Straight-talking woman
Forty years since they first met, Amanda Frolich’s husband Jason Farrelly turns heads – but that’s not why she loves him
Women often talk about feeling invisible in midlife. I don’t feel like that at all. I look after myself and I’m pretty confident and outgoing. Having said that, my husband is definitely ageing better than me.
How it all began
I met Jason at secondary school, and I was 14 when he first asked me to go to a party with him. I fancied him – all the girls did – but I was far too shy, and a bit scared, not least because I hadn’t even kissed a boy at that point.
So I politely said ‘No thank you’. By the time we got together, when we were 19, he’d already gone out with most of the girls from my school. People we were at school with would never have imagined us together – Ifelt like a plain Jane beside him. I got used to being one then and I can still laugh it off now.
We were both really into sport at school and that’s the main reason he liked me – Iwas the sportiest girl. Playing tennis brought us closer over time and, although he was good-looking, what really made me fall in love with him was his personality. He was decent and kind, an all-round good bloke.
We went out together for 10 years and married when we were 29. We have a daughter, Bibi, who’s 17. Before she was born, I thought she might have his darker colouring – but she’s pale, like me.
Jason and I are now 52 and wherever we go I still see women – and men – checking him out. Most of the time he doesn’t even notice. He’s ended up looking like a cross between Al Pacino, José Mourinho and Wham!’s Andrew Ridgeley.
People often assume he’s Italian or Spanish and he’s had people asking him directions in other languages. We were on holiday in Spain with friends when a waitress dropped a couple of drinks close to our table.
Our friends were teasing him, saying, ‘She couldn’t keep her eyes off you, Jason!’ Our marriage wouldn’t work if I was even slightly jealous or insecure. He’s very loyal and I know I can trust him 100%.
Although we’re soulmates, you couldn’t find two people who are more opposite, but I think we complement each other and that’s why it works. I’m a health an d fitness expert, plus I’m entrepreneurial, gregarious and I love socialising, which is how I’ve ended up running a sports club for children (amandasaction club.co.uk).
Jason is a landscape gardener, has a smaller group of
