To Our Friends and Family
I guess that there will be no more wimpy towel nights for the Waterloo Hildreds now eh?
Dianne and I we were married in 1983, around about 1993 the kids started to notice that our towels weren't up to the standards of their friends. The way that they communicated this was by teasing each other about who had to dry themselves with the smallest towel. Sadly it seemed to be always poor Joel's wimpy towel night. Lucky for Joel he is the only one that is still at home, so he can share in your generosity with Dianne and I.
Dianne and I are so proud that we have so many friends and family. It is truly wonderful that so many of you could get out of town and come. We are thrilled to be attended by our 5 and counting children.
One would think that after 25 years you would know your spouse, but I guess Joel wasn't the only one scarred by wimpy towel night. My boss at NCR couldn't make it, but when I showed Dianne the towels he and his wife found Dianne was trembling with excitement. I sure had no clue that she would be so excited.
Gary and Lena Winship introduced Dianne and I when the 4 of us worked together in Barrie Browndale. Lena broke the ice for me, when I asked Dianne on our first date for a cool beverage after work. If I had of only known that girls tell each other their first date stories, I might not have chosen a punk bar with dancing in a cage for the venue. It was a little loud too.
The first time I saw Dianne was skiing with Browndale kids. My impression was that she was bossy but funny, and had a wonderful sounding voice. Dianne tells other people, that her first impression of me was, "Hi I'm Rich," but when I asked her the other day she said that it was that I was kinda cute, sensitive and caring. I first became aware of a strange, but wonderful sort of closeness between us, one mild February night when I was walking Dianne home from work. Shortly after that Al and I went to Florida in his Chevelle, that we had just put a new motor in, and I bought a little brown speedo. Our first late spring date was to Wasaga beach, where I wore the speedo and a light blue parks and recreation golf shirt. Sorry about the mental image kids, but your Dad was a classy, classy guy. I bring up Wasaga beach, as that is where we are headed next week for a short honeymoon.
A few years ago Mike Schweiger took Ben and Joel and I sailing for the first time. Right after that I went camping with Tony Poduch and some scouts. I can remember Tony and I having the idea of sailing with Dianne as a way of being outside together as our children needed us less and less. When Tim and Christine came back from camp that year they came with an extra kid and the Waterloo Hildreds had five teenagers under the same roof. It was then that Dianne and I started coming down here regularly.
This is a mother's day blog entry from when I was living in India with Ben and Joel and Dianne had returned to Waterloo to be with Christine before she headed back up North to work as a fly in canoe guide:
Hi Dianne:
Joel said that I was so busy. The reason why is that I am really missing your contribution. I know it sometimes felt that you had a lot of time on your hands. Now that you are gone I have none on mine! There is the laundry, groceries, meal prep .... What I really miss is your social contribution. Of course you are a good friend to me, but you also helped a lot to maintain our part in the community, both of foreigners, HCL and neighbours. These relationships are deteriorating in your absence. I always have said that you are a people builder, but being apart, I am really missing your contribution.
Love
Rich
It was around this time that I made a finger-style arrangement of the song "As the deer," that we heard earlier, recorded it with my travel guitar and the mike that Ben bought at Pallica and sent it to Dianne. I don't think that she could actually listen to it though until Joel could come home and give her tech support.
Dianne: I am so grateful to you for so many things. Thank-you so much for the past 25 years, and for saying yes when I asked you on the beach at Lake Huron to renew our marriage now. Of course I was nervous. It makes me feel taller to stand beside you in so many ways, but beautiful women intimidate me.
When Dianne and I got married we promised "for better and worse, richer and poorer and in sickness and health." I don't remember you folks promising. Yet that is exactly what you have delivered on. Both Dianne and I feel honored and humbled to have friends that have helped to form our earliest memories. Still!
There is one couple that is here in 2 capacities today, both as friends and officiators. Barbara and Walter, we are so grateful for your mentoring and friendship over the years, as well as the work that you both put into making today special. Thank-you also for this fantastic food to the three sisters catering team. Thanks also to Marie for helping me find them. Glen and Dave, your music has added so much to this day. It was fun going through as the deer at the start too.
It seems like only yesterday, although I know it was 7 years ago, that I was sitting in Mother's living room with Dianne, Mother and Gordon and Kathy having a cool drink. We were in Calgary, sitting on the same chairs that were in Acton, and before that Lachine. I felt a sense of comfort that I think surprised me a little bit at the time. I am so grateful that Mother and Gordon and Kathy came all this way to be with us. You guys win the long distance prize for sure!
I have been humbled and thrilled to get to know your Calgary grandchildren Mother. They are interesting interesting individuals and I have been honored to go camping with them, and have such nice talks with them. When Miss Heather was up a few weeks, ago with her friend, and in the early spring when she was up, it was just like a continuation of the same good conversation. I know also how much Tim enjoyed his stop in Calgary on the way home from Aus and how much he enjoyed meeting Lindsay's and Heather's friends.
There was also the time when you and I drove to Sudbury to see Uncle Dick, and you told me about Calender. Thank-you so much Mother for being here today, for making me feel so comfortable in your home, for sharing your story with me in the car on the way to Sudbury. I am a very grateful son in law.
I kinda stole this venue from my Vancouver brother, Andrew. He and Susanne were married right here in 2004. Andrew is 9 years younger than me, so just as I was learning how to drive was when I got to chauffeur him around a little, and begin the friendship that I still feel today.
Hmm, driving to Sudbury, Calgary listening to the time warp each morning before hitting the road, driving Andrew, perhaps now it is time to mention my brother Rob. Rob let me wear out his first car, when I had to commute to Beamsville from Willowdale for a couple of years. Even though I overheard Rob tell his younger son Eli that older brothers are bossy, I really enjoyed it when Rob and I worked together for a brief stint around 1992. It seems that a) they started giving beef growth hormones when I was done growing b) Mom and Dad could afford more beef as they got more established or c) my brothers are just both taller than me, but I look up to you Rob on a number of levels.
Mom and Dad: I hope that I can live up to your example with your parents, and grandchildren. Thank-you very much for being here today, and for not bringing any games.
Tim, Fleur, Christine, Ben and Joel: thank-you so much for standing with us today. Thank-you for setting everything up. Everything looks great, and Mom and I felt so blessed to be their and watch you guys work together in such harmony and efficiency. When you start a family, you hope that maybe you will be able to teach your children a few things. As you guys have grown to be adults, Mom and I feel so humbled and lucky to have learned so much about love from you guys.
In the "Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy," a frood is defined as a really together guy, with a really clean towel. As in "Ford Prefect, there's a frood who really knows where his towel is." Thank-you so much for coming today and for helping Dianne and I to be more together ... on so many levels!
Love
Rich and Dianne
Dianne and I we were married in 1983, around about 1993 the kids started to notice that our towels weren't up to the standards of their friends. The way that they communicated this was by teasing each other about who had to dry themselves with the smallest towel. Sadly it seemed to be always poor Joel's wimpy towel night. Lucky for Joel he is the only one that is still at home, so he can share in your generosity with Dianne and I.
Dianne and I are so proud that we have so many friends and family. It is truly wonderful that so many of you could get out of town and come. We are thrilled to be attended by our 5 and counting children.
One would think that after 25 years you would know your spouse, but I guess Joel wasn't the only one scarred by wimpy towel night. My boss at NCR couldn't make it, but when I showed Dianne the towels he and his wife found Dianne was trembling with excitement. I sure had no clue that she would be so excited.
Gary and Lena Winship introduced Dianne and I when the 4 of us worked together in Barrie Browndale. Lena broke the ice for me, when I asked Dianne on our first date for a cool beverage after work. If I had of only known that girls tell each other their first date stories, I might not have chosen a punk bar with dancing in a cage for the venue. It was a little loud too.
The first time I saw Dianne was skiing with Browndale kids. My impression was that she was bossy but funny, and had a wonderful sounding voice. Dianne tells other people, that her first impression of me was, "Hi I'm Rich," but when I asked her the other day she said that it was that I was kinda cute, sensitive and caring. I first became aware of a strange, but wonderful sort of closeness between us, one mild February night when I was walking Dianne home from work. Shortly after that Al and I went to Florida in his Chevelle, that we had just put a new motor in, and I bought a little brown speedo. Our first late spring date was to Wasaga beach, where I wore the speedo and a light blue parks and recreation golf shirt. Sorry about the mental image kids, but your Dad was a classy, classy guy. I bring up Wasaga beach, as that is where we are headed next week for a short honeymoon.
A few years ago Mike Schweiger took Ben and Joel and I sailing for the first time. Right after that I went camping with Tony Poduch and some scouts. I can remember Tony and I having the idea of sailing with Dianne as a way of being outside together as our children needed us less and less. When Tim and Christine came back from camp that year they came with an extra kid and the Waterloo Hildreds had five teenagers under the same roof. It was then that Dianne and I started coming down here regularly.
This is a mother's day blog entry from when I was living in India with Ben and Joel and Dianne had returned to Waterloo to be with Christine before she headed back up North to work as a fly in canoe guide:
Hi Dianne:
Joel said that I was so busy. The reason why is that I am really missing your contribution. I know it sometimes felt that you had a lot of time on your hands. Now that you are gone I have none on mine! There is the laundry, groceries, meal prep .... What I really miss is your social contribution. Of course you are a good friend to me, but you also helped a lot to maintain our part in the community, both of foreigners, HCL and neighbours. These relationships are deteriorating in your absence. I always have said that you are a people builder, but being apart, I am really missing your contribution.
Love
Rich
It was around this time that I made a finger-style arrangement of the song "As the deer," that we heard earlier, recorded it with my travel guitar and the mike that Ben bought at Pallica and sent it to Dianne. I don't think that she could actually listen to it though until Joel could come home and give her tech support.
Dianne: I am so grateful to you for so many things. Thank-you so much for the past 25 years, and for saying yes when I asked you on the beach at Lake Huron to renew our marriage now. Of course I was nervous. It makes me feel taller to stand beside you in so many ways, but beautiful women intimidate me.
When Dianne and I got married we promised "for better and worse, richer and poorer and in sickness and health." I don't remember you folks promising. Yet that is exactly what you have delivered on. Both Dianne and I feel honored and humbled to have friends that have helped to form our earliest memories. Still!
There is one couple that is here in 2 capacities today, both as friends and officiators. Barbara and Walter, we are so grateful for your mentoring and friendship over the years, as well as the work that you both put into making today special. Thank-you also for this fantastic food to the three sisters catering team. Thanks also to Marie for helping me find them. Glen and Dave, your music has added so much to this day. It was fun going through as the deer at the start too.
It seems like only yesterday, although I know it was 7 years ago, that I was sitting in Mother's living room with Dianne, Mother and Gordon and Kathy having a cool drink. We were in Calgary, sitting on the same chairs that were in Acton, and before that Lachine. I felt a sense of comfort that I think surprised me a little bit at the time. I am so grateful that Mother and Gordon and Kathy came all this way to be with us. You guys win the long distance prize for sure!
I have been humbled and thrilled to get to know your Calgary grandchildren Mother. They are interesting interesting individuals and I have been honored to go camping with them, and have such nice talks with them. When Miss Heather was up a few weeks, ago with her friend, and in the early spring when she was up, it was just like a continuation of the same good conversation. I know also how much Tim enjoyed his stop in Calgary on the way home from Aus and how much he enjoyed meeting Lindsay's and Heather's friends.
There was also the time when you and I drove to Sudbury to see Uncle Dick, and you told me about Calender. Thank-you so much Mother for being here today, for making me feel so comfortable in your home, for sharing your story with me in the car on the way to Sudbury. I am a very grateful son in law.
I kinda stole this venue from my Vancouver brother, Andrew. He and Susanne were married right here in 2004. Andrew is 9 years younger than me, so just as I was learning how to drive was when I got to chauffeur him around a little, and begin the friendship that I still feel today.
Hmm, driving to Sudbury, Calgary listening to the time warp each morning before hitting the road, driving Andrew, perhaps now it is time to mention my brother Rob. Rob let me wear out his first car, when I had to commute to Beamsville from Willowdale for a couple of years. Even though I overheard Rob tell his younger son Eli that older brothers are bossy, I really enjoyed it when Rob and I worked together for a brief stint around 1992. It seems that a) they started giving beef growth hormones when I was done growing b) Mom and Dad could afford more beef as they got more established or c) my brothers are just both taller than me, but I look up to you Rob on a number of levels.
Mom and Dad: I hope that I can live up to your example with your parents, and grandchildren. Thank-you very much for being here today, and for not bringing any games.
Tim, Fleur, Christine, Ben and Joel: thank-you so much for standing with us today. Thank-you for setting everything up. Everything looks great, and Mom and I felt so blessed to be their and watch you guys work together in such harmony and efficiency. When you start a family, you hope that maybe you will be able to teach your children a few things. As you guys have grown to be adults, Mom and I feel so humbled and lucky to have learned so much about love from you guys.
In the "Hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy," a frood is defined as a really together guy, with a really clean towel. As in "Ford Prefect, there's a frood who really knows where his towel is." Thank-you so much for coming today and for helping Dianne and I to be more together ... on so many levels!
Love
Rich and Dianne
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