Dear cherished readers,
It is with the heaviest heart and deepest sorrow that I pen these words, perhaps the most profoundly difficult I will ever write. My beloved husband, Tim Ketchum, passed away suddenly last week. The initial assumption was an abdominal aneurysm, but doctors now believe he may have had an undiagnosed genetic connective tissue disorder, which tragically weakened the structure of his aorta, leading to this devastating and unexpected loss.
Tim was truly the unwavering cornerstone of my life, my partner in every conceivable sense of the word. He was not merely my best friend; he was my confidante, the safe harbor I always sought, and the source of unwavering support through every joy and challenge. Beyond our beautiful partnership, he was, quite simply, an extraordinary father. He embraced the immense responsibility and joy of raising our three children with unparalleled gusto, offering a level of presence, dedication, and boundless love that truly set him apart. He sculpted their world with an infectious energy and an adventurous spirit, creating countless cherished memories that will now serve as a guiding light for them.
Tim possessed a magnetic warmth and an authentic kindness that drew people in effortlessly. Everyone who ever met him, even in the briefest of encounters, was charmed by his genuine nature. He was warm, profoundly compassionate, endlessly loving, and remarkably thoughtful. And, oh, he was funny as hell! Indeed, it was his brilliant sense of humor, that spark of playful irreverence and quick wit, that first captivated me and made me fall so deeply in love. Even as life inevitably brought its complexities and more serious turns, we never lost that essential connection, that shared goofiness and silliness that made every situation easier to bear and filled our days with laughter. Our bond was defined by this joyful lightness, a constant reminder of the happiness we shared.
As I grapple with this immense personal loss, the path ahead for “All Day I Dream About Food” feels, for now, somewhat uncertain, and I feel compelled to share this transparently with you, my supportive community. My absolute priority must shift entirely to healing, to being present for my children as they navigate their own grief, and to processing the profound landscape of sorrow that has enveloped our family.
In the immediate future, you can expect a necessary scaling back of my active participation and new content creation here on the blog. While I will strive to maintain a presence, the frequency of new posts will likely be reduced. My aim will be to focus on simpler, more manageable tasks that allow me to stay connected without overwhelming my delicate emotional state. This “easy route” will involve revisiting and revitalizing some of your favorite older posts, breathing new life into timeless recipes, and sharing straightforward, comforting dishes that require minimal development time. I am fortunate to have a modest backlog of prepared content that I can share over the coming weeks, ensuring that the essence of “All Day I Dream About Food” continues to nourish your culinary journey with delicious, low-carb options.
I am also immensely grateful for the invaluable support of Stephanie, who has generously stepped in to manage my Facebook page entirely during this period. Her kindness, dedication, and willingness to help carry this burden are a true blessing, allowing me to focus on my family without the added pressure of daily social media management.
Grief, I am learning, is a journey of profound unpredictability. Some days, the thought of losing myself in the meditative process of baking, perhaps creating some spectacular keto cakes, might feel like a necessary escape and a therapeutic outlet. Other days, simply existing and performing basic tasks will be my greatest challenge. I honestly don’t know what I want or what I need from one moment to the next. I humbly ask for your understanding and grace if my responses to comments or inquiries are not as timely as they once were. Your patience, compassion, and continued engagement during this tender and vulnerable time mean the absolute world to me.
Supporting Our Family and “All Day I Dream About Food”
Over the past decade, I have been incredibly blessed to cultivate an extraordinary community of readers and followers here on “All Day I Dream About Food.” Your unwavering support, your shared enthusiasm for healthy eating, and your personal connections have truly enriched my life in countless ways. Now, more than ever, I feel the warmth of your collective kindness, and I know many of you are searching for ways to extend your support during this period of immense grief and transition. I am so grateful for your thoughts, your prayers, and your genuine compassion.
The most impactful way you can offer your help is by continuing to visit and engage with “All Day I Dream About Food.” Every click, every scroll, and every moment you spend on the site translates into crucial ad revenue, which has been the primary source of income for my family for many years. I understand that advertisements can sometimes be cumbersome or intrusive, but I sincerely ask that you bear with them and take a moment to scroll through each post; your passive engagement makes a significant difference in sustaining this platform and, by extension, my family during this challenging time.
Beyond direct visits, your advocacy on social media is incredibly powerful. Please consider sharing my posts – both beloved classics from the archives and any new content that appears – across your networks. Pin my delicious keto recipes to your Pinterest boards, share them in relevant Facebook groups, and recommend them to friends and family who might benefit from creative, healthy, and low-carb inspiration. Spreading the word about “All Day I Dream About Food” helps us reach new readers, expands our community, and ultimately sustains this valuable resource for healthy eating.
Another profound way to support me and my family is through the purchase of my cookbooks. These culinary guides represent years of dedicated research, meticulous recipe development, and a true labor of love, designed to empower you on your health journey. In particular, I urge you to consider pre-ordering my highly anticipated upcoming release, The Protein Advantage.
This book is a culmination of extensive effort and passion, designed to empower you with innovative and delicious ways to incorporate optimal protein into your diet for satiety, muscle support, and overall well-being, all within a delicious keto or low-carb framework. While my capacity to actively promote it is severely limited right now, your pre-orders are absolutely vital for its success. Pre-orders significantly influence retailers’ stocking decisions, are a powerful indicator of a book’s potential, and directly impact its overall reach and sales trajectory. I poured my heart and soul into ‘The Protein Advantage,’ meticulously crafting each recipe and insight, and I truly believe it offers immense value, promising to become an indispensable resource in your kitchen for healthy, protein-rich eating.
Thank you, from the depths of my heart, for taking the time to read these deeply personal words and for your unwavering support during this unimaginably difficult period. If you are a person of faith or spiritual inclination, I humbly ask that you hold the wonderful Tim Ketchum and our family in your thoughts and prayers. Tim was a truly luminous soul, a radiant beacon of kindness, joy, and boundless love who enriched the lives of countless individuals. His sudden absence leaves an immense and irreplaceable void in our hearts and in the world, but his spirit, his infectious laughter, and his profound love will forever resonate within us. I can say with absolute certainty that to have known Tim was to have loved him profoundly. He will be dearly missed, but his legacy of love and laughter will endure.