[janmcn]

Originally Posted by eweissenbach

First, on behalf of all my fellow snowbirds, I would like to thank all of you who have expressed your appreciation of us, and particularly our money, in helping keep the many retail businesses and restaurants solvent for the remainder of the year. It is truly our pleasure I have read numerous posts recently, and for the past four years or so, bemoaning the crowded conditions in TV, the difficulty in getting tee times, the wait for tables at restaurants, and the traffic. Now, I don't discount any of those feelings, and undoubtedly to the person, or persons, that express them they are real and they are troubling. The first two times we came to TV we came in April, which is thought to be after the peak of snowbird season, and yes I know it is nothing like July or August. Three years ago, when we first came for February and March we too expected drastic differences in getting around and getting access. We have found, IN OUR OPINION, it is really not that big a problem. We play executive golf about five times a week, on average, and have been shut out on the automated tee time system maybe five times in the last two years, and just picked up open tee times on the occasions we were. I should add that we like to play relatively early which I understand some, if not most people do not, but at any rate we have no trouble getting on the courses. As for restaurants, we eat evening meals out on the average of six times a week, (yes we help keep the restaurants going) we
usually eat dinner around seven at one of the country clubs or popular TV restaurants, and generally wait much less than thirty minutes for a table, and generally enjoy a beverage or two to make the wait tolerable. As far as traffic, I know it is much worse than it is in the off-season, but in my view it is incredibly easy to get around as compared with any large city I have ever driven in. I am not trying to say anyone is exaggerating their issues, because your perception is your reality, but from the viewpoint of one of those people who make your life more difficult, I am saying you really ain't got it so bad............IMHO!
P.S. As for the attitude of snowbirds I can speak only for ourselves, but we have rented for the past three years the same home, from the same individual. We try to treat the home, the community and the, Villagers as friends and neighbors. In fact we have made good friends of several of our neighbors around our rental. We intend to spend winters in TV as renters, or homeowners, as long as we are able, so want to do everything in our power to keep it the wonderful place we found four years ago.

You sound like a perfect snowbird visitor. Your landlord is lucky to have you and your friends for tenants. It is not the snowbirds' fault that restaurateurs and merchants are not exactly lining up to move their businesses to The Villages. It is not the snowbirds' fault that the developer stopped building amenities such as bowling alleys, softball fields, etc., or even set aside land for churches to build.

Welcome back and enjoy your stay.