...about 24 years ago, 50 of my closest friends and family, who had been on an
e-mail forum with me, sent in recipes in different categories and we compiled a cookbook.
I decided to count those down!
Why?
because one night I was looking thru the cookbook and I said, "I should make every recipe in here for my blog."
The Handyman/Mayor, who thinks he knows me better than I know myself, said "you'll never EVER do that."
Well, maybe I will! Maybe I'll show him!
Which brings us to why I have a photo of Barb here.
Well--it's Barb's last appearance in the Friday Friend Cookbook Countdown. because
I ONLY HAVE 7 LEFT---SEVEN after this.
Barb has been there since the beginning--she typed out the original.
Anyway---let's say goodbye (it always makes me so sad) to Barbara Brown.
(okay, there is a chance she might make a reappearance in the Grand Finale` but this is the last post/story about her)
And we have recipes #350 and 351
Barb's Australian Breasts in Wine and
Mexican Chicken Casserole
There it is! There is the original typed Friday Friend Cookbook in the upper left.
It is worn and well used. Most pages splattered--all written in.
Well loved.
Australian Breasts in Wine
(the Handyman did ask how we were going to get some chicken from Australia)
So, that my friends are 64 and 65 of Barbs recipes.
It's been hard towards the end to think of a 65th story (and a 49th story, etc.)
But I did it! I did it.
If you want to see all her recipes (and I'm sure you do) click here.
There are great memories of great friends!
How did our friendship begin?
You might remember that she was friends with my husband first. Very good friends.
They were career colleagues.
I will give you her version and then mine.
Because I have the memories saved from the Friday Friend Forum times.
Barb's exact words... (she was writing to me)
The first time we 'met' was in Konocti (near Ukiah, CA) when Rich and I went to our very first meetings as brand-new store managers. Actually, I don't remember being introduced, but I vaguely remember a woman (that would be you) standing quietly by Rich's side that evening when some of us were being rowdy and playing pool.
I do remember Rich as he was seated right next to me at that first manager's meeting, and I don't think he said one word to me the whole time.
So, we made up for that at all the rest of the meetings in our JCP career--to the point that they had to keep us separated, because we had too much fun.
But the first time I REALLY met you was at another meeting in Reno. The store managers had gone to Susanville, and then the "males" stayed to play golf. Rich let me and Ceci driver his car back to Reno and he got a ride with someone else later. Anyway, Debbie and the 3 boys had driven from Winnemucca for some reason, and we met them in the lobby of the hotel.
I remember staring at Luke and fascinated that he looked exactly like his dad (at that time, he must have been about 10) And then Debbie saw us and asked us to give Rich a card that she had for him---probably something all mushy--and that was that!
When they finally moved to Los Banos, CA is when we finally got to know (and love) Debbie. Well...I know that Doug does.
Me/Debbie again--
YES! Doug does love me. And so does Barb, even tho that is a word she finds hard to use.
Doug and me.
And these are the troublemakers below--the ones they had to separate at manager meetings.
Barb and Rich.
You know, they are not huggers either and it's weird, but I have tons of pictures when he has his arm around her.
Like I said, weird.
Now for my side of the story (taken from the same Friday Friend Forum files)
I first met Barbara Brown at the JCPenney meeting at Clear Lake, CA
And then I did run into her at the Peppermill Casino in Reno, while trying to deliver a mushy love note to Rich with my three little boys in tow. It was very intimidating meeting two career ladies, who were dressed in business attire and then me in jeans and a T-shirt and snotty nosed kids, but I had wanted to surprise him with a mushy note. (I'm romantic like that. hahaha)
But the first GREAT memory I have of Barb was when we went to their house in Monterey for the weekend.
We were pulling into the driveway, and I was wishing I were someone else (someone with much more personality and good looks) and she comes running outside of the house laughing and waving her arms! (It's how she usually is--laughing). She was so happy because she had won the bet--they made a bet on what time we would arrive. That set the tone for this very good, very long friendship with the Browns.
Everything is always a game.
Now... I also had asked her daughter Kim the exact same question (I asked all the Friday Friends at the time)
and this is what Kim said:
Oh jeez, you expect me to go back to when I was 6 or 7 years old and remember How I met you? I don't! But I think it was when you and your family came to stay with us in Monterey for the weekend. I had to play with the boys while the adults played games all weekend long. From the times I do remember, you seemed a little reserved to me, and not as "vulgar", per say, as Mom, Dad and Rich were.
Okay,,, me/debbie again.
There you have it!
Not as VULGAR!
HA!
And it is proven by this photo below.
Check out innocent me---just holding my golf club, looking adoringly at my husband.
And then look at the rest of them.
Vulgar!
Tasteless, crass and unrefined there were.
You can only imagine what they were saying. Look how the guys are holding their clubs! Tawdry!
And look at Barb---holding Doug's---
(shame shame)
And that's my story!
Innocent me. Reserved me.
The me who thinks we need to make some more memories!
Goodbye Barb.
(my heart is breaking just a little bit.)
BUT
7
seven
ONLY
SEVEN
more recipes to go.
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