Our Love Story

I advertised in the Buy and Sell Magazine for a female pen pal around 45 years old - Rowena was only 26 but she replied anyway !

When I received Rowena's letter I was on a teaching assignment in the UK. She was the second person to reply to my advertisement. I'll always remember opening that letter, I looked at the enclosed photograph first - she looked so young and beautiful and had a cheeky smile. I thoughtshe must have made a mistake in reading my age which I gave is 61, and so I replied to her letter
pointing out my age. To my surprise she wrote
back, and I wrote back, and soon we had this
wonderful thing going.

My daughter Lindsay was 7 at the time, and I thought
how great it would be to bring Rowena to the UK to
spend the summer with us. I was so sure that
there would be no problem with her coming that I
moved rooms around in the house and prepared a
room for her. Even down to little feminine
bric a brac.

Alas! she was unable to get a visa. In July that
year I returned to my home in Canada, and thought
perhaps she would be able to come and spend
Christmas with us. After making inquiries with
Canadian immigration they said it was unlikely
they would grant a visitors visa to a Third World
female who did not have substantial assets in her
home country. Getting a bit frustrated I asked
the officer, "How the hell can I get her over here"?
To which he replied, go over there and marry her.

And so in November 1996 I travelled to Manila and
after we spent a little time together we knew we
were meant for each other and we were married in
Daet, in the presence of my mother in law, who is
considerably younger than me.

It's funny, I actually fell in love with Rowena
when I saw that crazy photograph, it just seemed
too much to hope for that she would love me - but
she did, and after 3 years of marriage we are
blissfully happy. Age has really not made any
difference in our relationship.

My Loving Wife

First of all Rowena is beautiful, inside and out. She is even tempered even though sometimes I would try the patience of a Saint. She is thoughtful and affectionate; doesn't crave for everything in Sears catalogue, and she's a wonderful mother to our son, and my daughter.

Rowena has won the affection of my family and myfriends. It's always a pleasure to go out with
her, particularly when we go bargain hunting at
auctions and garage sales. We have lots of laughs together, and lots of hugs and kisses.

I can't say that there is anything in particular which I find annoying about her. Yes, she sometimes eats strange foods, likes Jackie Chan movies and drools over Mel Gibson, but heck, when you love somebody as much as I love Rowena, you've got to make allowances.

My Beloved Husband

My husband is loving and kind, he has a great sense of humour and we laugh together a great deal. He is a wonderful father and doesn't seem to mind that I'd like five children (ha ha). He is very supportive of my family in the Philippines and he would like to win the lottery so he could help many people there.

Being a writer is somewhat eccentric, he has some strange tastes in music ranging from Bing Crosby to the Cure; and from Uzbek Pop to Finnish Folk, however he does not like Elton John who just happens to be one of my favourite. We share many of the same values and have many common interests, and yes he's very romantic, he kissed me everyday and I dont know how many times.The only thing I know is he loves me and I love him so much.

The down side - well he loves burnt toast which smells the house out, and blue cheese which doesn't smell much better. But I wouldn't swap him for Elton John !

But you know what? He's a good cook!