Robin

Mothers Blue Eyes

- robin

I always knew that I wanted children. I just wanted them. Boys, girls, one or five. When Larry and I had been married a few years and nothing was happening in the baby department, I went to a wonderful DR. {I had a miscarriage before changing DRs.}

STILL nothing happened. It was then when we were put on fertility drugs. {in 1981 this was a big deal} I was pregnant right away after the fertility treatments.

My parents were thrilled. My sisters could not wait to have a niece or nephew. Larry and I just grinned.

My mother knew that the church was very important in our lives….so she approached me. She asked if we had plans on having the baby Baptized. She knew the answer before asking, she just was being polite.

She then asked if she could make the Baptism dress. It was a generous and sweet offer. We said, yes. Please.

Mother just planned the dress {for a boy or a girl} not bothering me with details.

When Baby Lauren was born, she presented the Baptism dress to us. It was stunning. Hand made out of the softest lawn fabric and cotton eyelet.

Here is Lauren in the dress, the day after her Baptism…..

Photo: Lauren Baptism 1981

Below, Jamison also wore the dress. Here is the photo taken the day after her Baptism.

Photo: Jami Baptism 1984

The reason I am sharing this is, I found the Baptism dress yesterday. It was in a drawer in the room where the tree fell into the roof. It had remained there during all of the awful restoration. It makes me sad to think that I had forgotten it. It is a little messy.

It is still wrapped in the blue tissue Mother had put it in. So many memories flood back to me just holding the dress in that blue tissue.

Photo: Baptism Dress. Made by Grace Stevenson 1981

It looks pink in the photo, but it is still white. It is wrinkly, but still so soft. My Mother sewed each stitch of this dress. I love the memories, I love what this dress represents. Even if no other baby ever wears this beautiful dress, the memories I have will fill my heart.

Larry suggested that we take it to the dry cleaner and have it cleaned up and preserved similar to how they preserve wedding dresses. Maybe one day, a baby will come along who needs a hand made Baptism dress.

Memories tug at our souls. We live through the happiness and sadness these memories bring, vowing to find something good in each memory. The week that the tree came through our roof….I was diagnosed with breast cancer for the second time. I was sad and distracted. I forgot many things that week, besides the Baptism dress. That makes me so sad…..but when I hold the dress, in the blue tissue I can almost see Mothers blue eyes. That is one of the best memories of all.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

Dun, Dun, Dunnnnnn

- robin

Last year, Larry and I “happened” to be at our Granddaughters school during ART Show. I took the photo below while Matilda was having fun with friends. I have been going through old photos and old memories…

Photo: My favorite girl

The image makes me happy. You can see Matilda’s fingers at the side of the painting…and it reminds me of the silly, spooky kids TV shows from years ago, where someone would hide behind a masterpiece painting and their eyes would follow you around the room. The music would be dun, dun, dunnnnn.

Have a wonderful day.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me.

Just Dinner Together

- robin

Yesterday was another gloomy day. I tried to create a new rice pudding recipe for the Crock pot. FAIL! Because of the milk/rice/starch ratio. I tried to work on the oil painting. FAIL! Because of the bad lighting in my work room.

I rested all afternoon. {and knitted while I watched TV}

Last evening, around sunset, we went to dinner with the executive chef for one of Larry’s clients. It is always fun to go to dinner with Chefs. They have so much knowledge. It is VERY unlike visiting with someone who thinks that they are a chef/foodie, just because they like to eat.

Photo: Sunset in Plano

We picked Chef Raul up at his hotel and drove the short distance to our favorite Italian restaurant. Traffic was crazy, the streets were wet and dinner? Dinner was delicious.

Raul is in town to perfect a new menu for the restaurant. I loved hearing about process, and ingredients. It was like talking to an ARTist about a new creation.

Photo: Larry and Chef Raul

It was not a late evening. Everyone was tired. Dinner was perfect and the conversation was lively. How does a medium ARTist be inspired by a Food ARTist like Chef Raul? Just have dinner together.

What inspires you?

Love you beyond the moon.

Me.

A Late Birthday Gift

- robin

I usually buy Larry’s birthday while we are away for thanksgiving each year. This year, since the trip was postponed, I never gave him a proper gift.

Until yesterday. Our Sunday dinner was planned, dessert was made and in the freezer but I was feeling restless and suggested that we go to one of my favorite Antique Malls in Dallas to just stroll through. Larry thought that it was a good idea. We bundled up and off we went.

I found Larry’s late birthday gift there. It is a painting, by a French ARTist, dated 1975 and it is a painting of Paris. Montmarte to be exact. It is old, charming and Larry loved it.

Photo: Larry propped his birthday painting on the chess board.

The ARTist signed the canvas back and dated it. Charming.

I am not sure where he is going to hang it. {in his office?} But he loves it and finally he has a birthday gift.

Birthdays are always so special, but getting a late gift keeps the celebration going. When is your favorite persons birthday?

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

The Other Side

- robin

I am here. I have come out on the other side.

And I am still here.

Starting in early October, the journey has been difficult and memorable.

With the help of many amazing people,

I am moving forward with a very good prognosis.

You checked on me, sent cards and prayed.

So many amazing people.

I need to rest and recover from “treatment”,

looking forward to 2020, getting back in shape and most of

all…living my best life.

Photo: Candy Shoppe at the Dallas Arboretum

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

In Honor Of Our Country: Elizabeth’s Stormy Liberty

- robin

On September 11th, 2001 Larry had just left for meetings in Tyler Texas when the first airplane hit the Twin Towers. No one knew exactly what was happening. I was watching Good Morning America and Charlie Gibson was stoic.

Air traffic stopped, TV reports were all over the place and we all were in a state of shock.

The hate that created this event is beyond my scope of understanding. Even today, all these years later. My heart hurts for the victims, their familys and for our country.

The summer before 9/11, I had been talking about Pug dogs. A lot. Larry said no. Jami said she wanted a Golden Retriever and Lauren said, just get a dog.

It happened exactly one week after the devestating attack on our country. We { Larry, Lauren, Jami and I all went} met the man I had been talking to, who had a litter of 7 pugs {from the same litter} ready for adoption.

That is the night we met Libby and brought her home. I held her on my lap when awful storms started. Bad, nasty, Texas storms. We did not have anything at the house for a puppy…and in the rain, we took our new family member to the pet store.

Our Community was still in shock after the 9/11 attacks and all they needed was to see was a pug puppy walking around the store. Libby was popular that night. While it rained outside and our country mourned.

That evening in the car {in the rain}, we named our pug girl.

Her AKC name is Elizabeth’s Stormy Liberty. Libby for short. In honor of our counrty and the stormy night that she came home to the cottage. I held her in my lap all evening and she slept on our bed that night.

All was well.

Photo: My first photo shoot with Libby

Love you beyond the moon.

Me

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

THE Anniversary Card

- robin
Photo: THE Anniversary card {card one}

Larry and I love greeting cards so much that for a very long time we did not exchange them. {we did not like throwing them away} Then….one year I gave him a card. The one above. That was in 2005. He loved the card so much that we just kept re-signing it each year till it was full of notes.

I told him that I would buy a ribbon and add a card and we could treat it as one card. That is what we have done all of these years.

Photo: THE Anniversary card {card two}
Photo: THE Anniversary card {card three}

At our anniversary dinner this year, after reading all of the sweet messages, Larry announced that THE Anniversary card was full. Again. I agreed that it was full and to be honest, I hated thinking about finding number four card to be inserted in the anniversary card. But then, Larry said it. Lets use Aggies card!

In the mail on our anniversary, there was the BEST card from Aggie. {Aggie is Mothers first cousin}

Aggie always remembers us. She is a prolific card sender/letter writer. I adore her so much and her communications always make me smile and feel family.

Below is Aggies anniversary card …and now it is part of THE Anniversary card. I love it!

Photo: THE Anniversary card. Aggies card makes number four.

It is becoming our anniversary mini book. The notes to each other span quite a few years. It always makes me happy. Now it will be put away till next August.

Aggie, thank you for the wonderful card and now being part of the tradition. Your card fit perfectly into the ribbon.

Next year, Larry and I celebrate year 43. I love him so much. Why is time going by so fast?

***

Then on Sunday. We had chores to do, visited Jamison and took her dogs to the dog park. It was the best day…

Sunday dinner and a movie conisisted of….Jimmy Johns Frenchie sandwiches. I had made pizza dough but did not feel like making the pizzas. So Frenchies! Larry aggreed.

Photo: Sunday Dinner and a Movie
Photo: Sunday movie

We had sandwiches, chips and watched HOUSE BOAT. I love that movie so much, we own it. To love and be loved……

I hope that your weekend was nice. Oh yes, now it is good old Monday….frown face. {Laundry is swirling} Please have a good Monday. I am trying too.

Love you beyond the moon.

Me