Two weeks ago I posted about my participation in the Jam Exchange over at Steph Chows, and how I thought it would be fun to exchange more than just jam.

Well it turns out Steph was the only one interested in the exchange. I was a little bummed at first - then I remembered that we have a personal finance (mostly) blog, and then I wasn't surprised. But it also turns out that she is here in Rochester - and pretty close - so today we met for the exchange and for lunch. Save some money on shipping, meet someone new, and get awesome jam... what could be better?

So how did it go?

Steph is great!

I am so terrible at first meetings; I am always awkward, too quiet, and always worried about being weird. But she's totally sweet and easy to talk with.

She suggested this place in the South Wedge, the Open Face Sandwich Eatery. I had never been there but it sounded good and it was. Their sandwiches are a little unconventional (I had the "corn mush") but they were delicious. I couldn't finish my sandwich because when I get nervous can't eat much, and meeting someone new always makes me nervous - but I would totally go back again.

We got there right around the same time, and Steph was easy to spot. She said in an email she would be wearing a yellow sun dress, so it was bright and noticeable - although the shop is really small and I doubt I would have had trouble finding her anyway.

I didn't say this at the time (probably should have) but the sun dress was really cute, and she had a matching yellow button necklace that I wanted to make a copy of for myself. I have a bunch of spare buttons from my moms sewing kit and I might try it. I wish I could pull off wearing dresses like that - but they always fall flat on me. I felt like a total conservative in my purple polo shirt and pony tail - but it's what I need to wear to work, and my hair was a total frizz this morning so I had to put it up. I am always too self conscious about stuff like this.

Anyway - it turns out she lives really close to where we used to live, and for a while actually lived right across the street in another apartment complex. Her job sounds like tons of fun - I mean, they actually have cats that hang out, and the building is a converted old house. So much more fun than the basement lab I am in. I love my job, but I hate the lack of windows.

We swapped canned stuff - mostly jam, but I threw in a half pint of salsa. I now have half pint each of apricot and blueberry peach to try. I can't wait to make toast tomorrow and crack open one of the jars. (I'll post a picture of the jam when I get home)

Next year I am definitely going to pick my own apricots and make a large batch. I intended to this year, but never got around to it and then the season was over. It turned out that the farm she picked her fruit was the same place we went blueberry picking with Ry's dad. Both of us were disappointed in their raspberry crop this year, which is why I made multi-berry jam (raspberry, black raspberry and blueberry) and is why she ended up with apricots.

The lunch was very interesting, and I am glad I got to meet her. I hope we meet again sometime (maybe for fruit picking/jam making?) and that she didn't think I was totally boring. Now I have to get back to reality and back to work. Although, it's a very slow month here though, and I might take off early.