Spring Renewal

Six weeks of dormancy have never felt so long - more like six years, it seems. Time has been oddly askew. My rhythms in rest have stretched into the surreal luxury of more hours in the day than our silly concepts of calendar allow. I never know what day it is, never mind the date. And I have learned that it doesn't matter.

I am well now and very happy to be back. That was always the plan, to shut up and shut down long enough to renew myself. It's been five years since I launched The Well-Seasoned Cook. Crashing was inevitable. A bout of flu-like illness in December put me over the edge, triggering a particularly nasty and stubborn stint of sinusitis. We take that mask of hollows under our faces very much for granted until they start burning as if you've inhaled water. You know how some opera singers can hit the high notes to an octave that shatters glass? Well, I could sneeze with such violence that the racked pots and pans in my kitchen would clank and rattle from a room away.

But enough about me. Let's talk about you - you and your kindnesses, poignant concerns, well wishes, emails, dedicated blog posts, and generous spirits. I have you to thank for hastening my recovery. The world is full of all sorts of people. I am very fortunate to have met all of you, the right sorts, the ones who make all the tough times endurable. You have been missed and valued more than you could possibly know. As I slowly ease back into my online life, I look forward to renewing friendships with a talented and fun community of kin whose hearts are even bigger than their appetites. I'm glad to be back breaking bread with you. Thanks for keeping a place for me at your tables.