Shared interests a bond
Pair have key to a long and happy marriage We don’t argue. We have our own beliefs and ideas, and we don’t ram them down each other’s throats. We live and let live.
It wasn’t love at first sight for Ron and Josie Fraser.
‘‘I didn’t like him at first. I thought he was bit full of himself,’’ Josie says now, but the couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary recently.
The couple, who moved to Matamata from Papakura in December, met at Farmers in Otahuhu about 53 years ago where Ron was the relieving manager and Josie the ‘‘office girl,’’ as she calls it.
Josie’s initial misconception of Ron, and her having a boyfriend, were no barriers to the couple eventually bonding over shared interests.
Both are into harness racing and went on to ‘‘ dabble’’ in owning a race horse in a syndicate which meant many trips to watch it race in Australia.
They also visited places such as Egypt and Spain.
Josie said the key to their long marriage was agreeing to disagree. ‘‘We don’t argue,’’ she said. ‘‘People don’t believe us. We have our own beliefs and ideas, and we don’t ram them down each other’s throats. We live and let live.’’
The couple moved to Matamata to get away from Auckland’s traffic and were enjoying the slower pace of life in the Waikato town.
‘‘ You go into shops and people take the time to talk to you,’’ Josie said.
The couple headed back to Papakura the weekend before their April 7 wedding anniversary to celebrate with their family, including three children and seven grandchildren, and friends there. That included one son who was born on the couple’s anniversary.
‘‘His birthday was not good planning,’’ Josie said.