I took the coward's way out, and cut the yarn. Even having cut it, it took an additional two hours to get out the tangles. For all that work, the salvaged yarn gave me maybe 3/4 of an inch of length to the potential top.

What I really want is a day off, but that's not in the cards. I'm going to be away for the next couple of days (note to burglars: Tom will be home), so I can't put off all the usual chores: laundry, dishes, yard cleanup. Okay, I could put off the yard cleanup, but I don't want to. That, and there's a party today, all day, that should be a blast. I have such a tendency to isolate myself, I shouldn't refuse opportunities to socialize when they present themselves.