*Es war Einmal*

*Es war einmal* translates from the German into *Once Upon a Time*...  an appropriate beginning to this post.  There were once four *Sisters*...not bonded by blood, but by sisterhood, friendship and kindred souls. Some were separated by a continent - and some by an ocean AND a continent....still, they became close confidants - as sisters do.  Their names were: Lo, Marianne, Marja and Robin.  Lo lives in Rhode Island, Robin in California and the *M*s in Holland.

Lo

Marianne

Marja

Robin

Marianne flies for KLM - this affords 
her ample opportunities to travel the world - including New York, Los Angeles (where I first met her two years ago) 
and San Francisco.

Marianne and Robin in LA - 2011

Marianne, her youngest son, Felix also were able to visit Lo in Rhode Island with a stopover in P-town to meet KJ and JB.  (Sorry...no photos..) And again, in 2012 Lo, Marianne, K and JB met for a day in NY.....(yup..no photos...)

The missing link was Marja.....who had yet to make the trip to America....so, imagine my surprise when I came home from work last Saturday to find a voice mail from Marianne informing me she and Marja would be arriving in SF on *Super Bowl Sunday*!

OMG!  They're here!

Meeting Marja!

Three Zusters - at last!

So.....on our three days together we:



Had dinner at the Waterbar






Day Two  - took the Sausalito Ferry for lunch

Marianne with Diamond - the most famous Dog in Sausalito - you can  find her on YouTube!

Fresh Dungeness Crab......  there's nothing quite like it!

Dinner at the Empress of China.....hmmm  do I remember how to eat with chopsticks?

Chinatown - late at night....

Day 3 - to the Farmer's Market at the Ferry Building

Lunch at the Cheesecake Factory Overlooking Union Square

Then, it was time to part.....I had to go to work...and *M & M* off to explore....  we had a WONDERFUL time....only one thing was missing to give our magical tale a perfect ending....our fourth *Zuster* Lo... thankfully, we *Skyped* so we all toasted our amazing friendship!  I hope we will all meet again this year!

I hope you enjoyed the photos!  

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Animal *Wednesday*.....Sort of....

Why *sort of*?  Because I took these photos last Friday!   A-ha-ha! 

I have begun my *Non-Opera* job....as a Receptionist for a Tax Company...not my *forte* and the hours are not ideal - but - it's money!

HAW!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Animal Wednesday - from Cartier

Oh....I adore this ad from Cartier.  (The jewelry - not so much..)  But what a magical video!  HAW!  It made me weep with its wistful beauty.....(but you all know what a *wuss* I am ....I cry when I am happy or sad...)

Bravo Cartier!

HAW!

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

New York - Still Wonderful!

Brrrrr......back from wonderful, but very cold New York!  It didn't snow, but temperatures dipped down into the low 20's at night.

Mr. Mallard managed to find some water away from the ice.  Doesn't he look cold?

At least Mr. Squirrel could find his *hidden treasure trove* of buried nuts!

Chris and I went to a wonderful restaurant - *Fishtail* to celebrate his birthday.  The food was delicious - and the atmosphere great.  The *noise level* was minimal - we could hear each other talk!  The only bad thing - it poured rain!  This meant taking the train into NYC - then a cab - then reversing it.  Of course, I wore something dressy - with very high heels.... but it was worth it.  We had a memorable evening.

Why take the train?  Because Chris now lives in...

The very old (but very cool) inside of the Train Station.

Yonkers is not that far from Manhattan..... you can see it through the cloudy Wintry sky..

The Hudson River flows by - this is the view from Chris' apartment.

Geese!!!  They became a constant joke - because my first few days, gaggles of them flew constantly over the river - sometimes as many as 60...... Of course, I never had my camera ready.....and on my last days, I would go out and WAIT....but nope...these were the only ones I caught - and I missed their landing!

Love the Greenish Glow of the lamp..

There is a wonderful sculpture garden nearby..

A Mim-Fish!

  And of course, one of the main reasons I went to Yonkers.......BOFIE!

He looks good....greyer, slower, but still like a puppy when he gets new toys!
here he is with Winston XII (the rabbit) and Reynard - his new Fox. He absolutely loved Reynard and would walk around the apartment with him.....

I decided to add one more toy - my January *Farewell* gift....  Mr. Hedgehog!

Do you think Bofie liked him?  A-ha-ha!

Last day....I was feeling a little sad....I hate *adieus*....but when I saw *Lo's Emissary*, I felt better!

Right before departing for JFK..... we asked a passerby to snap a photo of the three of us.

I am so happy I went - and so were Chris and Bofie.  We are slowly beginning to heal from the hurt of four years ago.... I don't know what the future holds...and am content to take it a day at a time.

I hope you enjoyed looking at these photos with me.

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

New York

Tomorrow, I set off for NY!  Spending a few days with Chris and Bofie. Friday will be Chris' Birthday and we three will be celebrating.

Bofie and *Winston* his beloved toy Bunny.... I keep buying them as he *destroys* them - we are up to *Winston XII* now!  I can't find them anymore, so I'm bringing a *Fox*..... we'll see how that goes over!

Back next week.

Love,

♥ Robin ♥

Robin and Marianne in San Francisco - AGAIN!

A-ha-ha!  After a whirlwind time in the Valley of the Moon, I returned to SF to meet Marianne for two wonderful days of shopping, dining, shopping, dining....well, you get it!  

Cocktails and Appetizers at the Starlight Room on top of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

San Francisco by Night

Delicious!

When you read Marianne's Blog, you will see that while at the Starlight Room. we rang Lo - catching up with all three friends was so much fun!


The next day, we went to St. Patrick's Cathedral - not too far from Marianne's hotel.  One of the oldest and loveliest in SF.  

We burned candles for Goedele, Marianne's dear friend, for our cats who died in 2012 (Sjimmie , Sarah and Midnight), for her Minoes, who is not doing well, for my friend Gundula, for our loved ones - including all of you..and for the World..

I HAD to photograph Marianne on a Cable Car!  (Hmm....do you think we were shopping?)

Dinner at the wonderful Waterbar Restaurant.  Look at all those fish behind me.....

What to choose......hmmmmm...

The WaterBar sits on the Embarcadaro, next to the Bay Bridge....  we were so lucky to have a clear night (it rained the previous night) as the December Full Moon rose.

It was wonderful to share this final Full Moon of 2012 with a dear friend!

Here's to 2013!  May it bring HOPE, PEACE and LOVE to everyone.

It was time for me to leave....Marianne had a plane to catch in the morning and I had to work the early shift at the de Young Museum.... we were both exhausted...

But, it was so worth it to spend two days together.  It's hard to believe Marianne is back in the Netherlands and it's already (gasp) - 2013!

Here's to more visits this year!

Love to all,

♥ Robin ♥