This Is a Really Happy Post about Free Stuff

I realize that going into graphic detail about chicken executions and calling folks names has the potential to alienate my readership. Therefore, I promise that this will be a pleasant roundup of the past week's events. But just for the record, in the future when I use the word "you", it's like the collective you, not the individual you. So don't take being called a pussy so personally. Up until last week, I considered myself amongst that ilk. Well enough of that. Let's move on to the topic of free stuff.

I went to the Farmer's Market this past week, looking for apricots to make my absolute favorite jam recipe. Frankly, I don't care too much for fresh apricots. Too mealy. I believe they are much better cooked in crisps, tarts, and jams. The apricot season was nearing its close and the organic fruit stand that I am most loyal to had only about 10 tiny orange pieces of produce drowning in their over sized crate. I asked if this would be the last week for the apricots and as the stand attendant said it might well be, I spied 2 boxes of damaged fruit. The man told me I could take as much as I wanted. Since you don't need pretty fruit to make jam, this was like Christmas in July. I hoarded as many of those sticky nuggets that I could fit into my bag, discarding any that had disintegrated to complete mush. I got 6 pints out of my lot gratis, which should get us through the year.


This summer, in lieu of cable TV, we've been relying heavily on the goats for entertainment. Unlike the former, it's free, which is always welcome in a recession.