Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael 61
Hi - thanks for asking - initially it was a big challenge to meet neighbors, as I have three Air BnB’s on my block, and the rest of homes on my block are short term rentals. However, during my twice-daily walks, I have met some wonderful neighbors on the streets nearby, and have begun to socialize with them at their homes, and out at the squares, Boozy Bingo at Sawgrass, and at Trivia at Lake Okahumpka. Also, playing pickleball golf, shuffleboard and water volleyball with lots of Richmond (and surrounding villages) folks. My social calendar has really taken off - I’m building a birdcage this week, and looking forward to using it to entertain and having neighbors over. I just had to be a bit patient with meeting neighbors, but meeting lots now.
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That's the way it is sometimes... everything changes. When we built our home many years back now, Lake Sumter was the "new" area, and the square had not yet opened. Our neighborhood street was more than we ever dreamed, everyone offered to lend a hand, folks brought home made holiday cookies and candy sometimes, and we found many sheets of paper inside our screen door inviting us to bring a drink and a chair to various "driveway" get togethers. Everyone knew everyone, and all new arrivals were made to feel a part of the neighborhood. How things have changed, never dreamed folks would turn the largest model homes into short term rentals (at the time our thinking was that would be more likely to happen in villa neighborhoods where people just wanted an easier to maintain vacation home here), but now our small neighborhood has only 3 full time residents. Even when we walk over when we see the newest people checking in and out of the other homes, they just "nod" when we greet them, introduce ourselves, and point to our house, most NEVER even then introduce themselves ! The couple across the street brought one couple a lovely plate of home made macaroons, they did thank them, and then said, "pardon us, we've only got 3 nights here and we have a tee time". They (the neighbors across the street never again tried). Nothing stays the same, so yes, we do have to reach out further and further and "be a friend" to make a friend". Thankfully, all the activities and clubs here give us the ability to do that...would be very difficult to do where most of us came from, usually involved automobile trip to seek out such things.