A Brief History of Johanna & Tom

Tom found Johanna over 2 years agoon a then-great dating (but now mediocre) website. One of Johanna’s photos there showed Johanna as a Bridesmaid at the wedding of our Matron of Honor Cassie Lammers saving the wedding cake table from collapse.  To Tom, this demonstrated the sort of tendency to Make Things Happen that he finds appealing. Tom asked her to dinner at Cacao Lane in Ellicott City; they spent six hours on that first date. Johanna suggested their next date at the highly unusual Martick’s Restaurant Français in Baltimore (where the architecture hasn't changed since it was a speakeasy during alcohol prohibition); that date lasted twelve hours. For their third date, Tom made dinner. He wanted to make sure there was something Johanna would like, so he prepared:

• artichokes with sauce made from caramelized Norwegian goat milk cheese
• salmon stuffed with pine nuts and feta
• red quinoa with sunflower seeds and fresh parsley
• asparagus
• crème brûlée with raspberries

She liked them all, and both were stuffed; the date lasted seventeen hours.  They found they had several connections among their friends, but had somehow managed avoiding meeting.

Tom was already a chronic volunteer for the Baltimore Kinetic Sculpture Race, hosted each spring by the American Visionary Art Museum. Johanna enthusiastically joined in the mad combination of art, engineering, and logistics.

Kinetic Rampmaster Michael Cooney (Chief Bartender at the wedding), Tom, and Johanna heave the Catholic Community School’s Tropical Paradise out of the water after it capsized. (Photo by Mark Barry)

Tom asked Johanna to be his date for the Tominack-Bienvenu High School Prom—a party for adults with the theme of a high school prom, hosted by Baltimore socialites Holly Tominack and Joe Bienvenu. The 2007 theme was “Goth.”

Best Man Derrick Dasenbrock (with buzzard), Groomsmaid Karen Wallace (velvet & tartan), Johanna (leather dress) and Tom (holding leash) prepare for the Prom Photos at the Tominack-Bienvenu Prom.

Tom and Johanna had enjoyed every minute together, so they arranged a vacation together. For ten days in August, they visited the Canadian Rocky Mountains—including a visit to the largest cave system in Canada (open twice each year), an elaborate garden on the fourth floor of a shopping mall, a glacier, and a three-day mountain hike visiting a variety of waterfalls.

Tom and Johanna in Yoho.

During all of this, Tom as president of Rapidan Camps was working on the biggest project in the history of that cooperative—rebuilding Cabin 1 which had burned down. Johanna and Tom worked together on raising money, nailing the cabin together, and coordinating dozens of volunteers on seven weekends throughout the year.

Tom photographs a team of Rapidan volunteers installing walls on the new cabin; Johanna on the left is using a level to ensure proper placement of the siding. (Photo by Jim Hazzard)

In early December, armed with a free hotel night voucher, Tom and Johanna went to Philadelphia, where Tom surreptitiously steered Johanna toward Jewelers’ Row. He was surprised at his success confirming her engagement ring preferences without her realizing what was going on, but then one forward jeweler poked his head out the window and blew the subtlety by asking “When’s the wedding?” Tom played it cool.

Johanna and Tom bypassed the ironic spectacle of security theatre now surrounding the “Liberty” Bell and came upon the advance preview of a spectacular soon-to-open gallery exhibition. The next day, as they prepared to leave for home, it was sleeting as they gave their camera to a stranger who took the photo for their Christmas Cards.

By now, Johanna was starting to get wise to Tom and that he might be preparing to propose. Tom and Johanna had both discussed that they should know each other for at least one year before any proposals should be considered. But thanks in part to Tom’s part-time self-employed status, they had spent a lot of time together over the previous ten months.

At the end of December, Johanna and Tom came to Rapidan again after Christmas, this time with eight friends plus Bob the 18.5-pound stray cat who had moved in with Tom.

Finally, Tom concocted a plan to propose to Johanna. He created a photo book of their first year together, and at the back of the book printed a proposal—and inserted foam core so the engagement ring itself was embedded inside the book. Johanna was spending a lot of time at Tom’s house at this point, so he found it difficult to create the book without Johanna noticing. Once, Johanna actually witnessed Tom using the computer to create the book. To cover his tracks, Tom created a second photo book, about their Canada trip. He presented the Canada book to her in early February and specifically encouraged her to read through the book one page at a time without looking ahead. There wasn’t a surprise at the back of this book.

On Valentine’s day, Tom was ready to spring his plan into action. It was only 355 days since they had met, but Tom hoped there might be a bit of a surprise in being the slightest bit irrationally early. With a painstakingly selected diamond ring inserted into the back of the gift-wrapped proposal book, Tom picked up Johanna from work. Tom planned it so they were ready a bit early for their dinner reservation, so Tom took Johanna to the top of Federal Hill—where he had first kissed her on their second date. There, they exchanged gifts. Johanna read through the photo book one page at a time, and as she turned the final page, Tom got down on one knee. Johanna immediately accepted, and they went out to dinner. Later, Johanna said she might have exploded with anticipation if Tom hadn’t proposed that night.