230 Safford St. - Quincy, MA
Posted by: 
silverquill
N 42° 15.973 W 071° 01.486
19T E 333010 N 4681319
It was the Blizzard of '78. We had met on Jan. 13 and had one date after that, but it was enough. On Feb. 14, the driving ban was lifted to make it from New Haven, Conn. to Quincy, Mass. with roses and diamond ring, to propose on bended knee.
Waymark Code: WM5ZNA
Location: Massachusetts, United States
Date Posted: 03/08/2009
Views: 49
While this flew in the face of all the advice I'd give young couples . . . . well, we weren't a young couple.
We met at age thirty at a singles retreat sponsored by our church at Seminole Point Lodge (now demolished) at Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire. I had not planned to attend due to conflicts with my classes at Yale University School of Medicine Physician Associate Program. But, because of what seemed disastrous at the time, I was unexpectedly free. I'd never been to a singles retreat nor to the state of New Hampshire. So it was that I found myself in a winter wonderland on Friday Jan. 13, 1978.
And, when she walked through the door, my world lit up. We had a wonderful weekend together. Two weeks later she invited me to another singles event -- cross country skiing at Sunday River Inn in Bethel, Maine. I think we knew by the time we got home that we were being brought together in a unique way.
Then the Blizzard of '78 hit the east coast hard. There was a six-state driving ban in effect for nearly a week - as if anyone could drive anyway. Somehow I was able to get the red roses and diamond ring, and the day they lifted the driving ban, I was able to make it from New Haven to her apartment at 230 Safford St. in Quincy, just a month after we had met.
She seemed not the least bit surprised when I knelt and asked her to be my wife, and, as I recall, her response was something like, "How soon?!" Well, because of my school schedule, we had to wait until July 1, 1979, a long 4 1/2 months.
It has been 30 years of devoted love and adventures in living, with two lovely daughters to bless our family. To celebrate that special anniversary, we were able to spend two wonderful weeks on Maui at a special retreat house for ministers. We selected the little town of Hana, on Maui's far side for our anniversary stay. The pictures posted are of that day.
We give glory to God for his love and goodness to us!