The Friday Five Good Things

At her 85th birthday party
12. August 2011

My neighbor and friend, Prissy, passed away this week 2 months shy of her 90th. birthday.  Five good memories about Prissy.

1. Prissy was like having another mother. Except, Prissy could say the same things Ma would say to me, but Prissy's words wouldn't push my buttons.

2. You could count on her to borrow a cup of sugar or an egg so you didn't have to run to the store in the middle of baking when you ran out of ingredients.

3. She was always good for a cup of tea. After the Eldest was born, I took a part-time job at the hospital where I worked when I was in high school and college. I worked an 8pm to midnight shift running the laboratory computer and scheduling blood tests from the various floors for the following morning. Monday nights, Prissy used to play poker with some lady friends. They took turns hosting the games. The ladies' game broke up around midnight. I'd get home between 1 and 2 AM.Prissy would see my car pull into the driveway and then yell over "Come and have coffee!"

4. During warm weather, I loved having tea on Prissy's enclosed back porch. Prissy's porch was the inspiration for the sun room.

5. When she used to have a big vegetable garden, she would send over tomatoes, cucumbers,zucchini, and rubharb. She gave me recipes for freezer pickles and zucchini bread.

For 30 years, I had tea with Prissy once a week, sometimes twice a week. I used to tease her that I visited with her more than I visited my own mother.  I'll miss the old girl, the tea, the chats, and her love and kindness.