Terrific Thursday: The Lisa B. Edition

Good Thursday Morning.

Terrific Thursday Morning! Why? Because tomorrow is PAYDAY!! Glory!

So that makes today terrific!!

But this Thursday is also terrific because it is dedicated to a special reader! An extra special reader...

So...

I was at work last month, minding my own business, doing everything else BUT work, when I decided to check my Oldgirl email.

Lo and Behold, there was an email from a "Lisa B."

The name looked familiar. I couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe because my family nickname is Lisa. I don't know. But I opened it. And she was a lurker/reader that likes to sit around on the front porch of The House of LadyLee! And she wanted to meet me. And was nervous about emailing me.

Okay that's enough to have me falling backwards out of the cubicle.

LOL

If you have ever met me... then uh... let's say it's not much to get worked up about.

I'm just an Oldgirl!

I thought she was one of Serenity23's readers, so some internet virtual peanut gallery madness went on for a moment.

*emailing Serenity within our usual 100 emails a day thread*

"Chicken."
"Yes?" Sereniy said.
"Who is Lisa B?
"I don't know?"
"Whatchu mean you don't know? I've seen that name over your way. That's one of your clientele?"
"I think she's out of Arkansas."
"What do you mean by that? She's a part of Shoeseed."
[inside joke. you will have to read Octavia Butler's Parbale books to get that.]

We fuss for a couple of moments. And then we get back to our usual email discussions. I email Lisa B. and she lets me know who she is. (Hence, more discussion with Serenity23. We both remember her. Ol' Lurker Lisa B!!)

Anyway, she said she was renting a vacay house central to a few tourists sites. I put two and two together, and she was renting a house in one of the four enclaves of my neighborhood, i.e., 2 minutes from my house.

*cartwheels*

We had a little email dialogue. And I thought to myself "This is a really cool chick."

She was still all hyperventilating about meeting me.

*big crickets*crickets got crickets*

Interesting. I told her, once she meet me, and someone ask her about me, she gonna be hollering "Yeah, I met Ol' 'Lesia! That's the Oldgirl!"

LOL

So we were going to go out to dinner. I wasn't sure how she was going to swing this because she was on vacay, with plans with the fam, etc. So if you know me, I don't bother people AT ALL when they are in town. AT ALL. So I would just let her call me.

So last Wednesday, I left work and made a trip out to the Dekalb Farmer's Market. I like going on a weeknight because there is no one there compared to the weekend crowds. I'd spent a good hour out there before I headed on home. My phone was off, but I happen to turn it on and there was a text from Lisa B.

She wanted me to stop by. I text back that I could, but I had to go put up my groceries. Then I'd fall through. Afterall, she was only around 5 blocks away. It was close to 9 o'clock at night.

And they are good country folks, I thought. Probably just sitting around shooting the breeze, like they out in the country, instead of in the hood. lol

So I thought I could stop by for a few minutes.

So I went home, put up my fruits and veggies that required refrigeration. I brushed my teeth washed my face, brushed my hair. I was not going to change clothes. They would just have to catch me in my work clothes. I usually try to put on something decent but that meant busting out the iron. Uh, NO.

Then I had a dilemma. Oscar-Tyrone must've known this because he sat there and peered at me curiously.

"Oscar? Original Oldcat? I DON'T HAVE ANY GIFTS TO TAKE HER!!!" I wailed.

*Oscar walks off*

Not a good look.

I don't like showing up empty handed. If I woulda had to take an egg out the fridge over there, then I would've had to make ti to what it do.

So I looked around for something. I was going to bake cookies, but I needed a little time for that. That was nothing I could do in a minute flat. There was a spoon on the counter. It was clean, but that was not appropriate.

So I looked in the laundry cabinet. And that's where I found a plethora of things to take.





The cabinet has plenty beer and wine cooler type stuff, ice cream salt, and over in the lower right hand corner, a whole gang of antibacterial wipes.

Those Hard Mikes, Purple Hazes, and Smirnoffs... that might not be proper. That's for when negroes come over and they want an adult bevrage. (They can't have none of my nonalcoholic premium O'Douls beer). Lisa B. might not drink. Not a good look.

I even considered the fake ivy plant sitting on top of the laundry cabinet.



I grabbed a couple bags of wipes, and headed out the door!

(Yeah, I know. But heck man! Everybody needs wipes in the car. And these are the GOOD ones.)

2 minutes and I was at her house!

Oh what a delight to meet her!

(And I know she was like.. this Oldgirl has bought me a couple bags of wipes.*crickets*)

LOL!!!

I met her daughter, niece, and hubby. And we sat down and talked.

Ohhhh what a good talk it was. Let's just say, I TRULY appreciate interaction with women that are my age. It's like it's a whole nother level of thinking. We won't get into it. Just a truly satisfying conversation. Good for my spirit, not just my head.

You's good peoples, Lisa B. *lee waving Obama church fan* You good peoples, gal!

Well, she had gifts for me! Oh my!!

Pear preserves, plum jelly, a WONDERFUL Orange vanilla candle... OH JOY!!!

Then she breaks out with a jar of something XTRA special.

"Now this is squash relish," she said. She held it up for me to see. "My Mama makes it."
*ladylee peers at it curiously*

Now what I remember about relish is that my Grandma use to make cabbage relish, better known as "chow chow". I have NO idea why they call it that, but it would take Grandma two days to make it. She would make it and put it in 20 mason jars.

Relish can be made out of any vegetable, and here Lisa B. was, holding up a mason jar of squash relish.

I ain't never heard of squash relish. But I had multicolor VISIONS of slapping some on a plate with some collard greens. Beautiful visions!

She explained it to me. I explained Grandma's chow chow. I think we saw eye to eye on that.

Man... I had such a good time talking to Lisa B... I didn't get home to one in the morning. Couldn't even sleep when I got home. Boy, I tell you... that gal know she drop some knowledge on me. I was a little bit taller, a whole lot wiser when I got home. Yes Ma'am!

It was good meeting you, Lisa B. You alright with me, Oldgirl.

Her husband, he was a quiet, kind fellow. Salt of the earth. But you know I had to ask him a question:

"You like cookies?"
"Yes," he said slowly.
"What kind?"
"Chocolate chip."
"You like nuts in your cookies?"
"Yes. Pecans."

He had that look in his eye. That look that said he knew exactly what to do with a cookie.

So a couple of days later, I delivered a batch of triple chocolate chip pecan cookies to Lisa and the fam.

And I hear hubby was being a warrant over those cookies!

"Those are HIS cookies, Lisa! His!" I texted.

(I am sure this didn't help the battles over those cookies. LOL)

But let's talk about this bag of gifts Lisa B gave me. Here are the contents, laid out on the ironing board.

Whoooo weee... That candle. Lisa B. said that it was her favorite candle. BOY! Sho nuff good smelling. WOW! Even had Oscar-Tyrone sniffing the air!

Now the relish... I know about relish. I have a couple of store brand relishes in the refrigerator.



Sweet Pepper relish and chow chow. GOOD STUFF, even though it's commercial. Those 2 jars will easily last me a couple of years.

But Lisa B came through with the really good stuff... canned by Mama. You can't beat that.



"The squash is perfectly sliced," I said to my sister as we peered curiously at it. "I bet it's good.

So I placed a spoonful on my 4th of July dinner paper plate.



It was sooooooo good with my collard greens. Soooo good.

And the squash relish is so good that you can eat it right out the jar! Even my sister loved it, and she's a finicky chick. She scooped out some to take home!

And she spent a good half hour on the internet searching for the recipe. Yes, she can find a recipe, but I bet it won't be as good as Lisa B.'s Mama's recipe. NERP.

But she's gonna try to make it. I will stand back and watch.

Now about the plum jelly and the pear preserves...



We didn't have any dessert for 4th of July. So we decided to taste test the jelly and preserves on toast points.



Okay, it ain't cute. This ain't the Food Network. It's the bootleg version. LoL.

I LOVED the jelly and jams. Kentucky couldn't really tell much because the bread was VERY hearty and overpowering. I loved it. And I was thinking, good, she won't want to take any home.

So I am VERY happy with my preserves. I would love to learn how to make and can jellies, preserves and relish. It's such a lost art, and we're losing it with each generation.

Lisa B! It was GREAT to meet you. I raved so much about you to Serenity that she got jealous! LOL. Toooo bad, Serenity! You really missed out!

Always glad to meet a reader! And Lisa B is extra special, a treasure chest of wisdom indeed. And I am down for that.

Thanks for the gifts and the great convo, Lisa B! I hope to someday meet up with you again!!!

Then there is the homemade plum jelly and pear preserves.