Inspirational stories leading up to Valentinesa国际传媒檚 Day are abundant, but few can match how true love has stood the test of time quite like long-time Chemainus couple Ejlif and Anna Mose.

Theysa国际传媒檒l be celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary this year on June 9.

The date they tied the knot in their native Denmark way back in 1951 just happens to coincide with Ejlifsa国际传媒檚 birthday. sa国际传媒淭hat was so he would remember the anniversary,sa国际传媒� joked daughter Jane.

Ejlif will turn 93 on June 9 and Anna reaches another milestone later in the year with her 90th birthday on Oct. 8.

So whatsa国际传媒檚 the secret to their long and endearing relationship?

sa国际传媒淲e get along very good,sa国际传媒� said Ejlif.

sa国际传媒淚 still love him,sa国际传媒� added Anna. sa国际传媒淗e bugs me once in a while, but I still love him. In the long run, wesa国际传媒檙e getting along just fine sa国际传媒� we must be after that many years. I would have run away a long time ago.sa国际传媒�

Ejlifsa国际传媒檚 hearing isnsa国际传媒檛 quite as good as it used to be. Then, again, that can work out as a convenient excuse if he ever needs one for not following Annasa国际传媒檚 instructions.

The couple has enjoyed a prosperous life mostly in Chemainus with their family.

Oldest sons Harry, now 69 and a former mayor of Port Hardy living in Nanaimo, and Allan, 66, of Campbell River were both born in Denmark before Ejlif and Anna emigrated to Canada in 1958.

Once in Canada, Brian, now 61, of Nanoose Bay and Jane, 56, of Saltair were their additions to the family. The Moses have 13 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and even three great-great grandchildren.

Ejlif and Anna (nee Ohlenschlaeger) were living in Esbjerg, Denmark when they met on March 9, 1950.

sa国际传媒淲e just met out of the blue,sa国际传媒� recalled Anna.

sa国际传媒淚t was about 20 minutes after I came out of the navy,sa国际传媒� said Ejlif.

sa国际传媒淭hank God he was out of that,sa国际传媒� remarked Anna.

Following their early years of married life with the two kids, they thought about relocating.

sa国际传媒淥ver there in those days, it was hard to get anything to live in,sa国际传媒� said Anna. sa国际传媒淲e always thought we wanted to get out and get somewhere.sa国际传媒�

So Canada it was, as good a place as anywhere.

Ejlif made the move over first. sa国际传媒淚 wanted to have a look at it,sa国际传媒� he explained.

sa国际传媒淚 had Harry and Allan, I came five months later,sa国际传媒� noted Anna. sa国际传媒淗arry and Allan were six and three years old.sa国际传媒�

It was a long trip, five days on the train from Halifax, before arriving on the west coast.

sa国际传媒淲e came to Canada, fell in love with it, Vancouver Island, and wesa国际传媒檙e still here,sa国际传媒� enthused Ejlif.

There were trying times since they actually had to learn English on the fly.

They settled in Ladysmith first for about a year and then bought a house on Henry Road in Chemainus where they stayed for 10 years before moving to Hawthorne Street for 32 years. Theysa国际传媒檝e been in their current residence for another 20 years since 2001.

Ejlif spent the bulk of his working days divided between commercial fishing and the graveyard shift at the previous Chemainus sawmill for 25 years until it closed in 1982.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檇 sleep three hours and hesa国际传媒檇 be gone again,sa国际传媒� said daughter Jane. sa国际传媒淚t was crazy.sa国际传媒�

But commercial fishing was in Ejlifsa国际传媒檚 blood and he just stepped up that aspect of his life when the mill closed. He bought a bigger boat and fished fulltime after that. With the family all grown up, Anna went out fishing with him for 10 years.

sa国际传媒淪adly, he had a heart attack or he would have still been fishing,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淵ou couldnsa国际传媒檛 get him away from it.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚 survived, but the doctor told me not to go fishing anymore,sa国际传媒� noted Ejlif. sa国际传媒淚 sold my boat.sa国际传媒�

Hesa国际传媒檚 otherwise enjoyed good health and so has Anna.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e still in fairly good shape, I feel Isa国际传媒檓 getting tired now,sa国际传媒� he said. sa国际传媒淚 like to read, but my sight is not so good.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e had my little problems, but Isa国际传媒檓 still here,sa国际传媒� she smirked. sa国际传媒淲hen things come up, you have to think yousa国际传媒檙e not 25 anymore.sa国际传媒�

The couple has been fortunate to travel extensively over the years, with numerous trips back to the old country and Hawaii, in particular.

sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e very lucky and wesa国际传媒檙e here and wesa国际传媒檙e still together,sa国际传媒� added Anna. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 what wesa国际传媒檙e still thankful for. It is hard to believe wesa国际传媒檝e been together that long. Time has just flown. Itsa国际传媒檚 unreal itsa国际传媒檚 been 70 years. It hasnsa国际传媒檛 always been peaches and cream. If someone tells me different, theysa国际传媒檙e lying.sa国际传媒�

As much as their love remains strong after so long, this Valentinesa国际传媒檚 Day is also a reminder of how much they love Chemainus and how the townsa国际传媒檚 been such an integral part of their lives.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e seen many countries, but this is special, our town,sa国际传媒� said Ejlif. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a beautiful place to live. I love it here.

sa国际传媒淲e met so many nice people here over the years. I can think only good things.sa国际传媒�

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