A Long Weekend

It's been a long weekend. On Friday I dealt with a client who, I later found out, had been ill for a day or so. Saturday morning it became all too clear that he had infected me with whatever and I was told to go home. It didn't take much convincing to get me out of there. Saturday was rather a rotten day, all told. Sunday was better, but even this morning I'm not so sure that I'm entirely better. It must be said, though, that in eleven and a half years at this particular job, this is the only time that I am quite positive that I got ill as a direct result of client contact.

So I spent Saturday on the couch watching football and some Christmas movies with Joe, who so far does not seem to be infected with anything except the seasonal football-itis. I knit on Maria's sock. Unending 2x2 rib seemed to be just the ticket. Although yesterday when we did a progress try on, she decided that she would like it best as a low crew top and I ripped out basically everything that I knit on Saturday. No matter; the therapeutic value had been there and that was what mattered on Saturday. So the progress picture you see here is actually pretty close to what the finished sock looks like now.

I did start on for the second sock. This time I had no problems with the Turkish cast on, although it seems awful fiddly to start with.

Joe took over the kitchen on Saturday and Sunday to bake bread for his signature Christmas gifts. He even did a fair job of keeping the kitchen mess under control. Here is the Saturday output of stollen (German fruit bread):

Today all the kids are home and it's time to do a last minute clean up of the house. Nana has a four hour pass from the care center for today and tomorrow. Tonight we are going to the 6:00 pm children's Mass and pageant. It's been years since I've had a kid in a Christmas pageant but we still get an amazing kick out of going. There's no better way to start out the real Christmas celebration. Then Joe, Maria, and I will go back for midnight Mass, as well as any others who want to join us. Maria and I will be singing in the choir and Deacon Joe will be assisting on the altar. In the morning Joe will be assisting again at Mass while I make the festive Christmas breakfast and we make our annual morning trip to the Stable on the Mountain. Presents will be opened and dinner will be enjoyed in the afternoon when Nana is able to be here. The standing rib of beef is thawing today and I can't keep the kids out of the Christmas kitchen where the cookie tins are stored. It's going to be a busy time.

Merry Christmas to all of you and yours, and many blessings this Holy Night!