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12 FOUR SEASONS BREEZE | FEBRUARY 2025 Amidst the swirling uncertainties brought on by the pandemic, fate intervened to unite Larry and Cathy through a mutual friend. Cathy's luminous smile and compassionate spirit swiftly laid the foundation for a profound friendship that blossomed into something more. Throughout the quarantine, Larry emerged as the ideal companion, enchanting Cathy with his mouthwatering barbecues, carefully curated movie selections, and captivating tales that provided delightful respite from the world outside. While many faced the weight of isolation, they discovered an abundance of joy and laughter in each other's company. Their love story stands as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the serendipitous ways in which life intertwines destinies. A year later, they celebrated their engagement, culminating in a beautiful wedding in Oregon, framed by the majestic silhouette of Mount Hood. ~ Submitted by Larry Workman Enjoy reading these home grown love stories from our beautiful community and beyond. Be sure to check out the digital issue for a favorite Valentine's Day song. My Love, My Valentine … Discovering Joy & Laughter After the death of my wife of 45 years, Toshiko, in April 2007, I did not know what was ahead of me. We had just moved to Four Seasons. I had met my immediate neighbors, but knew no one else in the community. I started to get involved with some of the activities, such as water aerobics and got appointed to the Finance Committee, as I had previous experience in banking. I was not thinking about finding another wife, but then one day in August, at water aerobics, a new face appeared. Little did we know then, a mutual friend, Dorothy Meier, was behind the scenes acting as a matchmaker. This new person was Cheryl Lynn Ralston, a teacher/administrator in Redlands, who had just moved to Four Seasons. We had a couple of dinner dates at Morongo Casino during September. We liked each other, so when I went back to Massachusetts for my 50th high school reunion I asked if I could call her a couple of times … well, I called every night. Afterwards, we saw each other quite often and went to the Halloween Party as a couple. That is when we decided to take our relationship to the next step and decided to get engaged (which actually did not happen until January). After Cheryl retired, we got married on August 30, 2008. We were told that we were the first couple who met here and held a wedding reception in our beautiful Ballroom. In fact, a story appeared in the LA Times about our romance as an ad for K. Hovnanian Homes. Cheryl and I have been married 16 wonderful years and we're looking forward to many more years. ~ Submitted by Wayne E. Staples New Beginnings