In September of 1978 we started our life together. We had both moved to Halifax to study and met within the first two weeks of our arrival in this historic port city. Tim, then 19 years old, had ventured forth from the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia to study at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design after deciding a business degree from Acadia University and living at home in Kentville was not what he wanted to do anymore. Dan, 23, had just completed a Bachelor of Science degree from Queen's University at Kingston Ontario and moved to the east coast to start work on a Master of Science degree at Dalhousie University. We were out on our own for the first time.

On a warm autumnal equinox we met in the Halifax Public Gardens. Neither of us knew where we were going but had an exciting feeling that the journey was going to be interesting. After hours of walking around the Gardens we bravely headed out on to the street together and made our way to Point Pleasant Park. Hours later, we had our first kiss and fell in love.

During the first year of our relationship everything was new, exciting and sometimes scary. We had to come to terms with our sexuality, and decide if two men could really live together and be happy. By the end of the school year it was obvious to both of us that we would continue our journey together. In October of 1979 Tim and Dan moved into a one bedroom apartment in the south end of Halifax. Gay Halifax in 1979 was still very much in the closet. We were not. It was obvious to anyone who knew us that we did things together, cared deeply for each other and were more than room-mates. Tim had come out to his parents in the summer of '79, not uneventful but certainly a positive turning point for him. Soon we came out to Dan's Nova Scotia family and Tim was welcomed into the fold. Support from our families started at different points but developed into respect for our commitment to each other.

On December 25, 1998 Dan passed away. After 20 years of sharing and building a life together I take great pleasure in the many wonderful memories of our rich life together. I miss him. And yet I now feel as if I am living for both of us and have a strong determination to do so with much joy, love and respect.

Landmarks
&
Memories

• The first time I saw Dan, standing on the little bridge in the Public Gardens, smiling at me.
• Spotting Tim on the deck of the Dartmouth ferry...we did show up for our first date.
• Pizza, beer, Dan's chocolate chip cookies and bed.
• Opening our first joint bank account - boy was the male teller ever nervous...so were we!
• Tim buying... and selling Cafe Quelque Chose.
• The night we decided to buy the house.
• The weekend we told the Bruntons.
• Summer evening walks on the waterfront.
• Doing the dishes at Cafe Quelque Chose after a whining phone call from Tim.
• Rob.
• Camping on the bluff at Cavendish.
• Being there for each other when our moms died.
• Sauteed peppered mushrooms on toast, Swedish potatoes, stuffed pork chops, horseradish carrots and chocolate cheese torte.
• Apple day at Jim's and Linda's.
• The Prospect Triptych.
• Coming home to find mom's crystal sparkling in the newly refinished cabinet, thanks Dan.
• Christmas at our home with our mothers.
• Shawn's and Mathew's annual Christmas visit.
• Sunday matinees at Neptune Theatre.
• Canoeing to breakfast at Milford House.
• New Years in Paris.
• Singing with Maureen Forrester...watching Dan sing with Maureen Forrester.
• New Years Eve with Timothy Findley, Bill Whitehead, Rob, Albee and Apple.
• Rogers Victoria Creams.
• Brugge, Brussels and Amsterdam.
• Kiss of the Spider Women with Brent Carver and Chita Rivera in London.
• Pierre.
• Eating Gelati on the Via del Conciliazione.
• Robertson Davies.
• St. Peter's, Vatican City.
• The new den.
• Gaspereau, chez les Bruntons.
• Bacchus with his red mane.
• Chickadees.
• Paying off the mortgage.
• The stain glass windows at twilight.
• Early morning in our garden.
• Hugs, hugs and more hugs.
• Percale cotton bedding.
• Ella, Louie, Nat, Cleo, Grappelli, Winston, Bach, Mozart, Willan, Stanford, Chopin, Elton John, Paul Simon, Annie Lennox...
• Parade of Sail, Halifax.
• Firenze.
• Este! Este! Este! Restaurante.
• Cuddling, snuggling, spooning.
• Saturday breakfast in our garden.
• The first snow.
• Pulmonaria.
• Finishing the house renovations!
• The bathroom door.
• The Met - museum and opera house.
• Grunts Art Glass
• Refracted light
• T is for Toadies
• National Gallery, Ottawa.
• Luc and Otron
• Whales off the Grand Manan Islands

Queeries about us, any of the above, comments and hellos

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