happy

Part Of Someone’s Life

- robin

It is Wednesday, but feels like it is Thursday. This week is dragging and it is going to be 100 degrees tomorrow. It is a long, hot week. {yes, and I am still bitching about the heat}

Larry is in Baltimore for a few days. The house is very quiet. I believe that I miss Libby Pug Dog more when I am alone than any other time. Lauren and Jami are always suggesting that we rescue a senior pup. I just cannot.

My days are busy when Larry is gone. Exercise, reading and projects that take hours of non interrupted concentration. Larry distracts me in the most wonderful of ways.

Today the project is ….for a favorite cousin in PA. She is expecting her third child in December and usually reads Blog. Its ok, she can catch a single glimpse of the gift-to-be.

I have made a quilt for each of her children. Now number three, child AND quilt. I am honored.

Photo: The beginnings of a quilt

The beginning of a quilt is like a blank canvas…and once you start the quilt, it has a personality of its own. Finishing a quilt is the best….adding a binding that will become part of somones life.

When Larry is out of town, I focus on being productive instead of busy.

Happy Wednesday that feels like Thursday.

Love you beyond quilt squares.

Me

Hummingbirds and Succulent Gardens

- robin

Last week, Matilda gave us a gift. It is very special. Larry and I have spent the week oohing and aahing over the special gift.

Photo: Painting by Matilda Miller {7 years old} 2019

The painting is titled “Hummingbird At The Beach”…. It is so amazing and I could not love it more even if it was a Matisse. The Hummingbird is my favorite part.

There is just something special about Matilda’s perspective.

Yesterday was warm. Our usual hot, oppressive,summer weather has not arrived yet. I am not complaining though.

A few weeks ago, I saw a planter at Kroger. I loved it. I hated it and left it on the rack of plants by the door. I must have passed that planter 4 more times before I grabbed it. It was tired and over watered. The foliage was broken and sad.

The funny planter has been hanging in the back garden for almost a week now. I am so in love with it.

Photo: The Succulent Planter

The planter is growing, blooming and seems happy. I have no idea why someone planted an Airplane Plant in the middle of a succulent garden, but so far all, everyone is happy.

The textures in this garden mesmerize me. I stand at the kitchen window and just look at it.

Photo: Close-up of the blooms
Photo: Close-up of the Rosary Plant

I love the Rosary plant so much. It has so much personality. I did not get a photo, but the planter has a plant in it known as A String Of Pearls. Larry has informed me that it is growing and the string is getting longer. I will have to get pictures soon.

I love pearls. Real ones and plant ones.

Have a happy, day!

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Yesterday and Today’s Post

- robin

Below you will find the post I wrote yesterday.

I am just adding a note to it for today…..

I am doing laundry

and

cleaning out the guest bedroom  closet.

{Piles: Throw away. Donate and keep!}

Have a lovely Monday.

Love you.

Me

Photo: My Paris view while drinking hot chocolate. November 27th 2017

I am beyond blessed.

I know this.

My days are spent

Loving.

Traveling.

Praying.

Painting.

Creating.

Caring.

Crying.

OH!

This  list could go on for days.

****

I have a question for you.

You are in a situation where someone is disrespecting you.

Do you stay quiet while feeling like a simpering idiot

OR

do you speak up, empowering yourself

and feeling a badly for falling into the pit

of bad manners while defending yourself?

Just asking.

***

I am blessed and loved BEYOND the moon.

Please do not make me  feel guilty

because you are unhappy and angry.

People that do that cannot be in my life.

Sorry.

Me

Organic Moments At The Sea

- robin

Larry and I are home from Florida.

It was beautiful and  I needed the sea.

{this weeks song is based on my trip}

Organic moments in the water were as  refreshing as a massage.

My Larry’s company hosted a costumer event

and

I tagged along.

We rented cabana #14.

 

I loved cabana time.

 

When Larry went to the elevator, I could see him from our room.

{on a rainy afternoon at the beach. I stayed in the room and read}

 

I splurged on my diet.

 

Sunset views from our room were  perfection.

Abstract days at the beach allow you to come home refreshed and happy.

Now, onward to HALLOWEEN!

BOOOOOOO!

Love you.

Me.

 

 

So Much To Say

- robin

I have an awesome post in my head.

I hope you read it. I want you to read it.

It has the perfect amount of sarcasm and rude comments.

I have so much to say! Yes, I am smiling and laughing.

You  stopped listening to my voice 20 years ago,

But the wonderful thing is, lots of other people still hear me.

Robin’s Essay

After I did not fit into my “step mothers” idea of  family,

{i looked to much like my mother?}

you all found any reason to move me out of the family.

Granted, it was Norman’s {my bio father} idea,

but you went along with it.

This is important….you went along with it,

dragging cousins and friends along with you.

They thought I did something really awful. I didn’t. You know that too.

Remember when our cousin ripped off Normans charge card

and payed for an entire semester of college with it?

Do you know it was Larry and I who talked to Norman

and made the situation ok ?

But no one did that for me.

This past month, cousins that disowned me 20 years ago,

came out of the wood work. Not to reconcile,

but for information they needed to contact “other” cousins.

How rude and disrespectful is that?

It says more about them than it says about me.

But the funny thing is

I am not hurt, I just want you to know…

That I am so much better without your dramas….

To those who follow Robin Toujours,

I apologize.

Sometimes you just have to call ignorance

when ignorance is spotted.

Me

Never Let…..

- robin

Do you ever feel like you need “fixed”?

When I ask that, I smile.

There are some things in our lives that inspire us to wonder just that.

Whenever it has happened to me,

the fixed question, in my mind, lasted about a second,

then I follow my heart.

None of us need fixed.

Never let anyone tell you that you do.

You are perfect the way you are.

Just take quiet time, follow your heart

and

you will always be happy.

I promise.

I love you beyond safety pins.

Me

{smiling, happy, Me}

The Donkey Man Day

- robin

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Every few days while in France, Larry and I play chess.

We carry the little chess set around like a couple of nerds,

looking for a bench where the view is good and we can concentrate.

One morning last week, Larry woke up talking about chess.

He wanted to go to our favorite panini place at Champs de Mars,

take wine and beat me once again at our favorite game.

At around 2-ish in the afternoon, we packed up and went to the park.

I left him at the restaurant, while I ventured off to find the perfect bench.

I found it and had his back pack so I would get out the wine glasses and prepare the chess set.

{ My OCD husband does not like to drink wine out of plastic, so we carry wine glasses}

Ok, smile and remember I did confess to being nerds.

I sat down and started digging into the back pack

and….

there was no chess set.

He did not pack the glasses either.

A few moments later he showed up with our favorite paninis in hand and two plastic cups in hand.

Laughing he said: can you believe I forgot the glasses.

I said yes: I noticed.

Waiting for him to sit down before I broke the news about the chess set.

He was smiling and happy.

Then I broke the news.

He was kind of pissed at himself. I laughed.

He was frustrated and had to drink wine out of plastic cups from the panini man.

Not to mention no chess game. {I would have won anyway}

Imagine us, in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower,

kind of bummed out.

So we drank wine with 14% alcohol,

ate the best veggie panini in Paris

and

watched the donkey man give children rides.

The donkey man circled us each time he passed.

I think that he did it on purpose.

Larry said: darn donkeys

but I personally think that he had fun like I did.

Ahhhh, another perfect day in Paris.

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Did I mention that I spilled wine on his treasured back pack?

The back pack is 30 years old…and has character.

He was a little angry when the wine spilled…

img_3425

I laughed and called it tie-dye!

It took him a few days to laugh about the donkey man day…

but, OH what a day!

Have you ever had a Donkey Man Day?

You know the kind of day I mean.

When things do not go right, but they don’t go wrong either?

Have a happy day today.

I love you beyond the moon.

Me

Orangina and Patisseries

- robin

Libby threw up on the bed very early this morning. After all of the vacation laundry I did yesterday, today was to be a non-laundry day. Insert my frown face here.

Last week, while in France, My Larry would go to the patisserie for our breakfast while I slept in. He would bring back our favorite, raisin pain. I would drink tea or diet Coke {in my new mug} and of course Larry drank Orangina while we had breakfast at the table by the window. Larry only drinks wine and Orangina while in Paris. To be honest, he is like a man possessed about Orangina. It is kind of funny.

img_3406

One day, I walked to the patisserie and took a picture of our neighborhood from the tables in front. It is a lovely area, with families and kiddos on push scooters. Happy family voices choosing bread and pastries for the day. I wish that I spoke French better than I do…

img_3377img_3407

 

After twenty years of trips to Europe, I love the feeling of home. My appreciation for life is magnified during and upon return from any trip for me.

This past year was not a happy one for our family. My view of some people is somewhat jaded. The good news is, My favorite color is green and I adore Jade….going away was once again a blessing for us. Being away. Not thinking about how hurtful people can be and how a lovely family can be fractured by the actions of one outsider.

I am happy. Larry is awesome. We are ready for busy holiday weekends and remembering that the the joy of this season  is because of love and forgiveness.

Love and Forgiveness.

Love you.

Me