My Dear Hearts, Be My Valentines

The G-Man

The G-Dogger

A Valentine Story

On our "honeymoon" in Las Vegas

In responding to the "Letters from Usedom" I decided to post the following story. Below is the Yahoo Personals Ad that caught G's attention on 12/16/2003. Unfortunately, we have not been able to find G's ad; somehow it has gotten deleted from Yahoo. In it he spoke of the love of travel and he also mentioned enjoying playing golf with his friends. For me both were a plus as I knew he had a "life" and could entertain himself if I were not around and he would not be dependent on me for his source of entertainment.
We corresponded via email and spoke on the telephone. One thing that was of interest is about mid-way through the ad (it's italicized for this story). On 12/21 we had our first date. There were no exploding blue lights, although I thought G was & is a handsome, distinguished man. (At the time I was hoping not to encounter a spooky weirdo as this was an online arranged date.) We met at a restaurant and had a lovely evening. I emailed him that very evening and told him I'd had a "surprisingly lovely evening". I have every email of his and mine that we shared. I should probably print them out rather than keep them online. From time to time I go back & re-read some of them.
We married about 2 years after meeting and have been very happy. Interestingly, I developed a liking for golf so we are able to enjoy the love of travel & golf together. This isn't a funny story, but it is a hopeful one. Who would have thought that a 56 year old and a 65 year old would meet online, fall in love, and marry? Thankfully, G didn't have the rule of needing to meet someone half his age (as did a character in Angela's story) to make him happy. I always say, "yahoo for Yahoo!!!"

In describing myself I am kind, intelligent, witty, interesting, open-minded...sort of cute/attractive. I am steadfast, loyal, dependable and dedicated to friends, family, beliefs, and work. I love children, though I have none of my own, and animals, especially dogs and horses. I'm rather well-traveled both in country & abroad. I love Austin and it's diversity and am comfortable in a variety of situations. Port Aransas is my favorite Texas coastal community so far...but, in all my years in TX I haven't been to South Padre. I love the outdoors, hiking in and admiring the vastness of west Texas, seeing the stars from a place unhindered by city lights, walking, strolling down the beach or lakeline while holding hands, cuddling, kissing is a real plus. I am most comfortable in small group settings or one-on-one, but function very well in larger groups. Attending the theatre or symphony, visiting galleries and museums, listening to music, dining out, reading, or a quiet evening in are lovely ways to spend time. Someone who enjoys similar things or who has other things to share would be of interest to me. A man of honesty, kindness, and integrity, who knows and likes himself (including foibles and fabulous traits), is still curious about and enamored of life, and looks forward to sharing life with another person is one I would like to know.

Happy Birthday, Dear Heart

Gerald at the Eiffel Tower, December 2009

Happy birthday, dear heart,
You mean so much to me.
Wherever in the world
Would I be without you?

They say a poem
Need not rhyme,
But should only reflect
The feelings in the heart.

It's quite astounding
That we found each other
Although we lived only
A few miles apart.

Without close inspection
One would think we had little in common
But upon reflection
We are meant for each other.

I'm a little ditsy, not clear, not calm
You are a rock, deliberate, charming.
Perhaps it's the opposite that attracts
Nevertheless we are very happy.

We enjoy traveling
Learning new things.
We have an appreciation
For each others needs.

So for five years now
We've laughed and we've loved
We've traveled and we've played.
My birthday wish is for this to continue.

Play a game of golf,
Visit with your friends.
Enjoy the day, the week, the month
Have a beautiful birthday, dear heart.

• ~~Love, Cheryl