Thursday 11 January 2007

Z's brain has gone

with the wind.

It was a difficult morning. I went in half an hour early as I had a lot to do, and decided not to put the full display outside as it was, by a long way, the windiest day yet. The nice man with the fish stall on Market Day came to help me put up the heavy wooden shelf.

From the start, I felt tired and confused, bewildered from the strength of the wind. At least I was indoors. The Egg Man (he merely sells them, don't imagine Humpty Dumpty) gave up and packed up by 9.30. As the gusty wind strengthened, the veg market stall took down their awning. I hadn't even put mine up, although it is sturdy wrought iron.

I changed my mind when it started to rain. I brought in the nuts, the soft fruit and the cauliflowers (beautiful local ones), put the boxes of cabbages, leeks and 'carrots on stalks' as Eileen calls them on the shelf and the pineapples and mangoes, which I had bought cheaply and really wanted to sell, on the lower staging, and pulled out the awning. A few minutes later, I was glad I had. The rain was torrential, lashed by a strong and gusty wind.

The market started to pack up.

I forgot to mention that I'd ordered apricots for my big order. I asked how much 20 would weigh. About a kilo? No, said Jason-the-wholesaler, about a pound. Send a kilo and I'll sell the rest, I said.

A kilo was 19 fruits. Thank goodness for the market, I nipped out and bought a couple more apricots for 38p. Belt, braces and baler twine girl, me, and I was allowing for one being soft. When I checked, indeed one was - worse, it had a bruise. So I ate it.

Anyway, the shop certainly filled up when it started raining, customers, dogs, the lot. If the rain had lasted a few more minutes, I'd have made tea.

It all got better later, I did the order, including 60 equal-sized shallots (I like this lady, she likes to get it right and so do I) and I added four extra free, in case one pinged to the floor and under the fridge, another was soft, another got burned and one more was irresistible once roasted and had to be eaten immediately. I had a fruit basket to do in the afternoon, but it took me until nearly 5 o'clock as I was busy.

I mastered the tills and got the totals right.

I remembered an errand on the way home, although I hadn't written it down.

My hair is a total mess.

My back aches. I have taken a pill and would be lying flat on my back, except that then I'd have to get up.

I am going to cook dinner. Pork chops and lots of vegetables, followed by a mango. I don't want anything clever or complicated and want simple comfort food.

Do you know, I feel fine now. Must be the ibuprofen mixed with wine.

I'll be over all this in a couple of days and will write about something else. You must have had enough about vegetables by now.

Congratulations to Pat on all her visitors. And Betty tagged me (I've linked to neither as you all know them both and love them as I do), which I will deal with soon.

10 comments:

y.Wendy.y said...

Very windy and wet here as well..but no veggies flying about.

My hair is a total mess too as I was out and about a bit. I am tired, Silly comment. Sorry.

Z said...

Darling, we'll be incoherent together. I'm catching up on paperwork this evening, boo.

Anonymous said...

Lots of snow fell early last night, another dousing of snow early this a.m. and it has stayed cold and windy. Global warming? not today.
Z what wine would you recommend for the 4:30pm relaxation time?

Z said...

4.30? Not a fine wine, surely, too early in the day. If it's snowing, mulled wine would please me, and something cheap and robust is fine for that.

If we'd had snow with this wind, there would be ten-foot drifts by now and I would be trekking along my drive, no chance of getting a car down.

Anonymous said...

p.s. the current wine glass used here is the French jelly jar type. Hard to tip over, wine looks good in them and I don't break them while washing them. I never break stemmed wine glasses while using---it is always the next morning while washing them.

Z said...

I have some cut glass hock glasses, a wedding present. I've never broken any, but on the other hand I hardly ever use them as they are slightly top heavy even when empty. Dear and long dead friends gave them too us, so I treasure them anyway. Even though they are, effectively, useless!

Your glasses sound great. For everyday, I use quite cheap stemmed wine glasses and put them in the dishwasher.

The Boy said...

It has been blowing a storm lately hasn't it? Nearly got blown off tower bridge yesterday.

4:40? Surely time for a G&T or nice tall Whisky and Ginger?

Pat said...

You have been working your butt off this week. Could not the Sage do a meal once in a while? Just wondering.
I have given up tags and me mes for the duration - just in case:)

How do we know said...

When i read ur blog, its like taking one LOOOONG journey away from the mundane-ness of my life to the mundane-ness of your life! ;-)
I was sick in bed today (keep those sympathy waves coming!) and this is nice end to the day!

Z said...

Boy, I was ready for a whisky (forget the ginger, dilution was unnecessary) at 11 am, never mind the afternoon. Didn't succumb of course - I did once at the shop, can't remember the occasion, but I greeted the afternoon customers waving a pint of beer, smile on my face.

Pi, cooking is how I unwind. The Sage and Ro help. And the Sage is working very hard this week too, despite not being on top for. I won't tag you, promise.

HDWK darling, sorry you're ill. I hope you are better if you have the weekend off - if you should be working, stay in bed and recuperate. You work too hard.

Mundane is the word this week, but it's a change to me.