Jamming at midnight

The Sage came home with 20 pounds of strawberries last night. Al’s local grower had been desperate to sell them, so Al dropped the price and is doing a promotion. However, with the dodgy weather, they would not keep overnight, so he’d asked me if I’d ‘like’ to make jam.

I was out last night, so I hulled half of the fruit and left the rest to the Sage and Ro. When I got home, I measured out the sugar and added it (all my biggest bowls were put to use, as there would be 5 batches) and left it to do this morning.

This morning, at 8 o’clock, the phone rang. Al said that Eileen had been delayed, and might not be able to come in at all…any chance I was free? So it was that by half past 8, I was stacking shelves. Eileen arrived though, an hour later, so I have made a couple of batches of jam this morning after all. I should have made a third, but there was an hour-long stage when I just sat, staring blankly, doing nothing. I’ll pay for that later, because I’ve got to do the rest of the jam-making later today.

Now I am sitting with a towel round my wet hair, and I’m supposed to be leaving for a meeting in 20 minutes. We had notification, a couple of weeks ago, that work is being done on the water main today and the water may be cut off and may run brown for a while. Do not use electric water heaters. So I washed my hair over the bath instead of in the shower. While I was potting the last batch of jam and then ironing my skirt (these are quite unrelated), the phone rang, 4 times. I was highly annoyed at the interruptions and shouted “bejasus” and similar profanities, but all of them were necessary calls, so I achieved a polite telephone manner.

I’ve just remembered that, for tonight’s meeting, I have to set up the room, which involves water, coffee and bowls of chocolates as well as tables and chairs. So I won’t have time to make jam beforehand. I’ll have to start it when I get home, about 10 o’clock.

I’m barking, darlings. Absolutely bonkers.

12 comments on “Jamming at midnight

  1. anonymous

    You mean the traditional boiling the canning jars method of canning? You poor thing. I make freezer jam-no cooking but the containers take up room in freezer. You are bonkers but we like you anyway.

    Reply
  2. Z

    Thank you for agreeing with me, Badgerdaddy.

    And yes, you are right, as always. But I don’t mind.

    Anon, yes – well, boiling then putting into jars. I sometimes make no-cook raspberry jam, but I haven’t got freezer space for all those strawberries. And I do find, that once something is in the freezer I forget about it and throw it out several years later!

    And thank you too!

    Reply
  3. Z

    Oh, I forgot to reply to you, Rodrigo. Much as I’d enjoy following your link, I am afraid I would not understand much of it. Nice of you to drop in, however.

    Reply
  4. Z

    It’s all right so far, thank you, Boy. I’ve got an hour to write a report, pick vegetables, water the greenhouses and cook and eat dinner. There shouldn’t be any problem at all, as squid is quite quick to cook.

    But I am not at all fond of the telephone.

    Reply
  5. Imperatrix

    How about forgetting the last batch of jam and using the sugary strawberries for strawberry shortcake? Invite friends and neighbors and have a strawberry shortcake party!

    Reply
  6. Z

    Sadly, darling, by the time I’m free for a party, the strawberries will be well past it. Another day, an excellent idea!

    Reply
  7. hey bartender

    Mmmm… strawberries. I have recently been picking wild blackberries in our yard, but haven’t got enough to even dream of jam right now. Good idea, though a lot of work. I’m sure you can handle it, though. You always seem to have a million things going, and you always seem to get them done.
    Makes me a bit jealous, actually.

    Reply
  8. Z

    We won’t have blackberries for another month or two. Raspberries are in now, though.

    I don’t really have more on than other people, I just tell you about all of them, and the rest of you simply get on and do it. It helps that I don’t take earning a living very seriously.

    Reply

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