Towards the end of my posting in Beijing, we decided that since our next post would be Rome, I would come home and we would get married. At that point we had been together for more than 30 years so it was more for administrative matters than for any other reason. In fact it simplified matters greatly for pay and benefits and for my spouse's status abroad.
Usually from July onwards it is the moving season for most Canadian diplomats and it is timed with end of school year and summer vacation. You still have to negotiate with your supervisor your departure date from Post, usually not a problem and easily agreed upon since you are leaving anyway.
However we had a nasty deputy program manager, one who believed in processes and had zero social skills, it was all about him and how he was climbing the management ladder. When I told him that I was thinking of leaving in mid-July because I was getting married in Ottawa, he said no, you can leave in August. He knew that this would cause family problems and complicate my life. He had no other reason that wanting to assert himself. Unfortunately we have far too many of those type of anti-social personalities in management in Government the main source of waste. Lucky for me the actual Program Manager was a very fair and balanced person with whom I had worked for a very long time. I went to him and expose my plan and reasons why I needed to leave by a certain date. We were also then selling the house in Canada. He agreed readily and wished me all the best of good luck. I always thought that the Deputy who had refused my request did it on the basis of his homophobia. He was someone with whom you could not have a normal conversation without him asserting his opinion.
I flew out on schedule from China and in the meantime in Ottawa, W had been busy arranging the details. Our friend JK lend us her beautiful garden for the ceremony and organized the flowers and food. We were married by a Minister who was a family friend of long standing on a beautiful 21 July, later we went to dinner at Petit Bill's Bistro with a few friends.
Wedding Day
Reesie and white roses on Via Asmara, Rome
Our old dog Reesie was included and when we came to pronounce our vows, Reesie insisted that we pick him up. Dear Reesie such a gentle little dog, he was born just outside Chicago, a long hair dachshund, who then travelled with us to Rome, despite his great age. He was to die within six months of old age and medical complications.
So today is our Wedding Anniversary. As you can see from the photos we have not changed at all. For more of the story and photos see http://willyorwonthe.blogspot.ca
1979 at home on Riverside Drive
2009, at Caracalla for the Summer Opera Season
2010 on Via Appia Antica, Rome.
Usually from July onwards it is the moving season for most Canadian diplomats and it is timed with end of school year and summer vacation. You still have to negotiate with your supervisor your departure date from Post, usually not a problem and easily agreed upon since you are leaving anyway.
However we had a nasty deputy program manager, one who believed in processes and had zero social skills, it was all about him and how he was climbing the management ladder. When I told him that I was thinking of leaving in mid-July because I was getting married in Ottawa, he said no, you can leave in August. He knew that this would cause family problems and complicate my life. He had no other reason that wanting to assert himself. Unfortunately we have far too many of those type of anti-social personalities in management in Government the main source of waste. Lucky for me the actual Program Manager was a very fair and balanced person with whom I had worked for a very long time. I went to him and expose my plan and reasons why I needed to leave by a certain date. We were also then selling the house in Canada. He agreed readily and wished me all the best of good luck. I always thought that the Deputy who had refused my request did it on the basis of his homophobia. He was someone with whom you could not have a normal conversation without him asserting his opinion.
I flew out on schedule from China and in the meantime in Ottawa, W had been busy arranging the details. Our friend JK lend us her beautiful garden for the ceremony and organized the flowers and food. We were married by a Minister who was a family friend of long standing on a beautiful 21 July, later we went to dinner at Petit Bill's Bistro with a few friends.
Our old dog Reesie was included and when we came to pronounce our vows, Reesie insisted that we pick him up. Dear Reesie such a gentle little dog, he was born just outside Chicago, a long hair dachshund, who then travelled with us to Rome, despite his great age. He was to die within six months of old age and medical complications.
So today is our Wedding Anniversary. As you can see from the photos we have not changed at all. For more of the story and photos see http://willyorwonthe.blogspot.ca
Happy anniversary, you lovebirds!
ReplyDeleteThank you Debra.
DeleteEnjoy the day! Happy Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteCP
thank you CP
DeleteI won't go through the rigmarole I posted on Will's blog and say how much MORE remarkable are your REAL years together, but happy wedding anniversary anyway.
ReplyDeleteThank you David.
DeleteHappy Anniversary! No doubt Reesie insisted on being part of the ceremony and being lifted. My childhood pet was a dachshund I named ‘Chattanooga’. Really. She had that What’s-the-meaning-of-this! attitude dachshunds can have, and was so willful she refused to depart this life until well past the age of sixteen. I still miss her every once in a while.
ReplyDeleteDomanidave, thank you!
DeleteHappy anniversary! Félicitations !
ReplyDeleteAnna, thank you!
DeleteWow
ReplyDeletewhat a marvelous tale; it brought me to tears.
Thank you for sharing it.
I did not mean to make you cry. We had a very nice cake too made out of sculpted fruits.
Delete