So, my freezer is beginning to look more and more like my mom's and grandma's.

I'm getting wiser I guess as I approach the quarter century mark. lol

I've been in the habit of cooking one day a week for most of the rest of the week for a while now. Luckily I'm not a person who gets tired of eating the same thing over again.

Last week, I made red sauce with Italian sausage. My new updated version is short on sausage and chock full of mushrooms, peppers, and onions. Now the hardest part of this tasty meal, is preparing the red sauce. Not cause it is hard to do, but it really should cook for awhile. (yeah, I've been known to skimp and use a bottle of Prego or Classico instead, and yes I agree with you Kuini, some added red wine vinegar [I use balsamic] really spruces up those store bought sauces.) Anyway, the sauce is time consuming. This time I made a double batch of the red sauce. I have 3 quarts of it frozen in my freezer, ready for the next time I wanna make meat balls, brascoll, or sausage and peppers.

Like I said my freezer is beginning to look like my mom's and grandma's.

Today. Today really wasn't all that rough of a day. Rather pleasant actually, but there was an air of exhaustion in the building. I wish I had a dollar for every time I heard someone exclaim how tired they were today! And for once they all looked it. Seriously. People looked worn, tired, and exhausted to the bone.

I realized this afternoon that last nights entry was a brush with homesickness. Alright, more like a full force category 5 (exaggeration alert), but still I was in need of some soul soothing. I've been craving mom's meatloaf for awhile now. I know, I know , Meatloaf? Yes, her meatloaf with it's wonderful tomato gravy, mashed potatoes , and green vegetable. I headed straight for the grocery store after work. I knew if I went home first I would just end up eating leftovers of this weekends fried rice again.

I needed onions, parsley for the mashed potatoes, collard and mustard greens, and smoked turkey wings. The meatloaf was a cinch. Such a cinch that I made two.

Yep, one for the freezer, and one for the rest of the week.

Like I said, my freezer is looking more and more like my mom's and my grandma's.

I just finished my plate. I felt my soul reaching out for the very aroma! And the taste of that first tender bite enveloped in the velvety tomato gravy was pure heaven!

I actually closed my eyes.

I let my soul reach back to the past and remember.

I let myself go along with it.

I remembered.

I remembered what it was like to sit down with my family and break bread.

I remembered that fellowship.

I remembered.

It's funny how clearly a particular aroma can bring memories rushing back.

I could feel the coolness of the Formica bar underneath my forearms.

I could see my mom sitting across the bar from me, at the pull out breadboard.

I could remember how hard the condensation on my glass made it for me to hold my ice water.

I could remember taking a bite of my dad's buttered bread. (I never wanted my own)

I remembered.

I remembered that for �dessert' we would often have a piece of buttered bread with some sugar sprinkled on it. Weird I know. But, Gosh that sounds good! It will just complete my souls little journey this evening.

I let the taste of the tomato gravy and mashed potatoes linger on my tongue.

For a moment, I think my soul really was home.

Rapped in its securities, keeping the boogeyman at bay.

Maybe I'll let you know what I add to my freezer next.

What I �put up' on the shelf in front of my secret stash of red and green New Mexico Chili.