09/28/2026
❤️ Monday with Melinda
I remember sitting at Legends watching the parking lot.
One car would pull in.
Then nothing.
And I would quietly think, Come on... just five cars in the next 30 minutes.
Those were my prayers 13 years ago when I started this crazy journey. LOL.
Somewhere along the way, I stopped counting cars.
This weekend, our team hosted a wedding celebration and a going-away party for a special coworker. Throughout the building, other guests were having dinner, playing pool, enjoying cocktails and simply spending time together.
We have a group of teachers who regularly come in for half-price apps, cocktails and long conversations. I love that. There is no rush. Legends is big enough to give people room to just be together.
Maybe that's why Gather Here means more to me today than when we first started saying it.
Because lately, I'm realizing that people have gathered around me, too.
I recently shared with my team that my cancer has returned.
The outlook is good. ❤️ There is a treatment and recovery plan ahead of me, and for probably the first time in my life, I need to make taking care of myself one of my biggest priorities.
My team's response?
We got you.
We got Legends.
We got our guests.
If you know me, you know letting go isn't exactly my strongest skill. 😂
But then my phone starts dinging.
James sends me the numbers because our General Manager LOVES his numbers. 😂 Under-20-minute ticket times. Happy guests. A team that was on point.
Then come the pictures.
A plate someone is proud of.
A smiling team member.
A high-five.
A little celebration in the kitchen because somebody nailed it.
And I find myself sitting at home looking at my phone thinking...
Look at them. ❤️
James and I are finishing the final touches on our new fall menu, and I personally LOVE what we're doing. His energy excites me. He has a way with our guests that makes me think, Yep... he understands the assignment. 😂 And I'm watching him bring that same energy into developing our team.
They're excited.
They're proud.
They're taking ownership.
And maybe the biggest surprise for me is realizing that I still feel completely connected to the growth of Legends without having to physically carry all of it.
I can talk menus with James. Look at the numbers. Coach a plate from a picture. Celebrate a win. Ask questions. Give a virtual high-five—and still leave room in my day to take care of Melinda.
That's new for me.
Thirteen years ago, I was praying for five cars in 30 minutes.
Today, my prayers are different.
I'm praying for my health. For some patience. For continued growth. And maybe for a little help learning that trusting the people I've spent all these years developing isn't letting go of Legends.
Maybe it's the whole point.
I'm proud of this team.
I'm proud of James.
And I'm incredibly grateful that at a time when I need to loosen my grip just a little, there are people standing beside me saying...
We got you. We got Legends!
I'm learning to let them. ❤️
Much Love Melinda
