Why don't you just do tours for an offshore operator like Bristow or Bond or CHC in the tropics somewhere. Suffer the food and weather for the six weeks home for the sake of the wife. No problem doing that with an FAA license, less of a PIA for the operators than a JAA to keep current.
Unless you really want to fly in Europe, in which case you'll have to buckle down and get those exams written. I think you might be able to fly on a validation the first year to get yourself going. Enough experts on this forum that can set you straight.