Hi there, I’m Portia. I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, Mike, two cats, and our little girl, Lucy. I started this blog as a way to capture memories for my daughter. I also wanted to share my love of food and cooking by connecting stories and recipes. Cooking memoirs are among my favorite genres to read, so I wanted to try my hand at writing in that style.
Things were going along fine and dandy until I was diagnosed with breast cancer in January of 2017. Our busy, happy little rhythm of life ground to a sudden, screeching halt as we were overwhelmed by treatment schedules, doctor appointments, tests, surgeries, worry, grief, and fear. We hung on for dear life. Slowly, cautiously, we have regained our footing, and now we are moving forward on a new journey of love, hope, and healing. I invite you to come along with us.
pruneandpear 
Hi, Portia,
My name is Kathleen Engel and I am an editor at Health Monitor Network in Montvale, NJ. My company publishes guides on various health conditions that are distributed free to patients through doctors’ offices.
Right now I am starting to work on the next issue of our Guide to Metastatic Breast Cancer and, in my research, came across your site. Portia, I would love to feature your story in the issue. What that would involve would be a 45-minute phone chat with me to get your story, as well as a photo shoot at your convenience and in your neighborhood. (A designer from our art department would coordinate with a photographer in your area and schedule a day and time that works for you both, then put the two of you in touch to work out any last-minute details.)
I’m working from home today so I do not have access to my files, but am happy to email you a PDF of one of our past issues so you have a sense of what we do before deciding whether to participate. Please just let me know an email address and I’ll send you a PDF on Wednesday.
Thanks, Portia. Let me know if you have any questions.
Best,
Kathleen Engel
KathleenE@healthmonitor.com
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