Robin's Peanut Butter Fudge, St. Pat's Day, and What We're Reading

Hello Again, Romantics , it's Robin. March has always been a time of growth and renewal for me. Our oldest daughter, Jill, was born in March, and changed our lives forever. March is also the luckiest month, as well as the time when winter becomes spring, flowers bloom, days get longer, and we prepare for Lent and Easter. And, just in case you need some great trivia answers for St. Patrick’s Day, here are a few notable facts: St. Patrick was the first bishop of Ireland, but he was English, not Irish. He died on March 17th, 461. The original color of St. Patrick’s Day was blue, not green. The Shamrock is a symbol of the holy trinity. The value of the Leprechaun’s pot of gold today would be about $2,000,000. Corned beef and cabbage and the St. Patrick’s Day parade both originated in the USA, not Ireland. We love hearing from you! Doris, one of our favorite readers, sent the most beautiful reply to my reflections of my parents love story ( which you can find here ). We’ve been married 60 1/2 years. It’s still a love story. He calls me Beautiful! When I visited him in the hospital. he shocked the nurses when he said "Hello, Beautiful!" We only knew each other three months when we married. They said it would never work, but it did with a lot of hard work. And it’s all worth it. Now I’m so sad because he’s starting to have serious health issues. I just put him in God’s hands every morning and pray that I can be strong enough to do whatever needs to be done. Loving someone is the most rewarding thing we can do. We have to work that last line into one of our upcoming stories. Loving someone is the most rewarding thing we can do . Thank you, Doris! Enduring romance is the foundation of any great love story, and the reason we do what we do. As this is my second attempt at a newsletter, I'm thinking of more ways to engage YOU, our wonderful readers. Is there anything you would love to see? If so, email me here . Christmas Comeback is Complete! Who releases a holiday romance in July? We do! And as of today, the manuscript is done! After a couple of read-throughs at our kitchen table, we'll be sending it off to our wonderful editor, Jen, while our designer, the incredibly talented Berni Stevens, creates the cover. We'll share that with you in the coming weeks! Christmas Comeback is a charming little story of second-chance romance between the unlikeliest of couples. She's the high school principal who arrived in Garland Grove three years ago. He's a former math teacher she refused to rehire. When one of her math teachers goes on maternity leave, Diane Finnegan is in a bind and needs someone to fill in ASAP. With no where else to turn, she approaches Henry Trumbull about filling the position. Though still smarting from her earlier rejection, Henry eventually relents. What happens next is the stuff that makes great love stories. You're going to love this one, romantics! What We're Reading Robin: The Summer Hideaway , by Jenny Hale I am a new Jenny Hale fan. I heard her on a recent podcast and thought I might like her style. I'm a sucker for a good romance, especially if it involves Christmas or the beach. Bonus points if there is food. This one hit all the feels. The grandfather of Alice, the main character, has passed away and left her his bicycle shop in the beach town where she spent many summers. Since her life is not at the beach, she decides to sell the shop, but just cannot stand to part with it. She uproots her whole life, including her small son and her best friend Sasha and moves to the beach to turn the bicycle shop into an ice cream shop. There are a lot of other characters, like the hunky visiting doctor, and the nurse who lives across the street. Their stories intertwine and the story takes a few unexpected twists and turns, but all is well in the end. It was my first Jenny Hale book, but will not be my last. Paul: The Women , by Kristin Hannah. I'm not sure why, but Kristin Hannah's books either suck me in or turn me off. There's no middle ground. The Four Winds is one of my all-time favorite reads. Others, not so much. The Women is Hannah's latest, and I've enjoyed it very much. Set during the Vietnam era, this book focuses on Frances "Frankie" McGrath. Frankie's is a charmed existence. Circumstances change, though, and Frankie decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps so she can follow her brother to Vietnam. Frankie's life becomes a roller-coaster of ups and downs as she sees the casualties of war from the frontlines. I felt as if I was watching over her shoulder, thanks to Hannah's graphic descriptions of the violence and strife of Vietnam during the war. This is also a love story. Not a romance, but the story of a woman who finds love in the unlikeliest place on earth. If you're squeamish, you might steer away from this one. If you like the gritty reality of how people cope with hard times, give it a try. I loved it! Our Pick of Pix - KC BBQ in Florida! Friends are a gift to be treasured. But, friends who share their Kansas City BBQ? Now those are extra special. This was the third year that friends Gina and Chuck have shipped genuine Kansas City BBQ to Florida. That's Gina on the far right, Chuck is standing in back. With the exception of Chris (white shirt) the rest of us are either natives or long-time residents of KC who relocated to the Sunshine State. We take our BBQ seriously, and thanks to Gina and Chuck, we have one very special night each year to enjoy it. Pictured from left to right: Robin, Lucinda, Paul, Jim, Chuck, Chris, and Gina. Chris's wife, Glenda, was ill and missed out, but her portion did not go to waste! I love cooking and want to share my favorite recipes with you each month. Some, like this one, are traditional family favorites. Others I've either created from scratch or adapted from friends. If YOU have a favorite that you are willing to share, please email it to me at [email protected]. I LOVE to try new recipes! This first recipe is my beloved mother’s peanut butter fudge. She was so protective of this secret recipe that she would not even write it all down in one place. Over the years, though, I gathered the puzzle pieces and mastered it after much trial and error (and memories of helping her make it when I was little). It is a family favorite at holiday gatherings. If you make it, drop me a line to tell me about it. I only pray that my sweet mama does not come back to haunt me when I share this with you all. Helen's Peanut Butter Fudge 3 Cups Sugar 1 ½ Cups Milk 1 Stick of Butter 1 Cup of Creamy Peanut Butter 1 tsp. vanilla Dash of salt (leave out if you use salted butter) Cook sugar, milk, and butter over medium heat in a 6 qt. stock pot, stirring constantly until it boils. Continue stirring until a drop of the mixture forms a hard ball when put into a cold cup of water. (Yes, I know…. there is no temperature or candy thermometer – she did all by feel). If no hard ball is formed, use a new cup of cold water for the next test. When hard ball stage is reached, remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir vigorously until all is mixed. Place in buttered 7x11inch pan and let stand until firm. Oh, and don’t forget to eat the warm goodness left on the sides of the pan! You will not be sorry. Hey from Lucy! Lucy is a five-year-old Poochon, a toy poodle/bichon frise mix. She loves going places and travels back and forth with us to our home in Kansas City and to Paul's family farm in Maryland. She's posing for you in her favorite spot - the back of our living room sofa. Her second favorite is a sunny chair on the lanai. Lucy is sporting her Easter harness and a new haircut. I have gotten sucked into the seasonal harness buying habit…. After all, the company is called “ Lucy & Co .” How could I not? Spotlight on... Clear Christmas ! A heartwarming holiday love story with dementia at its center is unsettling for some readers. We've heard concerns from folks who have family members who have disappeared into the disease's grasp. Our response? Read the book! Because once you do, you'll love this story as much as any Robin Paul romance. Clear Christmas is a story of hopes, dreams, and Christmas magic. One reviewer called it "a touching journey of rediscovery." Another called it "a story of hope, love, and laughter." If you haven't given it a try, maybe today is the right time. You can find it here . That's all for now. Be sure to add us to your contacts so you won't miss future newsletters. See you soon! Love, Robin Paul ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Hello Again, Romantics, it's Robin. March has always been a time of growth and renewal for me. Our oldest daughter, Jill, was born in March, and changed our lives forever. March is also the luckiest month, as well as the time when winter becomes spring, flowers bloom, days get longer, and we prepare for Lent and Easter.

And, just in case you need some great trivia answers for St. Patrick’s Day, here are a few notable facts:

St. Patrick was the first bishop of Ireland, but he was English, not Irish. He died on March 17th, 461.
The original color of St. Patrick’s Day was blue, not green.
The Shamrock is a symbol of the holy trinity.
The value of the Leprechaun’s pot of gold today would be about $2,000,000.
Corned beef and cabbage and the St. Patrick’s Day parade both originated in the USA, not Ireland.

We love hearing from you! Doris, one of our favorite readers, sent the most beautiful reply to my reflections of my parents love story (which you can find here).

We’ve been married 60 1/2 years. It’s still a love story. He calls me Beautiful! When I visited him in the hospital. he shocked the nurses when he said "Hello, Beautiful!" We only knew each other three months when we married. They said it would never work, but it did with a lot of hard work. And it’s all worth it. Now I’m so sad because he’s starting to have serious health issues. I just put him in God’s hands every morning and pray that I can be strong enough to do whatever needs to be done. Loving someone is the most rewarding thing we can do.

We have to work that last line into one of our upcoming stories. Loving someone is the most rewarding thing we can do. Thank you, Doris! Enduring romance is the foundation of any great love story, and the reason we do what we do.

As this is my second attempt at a newsletter, I'm thinking of more ways to engage YOU, our wonderful readers. Is there anything you would love to see? If so, email me here.

Christmas Comeback is Complete!

Who releases a holiday romance in July? We do! And as of today, the manuscript is done! After a couple of read-throughs at our kitchen table, we'll be sending it off to our wonderful editor, Jen, while our designer, the incredibly talented Berni Stevens, creates the cover. We'll share that with you in the coming weeks!

Christmas Comeback is a charming little story of second-chance romance between the unlikeliest of couples. She's the high school principal who arrived in Garland Grove three years ago. He's a former math teacher she refused to rehire. When one of her math teachers goes on maternity leave, Diane Finnegan is in a bind and needs someone to fill in ASAP. With no where else to turn, she approaches Henry Trumbull about filling the position. Though still smarting from her earlier rejection, Henry eventually relents. What happens next is the stuff that makes great love stories.

You're going to love this one, romantics!

What We're Reading

Robin: The Summer Hideaway, by Jenny Hale

I am a new Jenny Hale fan. I heard her on a recent podcast and thought I might like her style. I'm a sucker for a good romance, especially if it involves Christmas or the beach. Bonus points if there is food. This one hit all the feels. The grandfather of Alice, the main character, has passed away and left her his bicycle shop in the beach town where she spent many summers. Since her life is not at the beach, she decides to sell the shop, but just cannot stand to part with it. She uproots her whole life, including her small son and her best friend Sasha and moves to the beach to turn the bicycle shop into an ice cream shop. There are a lot of other characters, like the hunky visiting doctor, and the nurse who lives across the street. Their stories intertwine and the story takes a few unexpected twists and turns, but all is well in the end. It was my first Jenny Hale book, but will not be my last.

Paul: The Women, by Kristin Hannah.

I'm not sure why, but Kristin Hannah's books either suck me in or turn me off. There's no middle ground. The Four Winds is one of my all-time favorite reads. Others, not so much. The Women is Hannah's latest, and I've enjoyed it very much. Set during the Vietnam era, this book focuses on Frances "Frankie" McGrath. Frankie's is a charmed existence. Circumstances change, though, and Frankie decides to enlist in the Army Nurse Corps so she can follow her brother to Vietnam. Frankie's life becomes a roller-coaster of ups and downs as she sees the casualties of war from the frontlines. I felt as if I was watching over her shoulder, thanks to Hannah's graphic descriptions of the violence and strife of Vietnam during the war. This is also a love story. Not a romance, but the story of a woman who finds love in the unlikeliest place on earth. If you're squeamish, you might steer away from this one. If you like the gritty reality of how people cope with hard times, give it a try. I loved it!

Our Pick of Pix - KC BBQ in Florida!

Friends are a gift to be treasured. But, friends who share their Kansas City BBQ? Now those are extra special. This was the third year that friends Gina and Chuck have shipped genuine Kansas City BBQ to Florida. That's Gina on the far right, Chuck is standing in back. With the exception of Chris (white shirt) the rest of us are either natives or long-time residents of KC who relocated to the Sunshine State. We take our BBQ seriously, and thanks to Gina and Chuck, we have one very special night each year to enjoy it.

Pictured from left to right: Robin, Lucinda, Paul, Jim, Chuck, Chris, and Gina. Chris's wife, Glenda, was ill and missed out, but her portion did not go to waste!

I love cooking and want to share my favorite recipes with you each month. Some, like this one, are traditional family favorites. Others I've either created from scratch or adapted from friends. If YOU have a favorite that you are willing to share, please email it to me at [email protected]. I LOVE to try new recipes!

This first recipe is my beloved mother’s peanut butter fudge. She was so protective of this secret recipe that she would not even write it all down in one place. Over the years, though, I gathered the puzzle pieces and mastered it after much trial and error (and memories of helping her make it when I was little). It is a family favorite at holiday gatherings. If you make it, drop me a line to tell me about it.

I only pray that my sweet mama does not come back to haunt me when I share this with you all.

Helen's Peanut Butter Fudge

3 Cups Sugar

1 ½ Cups Milk

1 Stick of Butter

1 Cup of Creamy Peanut Butter

1 tsp. vanilla

Dash of salt (leave out if you use salted butter)

Cook sugar, milk, and butter over medium heat in a 6 qt. stock pot, stirring constantly until it boils. Continue stirring until a drop of the mixture forms a hard ball when put into a cold cup of water. (Yes, I know…. there is no temperature or candy thermometer – she did all by feel). If no hard ball is formed, use a new cup of cold water for the next test.

When hard ball stage is reached, remove from heat. Add peanut butter and vanilla. Stir vigorously until all is mixed. Place in buttered 7x11inch pan and let stand until firm.

Oh, and don’t forget to eat the warm goodness left on the sides of the pan! You will not be sorry.

Hey from Lucy!

Lucy is a five-year-old Poochon, a toy poodle/bichon frise mix. She loves going places and travels back and forth with us to our home in Kansas City and to Paul's family farm in Maryland. She's posing for you in her favorite spot - the back of our living room sofa. Her second favorite is a sunny chair on the lanai.

Lucy is sporting her Easter harness and a new haircut. I have gotten sucked into the seasonal harness buying habit…. After all, the company is called “Lucy & Co.” How could I not?

Spotlight on... Clear Christmas!

A heartwarming holiday love story with dementia at its center is unsettling for some readers. We've heard concerns from folks who have family members who have disappeared into the disease's grasp. Our response? Read the book! Because once you do, you'll love this story as much as any Robin Paul romance. Clear Christmas is a story of hopes, dreams, and Christmas magic. One reviewer called it "a touching journey of rediscovery." Another called it "a story of hope, love, and laughter."

If you haven't given it a try, maybe today is the right time. You can find it here.

That's all for now. Be sure to add us to your contacts so you won't miss future newsletters. See you soon! Love, Robin Paul