A Cookout... Bandit Style

The Green-Eyed Bandit, Extra special president of my beloved Financial Freedom Fighter crew, mentioned to me last week that she was thinking about having a cookout for her birthday.

And she didn't mention it after that. Leaving me to assume that she wasn't having one.

BUT on Sunday morning, I get a Facebook message, talking about "You coming?"

Uh... I guess. LOL

So, me and another bookclub sister, NetRock, headed out from our downtown hood to the deep southside to Henry County. I can't STAND driving waaaay out there. It's like going out of town!

Move closer to the city, Green Eyed Bandit. Please!!!

LOL

So we get there, and nothings ready.

Now Netrock had gotten in my car some thirty minutes prior hollering that she was ready to EAT... while her husband Joe stood at the door of her house and looked out longingly at us... (lol, that was funny! Netrock left him.)

I waved at Joe. Wanted to yell "Come on, Joe!!! Come with us, boy!"

*Joe running for the car. Lee putting the pedal to the medal and screeching away*

HA! HA!

So it was SO sad that we hit the house and the food wasn't ready.

I realize that we're not dealing with Mama Bandit, who has everything on the table and ready to go at the appointed time (check this New years post here. Mama Bandit even deep fried the ribs that day).

But we were dealing with Mama Bandit's spawn, and her ol' CP time self.

I knew we were in trouble when I walked into the kitchen and Bandit was standing at the kitchen sink getting the chicken and burgers cleaned and ready, and she said "Lee, you know how to start a fire?"

HUNH!?

It almost came out "N****, I came to eat, not to cook!!!"

Don't worry, I was nice. I kept it inside.

(Besides Bandit is CRAZY. Not sure she would be down to kick my tail on her birthday, but i wouldn't put it past her).

So I threw some charcoal in the grill.

I was hoping that was enough. I haven't grilled out in a good couple of years. (Man, I am NOT throwing vegetables on the grill. That don't even make no sense to me.)

Then I poured my lighter fluid on the coals and lit the fire.

Then I took my behind back in the house because Bandit don't have a lick of shade in the backyard. The nearest trees are 20 feet away at the retainer wall, and they're only 6 feet tall.


Yeah. I watched the fire from the kitchen. Once it died down, I headed back to the dining room and watched as Bandit and Aunt Ray-Ray draped the dining room table with a plastic table cloth.

The table was empty. Sigh.

But it was soon full!

Aunt Ray-Ray makes the BOMB sherbert punch - made with Hawaiian Punch, raspberry sherbert, orange sherbert and sprite.

It was sho nuff GOOD.

I was eyeing these Ruffles.

I looked around for french onion dip. There was none. Sigh.I was killing the Sun Chips and salsa.

Don't know much about that combo, but whatever. Green Eyed Bandit is from Cleveland. They must rock it like that up that way.

I'd been in and out of the kitchen many a time, eyeing this beautiful watermelon.

I'd decided that, for some reason, it wasn't going to be cut, or wasn't for us, and I'd have to come up with a way to steal that sucker.

I decided against that. Bandit is a little crazy, and I didn't want to wake up to my yard set afire... all over a freakin' stolen watermelon.

Hmm... I decided to step outside and check on the grill.

Turkey burgers and hamburgers on the grill

Chicken breast on the grill.



By the time that came off the grill, we had all been laying around with the 'itis.

Chicken and sausage!

Burgers and hot dogs and sausages!!



Green Eyed-Bandit, how much sausage were ya'll trying to cook??

When did ya'll put that out on the grill!? Goodness!

My favorite part of the food was the fruit, ya'll...

And they finally cut up the watermelon!


*Lee's eyes glazing over*

Most people leave a cookout with a plate of food covered with aluminum foil.

Your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl rolls out with a mixing bowl full of FRUIT.

Have Mercy!!! That almost makes me wanna get out my Obama Church Fan!

Bandit!

I had a fine time!

Sorry I didn't get you a gift.

But we cool like that. You didn't care. You don't hold it against me.

But as I get older, I'm finding that the best gift from friends is fellowship and a smile.

*Lee cheesing hard like Celie while killing her mixing bowl of fresh fruit*

Thanks for letting me be a part of your birthday celebration. I wasn't in the best of moods that weekend, and it lifted me up...

She's one of those friends who has seen my bad side and my jankiness... and still sticks around. That is VERY rare for people to deal with me so unconditionally.

*insert lip quiver and fat tear drop*

Thanks for that, you Ol' High Yella Green-Eyed Shorty.

You alright with me, Oldgirl!

And uh, Yeah, uh... you need to have a cookout every weekend, gal!

LOL!