Help Annabel build a new life, alone...

On 3/8/23 at 2:45 am, after almost an entire year of being gravely ill, Annabel de Vetten's beloved husband, Thom Peterson aka the Amazing Guy, her best friend, soul mate, business partner, and emotional comfort human looked into her eyes one more time and succumbed to Glioblastoma, the cancer that makes operating rooms go silent—the widow maker.

Now what? Having moved to Los Angeles from England, just two weeks before the blasted pandemic hit, they made an effort to not let this fail their plans. They did the best they could, reassessed their plans, found a rented space in Burbank, and made it their temporary home. Even despite the pandemic restrictions, they made several friendships bonded through fear yet hope. Friendships that would have taken years to form in non-pandemic times.

These new friends and their old friends, along with the support of the online community have been incredible so far. You helped try and find ways to save him. When the doctors couldn't save him, and Thom and Annabel decided he would die at home, you helped give Thom and Annabel fantastic memories, some dignity, and all the Milkshakes and Hot Dogs he wanted. The financial burden supported by the contributions from Thom’s GFM was a game changer. Their gratitude is immeasurable.

Thom was the American in the family, Annabel is from Germany, via 30 years in England, 10 of those with her beloved Thom. They came here to make a new life, with the random and silly motto #toocutetofail. They did not fail. Still haven't. Just before Thom got sick they were both working, Thom had a series of magic dinner shows across the country, and Annabel had just finished a 2-month run doing culinary production on a very successful Netflix show, with more lined up. Her business 'Conjurer's Kitchen' was growing.

But then, BOOM! Thom gets sick and Annabel drops everything and becomes full-time 'Thom Guard'. Helping him with absolutely everything, radiation, chemo, wheel chairing him around, and applying the crazy brain machine, the 'Optune', a very complicated device. She helps him work hard to regain the use of his left side, shouting at evil people, protecting him from stress, crying alone, fighting all kinds of wars, kissing him, loving him, and trying to get him better. Then the damn chemo nearly kills him, so they decide to stop all treatment and live as well as they can until Thom doesn't. Take control.

And take control she did! Thom was on home hospice care, but the room was always full of love, visitors, laughter, life, and more love.

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Then, inevitably, he died.

Now Thom's gone and Annabel has to carry on. Alone. Annabel cared for him as she did when he was alive, made his face look like he was sleeping with a smile, dressed him in his stage suit, and held a beautiful 3-day home funeral, with flowers, friends, and coffin decorating.

Followed by the craziest celebration of life ever. https://photos.app.goo.gl/tQTZ9aJY18C6J8Mz8

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Part of Annabel went with him. But part of him stayed with her: that part is not letting her roll over and die, give up, go home. Whatever. That part of Thom is telling her, even alone, she is #toocutetofail. Because she hasn't failed. If she gave up and went home, then she will have failed. They both will have failed.

So Annabel has made an "ideal scenario possibly fantasy" plan. But that requires a little help.

Annabel would like to not have to move home right now before she has even had a chance to even go through all of Thom's possessions. Especially not twice.

- But the lease is up in two months and has been increased.

Annabel would like to get back to work asap and work a lot. Where she is, in Burbank, is the place to get her work. Right here. A lot of work. More than anywhere else. Even her current home is perfect for workshops and creating. She loves to work and has so much to offer, it is explosive.

- But she's grieving and can't function just yet. She needs time. And unfortunately, time isn’t free.

The biggest goal would be to stay in this place for twelve months, then move on to bigger things with Thom in her soul.

She wants to give back to the community that helped them so much. And Annabel wants to help spread the word that funerals can be utterly personal, more than you can imagine. Annabel hopes to get this message across in a book, but not a depressing book, a book about life, cake, crazy clients, magical adventures and people, recipes, unusual yet simple decorating tips, joy, tragedy, comedy, love, and plain madness.

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After a year of dealing with extraordinarily awful but also extremely kind people, Annabel feels the need to get out of the kitchen more and have interactive events. Bringing people joy and wonderment is one of her favorite things. More now than ever.

Your contributions will help her pay the daily bills, the rent increase, travel, finally learn to drive, and but mostly try to heal a little and get used to the new scars and the empty space in her soul. She needs to take time to become the person she needs to be now and evolve the business, without worrying about becoming homeless.

Then there are all of Thom's belongings, his workshop where he made his magic products, and books. So many books. It will take a lot of time to go through all the crazy things he owns, then try and sell or donate things. And most daunting and heartbreaking of all is the fact that Annabel will have to pack away Thom's act, honed to its current perfection over 30 or so years, with love, passion, knowledge, enthusiasm, and dedication. It will be like losing him once more.

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But she is a warrior and so Annabel wants to come back with a vengeance! For Thom, for the people who love and care about her, and for her parents. She desperately wants to help give funerals a personality and not break the bank. She vows to bring you edible delights in wondrous shapes and flavors in a way only Conjurer's Kitchen can.

Please contribute in any way you can to allow Annabel the time to grieve her beloved Thom, and to help realize these heartfelt goals.

“Love is a spell so exquisite, everything conspires to break it”