HBTJ

Right now Joe is watching the television programme, "Two and a Half Men" and laughing himself silly. Joe laughs at everything. All of our friends say that Joe makes them feel funny because even the lamest joke gets him going. And it's real. After travelling with me and listening to me lecture for several years, he still sits in the back of the room at the book table laughing at stories he's heard a thousand times.

He's a really good audience.

We've just driven for over six hours to get to the hotel. I still have my driver's licence but I very seldom drive anymore. OK. I don't drive anymore. So while I map the trip and get us where we are going, Joe's got to be the one to get us there. I'd like to spell him off every now and then but we both know that the travel is really up to him now.

He's a really good driver.

Right now I'm in my wheelchair typing this blog. Since I've become disabled, Joe has had to haul the chair in and out of the car and get me from place to place. He does this without any complaint and doesn't make me feel bad about the extra work. Over the years we've supported each other to greater and lesser degrees - right now, he's got the lion's share of the physical work.

He's a really good sport.

Part of me worried when I became disabled that the nature of our relationship would fundamentally shift and that Joe's new role in assisting me would do some damage to the rest of our relationship. I, thankfully, worried needlessly. So, you are wondering why is this post strictly about Joe?

He's a year older today.

Happy Birthday Joe.