Best Date Ever

Five years ago I'd been diagnosed with Cancer (Lymphoma) and had started what would be 9 months of chemotherapy, followed by a month of radiation. Prior to my diagnosis I'd been trading emails with this guy I'd met on line, but I kind of dropped the ball during the whole 'let's see if this is really Cancer and if so what kind' stage. When things settled down and I was no longer spending days at a time in the doctor's office, I emailed him again, explained I hadn't been ignoring him, I just found out I had Cancer and had been just a bit distracted. And we continued emailing.

He eventually suggested that we meet in person and offered to make me dinner, mentioning something like grilled steak and mango salsa. How could I refuse? So we figured out what the best day would be based on my chemo schedule, and one Sunday afternoon, five years ago today, I drove down to Woodstock from Essex to see him. Ninety miles. In a snowstorm. It took me over 2 hours to get there.

In Vermont you do this sort of thing and that's why you have all-wheel drive.

So that's how we met. I liked him, he liked me. His dog liked my dog, my dog liked his dog's chewy treats. All good. We went for a walk in the snow, and he made me dinner. Steak on the grill, mango salsa. Black beans and rice, and platanos. And he sent me home with homemade orange/hazelnut biscotti which he said had healing properties (they must - I'm here, aren't I?).
And then I drove another 2+ hours back home in the snow.

It was so worth it. Best. date. ever. Two weeks later he'd changed his work schedule so he could come to my chemo appointments with me, and four months to the day after we met face-to-face, we got married. That picture of the 2 bald people on the right of this page is our wedding picture.

Happy First-Date-Anniversary Sweetie. I can't think of anyone who could have made the past 5 years any happier for me than you have. I love you.

Though I am wondering why I'm the one who has been making the biscotti lately...