All I want for Christmas is a Cheese Dispenser

I'm back. I survived without any actual frozen body parts and with a horrific airplane hangover. I'm 5'1 and I get cramped and stiff and knotty in those chairs, how the hell does anyone over 5'6 survive?

There is also a huge-ass bruise on my lower left arm. I know empirically that it is somehow luggage related, but damned if I can figure what I did.

I read two books on the flight-2.5 hour layover-flight home. The second one screwed with my time management ability because, in my haste to get library books for the trip, I managed to pick up the Large Print version of The Wife. They ain't kidding about that, I almost had to ask the wiggler sitting in front of me to hold it so my eyes could focus. It was a much shorter book then the page amount indicated, leaving me finished but feeling as if I should flip the book over and start reading it backwards. There has to be more content somewhere, it's an inch thick!

It was a great trip, with not a whole lot either scheduled or accomplished. Only 2 instances of car-sickness (me + backseat + Dad's driving = surprisingly sudden nausea.) Two trips to Joann's. Zero trips to other LYSs. One loaf of pumpkin bread eaten. Approximately 5 bajillion christmas cookies eaten. 5 pairs of pants, one shirt and one sweater for felting bought at Goodwill for $25. 4 Goodwill sweaters received from parents as christmas gifts, after my spending spree, which explains why Mom kept trying to edge me out of the sweater section.

Yarn-related activity:
On flight to PA
1. two black mittens worked on from ribbed cuffs until the point I though my Dad's thumb may start. Put on hold after I realized I was staring a bit too hard at the hands of every male who passes. Hands are often held in close proximity to the groin area. You do the math.
2. Mobius scarf/neckwarmer for me - started and restarted and restarted yet again. I had one ball of incredibly soft wool from the SnB party (thanks Eva) and kept altering my width assessment. Finally, about an hour from landing, I realized I could make it length-wise. I blame the altitude for the delay in thought process.

At home
1. Mittens - completed sans for thumbs by Dec. 23. Dad started to run every time I approached bearing a wad of yarn and the admonition to "hold out your right hand". Sometimes, just to mix things up, I asked for the left.
2. Mobius scarf - picked up and finished when I realized I no longer own any shirts with collars and the back of my neck was slowly going numb.
3. Anika sweater - picked up again on the 23rd with the hope of wearing it on the 25th. Goal met. The final sleeve and all the seaming were completed at approximately 11:30 pm christmas eve. Not completely complete ( I want to add a bit more length) but wearable.
4. Thumbs - Christmas day. Post-gifting, pre-relative arrival. I still count that as 'done-on-time'.
5. Tank top alterations - 2 inches added to my sister's tank top. I knew the frickin' thing was going to be short when I sent it, I just couldn't face going around and around and around any more. Stop the tank top, I wanna get off.
6. White Fun Fur scarf for Mom - the scarf I made her last year looked like a skinned poodle with mange and it was not a good color for her. Now she looks like Zha Zha Gabor with less false eyelashes and a more natural face.

Plane ride to AZ:
Nothing. I was burned out. Besides, there was no room to fling my elbows around.

Pictures of all the festivities and FOs will follow, just as soon as I have the energy to unpack.

One final note – when given a pencil with the phrase "Jesus is the reason for the season" written on it, my sister and I will immediately start calling them Jesus Pencils. For a week. And eventually my Mom will lose track of a conversation and wonder aloud why we are discussing Cheese Dispensers. Much hilarity will ensue.