Introducing... The Mate!

Well, I've introduced me, although not with very many details, so I'll introduce the other person that I'm likely to blog about regularly. The Mate. Without revealing too many personal details about him, I'll tell you that he is disabled*, he's 15 years older than I am, and he's so much more than just 'The Mate' to me. We're common-law married, but haven't ever done anything official about it, for various reasons.



We met online in the late 90's, and spent some years talking before I moved halfway across the country after splitting from my then-husband. The Mate visited me, and things blossomed from there. Eventually, he asked me to move in, and we became a couple. Now, 9 years later (already? Wow- time really does fly!), we're living in northwest Pennsylvania with 14 cats, 4 dogs, and each other.

As well as being a couple, I'm also his caretaker, and I stay home and take care of him. It works out quite well, since we still enjoy spending time together quite a bit, and this way I don't have to deal with the pain of getting up every day and wearing uncomfortable clothing (psoriasis makes most clothes hurt my skin) to go out and work. And really, it's a full time job staying home, between all the animals and the projects we find to do.

So, now you've "met" me, and The Mate, and I'd better go do my job, because my boss is a really tough taskmaster, and I don't want to get fired. Next, I'll probably start introducing our pets.

*His disability is that he has Degenerative Disc Disease that has wrecked his back and neck. He's had three open spinal surgeries with hardware installed (titanium!) due to collapsed discs. He takes a huge amount of medication for the constant pain.