I've been racing the clock today.

It started when I got out of bed far earlier than I intended (even earlier than my littlest one) to make a pot of coffee for my husband. Since I was up anyway, I decided to work on some blocks for the Irish Chain.

I got eight done, then counted the blocks I already had to see how many more I needed and if I had enough little pieces to make them. Turns out I didn't, so I cut some more and then decided that, even if I didn't feel like it, I should probably finish the blocks while I still remembered what I was doing (and before my oldest decided to clear off the ironing board again.)

So before lunch, I had another twenty blocks done. Assembling the quilt will be a late night project, when I can lay the blocks out without little feet trampling them.

While I was eating lunch and reading email, I gave in to temptation and looked at the latest clues for One Thrifty Quilt. I'd lost enthusiasm when it was time to do the snowball blocks and was trying to motivate myself by not looking at any more clues until I caught up.

Wrong strategy -- one look at step five and I was wishing I had those blocks done so I could see how my shirts were going to look in that pattern. step six is even more motivating. So I started cutting squares and figuring out which corners they'd go in and wondering if I could have all twenty-four blocks done before my husband was due home.

Then I started to wonder why I was racing the clock. I can't possibly get the big blocks assembled tonight, so what did it really matter if I finished the smaller sections tonight or tomorrow morning? But they are done with a half hour to spare, and dinner's in the oven, right on time!