Saturday, April 21, 2012

21 April 2012 Strawberry Fields whenever!



          I had both shoulders injected yesterday.  During the few hours of relatively painless motion, on the way home, I stopped at the Larry Thompson Farms market.  The strawberry fields are producing a bountiful crop of remarkably sweet and juicy berries.  I bought a gallon of berries and decanted them into plastic salad clamshell containers lined with paper toweling.  Before I left the building, I decided that another half-gallon might well be needed to get us through the weekend. 
          We look forward to strawberry season here.  The LT Farms grow and market the best strawberries I have ever enjoyed.  They make the Florida berries that fill the national grocery shelves taste like cardboard in comparison. 
          After unloading the berries and taking Loki out, I drove to Tusculum to support Gloria’s showing.  When I returned home, I topped and froze half a gallon of berries. 
          It was nearly 1800 when Gloria arrived home.  We decided to have ribs for dinner at a local mom & Pop restored General Store in Limestone.  The place was full when we arrived but we found a table in the very back and placed our order at 1830.   Our drinks came and we played a word game we indulge in to pass time.  In about 15 minutes the table behind us, who we think were seated after us, received their order and complained about it being wrong.  We commented that it sounded like they got our order.  Another 15 minutes went by and the Hostess suddenly asked what we had ordered.  We repeated our order and mentioned that it was becoming important that Gloria get her food.  We were told that the kitchen was busy with call in orders, that our ticket had somehow become lost, and a couple other reasons why we were rapidly becoming the last people to be served before the kitchen closed. 
          Our ribs arrived about 1915.  The staff apologized for the error and we fell to, committing carnage on the ribs.  The ribs were advertised as Memphis-style, dry-rubbed, baby-back-ribs.  What we received were dry-rubbed and then sauced prior to serving them.  The meat was a bit greasier than we prefer and could have used a bit longer acquaintance with the smoker. 
          We met a bicycle tourist from France going into the restaurant.  As we were finishing up, we noticed a neighbor and his wife who had come inside to pay after dining outside.  Gloria got to meet the wife, whom she had not met. 
          As we paid our tab, the hostess acknowledged that our order had gone to the table behind us as we thought.  We made light of it but we probably won’t go there for ribs for a while.  They do have decent burgers and a Philly-Cheese-Steak that Gloria likes.   We’ll most likely limit our meals there to those items.  For a while, when we were first married, something like this happened nearly every time we dined out.  I hope we’re not encountering that pattern again. 
          When we returned home, I attacked the next half-gallon of berries.  My shoulders were still numb enough to allow me to stand and move efficiently. 
          Both trays of berries have been bagged, labeled, and are stored away for later months when the fresh berries are out of season.  The last half-gallon is on the counter and we’re picking the berries off as we move past them.  They’re really enjoyable.  
          Gloria’s selling her jewelry again today.  I took advantage of my injections and the lack of predicted rain this morning.  The lawn is now mowed and needs only a bit of trimming next week. 
          Our friend, Park Overall, is speaking at a Jackson Day fund-raiser in Kingsport tonight.  $25.00/plate is a bit steep for rubber chicken.  We’ll support her campaign as much as we can but we’d both prefer venues closer to home. 
          I feel the need for some more berries!

No comments:

Post a Comment