musings of an everywoman

Month: February 2025

  • food, glorious food

    On Sunday, Matt and I drove up to Chicago to spend time with family after losing Matt’s sister-in-law quite suddenly a couple weeks ago — another condiment on the crap sandwich that was the Week of February Third.

    I’ll be honest, I wasn’t necessarily looking forward to it. I’ve only shown my face in public a handful of times in the last couple weeks — I didn’t want the shock, the pity, the “what-happeneds” of losing my job. Unless you are in the Trust Tree — or follow me on LinkedIn 😆😆😆 — it would probably come as a shock to most people that I find myself unemployed.

    I certainly didn’t want to have any uncomfortable exchanges about it with my husband’s family.

    Still, as we are driving back to St. Louis, I’m glad we were able to be there, reconnect, and support the family. This was the first funeral and committal Matt presided over. Not sure if new pastors expect this milestone over a family member dying, but that was his experience.

    It was also nice to get out of Dodge for a couple days, and to eat the foods we are DENIED at home.

    We maybe ate at Portillo’s twice. And by maybe, I mean definitely.
    The Special at Giordano’s because duh.
    AND THERE’S A TACO BURRITO KING IN CHANNAHON ON THE WAY. BASICALLY NOWHERESVILLE, U.S.A. OF ALL PLACES. IT’S LIKE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIELD NEXT TO A PILOT STATION. (I made my husband stop here on the way home for lunch today. 😆)

    Listen. The St. Louis food scene is elite. We all know this (disgusting pizza aside).

    But there’s something about having super nachos with steak from TBK after eight years that is just…~heaven on earth~. (Prior to 2017 I hadn’t eaten there since undergrad. I cried after my first bite in over a decade and I don’t care who knows it anymore!!!)

    Anyway, I guess it’ll be back to the grind tomorrow. For now I’m thankful for a restorative break and a full belly.