[GRACEALLEMAN]

Originally Posted by BigSteph

This seems just like a post I read from 2021, but I'll bite.


I bought a house in The Villages when I was just below 55 -- my wife is even younger.

To you, 50-54 is probably old. To many Villagers, we are youngsters.

We've been here less than a year and both of us work and will continue to for a number of years.

We live in The Villages, in the same neighborhood as the people around us, but we do not live in their world. There is an important distinction to this comment -- I'll explain;

My wife works from home, but is bound to her desk from 8 - 5 M-Friday. I work in Leesburg and commute from 7:30 am to 5:30 pm.

Most everything is geared to activities during those hours. The pools close at dusk/dark. So, in parts of the year, we can only go on weekends.

Many of the businesses close by 5pm, which was a surprise to us. We have to race after work or leave early to make certain purchases or appointments.

Our neighbors have groups of friends that they spend time with during the day and evening. We don't mind being to ourselves, prefer it actually, but it wasn't really a choice. Life continues on, joyously, when we are working, and we don't participate in those hours of activity due to our careers.

All that is not a negative, it is just pointing out that if you are not retired, there is a disassociated feeling living in The Villages. I suspect that the younger you are, the more the feeling is compounded.

If you get married, the other person will have to adjust (maybe they won't). If you want to have children or adopt, you can't.

There is a nice neighborhood on 466-A in the Beaumont (I think)development that is single family, with nice homes and a nice community center with a pool. There, you can grow up and out as you please. You will still be near The Villages, near good shopping, near nice and maintained environs.

Maybe you are that singular person, who in his/her 20's, is a perfect fit for The Villages. If so, and only you know; Welcome home.

We remember seeing this same question and format when we moved here in the Villages a year and half ago.
I guess your article or book you're writing didn't get enough feedback from before.