Financial Head Spin

Colby offers a day-long Retirement Seminar every two years and invites all employees over 50. This is the second time I've attended, but the first time I felt like I could begin to grasp the information and move on it -- the last time it was just a scary head-spin. This time, I left with a to-do list.

First on the list, however, is to get taxes done and complete the FAFSA before the end of the month. To do that, I've got to pull documents together and organize my files. And, at the same time, I need to get that money management software under my belt. These activities will also put us in a position to talk with a financial advisor, a CFP. (The interesting thing about CFPs is that I used to proctor the quarterly exams that people had to take to earn the CFP certification, back when it used to be paper and pencil exams and the CFP talking yesterday mentioned that fact.)

All of that should keep me very busy this month, but I won't stop knitting! Last night I knit another 10 rows of my sister's mittens, getting 2/3 of the way through the thumb gusset. I've found that once I put the thumb stitches on a holder, the rest of the mitten pattern seems to go very, very quickly -- a nice reward for the fussiness of the thumb gusset. I've also gotten all the way to the thumb gusset for the lining of the colorful mitten, the lining I'm re-knitting. I won't know for certain that the smaller gauge is going to work until I get up past the gusset and can try it on, but I'm feeling like this re-knit is going to be fine.

Knitting to-do list: block the sleeves and collar for the gray sweater in preparation for seaming it, maybe this weekend? Knit a swatch of the stole I'm knitting for my sister-in-law-to-be with the beads and send it to her for approval. Knit commemorative Spa, Knit & Spin miniature sweaters to give my friends that weekend. Finish the sleeves for the Debbie Bliss sweater before Spa, Knit & Spin to take to the Amy Herzog workshop that weekend.

Hmmm. Two big to-do lists. Just have to pick away at it, I guess. If I just had a snow day, like DH today, I could make big dents in those lists! Alas, work often seems to get in the way of my personal life -- though that is a great incentive for working on the financial to-do list -- retirement can't come too soon.