You Drive Me Crazy. Happy 14th Anniversary.

“You drive me crazy, with all the things you do and do not do.  But, I love you so much, Baby, I’m going to drive you crazy, too.”  Greg Brown

This photo is from mine and Tony’s wedding day, August 23rd. 2002.  Yes, we also have photos of adoring stares and passionate kisses, but this one’s my favourite.

At some point in 2001, I remember confessing to my dear friend, Anna Vojtech, that I had thought many times that I should really be with Tony, but I knew we couldn’t possibly be compatible because he didn’t recycle. Anna is a few wisdom years ahead of me and I remember how she laughed and assured me that people could overcome much worse hardships. Well, it’s true.  She was right.  Now in 2016, I’m proud to say that Tony is a very enthusiastic recycler.  He recycles absolutely everything, whether it’s recyclable or not.  Styrofoam, candy wrappers, dirty tissues, you name it, it goes into the recycling bin. It makes my sorting job a bit tricky, but he’s worth it.

We eloped.  I really wouldn’t have had it any other way. We invited one friend each.  Tony’s mom, one of the greatest women to have ever walked this earth, crashed the wedding.  It was a truly wonderful day and it was uniquely us.  Our plan was to get married at Gloucester City Hall, but when we arrived, there was an unexpected council meeting and we had to think of a plan B.   We walked over to Fitz Hugh Lane Park.  There were several homeless people hanging out in the park and they were all quite keen to witness a wedding.  And so it was that we got married in the park, with cheers from its residents,  overlooking a city that was near and dear to both our hearts.  The name of the man who married us was Bob Whynot.

Walking through life with another is challenging, to say the least.  We do regularly drive each other to distraction, but mostly, we hold each other up, make each other laugh and best of all, he makes me coffee in the morning.    Fourteen years later, I’m still smitten and as lucky as lucky can be.