That Cute Little Couple

Thanksgiving gives us pause and the opportunity to reflect on our good fortune and appreciation for the people who enrich our lives. It always falls very close to both Mom and Dad’s birthdays, so in keeping with tradition, the Sisterhood organized a “Memorial Walk” to remember our parents, known to many as “That Cute Little Couple.” Of course the walk was virtual and entirely voluntary.

You did, however, have to submit a short video as proof of your participation and once combined into one long video, resulted in a marvellous compilation from family members who are spread out across the country. It was lovely for cousins to get a glimpse into each others lives, even though they are living far apart, and Mom and Dad would have loved to see their extended family walking in their honor.

Pictured Below: Big and Little Sis stopped by our old family home after their walk. and Middle Sis joined us virtually while relaxing on a chair after her walk.

But we digress. So, what made our parents That Cute Little Couple? Well, first of all, they were little. If they stood on their tippy toes, Dad was maybe 5’5″ and Mom probably 5’3″. Even if we are somewhat biased, we have to say that they were in fact, cute. Mom always had a smile, and there was a certain something about their humble, unassuming demeanour that people responded to. Mom was a natural at engaging people and Dad provided quiet background support.

Its the word “couple” that presents a quandary, because although they were indeed a couple, ( married for 62 years) they were very different personalities. Mom was always very active while Dad preferred a more sedentary, cerebral approach to life. It wasn’t until Dad retired, and his heart attack shortly thereafter, that they solidified their mutual commitment to exercise and a healthy lifestyle. Their exercise of choice was walking and it was wonderful to see them enjoying themselves as a couple.

As usual, Dad chose a disciplined “full on” attack and Mom, bless her heart, was right beside him, although we all knew that she would much rather get an extra hour of sleep. That was not to be, however, as right on the dot of 6:30 Dad was up and about, making so much noise that Mom had no choice but to follow. They would have breakfast and be out the door by 7:30, on their way to the mall to join the other “mall walkers.”

Mall Walking Pioneers

Mall walking was a new concept back then and Mom and Dad were among the first to sign up. It was hugely popular at that time because Vancouver weather, particularly in the winter, was not at all conducive to a pleasant outing. After all, who among us enjoys walking in the rain?

**The Hearts in Motion Walking Club meets 5 days a week at 8:00am**

Dad’s focus was on the walking. He took it very seriously, and while Mom recognized the health benefits of walking, she became really enthusiastic once she realized that she had been presented with a wonderful opportunity to socialize and make new friends. (On occasion she even participated in an Asian dance group that took place in the mall at the same time as the walking club…..there was a language barrier but that didn’t stop her.)

The best part for Mom though, was the coffee klatch that took place after the walk. Again, she was in her element, while Dad was somewhat reserved and initially would have preferred to just go home. That is, until he realized that there were some “like minded” men in the group who were happy to discuss politics and world affairs. This was a wonderful time for both of them. They enjoyed the social interaction, their health was stable and they were financially secure. They continued to participate in the walking club for over 10 years.

Walking to Montreal

Each walking club participant tracked the number of miles they logged during their walk. Because they were walking five days a week, both Mom and Dad accumulated considerable mileage over those 10 years and they were both awarded certificates attesting to their accomplishment. Mom always joked that they could have walked to Montreal. 🙂

The walking theme also resonated with our families. In 2006 coinciding with the birth of the first great grandchild, we planned a family 5K walk in Edmonton and That Cute Little Couple were enthusiastic participants. It was a great success and cemented walking as a family tradition. In fact, we repeated another successful family 5k walk in 2008

After Dad passed, Mom continued walking. She did another 5K with family members and even as she became less active, she still made the three block journey to her neighbourhood Starbucks every day.

At this point, you might be asking what this has to do with their being referred to as That Cute Little Couple. Well, their commitment to walking extended into their personal life. It marked the beginning of joint expeditions in the community. They would go grocery shopping together, they picked up prescriptions together, they accompanied each other to doctor appointments and of course they went to Starbucks together. It was these joint excursions that really entrenched their image as “That Cute Little Couple.” They were on a first name basis with the grocery clerks, the pharmacy staff , their physician’s receptionist and all of the Starbucks baristas. Even their walking friends would use that nickname.

And that brings us full circle back to our recent virtual memorial walk. It is a true testament to That Cute Little Couple that even now, years after their passing, we still remember them in a meaningful way. This year, our virtual memorial walk made the best of a particularly difficult Covid situation. As seen below, The Sisterhood also had a particularly fun time with their virtual post memorial walk celebration, enjoying our favorite wine from the appropriately named Three Sisters Winery. And of course, we all know