Big Shoes to fill

We found him! Every now and then I think about Paul Bunyan--the statue I remember from my childhood. I grew up in north Portland (the corner of Fiske and Harvard for anyone familiar with the place) and I have many great memories from that time. We moved away when I was 13 to the "dry" side of the state. I love to go back to my old neighborhood, it's great to visit the past--everything is so much smaller! What's the deal?! All except Paul, Paul is as big as I remember him! We use to go eat at a restaurant near here and I was always so entranced by Paul, I loved him. I remember begging my folks to go see Paul. I haven't been back to that sight since we moved away (1973-37yrs!) so I looked it up online and found the directions, and sure enough there was Paul, waiting for me! "Hi Rebecca, glad to see you made it back, I'm still just standing here watching the sights of Portland as they go by" (if he could talk, I'm sure he would say something like that). He was erected in 1959 (the year of my birth--coincidence you say?) and he faces the Expo center.
The restaurant we use to go to is now a strip joint--is nothing sacred? and the MAX line zooms right pass Paul, progress must go on, but it is comforting to me to know that Paul is still standing--watching over the city of Roses!

(I don't know how to flip this picture around--sorry!)

Date Night

Okay, I'm really reaching here~the only thing I can think to write about concerning romance is the old standby...Date Night. Mr Robinson and I have been trying to incorporate this habit back into our lives, and it has been fun. We don't have real exciting ideas, but were working on it. We went for dessert one night, and spent most of the night just looking for a place that had pie..difficult to find, but memorable. One week we checked out a famed restaurant--supposedly served the best Reuben sandwich--not by my standards--but we could use that one for a while-looking for the best Reuben-sounds yummy! This week I think it will involve antique jewelry and Paul Bunyan hmmm..(I'll report back).
The main idea is to get out there and spend time together doing something fun and possibly unusual, something you don't ordinarily do together-building some memories along the way.

Romance continues...

Valentine's Day has come and gone and hopefully the romance has not!...gone that is! Thanks so much Katie B. for your comment about the romantic gesture your hubby made~moving from Oregon to Idaho for you! Now that's romance~making a sacrifice for a loved one!
The days here are kinda of grey and blah, doesn't make me feel too romantic or energetic. Yesterday we did have sun, so I packed a lunch and met Mr. Robinson for his 1/2 hr break, a nice little get together in the park. Sometimes romance is in the little things. For his Valentine present I had Natie take a picture of me (torturous) and framed it for his desk at work~~now he has my lovely face smiling down at him all day! This was a great sacrifice for me because I hate getting my picture taken, nothing is good enough. Can't find the right outfit, my hair is all wrong, where did those wrinkles come from--and that double chin....so I just had to get past all that and know that he would appreciate the end result, no matter what it looked like. And guess what? He did!

Your Turn

I can't read the romance book anymore...All the ideas sound sappy and gooey!! I think I am on romance overload~~so it is your turn. I would love to hear from you'all. Any ideas or thoughts on romance, or stories of some wonderful romantic thing that your spouse (or significant other) did for you in the past, or visa-versa! If you want to--comment on them here and then I will re-post them on my blog in the future. Thanks for the help!

A Penny for your thoughts...

We walked all around Vancouver yesterday (2 hrs) and I was determined to get some pic's for this blog, but I came home empty handed, so just words again today!
A lovely romantic story:
During their first date she picked up a penny from the ground and said, "A penny for your thoughts." He shared his thoughts and she paid him. (He saved the penny.) As they continued to date they often gave each other pennies as special little love tokens. One day, two years later, he presented her with two ring boxes. As she opened them he said, "A penny for your thoughts...and a diamond for your heart. Will you marry me?" AHHHHH, doesn't that just melt your heart!
I guess my idea for today is to keep on the lookout for romantic things, and soon you will notice them more and more.
Idea # 848:
"Train your subconscious mind to find romantic ideas for you. Hey, why should your subconscious mind be doing nothing but daydreaming all day long while the rest of your mind is doing all the work? Scientists say that we only use about 10 percent of our brains: This is a way to boost your brain efficiency to 25 percent or better!
Seriously, you can assign a small portion of your brain the task of being constantly on the lookout for romantic ideas. The goal is to retrain your mind to stop filtering out those ideas, and start letting them come to the attention of your conscious mind. What starts happening is that romantic articles and gift ideas will start "jumping out at you." Guaranteed."

The "L" word

Day five: Lingerie
Okay, you know I had to get to this topic sooner or later, so I might as well get it over with...Lingerie! The topic of lingerie is the one place where love, sex, and romance all come together. This is why the topic is so enticing, so sexy, so sensitive!
In his book " 1001 ways to be Romantic" Mr. Godek says "Gals: Guys really, really, really, really, really, love gals in lingerie~~ladies, regarding the sexual side of love, if you remember only one thing from this book, remember this: Men love lingerie. Thousands of men in my Romance Classes have confided or complained that having their ladies wear lingerie more often is the one thing they want intensely that their women tend to hold back on."
I know that this has been a difficult one for me, since my body image is not great, I often have a hard time feeling wonderful in lingerie...but knowing how important it is I make an effort. (That's all I'm going to say about that).
Some ideas from the book:
* Go lingerie shopping together.
* Timid about shopping in a lingerie shop? That's what catalogs are for! Have your guys mark his favorites.
* When in doubt, wear a garter belt and stockings.
* Guys: Spread out on the bed the lingerie outfit you'd like her to wear.
Happy Shopping!! (I've already done mine!)
"Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don't know how to replenish its source..." Anais Nin

Thinking of you

Not feeling too romantic today, I'm in a Vicadin haze~~I spent yesterday at the dentist because of a raging infection in a tooth that has a partly finished root canal--long story--anyway, the pain and swelling are subsiding, but I have that "dragged through a knothole backwards" feeling this morning! Tonight is "date night" so I better get with the program!
Day Four: Thinking of YOU
Ask yourself What's important to your partner--then make gestures that reflect it. Wonderful insights can be gained by asking each other quirky questions:
1. If you could be a comic strip character, who would you be?
2. If your name were to appear in the dictionary, how would you define yourself?
3. If you could create the perfect job for yourself, what would it be?
4. Who are your heroes (Fictional and real.)
5. If you had three wishes, what would they be?
6. Could you live for a year in a tent with your spouse?
7. If you could accomplish one crazy stunt that would land you in the Guinness Book of World Records, what would it be?
8. Would you rather be really smart, or really good looking?
9. If you could be a super hero, who would you be?
10. If you were Rick, in the movie Casablanca, would you have let Ilsa leave at the end?
11. What one part of your body would you like to change?
There are lots of ways to use these--like in a game for FHE, or maybe a circle journal type of thing, or emails. Just think of all the things you will learn about your lover!

Engrave upon my heart

Since I don't think anyone reads this (I'm assuming that since I never have any comments) I guess I could blog on endlessly about inane things (inane: lacking sense or substance). But I will carry on with my proposed "romance" posts, just cause I said I would!
Day Three: Engrave upon my heart
I think engraving is the most sentimental thing you can do to any gift~~whether it be jewelry or books or whatever, just engrave a sweet message or date and it suddenly becomes a treasured memento!
Such as getting your lover a wristwatch and inscribe it with: "I always have time for you." ahhhh...isn't that sweet?? See how it just pumps up the romance factor!

Remember the Sweet things

Day Two: Deliberately Go Looking
So often we can list off all the little irritating things our spouses do and say, but how many of us if asked could list the nice things they do for us each day...a little harder for some I might think (I'm thinking of me).
Ellen Greene has written a book that gave me reason to stop and think, what if I only focused on the positive and gave thanks everyday for the kind acts done by my husband...hmmm...what would happen then? Her book, "Remember the Sweet Things" is taken from journals she kept over her 20 years of marriage~a running list she kept of every kind, thoughtful gesture-no matter how small-her husband, Marsh, did for her during their years together. "It is a beautiful meditation on love and life, and an affirmation of the power of gratitude."
You can see an excerpt in February's issue of Hallmark magazine, or go to hallmark.com to see more-a link to Ellen's blog and more. (Have tissue handy).
As I read some of the simple things he did, I was so touched by his devotion, but even more so by her gratitude at writing them down. They may have been simple things, but by her making the effort to put them down on paper to be remembered they became more~~great acts of love, collected one at a time.
So I resolve to deliberately go looking for those small and sweet things that my husband does for me everyday...so far a funny and sweet email from work this morning!

Romance

I have been reading up on romance, "Romance , you see, is the expression of love. Romance brings love alive in the world. Without romance, love is a sweet but empty concept"~~ so in preparing for Valentine's Day I thought I would share some tidbits with everyone (the vast audience who reads my blog). These are taken from the book "1001 ways to be Romantic" by Gregory J.P. Godek. I will try to post one good idea a day for the month of February!!
Day 1: Love Letters
A well-crafted love letter will bring a sigh to your lover. Love letters also make treasured keepsakes. Many people feel uncomfortable or silly when attempting to write a real love letter. Some think it's not cool to express their true/passionate/insecure feelings. Maybe you'd feel more comfortable if you could only see someone else's love letters, huh? How about a selection from an unabashed love letter from Napoleon Bonaparte to Josephine De Beauharnais:
"I wake filled with thoughts of you. Your portrait and the intoxicating evening which we spent yesterday have left my senses in turmoil. Sweet, incomparable Josephine, what a strange effect you have on my heart!"
I'm swooning!
I also love the letters written by the prophet Joseph Smith to his wife Emma, while they are not particularly "romantic" they melt my heart with the love and feeling they posses: "Remember that I am a true and faithful friend to you and the children forever. My heart is entwined around yours forever and ever. Oh, may God bless you all." You can find more of these in the Relief Society manual for this year "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith" lesson #20.
What a special gift it would be to have a sweet letter to look back on, or for our grandchildren to have to remember their romantic grandparents. I have some letters written by my parents during WW II, I love to see the pet names they had for each other!
So get busy and write!!