Skip to main content

For the Birthday Boy

Join me in wishing Young Dive a happy birthday today. It's not just any birthday—it's his 50th. I trust Mum and brother Full will help to make it a special day on behalf of all of us too far away to do anything but offer our best wishes.

It's also the birthday of Robert Louis Stevenson. He fell in love with an unhappily married woman and pursued her from Europe to California where he nearly died because the journey was such a strain on his already frail health. The woman was divorced by the time he got there, so they married and moved back to Scotland. While playing with his stepson, Stevenson drew a map of an imaginary island and used it as inspiration to write Treasure Island.

From Stevenson's A Child's Garden of Verses, and a wish for Dive's happiness:

The world is so full of a number of things,
I'm sure we should all be as happy as kings.

Comments

dive said…
Hee hee.
Thank you, Robyn.
And happy birthday R.L.Stevenson. I've got some catching up to do if I want to follow his example and marry and American babe and retire to a desert island.
Happy Birthday to both indeed.
savannah said…
your blue earrings were my lucky ones during the move, sugar!!! xoxox
Happy Birthdasy to Dive!!

May he fall in love with an unhappily married woman.
Alifan said…
Robyn lovely as always Dive is lucky to have you as his friend.. xx

Popular posts from this blog

Cindy Loo Who In October

What is it with people and Cindy Loo Who? Of my last one hundred blog hits, forty have been direct visits from regular readers, and fifteen have been as a result of people searching for "Cindy Loo Who," the little pixie from Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas . A couple of years ago, I posted an image of the original Seuss illustration as compared to the TV cartoon image, and for some reason, that post is bringing in the crowds, relatively. Maybe it's the weather. It isn't even November yet, and already we've had frost and have had to dust off our winter coats. When it gets cold like this, I start to think about Christmasy things like listening to Nat King Cole and decorating the tree. It's ironic because I am offended when retailers start pushing holiday stuff early, but I don't mind my own private celebrations. When my sister and I were much younger and still living with our parents, we would pick a day in July, close the curtains to darken the ...

Classic Green Bean Bake

In anticipation of Thanksgiving, I feel I must post a recipe with plenty of good old American tradition. The classic Green Bean Bake was invented in 1955 by Dorcas Reilly, a home economist who worked for the Campbell's Soup Company. A study was done determining that 50% of all Americans have eaten the classic Green Bean Bake, and 38% of those believe it is best served during the holidays, mainly Thanksgiving. So, for the other 50% and for those in other countries where this dish may be unfamiliar--my treat: The Classic Green Bean Bake serves 6 to 8 1 can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom Soup 1/2 cup milk 1 teaspoon soy sauce Dash of fresh pepper 1 20-oz. bag frozen cut green beans, thawed* 1 2.8 oz can French-fried onions -Preheat the oven to 350 F -In a casserole dish, combine the soup, milk, soy sauce and pepper. Stir in the green beans and half of the onions. -Bake until bubbling, about 25 minutes. Top with the remaining onions and bake for 5 more minutes. Serve hot. *Or cook 1 ...