I looked it up! The ten year anniversary is marked by tin or aluminum and it celebrates a decade of durable and flexible love. A decade down and a lifetime to go! Ten years is a powerful testament of our love, respect and commitment to each other. Tin and aluminium also symbolize strength and the art of being supple and cooperative - something we continue to do each day - for each other and with each other. We’re better together.

Our journey together began in the fall of 2015 - both widowed - two people - not young but not old - living in two different towns - waiting and praying for the next thing but not ever imagining it would be a marriage that would occur. Harv and I were introduced by friends - and agreed to meet for coffee. That coffee led to the exchange of phone numbers - texting many times each day - lunches and late night phone calls - more lunches - and love blossomed. In a very short time we knew! When you know - you know! And we both love the Leafs (this year has been tough in that area) - the Blue jays and the Raptors. A match made in heaven.

We were married on April 2, 2016 - surrounded by our children, grandchildren, siblings and friends. My son, Ben, officiated.

Through the years, we’ve had the opportunity to travel to Europe - the Caribbean - and across Canada.

When Covid hit in 2020 - we were devastated that my Mom was stuck in her retirement home in Cornwall all by herself. It was such a sad, difficult time for so many seniors and when I broached the subject of having Mom come to live with us - Harv immediately agreed. After some discussions with my siblings, Mom moved to our home in early November of 2020. After a few hard days of settling in - Mom came to love her time in our home. We set up her bedroom in the “front room” where she had a beautiful view of Lake Huron. Most of the time she thought she was living at the North Pole. Mom loved to share her five or six stories with Harv and I - over and over again - and we listened each time as if it were the first time hearing. Mom loved Harv. It seemed he was better at encouraging her to eat at the dining room table than I was. When she didn’t want to come to the table - we all ate in her room. She never ate a meal alone again after leaving the Retirement Home.

Mom passed away in our home on January 25th, 2021. It was our immense pleasure to care for Mom during the last three months of her life - keeping her safe and comfortable and well loved.

We spent a few winters in Florida - spending such happy days with my brother, Bob and his wife Lynn and my brother Ted, and his wife Irene. We often found ourselves at the Dunedin Ball park watching the Jays during Spring Training or eating at a sports bar - watching hockey.

The last couple of years we’ve spent part of our winters in Curacao - enjoying spending the time there with friends and family.

And of course we spend lots of time grandparenting - Moosonee (for a lot of years) - but now Kincardine - Kitchener - Ottawa and Peterborough. We’re on the the road a lot. We’re grateful for our 15 grandchildren and their parents.

It was Ruth Bell Graham - the wife of the evangelist Billy Graham - who said - “A good marriage is the union of two good forgivers.” Smart lady. It’s not always easy when two people - regardless of their ages - with two distinct and different personalities - marry and share life day in and day out. One partner will see things completely different than the other and have differing opinions on certain subjects. Sometimes - words are spoken that you wish you could take back. But at the end of the day - each must offer forgiveness - each must strive to be kind to each other - to have a tender heart for the other - to not allow bitterness to set in - be quick to listen - slow to speak - slow to get angry - and be the first to say “I’m sorry - will you forgive me.”

Here’s to the next ten! Better together.