Author: robin

Dear Heart

- robin

The weekend was warm. I mean it was heartfelt warm. The temps were in the 40’s…but the days were filled with warm moments.

We had a busy weekend, but I will share Sunday with you now. My cold was getting better but I did not want to miss church. The world is filled with unease and disparate people, Larry and I needed to pray.

After church, we went to the movies. Larry bought popcorn, lemonade and we sat on the back row at the 12:30 showing or Cyrano. It is NOTHING like I expected, and will not spoil it for you. I cried at the end.

Larry brought me home, where I rested and started knitting a new sweater. ( a gray boyfriend sweater) and after I rested, we went to the drive through at McDonalds (when was the last time that we had done THAT?) Then we drove to the park for a McDonalds picnic and sunset.

Photo: Sunset at the park

My hamburger was a bit nondescript but the fries…OH THE FRIES! And we drank wine in our Yedi cups. It was perfect.

Photo: Delicious

Lauren had made us brownies. I am not sure what kind of brownies they were but they were so good. I think that they had chocolate bars baked in them.

Photo: Brownies at sunset

It was cold outside and we had dessert in the car while we listened to Erik Larsson’s OP 19 on WRR. We watched the sunset, another Sunday ending.

Our movie on Sunday was “Dear Heart”….Henry Mancini composed the music and Glen Ford stars in the 1964 movie.

It was a nice weekend….but somehow I find myself glad that it is over.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Back To Basics-Patti La Belle

- robin

I love to cook, create recipes and collect vintage cook books. Following online chefs has been so much fun until now. What is happening to the format that I have enjoyed so much?

Do you follow people online who cook? You know the ones…who have snappy photos and mediocre recipes that they put their own spin on?

I have been following a few photographers, chefs and authors. Mainly in France and have enjoyed the process, until now. These social media moguls  are so busy following each other, recommending, kissing up to each other and selling their (expensive!) subscriptions for  online news letters, to remember that it is you and me that they need to be creating content for. 

The content has become boring and self serving. I am taking a step back from it all and tap into my “go to” bookshelves for inspiration.

Last evening, I was showing Larry one of the treasures on my book shelves. 

In 1999 Ms La Belle published this amazing cookbook. It is one of my favorites, as it consists of classic recipes for home cooking. You can buy it on Amazon and at used book stores. 

It is honestly one of my treasures. I recommend it. Pick out a few recipes and prepare them while listing to Ms La Belle’s music.  Both are timeless and wonderful. (and please send me photos???)

My “go to” bookshelves are filled with so much inspiration. It is time that I start getting back to basics again….

Love you beyond the moon.

Black Raspberry Ice Cream

- robin

Presidents weekend always seems so busy! Larry and I celebrated three birthdays this weekend. Birthdays are the best and to be honest, we had a wonderful weekend!

On Friday, for lunch…..we celebrated our daughter Jami and her husbands Jared’s nephew Kam’s birthday. He turned 13. We celebrated with lunch and bowling. It was a wonderful time and Jamison has the BEST in laws!

Photo: Kam and his birthday cake

On Friday night, we celebrated Sandy’s birthday. Sandy is a dear friend who is always “there” when you need that extra shoulder to cry on. She is beautiful, inside and out. I did not take a photo on Friday! But we toasted her and enjoyed lively conversation.

Saturday evening, We celebrated our son in laws birthday! The steak house was busy and we all ate to much food. At least I did. It was delicious and fun to celebrate Josh! Mathilda was happy and as always is so sweet.

Photo: Matilda gave me a crushing hug after dinner

On Sunday we were invited for RAMEN! Josh introduced us to the best RAMEN place in Carrollton, Texas. It was amazing and we all enjoyed the special Asian treat.

Photo: Larry’s RAMEN

After Sunday lunch at RAMEN… Larry and I stopped by the house, and then went to the movies. We were not hungry so we thought that a movie would be perfect.

We saw “Death On The Nile”….and it was wonderful to sit in a mystery movie, (no popcorn because we were not hungry) and get carried away into a beautiful who done it.

After the movie, we stopped by Handles for dinner/dessert.

Photo: My Ice Cream Cone

My black raspberry, chocolate chunk was so good. Dinner and dessert all wrapped into one.

I will have to remember the dinner/dessert option for a meal. It was delightful.

Have a happy Monday…sending hugs.

Love you. Me

Past Valentine’s Day

- robin

Last week, before Valentine’s Day, I went to the market. It was a regular shopping trip and I was happily gathering all the things on our list. I was leaving the produce department when I saw them……..

Photo: A new meaning for the term “Meat Market”

I honestly threw up in my mouth a little bit. Has anyone ever seen this before? Is it just me who thinks that it is kind of creepy?

I hope that you had a great Valentine’s Day….did you perhaps have steak for dinner?

Love you. Me

Breakfast

- robin

This morning, one of the “regulars” (a squirrel) came for a drink after his breakfast. We have two that hang around the picnic table and bird bath, better known as the watering hole.

Photo: A Day without orange juice is like a day without sunshine.

Our dear friends in Manchester, UK have taught us so much about squirrels. Larry and I both now take time to appreciate them, where before we took them for granted.

The squirrel above is un-named, but his friend who comes on a regular basis, is called No Tail. I will try to get his picture soon. We believe that no tail lost his tail in a cat-fight. Poor guy.

Have you had your breakfast this morning?

Love you. Me

Snow Moon

- robin

It is finally sunny outside today. After the clouds and rain, I am happy to see the sun! (I hope that it is sunny where you are today)

Our full “Snow Moon” was hidden this past Wednesday because of very bad storms.

But…..last night Larry and I were coming home from the Symphony, look what we saw.

Photo: View from the driveway -snow Moon 2022

Upon arriving home, we stood in the drive-way holding hands while looking up at the moon. It was magical.

Last night our evening had been wonderful. The Dallas Symphony performing…..Tchaikovsky Pathétique. Of course I was in awe already because of the music and then enjoying the full moon was perfection.

This past week had been some-what of a dud for me. Some days are difficult, but I am staying positive and keeping busy. (a new painting is sketched out!) Not to mention Larry and I have a super busy weekend. It feels like almost everyone we know was born this week. I don’t mind though, because I adore birthdays. LOVE THEM.

Have a great weekend, enjoy all special moments and share your love.

Love you beyond the Snow Moon.

Me

A New Book

- robin

For some unknown reason, I have slowed down tremendously on my daily reading. I mean to take thirty minutes here and there to read and relax, but get distracted easily and end up doing something else.

Yesterday I finished a book that I had been reading for ages. It was written by a friend of mine and I loved it and I loved the characters, but I just took too long in getting through it.

Because I finished a book in the afternoon, I started a new book last night. It is a real book, not on my Kindle. Becoming Mrs Lewis.

AMAZON WRITES: When poet and writer Joy Davidman began writing letters to C. S. Lewis—known as Jack—she was looking for spiritual answers, not love. Love, after all, wasn’t holding together her crumbling marriage. Everything about New Yorker Joy seemed ill-matched for an Oxford professor and the beloved writer of The Chronicles of Narnia, yet their minds bonded over their letters.

Embarking on the adventure of her life, Joy traveled from America to England and back again, facing heartbreak and poverty, discovering friendship and faith, and against all odds, found a love that even the threat of death couldn’t destroy.

In this masterful exploration of one of the greatest love stories of modern times, we meet a brilliant writer, a fiercely independent mother, and a passionate woman who changed the life of this respected author and inspired books that still enchant us and change us. Joy lived at a time when women weren’t meant to have a voice—and yet her love for Jack gave them both voices they didn’t know they had.

At once a fascinating historical novel and a glimpse into a writer’s life, Becoming Mrs. Lewis is above all a love story—a love of literature and ideas and a love between a husband and wife that, in the end, was not impossible at all.~

“Becoming Mrs Lewis” has been in my book stack for ages. I started it last evening while Larry was exercising and could not put it down….I am a fan of C.S. Lewis and I’m holding my breath as I do not want any of my thoughts about Mr Lewis to be debunked while reading “Becoming Mrs Lewis”.

This morning, Larry is in his office working, it is cold and rainy here at The Cottage. Perhaps it is the perfect time to go curl up and read?

What are YOU reading? Perhaps Robin Toujours should start a book list?

Love you beyond the Moon.

Me

What If……

- robin

What if…you gave someone a lottery ticket and they won! What would you expect out of the winnings?

What if someone gave you a lottery ticket that won? Would you share?

As always, please leave your thoughts in the comment section below so everyone can enjoy todays What If…(a weekly interactive post)

Love you beyond the moon. Me

A Valentine Hangover

- robin
Photo: By robin, London~Kensington Palace

For Valentines Day, Larry took me to afternoon tea at the Dallas Arboretum. We had the best time being together and visiting. (the photo above was taken a few years ago in London, and it is my favorite “tea” shot ever)

By the time I took the above photo, we had enjoyed our main course and were well into the dessert tray. It was delicious.

My bread had a “heart” in it……I hope that you can see it.

Then we came home and enjoyed dessert again. What else is Valentine’s Day for? Sharing the love and eating as many sweets as you can manage. I love Valentines Day.

I gave up caffeine over a year ago and yesterday, after three different teas, (a cup or two each) I was wired. Wired. Today I still feel shaky and anxious. A tea hangover. Who would have known?

It was a lovely day. The sun was out and it felt almost like spring. Confession: I am GLAD that all of the sweets are finally our of the house. Caffeine too! It is time to get things back to normal. How are you today? Do you have a Valentine hangover?

Love you beyond the moon. Me

Love Being The Important Word

- robin
Photo: Sunday Dinner and a Movie…Valentine dessert

I have to admit it. I love Valentines Day. Red hearts everywhere, cards, balloons, flowers! There is the promise of love, like or friendship somewhere in the day. Whether you like the day or not, please concede that the energy is mostly positive?

Larry proposed to me on Feb 14, 1977. At a lake in Richmond, Va, he asked me to share his life with him. To be asked to share someone’s life is huge. Utterly overwhelming.

It was on a Monday afternoon and he had flown from Memphis Tennessee to spend the weekend with me. Perhaps it was the most wonderful day of my life. He was asking me to to be with him forever. I never answered him. I only hugged him.

That was 45 years ago, but it feels like 45 days.

So many people do not like Valentines day. It reminds them of heart ache, abusive relationships and negative energy. I don’t blame them. If it had not been for Larry, I would never have escaped the abuse in my life and then I would have been one of those unhappy people who hate Valentines Day.

Valentines day is not just for lovers. It is for anyone who loves us, or whom we love. LOVE being the important word. Maybe, during this day, you can tell someone that you love them….

I love you. Me