The south end of the beach at Hua Hin, Thailand.
Where are Kevin and Ruth now? Hua Hin, Thailand.

Where are Kevin and Ruth going next? Maldives on March 23rd.

Monday, May 12, 2014

And they said it wouldn't last...

A special day for us today, as we celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary! We were married May 12th, 1984 at a little church in Galetta, Ontario, Canada.

We were only 22 years old when we got married. And we had only known each other for just over a year!

It's funny how a random act leads to 30 years of wedded bliss. Or something like that.

Yep, it's official now!

We met in Ottawa, Canada's capital city. I was working at an auto body repair shop, and Ruth had just graduated as a hairstylist and was working at a First Choice Haircutters franchise. I had been putting in a lot of hours, and badly needed a haircut. It was late Saturday afternoon, and I walked into the First Choice Haircutters at about 5:30pm. The receptionist told me that they close at 6:00pm and that she would have to check and see if one of the stylists would stay a little late for me.

Sure enough, Ruth stepped up to the plate!

We had the normal haircutting chitchat as she worked away, and during that conversation I found out that she wasn't doing anything that Saturday night. I had no plans either. Hmmm.

There's that beautiful big smile!

But I didn't have the nerve to ask her out. At least not in person.

So when we were finished, I quickly drove home to my parents, only about five minutes away. I looked up the number of the shop, and called. In my head, I had kind of rehearsed what I wanted to say. But I was expecting the receptionist to answer, which might give me another 30 seconds to compose myself. 

Instead, Ruth herself answered the phone!

I told her who it was, and I said that since she wasn't doing anything that night, and I wasn't either, that maybe we should do something together. To my amazement, she said "okay"!

The wedding party.

That night, I picked her up at her apartment and we went to see a movie. It was a terrible movie! We had planned on seeing the popular movie "Tootsie", but when we got there it was sold out. So instead, we chose "The Sting, II". 

The original movie "The Sting" with Paul Newman and Robert Redford was a great movie.

"The Sting, II" ?...not so much. It was a terrible movie!

With our parents.

After the movie, we went to Golden Palace Chinese Food.  And we had some egg rolls and won ton soup. Still to this day the best egg rolls in Ottawa! We had a lot of great conversation, and there was definitely a spark.

Against the advice of my best friend (and later the best man) I called her again on Monday. He had said to wait a few days and not appear too anxious. But I was anxious! She was actually expecting me to call on Sunday, and wondered why I didn't. So we got together again on Monday evening, and we saw each other again on Tuesday...and pretty much every day after that. 

We were hooked. About a month after that, we decided to get married. But we didn't tell anyone because they would have thought we were nuts! But we were in love.

Even then, when we finally did start to tell people, some of them did think we were nuts.

At the time, I told Ruth that if she married me, she would never be bored. I think we've lived up to that statement!

In the time before the planned wedding in May of the next year, we got our own apartment and moved in together.

Ruth and Tina, their family dog at the time.

We were married in the little church in the village of Galetta just behind Ruth's father's back yard. The church only sat about 80 people, so it was full. That church was sold a few years ago and was converted into someone's house. Funny, but we were in that house only three weeks ago!

And the rest is history. Sure, we've had our moments over the years, just like any other couple. But what an adventure it's been! And we've never been bored, that's for sure.

Looking forward to the next 30 years and whatever they may bring!


56 comments:

  1. wishing the two of you a very happy 30th wedding anniversary!!! May you have many more years of wedded bliss!!

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  2. What a lovely story. Congratulation on 30 years.

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  3. Congratulations, wishing you many more happy and adventurous years together!!

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    1. Thank you Kevin and Evelyn, we are hoping to have many more as well.

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  4. Congratulations, happy anniversary, and many, many more!

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  5. Congratulations! It sounds like you were right about the adventure. I remember the Sting - one of my all time favorite movies. Didn't know they had a Sting II movie. Thanks for sharing your story - its a pretty great one!

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    1. Thank you, Randy! As for the Sting II, don't worry about not knowing about it, you didn't miss anything.

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  6. Thanks for sharing your story! You were on a similar timetable as we were. We met in May '84, fell in love quickly just as you two did, married in May '85, and are still having fun traveling and enjoying life together.

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    1. So happy to hear that you are enjoying life and having fun. So glad you met that special someone too!

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  7. It's a great story! I think you'll never be bored is a fabulous promise to make and keep. Lucky people just "know" when they've met the right one. And it seems it is often a very quick thing. Others search and search and ultimately settle for the person they are dating when they feel the pressure to get married. Happiest of Anniversaries to you both!!

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    1. Thank you, Sherry and yes he has definitely kept his promise and I don't have a problem with that.

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  8. Sweet story. It must have been your hair that got her attention. ;)

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    1. He still says to this day that I forgot to cut his bangs, which I didn't! I think it was that I had him in a chair for 20 minutes so I had a captive audience and he seemed ok at the time so I took the chance. Sure glad that I did!

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  9. A great story and congratulations for 30 years. and wishing you another great 30 as well!

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  10. Lovely memories, lovely sharing! Jerry's folks celebrated 70 years together, my folks 65 years. I'd say you two are good to go for many more adventurous years.

    It is lots of fun to read your blog. Can't wait to see that lovely area with the leaves on the trees and the lake up to the docks.

    Happy Anniversary - and many more!
    Jerry and Becky aboard Travelling Shoes (39' Safari Zanzibar - still in Ft Myers, FL - getting too hot here - Time to go North - as soon as we help an elderly neighbor move to a Retirement Center - but it still looks too cold for us where you are right now!!)

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    1. Wow, both of your parents did great. Sure hope that we can make it that far. Both of our parents made it to their 51st anniversaries and we think that is pretty cool.

      Enjoy your journey, and it really is pretty nice here weather wise but not quite as warm as Ft Myers.

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  11. Wonderful story. And thanks for all of your posts about your life and travels. I have really enjoyed them.

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    1. Thank you Gene and we are happy that you are enjoying our posts.

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  12. Congrats to both of you, enjoy the next 30!

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    1. Thank you Peter, as for the next 30 years we plan on enjoying them too!

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  13. Congratulations. You lucky bugger (Kevin). Good on ya for a good pursuit and even better catch. Here's to may more years of "never boring".

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    1. Thank you Bob! I think we are both pretty lucky to have each other, life would have been entirely difference for both of us otherwise.

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  14. What a sweet story - and also the 30 years that resulted - so far! Congratulations to both of you. You're right, it certainly has NOT been boring! Can't wait to 'see' what happens next!
    Hugs for you both . . . mp

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    1. Thank you Mary-Pat. No, our life is certainly not boring and we can't wait to see what the next 30 years bring.

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  15. Congrats to you both. Looking forward to following your adventures together for the next 30 years! :c)

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  16. Nice to look at the photos again!

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  17. Congratulations to such a wonderful couple.

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  18. Happy, happy anniversary to you both. Congrats on 30 years and I hope you get the next 30!!!!

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  19. It was meant to be for sure - a great love story - Happy Anniversary - wishing you many, many more!!!

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  20. WOW, Congrats!

    rocmoc n AZ/Mexico

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  21. Congratulations, Kevin and Ruth... Your story touched me, because I - on my third try, and approaching 65 years of age - am a happily married man who will celebrate three years my lovely Frederika on Wednesday (we're going to celebrate by having the refrigerator in our motorhome replaced - but we will make up for it on Friday). I was a happy single man, too (beats the hell out of being UNHAPPILY married!) But it really makes all the difference in the world to be in a real partnership with the best friend you've ever had, who just happens to smokin' hot, as well...! (At least to me, and that's what matters)

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    1. Thank you Pete! Happy Belated Anniversary to you and Frederika too! You are right that it makes all the difference when you are in a real partnership, it has to be a give and take relationship to work and all relationships take some work at times.

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  22. That's a wonderful story, and very romantic!! :) Happy happy anniversary, and wishing you both many more years of wedded bliss and awesome adventures!!

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    1. Thank you Jessica, and hopefully there will be a lot more adventures ahead.

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  23. Happy Anniversary! Who's the tall cutie next to Kevin?

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    1. Thank you Dugg! As for the tall cutie, lol, I am assuming that you are referring to the guy with all the hair, he is Kevin's long time friend, David and he still has a thick head of hair.

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  24. Beautiful story - Congrats !!!

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  25. Happy Anniversary and many, many more happy healthy years together !!! I loved your story ....

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    1. Thank you SallyB, we hope to have many more together.

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  26. Lovely story; here's to many more years together enjoying life.

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  27. Wow, what a story. Congrats. What will the next thirty bring.

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    1. Thank you Diane! Hopefully the next thirty will bring a lot more travel.

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  28. Happy Anniversary, you two. Your story is a great one. Just do not take each other for granted! I don't think you do, but after what John and I have been through for the last 2+ years, I encourage everyone to enjoy each other to the max.

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    1. Thank you Nan, and no we will never take each other for granted. We have already said that we don't know what we would do if the other wasn't around. We agree, everyone needs to enjoy each other all the time because you never know what tomorrow will bring.

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