April 2017
They took such
attentive care of me - Peter and Susan, John and Jane that I will remain
forever grateful. I was invited to stay in Peter’s beautiful garden home in Sandbach for
two nights and then together we stayed in John’s 3-acre manor house in Cumbria,
the Lake
District.
Peter and John were
respectively the Headteacher and Deputy Headteacher of Sandbach School,
Cheshire, England. It is the partnership school of Fukien Secondary School
(FSS) and
was instrumental in supporting drama education at FSS. They have both retired
from their posts at Sandbach
School with Peter still flying around
reviewing schools in various countries in Africa and
Russia while
John is busy working on his 3-acre manor house, the Carlton Hall. These couples are very
endearing with the wives fully supporting their husbands in all
their endeavours.
Susan was a nurse but she took early retirement when Peter retired and
started his African visits. The couple have stayed in countries like Kenya and Saudi
Arabia and Susan has to take care of Peter in an alien land so different from
the settled life at home in Cheshire.
John was the brain behind the highly acclaimed Sandbach School Theatre.
Upon his retirement, he decided to start a new life away from the crowds. The
couple purchased the stately manor house which comes with the extensive woods.
John actually painted the eight rooms, walls and ceilings. The live fire warming
us during those chilly spring mornings was made with the logs chopped by John
who is now the lumberman!
This tour was so special with no “must-see places” or “must-buy things” checklists
to tick off but strolls in the vales and terraces, drinks by the fireplace,
chats over bar foods of fried fish and sausages and playtime with Max, the most
welcoming giant terrier.
