‘My friends thought I was crazy for doing two lots of housework’
brush with our mortality I mentioned to Ken I might like a ‘forever ring’.
‘It doesn’t mean we want to get married or live together,’ I insisted. ‘It’s just a sign of our commitment.’
‘Good idea,’ Ken agreed. He had a diamond ring made for me and I wore it proudly.
But over the following year, we started thinking – maybe it was time to make a change.
Two homes, two sets of bills, all the miles driving between them – it was expensive and time-consuming.
So, in September 2019, after more than three decades together, we took a momentous step – and moved in together, making our joint home Ken’s house.
‘About time!’ our friends joked.
Living together, spending all day, every day together… we loved it! ‘ We should have done this sooner,’ we both admitted sheepishly.
Weeks afterwards, we invited friends for a barbecue. As I served up drinks, suddenly Ken got down on one knee. ‘Linda, will you marry me?’ he asked.
I was taken by complete surprise! Marriage? Now? After almost 30 years… Of course, I said yes. We booked a wedding venue. But days later,
Ken discovered he had bladder cancer again. In November 2019, he started an immunotherapy treatment called BCG, which he continues to take.
On 8 February 2020, 32 years after first meeting, we married in a magical service surrounded by 120 loved ones. My son, Robert, gave me away, Ken’s two sons were our best men, our four granddaughters were bridesmaids and our three grandsons were ushers.
It was just before the UK went into lockdown and we even managed a honeymoon Caribbean cruise with friends!
Instead of gifts, we invited guests to donate to charity, raising more than £1,600 for Macmillan Cancer Support and Prostate Cancer UK.
Now at 73 and 77, we are still dancing, walking and enjoying eating out together. Being newlyweds feels wonderful.
We like to joke we can get through anything together, ‘For better, for worse,’ I tell Ken.
‘Sooner… or later,’ he quips back.
Linda and Ken donated their fee for this story to Macmillan Cancer Support (macmillan.org.uk)