Fail, failed, failure

I didn't get my Olympics jumper done in time. I am a sad, sad bear. It was all going well until I got to doing the colour work on the sleeves and then it stopped dead and died. Every evening I go home and look at the remains and try and steal myself for a bit of necromancy but I'm having trouble stepping up to the plate. I know the finished thing will look great- it will have skull and crossbones up the sleeves after all, but I keep distracting myself with things like unfinished socks and christmas presents (a bit early I realise but there's nothing like being prepared- especially after last year when I was still knitting one on christmas day!). I have managed to get a Calorimetry finished over the weekend and do a bit more of my lacy bed socks (nearly at the heel on the first one now- wow!). I also picked up my skull scarf and got on with that after having left it to slumber for two months. I feel really guilty about not getting more of that done so I'm glad that it is coming along well now. I am looking forward to getting back to a normal routine soon as well. School starts soon and although it will mean 6am rising times for the mornings during the week it will give me a bit more time to do some knitting oddly enough as my evenings will be completely free. At the moment the husband and I keep trying to get things done and go out in the evenings as he has the time to spend with me so I've been painting and fixing up the house instead of more fun things. That coupled with the bad arm/neck problem has meant a real slow down in progress. But things have picked up recently and will be picking up even more very soon so we shall be approaching christmas all guns blazing. It feels a bit weird to be thinking about santa season at the moment what with it still being the summer and all but I got a bit carried away in John Lewis the other day. Plus it's better to try and spread the cost a bit as I have so many birthdays coming up in the next 4 months it's just not funny. In fact, my mum is 50 this year which is a big birthday and I would like to make a fuss of her insofar as possible. Ideas on a postcard please :)