Neighborly Love and an Epiphany.

So... all day today, whenever I went outside (which was often - because the weather was awesome and I wanted to give the Choggie some sun-time), I could smell this delicious aroma.  Garlic, oregano, sausage, tomatoes... it smelled heavenly.  I'd just get a good waft of it and then it would go away and I'd think "damn, I must be craving spaghetti" or "maybe I ought to make a good tomato-basil soup for dinner tonight" and other such ideas.  Of course, since I'm on my own for the rest of the week (and Choggie has her Crunchy-O's), I ended up eating a caprese salad for dinner with a VERY exciting cup of Jello-Fat-Free-Sugar-Free chocolate pudding (which is surprisingly decent).  Living on the edge, I tell you!!

Although it may seem surprising to some, New Orleans is such a food-oriented city, that I often come across delicious smells just in my neighborhood walks.  I don't take it for granted - I just enjoy it and simply keep movin' on.

So, later on this evening (about 9:00 or so), I decide to run down to our local Ghetto Mart and pick up a diet root-beer (as a treat and to get out of the house and see some of the cray-crays - if you know what I mean).  I see my neighbors out on their porch, hanging out, and tell them that I'm running to the Ghetto Mart and ask if they need anything.  Nothing going, so I get into my car and off I drive.

When I come back, S. calls me over and says they have something for me.

A quart of the home-made spaghetti sauce with home-made meatballs and Italian sausage that he has been simmering all day.  That wonderful aroma had been emanating out of their house.  When S. handed me the quart of sauce, it was still warm.  Have I also failed to mention that S. worked for Emeril for almost ten years??  This sauce is to die for.  I tried a big ol' spoonful when I got back to the house - and fuck the pasta - I COULD have very easily eaten that simply by itself.  OMG.  I put it in the freezer so that:

1. I wouldn't eat the entire quart before husby came home from his business trip.
2. I wouldn't eat the entire quart.
3. I would be a good wifey and share.
4. I wouldn't have to make my own labor-intensive sauce, therefore giving me a break from cooking.

The sacrifices I make!!!  ;0))

Since I bake occasionally, I do like to try new things out and share with our friends, so L. came out with a bag containing some of my baking dishes.  And what was on the bag??

^^  Winn Dixie bag currently on my counter...

I'm not posting this picture just for the fleur-de-lis (although I do love how they are on everything here), but for what it says underneath the Winn Dixie logo. The bag reads "Official Supermarket of the New Orleans Saints".  Now who would've thunk it????  I didn't even know that any of the NFL teams had their own special supermarkets!!!  And the Saints are sponsored by the Winn Dixie, no less!!  

Way back when, during the time we lived in eastern North Carolina, we had two of these stores in town.  One was right around the corner from us - so if I needed to dash on out for some milk, eggs, beer, or whatever - it was convenient.  Jokingly, our slang name for them was the Winn-Dick-Me - because the prices were astro-fucking-nomical for food.  They went Tango Uniform (our slang for "Tits Up") before we moved to Germany - and for some strange reason, I thought that the entire company had closed down.  

Apparently not.  

And now, I *fully* understand why their prices were so high... apparently they had been THE "Official Supermarket of the New Orleans Saints".  And the Saints didn't win shit for years and years and years (they used to be called "The Ain'ts" and fans were known to wear paper bags over their heads when they went to the see them play at the Super Dome)... so clearly, the Winn-Dick-Me had been backing a losing team!!  No wonder why their prices were so high and the stores in our area closed!!**

Nothing feels better than an epiphany.  

x0x0

**Disclaimer:  I don't know why the stores in our area of North Carolina closed... but this just seems to be as good a reason as any.