Age 45 to 57 ... Sue
As soon as we met, immediately I knew - Sue was 'my type' - tall, slender, single and without the complication of having children. We chatted easily, danced close, and exchanged phone numbers before making our separate ways home. I straight away stopped placing ads in the 'lonely hearts' column.
At first, we took it very slowly. Sue had also been previously married, so we both knew and recognised that there was baggage to unload before we could properly enjoy a new relationship together - such wisdom only comes with experience. In spite of us living some 20 miles apart, we met quite frequently - at least a couple of times a week. We almost always attended the weekly Folkestone Rock 'n Roll Club at the Leas Cliff Hall, plus sometimes got together just for a walk, or maybe to have a meal together. But it was several months before we stayed together overnight. By then, the realisation was dawning that this relationship was going to last.
Mind you, I was going through a very 'odd' patch in my own life at the time, which I shall write further about presently. Sue must have wondered if she was doing the right thing, getting involved with this out of work teacher who lived alone in a tumble-down little house on the Isle of Sheppey. But in the way Sue does, she accepted me for who I was, took an interest in what I was doing, and we gradually became closer.
When we met, Sue was living in a bungalow in Ashford, Kent, and working as a Conference and Events Organiser for the pharmaceutical giant, Phizer, based in Sandwich. This was a pretty full-on stressful job, which only became more-so when Sue's office became independent of Phizer. The new outfit, Peter Rand, moved to offices in Canterbury. As time went on, Sue decided to go independent herself, and although still often working for Rand, she became a self-employed free-lancer, so could 'name her own price' rather than be paid a rather poor salary, and could pick and choose which jobs to undertake - which had the effect of considerably reducing Sue's stress levels.
We were still able to go on occasional 'Fam Trips' though. These 'Familiarisation Trips' were offered by hotels or tourism organisations to show off their corporate entertainment packages to people like Sue, who booked such venues for often wealthy clients. We had some spectacular outings and visits, often being accommodated in the best rooms of top hotels, and plied with the finest food and wines the venues had to offer. It didn't stop there - we were entertained too. I recall piloting hovercraft, crossing The Solent on a racing yacht, off road driving, a speedboat trip, archery, and buggy racing, and more, as well as cabarets and casino nights - oh yes, and sitting in the Office of the Sheriff of Nottingham, chatting to the man himself, with no Robin Hood to be seen!
At first, we took it very slowly. Sue had also been previously married, so we both knew and recognised that there was baggage to unload before we could properly enjoy a new relationship together - such wisdom only comes with experience. In spite of us living some 20 miles apart, we met quite frequently - at least a couple of times a week. We almost always attended the weekly Folkestone Rock 'n Roll Club at the Leas Cliff Hall, plus sometimes got together just for a walk, or maybe to have a meal together. But it was several months before we stayed together overnight. By then, the realisation was dawning that this relationship was going to last.
Mind you, I was going through a very 'odd' patch in my own life at the time, which I shall write further about presently. Sue must have wondered if she was doing the right thing, getting involved with this out of work teacher who lived alone in a tumble-down little house on the Isle of Sheppey. But in the way Sue does, she accepted me for who I was, took an interest in what I was doing, and we gradually became closer.
When we met, Sue was living in a bungalow in Ashford, Kent, and working as a Conference and Events Organiser for the pharmaceutical giant, Phizer, based in Sandwich. This was a pretty full-on stressful job, which only became more-so when Sue's office became independent of Phizer. The new outfit, Peter Rand, moved to offices in Canterbury. As time went on, Sue decided to go independent herself, and although still often working for Rand, she became a self-employed free-lancer, so could 'name her own price' rather than be paid a rather poor salary, and could pick and choose which jobs to undertake - which had the effect of considerably reducing Sue's stress levels.
We were still able to go on occasional 'Fam Trips' though. These 'Familiarisation Trips' were offered by hotels or tourism organisations to show off their corporate entertainment packages to people like Sue, who booked such venues for often wealthy clients. We had some spectacular outings and visits, often being accommodated in the best rooms of top hotels, and plied with the finest food and wines the venues had to offer. It didn't stop there - we were entertained too. I recall piloting hovercraft, crossing The Solent on a racing yacht, off road driving, a speedboat trip, archery, and buggy racing, and more, as well as cabarets and casino nights - oh yes, and sitting in the Office of the Sheriff of Nottingham, chatting to the man himself, with no Robin Hood to be seen!
Married again!
We lived happily together for a while, but I felt I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to Sue and her family and friends by being married to her. This time it was to be a total commitment for life. Neither of us wanted to go through the traumas of a separation ever again.
It would not have been appropriate for us to get married in a church, even if we had wanted to, and as we both share a passion for conservation and the planet, Sue employed some of her event organisation skills, and managed to put together a wedding in a zoo... well, not quite. Our wedding was held in the beautiful mansion of Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. During the day, our guests were treated to a ride around the park on a trailer hauled by a tractor. We chose not to ask for wedding gifts - what could we possibly need? Instead, we asked for donations towards a building project at the Park, to create an enclosure for the endangered Red Panda. Our generous guests donated a total of £1000, and a few months later, when the Panda enclosure was finished, Sue and I were invited back to the park to officially declare it open.
We lived happily together for a while, but I felt I wanted to demonstrate my commitment to Sue and her family and friends by being married to her. This time it was to be a total commitment for life. Neither of us wanted to go through the traumas of a separation ever again.
It would not have been appropriate for us to get married in a church, even if we had wanted to, and as we both share a passion for conservation and the planet, Sue employed some of her event organisation skills, and managed to put together a wedding in a zoo... well, not quite. Our wedding was held in the beautiful mansion of Port Lympne Wild Animal Park. During the day, our guests were treated to a ride around the park on a trailer hauled by a tractor. We chose not to ask for wedding gifts - what could we possibly need? Instead, we asked for donations towards a building project at the Park, to create an enclosure for the endangered Red Panda. Our generous guests donated a total of £1000, and a few months later, when the Panda enclosure was finished, Sue and I were invited back to the park to officially declare it open.
Life continued very comfortably for us as a couple. However, I was becoming increasingly aware that I would not want to continue in teaching until the normal retirement age, so we formulated the 'escape plan', more of which I will write about presently. The plan meant moving home, but we didn't know where, so Sue pulled in a few favours and organised a trip for us all round the UK, where we would stay in hotels in places where one or both of us hadn't previously visited. We took in Lincoln, York, Newcastle, North Berwick, Galloway, Blackpool, Liverpool and Aberystwyth, as well as a few places in-between. It was quite a trip, and quite an education - but it was Scotland that kept calling us back.
Sue took over the financial management of 'the Plan'. We moved to our little home in Newington and bought two properties on Skye. Sue worked flat out so we could pay off as much of our mortgages as possible. She was still doing some freelance conference work, and did home care visiting as well. The garden didn't get as much attention as previously!
It was on a visit to Skye by Sue and her Mum that Sue first saw Roskhill Barn. Once we had bought the Barn, the stage was set for our move to Scotland and our New Life >
Sue took over the financial management of 'the Plan'. We moved to our little home in Newington and bought two properties on Skye. Sue worked flat out so we could pay off as much of our mortgages as possible. She was still doing some freelance conference work, and did home care visiting as well. The garden didn't get as much attention as previously!
It was on a visit to Skye by Sue and her Mum that Sue first saw Roskhill Barn. Once we had bought the Barn, the stage was set for our move to Scotland and our New Life >