[Earl]

I like the vodka idea. :-) My bones creak too, so does my brain.
Maybe you can adapt the below recipe to ripe cherries.

Fire Balls
14 lb small green cherry tomatoes
4 garlic cloves
4 celery stalks
4 hot red peppers
4 heads dill
1 qt water
1/2 c pickling salt
2 qt white vinegar
Pack 3 1/2 lbs. cherry tomatoes in hot quart jars.
To each quart, add a garlic clove, a celery stalk, a hot red pepper, and a head of dill.
Combine water, pickling salt and vinegar. Boil.
Fill jars to 1/2" from top.
Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath.