The Letters...

Tonight I watched the finale of Top Chef Masters. The past two years, as I've worked in a restaurant, I've really become interested in food. I love food, and I'll try anything that is put in front of me, because I don't want to miss an interesting flavor. I love reading about food, watching food shows, studying menus, and looking things up in my food dictionary. Food, not just eating, is such a joy for me and I've come to think that chefs are some of the most interesting, artistic, and talented people that I know.

So tonight, I absolutely loved the final challenge for the Top Chef Masters. They were to cook a four course meal... to coincide with a four letters. They could cook anything they would like, but they had to go along with the stories that the letter told. Two of my favorite things, writing and food. (Being a food critic has become my new dream job), The letters they had to come up with...and cook... were:

A Love Letter
An Apology
A Thank You
A Letter To Yourself

And I've decided that I wanted to write these letters. My thoughts and feelings have been so sporadic and all over the place lately, and these types of things can become very personal, so I think I can only write one letter at a time. So we will start with the love letter... and go from there.

Dear Dan,

There are some things that I just don't know how you tell you, and how much I love you, may be one of them. I also don't know if I've ever told you that I truly, truly believe in love at first sight. I remember the day like it was yesterday. A Friday in April, I had just aced an exam that I drug myself to hung over as hell, I was wearing blue jeans and a maroon and cream striped, really low cut shirt, and I saw you. I walked into the house on Lawn Avenue and suddenly locked eyes with you. You were sitting on a bar stool, wearing blue jeans and a black and white button up shirt, and I fell in love with you. Our story started that night, and now you are soundly sleeping next to me.

Since then we've had quite the story. Many, many adventures. Many high points, a hand full of low points, and just enough drama to keep in interesting. But the story is just beginning.

And that's the best part.

You're my one true love. You make me happy and you are the person I dreamed of being with for my whole life since I started dreaming about my whole life. I don't think that I could ask for anything else and I am so proud of the life we are building together.

When we lived in different cities we used to text we'd text each other, "I love you today," and I know we tell each other now, at least twice a day, that we love each other, but I want you to know, that when I say it half asleep in the morning, in a text, or in passing in the evening as we are brushing our teeth or pulling up our blankets, I really love you.

To the moon and back,

Tracy

That first night, it even looks like, Love At First Site.

What a difference five and a half years can make...

It's Here...

Towards the beginning of every school year there comes three nights when Dan sleeps out on the couch because he is too sick to lay in bed, he props up every single pillow (but mine) that we own and makes himself a little nest. He gets orange juice, the remote, and a pile of tissues to help him make it through, and miraculously, three nights later, he's better. Tonight is night one.

So for me it's usually a restless night. Yes, I greatly enjoy sleeping in the middle of the bed and taking control of all of the covers on the bed, but to hear him out there coughing and blowing his nose is something that could wake anybody up. So we're in for the long haul.

He blames it, of course, on the colder weather. But it's that cool weather that I love. I love waking up in the morning and snuggling for just a few more minutes before I run really fast into my nice warm bathroom, I love walking briskly to work and enjoying the breeze instead of the sun and heat beating down on me, I've liked running outside with the sun setting and being able to see the leaves start to change. I love that we spent Saturday night, outside, watching the football game while sitting next to the fire, and making pot after pot of coffee on Sunday, just because it was all day coffee drinking weather. Oh, and how could I forget, I love drinking Octoberfest and making pots of chili.

So we will take the good with the bad. I know that in three night Dan will be in tip-top shape, just in time for the Friday night game, and I'll start digging out my scarves and puffy vests... because those are two of my favorite things.

Happy Fall...

"I Just Kept Running"

As I mentioned yesterday, last week was quite the week. Dan and I schedules couldn't have been more off and when I did have a day off during the week it was spent running all around town getting things done that I have been neglecting for weeks.

Finally, on Sunday, I had the most enjoyable day, as we were making our trip from the city I mentioned to Dan, "I have the most fantastic plans laid out for the day," he quickly replied, "You're going to take a nap right when we get home, right?" I replied, "Absolutely, but I may also go for a little run."

I've really been enjoying running on the trail outside our house lately, before the past couple of weeks I've been a slave to my eliptical, I was reading the most fantastic book, so the eliptical allowed me to workout and read for a half hour every day, but the book ended and my love of working out inside ended... so I'm back to Dan's old school iPod and the trail. I've been running 2-3 miles a day, and today I set out for 2.5 miles, but I had a Forest Gump moment and I just kept running.... It might have been because of the beautiful weather or it might have been the mix of really classic rap music that I heard on Dan's iPod or it could have been the guy in really short shorts running in front of me, but every 1/10th mile marker I passed I wanted to keep going, and finally I quit after 3.6 miles.

Now I probably looked like this while I was running...

But I felt like this...

And I'm going to continue. I've decided to put it all in words so it holds me accountable, and my goal, by Thanksgiving is to be running 6 miles on the weekends. So here goes nothing... let's hope, in the theme of Forest Gump, that Shit DOESN'T Happen to steer me away from the goal.

Cheers!

Sunday Funday

It's been quite a week, full of irregular schedules and running around like crazy. It really is true, when it rains, it pours. So I was so thrilled when Dan told me he would get a hotel room for us downtown yesterday afternoon. I had a wedding last night and an after wedding breakfast this morning, so being able to stay in the city was really a treat.

We had a great late night dinner last night and it was one of those fantastic city evenings, the ones that always makes me want to downsize completely and move downtown. There is nothing like walking through the city late at night with fall like weather...

Anyway, after I got off work today Dan met me and we went to brunch. We went to Ditka's because we couldn't think of a more wonderful place to have yummy food and watch some football games, it was the perfect spot. If you've never been to Chicago, I would highly suggest the trip just to have a bloody mary from Ditka's. Brace yourself, here comes a "Favorite Statement"... It was my favorite Bloody Mary of all time. And here's why:

Yes, you're seeing that correctly, the garnish was a tomato, a shrimp, a banana pepper, an olive, an onion, what I think was summer squash, and a lemon... HELLO! Throw in a salt and peppered rim and a side car of pale ale and you have a winner. And I don't think they could have had a more "made for Tracy" brunch dish. I had a BLT Avocado Wrap with lettuce, tomato, avocado, bacon, runny eggs, and cheese. It was delicious and with Dan and RGIII in my company I couldn't think of a better afternoon.

It's been a good day. I nice ending to a kinda crazy week. So here's to next week, Cheers!

My Love Affair With Cape Cod

Dear Cape Cod,

Do you remember me? We spent three glorious days together in July. You shared so much with me and I just haven't been able to get your beauty out of my head.

I've never been welcomed anywhere with more open arms and as soon as I crossed the boarder into your little town I felt like I was home. You have some of the nicest people I've ever met in your possession and do they have the most glorious accents, or what? It was such a pleasure being in your company and our time together, I will not quickly forget.

You are just so charming. Each little town we drove through was better than the one we just visited, you kept providing more beautiful beaches and even quainter restaurants and store fronts as we drove. I just needed more time to explore every nook and cranny of your being.

You really do have it all. Beaches, baseball fields, sunsets, marinas, tennis and golf clubs, beautiful houses, even more beautiful boats, talented, hilarious people, family owned shops, walking paths, and the Kennedy's. I've never seen something with so much character.


And your food. Can you come up with anymore ways to serve lobster? It was a joy eating every single meal, drinking every Cape Cod Brewery Beer, and falling in love with your clam chowder. Every meal was an adventure in itself and I'll never look at the seafood in Chicago the same way.

But the true highlight for me... were the hydrangeas. I've never seen anything like it. I was amazed, shocked really, at how beautiful the flowers were and how meticulously they were taken care of, and I don't care what anybody else says...

 I hope heaven smells like Cape Cod.

If it were up to me I would just come and stay with you for the rest of my life. If it meant living off the land and earning my keep by making clam chowder every day, I would do it. I would hope to pick up the accent and the charm, but I would ask for nothing else. You're a dream.

I hope to see you soon.

Love,

Tracy
  

The Pigeon and The Statue

You know signs that you see plastered all over the walls of Jimmy John's... yeah, you do, the ones that say things like "No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem... We Deliver" and "Your Mom Wants You To Eat Jimmy Johns" Well today while I was picking up our dinner at 9:13 pm I saw the one that said,

Not Every Day Is Sunny
Sometimes You're The Statue
Sometimes You're The Pigeon

And I couldn't think of a more wonderful sign to be hanging in a place where I just walked my disheveled self into to pick up two sandwiches and a bag of chips at some god-awful, you should be in bed already, time of the night, knowing you're just going to go home and eat the sandwiches cross legged on the floor without a plate, crumble up the sandwich paper and just let it sit there.

Long story short, today I was the statue. From the very start of the day, when I couldn't drag myself out of bed to exercise before work, I was the statue... Now I hope I was a gorgeous statue with long flowing hair, but I have a feeling I wasn't. It was just one of those days when there aren't enough minutes in an hour and every time you get your list checked off there is another new list to be made. And I realized, the biggest problem with being the statue is that you're stuck, you're stone, and there is no way of getting out of the situation that you are in... you just got to ride it out.

So here I am, feeling like I'm covered in pigeon poop, ready for this day to be over. And soon it will be, and tomorrow will be a new day... I just hope tomorrow I'm the pigeon.

Labor Day... More Like Groundhog Day

For week's Jill and I have been counting down until Friday, August 31st, because that would be the day we both traveled home for the first time since May. The day finally came and we excitedly called each other in the morning and we just couldn't wait to get home. I finally arrived at 12:17 am, Momma Jill was barely awake on the couch, but everyone else was awake, and it was a glorious feeling to be at The Horstman House to celebrate The Labor Day Weekend. I mean... Groundhog Day.

It started Saturday morning, we woke up, started drinking coffee, Dillon wanted to watch "Finding Nemo" and have a waffle for breakfast with siri-up (This is the one word Dillon says incorrectly that we are not allowed to correct because Jill thinks it is too cute). He directs Grandpa exactly where to put the siri-up and then it must be cut up. So Grandpa cut up his waffle, very meticulously, with a fork, and says, "I don't know why your Grandma won't give us a knife." He finishes the waffle, we all speak whale along with Dori from Nemo and then he asks for another waffle. The routine with the siri-up begins again, the rest of us eat breakfast, and then Dillon asks if we can take a walk to see Buddy and Doser (the neighbor dogs, and the second one's real name is Dover, but again, it's too cute so we don't correct it). We get dressed go outside, Dillon picked a bouquet for Jill (I asked him why I never got flowers and he simply said, "You're not my mom") and we went about our day.

Now this would be a fine Saturday morning, and we sure did enjoy all being together, but then it happened again on Sunday. I was honestly feeling like Bill Murray.

Woke Up. Coffee. Nemo. Waffle #1. Siri-Up Instructions. Wondering Why Grandma Won't Give Them A Knife to Cut the Waffle. Speaking Whale. Waffle #2. Breakfast For Everyone Else. Wanting To Go See The Neighbor Dogs. Dressed. Go Outisde. Jill Get's Flowers.

And you can see where this is going. It happened again on Monday. Like clockwork.

Woke Up. Coffee. Nemo. Waffle #1. Siri-Up Instructions. Wondering Why Grandma Won't Give Them A Knife to Cut the Waffle. Speaking Whale. Waffle #2. Breakfast For Everyone Else. Wanting To Go See The Neighbor Dogs. Dressed. Go Outisde. Jill Get's Flowers.

Luckily for the sanity of all The Horstmans the afternoon played out a little bit differently each day. Still kind of Groundhog Day, each day revolved around family...aunt's, uncles, cousins, and friends... funny stories, cooking, drinking cocktails, eating really delicious food, watching it rain, and really bad-for-you late night snacks. And it was fabulous. I just keep thinking next time we are all home Baby Chloe will be along with us, and I'm sure with a new baby each day won't be the very exact same.

Watching Finding Nemo, I really forgot how cute of a movie it is.

I just love home cooked breakfasts and the delicious fried eggs sandwiches that are a fixture at The Horstman House

Flower bouqets for Jill. Two of the days she got really pretty wildflowers that were found across the street, but on Saturday... it was dandelions.

Dillon and Buddy, he really loves this dog.

There is nothing like going home, but I did miss Dan and it's nice to be back to our little house and our little lives... that aren't the exact same every day.