Janet, My Better Half

It's been about a decade since I caved in and said "I do". One of those classic stories of love. We met at a wedding and a funeral, for the same person. When I first met her, it was at the wedding of her best friend to my brother. She was married at the time, and other than being a nice person; we passed like two ships, acknowledging each other and sailing on.

A few years later my brother mentioned in passing that she had rid herself of "the idiot". She had a nice personality when we met, so I thought she might be fun to go out with. I asked him for her number, but my sister-in-law thought we would not work and said no. Shortly after that, my brother unexpectedly passed away. Janet came to the funeral to support her best friend, and we met again. Despite the circumstances, something clicked; and the rest as they say, is history.

Janet at her friend Shelly's wedding in 1998. Looks like trouble to me.

We married a couple of years later, and she became a classic tugboat widow. The first thing you notice about her is she doesn’t let the grass grow under her feet. She is always trying to see how many things she can juggle at once. That's probably what makes us work. In a relationship where one is traveling most of the time, it is important that the other "has a life of their own". You have your life together and your life apart. You share with your partner enough of your time away to keep them connected, and then enjoy the time you have together being a couple. Janet is an independent woman and makes the most of the time that I'm gone.

Janet with a flower in Hawaii in 2008.

When we started seeing each other she was working 5 jobs and getting her own business going. These days she has narrowed her focus a bit. For a day job, she has settled into being the office manager for Convertibles Only, an auto upholstery shop specializing in convertibles and specialty cars. She still has her own business, Pour Girls & Some Guys Inc. a bartending service; which after 15+ years is quite a project. During the busy time of the year she puts in well over 80 hours a week between the two. She has a few other little things she does in her spare time just to keep from gettting bored. She is a bit of a stress junkie, and when life slows down a little, she is always finding something more to do.

Some of Janet’s great team of bartenders at their May 2009 meeting. None of the "guys" could make it due to schedule conflicts.

Like any couple, there are times that we thrill each other and times we want to kill each other. She has a strong belief in right and wrong that can make her your greatest friend or your worst enemy. She has always been a strong and faithful partner in our relationship. She may not always like me, but I know she always loves me. Janet is the Love of my life. I can't think of anyone, and wouldn't want anyone else; to be my wife and partner in life.