[Mrmerlin]

you need three things to get your pilots license

Time... to devote to study, testing and flying

Money.... that wont run out till you pass your practical test.

Intention.... to finish as soon as possible

The trick is to fly as much as you can,
as many times as you can,
in the shortest period of time.
Make each flying lesson about 1.5 Hr long fly twice a day if you can and 5 times a week,
if possible.

NOTE if you fly once or twice a month then you will have over 100 hours duel given before you will be ready for the flight test,
and this could take a year or more


Get a good instructor and tell him what your flying plans are and what your goals are.

The longer you go between flying lessons the more you will have to relearn,
the more it will cost you.

Get your student pilots flight physical first ,
then get a packet of study material ,
read it then find a ground school to attend.
Pass the ground school and take the written test

Once these things are sorted out then set up the flying schedule and stick to it.
Even if this will be a hobby for you and or your wife,
keep the iron in the fire, you should be able to get the license in about 12 weeks or less
but you gotta study and you gotta fly.
Good luck.

BTW some people simply go buy their own airplane to learn how to fly, and hire an instructor
once this is done then they either keep it or sell it and buy another one thats better suited to the missions you want to fly.

If the area you live in has weather systems moving through it then by all means consider getting the instrument ticket