More than we expected

Jam, that is.  With the very hot weather, the Nanking Cherries were ripening quickly, and, since we thought we were out of Nanking Jelly, we wanted to get in there before the birds.  I suggested that we check them first thing this morning, and there were enough ready to picking worth while.  So we were both out there, even to the point of David getting the ladder out and climbing the fence with the neighbours, to get at the branches on that side.  A little scary as we know what an extensive security system they have, including cameras everywhere.  We have never had such a good crop of cherries, as this year's--never.  For the first time I can remember, we didn't have a heavy rain, while the bushes were in bloom, and the weather has been perfect for them, ever since.  Boy, those things are "dirty" to pick, but we got a big pail full, (used the compost pail-lol).  By later this afternoon, we could see that those that we had left, as not ripe yet, had ripened in the heat, and the birds were having a good feed, including some baby Robins, who still had their speckled chests.  Of course, we had to count jars and lids carefully, and we ran out of sugar, but ended up with three batches of Strawberry/ Rhubarb, three batches of Rhubarb pineapple, and two batches of Nanking Cherry jelly--almost forty jars.  Then David found about 15 jars of Bramble Jelly, from I don't know when, hidden at the back of the storage area in the basement.  I'm the only one who eats it, and haven't touched it in years.  Don't know when it might be used, but figure it just might work in Christmas baskets. Hopefully, we won't have to do anything like this again, for another few years.

I don't think we've both worked that hard in quite some time, and now we're both reduced to sitting and vegging out.  I ache all over, and David is moving gingerly as well.  But I expect to sleep well tonight.  We really haven't done much else, for the last two days.  A trip to the library, and played a bit of poker, but that's about it.