Twenty-years ago George Town's Karina and Renato Zanchetta had been married for 10 years and a Valentine's Day message in The Examiner was the peak of romance.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
To my 57 Chevy - Though the paint is starting to fade and the lights are going dim,
The tyres are getting bald and the rust is setting in,
You'll always be my classic sent from up above,
Happy Valentine's Day my true love.
- Your 63 Corvette.
That was the message Mrs Zanchetta sent to her husband on Valentine's Day in 2001.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Cold but cosy: Liawenee living an insight into a time gone by
At that time the oldest of their three children was seven, they were living in their first family home at Low Head, and Mr Zanchetta had amassed a 500-strong scale model car collection.
Though the years have passed, the paint has faded even more and the collection is now around the 600 mark, Mr and Mrs Zanchetta are still married and are as in love as ever.
"We've been through a lot of ups and downs but we're as close, if not closer, than ever," Mrs Zanchetta said when catching up with The Examiner 20 years later.
The Zanchettas exude a clear respect for each other based off a declaration that family comes first.
"Family is everything. Family to us is very important. It's been a big part of our life is family - the closeness and staying together," Mr Zanchetta said.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'You could eat fresh food': JobSeeker recipient and charity fear the end of COVID subsidy
The flame of love has continued to flicker in the Zanchetta household, but they said it barely had a chance of dying out when the first got together and realised they were soul mates.
They met when they were both performing with the George Town Entertainers but it was not until years later that they got together and eventually married on November 23, 1991.
And it turns out that drama and devotion go hand in hand in the family.
Their oldest son Antonio met his wife in drama class. And their daughter Bianca met her partner in drama class, and while they are not yet married, they played a married couple in a performance they were in.
For all the foibles and fall-outs that can threaten a relationship, Mr and Mrs Zanchetta have managed to get the balance right which they believe has held them together through the years.
"Our secret is not to look at the faults. Yes, we've had fights, but it's important not to go to bed angry with each other so if you do have a fight, you get over the fight," Mrs Zanchetta said.
"And as you get older it's like - well, he doesn't put the toothpaste lid back on ... so what! "It's just learning off each other and respecting each other. You learn that whatever happens, you can get over it and find a solution," Mr Zanchetta said.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Time for change? Divided opinions come together over calls for duck hunting review
Mr Zanchetta is about to retire and the pair are looking forward to spending their time together.
"We stuck out the days of him coming home from work and me walking out saying 'there's the kids, I've gotta get out for a few minutes'," Mrs Zanchetta said.
"Now we get to enjoy each other's company," Mr Zanchetta said.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: