Can, can, can you do the can-can?

I went for a run this morning when everything was shiny with dew. Leaves glistened in the sun. It was quiet. A hardcore runner gave me a friendly wave of brotherhood and nodded at me. I replied with a cheerful 'morning'. That felt good. I don't like passing snobby runners who don't acknowledge your existence. Well, more like getting passed by and eating their dust.

I say 'going for a run' because it's a generic statement that everyone knows what you mean when you say it. Sort of like 'let's go out for coffee'. Even if you don't drink coffee, that's okay, because the act of going to a place that sells coffee is enough. You are socializing. So, I am 'going for a run', but it's really more like a dogged jog. With lots of walking. The rest-walks are becoming fewer and shorter, so I feel justified in continuing to say 'run'. I'll get there some day. Slowly. I get the feeling that I'll always be a racing snail. It still feels good, though. And that's what counts.

My kitchen is covered in fruit. I have so much canning to do it's insane. But, I am very glad to have found a Bernardin pectin that is gelled with calcium chloride (** edited to note: It's calcium ascorbate, not chloride. It's a type of vitamin C, not a salt. The salt is used in pickles.) instead of sugar, so I can make jam with my own preferred amount of sweetening. I tried peaches with nothing, but my dad, who agreed to be my guinea pig quite happily, says that it's not quite enough like jam. So, next batch gets some sugar. Just enough to make it sweet without rotting out your teeth.

There is one last batch of chutney to go, and then I'll make some tomato sauce for my husband and daughter. That's actually something that I miss quite a bit. Tomatoes make lots of things taste better, and they're a great meat tenderizer.

Ah, well. At least I still have pesto. Winter is going to be difficult, though. No fresh basil. I'll have to buy my pesto pre-made.

*sigh*