I think I've lost it

I thought I was on a roll after knitting two pairs of little socks and using up a couple of the part balls of wool cluttering the stash. I found about 120 g of dark blue 5 ply Guernsey pure wool that seemed ideal to knit socks for Mr FF. I am now into day 4 of knitting and version 4 is on the needles. The first attempt with 64 stitches was far too big and using up far too much yarn, I stupidly started again with 60 stitches, ditto 56 - same problem every time too much sock not enough wool and not once did I really look at what I was doing until I had turned the heel. I am now knitting with 40 stitches and telling myself I am making socks for me, the poor wool doesn't know whether its coming or going and neither do I. Why do I persist with this, why don't I give up and pass the wool to the charity shop? Its the same when I read a book, no matter how bad it is I have to finish it and I can't be beaten by 120 g of Guernsey. Even worse, when I was having a rootle about in my wool store (a large old wicker laundry basket just like the one that the dead guest gets put in on Fawlty Towers), I found a whole carrier bag of part used balls of Opal that I'd forgotten about and now I'm feel I must use that up too. Lets hope the weather is good at the weekend, I need to get out in the garden because my battle with odd balls isn't going to make good blogging.