Wanda & Karl - July 24th, 2010 Wedding

Karl was nine. He lived with his parents, and his brother on the Strong Chapman Line. The family’s lot was carved out of the Harrison family homestead - Karl’s mother was a Harrison. The 20-acre parcel was carved out of a maple forest. Karl’s father had worked with some neighbours to build their home there.

Wanda was nine too when her mother, father and two brothers moved from a farm in Manitoba to Rodeo Road in Strong Township. The Hines family didn’t have many neighbours. In fact about a mile separated the log home that Wanda’s father built from the Loenhart’s.

Karl and his brother would often bicycle the dirt roads of the backcountry block to fish and play with Wanda and her brothers. But Karl’s was a restless family. And, within two years they moved. Oh, they eventually returned to the area. No one leaves it forever. But by the time they returned Wanda had new friends. And when the Loenhart’s did move back it would be to the next town over – South River. So all through junior high and high school Wanda and Karl rarely talked. And then Karl moved away again. For the next twenty-one years, they did not so much as speak. But Karl remembered Wanda. Oh yes he did. And one day he looked her up!