This semester has become a little bit of an endurance test, mostly because I've had an extended case of the "Idoanwannas" since about the end of August. My main frustration is that I can remember very clearly putting together power point presentations for one particular class, but I can't find more than a small handful of them. Somewhere between 'Way Out West and Smack in the Middle, they went poof! I keep reaching for them, wasting time searching for them, then having to reconstruct them based on my notes. Well, now I have a new and improved set and they're saved on The Cloud. Next time I teach this course, I can tweak them to make them better, and fill in the gaps created when I showed a film in desperation.
Last night we had the "Christmas Open House" for the local historical society museum. The Emperor and I helped keep the show going -- I made two batches of "wassail" and a pot of coffee and it all came together in spite of a bunch of preparation balls being dropped and some last-minute electrical problems. The electrician was called and when he'd gotten the lights on and the pots heating up, he joined the festivities and had some cookies. Lots of music was played and sung, and a good time was had by all, but hoo boy, was my back tired when we were finished. I only get that particular kind of sore back at that particular place and event. I think that means my back has an antipathy for the floor at the Historical Society. I'm a little stiff this morning, but it's nothing that my new best friend Motrin can't take care of.
Thanksgiving Break has come and gone (obviously) and almost no knitting has taken place. The anticipated ball of Opal arrived in the mail, and when I went to use it, it promptly did a "skein vomit" and I had to untangle it. Skein vomit is when you reach into the ball to get the yarn end, and it has somehow entangled itself in the interior. If you pull the yarn end, a huge knot comes out -- that's the vomit. What I need to do is re-wind the skein into a center pull ball, and while I do that, I should measure the yardage. Then, I should re-re-wind the skein and when I get to the middle, cut the yarn and start another ball and wind that one in the same direction. This way I can make two of those tube socks and be sure of having them match. It's nice yarn.
For the majority of the break, I did little housey stuff like cooking Thanksgiving dinner, or laundry. I tackled no major projects, ignored my knitting, and didn't vacuum or rake leaves as I ought to have done. I didn't start my grading until Sunday afternoon, and I didn't make lecture presentations to get myself ahead. The Emperor and I did drive down to Really Big Regional Center for a meeting, and we spent another night at Regional Medium City on the way home so I could do some Christmas shopping, but otherwise, nothing of real or lasting value happened during that time off. I did get some good quality sleep, however, and finally beat a cold that has been threatening me for weeks.
This morning it began to snow, finally. The eerily warm autumn weather ended last week with a good cold snap, and last night at the open house people were talking about snow later this week. We're only in for a powdered sugar dusting today, but it's definitely a reminder to get out the mittens, scarves, and hats. I'm glad I had my winter wool coat cleaned a few weeks ago.
The Emperor has bestirred himself to make a Giant Production Breakfast, and it's nearly ready. Time to go eat, and then it will be time to hose down the kitchen.
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