Wednesday 24 July 2019

Cherries and gritted teefs . . .




Aren't these superb cherries?  They were ENORMOUS - Morello cherries - and I only had to chuck one away.  I got a box full (10 lbs) for just £4 at Chris Thomas' warehouse at Abergwili this week.  On our recent travels, we saw Cherries like these offered for sale at about £13.50 per Kilo!  What a bargain we got : )   So I spent a couple of hours removing stalks, washing them in an acidic bath (I used lemon juice in the water, but vinegar works just as well) to remove any pesticide residue and then I sat on the sofa, watched catch-up tv and stoned them all, before cooking them up in two lots in my big jam pan and now they're in the freezer.  



Yesterday, unexpectedly - very unexpectedly as I was all set up to go to my Patchwork class at Alex's studio - we got a phone call from a friend offering us half a Unit at what seemed a bargain price.  We had discussed this recently with the friend and what we could afford (and couldn't) had been established.  We certainly couldn't run to the whole Unit price which would have been twice as much (and more) than we had ever paid.   "Come out and see what you would get" was suggested, so we decided it would be best to strike whilst the iron was hot and we set off after lunch.



We had a wander round Hay later, as we were in the area - here's the view looking up to the Buttermarket.

Well, it was a completely wasted journey (£15 worth of diesel PLUS our time) as when we got there, suddenly the pricing goalposts had been altered AND included in the "deal" was the need to cover two days a month in the shop.  That would bring the cost to us of half a Unit up to damn near the cost of a full one.  I obviously appear far more stupid and gullible than I am! but believe me, that sort of offer is not one I am going to be taking up. 



I always look at this rather splendid (apart from the colour!) kitchen-tidy cupboard when we walk past this shop.  Some useful storage there but believe me, if it lived in my kitchen it would be chocabloc with useful things and no room for fripperies!



What the?  Perhaps this is "modern art" and there are always plonkers willing to be seduced by the ludicrousness of it.  Ah well, it's different, but I wouldn't want it in my house!

Today is meant to be another scorcher.  Keep cool everyone.

14 comments:

  1. Ah, the Modern Art!..I assume that was Tom's stall?! He has some beautiful things.Still, good to be back there..pity they didn't make it clear about the T&C

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    1. This was in a shop window, but it might have COME from Tom I suppose. He was at Malvern today (Sunday), with the usual . . . "bargain stuff"!

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  2. Sorry it didnt work out. Lovely photos of Hay, a place I have never visited.

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    1. Far better that we weren't even remotely tempted to try, as we know Hay goes dead in the winter, so the timing of the whole thing wasn't good either, but we needed to make an informed choice.

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  3. The first photo is fabulous.
    Don't you just despise when You say what you want and then all the extra are piled on.
    parsnip

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    1. I was NOT impressed with her attitude, I can tell you that. We will keep at arm's length in future.

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  4. Keeping cool is easier said than done here.

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    1. I bet Pat. There is hot and there is sweltering. I don't do either!

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  5. The cherries were a bargain :) So sorry to hear you had a wasted journey. The "modern art" is rather unusual and certainly different! Thankfully cooler here today than yesterday which was awful!

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    1. Yes, still a bit peeved if I am honest. The "modern art" would just look like trash in my house!!

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  6. A business deal gone wrong, but then it was a miserable deal! Loads of rain down here in Yorkshire, my Virginia creepers are reaching long tentacles over the border onto the pebbled driveway, and one round the tyre of my car, a bit like Triffids...

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    1. She had the nerve to ask me if I didn't think it was a good deal?! I nearly choked . . . and had to be honest and say, not from our viewpoint it wasn't.

      We now have some of your rain (much needed) and I am hoping that the Clematis x 4 I planted this year will suddenly go nutso and colonise the new fencing between us and the yard.

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  7. Here in Ontario the cherries have been the best they have been in years. We didn't get the deal that you got, but we have eaten many despite the price.

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    1. Yes, I think it helps to be near the source David. Cherries take some beating as a dessert (or straight off the tree.)

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