Hurricane Lee
It’s been a long time, and I was getting periodic questions about her absence from disgruntled recipients of her talents. “When is Lee coming over again?” was the general tone.
Normally, Lee takes orders in advance, polling the tribe to see what they (or I) want her to make. Some time ago at church one day, Kieran, brave #3, told Emerson (or Mr. Lee), “Please tell your wife that she needs to come and make whoopee cushions for us again.” Upon which we promptly cracked up, hee-hawing over this slip of the tongue.
So, yesterday he got his fondest wish as Lee did, indeed, make “whoopee cushions (otherwise known as whoopie pies)” for a salivating boy who, it was noted, followed her closely, picking up the crumbs that fell as she worked.
In the 5 hours and 20 minutes she was here, this is what she accomplished. Bear in mind as you review the list that she mixes absolutely everything up by hand.
1. Chicken tetrazzini. This resides in the freezer.
2. Meatloaf. This, too, lies waiting in the freezer.
3. Chicken chalupas. Ditto above.
4. Fried chicken. We had this for dinner last night and leftovers for lunch today.
5. Gravy from the drippings.
6. Peeled and cut potatoes, which I later mashed for last night’s feast.
7. Aforementioned ‘cushions.’
8. Chocolate chip cookie dough rolled into balls. These golden globes of carb-filled delight are in the freezer as well.
9. The Author’s personal favorite and special request – Red Velvet Cake which is not – I repeat – NOT ruined with cream cheese frosting. It is covered instead with a creamy, buttery something that she cooks on the stove. Oh. My. Goodness.
Again, this was all done in 5 hours and 20 minutes with my 2 middles helping out with clean-up and dish washing in between recipes.
By the time she was almost done, things socially were beginning to degenerate into the garden-variety roughhousing and pounding that occurs here routinely, fueled, quite likely, by the many crumbs and the one ‘cushion’ they were allowed to have pre-dinner. She was chuckling and shaking her head, remembering all the action that she once lived with and which never happens now that she and Emerson have the house to themselves.
It goes without saying that there were many happy teeth around the table last night. Thank you, Lee! You’re top cookie in our jar!
The Squaw
P.S. – I must mention that Lee works part-time for Mr. Schrock as well, and is (and has been from the beginning) a most faithful fan of the column. She’s praying with me, too, so at some point, an editor somewhere will simply have no choice but to either syndicate me or publish my book!
Laughing…