jam making

alright in canberra at the moment we are having a strawberry war and strawberrys are about 99 cents a punnet and I had a great idea that I would make strawberry jam for Christmas presents.  You see women on corner stalls with their plum jam and I thought it can’t be that hard….well let me tell you it is.  I burnt my big pot at the bottom, miss jane the 22 month old wanted cuddles halfway through and I had hot spitting jam and a toddler in my arms, by the time the setting point of 102 degress c was reached my whole house stunk of burnt jam and I was well and truly over it.  I was so very disappointed I was hoping for a lovely house making moment and I got major stress.  SO then I regroup and used a different reciepe (bought new strawberries) and I used my smaller pot but I thought that the amount that I was using would be fine……but no now in two days running I have burnt jam smell and no jam.  So now I have strawberry syrup and poached strawberries in my freezer awaiting the time that I can gather up my mother hubbard stuff and have another go…stay tuned.  Meanwhile the man o the house has said very quietly that he rather likes store bought jam and is happy with that…I was not amused to say the least.