Remembering Robin

Status
Not open for further replies.

Bronze

ECF Guru
Supporting Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Aug 19, 2012
40,240
187,226
Long ago I asked a question that was similar to so many others we've seen. Who is this Heather and is her e-juice any good? Don't know why but it seemed there were lots of others who also wanted to know or already knew because they all showed up and fast. Looked like we had ourselves a little HHV community going...albeit male dominated. Thinking a touch of female grace is always a good thing I kept my eye out for just the person. Not long after, GT and I were poking around ECF and came upon a Vivi Nova thread. And there she was...a lost, clueless, but yearning vaping soul. Just like us. Our Robin.

Kind of thought it would be really nice if we could get Robin to join us on our new thread. So GT and I put on our charm offensive...the usual stupid, juvenile humor that surely made people laugh at us instead of with us. But, being stupid men, we didn't know. Robin had to know. But being who she was I'm sure she saw our hearts more than our stupid humor. I asked her to join us on HHV. Good grief Bronze! You're not asking her on a date! But I really wanted her to join us because I knew everyone would like her. I didn't want her to say no. And she didn't. This became her home. Robin was ours.

And we were hers.

Robin had a special talent for knocking things over and breaking them. She reminded me of my beloved mother who would bump into a picture hanging on the wall. She'd go to straighten it and make it worse. Robin trusted me to fix her Provari because she knew I was pretty handy with stuff. It arrived and when I opened the package and looked at it I thought to myself, "How in the hell did this broad do this!?" It was a mess. I couldn't describe what she had done to her Provari. I just knew I couldn't fix it. Turns out ProVape couldn't either. They just replaced the business end of it and called it done. She felt horrible because Rick let her splurge on that Provari. I suspect Rick knew that thing would have to get surgery a time or two. I mean, he was married to her.

A little over a year ago we lost another HHV Army member, our fourth in our short existence. It hurts. I texted Robin to let her know Chris had suddenly passed away. She was standing at a pharmacy counter at the time. She hurried home and called me. We talked for 2-1/2 hours. I never talk to anyone for 2-1/2 hours. I can't even think for 2-1/2 hours let alone talk. We talked about Chris and talked about her health and just about every other topic you can think of. Like Ret said, Robin could make you feel like you've known her your entire life. I remember repeating several times over that she doesn't have anything to worry about. People survive colon cancer all the time and especially when they find it early enough. She believed it too.

I clench my fists and scream at God, "Why, why, why would you take this sweet lady?! Damn you!! What did she ever do to anyone? Why? Tell me why? Please, I have to know." There are no answers. Just the low pitch hum of feeling alone and not knowing to be sad or angry as I stare at things that reflect in my eyes but go no further. I wait to wake up. But I'm not sleeping. Our Robin is gone but I cannot accept it. Not this lady. Not now. She has given so much and has so much more to give. Damn you, God!! I will need forgiving.

I sit here with the hum slowly coursing through my head sulking and feeling sorry for myself. I can only imagine the pain Rick must feel. The silence he faces in the house he and Robin built together. I can't offer any advice. Rick is his own man. But perhaps I can offer some hope because it's how I think of my hero, angel, and guiding light...my mother, who passed away 17 years and 2 days before Robin. I kept talking to her after she passed. Day after day. Then one day I heard her answer. Not really, but only because I knew her so well I knew what she would say. She told me she loved me and I would do her proud to live the rest of my life as happy as I could. From that point forward, the tears subsided. The incessant image of her lying in pain faded and was replaced with her beautiful face….laughing, smiling, and being happy. Grieve Rick. Grieve as long as you need. But one day when you're ready, talk to Ms. Robin. Ask her to speak to you. You will know what she would say because she already said it. And we all know Robin. It will be something good.



"Hi there people. Bronze thanks for the invite :)"
---October 4, 2012

No Robin. Thank you!



Your light forever shines in our lives.


9848d505-7a01-4554-8e82-1739f6a6e466-jpeg.771701
 

rosesense

14 years and counting
Supporting Member
ECF Veteran
Verified Member
Contest Winner!
  • Jan 1, 2010
    17,564
    51,385
    TN
    I did not really know Robin except through the eyes of those who did. To paraphrase a line from my favorite book, 'in this life, nothing good is truly lost. It stays part of a person, becomes part of their character.'

    So the best parts of Robin live on in each of you. To her family, my sincere condolences for your loss. Same to each of her friends and ecf buddies.
     

    CMD-Ky

    Highly Esteemed Member
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Sep 15, 2013
    5,321
    42,394
    KY
    Well, the comment made by@Bronze can't be topped. I have several pleasant remembrances of Robino1 talking some politics, some Provari, some HHV and a whole lot of Big Thread about most any and every thing.
    I also recall getting out of bounds a few times, when chastised by Robin, I felt bad about going off the rails but not resentful about the reprimand. She used the lightest kindest touch when reining it all in.
     

    Dusty_D

    Original Guru
    Senior Moderator
    Supporting Member
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Jul 22, 2010
    16,228
    47,678
    51
    Toronto, Canada
    dustysfoodieadventures.blogspot.ca
    Thank you @Bronze for putting this beautiful post together. Robin deserved this tribute for who she was, a wonderful woman who was a friend to so many of us.

    Rest well Red Robin. You will forever be missed! :cry:
     

    LAwaters

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Feb 25, 2014
    3,269
    48,518
    Robin was beautiful in every way it’s possible for anyone to be. She had strength and grace. She put everyone at ease because her sweetness of spirit was so clear - you knew you were cared about right from the start. She could be tender and cry with you. Turn around and be silly, bawdy and rough and tumble. She could laugh at herself and tease any of us - and it was all in good fun!

    You did feel like you’d known her all your life. Because she let you in.

    Robin gave of herself freely. We shared some similar difficulties from our pasts. She was open, comforting, and so very loving.

    One Halloween, Robin mentioned wanting to do something fun with her ECF avatar. I fired up Photoshop and did the obvious: took her pic and blended it with Wonder Woman. She laughed, she loved it! Robin was a true Wonder Woman without any acting or effort needed.

    I didn’t have the pleasure of meeting her in person. But we have all interacted with her here on ECF nearly every day for years. We are a family here. This loss is so deep. I can’t imagine how hard this will be for Rick, for all the children and grandchildren. I know I will miss her every day. My heart is broken.

    Dear Lord, help us all to get through this.

    We can know we have been blessed to know Robin. Rest In Peace, lovely lady.
     

    PapawBrett

    Retired
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Jul 16, 2012
    8,760
    66,462
    Monroe NC
    Can't add to Bronze's post. But I might share my own experience with our dearly departed friend ...
    Robin always had a great sense of humor, even about herself. Truly classy in that regard. When she first became a Moderator, I offered her a "New Avatar". She just laughed and actually used this picture as an avatar for about a year. Trust me, she was anything but the character depicted here, but she did have the ability to enjoy a laugh ;
    sA3iUb0.jpg

    Rest In Peace, Dear Lady.
     

    angelphyre

    ECF Guru
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Dec 9, 2013
    17,962
    69,720
    MS Gulf Coast/NOLA
    Bronze, what a beautiful, touching tribute to a beautiful lady who had the most beautiful soul.

    She was always kind to me and helpful when I need something, as she was with everyone...Just recently I had an incident happen with one of my grown children, and even in the midst of all she was going through, she still reached out to me and offered comfort...she was truly a classy lady who cared about others and worried about them even while she was dealing with all the pain she was going through.

    Robin is my hero! She handled her illness with a grace that truly humbles me and inspires me to want to be a better person...Like our lovely Robin was!!

    My most heartfelt condolences to Rick and the entire family...you guys are in my thoughts and prayers daily.
     

    Bea-FL

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Jul 7, 2016
    3,094
    62,478
    Florida
    @Bronze beautiful and so moving post.

    I didn't know Robin nearly as well as you. I knew who she was from running into her often when she was still active in other threads than just HHV. She was always NICE. We often use this word…nice…to mean a pleasant person but she was always truly the epitome of nice to everyone.

    And then some of us from Florida got together for lunch a couple times and Robin joined us. It was the first time we met in person and she treated me like an old friend. She was vaping her beloved Ti Provari…at the time I didn't have one…and we talked about it. A few months later when the group met for lunch again I had my newly acquired Ti with me and she was so genuinely happy for me.
     
    Last edited:

    Bea-FL

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Jul 7, 2016
    3,094
    62,478
    Florida
    Last edited:

    LAwaters

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Feb 25, 2014
    3,269
    48,518
    Can't add to Bronze's post. But I might share my own experience with our dearly departed friend ...
    Robin always had a great sense of humor, even about herself. Truly classy in that regard. When she first became a Moderator, I offered her a "New Avatar". She just laughed and actually used this picture as an avatar for about a year. Trust me, she was anything but the character depicted here, but she did have the ability to enjoy a laugh ;
    sA3iUb0.jpg

    Rest In Peace, Dear Lady.

    I remember this avatar! When I got to know her, I knew two things: she was nothing like this character (as you said); and she had a great sense of humor!
     

    LAwaters

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Feb 25, 2014
    3,269
    48,518
    yup this is the one I was asking Classy about. From left to right Classy, me, Robin, Cathy (clnire).

    From the way Robin described how much fun she had that day, and how awesome you ladies all are, that pic just ended up making me smile evertime I looked at it.
     

    retic1959

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Jul 28, 2013
    6,735
    28,766
    New Orleans , Louisiana
    I've been putting this off to make sure I'm giving this my best . Bronze quoted me in his post on this thread in regards to how Robin made me feel like I was talking to someone I had known my entire life from the moment I met her . Robin just had that way about her . As anyone that's met or talked to Robin can probably attest to , she had a colorful vocabulary that for me proved a delightful contrast to the online angel she was . But the thing is she really was the angel she appeared to be as well and that was easily apparent to me and many others on this forum saw that in her as well . I'm dismayed that there will be no return visit as we had planned . I'm just sick about how this situation unfolded . And I can't imagine the forum without her , it will never be the same without her. My heart goes out to her family , it was way too soon to lose her and I can't imagine the grief they're in right now . Good bye for now Robin , I pray that Mary the Madonna folds you in her robes and brings you to the peace and joy you deserve in the arms of her son .
     
    Last edited:

    MostlySunny

    Vaping Master
    ECF Veteran
    Verified Member
    Sep 17, 2012
    4,859
    25,589
    Arizona
    I’ve been putting this off too, but no amount of time passing is going to make this loss go away. And while I am for sure missing Robin’s presence, I am mostly overcome with grief for those in her family she left behind.

    So to Rick, in hopes that you one day read this, Thank you for sharing Robin with us! Thank you for finding her and loving her so much that she could share that complete love of life and optimism so freely. She spoke of you daily, and I could see you both had a love like no other, a bond and a trust so perfect. While I sit here online and miss her, I cannot fathom the void in your life, and I pray you someday find a quiet slice of peace. Your devotion to her was palpable thru her posts. And I cannot thank you enough, for picking up her iPad after she left us, and take the time to let us know she was gone. You truly are the amazing husband she told us you were!

    My heart and prayers go out to her kids and grandkids as well. She was always so proud of all your accomplishments, and beaming with joy when another grandkid entered the world. Her love for all of you was shared here online, and again, I can’t fathom the pain you are going thru.

    Robin was a good friend online as well. She took time to foster relationships and she let us into her personal life. She was silly while still smart and responsible. She had grace and elegance while navigating this last chapter of her life.

    I still can’t believe she’s gone, but she touched my life in a wonderfully positive manner. And for that I will always be grateful.

    Much love

    April
     
    Status
    Not open for further replies.

    Users who are viewing this thread