"The 2010 Space Odyssey"

Meaning, of course, having 'OUR SPACE' back. After weeks of house guests through the holidays, things are finally getting back to normal. I thought I'd run some errands and listen to NPR in the van.



I knew we needed bottled water and 'dog food', that is the 93-7 fresh ground beef ordered by Comfort Food Programming regularly. That meant a stop at the local warehouse store which also sold at a very reasonable price,





Rotisserie Chicken. "I'll get a chicken for lunch'" I called back over my shoulder.



"We need cat food," a memo from the executive offices. Okay, I would also stop at Plaza Extra, the only grocery store on the island worth its salt, so to speak, and the cat food was very cheap.



When I reached the front door of Plaza Extra, the smell of freshly baked bread caused me to swoon, back of my hand to my forehead. I stumbled to the bakery in the rear of the store. There, on wooden racks, Italian and French bread lay still warm in their paper bags.





I poked and prodded the warm, fresh loaves like the fruit squeezer in Tampopo, searching for the right crispness and weight. I was to discover later, to my pleasant surprise, it was a loaf of French whole wheat, and fit perfectly into our quickly-coming-together lunch.



Always on the look-out for fruits and vegetables at good prices, I had one more stop to make, The Fruit Bowl, where I found some very nice tomatoes for, let's say, less than 6.99/lb, and some giant black seedless grapes.



But what was this in the refrigerated bin that displayed half organic fruits and vegetables and half imported cheeses? Are my eyes deceiving me? Is that a small disc of Goat Brie, marked down after the holidays?







For, let's say,less than 32.99/lb. I put it in a cooler for the ride home, but it was exquisitely gooey when I arrived.



With Steely Dan's "Home At Last" playing in my head, I sailed down the driveway through the gate and parked the van. My arrival is always heralded by the scores of different bells on the gate as I close it, and I am usually met by the team from Comfort Food Programming, requesting a meeting, and ear rubs. Nothing. Silence. My nose went in the air (something I learned from CFP):





BACON!



"Hi," calls the Director of Leftover Programming. They were in a meeting, CFP sitting quietly on the kitchen floor. "Nobody ate the bacon. I thought we'd have it for lunch."



The 2010 Space Odyssey: Pulled warm Rotisserie Chicken, Tomatoes, Bacon, and Goat Brie on a fresh French Whole Wheat Baguette. Big, Cold, Black Seedless Grapes on the side.



CFP Director Mike, sits smiling on the kitchen floor, goat brie goo glistening on his whiskers; he loves black grapes. I think, "Did I buy cat food?"