It feels funny to be back here.

I started this blog at an uncertain time in my life. I was new-ish to Ohio, new-ish to being a mom, new-ish to not having a traditional career. But the things I wasn’t new-ish to and that I did know, was that I loved my family, and I loved food and feeding people and I loved listening to music and saying things like, “Oh my gosh, you have to listen to this song. It might change your life. Also, would you like to taste this? It’s really good.”

And that led to this blog and that beautifully led to work that was really fun and satisfying and encompassing. Days turned to months and years while I worked in a non-traditional job: who knew you could plan private food tours for people on your own schedule – that’s a job? sign me up! And watched as Cherub, as she was fondly referred to back then, grow up and need me less but give more by turning into this incredibly funny, interesting person who is, quite often, fabulous to be around. Life rolled on.

Until the other day. When all of this kind of stopped as I stood in the kitchen with my father in law watching Ohio Governor Mike DeWine hold a press conference about the coronavirus pandemic.

And for a while I felt like, “Welp. That’s that.”

That feeling in the kitchen all kind of takes me back to that uncertain time in my life, 11 or 12 years ago. This feels new and uncertain, but familiar. It’s pushed me back to think again about what I know.

And it turns out I still know the same stuff I did back then, plus a bit more.

I still love my family: my husband and my daughter are the center of my world. I will always drop anything to tend to them. Our family has expanded since this blog started years ago and I have made more room in my heart, as we now have my father in law living with us. It’s given us this classic, multi-generational home with various ages and perspectives and shouty family dinners practically every night. I love that.

I still love food. I still love to cook and we don’t often repeat meals. As it turns out Cherub loves new. With the exception of a few favorites, repeated things are so boring mom. I now really love to cook with my husband. I think we make a great team. He’s always pushing the boundaries farther than I’m really willing to go and I’m always making sure that we still make things approachable for everyone. It’s a nice balance. I love that.

I still love music and the playlists are always on during kitchen times and dinnertime. From Grandpa’s favorite early rock and roll to Babe’s favorite shoegaze to Cherub’s love of Billie Eilish to my current obsession with the newest Haim, we’re all over the map. Music is inseparable from our daily life. It can be a turn-it-up-because-I-can’t-get-enough-of-how-happy-this-song-makes-me dance party anthem or a salve for trying times. I love that.

The passage of time and the gift of that job that I really loved doing gave me even more to love: Columbus and new friends in the broader food and dining and maker community. These people are some of the nicest, most generous people you’ll ever get to know, creative and smart, selfless and modest, funny and really crazy talented. I love that.

And right now it’s a super-scary time for a lot of what I love.  And I don’t even have even part of the answers to what might happen in the next stretch of time. All I know is that I can reach out and try to do what I can in my small way.

Oh my gosh, you have to listen to this song. It might change your life. Also, would you like to taste this? It’s really good.

Playlist included The Steps, by the coolest girl band you know, Haim. Watch that video, btw, Danielle plays the drums like nobody’s business.