I’m working this weekend because I want to (and because I have projects due) but so far, today has been a wonderful day.  My brain is finally coming to grips with the fact that the SSMO no longer looms precariously on the edge of things that must get done (because it is, in fact done) but has not yet settled on what to knit next.  I have to say that upon reviewing the pictures of my Mom wearing the SSMO that this is indeed the finest piece of knitting that I have produced.  And that makes me feel good.  I’m actually going to leave work behind for the afternoon, take a 1.5 hour drive and go play with my Godson, who just turned 6.  But never fear, I’ll be back at work tomorrow in a vain attempt to finish the project that I have due.  Toodles!

Today I felt minutely worse than yesterday but I’m still functional, which is what really matters.  I became, for all intents and purposes, a knitting fiend yesterday in an almost final attempt to finish my mom’s shawl.  I’m still not quite done, but I have less than 25 rows to go, so I’d say that I’m in the home stretch.  The beauty is that each row decreases by 1 stitch, so it takes me less and less time to knit each row.  I have 5 columns left to drop and the excitement is building.

I’ve been knitting on it since about 9 AM today (it is now 4:18) and I’m going to take a break and decorate some gingerbread men cookies with my niece, Olivia.  Something that I’ve looked forward to doing for 5 days now but have not felt well enough to do.  So tonight is the night.  I’ll decorate with Olivia, go to Chickalay (aka Chick-Fil-A, her words, not mine) for dinner, play with her and Gabby some, finish laundry, finish the shawl, pack and then crash.  Then I get to get up, finish packing and block the shawl – by 10 AM so that I can leave for the Airport.  At least I’ll get to leave the shawl here and ruin my Dad’s theory on knitting.  Sweet.

Sad to say that I’ve been sick almost the entire trip here to Atlanta.  I guess a 50 degree differential in temperature does not agree well with my biological system.  I started getting sick on Christmas day and today is the first day that I’ve felt decent enough to venture online.  Question: if a person gets sick on vacation, does it count as vacation or sick?

So I gave my mom the SSMO on Christmas Eve, which is when we opened presents at my parents house this year.  I captured the whole episode on video but she refuses to sign the release so that I can post it online for all to see, so I’ll have to give you the synopsis.

She opened the gift and carefully unrolled the shawl (because I still had a ball of yarn attached) and her eyes just lit up.  She fell in love with the colors and actually refuses to admit that she made the comment back in August about “ew, turquoise and brown?”.  (She was laughing rather hard when she made the denial, which leads me to believe that she knows she made the comment but is unwilling to admit it.)  Her actual comments were something like this: this blue color isn’t just turquoise, it’s a dark turquoise that is beautiful with these browns and coppers….  So I’d say it was a hit.  Except that it is now the 30th and is still not finished, although I am in the final stages (doing the double decreasing now) and it should get finished tomorrow just in time to be blocked before I leave.  I suppose the fringe can wait a little longer.

The following day (Christmas day), my Dad comes up to me and says:

Dad:  So I’ve figured it out – this knitting thing.  I know what you’re doing.

Me: (with a quizzical look on my face, all innocence..) I have no idea what you’re talking about Dad.

Dad:  You’re double gifting.

Me: double what?

Dad: you give your Mom a half made shawl this year so that you can take it home and “finish” it just to give it back to her next year.  I’m on to this game. 

Me: and it actually took you how long to figure this one out, Dad?

Dad: about 24 hours.

Me: you’re not too quick, are you?  (with a completely innocent look on my face.  I can’t let him know that it had crossed my mind….)

I’ll post picures of the now revealed SSMO soon.  I promise.