Jayne's New Country Home

Jayne's New Country Home

About Me

Who is Jayne, anyway?

As you might guess, my name really is Jayne. I've been using that name on IRC (Internet Relay Chat), on and off, for about 10 years now, having been unable to come up with a catchy "nick." I'm originally from England, although I've been here so long now, it's getting to the point where I've been in the US about as long as I lived in England!

I originally moved here when I married a charming American man who I had met on vacation. For several months we explored a long distance relationship, exchanging long letters and regular phone calls. Since I worked for an airline back then, I was able to go back for a couple of visits as well. We married approximately a year later and I embarked on a new chapter in my life, in the United States of America.

We had some great times over the 14 years we were married and I have some fond memories, but I think in the end it boiled down to the fact that we really didn't know each other when we got married. I know he was disappointed as we discovered some fundamental differences in what we wanted out of life. I wanted home, security - a cozy life in the suburbs. He wanted action, excitement, living close to the metropolis, in the heart of the nightlife. I don't think he forgave me for making him move out to the suburbs and hanging a mortgage around his neck

For months I struggled with the dilemma of whether to stay or leave. I left when I was forty and prepared to start the next chapter in my life. I got an apartment, struggled to get my finances back in order and moved on.

My next relationship was with Frank, or Raistlin as he was known on IRC. Eventually though, we went our separate ways. It was an amicable split and for a while he would call to see how I and the cats were doing. At this point though, I haven't heard from him in ages.

When Frank and I split, I was terrified of being alone. I had never really been on my own for any length of time - I lived with my parents till I got married, then I was with my now-ex-hubby for 14 years, then with Frank for six years. The thought of being alone, with few friends and all my family on the other side of the Atlantic was scary.

However, I realized that I did have it in me to carry on, and that I could get my life in order and enjoy having control. I learned to enjoy and appreciate my independence, something I had never really had before.

After living in an apartment since leaving my husband, I took the plunge and bought a little cottage-y type house (sort of reminds me of my English roots) and I was able to indulge my greatest pleasures of gardening and decorating and stuff!

I have two horses and too many cats (just call me the Cat Lady) about which you can read elsewhere on my Web site.

I work days at a downtown accounting firm, and in my "spare" time I work on a long term labor of love -- EquiSearch.com. I actually started that site with The Mining Company, back in 1997 (thanks to Frank, who taught me HTML in the first place). The Mining Company became About.com, who got bought out by Primedia, who then became Source Interlink which is a large publishing company with many special interest magazines, including five equestrian magazines. They had their own Web site - EquiSearch, and so my horses.about.com was merged in with EquiSearch.com and since the buyout I have been working for them.

Instead of running the entire site by myself as I once did, I now work as part of a team. I've met them on a number of occasions, even though we're spread around the country. While I haven't written an article in a long time, I am involved in the production of the website, helping upload new content, including exciting reports from various events and shows written by award winning journalist, Nancy Jaffer, with whom I enjoy working. I also moderate the popular discussion forums.

My personal life has gone through some major transitions in recent years too. When I started out this website, I was newly single and struggling to find myself and make a success of my life.

Since then, as you can read on my Romance page I met a wonderful man, Eric, and in September of 2007, we were married in Hawaii.

Our most recent news is that, in February 2008 (Valentine's weekend, to be exact) we signed a contract on a new home. Nice Valentine's gift, huh?

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