[katezbox]

Originally Posted by bluedog103

When my wife and if were deciding whether or not to buy in TV, we had long discussions as to whether we should sell the NY State home and be full timers in TV or keep the old home place and be snowbirds. We decided to snowbird.
We arrived back in NY last week and it quickly became obvious that we made the right decision. We had no more than pulled into the driveway when the neighbors started coming over to welcome us back. Things we took for granted before such as church, lodge meetings, American Legion meetings and just friends and family in general seem much more important now. I knew we missed them but I didn't realize how much they missed us.
We love our TV home and I'm pretty certain that our neighborhood is the best in TV, but then I think we all feel the same way about our 'hood. I was really reluctant to leave and eagerly look forward to returning but our northern home is very special too.
I'm really happy that we kept a place up north. Next Sunday we'll have our upteenth Easter egg hunt in our yard. Our daughter, grandson, nieces and nephews, their children and countless neighborhood kids have explored our yard as they snared their treasure. The beat goes on.
Yep, snowbirding works for us.

Bluedog,

This is a wonderful post.

Right now we are here full time as I still work full time (and my better half has two part-time gigs). We just love it here - but still miss NE a bit. Neither of our kids lives near our "old" home, so that didn't keep us there. At some point when we retire, we will likely spend a few months each summer at a family home in Maine - away from TV.

I do think you have found the best of both worlds.

k