romance me

Lovely lady

I am at your feet

God I want you so badly

I wonder this

Could tomorrow be

So wonderous as you there sleeping

Let's go drive 'til morning comes

Watch the sunrise

To fill our souls up

Drink some wine 'til we get drunk

It's crazy I'm thinking

Just knowing that the world is round

Here I'm dancing on the ground

Am I right side up or upside down

Is this real or am I dreaming?

Lovely lady

Let me drink you please

I won't spill a drop, I promise you

Lying under this spell you cast on me

Each moment

The more I love you

Crush me

Come on

Lovely lady

I will treat you sweetly

Adore you

I mean

You crush me

You know I mean to tell you

All the things I've been thinking

Deep inside

My friend

With each moment

The more I love you

Crush me

Come on

Lady

Now that is a romantic love song and my all time favorite by the fantastic Dave Matthews.  Whew.  My knees are weak.  He gets it.  Women need to be desired, cherished, loved and accepted, as is.  Ditto for men.  Here's the scenario.  Soft candle lights glowing, soothing music playing.  A warm bath waiting.  A nice bottle of wine and a promising evening of simple delights.  One version is dressing up and hitting the night on the town with dinner and dancing (or a movie) and another is, after being caressed by the luxurious bath, put on a comfy robe and sit by a cozy fireplace with the one you love.  Romance is  fabulous and fanciful.  A true romantic embraces sentimental and amorous feelings. 

Hootie (Darius Rucker) gets it -"I don't need no 5 star reservations, I've got  spaghetti and a cheap bottle of wine -  but as far as I can see - I've got a roof over my head, the woman I love layin' in my bed. I've got shoes under my feet - forever in her eyes lookin' back at me - and it's alright, alright with me."  Women don't want bells and whistles all the time,  we just want a little appreciation for what we do.  It's always the simple things. When my mate makes the bed or sets up the coffee pot, puts a load in the washer, makes spaghetti or listens to me vent, that's all this woman really needs to feel noticed.  Let him see you getting dressed and accidentally, on purpose, walk out of the room with (or without) your panties on so he can peek and remind him of the goods you got - all for him.   Call him up during the day and remind him you can't stop thinking of him and can't wait for him to come home to you.  Snuggle with him when he does. Little tokens of affection can be romantic in their own right.

Did you ever watch What Women Want with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt?  We want men to LISTEN and HEAR what we have to say.  My guy is a nester, so needless to say, a top priority with him is a clean home; and he is also Polish, so a nice meal waiting for him is the highlight of his day.  This must be where the phrase the key to a man's heart is through his stomach.  Someone once mentioned we should treat our mates as we do our friends. Most of us would not belittle or deliberately use hurtful words more often than not to them.  Why do this to the most important person in our world?  It made sense to me.  I often bite my tongue, swallow my harsh thoughts and let it go.  Try it.  It works for me.  The other day my repairman was admiring the pasta dish I was in the middle of preparing and he said it not only looked, but smelled so good.  I gave him the recipe and he mentioned his wife was home and after the next call he would urge her to make the dish.  I suggested he stop at the grocery store and get the ingredients and they make the dish together.  His eyes lit up and he knew that would make her happy, plus he was guaranteed to be eating that meal. I hope he did.

Not all men care about this stuff and would rather have a woman who is more of a trophy wife, who takes the utmost care of herself so he can show her off to his business associates and friends.  If this is acceptable, then do whatever it takes to be the best you can be and offer the option of being 'their better half'. We know you're tired from working all day and appreciate your efforts to bring home the bacon so you can provide the lifestyle we are accustomed to.  Steve Harvey says men are defined by three things -    who they are, what they do and how much they make.  Three promises of love by men are to profess, provide and protect.  Three things men need to be happy are support, loyalty and the cookie.  Men feel appreciated with a woman's support, they want to be reassured of their loyalty and of course, want to connect with us, hence, they need the cookie: intimacy.

   

Women want to be wined and dined.  No doubt.  Being romantic is being flirty, displaying affection, reminiscing about past moments of joy together.  Hearing a song that reminds you of younger days and sharing the feeling.  To keep things spiced, take her to a movie, a nice dinner, give her an excuse to get all gussied up and flaunt the beauty you see in her.  Women - wear those high heels once in awhile to show off your beautiful bodacious butt and legs.  Do it for the man.  Let him know you made the effort to please him and believe me, it doesn't take much to turn a man on.  Exude confidence, our most sensual trait. I heard it all when I was the goddess in my massage business.  The one thing everyone needs, men and women, is someone to listen to them and try to be considerate and understand their feelings.  The bottom line is this - everyone wants to be appreciated.  Everyone wants to have someone make them feel like a god and goddess.  It doesn't matter if time makes our bodies bigger, just highlight your assets and let nature run its course and do the rest.

Once I watched a series on animals and their reproductive nature and it is known that a certain female gorilla's behind protrudes when she wants to attract the male.  Wearing high heels give women this same effect. The male is rendered helpless and follows this trigger to find his mate.  Let's follow their natural suggestion and wear clothes that enhance our natural beauty and shake a tail feather in front of the guys.  What have we go to lose?  It could be fun.  Let your hair down.  Be playful.  Be carefree. Bring sexy back!

I finally read the book by John Gray about six years ago, Men are from Mars, Women from Venus and kicked myself for not reading it sooner because it is loaded with tips for both men and women on how to understand how we all think and why men and women behave as we do. It makes perfect sense.  We are so different in our needs and wants and once we figure out what makes us all tick, it's easy peasy.  We are wired differently.  We cannot help it. This is how we evolved.  Think caveman.  I believe if we are considerate of each other's needs, we must not be so lazy as to disregard little gestures that may bring tremendous pleasures and boost our self-esteem.  Contrary to what people may think, men really do not want their mates to be their mother.  Let them figure things out.  They are more than capable.

I believe women have a specific need to share everything.  This is why girlfriends are so important in our lives.  We tell them every minute detail and men are really not interested in details.  They are straightforward, bottom line creatures so their indifference is really because they don't give a damn about the trite events in our lives.   Women do, and will offer the support and advice necessary to appease our issues.  We love details.  We all have our roles.  We could rid our lives of so much frustration if only we did our research and realized our differences and mostly, accept them.  No one is perfect, so compromise. Consideration is key.  Find the happy medium where most times everyone can be content.  It's not that hard.  Men usually don't do things the way we do and if we criticize them on their efforts, forget it - it's a lost cause.  Praise them for whatever they tried to do, change the baby's diaper, boil pasta, wash a load of clothes.  If they feel appreciated for their efforts, I promise, they will continue.  Of course, it will not be done as we would, but so what. Men thrive on fixing things.  They are the ultimate repairmen.  It is their essence. Another thing women need to do is learn to ask for help.  Men and kids are not mind readers.  They do not see the dust collecting on the desktop and do not care about it.  Ask them to help and then thank them for doing so.

Little efforts make a difference. The other night my hubby's hands were chapped from the cold so I personally applied a nice warm creme and massaged it in for him.  He loves soft cuddles on his head and face while we watch TV and I love a great foot massage.  It is such a small act of kindness and caring.   My son painted more rooms in his condo and set up the spare closet for his girlfriend to keep her things.  It was remarkable how much time and effort he went through while she was on vacation so she would be pleased and happy to share his place in comfort.  I am so proud of him and am confident so is she.  The best part is he was so happy just to make her happy.  He gets that from his dad, no doubt.  This little stuff applies to new couples and older farts like us as well.

Getting back to my main topic of romance.  I am a huge fan of music and exposed many clients to new venues of listening. I made a note to follow which favorite pieces enticed people and came to the conclusion that all men love Sade and Annie Lennox. Andrea Bocelli is next for everyone and so is Sarah Maclauglin. Jesse Cook and Ottmar Liebert are phenomenal for setting the romantic mood. Sade just came out with a new CD after 10 years. I can't wait to hear it. Lizz Wright is awesome and so is Chantal Chamberland. Try listening to  Torch songs by past artists such as Peggy Lee (my favorite) Etta James and Dinah Washington. People went bonkers for this stuff.  Set the mood.  Play special music.  Light the candles and fireplace.  Pour the wine and make a special treat - even if it's cereal at night.  Strawberries and chocolate are great as aphrodesiacs.  A little wine does wonders to help us relax and unwind, letting go of the day's worries.  Feel special.  Feel confident.  Feel beautiful.  Hold hands and stroll.  Be silent and enjoy the quiet, just knowing you have each other.  Laugh at his jokes.  Caress her hair.  Be together. Hold each other tight and don't let go.  We are never too young nor too old to rekindle the romance. Most of all, keep the twinkle in your eye.

And if you want to follow Lady Gaga's lead, get yourself a bad romance.  Whatever you need.

The Beatles knew the secret: the love you take is equal to the love you make. xo

to love and be loved

The heart center is the true source of human power.

The heart is the bringer of all miracles.

The heart is your connecting link to God and the universe, which integrates your own unique center of experience, awareness, and character with that which is beyond your comprehension... The heart is magnetic, silent, still.. As a magnetic center, your heart is the great generator of all your life energy, and whenever you empower your heart, you raise your energy level physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.  Within the heart you will also find clarity, resolve, steadfastness, intent, stillness, respect, justice, kindness and perceptions of greatness... The heart is the soul's gateway, both into life and beyond into eternity.  The heart is the timeless and indestructible source of all higher knowledge.  It is the one point within each person where the inner and outer forces are the same.

Love is an act of endless forgiveness. Peter Ustinov

All human actions are motivated at their deepest level by one of two emotions - fear or love. Neale Donald Walsch

Fear is the only thing standing between you and your experience of love. James Twyman

Follow life, serve the living, and fulfill your love by following the pathways that life is revealing to you.  Glenda Green

If I love with my spirit, I don't have to think so hard with my head. Peggy Cahn

Love is the ultimate answer.  Love is not an abstraction but an actual energy, or spectrum of energies, which you can "create" and maintain in your being.  Just be loving.  You are beginning to touch God within yourself.  Feel loving.  Express your love.  Love dissolves fear.  You cannot be afraid when you are feeling love.  Since everything is energy, and love encompasses all energies, all is love.

Love, love me do.  You know I love you. Beatles

Love is the power of the universe.  Love is beyond just a feeling or an orientation.  It is a dimension of intelligence and purposeful living.  Above all, it is the essence of  being.  Love heightens a person's instinct to nourish, enhance, and apply those purposes.  Love is both a way of being and also a pathway for becoming.  Love ignites life.  Love savors life and sustains faith and hope.  Even though life often brings lessons in hard packages, learning happens only when forgiveness has occurred and love is restored.  That is how you take something from the school of hard knocks and transmute it into a permanent gain for yourself.  You can then say "I don't have to do this again.  I have completed this lesson.  I know the meaning." Love brings certainty to life and when your love is clear and unpolluted with regrets or false desires, you will have the confidence to live your life with passion. Glenda Green

This is your power of influence, and you are literally impacting every aspect of your life by just being, being the love that you are.

When you lose sight of each other as sacred souls on a sacred journey, then you cannot see the purpose, the reason behind all relationships. Neale Donald Walsch

Love doesn't grow on the trees like apples in Eden - it's something you have to make.  And you must use your imagination to make it, too, just like anything else. Joyce Cary

To love is the will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth. M. Scott Peck

The purpose of relationship is not to have another who might complete you; but to have another with whom you might share your completeness. Neale Donald Walsch

All that you have to do is be the love that you are.

Seek now outside yourself, heaven is within.

All you need is love. Beatles

Live life to its fullest.

Laugh a lot.

Love yourself

 and those who need it the most. robbie xo

mother nature

Wow! Mother Nature made her mark with us yesterday in the Midwest.  She delighted us with 10" of snow that was beautiful to watch.  It came down softly and slowly throughout the day and night.  I shoveled twice during the day to keep up with it so we could get in and out of the garage safely, but we let it come down through the night so Wayne could use his mightly snowblower this morning, paving the way for us travelers to get to our destinations. 

It was so calm and serene and I let my doggies roam since no one was around and my neighbor, Dan,  thought they escaped (which they have done in the past) but they came right back home after their sojourn of sniffing the area.  Dan and I exchanged stories of the deer that hang out by our homes and get a kick out of how they frolick and are making themselves comfortable here.  It's nice to know someone looks out for our pups, for everyone knows them by their loud barks (beagle and bassets are very vocal dogs) but they are cute as the dickens.  I love how they make tracks in the backyard and everytime they go out they follow their path.  They are funny creatures.

Mother Nature presented us with another present in the form of a mild, yet widely-felt earthquake.  We slept right through it around 4:00 am which is rare, as most nights the dogs interrupt our slumber to take their potty break, but not last night.  My son, Danny, was up as usual and he mentioned the whole house shook.  I wonder if we will get another one.  It just goes to show you how strange things can occur, but mostly that we should pay more attention to the gifts Mother Earth has provided and not take them for granted.  If she gets too disgruntled with our abuse of her beauty, I have a feeling we will know her wrath sooner or later.  I noticed how beautiful the sun was shining and took a moment to thank Her for the many gifts bestowed on us; even if we complain about the cold and snow, we love our seasons in the Midwest.  It's the dreary days that get to me.  The sun is my healer.  I thrive on its beauty.

Dear God,

Please bless and protect this sacred jewel,

Our vulnerable planet so besieged.

May the rivers and the oceans and the sky and the land

All be repaired somehow, dear Lord.

May the barbarism end, which threatens to destroy our priceless treasure.

For surely the earth has been our home,

The home of our parents unto all generations.

For the sake of our children, Lord,

Save this earth.

Place in all minds a greater awe before her mysteries.

Shield her and heal her wounds,

Restore her to her former glory.

Save her, Lord, from us.

Amen.

Marianne Williamson - Illuminata

thousand beautiful things

thousand beautiful things

Every day I write the list

Of reasons why I still believe they do exist

(a thousand beautiful things)

And even though it's hard to see

The glass is full and not half empty

(a thousand beautiful things)

So

 Light me up like the sun

To cool down with your rain

I never want to close my eyes again

Never close my eyes

I thank you for the air to breathe

The heart to beat

The eyes to see again

(a thousand beautiful things)

And all the things that's been and done

The battles won

The good and bad in everyone

(this is mine to remember)

So

Here I go again

Singin' by your window

Pickin' up the pieces of what's left to find

The world was meant for you and me

To figure out our destiny

(a thousand beautiful things)

To live

To die

To breathe

To sleep

To try to make your life complete

(yes, yes)

So

Light me up like the sun

To cool down with your rain

I never want to close my eyes again

Never close my eyes

That is everything I have to say

(that's all I have to say) xo

annie lennox

tickle my fancy

What a poser! This is what Steve and Sarah did today during our monthly get together.  Janet and Sarah came for a visit to our home this time and while Janet and I caught up on things, after breakfast we went through old relics and items stored for appraisal.  She determined which pieces were precious and which to donate.  I love the pink depression glass and Leftin china. We went through tons of coins and found pre-war dimes and lots of real silver and even some gold coins.  She has a catalog on how to determine coin value so after sorting them, we will have another project.  We have a plan to get together at the Sawyer home to appraise the relics tucked away there.  Good luck with that! She wants to showcase the crystal lamp at their antique fair and thinks it could win grand championship. Cool. I have absolutely no idea what is antique and what is pretty and what is junk, so this helps me tons.  She had plenty of practice with her stuff so I'll get the advice I needed. Thanks, pal.

Poor thumper - they played you like a dolly.  And you let them!  We are going to indulge in a delicious lasagne dinner at Susan's a little later.  It's so nice to have someone else cook once in a while.  Tomorrow is our Super Bowl party here and I already bought all the goodies for guacamole and Wayne will get the burritos at Qdoba.  Go New Orleans Saints!  Regardless who wins, it promises to be an exciting game. 

I am ready for a getaway from this winter and its doldrums.  Wayne thinks he may have a business trip to San Antonio during the Ides of March so the three musketeers will get to travel for a few days.  Good, now I don't have to wait for Punta Cana to get some warmth.  I'll explore the hotels on the Riverwalk and plan our touring excursions and get excited online.  I have done this twice before for San Antonio and even if he doesn't go for work, we're going.  Foot down.  I can wait one month.

Tomorrow I get to see my sweet Obert and Carrie.  We're shopping at the Chicago Ridge Mall since he is growing so fast and I want to treat him to some cool duds.  My boys buy their own stuff so it will be fun to indulge him.  This was a really rough week but we got through it.  Everything seems to be breaking down - the washer, computer, dish washer.  Yikes.  All are fixed but the dishwasher  - the part should arrive early next week.  $42 for a little piece of plastic and $140 for service.  Rip off, but what are you gonna do? 

Hope you enjoy your weekend. xo

The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work. 

marion

This is my Great Grandma Morgan.  She lived in a small town called Marion in southern Illinois, just above the Kentucky border.  She played the piano, was mother to 8 children, tons of grandchildren and even more great grandchildren.  We visited her every summer as kids.  Our mom's family grew up in this small town where most of the homes were built by my Great Grandpa Walter Kelton (also known as Red.)  We connected with our extended cousins and had the time of our life.  Her little backyard swing was everyone's favorite and we took turns.  We picked fresh blueberries in season down the road a piece and frequented the local store, Busy Bee, at least 3 times a day.  Beaulah Morgan is my mom's maternal grandma and the Keltons were my mom's paternal relatives.  They lived one block from each other, so when the tribe went down for a visit, we all slept on their floor and toggled from house to house the whole summer.  My cousin Becky and I would perform sing-a-longs like Downtown and she actually became a little famous when performing on Barn Dance with her dad, Frank, as manager.  She had a great voice, similar to Janis Joplin, and could really belt them out.  And she did, all the time. 

These are my mom's relatives from down south but they moved to Wauconda for awhile, then Antioch, where this was taken, keeping the feeling of nature around them.  They were a hoot, let me tell you; never a dull moment with this clan.  Guitars blared everywhere and their vocals could knock you down.  The southern accent brought you back to places you could never know in the city, and they are loaded with tons of dramatic stories.  Who needs a soap opera?  Just listen to some of the stories about our people.

When we visited the Keltons, it was a whole different world, yet the same.  They adored their preacher and food was a constant in their lives.  I remember Grandpa Kelton eating pork and drinking iced tea every day and Aunt Rachael made breakfast that always included gravy and biscuits.  We would pick string beans from their garden and prepare them for our meals.  Every home graced a glazing ball in the front yard and when our local nursery began selling them I had to get one just to have that remembrance of Marion. Our site-seeing adventures included numerous visits to Fern Cliff which offered a beautiful place for enjoying Mother Nature.  I was told our great- great grandpa lived in a little shack in these preserves.

When I was a teen I decided to take the train to visit them in Marion and continue on to Carbondale to see my cousin, Deena, who attend Southern University.  I spent the weekend with her getting acclimated to college life before making my decision to attend. Translation: frequenting the local bars.  My Great Grandpa Kelton drove me around town and I have never been on a more daring ride in my entire life.  He hit every curb and you could hear the folks yelling down the road 'look out, here comes Walter!'  I survived... barely.  When Mike was a toddler we made the pilgrimage to show Grandpa Kelton our little darling and he couldn't get over how big he was. Wayne and I still recall how he would hold our son and say "what a fine youngin' he is." He lived to be 100 years old. This is a story of my roots.  I am grateful for my good genes.

Sometimes a person has to go back, really back -- to have a sense, an understanding of all that's gone to make them -- before they can go forward.

Glorify what you are today, yet do not condemn what you were yesterday, nor preclude what you could be tomorrow. xo

bass lake

Give me a B

Give me an A

Give me an S

Give me another S

What's that spell?

BASS

BASS LAKE!

(hooting and hollering heard throughout the cottage)

My family of 10 spent spent our childhood summers at this cottage.  One of my dad's business associates owned this little haven in Indiana and he was kind enough to rent it to us for our annual getaway.  It was one of the original cottages built on this fine lake that offered solice from the hussle and bussle of city life.  The kids doubled and tripled up in the bedrooms made of cedar and the front porch had a swing and a gorgeous view of the lake.  Mom would take time to make sure we never went hungry with her delicious barbeques and lots of deli sandwiches.  Food was found everywhere in her kitchen.  I have fond memories of waking up super early with my dad and sitting with him at the edge of the sandbar near the water, just reflecting on how peaceful it was while the sun rose.  We sipped coffee and said nothing, just enjoyed the quiet silence of the new day upon us. 

During the day we would take a ride to the local store and shop for water wings or little rafts for our water sports and sometimes a neighbor would arrive with their pontoon boat and we would take a relaxing spin on the lake.  Once I tried to get off too soon near the shore and fell under the boat.  Someone saved me for here I am writing about it.

In the early years the cottage was filled with just our immediate family.  Then Aunt Diane, Uncle Bill and Cindy became a member of the bass lake club and joined us.  Later we would bring our boyfriends and girlfriends and close friends to join us in this delightful experience. Many of us would take naps after a morning of sunning and get ready for round two at night.  This was the most fun for the elders would whip out their guitars and jam away, singing their hearts out.  Their harmonies were fabulous and oftentimes Uncle Bill would serenade us with old country folk songs that had us cracking up.  Mom and Diane provided the harmony and it was a concert.  One particular night is held captive in my memory.  Everyone was laughing and joking and feeling pretty good after the beers we all downed and Dad starts strumming the Jesus Christ Superstar song At Gethsemene.  The whole cottage was silent and solemn and you could hear a pin drop.  Then one by one everyone left the front porch to go to bed or outside for awhile.  In an instant he changed the tone of the night. We never let him forget that. 

Another favorite was when he mowed the grass.  Now this was a huge lot of land and Dad never, I repeat, never, mowed a lawn at home.  When we witnessed this, I think at least a few of us heard the earth shake.  Then he caught a fish and reminded us that he is indeed a fisherman among us.  I inherited his fair skin, and boy would he get red, then load himself up with lotion all night.  And he always had his supplies with him - alcohol and various ointments, including mosquito spray.  Mom loved shopping at the antique joints just to browse at the old artifacts.  She had quite an eye for garden trinkets and often found the most unique things to bring home as souvenirs. 

It's funny how a place located less than 2 hours from home could feel a world away.  A few years ago Wayne and I drove back to the area for Carrie's mom's wake and stopped by the old Bass Lake Cottage and I was compelled to talk to the owners.  The current owner is a relative of the one who worked with my dad, since he passed on, but I was able to thank them for all the memories and admire how they remodeled that cute little cottage into a year-round home for themselves.  As I stood outside talking with them, my heart filled with emotion for all the times spent with my family at this wondrous place.  It was simple, yet it held an abundance of joy for us.  A wonderous bonding haven.

I am confident these memories were responsible for our decision to purchase a summer home on Lake Delavan so we could provide similar memories for our boys.  We were there for six years -  year round -  and it did the trick.  We did not have the joy of my whole family as we did at Bass Lake, but we had the company of our new and old friends to pass the time.  I always said people who live near a lake are the most pleasant.  No worries, just a lot of calm and serenity. 

This is the porch room at the Delavan home where we learned to relax.  I will write about this destination another time, but it came alive thanks to our past at Bass Lake. 

To look backward for awhile is to refresh the eye, to restore it, and to render it the more fit, for it's prime function of looking forward.

Home is where the heart is. xo