My Valentine's story

Yesterday was Valentines and Pat and I realized we have had 52 Valentines' days together. Hard to believe. We have been married 53 years in April and only knew each other a few days. It was really 'love at first sight for both of us' We met on a Saturday night, at a party - he had just returned to Calgary from Korea with the United Nations, and was leaving on Monday for Camp Borden, Ont. He asked me to marry him on Monday and I said yes. Two weeks later I flew to Ontario and after a 3 day waiting period we got married. We rented a room with a hot plate and I used to cook some darned good meals for us. There were lots of army couples and we made some great friends. We have had our ups and downs as do all married couples, but here we are,nearly 53 years later! It was difficult and a big adjustment as he was in the Armed forces (army) and was gone for weeks at a time while stationed in Edmonton. I really raised our two boys on my own. He was sent to the Gaza Strip with the United Nations Peace Keepers in
l964 for a full year. There was no internet then, or much in the way of long distance phone calls, but he sent me 34 parcels of fabric, jewellry and Egyptian knick knacks.

In the 70's he got out of the army and we had a little girl - we then emigrated to NewZealand where we had a wonderful time - We lived there for two years. It was the first place that I started seriously doing my art work - I copper tooled pictures of different subjects a lot of them of the Maori chieftains with their wonderful 'Moko" (tatoos) on their faces.



I also did other original works for different people. We are still in touch with some of our friends from Whangaparaoa and Orewa. We came home and have lived in or around Calgary ever since. Each year gets better and better and he still makes my heart sing. I understand how lucky we both are. ---

The bottom pictures are part of an article printed in the New Zealand women's weekly, featuring my work.