Bottle of wine?

KIDDING! How about some yummy fruit? That's usually appreciated. Or is there something household wise she may need help with doing?

A knife in the eye always leaves them speechless.




Except for the screaming.

But never any speech, really.

Brownies. With hashish in them.

What? It's never too late for an old sow to learn new tricks. And if she switches vices, you can rest easy knowing that marijuana has killed far fewer people than alcohol.

It's too hot to bake? Yet your neighbor mowed your lawn in ALL THAT HEAT.

Won't someone think of the neighbors?

Bake something for her.

Maybe you could make her some Lemon Squeezy Ice Cream (and keep some for yourself!).

You don't even need an ice cream maker for this. I've been meaning to try it out this summer, but keep forgetting. For "double cream" just use heavy cream.

A six, mowin' lawn is thirsty work.

It's too hot to bake! I vote a nice pitcher of lemonade (which she can make electric at her own will and by her own dollar) or sun tea.

Other ideas:
-Some fresh local produce - tomatoes, cukes, blackberries, etc. Wait a while and you can do apples.

-One of those jars that have all the dry ingredients for cookies or brownies and you just add eggs and oil and pop in the oven.

-Do something equally neighborly. Offer to watch her cats or wash her car. Or sneak over and rake her leaves or shovel her walkway later this year. Get her a nice wreath in the winter. Bring over some gas for her mower (that shit's expensive!).

nice ideas, miss Sass!

Also, knowing you, I would say that pretty much anything you concoct to eat for yourself is going to be delish, so just make double portions a couple of times, and give her some too. Nothing like finding out you won't need to cook/shop/open a can on a given day, especially when it's hot and yucky out.

I'm loving the ladies on my street who've been bringing over scrumpy nibblies... and will also be looking at this thread for ideas for repayment in kind (though, as documented elsewhere here, I'll never win this arms race!)

nthing the food suggestions. Also, maybe some fresh cut flowers or a nice houseplant?

Repay her by putting up a "Keep Off the Grass" sign. Because you know, no good deed should go unpunished.

Next time she's away for the weekend, paint her house.

A six-pack of very chilled Calistoga? And a couple limes?

My neighbors and I do that for each other from time to time. A thank you card is a good start. Wait til winter, and shovel her walk. Buy an extra pot of mums for her porch.

Bake/cook/make ice cream for her.