RobFTC

Sure - quite a nice lady who liked Celtic music (she used to be a competitive Scottish dancer, even). I got excited about someone I met locally and put her on hold, and when Ms. Local went squirrely, Ms. Dancer was occupied with someone else. There were others who were good possibilities, and a few road apples. Take care, Rob T

Nope, I did not think of oregano, but of course that makes sense. Next time! Take care, Rob T

I got some boneless leg of lamb to roast for Easter, and I was really thinking about taking it in a Greek garlic-and-lemon direction. It was merely OK - I should have asked here first to see if anyone had a recipe. One of the things I really miss about Vancouver, Canada is the number of truly great Greek restaurants Take care, Rob T

Is anyone up? Chat is getting busier! Take care, Rob T

It's odd reading all this from my point of view. I am likely open to moving - in four years when my girls are off to college. It depends on where they are, exactly - if someone chooses CSU in town, I would hang out awhile longer. But I don't really want to move where they go, I would tend to choose a place based on my own biases. A settled relationship would clearly change things, but ... Take care, Rob T

Hi Helen, Many hugs. I know what that hurt is like. No platitudes, but I hope things ease off for you. You have survived 100% of your days so far, so I would just hope that can continue. Take care, Rob T

Sigh, what a sad state of affairs. Firstly: they have earned your distrust, so you should certainly feel free to have no contact with them. At any point, if you want to be done with them, you can be. You are right to wonder if these are people you can trust again, and like you say, you wonder if they would stay in your lives if you let them. Secondly: you're right to wonder if it would be good for you or your kids to be in touch with them. If you feel like it is your choice to extend them this grace (grace since they have NOT earned this), I would advise moving cautiously. Visits in public places and a friend present to support you would not be out of line if you feel you need the safety. If they earn your trust, cool. Thirdly: if I was in your shoes, I would not be able to easily look past some of the bad things that have happened. Yelling at you, negative comments on social media, and such would be something I would have to talk to them about before things got very far. That could well cause another blow up. If they see the error of their ways, cool. You're probably not close enough to anyone to know their real motives. Whatever your path, I hope it goes well! Take care, Rob T

Last night, I was there. Hugs, @TooSoon. Take care, Rob T

You really can't make this stuff up! A memorable one: talked to someone on POF without a photo, and she gave me her cell number to send them that way (a bit in reverse, but whatevs). I texted a "Hi. how are you?". She replied with a couple of photos in the evening, while I was shuttling girls and getting them off to bed. She waited about ten minutes and said, "I take that as a No?". I replied when I could, saying I wondered if she might be a lot more conservative than me and what did she think about that. She replied late with, "I'm not sure what you mean, you must be a Lutheran" (as was she). I missed that text due to this thing called "going to bed", and then as I was getting up the next morning (6:05am!), I got another text: "You're far from my type anyways!!!!!! Your loss :-)". She should be on a poster about patience being a virtue. Take care, Rob T

Many of your friends would think Claire Danes wasn't attractive? I hae me doots, laddie :-) Attraction is highly idiosyncratic, a little fluid, and usually amusing. I do need that spark, but I am anything but vanilla in what traits and features bring that to me in a woman. A few particular things (ahem!) are pretty much always interesting, but other than that, I think I only know when I meet someone in person and get a feel for them as a whole. That's one of the reasons I don't like texting, aside from my death-by-text experience last fall. I do kind of have a closely-guarded mental list of the things I like best, which is amusingly self-contradictory. I do think that people can become more beautiful as you get to know and like them, but that usually happens when I get to know someone as a friend first. I also remember how for some time after I split with my serious first girlfriend that others with her body shape got my attention as they had not before. Take care, Rob T

I did, and a friend request. We'll see how it goes, eh? Take care, Rob T

Yes, I decided to do that, still felt a little stalker-ish, but it's for a good cause :-) Take care, Rob T

Of course, now I want to get Kim on the board. I think I found her Facebook page, but I'm uncertain about how a friend request from a strange guy from another country would look. Who has PEI connections here? Take care, Rob T

This is cool - Travis Hamonic is a good guy. http://www.cbc.ca/player/News/TV%20Shows/The%20National/Only%20in%20Canada/ID/2661585850/ Take care, Rob T

Oh Marian, what a great song to quote - I love Kate and Anna McGarrigle, and found them through Linda Ronstadt's cover on my favorite album of the early 70s. I got addicted to "Heart Like A Wheel" from my sister's 8-track first, I think. I've been able to sing "Faithless Love" well for well over 30 years now. BTW, the tune to The Water Is Wide is likely very old, but these guys make a strong case that the song as we know it was a novel coupling of some older themes in 1906: http://www.justanothertune.com/html/wateriswide.html . You're right about Celtic love songs being bleak - a high body count seems de riguer. There are a few genuinely sweet ones, though - "Red Is The Rose" and "Tiree Love Song" come to mind. @wheelerswife Maureen, I think we have absconded with your thread, sorry! Take care, Rob T

Yes @calimom, that's from "The Water Is Wide", not as old as I would have thought (I saw 1906). Maybe I will sing that at @Mokie 's widda bistro open mike. Take care, Rob T

Do you ever get the idea that you're just running a big ol' hampster wheel, wondering what it will take for something to change? I have lots of change I would like to make happen. Figure out a new path at work. Pick up (or replace) my guitar. Actually date someone. OK, so sometimes you can't get what you want, I get it. But that's time for growth, right? That's undetectable at the moment. If God has a plan, I guess it's a surprise. BTW, please nobody ever hold a surprise party for me, mmmkay? Weather is better, and I am getting more exercise. But my sleep is crappier than it was most of the winter. Go figure. Take care, Rob T

Is that an open mike in the corner? My other musical outlet has dried up kind of a lot at the moment. For a drink, I could go for a good tequila sunrise - I regret I bought the cheap orange liqueur last time. Take care, Rob T

Music has been the thing that I can always get a rope around. I talk to myself so much about music these days I wonder if anyone would read a blog with my musical thoughts. Just don't compare me to @Gracelet :-) Speaking of which ... a pertinent song starts at 0:54. I wish you could hear the studio version (right @smabify? ) Take care, Rob T

It would sell well, and I wonder 1) who gets the movie rights? and 2) who should play you? :-) Take care, Rob T

... if you take your car keys out of your pocket before a bike ride, and then later want go to the store in said car, but can't get why the pushbutton start is not cooperative (this happened today and once last weekend!) Take care, Rob T

July is easier for me, as all are out of school. Take care, Rob T

Massive hugs, PJ. I hear you about the need to move (again, sigh). I was surprised you mentioned Arizona - what does that contingency look like? I expect that you can readily prevail in getting back into being the lead adult in your daughter's life - realizing that "if push comes to shove" is exactly what you would like to avoid. It sounds like you need to be near your sister and daughter in order to have the face-to-face conversations you appear to need, and the legal conversations should it come to that. Assuming your daughter wants you more fully in her life, you just need to be there (maybe renting?). I know you don't want your daughter in the middle, but doesn't she need to know that you want to be there, want you AND your sister to be part of her daily life, and that you are trying to work that out with your sister but it's not going so well? I would hate for her to be surprised if things go sideways, and this is about her. I worry that it sounds like you might wait for your sister's input before moving - that would be handing her a de facto brake or veto. I don't know if it is helpful for you to set a deadline, and I *really* don't know if communicating that deadline to your sister would be helpful. I wonder if you can change your communication pattern. You're kind of begging her to answer you, and she gets to withhold a response. Instead, I wonder how it would go if you proceed with the move and simply inform her of what's going on - asking no questions whatsoever. Then she can chase you! I know moving presents a downside risk of being in a new place with your daughter without your sister's support, but I don't know if you can properly negotiate all of that from a distance, either. It's a ridiculous situation, and your sister should be acting differently. But your actions are the only ones you can control. Take care, Rob T

... if you set your drink down and lose it for ten minutes, wondering if God is trying to tell you something ... if you make a cup of coffee and completely forget about it for hours (today was only 15 minutes, though!) ... if you completely forget to pay property taxes until you clean your desk weeks later, and then have a rough time figuring out the penalty Take care, Rob T

We have some wids here on a mad Saturday night, if anyone is game. Take care, Rob T