Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fireworks!

So I was on my way home on Monday evening, in the usual rush hour traffic (around 6 pm)...

When I heard what I thought was GUNFIRE.

*lee jumps high in her seat*

And you know what I was thinking...

"These negroes out here shooting! They shooting! In the middle of rush hour traffic! They shooting!"

I was at a red light by myself (there was too much traffic, so I got the notion to do a cut through side streets.

And I look to my left and there were FIREWORKS...





What the heck, man!


Fireworks!
During rush hour.

On a regular day.


All low to the ground, too.


Pretty!


(Dangerous!)

What the heck man.

I didn't understand it.

Well, I made the most of it. That was a long long red light.

I took out my phone and enjoyed the fireworks.

That's how you make the most out of being stuck in traffic.

Monday, November 28, 2011

The Monday After

The Monday after...

The Monday after Thanksgiving.

Let's just stay I am STILL at home. Going to work later.

I did too much yard work yesterday and I am STIFF. Like Frankenstein.

That's another post.

Anyway, I had a very fine Thanksgiving. Our family rarely gets together for anything. So we all just have to make due where we can.

My sister called the week before Thanksgiving, wanting to know what I was going to do for Thanksgiving. I try to make sure she is straight. If she is, I kick out to someone else's house. But she wanted us to spend Thanksgiving together.

"Well girl, what you want to eat? What you want me to cook?"
"It don't matter," she said. "You can make a ommelet if you want to."
I laugh hard. "Man, no! I'm cooking!"
"You can fix sandwiches if you want to."

LOL. She cracks me up.

But I know my sister: she loves Thanksgiving comfort food.

So I was going to COOK!

We had some good food.

I bought an organic chicken!



That sucker cost $13! I think that's more than a turkey costs, isn't it? Well it's the price you pay for a hormone and antibiotic free chicken, one that has been running free in the barnyard.



It cooked up well. She looks a little, uh... relaxed, spread out. LOL.

She was VERY fresh. (Or maybe it was just me, since I rarely eat meat. Who knows.)

We had collard greens!


I didn't cook those. My natural foods store has those on the hot bar a couple of times a week, and I LOVE them. Hot and spicy. Cooked just right. Kentucky loves those too.

Cornbread dressing!



That is my sister's favorite thanksgiving food. So I made a big pan. As you can see, a corner of it is gone. I had to check it out, make sure it was good. And it was!

Green bean casserole!


That's another one of my sister's favorites.

Those fried onion things... they only sell those during the holidays. Or maybe they sell them all the time and I just don't see them. Hmm.

Moving right along.

Oven roasted potatoes!

Uh those were for me. They went the fridge for eating later on in the weekend. Not a typical Thanksgiving dish for me.

Macaroni and cheese!


Nice and cheesy. With bed crumbs. Nice and brown and crunchy on top. YUM!

Haven't cooked that in a couple of years. Haven't cooked like this in a good 3 years.

My sister was in heaven!

She spent the night with me. We hung out and watched movies and regular TV all day.

I enjoyed that time with her. We talk on the phone, but we don't hang out as much as we could.

THAT has got to change, man!

My thanksgiving was GREAT!

And I hope yours was too!

So let's make it a great week... on purpose!

Friday, November 25, 2011

Black Friday Freestyles

Happy Black Friday to you all!

Did you get up at midnight and get out there and do your shopping!?

Did you get the $50 flatscreen TV you wanted?

Was it YOU out there in California at the Wal-Mart store pepper spraying jokers?

(If so, you need to cut that out. You doing too much.)

LOL.

I, your friendly neighborhood Oldgirl, don't do the Black Friday thing. Heck, I don't like shopping as it is. I'll be doggone if I'm gonna get out here throwing 'bows, fighting over a video game.

Wow.

To each his own. I suppose.

No, I'm laid out on the sofa. I got that itis, kinda like ol' Oscar-Tyrone here.



Oscar-Tyrone got the real 'itis. I yell out his name, throw stuff at him to get his attention... and he ain't moving. Just laid out.

LOL

That's how I was last night... and this morning.

Although I did manage to get up this morning and fix my sister some breakfast.






My take on shrimp and grits.

My sister spent the night last night. I kind of felt like it was as if she was little. You know, you have a child over and then when they wake up in the morning, you have to cook. Never mind that I may eat some oatmeal or an apple.... A kid wants some REAL food.

I stared wide-eyed at her as she moseyed down the stairs...

"Kentucky, I ain't got no sausage or bacon up in here. I'll figure something out!"

LOL

I found a small bag of raw shrimp in the freezer.

And my sister had a gourmet meal for breakfast... LadyLee style.

LOL.

What's on tap for the day? I have to go get a prescription filled. I may stretch that out until tomorrow. We will see. I don't like traffic. AT ALL.

I need to get outside and blow some leaves with this leaf blower. That will be... fun.

And I'm blowing them ALL into the yard of the vacant lot next door.

lol

I hope you enjoy your day today.

Interestingly, last Monday, my boss sent a message to me and another coworker, talking about sense we were the last ones to turn in leave requests for the Friday after Thanksgiving, she wanted one of us to volunteer to come in to work.

*crickets*

Uh, as if.

I've gotten my cap twisted on time and leave too much on the past.

I was good, though. I talk to the other fellow "Tom", told him that we could flip a coin to see who would work. I borrowed a penny from a giggly coworker who was sitting near by watching our conversation.

"LadyLee, she's going to have to come up and tell me to work. She shouldn't have approved the time. We should just take our time. She approved it."

I was silent, staring at Tom for a moment. His lips were pursed, and he was serious.

I nodded, mouthed a silent yeah. I turned to the coworker who gave me the penny. I slapped the penny down hard on his desk.

"We're gonna rebel!" I yelled. I clinched my fists and thrusts them in the air. "Rebel!"

LOL

Neither of us was going to respond to the email. But I got an email from the boss later saying that Tom had volunteered to be on call if something crazy happened. (We are all on call anyway). And that was cool. Tom lives close to work. It's a 15 minute walk, so he can get there if some disaster pops off.

I don't volunteer for nothing. I've been used and abused too much. You better tell me I gotta be there. Or you gotta catch me off guard, like at the Wal-mart or a stoplight and make me come to work.

Thankful for Tom today! *backflips*

But I would have happily went on in to work if forced to, and had a GREAT day!

A GREAT Black Friday!

Really though!

And I'm going to have a great Friday anyway... laying here on this sofa.

And with that said, you have a great Black Friday, too!

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving!



I would like to wish all of you who make yourself at home at The House of LadyLee a very safe and Happy Thanksgiving!

I've been around. Just super busy. We are low on people at work, and I absolutely kick myself for working during the holidays. I always have much more to do at work, and by the time I get home, I am all tuckered out! Ugh.

It's bad to have great posts swirling in my head, and I just don't have the energy to work on them. It's been more of a backburner type of ordeal. Shame on me. But I have other priorities at home right now that soak up some of my blog time, too.

But today is a NEW day. Thanksgiving day. And I wish you a Happy One.

Thanksgiving is a day we give thanks. I don't care for the one "day" of giving thanks. What about the other days of the year? What about the nameless days, the uncelebrated days for the year?

I am more cognizant of giving thanks each and EVERY day.

365 days a year.

And what am I most thankful for today?

What I said above: A NEW day.

I am thankful for seeing this NEW day. For it was never promised. It was never written in stone that you or I would see today.

And we all know tomorrow isn't promised.

For yesterday, someone in the world didn't awake from their slumber.

Someone was on their way to work, thinking about what they were doing for Thanksgiving, excited for a day off... and they died in a car accident. Somewhere in the world, THAT happened.
Someone in the world didn't make it home last night. They died... suddenly.

And someone in this world didn't wake up this morning... to this day they were so excited about.

But if you're reading this now ---> You are here, to witness a NEW day.

I've seen a small shift in my prayers over the past month... and it's a good thing.

Lord, This is a day that you have made, and I will rejoice and be glad in it. It's a day that has never been seen before by man... This day has been thought of, planned for, and anticipated, but not seen or experienced.

I am thankful for this NEW day... another day to grow, to get it right. I thank You in advance that I will have a positive impact on someone today, and that I will do a great job today. I am in great expectation of walking in my purpose today, and You showing Yourself strong today in my life.


That's the gist of the beginning of my morning prayers. I've come to the point where I'm excited for a NEW day. It don't matter if I'm happy or sad, mad or glad, angry or joyful...it's a new day.

It doesn't matter if that day is celebrated or not. It's a new day.

A brand new day.

Great things will happen TODAY.

And for me, that has made much of a difference.

It is almost as if I am setting the course for my day. I'm setting my attitude and constitution for the day.

And that's a good thing.

So today, on Thanksgiving, I say the same.

And I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving...

And many more happy days.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Here Fishy, Fishy... Fishy?

One thing I hate about working with food in the lab:

I get samples sometimes that I just don't like dealing with.

I love it when I get nice samples. Like lemons. Lemons smell good.

But I don't like getting fish.



I get all upset. Discombobulated.

For I'm like a volcano when this happens. My protests rise high and spew like molten lava.

*lee opens mailbox and sees sample assignment*

*lee commences to having a fit*




"WHAT? WHAT? Some fish! Got dog, man! I don't feel like being bothered with no fish!"

Yuck.

"I'm not Celie. This ain't back in Celie days. They cleaned fish back then. NOT ME."

Well, I soon realize that if I want to get my work done, then I have to clean fish.

So I have to get my head together... so I won't get squeamish... and clean my fish. And I tend to talk to the fish to pass the time?

"Here Fishy-Fishy. Fishy?" I say, as I slice my knife into it, and the blood spews out.

But look at this fish... this grunt fish...

He looks so... sad.

Is it me, or does this fish have lips?


"Here Fishy, Fishy!! Little fishy?"



Are those lips upturned... displaying sadness?

Okay. Maybe I think to much. I'm seeing things.

It was all very NASTY. Took me an hour. Some of that time was spent dry heaving.

LOL.

On other fish news, I was at the farmers market on Monday evening, and I saw an interesting fish.

MOON fish.



Moon fish! And it is flat!

I push my buggie back and forth in front of the display, trying to snap a picture with my cell phone.

For cameras are not allowed in this establishment.



Who on earth would see that, and want it?

How the heck do you clean that!?

I showed the picture to my Cubicle mate... the CowgirlCre.

"Girl, look how flat it is? How do you clean that? Can you fry it?"
"I don't know," she said. "Maybe you sautee it whole."
I shivered. "Yuck. Not with the eyes."
CowgirlCre laughed.
"Maybe you stick it over in a stew pot whole, and get the fish flavor off of it."
"Girl, don't let me come over your house and look in the pan and there's an eye staring back at me." CowgirlCre opened her eyes big, like the fish.

LOL!

I don't know, man. I'd only eat that if I was stuck off in the wilderness, or shipwreck on an island and that is ALL we had to eat.

*lee out in the water with a homemade spear, trying to catch the fish. Here Fishy, Fishy... Fishy?*

And I sure wouldn't be cleaning it.

You know me, I'll be looking for some fruits and vegetables.

Really though!

LOL

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Lisa B. Gonna...

Maaaaaan....

Sigh!

SuperSigh!

My squash relish that lurker reader Lisa B. gave me when she was here in Atlanta on vacation this summer...


ALL GONE!

*lee has a conniption fit and falls out on the floor*

Man, it was soooooo good.

Now it's gone.

First of all, it was a real TREAT to meet a reader. A real treat. She's been following me for awhile, and she came with gifts. I always give gifts to my readers when I meet them, but I never expect anything in return. Heck, I'm just glad you all like my ramblings! That is gift enough for me, man!

I was glad to meet her! I had Serenity23 all upset and jealous, cuz I was hollering "That Lisa B., that's a cool chicken right there. That chick is bad! She good people!"

She would be my friend if she lived intown. I would worry her to death! LOL!

But she gave me the relish, which I'd never had before. Along with an orange vanilla candle (her favorite, and I love it too), some homemade plum jelly, and pear preserves.

(Ya'll know how I like handmade or homemade stuff. My eyes glaze over like a drug addict in need. I LOVE IT!)

My squash relish is ALL gone! Ugh!

*lee beats her head repeatedly against the wall, then throws herself out the window*

My sister Kentucky tasted it when I first got it. She quickly pulled up the recipe on the internet. She was saying "I'm going to make it."

Do you think Kentucky even lifted a finger to make it!? NO!

That chicken hasn't spoken one word about it since then.

Ugh! She even took some home that night. If I knew she wasn't gonna at LEAST try to make it (imagine me coaxing her on with chants of "Try it with one squash, girl!"), then I wouldn't have given that chicken nothing!

That's alright. That's alright, though.

Lisa B.'s Mama canned that good relish. And it was GOOD!

She learned that from Celie and Nettie, you see. Right before Mister was hollering all that bull about "Git off my land! Git off my land!"<

And I am glad she did.

Lisa B.'s Mama is somewhere off deeeeeep in the country in Lousiana or Arkansas, somewhere up in them parts.

Lisa B. gonna pull up in her Mama's driveway, and see a strange car, a Mazda caked with dirt from the unpaved roads, parked askew in the driveway.

Lisa B. gonna walk in the house saying "Gee, I wonder who over here at Mama's house?"

Lisa B. gonna stop in her tracks when she walk in the kitchen.

That's because Lisa B. gonna see LadyLee standing there in the kitchen with a crate of squash, just slicing away, slicing up squash and zucchini and placing them in a bowl.

"Am I doing this right, Mama Lisa? LadyLee asks, as she carefully slices a small squash.

"Yes you are," Mama Lisa says. She is wary as she gives instruction. She has that look on her face... That look that says...

"Who's this strange woman in my house, slicing squash in my kitchen."

Lisa B. gonna be standing there, speechless, purse still on her shoulder, keys dangling from her fingers, watching Mama Lisa and LadyLee.

LadyLee gonna look up. "Oh hey, Whassup girl? Didn't see you standing there! Whassup?"

Lisa B. gonna stand there, speechless, still as a statue, saying nothing.

"Why you looking at us like we just got off the bus, Lisa B?"LadyLee asks. "Put your purse down and get yourself in here and help us cut up this squash!!"

Lisa B. gonna put that purse and keys down and help us WORK IT OUT!

LOL!!!

No. That is just a fantasy of mine. I am NOT driving to the country.

But I am gonna call my sister Kentucky who lives 20 minutes away in Peachtree City...

And I'm going to show up to her apartment with a plastic produce bag of a few squash.

And Kentucky and me?

We gonna work it out!

Monday, November 14, 2011

Monday... the I am Back Edition.

Where am I?

Here I am.

I was gone. Now I am BACK.

Not sure why I didn't post last week.

I've been busy. Busy at work, busy at home.

We had a couple of church fasts over the past couple of weeks, and I tend to go off and do a lot of reading, praying, etc... Wasn't really interested in blogging.

Honey, it would have been ALL food for thought. ALL. And you don't want an overload of that. That was stuff I wrote down elsewhere, man.

And their's the stuff on my mind that I don't care to post about. I've been worried and angry about a couple of things that ain't got jack to do with me. I have all that under control, locked off in a cage in my mind so I don't flip out. I like to be helpful in such situations. That's what I concentrate on, or at least try to. And that's what is important.

I like to at least try to keep it somewhat smurfy up in these parts. That is the ultimate goal.

Anyway, I am back around. I suppose. I have a few posts in queue, so those will be put up.

I need another 30 day straight posting. That was such a release.

But alas... we won't do that. Gonna just take it one day at a time.

I am OFF today. I'm trying to get this porch painting and staining finished up today. And Ol' dude is SLOW. This was supposed to be finished this weekend, but he is taking his sweet sweet time.

Wow, dude. Just wow. Hurry UP!

But the semi-gloss white of my porch rails and trim is blinging nicely in the sunlight. Can't wait to see how the porch staining turn out.

So I am off. I could conceivably go to work, but that would be around 3, and you never know when management has issues. To say you're coming in, and then can't, well... don't want any AWOL problems. It is bad I have to think that way, but that's what I could be dealing with.

I just called off. If he finishes up by 2, I will head out to the Farmer's market. My fridge is bare.

Very bare. I need my fruits and vegetables!

So expect a few posts this week... really, I mean it.

I really do.

Friday, November 04, 2011

Friday Freestyles

It's is Friday!

Is it just me or did this week go by SUPER fast?

Maybe that's the case because I was so busy all week. Some days I just went home and climbed straight in the bed. I hate when I am like that, because I like to get a couple of chores done in the evening, so my weekend will be easier.

But I still got a few things done. And that's a good thing.

Nothing much going on my way. Not sure why I am even posting today. I think because I am in the habit of posting daily now. I rather enjoy it alot, even though ya'll some serious lurkers. LOL

This morning I had hasbrowns for breakfast.





They were really good.

I will have cannelini beans and collard greens and okra for lunch.

Dinner is roasted mushrooms and green beans and sauteed squash.

My snack? I have 3 apples and an orange on my desk. Not sure if I will eat any of those today. They may just stay here. Both are robust, and will last forever on my desk!


My plans for the weekend? I have some shopping to do tomorrow. And this Sunday, I plan to go visit play Mama's church on Sunday in Alabama. That was one of her requests for her birthday, that her friends and family attend a church service. I am around 2 hours away so that shouldn't be a bad drive. So I am looking forward to hanging out with her and her family. I really like her Bishop. So that should be a good time.


I hope you all have a great weekend! On purpose.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

In My Hood...

Interesting things go on...

In my neighborhood.

Remember the house next door to me? This one?





So, I was pulling out the driveway one morning, on my way to work, when I see a fella walking up the street with a pair of blue slacks, a white shirt and red striped tie folded over his arm. He walks up to the front door, pretends to take a key out of his pocket and goes in the house.

*crickets*

Then he did it again the next day. And he even said good morning.

"Good Morning," he said. He waved.

"Wassup!" I said, with a head nod.

And I was looking a bit amazed and stunned... sort of like how Snake looks here.

I was in the street, backed out of my driveway, staring out my car window. I imagine I had an incredulous look on my face, sorta like Snake looks here.



LOL!!

I suppose the water is still on in that house. I thought about calling the water department and telling them to turn it off.

But that is something, the brother finding an abandoned house for a shower.

Or I assume he is taking a shower.

Where the heck is he getting a shirt, tie, and slacks from? Where is he going?

Hmmm...

*scribbling this down for a story idea*

I was thinking about asking him. But that's not a good idea.


I was thinking about going down the block, around the corner and asking a couple of folks.


That's not a good idea. My street is EXTREMELY quiet right now. They round up people from time to time, and it is not a good idea to get caught around the block and some mess go down. I don't want ya'll to have to come bail me out of jail. *screeches at the thought of such*


I haven't seen him in 2 weeks. I think he waits for me to leave in the mornings, then comes around. He seem to have a look of fear on his face when I saw him those times. Who knows.

He can do whatever he wants to do.

Just better not bother me, or my stuff.

That is all.

Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Food for Thought: Patience and Deception

I came across an interesting quote this weekend.

And it is stayed on my mind.


"Patience is a secret weapon that forces deception to reveal its ugly face."


13 simple words... but they do pack a punch.

Not sure what to say about that quote. I mean, it speaks for itself.

For me, the words that stand out are "Secret weapon".

Patience is a weapon you can't see. It is hidden, concealed.

And if you think about it, deception is a secret weapon too. We can be deceived by a person or situation... easily.

Patience forces deception to reveal itself.

And patience has a cousin, to which he clings close: TIME.

Patience is dependent on time. The more time that passes, the more likely deception will be revealed.

And it takes patience to let time pass. A LOT of patience.

I don't know about you, as I can only speak for myself. But as for me, I want what I want RIGHT NOW. I don't wanna wait, even though there are questions in my mind, or that nagging inner tugging to go in the other direction. I want what I want RIGHT NOW.

And unfortunately, sometimes when I get what I want right now, it turns out it isn't the best for me right now, or even in the future.

It turns out that I have been deceived. The truth has been distorted in order to make it seem real.

Sigh.

Let's face it, no one wants to be deceived.

But the deception... it can't outrun patience. And it will never outrun time.

It always comes in last in the race.

Deception never wins.

As long as patience and time are in the race.