We don’t sing Jerusalem

In case you’d prefer not to read about the tribulations of Khan and my mother’s death, an extra post Just For You.

Al asked me if I could provide 12 globe artichokes for a customer. I was very pleased. What discerning taste, I thought, to serve artichokes for her party. “She’s planning to dry and spray them for decoration,” he said lugubriously. I was affronted. What a waste! We’ve sold them to her though. Her call. Another customer has asked for 20 butternut squashes. The variety I grew this year had lots of little fruit, which is quite good as the ones the wholesaler sends are very large. I just hope this customer is going to cook them and not display them as gourds.

WI was extremely jolly and all the food was eaten. Ro was very helpful and decorated all the cakes, chocolate and meringues. A disc of chocolate makes a very good base, by the way; in this case for spoonsful of chocolate mousse, but you could use other things, such as half a walnut, some fruit purée or mousse or some coffee cream, for example. Extremely gratifying were the cries of “You’re so thin!” which I was greeted with – I haven’t been much this year and it’s in the next village so not many people have seen me.

By the way, we don’t sing Jerusalem. Yes, most WIs do. We don’t.

You might remember, some weeks ago, I mentioned that a rather large valuation is in the offing for us, though we’ll be doing it at a reduced price because we’re nice that way. We’ve now discovered that the organisation (the collection is not in private hands) has lost the inventory. It will be a huge amount of work. We’re not thrilled – it’s not the work but the complete inefficiency that gets us. Well, me. The Sage hasn’t said much, because he’s patient.

Today, I’m off to visit my girlies, Weeza and Zerlina.

10 comments on “We don’t sing Jerusalem

  1. Honey

    what a waste I agree.. Lovely artichokes. I’m going to have to lean on you for advise, next spring I will start my first vegetable plot and yes I’m a complete beginner. I tried to grow artichokes once and then learnt they take three years to mature.. sigh so they are just a wonderful ornamental touch to our garden now and the new tennents will enjoy the actual food..

    Reply
  2. Ad

    I guess Jerusalem and it’s dark satanic mills are a little too northern… still, a bemusing choice for the WI if you ask me.

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  3. How do we know

    Aaah yes, i was giving the Khan series a polite miss. But the girls are a delight to hear about, so I almost do a find on their names, but your habit of using initials sometimes.. well, defeats my purpose! 🙂 Tell us how they are .. tomorrow.

    And Congratulations on being thin!

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  4. Z

    Cheers, Badge.

    These artichokes came from seeds I’d sown this spring, Honey – if you start them off under glass then they crop the same year, although the artichokes will be much larger and earlier next year and the year after. I usually sow new plants, or divide them, every 3 years or so. And if I can give any help, do say – you know how evangelistic I am on the home grown vegetable front!

    Nothing wrong with Jerusalem per se, but the awful solemnity of singing it at the start of the meeting would rather put a damper on the whole thing. It goes up a bit high for some of us too, plus it puts a slightly odd Christian message into a society that is otherwise nothing to do with religion.

    Sorry, HDWK! And thank you.

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  5. Z

    I meant the latter – not all of Middle England is Christian and not everyone wants to sing a hymn on a weekday. But read it any way you like, dear heart.

    Reply

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