Days 76-79: More company! And our first experiment with jam.

When we lived in Topeka, KS my momma was friends with a lovely woman who would stay with me when my folks went out of town, who became one of those people who are much more than family friend, for whom there is no really good title except a family one.  She became Aunt Kippy (her childhood nickname).  

Aunt Kippy moved to Chicago in the early 90's, so when I went there to go to college I had family nearby, just in case.  I used to house and cat sit for her when she went out of town, and she would take me out to brunch or dinner every now and again to make sure I stayed in one piece.  My mom would stay with her when she came into town, and her apartment was the place where I found out my father was gone.  I love her dearly, and even though we haven't always been in close touch, seeing her again is just picking up the threads of a conversation we started a long time ago.  As luck would have it she lives in Seattle now with her marvelous boyfriend Dean, and the two of them came down to visit not only us but her brother Chris this weekend.  

On Friday we went to a French bakery and cafe for lunch, up in the Alberta district.  We caught up and bought some pastry and adorable smiley apple and pear shaped cookies....

 and took a picture of really cute graffiti....

 before heading over to the International Rose Test Garden, which is phenominally beautiful, even in October.  I can't wait to see what it looks like in June.  

On Saturday it was a gorgeous sunny morning, so John and I took Punkus to the dog park and walked to Home Depot, then met Kippy, Dean, brother Chris and his son Seven for a dinner of incredible Thai food.  Certainly the best Thai food I've eaten here so far, maybe the best I've ever had.  Wow.  I can't wait to go back there.  We then piled into the car, literally, and found a coffee shop for a quick after dinner drink.  Afterwards, we said goodbyes and John I walked home under the clear starry sky and a mostly full moon.

Sunday was another spectacular morning and we found one of the few still open farmer's markets and bought a whole lot of tomatoes, some garlic and a flat of three pints of raspberries and three pints of blueberries.  

After a run to the grocery store for some canning supplies, we made a first attempt on jam, blueberry and raspberry.  

It was SPATTERY.  We ended up with about 1/4 of the jam splattered on the floor and the stove and the wall and in the dog's bowl and on John's pants.  Our candy thermometer wasn't working terribly well, and its supposed to be 220 degrees or so before you pour it into jars, so we got it up to something I'm going to call "angry boil" before we took it off the heat.  Not sure if it was totally right, but it seems to have set up beautifully and the color is spectacular.  Yea!  Jam!

We also made tomato sauce and canned that.  We're 80.  But canning is awesome!  John says this is only the beginning, and next is making jam with no sugar, just apple juice.  And then making our own apple juice.  And then, naturally, world domination.  It is only a matter of time, people.