Connect How did your love story begin?

It all began in Memphis in 1981 where I was a customer at Tom's job every Friday. He asked me out once a week for six months, but I said no. Tom gave up so I asked him out. I told him that we would go sailing. I asked my roommate Karen if we could double date with she and her boyfriend John who married a few years later like Tom and I did. John had a very tiny sailboat. The following week the four of us were sailing on Lake Arkabutla in Coldwater, MS. near Memphis. It was love at first sight.

What is your favorite memory you've shared as a couple?

Tom took off his t-shirt while we were sailing and who knew that a hairy chest would do it for me. Months later he said if all I had to do was take off my shirt I would have done it sooner. We were only 22 and 19 years old when we met. This August we will celebrate 44 years, and I always remind him of that very first date when we went sailing. What a funny memory that we will always share together, we still talk about our first date after all of these years.

What would you do with $20,000?

Tom loves to cook. We have a modest small home with an outdoor patio built for two. When we entertain family and friends only 2 to 4 people can gather on the patio at a time. We have such good weather where we live in central Florida that if we could expand our patio into a much larger area, it would be a dream come true for us both. Right now, it holds two folding chairs a small Weber grill. Tom and our two adult sons Ryan and Tyler enjoy cooking BBQ and talking around the grill.