Jam re-branding and other things

I had a post half-typed, but it wouldn't do at all so I have deleted it. It was a combination of sarcasm, emotional blather and jam commentary and I shall sum it up far more succinctly for you.

Moon landing - no, it did not bring the whole of humanity together, no matter how much the media over-hype it. Half the world had other more pressing things on their minds. And they still do. There are problems to solve before we spend any more money on flights of fancy.

Emotional stuff - I have been cut loose from primary school for ever. I tried hard to take moody shots of the littlest boy walking slowly away, lost in thought, but as usual he was running and jumping and skipping about the place. Which is of course as it should be. Onwards. I wrote several gushing paragraphs in a card to one of the best teachers on the planet. The other half signed it, remarking without a trace of sarcasm, 'Nothing more to be said.' I had indeed said it all, but he looked after two of them so very well, through exams and camp and all of the stuff and pretty much everyone thinks he is fab.

Jam commentary - it is indeed a dark art, as someone commented previously. Some sets, some doesn't. The strawberry didn't, so I am re-branding it as strawberry sauce.

The flowers are nice this year. I have a beast of a dahlia on the go which I shall of course photograph for you. In the meantime a few cosmos 'Lemonade' which are really pretty, much paler than I was expecting.

I am settling into the summer holiday routine of constant provision of snacks and futile attempts to steer people in the direction of a duster. Honestly, it's a wonder they don't put on weight with the never-ending eating.

We have a spider living under the sofa. I have nicknamed him Sofa Spider, although I should probably do better. He comes out in the evening sometimes and the dog is utterly transfixed. He gets his nose right up to him sometimes but doesn't hurt him. Although I imagine it might be a bit worrying for him.

I have modest plans for the weekend involving working and doing things to the garden. Exciting huh? I hope you are living it larger. Do tell. And enjoy. CJ xx

A weekend of fruit and cricket

I am having a sit down after spending the day trying to work while the older two flicked manically between tennis and cricket. Tense, no? I put my headphones on periodically with some nice rain/cafe noise to drown them out. I think the whole street could probably hear us  yelling at the end of the cricket though.

The littlest boy had a match himself. I was told that he hadn't eaten much at tea and would need more food. I duly fed him, but although he tried valiantly he said in the end he actually wasn't that hungry. I casually asked him later on what the tea had been like. 'Quite good. I had two donuts, you know, the big ones.' 'Nice.' 'Yes. And one of those tiny miniature cakes.' 'Oh yes, I know.' And two sandwiches and some grapes because they're good for you and some strawberries. And a packet of crisps and three pieces of pizza.' I fear he may have had an apple and a samosa from home as well. Sigh.

Greed got the better of me too and I shinned up a ladder to pick cherries yesterday and made some jam. There's a glut of fruit at the moment. Strawberries, tayberries, blueberries, raspberries. The jam was a mixed bag. Some set, some didn't. I always find it a bit of a lottery, but it'll be fine for going in rice pudding. Mostly I'm just happy that I didn't fall off the ladder. That's always a bit of a lottery as well.

I am bracing myself for the littlest boy's last seven days of school. Everything is being packed in. Sports Day, school play (three productions), Oscars night, Moon Landing Day (no idea what that involves), skipping competition day, picnic day and the leavers' service. After ten years of having a little person at little school, I am about to leave for ever. I am trying to be brave.

Luck, pushed

Here's a funny thing. I was just yesterday admiring my right foot which, after about two years of having pain and not be able to point nicely, was almost healed and had achieved almost balletic pointiness. Look, I said, It's almost back to normal! Oh how fate laughed.

After lunch today I was coming in from the garden and one foot got stuck on the step and somehow both feet stayed where they were and the rest of me kept on coming indoors at quite a speed (I am always in a hurry). There was a godalmighty crash I can tell you. As I got up and hobbled across the kitchen I turned back and caught sight of the dog standing at the doorway, looking at me in complete and utter mystification.

Anyway, the upshot of it is, my foot has all gone wrong again, top and bottom, and IT HURTS. You may not know that Christina and I are locked in battle for the title of Clumsiest Blogger. I feel I am edging ahead.

I have a little finger that has had a swollen joint for about two months after I rammed it into a door jamb overdoing fake surprise after someone came through the door and made me jump. I have an arm that I pulled cutting the hedge at an awkward angle at the instruction of a difficult neighbour - incidentally I cut through the cable with the hedge trimmer very early on in the operation so the hedge is still untrimmed. I have a foot that was painful and rather crushed after the dog and I lunged for a fallen tea towel at the same moment one morning and I miscalculated and rammed my foot really hard into the dishwasher. And now this.

I pride myself on being a tough old bird. Mostly when I fall over the damage is minimal. Of course I probably shouldn't be saying this... It's a good job I'm not flimsy, otherwise I'd be constantly in plaster. As it is, I have Amazon hot-footing a compression bandage to me. I can't be sitting around with my foot on a cushion, I have a dog to walk you know.

Otherwise it's been a rather lovely weekend. I've barely left town, except to go to the cricket club. I have been floating around enjoying the summer and doing a few chores. The children have been surprisingly low maintenance. In the garden the sweet peas are lovely, after spending about four weeks skulking around at the bottom of the canes doing nothing. There is a bumper crop of fruit everywhere, including more cherries than I've ever seen on the big tree at the bottom of the garden. They are oh so tempting, but a long way up. It would require a ladder. Would that be pushing my luck..?