By Melissa Dean – Special to the Navarro County Gazette
Hi, my name is Melissa Dean, and since this is my first offering to the Navarro County Gazette, I thought it would be proper to give you a little background information on myself and my doings, so to speak.
I am from the small but quaint town of Mildred, Texas right outside of Corsicana. It even comes with a Corsicana address, so it’s too far off the beaten path. I was born in Waco, Texas, but was only there a short while, so Corsicana is definitely my hometown.
I have been married to a wonderful man for 10 years who many of you readers may know as Carey Dean from 106.9 The Ranch radio station here in beautiful downtown Corsicana.
I am the owner and operator of Sweet M’s Kitchen, a small catering and baking business. I also have a baking business called The Calamity Dessert and Cookie Company which gives me a little more creative freedom, as far as trying out new and interesting sweet concoctions I like to call dessert mash ups, if you will.
But my most important job, other than being a wife, of course, is teaching. I am the Culinary Arts Instructor at Corsicana High School. I go to school everyday eager to make a difference in the lives of my students.
Does it always happen that way?
No.
Is there ever any day where I don’t want to ever go back?
Yes.
But then there are those days, when I am teaching and I see the joy on my students’ faces as they are learning about food and more importantly to them, eating the food that they prepare, and it makes all the other days seem to disappear. Both teaching and cooking are integral parts of my lifestyle and when two things that you never knew you always wanted to do can intersect and live and thrive together cohesively, then I would say you are living your best life.
I am most definitely passionate about all things ‘’lifestyle,” which I like to define as the way in which one wants to live their life, in their life.
And I like living my life, Downhome Downtown.
Downhome seems like a very limited term. I feel like you can be downhome anywhere, however.
Even in our loft on Fifth Avenue above Ken’s Barbershop.
I feel like we are downhome.
I think it’s more of a state of mind than anything. Downhome can be wherever you plant your heart.
Wherever you make memories. Wherever you grow roots.
Downhome Downtown really means you get the best of both worlds.
You get the hustle and bustle of our little Main Street plus you get the cozy, comfy, and all-encompassing snuggly feel of loft living.
It’s almost too much!
Carey and I always thought we would end up out in the country somewhere, because he loves the outdoors and, well, I’m from the country. But loft living really has made us realize, that we can be at one with nature and the beauty of our surroundings, even downtown.
One of our favorite “nature” places to hang out is at The Square Root on the corner of Fifth and Main. Not only is it a beautiful and quiet setting to just chill out, but we have some amazing friends there as well. We have truly made the most of our downtown experience, I promise.
I mean, it may not be for everyone. But I can say, with a great amount of certainty, that living downtown has truly brought us to the point in our life where minimalism is key. We have really had to downsize most of what we own.
And four storage buildings later….
True story. Be watching for a huge storage cleanout sale from the Deans!
Our life downhome downtown is amazing. It may not be for everyone, but it fits us perfectly.