Other endeavors

   Wednesday was a cooking day.   Sir Old Man served as assistant chef.  He wanted to act like the "behind the scenes help"  that are not seen on TV cooking shows!  He is an excellent stirred, grater, mixer and cleaner-upper.  None of this would be possible without him.  

  I wanted to make chutney like we had from Honey Baked Ham....the cherry-cranberry chutney is wonderful mixed with the Unexpected cheddar cheese from Trader Joe's on crackers.  It is good with ham and figured it would be good with pork too.  So he went shopping for the cherries and  both sweet and tart!  He usually does go overboard when I make a special request.  

  I found a simple recipe on line, and tips to pit the cherries using a chopstick.  Don't do the chopstick one, it did not work for us.  Instead we resorted to milkshake straws!  They poked out those pits nicely.....and of course, I was wearing a bit of juice when we finished.

  We ended up with 3 of the small half pint jars--I think--and half of of the larger.  Anyway, it turned out good, a little thinner than I wanted, but very good.  Into the refrigerator it went.

  And on the remainder of the cherries.   Easiest thing to do was refrigerator cherry jam.  Since they were pitted I just halved some of them and chopped up the rest.  

 Just a little over 3 jars.....the little leftover was gone this morning on biscuits.  A little bit tart but good.

  Since cherries are good for inflammation and auto-immune issues, I hope to enjoy these.  I get the cherry juice when we find it, but this past year there has been not to be seen.

  One more thing to put together....soup for dinner.  Chicken spinach with tortellini.   The spinach kick I am on is in an effort to raise my iron levels.  Lab test came back and looks like another deficiency has developed.  I fear it is really an absorption issue rather than diet.  I will see what the doctor says tomorrow.

  

  One more thing....I pulled out crochet hooks, ordered a couple of cakes of cotton yarn and started crocheting this past week.  My hands and fingers are stiff and hurt, but keeping them working is  better  than losing all use of them.   I pulled out the knitting bag stand that my girlfriend, Doreen, bought me years ago.  I got everything in it to begin. 

   Then I looked at that cake of yarn.....no way I wanted to rewind it.  I found a long enough dowel to slip thru the center of it.  The dowel ends rest on the side of the bag.  I could pull yarn off and begin....but the dowel kept slipping off and making a mess.

  Enter the light bulb moment here!   I hunted up 2 medium bulldog clips.  One on each side of the bag.  The dowel can just fit thru the eye part of the clip.  I was able to happily begin crocheting and focus on the stitching rather than the dowel and yarn.

   Crocheting for short spells is ok, and the pain is not bad.  The good thing is the fingers are less stiff.  So hoping I can get better tension on the stitches now.  I am making a masterpiece but trying to keep moving.  

Happy stitching!