Matching Janet proves a ‘life saver’ for Graham

After 82 happy years of marriage, widowers find new love that ‘grows every day’ whilst online dating with Muddy Matches.

Think getting yourself out there through online dating to be daunting?

Well, imagine finding yourself back on the singles scene after 38 loving years of marriage, having been widowed, aged 65 years old.

That’s the daunting reality that agricultural contracting consultant Graham, from Herefordshire, found himself in… or rather his daughter put him in by signing him up to Muddy Matches in an attempt to stop ‘dad from moping around forever’.

Graham, who registers a love of dog walking, car rallies and park runs alongside some upbeat and fun photos on his online dating profile, was happily married for 38 years and was one of the many thousands of Muddy Matches members seeking a new adventure in life and love after being widowed.

He had been ‘moping’ – as his Daughter so put it – for 12 months, following the loss of his wife after she lost her 3 year battle against a brain tumour.

“I ignored the doom mongers who told me online dating wouldn’t work and decided to get on and restart my life” Graham tells us from a socially safe distance.

He was right to. His profile immediately attracted plenty of positive interest and engagement from ladies from all walks of country life. Then, one month into his muddy adventure, in December 2018, he matched with Janet.

From hunting, financial and farming stock, Janet, 64, 5ft2 and herself a widower – to cancer – after 44 years of marriage, gave Graham every reason to smile all over again. Just like her match, her daughter had set up her profile on Muddy Matches just 20 days earlier.

How stars so often align.

“I was attracted by her petiteness and her profile photograph. She was so pretty and looked so alive. It was love at first sight.” says Graham, of his then Shropshire living soulmate.

The pair admit to flirting ‘like teenagers’ by message exchange, discussed their late partners with due levels of dignity and respect and, 11 days after connecting, arranged a pre-Christmas afternoon date of sorts in a café in Alderford Lane

It was a date they both had butterflies, but huge amounts of excitement, for.

It was a ‘life saver’ of a muddy match on an “unbelievably brilliant” online dating website, according to Graham. “Janet and I were the first people either of us met, after losing our partners.”

Roll on two years and the pair are still totally smitten with each other, now living together in Herefordshire where Graham had grown up on a farm.

“Our love grows stronger every day” Graham adds. “There’s been no proposal yet but I’m waiting for the next leap year. There are no cows or sheep to report but we do have three children, three grandchildren and two dogs between us who have all intermingled well.”

The pair are loving the slower pace of life, and enjoy walking the dogs – a daily outing that gets them ‘good and muddy’ and made the most of their time together, including a 3 month road trip around Europe.

Plans are afoot to build a house on their paddock, too.

“Every day with Janet is a highlight and the icing on the cake,” Graham tells us with a relaxed smile. “We are lucky because we are together, and we are hoping for good health to enjoy the rest of our lives together.