As Adrastos and Ray in Exile have noted, today is the day of Ashley Morris' birth.

Having recently thought a great deal about this currently undefeated Saints team and how it is bringing families and friends together, this post of Ashley's popped into my head. Unless one has been to the Superdome for a Saints game, it is difficult to comprehend how much the fans have banded together as a community in their sections, each knowing the other not only by the seat numbers on their tickets, but also by their preferences of food and drinks, their knowledge of the players and the game, and, in this case, where they are coming from.

One couple that sits in the section in front comes in from Hattiesburg for every game. It's a mother and daughter and they love the Saints as much as any of us do, if not more. They never miss a game.

The mother, Miss Ellie, has a bad knee, so Dillyberto (usually) or Cl10 or I (occasionally) will help her down the steps to her seat. Like us, she's up against the rail, but instead of a walkway in front of her, she has nothing but the expanse of the dome. Her daughter, Bettie, is a riot, and loves to tell us stories about how Momma won't miss a Saints game. As a former resident of the 'burg, I always manage to bring up Leatha's BBQ Inn, which is, I truly believe, where God goes when he wants barbecue.

Well, Miss Ellie was talking about how she was going to have to have a knee replacement, and Bettie was saying that she refused to have the surgery done during the season, because she wasn't about to miss a game.

That's a Saints fan, y'all.

On February 11, Miss Ellie had a total replacement of her right knee. According to Bettie, she's in pain, but doing well. From Bettie:

My last words to her before she was given her "la-la land shot" was GO SAINTS!!!

This caused Bettie to miss the Thoth activities, but she planned to hold court at Lafitte's Blacksmith shop on Mardi Gras Day.

Dillyberto did a Google search on Miss Ellie Dahmer, and we found out, to quote Dilly Berto that "Bettie Dahmer and Ellie Dahmer's toughest challenge has not been knee surgery."

We are blessed. We are Saints fans, and we have true heroes like Miss Ellie Dahmer walking in our midst.

Long live Miss Ellie. One of my heroes.

Wherever you are, Ashley, I hope you're honking your horn to celebrate the Saints' current undefeated status.