- Story by Angela Cowan Photography by Darren Hull

While Marnie Naka has come to know and love much about Kelowna and the Okanagan in the 17 years she乌鸦传媒檚 lived here, it wasn乌鸦传媒檛 the lake or the climate or the wineries that prompted her to make the move. It was love.

Marnie is operations supervisor for the Kelowna office of , the country乌鸦传媒檚 leading wholesale distributor for plumbing, HVAC/R, waterworks and industrial markets. Calgary-born, she lived in Airdrie and area growing up, and started at Wolseley乌鸦传媒檚 Calgary offices more than 20 years ago, until a business merger changed the trajectory of her life.

乌鸦传媒淏rad乌鸦传媒檚 dad sold his company to Wolseley,乌鸦传媒� Marnie says of her husband, 乌鸦传媒渁nd Brad was a manager there, so he stayed on with Wolseley for a few years.乌鸦传媒�

Based in Kelowna, Brad Naka would fly out to Calgary occasionally for meetings.

乌鸦传媒淚 would do meeting set-ups and lunches,乌鸦传媒� she explains. 乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 actually how we met.乌鸦传媒�

The pair ended up having one of their first dates in the airport during one of Brad乌鸦传媒檚 layovers, and 乌鸦传媒淚 moved out here six months later,乌鸦传媒� says Marnie with a laugh.

The couple, who just celebrated their 16-year anniversary, embraced the outdoor Okanagan lifestyle with enthusiasm.

乌鸦传媒淚 love the outdoors here,乌鸦传媒� enthuses Marnie. 乌鸦传媒淲e乌鸦传媒檙e big campers. We乌鸦传媒檒l take the trailers and the bikes and just go out. And I mountain bike with my husband. When we first moved here, I took up dirt biking instead, and then we ended up selling them and got the mountain bikes.乌鸦传媒�

The two go out a couple times a week, even through the winter, and Marnie also gets out snowshoeing with friends, and practices yoga regularly.

乌鸦传媒淚 only started mountain biking a few years ago, and I love it,乌鸦传媒� she says. 乌鸦传媒淚 love to be active.乌鸦传媒�

The 7 Sins

Envy:

Whose shoes would you like to walk in?

I never really thought about this before, but since watching The Crown recently, I乌鸦传媒檇 have to say that I would love to walk in Princess Diana乌鸦传媒檚 shoes. She was down to earth and known for her humanitarian efforts; she was compassionate, and her love of children showed what an amazing person she was.

Gluttony:

What is the food you could eat over and over again?

I love any sort of ethnic dish, but if I had to choose, I would choose Thai food. I love green curry and pad Thai. I can eat it anytime. For a treat though, I also love black licorice.

Greed:

You乌鸦传媒檙e given $1 million that you have to spend

selfishly. What would you spend it on?

I would buy a little vacation home on a tropical island, bring the family and spend as much time there as possible.

Wrath:

Pet peeves?

When marine life is harmed because of deliberate human carelessness. I really hate it when I see people throwing away plastic six-pack rings without cutting them up. And now, I also hate seeing surgical masks littered or thrown away carelessly.

Sloth:

Where would you spend a long time doing nothing?

On a hot white sandy beach, with a good book and an ice-cold tropical slushy drink.

Pride:

What is the one thing you乌鸦传媒檙e secretly proud of?

I am secretly proud of myself for my progression in mountain biking. In just the past four years, my skills riding technical downhill trails have allowed me to travel many places with my husband and ride in some of the most beautiful places in North America!

Lust:

What makes your heart beat faster?

I would have to say my hubby! I love secretly watching him when he doesn乌鸦传媒檛 know I am, and thinking to myself how lucky I am to have such a great husband. It乌鸦传媒檚 been 16 years since we were married on a beach in Mexico, and he still makes my heart beat as fast as if it was yesterday.