Keep meaning to get around it
 

I've just heard the following dialogue:

-I've packed him extra socks ...
-Did you hide the extra cash in there for him?
-Yes, I did.
-And the scarf I knitted?
-You only gave me a ball of wool.
-I kept meaning to get 'round it.

I think I got the "to get around" part: "hacerme de tiempo (para eso)".

But the "I kept meaning" baffles me a little. I think I understand it but a translation into Spanish eludes me. What that can be? "estuve tratando de hacerme de tiempo (para eso)"?

I kept meaning = It was always my intention

I kept meaning to get around to it. = I was thinking about doing it (knitting the scarf) all that time. = It was my intention to have done it (knitted the scarf) by now.

Years ago I received a gag gift of a little round piece of wood wrapped up in packaging that identified it as A Round Tuit, with an inscription that said "The perfect gift for someone who was always trying to get around to it."

Thank you both.

So it's like the use of imperfect in Spanish:

"tenía intenciones de hacerlo"

with the verb meaning a permanent state which never has led to some concrete action.

Rusty is correct of course, and it also means the same / similar thing to what Rusty stated:

I have been wanting to do it.


This is VERY rare, and I assume you heard / saw it in a movie.


One could say:

I kept/keep meaning to do it, (although I have been wanting to do it, but have not).