The end of the year reflection.
Chase Dreams
and Ride High. I’m gonna.
As the year winds down and the holiday fun comes to an end, I’ve been reflecting—not just on the moments that have shaped this year but on the bigger picture. What does it mean to live a life well-lived? What decisions will define the next chapter?
I made a big decision in 2024. I’m moving my shop and going for it one more time. I mean, really? Am I crazy? How many chapters are left in my book?
These questions have been swirling around my head. Then I fell into some podcasts: Mobituaries by Mo Rocca and Famous and Gravy. These shows dive into the quirks, passions, and legacies of people who’ve left their mark. Mo Rocca also wrote Roctogentarians a book I have on audio. It’s about people who made their biggest impact later in life. That one resonates with me. Yeah! I’m on board! Life isn’t bound by age—the timeline for making your mark is as unique as you are.
I let out a sigh of relief, every time I re-read that.
Late in life. Here’s hoping it is a triumph!
Did you know Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t publish her books until age 65? Or that the Colonel (yes, the Kentucky Fried Chicken guy) hit the road with his 11 herbs and spices at 66—sleeping in his car, no less? Estelle Getty was 62 when she became Sophia Petrillo on The Golden Girls. Honestly, I didn’t even know her name on the show. But her and The Where’s the Beef lady, are true Roctogentarians!
These stories pumped me up about Food Union—aka ZZest Market 7.0. Sure, it’s a lot to consider. I don’t want to burden my family with extra work or expenses if something goes sideways. But hey, if the Colonel could sleep in his car at 66, I’m golden. Girls? Move over Sophia, I’ve already considered and literally put feelers out there for my next gig. I may just have one more chapter when I’m done with FU… Because I’m not about to "retire." I’m Forever United about talking good food.
But even while I justify and pump myself up, there’s a little hesitation still lingering. Not gonna lie. Let’s face it, big decisions get harder as the years go by. Should I preserve what I’ve built [well that’s not saying much], or take a chance on what could be? Now we are talking. What if this time, this time, I figure it all out? That’s the best part. Like tomalley in lobsters—that green stuff—it’s the lobster’s liver and pancreas, you know, the best part. The best part for me is making decisions that actually bring all the parts together and become successful or a triumphal comeback!
I’ve learned a lot over the years—like knowing the specialty market alone wasn’t enough to pay the bills. So I leaned into gift boxes, subscription boxes, Events, happy hours. The new shop is really going to be cool. I’ll have more space for events. How about private events with themes beyond cheese and wine? Heck, throw in beer and a partnership with Mr. Pizza North! Or make it Box Car Hippie Burritos or burgers from Hot Chip! Our usual monthly events with raclette cheese will be on the calendar soon! Game nights, weekly Happy Hours. That is just the beginning.
I know I can make this happen.
Wow, I kinda sound famous.
Mr Bojangles dance…
Which brings me to Famous and Gravy the other podcast. Each episode asks: would you want a life like the featured famous person? My favorite was Jerry Jeff Walker. Most people don’t know him. He’s the guy who wrote Mr. Bojangles. Not Sammy Davis Jr. [he also wrote and sang Pissin’ in the Wind—look it up.] He lived a wild life: growing up in New York, then he left it all behind, I’m talking just up and left one night! He changed his name from Ronald Clyde Crosby to Jerry Jeff Walker and hitchhiked across the country. He sang in little bars and on street corners and became known as The Gypsy Songman. He later became an Austin Texas Legend.
JZ and I were lucky enough to go to several Jerry Jeff Walker concerts over the years, including a trip to Gruene, Texas. Gruene [pronounced Green] has the oldest saloon in the U.S. We stood in line with JJW fans from across the country, and crammed into the standing-room-only beat-up bar. We grabbed Lone Star beers, as one does in Texas and got ready to be immersed in Jerry Jeff’s storytelling.
Could it get any better? Why, yes it can.
I had bought JZ tickets to a MN Zoo Jerry Jeff Walker concert that was scheduled around our anniversary. At the last minute, it was canceled because Jerry Jeff was in the hospital with back problems. I’m not sure how I got the guts to do this. I guess it came from love for JZ, but I contacted someone on his website and said how sad we were to miss his concert. I told them how JZ and I were big fans, and it was near our anniversary. In fact, our first dance at our wedding was to a JJW song, “I Love You.” Would anyone consider asking Jerry Jeff to sign an album cover if I sent it? And he did! Best day ever!
In the Famous and Gravy podcast, they told a Jerry Jeff story I hadn’t heard before. Jerry Jeff and a friend were leaving a bar. It was the early hours in the morning and they had been singing it up in the bars and drinking shots. In the distance, they heard someone singing Mr. Bojangles. His friend heading to the music, asked, “Are you going to tell this guy, you wrote that song?” Jerry Jeff didn’t answer. They found him—a kindred spirit singing on the street with an open guitar case collecting a couple bucks here and there. Jerry Jeff never said a word. With tears in his eyes he dropped some cash in the case and walked away.
So yes, in the end, I want that. A legacy that started as party central but ends a little more quiet, meaningful, full of heart—and for me, there will be fabulous food the whole way, of course.
Even though the future can feel uncertain, all these stories make it okay. They remind me it’s never too late to chase dreams or take a leap of faith. This holiday season, I’m holding onto that. Whether it’s curating the perfect cheese box for myself —okay, I never get that. I take home the orphans, the stragglers, the cheeses that have hit their best by dates. Or the cheeses I accidentally left on the counter over night. [sorry I ate your blue cheese Brian and Amanda, but I did replace it with another winner.]
Here I am 1963/4 or so, with no clue who the Jerry’s would be in my life. But what I did know was I liked being The Boss. The legacy had already begun.
I think even the smallest moments build the bigger and final picture. The stories we create now matter—they’re the legacies we leave behind.
So here’s to the ones still chasing dreams, no matter their age. Here’s to bold decisions, unexpected chapters, and the stories we are creating now.
Here’s to the future!
Enjoy making your legacy.
Pissin’ in the wind Bettin’ on our losing’ friends
Making’ the same mistakes we swear we’ll never make again
Pissin’ in the wind But it’s blowing’ on all our friends
We’re gonna sit and grin and tell our grandchildren