ago Clara sent me some dishcloth cotton - far too nice to use for washing the dishes and using for all my mucky pots. So I got my mum to turn it into i-cord (she's good like that is my mum!) and had a great idea of transforming it into something beautiful.


As it happens, the beautiful thing is new rug for our bathroom. I was full of enthusiasm and was going to give it to Mr Stressy for his birthday. That was 8 months ago! So I have now decided to finish it for Christmas. Unfortunately, it's taking far longer to sew together than I first thought.

A million miles is a very long way in deed. So here it is so far, a mere fraction of the size it will be when it finally grows up. I am trying to sew each and every 'row' together to make it super strong. How long until Christmas?

Not long enough, she shouts, panic rising with every breath.

Here's a cake I just knocked up the other day. Both my children wanted it for them. But as neither of them is called Georgie and nowhere near the grand old age of 30 I said they couldn't have it. What a mean mother.

Bloggy Diet Raffle

It has all gone very quiet lately regarding weigh-ins. Come on everyone, how are you doing? Let me know if you've slipped through the net and I've not recorded your weight losses in the side bar. Remember the draw will be taking place on New Year's day, so you must have told me by then how you've done.

I lost half a pound this week, which considering the chocolate cakes from the last post, is somewhat miraculous! Here's hoping for better news next week!

Chocolate cakes

As promised, here are the chocolate cakes I made this weekend. The top one is called Trillionaire's Shortbread. Chocolatey base, chocolatey fudgey middle and chocolate top. The name is very apt. Each piece contains at least a trillion calories. And I had a whole piece as well as licking out the bowl!

This next one is Chocolate shortbread tart. It is not like shortbread. It's a very moist almondy base with even moister chocolate almondy topping. Delicious with vanilla ice cream. I had a piece of this too (not as big as the piece in the photo). And it was bloody good. Warm from the oven, gooey, melt in the mouth, crisp on top. A chocoholics dream. And I am a very big chocoholic.


And following the weekends' piggery, I fully expect to be just that at fat club. Big.

Christmas Cakes

Well it's that time of year again when my thoughts turn towards Christmas Cakes. I very rarely make them to sell and just end up giving them away - presents, raffle prizes, you know the thing.

This one was made for Mr Stressy's boss - she sold it at the Travelling Fair she'd organised to raise money for a few local charities. Sold it for quite a bit I might add. Well done her!


Now this one is for mum and dad. We don't go a bundle on the cakes done with marzipan and icing, preferring this sort. I would far rather do these - they take a fraction of the time to decorate and I think look so much more festive. It has nothing to do with the fact that I adore Brazil nuts and when decorating them, put one on the cake, one in the mouth, one on the cake, one in the mouth. Oh no, that would not be wise for someone on a diet. Not wise at all...

This last one has gone to a friend who orders a cake every year. And without wanting to sound like I'm showing off, I think this is my favourite Christmas Cake I've ever done. There are small subtle differences to the cake at the top and this one just makes me smile.


Anyone fancy a piece? I've got a lovely looking recipe for 2 chocolatey cakes which I am determined to make today, so if fruit cake isn't your thing, call back another day to see how they turned out.

Stop Press!

Have you seen this? I for one will be queuing up, finger poised on the refresh button!

In the weight loss stakes, I'm down another pound - felt I deserved more, but just the one it is. Perhaps if I hadn't eaten the bag of Brazil nuts, almonds and pecans, it might have been more. (I have now officially lost 10% of my body weight since starting at Slimming World!)

Updated to add - She's Back! WMK is blogging again under a new name. She is planning to run a marathon (in 80 years time by the looks of things) and needs you to visit her. Welcome back WMK, er, Mama!

The Bloggy Diet Raffle Prizes

OK then, you wanted it, so here we are. The prizes! I'm unsure about how to do this, so have grouped the prizes into 'lots' - hope you think this is alright. I'm a bit concerned that there are 9 lots and 12 of us joined in, but I've grouped some together. We won't all win a prize - the idea at the start was that the more weight you lose, the more tickets you get and the more chances you have to win. It could well be that you win more than one prize. I am also aware that I've lost a lot of weight and could win all the prizes (Ooh, goody, no big postage bill for me then!), but I'm not going to let myself win more than one. Of course, I may not even win one, you never know. Tis the very nature of raffles.

First up, 8 big fat skeins of Fibre Spates Blue Faced Leicester. Love this. Want to win this.

Next is Nimu Yarn and Thistleknits yarn. Love these, want to win them.

Lot number 3 - Rowan and something pink and silky, the name of which escapes me. These are gorgeous and I want to win them.

Number 4 - Felt studio hand spun and Posh Yarn. These were my donation. I love them both and really would like to win them back.

More delicious sock yarn and some very lovely beads in a handy box, beadalon something or other - sorry, bit thick about beads. But guess what, I want to learn and love the sock yarn so want to win these too.

Knit picks yarn with a very pretty baby cardigan pattern and a kit to make your own poppies. I like poppies, love the yarn - don't have any babies (cardi would not fit 15 year old son) so would make something else with the yarn. But it's so soft, I want to win this too.

OOOOOOhhhhhh, fabric. Love fabric. Want to win this too.

More fabric - particularly fond of this lot and want this to join my very small fabric stash.

And finally a Della Q needle case and 2 sets of bamboo sock needles to put in it. And I so need this prize. A bit of organisation in my life would be good....


So there we are. All the prizes. Like them? Want them? Well you know what you have to do.

Stop eating the chocolate, cake, biscuits and sweets. Stop eating crisps, cheese, sausages and bacon. Go shopping and look for cottage cheese and fat free yoghurt. Life is hard sometimes isn't it?!

I will draw the raffle soon after New Year's day 2010. Good luck one and all.

Whingeing

Well much like my Internet Buddy, I seem to have lost the desire to blog lately. It seems that as soon as I get on the computer, all the ideas I've had throughout the day have disappeared. My mind has gone blank (not that that's anything new...) So I just end up going on Ravelry for a bit.

And as we all know, Ravelry is a time warp. You can be on there for only five minutes and all of a sudden, 2 hours have passed, the children are still up and still fighting. The tea pots remain unwashed - the tea often hasn't even been cooked - and all the jobs you needed to do are still not done. Just because you were looking what to knit next, what new yarns have crept on and what on earth could you do with that last 3 metres of yarn. Ravelry. Pah. It is a wicked place in deed.

It is weigh day today and I have lost another pound (didn't lose anything last week). It is now becoming very difficult, I seem to have been dieting forever and all I want to eat is a big fat slice of chocolate cake. I've had enough cottage cheese to last a lifetime, more vegetable soup than is humanly good for a girl and enough of anything that isn't drenched in butter, chocolate or cream. I keep trying to convince myself that I've not got far to go, that my final 6lbs that I want to lose can easily be gone by Christmas. But it's not easy is it?

Must try harder. Must not crave badness. Will enjoy eating diety foods. Will delight in the pleasures of fat free fromage frais, natural yoghurt, sugar free jelly and ryvitas.

Oh joy!

Maybe next time the weather is good, I'll gather together all the raffle prizes and take some pictures. That might give me the kick up the backside I need.

Finished - again!!!!!

Would you believe it? I've finished something again. Me! The Scrappy Lengthways Scarf for my dad for Christmas. I have loved knitting this and will be making one again - I mean, what a perfect way of using up all those scraps of sock yarn. This version is made with Posh Yarn (yes, I know, I'm banging on about the glorious Posh stuff yet again) Sophia - cashmere 4-ply. Heaven, absolute heaven!I just love the way the stitches look on this - sort of like weaving. I almost hope dad doesn't like it so I can have it back. But I know he'd be far too polite to say 'good grief, it's a bit bright for me!' So I'll just have to make myself another one. I really need a new scarf.... (wardrobe is already bulging with scarves!) I think I might fancy a cashmere Baktus as well.

So what do I do when I've finished something? Finish something else? One of the many something elses lurking throughout the house? Do I cast on another Christmas present? Or do I just start something completely different , just for me, not even for a present?

Well, as the Queen of Startitis, it's pretty obvious isn't it? Using the many leftovers from the Mystery Blanket, I decided to start a cushion cover. There are nearly as many cushions in this house as there are scarves, but 'need to use' bears no relation with 'need to knit'.

I always fancied making an elephant somewhere in the blanket, so have had to settle for one on the cushion instead. I am determined to make this a quick knit. Too much else to make to dawdle. So perhaps tonight I will get off this computer and knit, instead of 'just popping over to Ravelry for a quick browse'.

And I know it's been ages since I last blogged - becoming very lazy about this lately - but just had to show you the birthday cake that mum made for eldest son. We do chocolate in this house! (As well as cushions and scarves!)

Needless to say, I am not looking forward to weigh day tomorrow. I'm anticipating a gain this week. Still, can you blame me?

Weigh day

I'm down another pound - how about you?

Help needed

Somebody please make me get off Ravelry where I am browsing patterns, wondering what to cast on next. I have got more than enough on my plate so to speak and if I don't get off the computer and knit, then nothing wil get done and no-one will have a present this Christmas.

Make me do it please.

Late again

Sorry about this. I'm very late again with Saturday Pudding. It has not been a calm weekend at the Stash Basket. Stress levels have once again hit record heights. Won't bore you with the details, let's just get straight down to business. Food.

This was my diet pudding. Baked apple with home made mincemeat (have you made yours yet?) and natural yoghurt. It was very nice - could have done without the yoghurt and had custard instead, but hey, what's a diet for but to wish for something far more delicious?

And this is what the rest of the family had for pudding. Chocolate sponge in a chocolate sauce with chocolate ice cream. I wouldn't like this. No way. Chocolate? Sponge? Ice cream? All the things in life which I don't like. Couldn't have eaten this at all. Hot, steamy chocolatey, syrupy. Bleurgh.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Weigh day

I was away last week so didn't get weighed, but went along today to discover my fate...

The good news was that I'm down another 3.5 lbs. So excited! I wore my new trousers today and a friend said they looked too big! Not sure I was banking on buying more new things quite so soon.

Off to do some school work now that I've been putting off for ages. I just want to knit though.

To make a change.

Finished!!!!!

I've finished another something! Meet Baktus - quite possibly the most lovely, easy, comfy, cosy thing I've ever made. Forgive the rubbish photo (think the camera was on the wrong setting).

I will definitely be making another one of these - bit longer next time, but oh it's so lovely, I really think you ought to make one.

Have you seen this? Minute for Madeleine. Where is she? Somebody must know.

Just like any other day...

Here's the Halloween pudding - chocolate cake with cobweb and green icing. Mr Stressy didn't like the green icing (just normal buttercream with food colouring!)

Mornings at our house are manic. Is ours the only home to have mad mornings? Well, I need to re-phrase both those last 2 sentences. My mornings are manic, Mr Stressy and boys have calm mornings.

Alarm goes off at 6.45. I get up and make a cup of tea while Mr Stressy goes back to sleep for 10 mins. I take tea upstairs then head straight back down to make the packed lunches. Mr Stressy has a shower, boys stir bleary eyed and come down to watch TV, raiding the biscuit tin on their way. I empty the washer and hang up the wet washing. Boys shout me to come and watch some funny thing on the telly. Put down wet washing and go to see some inane rubbish on the goggle box. Finish hanging washing up. Empty dishwasher and put pots away. Set up breakfast. Line up lunches ready for collection. Mr Stressy comes downstairs and complains that the condensation on the upstairs windows is very bad and can I please wipe them down as he is far too rushed.

He goes to work. I dry the windows. Eldest son goes into bathroom then heads back downstairs to torment brother. Much yelling and screaming, Peacekeeper Mum rushes downstairs to restore order. Having nearly won the Nobel Peace Prize, it's my turn to use the bathroom. Half way through shower, knock on door - eldest son needs money (don't they always?). Leave the peace of a shower and drip back downstairs to find cash. Dry hair, slap some make up on, get dressed, charge back downstairs, grab breakfast then leave for the relative peace of work.

It is no wonder I often arrive somewhat frazzled. Where am I going wrong? Answers on a postcard please.

BOOO!!!!

Happy Halloween one and all.

I have been spectacularly bad at blogging of late. Sorry. Half term is one of those busy times - I had planned on doing so much knitting, getting so much finished and not casting anything else on... Well, the thought was there wasn't it?

I have finished something though. My nephew wanted a cushion to match one I made him years ago. So I have made one of my Christmas presents. Hooray for me! I did this very quickly because it's in the truly hideous Sirdar Foxy . A horror to knit with, a horror to feel and it squeaks so much. I shall have to educate said nephew in the delights of Posh Yarn. He really needs serious help I feel!
So glad that you all like the Golden Wedding Blanket too. I made another square - these flower ones take an age to do, but are worth every minute spent on them.

I've cast on 2 new things. The first is a Baktus scarf, not shown here, that can wait for another day. The second is this. I'm going to tease you and not say what this is. You know how I love clever knitting? Well this is clever beyond all imagining. How someone could design a pattern like this is beyond me. Keep watching to see how this mystery object transforms into something very pretty.
On the weight-loss front, I didn't get weighed this week as I went away for a few days. I am still trying hard though, but am starting to find it a bit difficult and more of a chore now. Determined to reach my target by Christmas though.

Had to go clothes shopping this week - my clothes are all now huge and look very stupid. Strange how I couldn't button up the trousers a few months ago - now they just fall down! Although it feels very good, it's a double-edged sword and is costing a small fortune. But never mind eh?

Must go and make a gruesome pudding now. I think it will have to be something green and monstrous just for Halloween. Youngest son wants strawberry jam 'blood' incorporated somewhere in it. He used to be so nice...

Golden Wedding blanket

It occurs to me that although I've talked about the Golden Wedding Blanket a lot, I've not shown you a progress picture for quite some time. I've been ordering more yarn and buying more and looking at it and stroking it and generally ooohing and aahhing over it all. Just look at these colours, don't they all look so pretty together?

There is, of course, way more yarn than I need for this project. I tend to panic buy though, always wondering if I'll run out, dreading the outcome if I've not got enough to finish that one last square. But I don't think that will happen do you? (Even though secretly I'm already worried about the amount of cream yarn left for the background hearts and flowers...)

So anyway, here it is so far. I'm planning on making it 11 x 9 squares, so am not even half way yet. However, now that the Mystery Blanket is done, I can concentrate on this one much more.

Well, once I've cast on a few more new projects, completed a bit of Christmas knitting and maybe had another go at attacking a few more WIP's..

Very quickly...

Mr Stressy is due home any minute and tea still isn't even started let alone ready. I just wondered how the diets have gone this week? Nobody's e-mailed me to say they've lost anything. I'm down another pound.

Oh, and is it just me, but does everyone's ironing pile seem to breed and multiply by the second? I swear my laundry basket could teach rabbits a thing or two about reproduction!

Mystery Blanket 2009

Yes, Rhiannon, (ah how I love that name!) you are indeed correct. The finished project is the Mystery Blanket. It is done, finished, completed. I have actually finished something!

Forgive the quality of the pictures, it's a very grey day here so the colours aren't coming out as well as they should. But I was so excited, I just couldn't wait to show you - I'm not going to hang on for a sunny day, goodness knows when that could be!

I have trouble picking a favourite square, I like most of them, but I think this Fair Isle one would be quite high on the list. I love stripes and I love fair isle. But then I love the beads too and the sequins. I have, however, hated knitting the red lacy one. It took so much longer than all the others.
The centre square was in the last parcel to arrive and kept us all guessing. Love that one too.
I did originally want to use this as a wall hanging but it's very heavy and as you can see from the picture, the squares are being stretched into rectangles. So it will be just another blanket to warm me up on those chilly winter evenings.

I have so enjoyed this whole Mystery Blanket project that I've already signed up for next year (not thinking about the price though...) anyone else fancy joining in?

And you know what? Now that I have actually finished something, I'm quite keen to finish something else. But first I must get up to date with the Golden Wedding squares and start my Christmas knitting. Oh what a shame, that means I'll have to cast on something new. Dear oh dear.

Saturday Pudding

Just to further enhance the torture which I seem to be putting myself through, I made cake for Saturday pudding. Well, cake and cookies to be exact. It was too hard to resist. I ate a cookie and a teeny piece of cake. Both tasted very good - my first cake in a very long time.

I convinced myself to be strong and leave the rest alone though. This was my pudding.

Too much to scoff alone, so all the rest of the family helped me out. They're kind like that.

Oh, and please do come back tomorrow. There is exciting news. I have a finished project to show you. And it's a very lovely finished object, if I do say so myself.

Slow and squeaky.

Well it's still here, still on the needles and still not finished. The Mystery Blanket is almost done - it's just these 300 stitch borders (4 of them) that are taking FOREVER! Won't be long though, then I can show it to you in all its glory - and even if I do say so myself, it is really rather glorious!

On the scales front, I have lost another 1.5 pounds. Pleased about that - would have been more pleased had it been 2.5, but I don't want to be too greedy.

Oh, and another thing, not that it affects any of you, but I've almost lost my voice. The children at school think it's funny - I've developed a very high squeaky sound. Most unlike my normal husky tones (oh ha, ha!)

What a cow!

It's amazing what you see when you're trying to have a nice quiet bowl of bran flakes for breakfast. Looking out of my kitchen window this morning I saw this greedy cow looking in at me. And before you complain about me calling her greedy, let me tell you that this beast has single-handedly (or should that be single hoofedly?) devoured our pear trees, ivy plants, privet hedges, laurel hedges and anything else that she can reach from her field. There is a barbed wire fence holding her back from our fence, but such is the age of the thing, she just steps over that to get to our greenery.

Some years ago, one cow escaped from the field and got onto the road. To prevent an accident, a well-meaning neighbour ushered her into our front garden and closed the gate before calling the farmer. Now those of you who know Mr Stressy will know that he is a fanatic when it comes to his garden - not a blade of grass is out of place and once a week he sweeps the gravel. Yes, I really did say that. He sweeps the gravel with a brush. So to find a cow on the drive was not his idea of a good plan. However, it all ended reasonably OK, we had a few smashed plant pots, a few nibbled plants, but nothing too serious.

Thank goodness it was not this Greedy Cow who ended up on our drive. Mr Stressy would surely have had her in the freezer before you could say horseradish sauce.

Two for the price of one!

Here is my Saturday Pudding. Fat free rice pudding, flavoured with orange, lemon, apples and nectarines and fat free yoghurt. Too much lemon. Way too much lemon. Sour. Horrid. So revolting, I can almost see the pounds disappearing - after all, something this vile must surely be good for weight loss?

But it didn't really help that the rest of my dear family were tucking into this. Profiteroles, filled with white chocolate creme patissiere and smothered in warm chocolate sauce.

There were some leftover, so rather than keeping them in the fridge to torture me even more, I went round the neighbours offering them out!

As I have said before, losing weight is not easy for someone with such a sweet tooth as me. Especially when I keep being so stoopid as to make puddings like this.

What would you do?

Knit with some delicious new yarn from Nimu Yarns,
mmmmmmmm....

Continue knitting my latest obsession
mmmmmmmmm...

...or tackle this little lot.


Oh, and by the way, the last post title, 'Nothing Changes' was sadly prophetic. No weight loss this week for me.

Nothing changes...

I'm still swamped by my many unfinished projects. Starting to panic at the amount needing to be done. Wondering how I can ever work my way round to finishing something - anything even. So am I getting any finished? Am I finally getting out the long forgotten needles from some long forgotten project?

Er, no. I am doing what any other self-confessed knitting nutter actually does. I'm casting on something new! Yes, yes, yes, I know, I've heard it all before. Finish something before you start something else. Finish one thing, start on another. Easy peasy. Just like how easy it is to have just one square of chocolate from the huge family sized bar of Dairy Milk in the cupboard right next to me HERE!!!!! Yes, just as easy.

Remarkably though, my will power with the chocolate is much better than my will power with the needles. So I've cast on a scarf and left the chocolate alone. It is now October so Christmas is just around the corner and the sum total of my festive knitting amounts to a pair of socks for mum. Whilst thinking of this, I decided that my poor dad rarely gets any knitting for himself (though it could be argued that socks for mum mean that she doesn't warm her cold feet on him, so that's sort of a present?). Anyway, I digress, I thought my dear dad would like a nice cashmere scarf to keep him warm on those cold winter walks. So I dug out all those scraps of leftover cashmere from Tipsy and cast on a mere 400 stitches.

Oh this pattern is good. Easy, quickish - for 400 stitches - and very pretty looking. The colours actually work far better in real life than it seems here.

So whilst the Mystery Blanket will remain a mystery to you all for another week or so, Carica is still only half way up the back, Soho is just a square rather than a massive rectangle, the zig-zag anklets are just singular, the Golden Wedding Blanket is more like a cushion, the teeny Rowan jumper is still awaiting more weight loss before it fits, the quiviut snood is somewhat short, the million miles of cotton i-cord remains a million miles of i-cord, I am enjoying knitting a scarf.

Oh to be strong and finish something once in a while!