Okay Monday..I give
So - after my lovely post of yesterday telling of the renaming of Monday to Pre-Tuesday, this is the day that I have had so far...
Woke up in the night with thunderstorms
Made careful plans not to leave the house, as Pre-Tueday is always worse when I leave the house
I decided to make Blackberry Jam, as I looked quickly at the recipe, and saw that it only requires 2 cups of blackberries which we had picked from our bush. That should be easy. So I squished and squeezed said blackberries till I had two cups (making minor mess, but not too bad). Then I looked carefully at the recipe and discovered that I was looking at the No-cook Jam part, not the cooked Jam, which requires 3 ¾ of a cup of berries.
So I carefully covered the squished and squeezed blackberries and placed them into the fridge. I wondered whether they would keep till Tuesday so I could still avoid going out today. (Somewhere during that time, I hear a strange bang from the fridge area, but chose to ignore it)
Then, the following happened:
Senior came out and asked for food. Then Junior comes out and asks for food and drink - diet 7Up to be exact. I tell Junior to help himself to the diet 7Up.
Junior proceeds to open the freezer door, then comments “Look at all the ice!”
Senior goes over and makes the same comment, adding “I wonder where that came from?”
I go over, expecting to see an ice build-up in the freezer from the door not being shut tight. Then an object in Junior’s hand catches my eye...
"Junior” I say
“Yes Mummy?” Says he
“Did you put a can of diet 7Up into the freezer?” says I
“Yes Mummy.” Says he, holding a can of diet 7Up that has the top blown off.
“For future reference, Junior, don’t do that. The can will explode.”
However, whilst cleaning the iced soda from the freezer, I come across two bags of mixed berries in the freezer! Result! I can actually attempt to make the jam again. (Why I thought this was a good idea, I’m not sure).
So, I pull the bags out of the freezer to thaw, put the canner back on to boil and wait...
So I’ve made the jam successfully. I’ve sterilized the jars successfully. I’ve filled the jars successfully. So I grab the pot in which I had boiled the berries and the sugar. We have a double sink, of which one side is smaller than the other. Given that the big sink was full, I put the pot into the smaller sink. It doesn’t quite fit in there, but it works. So I turn on the tap to fill it, and let it run...
Then I get the tops for the cans, and I’m dipping them into the boiling water to activate the seal (canning is not something that you can walk away from. Once you start, you have to finish). So I’m dipping one in the water, counting to three, then placing on the jar. Over and over again, 11 times. I suddenly notice that the bottoms of my yoga pants are wet...
The tap is still on, which I knew. The pot is overflowing with water, which is running onto the counter, and down to the floor...which I didn’t know.
Many towels and help from the boys later, the floor is dry. Can’t say the same for my slippers and pants, but there you go. So I load everything into the dishwasher. I move the cutting board, and discover a pool of water under it. Get soaked cleaning it up, and I hadn’t replaced the towels...
So I’ve got the counter cleaned off, and the jam is in the canner for sealing, and needs to come out. I unload it (without burning myself, as it’s a boiling water canner) and all the jars are neatly placed on the cutting board. Now, these aren’t supposed to move for about 24 hours and they are right in the way. So I pick up the cutting board to move it...
I knock something with the cutting board, and suddenly I’m looking at trying to save 11 jars of jam from hitting the kitchen floor. (and I know without a shadow of a doubt that they will all break).
Thankfully, Monday smiled at this point, feeling perhaps that it had had enough fun at my expense. Thus Monday allowed me to carefully manoeuvre the board with the jars on top over to the place where they are to sit. No losses.
So - that’s it. I give up. There is no point to me even THINKING about doing anything on a Monday. None at all. Won’t happen.
My only plan for today was to go to the farm across the road and get some eggs. Still haven’t done that. Not planning on it. My husband’s advice on getting the eggs for today...
“Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh … but pre-Tuesdays’ really, really do not agree with you...If you are going to get eggs, bring a bat to beat off the coyotes and a blanket to wrap the eggs in - keep the bat and the eggs away from each other J”
At least I can laugh about it. I mean, really...what else can I do?
And no, I’m not going to get the eggs today...