Mr. Bear and I have been together for 38 years. It was so long ago, I'm not sure now exactly how we met. ;-)
My husband and I met on IRC chat (Dalnet) in 1996. Hanging around in the same channel we eventually realized our separate moves would put us about 3 hours apart, which in internet terms was like next door lol We chatted alot over the next few weeks, and he sent a wav file of himself talking- so I had to go and buy and install a CD Rom and sound card to hear it (opening the case for the first time and doing that sealed my future as computer obsessed). I don't know what was more exciting- hearing a voice come out of the computer, or hearing his voice. He requested a photo, so I cropped my head out of a family group shot, for which I was teased mercilessly for his "needing a magnifying glass" to see me. Eventually we made the trip to meet each other at the halfway point- Asheville, NC. I insisted on the airport- a big public place- just in case he was a serial killer. We ended up sitting on a bench outside the Biltmore entrance (we couldn't afford the tour) for most of the day just talking. It was about a year and a half after that we got married. 2007 will be 10 years!
About 43 years ago in So California my future father-in-law asked if I would help him one weekend work on the vacation cabin he was building.
I showed up on the Saturday morning and guess what, his wife and stepdaughter were there also. She was home on leave from the Army. I found out later her mother had planned the whole thing.
The following year we were married in an Army Chapel at Ft. Belvoir, VA. It's the best thing that ever happened to me.
PS: I have a great mother-in-law. :-)
married Dec 2, 2006
At that time, meals in the college dining hall were served, "family style", and an upperclass man and woman were assigned as "host" and "hostess" for each table. I was host at our table, and our hostess (for our otherwise all-male group) graduated at the end of my junior year.
The next fall, this lovely young redhead sat herself down in our hostess' place (at the opposite end of the table from me).
One of the customs of the time (it probably would be called, "hazing", now) was for all the upperclassmen to clink their forks on their glasses, and to say, "Freshmen -- on your feet!". And then we would sing, "'Round the table you must go!" (to the tune of "London Bridge" until the Frosh had made several circuits around their own tables.
But the new redheaded girl just sat there. So, I explained the custom to her. (Still sat there.) So, I mouthed off, "If you are going to sit at our table, you are going to have to learn to be a better sport than that!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Like a spider peering out from beneath a rock, she glared at me from under her bangs, and, with a chill in her voice that 'frosted my glasses', she replied. "I am a Junior transfer student."
OOoooops!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
As the year wore on, it seemed to be a logical thing for us to stroll over to Vesper services together after Dinner. Then, it seemed natural for us to spend time after Vespers sitting together on one of the park benches beneath the low-hanging live oak trees in the "Pair Orchard" near her dorm.
It was on our favorite bench that we discovered that we were supremely comfortable praying together. And, it was about that time that I began to realize that she was someone very special...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A year later, on our honeymoon, we dropped by the college for her graduation. That was 45 wonderful years ago. Now we have a son, two daughters, five granddaughters and one grandson.
We still enjoy praying together -- and we never part -- even to go to the mailbox -- without a kiss. And I still hurrry ahead to open doors for her. And we still hold hands...
I simply cannot imagine life without my wonderful wife!!!
(She now admits that she worked in the Dean of Students' office and was responsible for host/hostess assignments. She checked me out (including my IQ/achievement scores) -- and assigned herself as hostess at my table!) And, am I ever thankful that she did!!!
I left camp and had a life. I married, had two children, got divorced and BINGO! almost twenty years later, I went to work in a building and she was on the floor below me. I saw her often on the elevator.
She was about to get married. It was the marriage of the century where everybody from here to Europe was to come. Senators, congressmen: everybody. She didn't want to marry him.
She was advised by her mother to (just get married) and get divorced later. She did. We are now happily married for over 20 years and have two fantastic children and a few fantastic grandchildren from my previous marriage.
AIN'T LIFE GRAND?!
Mr. Bear and I have been together for 38 years. It was so long ago, I'm not sure now exactly how we met. ;-)
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Teaching her Cobol, 1980, as a tutor.
Very cute thread, Fatima....thanks for all your hard work.
Oh, fatima, what a wonderful thread idea!
Let's see...I worked at W.T. Grant's, and that's where I met Nana. I fell in love at once, it took awhile before she felt the same way. It could have something to do with me streaking her glass counters after she cleaned them - I was sooooo obnoxious!
She agreed to our first date on Christmas night, 1972. She planned to kill two birds with one stone. She was going to skip out on dinner with an Aunt she didn't like, and she was going to tell me to get lost.
After watching a movie, then walking in the park - and a corny line about body heat (not what you're thinking!) - she found herself planning our wedding! That came 3 years later.
I was stationed at an AF GSU on an Army base. I was asked to be the sound technician for a theater group.
The director was a complete jerk. I almost bailed on closing night because he wanted to run the sound board (and he screwed it up royaly). I showed up because he wanted me to video tape the show for him.
The stage manager was a friend of the future Mrs Bear and gave her a ticket. She almost didn't show because she had just worked and was tired.
We are both glad we showed up!
Really cute thread Fatima! :)
Inspirational! Some of us who are still out there on the singles scene need some reminder that it can happen. It's brutal out there. I went out on a date, thought she was so cute! Then she turns out to be a communist. :-p
Any of you older Freeps with 20something conservative daughters, feel free to send me an email ;)
I met the Future Mrs. SR in Church.
Buddy and I were out bar hopping. When I [really] wanted to go home he insisted on "just one more stop".
Naturally, because it was late there were no unattached women except my (future) wife and her sister who was in town for a visit. My buddy split as soon as he found out her sister was married (they were not there looking for men). I persisted until she very reluctantly gave me her number. Later, I had a hell of time getting that first date. 7 months later we were married.....30 years ago this June.
Circa early 1967: My kid brother was throwing a party, lots of loud music. He put on a LP of a totally wigged out (even for 1967) group called Red Crayola and the Familiar Ugly. The cut called Hurricane Fighter Plane came up, it was ghastly, and it drove my soon-to-be love of my life and I out onto the front lawn, and we talked about many things that night. Upshot, we have been joyously married since late 1967. Early on we bagged the copy of RC & the FU from my bro, to keep for nostalagia's sake. Played it once some time ago, it's still ghastly, but it brought back happy memories of another place and another time.....
I was a young (21 years old), brand new Second Lieutenant in the Air Force, fresh out of the Air Force Academy. Drove a white, convertible '72 Vette. I was in pilot training in Lubbock, Texas. My roommate was a bud from the Academy; drove a white '76 T-top Vette. We were deadly. :)
We went to a local place one night......very nice, classy restaurant/disco (this was 1977). He and I were sitting together in the 'bar' section, just talking. Next to us was a larger table full of people.......men and women........laughing, talking, having a good time. We decided to walk over and introduce ourselves. I wound up standing next to this girl......very short blonde hair, but very cute. Turned out they were all air traffic controllers from our base. She and I talked a long while.....then she stood up.
Towered over me........6' in her bare feet; I'm 5' 8".
Everyone giggled......but I was smitten. Apparently, she was as well.
We all decided to move the 'party' to my buddy and my's apartment. The only one of the group that took me up on it was this long, tall drink of water.......
She and I sat up all night long talking. Just........talking. Literally all night. Just talking, getting to know each other.
We were never apart after that night; married 6 months later. Our 29th anniversary is next month.
Way back in Dec. 92, when a used car salesman was elected President; a new girl was hired for Christmas help at Sears.
I worked 6:00AM to 2:30PM (great to watch Rush's TV show at 5:00AM), she worked 2:00PM to something? Said Hi to her, when she started. (Later, I found out I was in trouble, I checked her out!!!)
After the new year, we worked together, found out about each other and our tempers. (Dang don't tick her off, she can throw a pillow box!!!)
Well, we went out and for 11 years, she has been Mrs. Springman.
