deadlines

For the past few days I've been thinking about deadlines. We set them for ourselves and often times they are set for us by others. Deadlines can be stressful regardless of who sets them. Yet, they can also be kind of fun (for some!). They can also be challenging. My current deadline for myself is to finish off all my works in progress by Easter before starting any new projects. I've been chugging along very well this past week (part of the reason I've been rather quiet on the internet) and I am nearing a crossroads.
We are going to be driving down to LA this weekend for my sister's second full marathon. *This is going to be her last one for a while (at least that's what she told me last night!)* So since we'll be driving down, I'll of course have my last two projects in tow. I'm 4 repeats away from finishing gust (as of this moment!) and I am 10 repeats away from finishing my husband's scarf.
The hubby is going in for a quick surgery tomorrow also and I'll definitely have my knitting. The problem is, chances are I'm going to be finished with at least one of the two projects I still have on the needles by the end of tomorrow or by the end of the weekend.
So my dilemma is, do I sit on my hands for the next two weeks until Easter before I begin any new projects or do I just get going on a new project? Of course I have loads of other things I need to do-like answer a pile of letters, read a ton of books, catch up on my internet life, etc. I keep reminding myself that I did give up starting new projects for Lent so technically I should really wait until Easter to begin any new ones.  Can I wait that long?? The hubby wants to override my Lenten promise-he being a non-practicing anything! We shall just have to see what I end up doing..
Now for some progress photos!

First of all, here is a pic of the swatch I did for my hubby's future vest. I'm still on the fence about this yarn. I need to do some research on rav on this silk-tweed stuff. I was stressing myself out over it after swatching because I don't want it to be a crappy vest! The yarn isn't that fun to work with either. :P

Here's what my gust was looking like as of two days ago.

Here is a close-up of my gust!

Here's my husband's scarf so far. It's really starting to grow on me (and I don't mean literally!) lol.

And here is a close-up shot of the cables in my husband's scarf.

Oh! last weekend, my SIL mentioned wanting to learn how to make shawls!!!!!!!!!! I was so excited! She knows how to knit a little bit. Though she still has to really get the basics of knitting down. We haven't scheduled any time to knit together just yet but I can't wait.  I have to look for a really simple shawl pattern for her to start out with so she isn't overwhelmed.
On the reading front...it has been extremely slow goings with Anna Karenina. The story has picked up but I don't find the reading likable. I actually put it down probably last weekend and re-picked up Eat, Pray, Love. It's a much more enjoyable read and I'm definitely bringing it with me to LA. I'm thinking that I'm going to return Anna Karenina to the library (for now) and when I don't have anything else interesting to read, I'll re-check it out! I've got two other books I want to read also from the library and I'm getting tired of renewing them when they're just sitting there by my bed..waiting rather impatiently to be read!