[barb1191]

Having lived in MA most of my life, and having been divorced for about twenty-five years, staying single by choice, all of a sudden I receive a phone call from former husband! Shocking as the split was not amicable.

He asked me if I would go to Australia with him over the Christmas holiday to visit his relatives. My reply....after not speaking to one another for twenty-five years you're asking me to accompany you to Australia? Very nicely told him not a good plan.

He then suggested that I might give some thought to visiting him (no strings attached) in this wonderful retirement place called The Villages that he feels I will love it there. I told him that would be more feasible than Australia.

I did visit him and stayed a week (no strings attached) and found The Villages to be fantastic, however, the reunion with the "X" proved to be unwise. I left after a very looooong week's stay realizing that one can never "go back." I found that we were heading toward completely different paths of life. Oh also I learned that he had two failed marriages after me and I happened to be his second wife. Very controlling man. We parted with him pouting and me running as fast as I can (well not quite like that, but close).

A few years later I was visiting Sarasota FL and decided to take a ride up to see The Villages on my own time without "the X." I was so captivated by the place that I bought then and there. Moved there on my own without any contact with Mr X. Of all things, upon moving there, I was attending a neighborhood meeting at Saddlebrook and a Sun reporter was there taking pictures and sure enough she took a picture of me "a newbie." I was hoping that Mr X would not see my picture, and he didn't.

He died a couple of years ago and I did touch base with him when I heard that he was ailing and alone. Took him to doctor appointments and his two adult children stayed with me during his last few days. His children always kept in touch with me.

Since that time a few years later I met my present hubby Bill who lived in TV and the rest is history as we are so happily married.