Knees and peaches

Knees. Hmm. Aren't they funny things? I mean, without them our life would be difficult indeed! But they can often be difficult things themselves...

My older sister Abigail is (at this moment) in hospital to have a left knee arthroscopy proceeding to drilling fixation or excision and osteoplasty. Basically, that means that the surgeon is pinning the cartilage back on to the bone because it came off. It's a one hour surgery with general anaesthetic and she has to stay in hospital for one night. But she won't be able to bear weight on her knee for six weeks while it heals!

I must say, Abbie was very relaxed about it all. I mean, if it was me I'd be as nervous as anything! But cool as a cucumber, that's Abbie. I wish I was like that.

Abbie had to stop ballet because of her knees though, and couldn't jump or run properly because of the pain. So she is definitely looking forward to when it will all be fixed!

Danella, the third eldest in our family, orchestrates all the fruit bottling we do. About two weeks ago she bottled about 9 jars of pears from a friend's orchards, and before that it was apricots, and before that, plums. She cooks the fruit (right as I speak it's blackboy peaches off our tree) while the rest of us are detailed to peel, chop and de-stone the peaches. In case you've never heard of blackboy peaches, this is what they normally look like:

And when they're cut up,

They have this gorgeous purply-red colour. And they taste divine as well! What could be better! 

Because of their colour, they look amazing when they are in jars. 

Oh dear. Just looking at the photos reminds me that I must go and help with the bottling. Without Abbie to help, Danella will need me!

Farewell, faithful followers. :-)

EDIT: Abbie's surgery went great! She's out of the anaesthetic now, and her knee's feeling a bit achy but otherwise not in a lot of pain at all. The surgeon said that he fixed the cartilage onto the bone (with dissolving nails that will dissolve over time), and also drilled four holes into the bone to allow the bone marrow to grow into it and thus hold it on properly.
Oh, and we ended up bottling 11 jars of blackboys. So today was a great day overall!