An Open Letter to Curtis Stone, My "Take Home Chef"

Dear Curtis,

I want to begin by thanking you. Because of you, I have some great memories. I'll explain but I have to set the stage.

I was a sophomore in college in 2007 and had a bad breakup with my first boyfriend. It was spring break, but instead of going somewhere warm with a group of friends, I ventured to Michigan to spend ten days with my grandma. My grandpa had died years earlier so it was just the two of us in her house.

This amazing woman was just who I needed to spend time with. She, without saying "It'll be OK," showed me I would be OK. She took me to get my hair done, took me to restaurants, tended to me I wasn't feeling well, and taught me to cook a few things.

You're probably wondering, what does this have to do with me?

Well, this is when we got hooked on "Take Home Chef." We watched you meet people in the grocery store and make food for them every day I was there. This is when we stopped going out to eat and started cooking together.

We giggled and dreamed about if you somehow would be in our local Meijer and choose us to cook for. We knew this wouldn't happen but it didn't stop us from going to the grocery store for the most mundane items, in in case.

Because of you and that show, my grandma and I shared something that was only us. You were the catalyst to bond us together and heal a young heart.

I went back to school, grew up a bit, found the love of my life and now have my own strong family.

Now you're probably wondering why this memory is coming back almost ten years later. My dear grandma passed away July 2015. Only 12 days after my second son, her third great-grandbaby was born.

Now, 9 months later, I'm to the point in my grief where I'm able to unpack my memories. That's when I looked back and realized you were a thread through the past decade of my memories with my grandma.

These precious memories I'm holding so dear right now in my grief. Thank you for doing "Take Home Chef." Thank you for inspiring us to cook for each other. Thank you for being a string tied to a memory of comfort and caring.

Bless you in your life. Thank you for blessing mine.

Cindy

Early Morning, Early Spring

I wrote this March 28, 2016 and meant to post it sooner but this has been the first time Ive had a chance.

The quietness of a morning. Something I rarely experience. Today is early spring. One of the first days in the year where the sun streams through my windows noticeably earlier than any other in my recent memory. Frost still bites the shingles of our garage and the grass of our yard, but it losing strength. Delicately strong buts are on every branch in our neighbor's tree in vibrant red and on our lilac in bright green. Sleepy clouds sail past in a periwinkle sky. Birds are chirping and replace my alarm.

Early morning in early spring. Just a small moment, but such a beautiful one.

I could ruin it with focusing on how dirty the windows are, or how our yard looks like the Clammpett's from Beverly Hillbillies in places. I could say snow is probably coming or that this just means allergies are going to get bad.

Not right now. I'm choosing in this rare still and quiet moment, when I'm alone in my kitchen, to breathe in the beauty I used to just pass by. because it's fleeting and fast. If I don't take it in now, I never can.

Be mindful today of the beauty around you.

God Loves You

Enjoy Life

Cindy