I AGREE.

A possibility as to why there are so many new homes on the market is that people get used to their ways and habits back at "home" wherever that may be. They may miss the "familiar".

These may be the same "kids" that got homesick at summer camp......

Up in New England (I'm not talking cities like Boston) it takes a very very long time to fit in to a community of native New Englanders whose roots go deep for generations............we found that out when we arrived, but were accepted and slowly made wonderful friendships that lasted through the 44 years........people up here are not as gregarious as perhaps in other locales........but their hearts are in the right place.

Craftsmen, artists, writers, etc.... all solitary folks, gravitate to New England. It seems more gregarious sorts gravitate to TV.

Not everyone wants to be busy 24/7. Not everyone needs company 24/7.

It is wonderful that so many activities are AVAILABLE as we noticed in the Daily Sun each day.............but if one was not overextended back "home", they surely will not want to be overextended in TV.

The introverted types might be artists and like to paint alone on their lanai.........or write the great American novel. They also might love when their adult children and grandchildren visit.........whereas those who never had children, couldn't care less about that aspect of living in a wonderful sunny climate or treating the children to Disney World.
Too bad it's such a long drive away..........

Family oriented people will miss their family.
No doubt about it.

Those who love the town squares for the dancing and socializing will have that as their focal point...........others couldn't care less.

Different strokes for different folks. It's what makes the world go round.

The poor old people you describe should be in a nursing home not an active lifestyle community!
We will reach that point someday. But to infer that TV has to change the mail distribution system to accomodate us as we grow old is wishful thinking. As neighbors, many of us have picked up an ailing neighbors mail........not a big deal.

That is very kind of you to pick up the ailing neighbors' mail, which any of us would also be happy to assist our elders in doing..........but I didn't realize there was an age limit for residing in TV? I know it's 55 and up.
But what is the cut off age?

It's not like Soylent Green where they turn the elders into fertilizer cubes, is it? Not everyone that's 80+ lives in a nursing home.

But I get your point..........but obviously, you're one of the youngens.
When you live a little longer........you'll see various stages of aging in place.......among your friends, family, neighbors. We've seen it all, even in those much younger...........

No one said TV should change the mail distribution system. It's a HUGE COMPLEX.......and if it works as it is, fine. Just I can understand why people would miss the convenience of having their mail at their door.

We didn't have a problem with it as we only got mail once; something that had been ordered for a grandbaby that would be visiting. In our situation, it was fairly close near the community pool........but we did drive through other villages where the mail was NOT near most of the homes...........

You know, I would ALWAYS offer to help a neighbor in need. Pick up mail, fix a meal, run an errand. I am certain in every small neighborhood thetre are those willing to do what humankind does, and that is aid those who need a bit of help. You (Sr Citizen) speak of aging, but my mother was working and driving until she was 90. She was a pro-am golfer, active in her community, active in church, a musician, and generally busy and happy person. Unfortunately I lost her at almost 95 to pneumonia and other complications and she was indeed in nursing care the last few months. But she had a propensity for life and sometimes I think we can control or destiny to a certain point. I intend to be a forward thinking, active and busy senior at TV and fully expect a good life barring any unforeseen medical problems that may occur. We all age, but we needn't give up our quality of life! My 2 cents....

I would guess of the three you are more repulsed by the Republican owner. I challenge another of your posts that also demeaned the quality of construction.

My husband and I have built seven homes in our life time and bought three new ones. The most recent one in Ohio was custom with some fine things in it like lovely open wood stairway and 20 foot ceiling in great room and it was much larger than the home we have here.

Our new home here was built as well if not better as that home in Ohio that was custom.. And that goes for the one we just sold in Hadley too.

I get real annoyed with critics who don't like the developers large contributions to the Republican party and then demean the quality of the homes here.

The developers build fine houses at all levels of price and the lifestyle is unequaled if you are a golfer.:spoken:

Do Your Homework First
 

I think it has been said several times, maybe not on this thread, but we all should have done our "homework" before deciding to move to TV. We close next Monday, after 9 visits over 7 years, talking to owners and visitors alike, and endless hours looking at homes, reading TOTV threads, and even attended an CDD orientation about 5 years ago.

To move to TV, thinking the crowds, speeders, grandkids will go away is foolish. Will I complain about crowds, speeders, grandkids, etc. after we move? Probably. . . because TV will go from a great place to visit to being MY HOMETOWN!!. I'll want to preserve the things we fell in love with at TV. We chose TV for it's beauty, the friendly and caring people, the activities, the diversity, safety, quick response by the paramedics, closeness to Orlando, etc. etc. Oh yeah, keeping my clubs on MY golf cart! :laugh:

Regardless of where you live in TV, old section or new section, you will be quickly accepted if you reach out that hand of friendship. I've heard that said about Silver Lakes, Orange Blossom, Santiago, and our soon to be new neighborhood of Rio Grande! Being neighborly, considerate, courteous and friendly has no age. You may have to get out of your "comfort zone" briefly, but wow, you won't have to wait twenty years to establish yourself as a "local", which you will experience most everywhere else.

So, the only downside is - WE AREN'T THERE YET, BUT WILL BE IN ABOUT A MONTH! :pepper2::2excited::pepper2:

The only things we get in the mail anymore are flyers, ads and requests for money(donations not bills). Everything is online. Even magazines have digital editions which take up much less room on a Kindle or Nook than piling up on a table, waiting to be recycled or just tossed.

and for some going to get the mail may be their only reason left to get out of the house for some fresh air, sun light and moving of the old body parts.

btk

Maybe why the "three move" statement
 

That very well could be one of the reasons people move within TV (i.e. "the average Villager moves 3 times"), to be closer to friendlier, more active neighborhoods or people they have made good friends with. :beer3:

Downsides,

first, I love TV,
traffic can be rough in the cool season, facilities can get crowded, you have to plan.
that's about it

Having been here the first two times in April and hearing of the crowded resturaunts, streets, squares, etc in Jan - Mar, we were very aprehensive and curious when we came in February this year. However, we were amazed at the ease of getting seats in resturaunts, parking for the squares, traffic, and even golf tee times. In my opinion, the crowded conditions in the winter are overstated by many. Now if you are here June through September, I am sure you feel it is congested by comparison, but for someone who is a part timer it is easier than most large cities by far.

This is good to hear. We will spend our first winter in TV this year and were concerned about how crowded it would be. :pepper2:

I've had the privilege of living in different areas of Florida for many years and I have to chuckle when people say it's crowded here in TV in Winter. Any half way decent town in Florida is busy in the Winter; it's the climate that brings everyone South. I'm willing to pay the price which isn't much of a problem for me, I plan my day knowing that things will be crowded and enjoy the Summer when it's less crowded all the while thanking God for the beauty all around me. Regarding mail stations, we are rapidly moving toward digital mail so in the not to distant future the shrinking US Postal Service will be a thing of the past.:laugh:

The heat and humidity in the beautiful Hudson Valley in NY could be brutal; the difference here in Florida is the most fantastic light each and every day. In NY we frequently had heat coupled with a haze that was depressing. Just my humble opinion.

Here in the Hudson Valley it pretty hot last week but it's beautiful this week. The hot spells are measured in days not weeks or months. Humidity is never as high in the summer as in central Florida and it's never depressing, in my opinion. There's no nicer place during spring, summer and fall. Winter is another story. That's why we're in Florida for the cold season.

Anyone feeling better now?
 

Thank you both. We have only been down once in the peak season, this past February. But it was only for 3 days to buy a house (which didn't happen).

We didn't feel it was all that crowded, but your two posts make me feel better prepared to deal with next year, since we will be permanent residents in a couple of months. Anyone else considering moving to TV feeling better now?

To you both I say, "SALUTE"!! :ho: :highfive: :thumbup:

The one drawback that I see is that most of us will not be here as long as we would like to be.

Amen

Excellent point about the digital mail. We've noticed less and less and less paper mail last year as well as this year..........

Everyone uses Blue Mountain e-cards nowadays , so that cuts down the gift card sending.........(they are musical and quite clever; improved from the early days).........many people pay their bills online or for the year in advance........even catalogues have shrunken or become non existent as many folks shop online....

I agree about the U.S. Postal Service.

What has increased though, are the FEDEX and UPS deliveries.......
Do they deliver to the home?????? What if a signature is needed?
Not usually, but if it's a valuable item, it might be. Just wondering.

What about folks who get gifts from places like Shari's Berries (choc. dipped strawberries which are perishable) or Kansas City Steak Co.???? Omaha Steaks????
That wouldn't be delivered to the mail area, correct??? So, UPS and FEDEX does deliver to the door????

At holiday time I receive canoli's and tira misu cakes from Ferrara's Bakery in New York City...........all perishable , whipped cream, etc.
They do send it via the U.S. MAIL.........I'm pretty sure of that. I don't think UPS delivers the packages.

Thanks in advance..........

UPS packages are delivered to your door.
Things that have to be signed for are delivered to your door.
The mail kiosks are air conditioned.

You can take you golf cart to the mail kiosk.

It's all good, Senior.

That book yoo are reading is fiction. I am betting that the author must have been here once and decided it was a good backdrop for a book.

"Unforseen" is always possible.......and does occur.....sorry for your loss.
Losing one's mom is very difficult, to say the least.

Aging is a fact of life. Visit a skilled nursing facility as we did every day for 18 months at the end of my own 91 year old mom's long journey with Alzheimers. Like your mom, she was also super active; in great shape as told to me by our neighbor, friend and her internist.......that she had the heart, lungs, bones, etc., etc. of a much younger person........illness free except for the "brain"........at the end. I still remember when her doctor called me with that "news"; I recall exactly where I was sitting when the phone rang........she had been taken to the hospital when she became "dizzy" momentarily from the new drug Aricept that her other doctor, a gerontologist (?) had prescribed for her.....as a test.....so they did some brain scans, etc.etc., etc............the doc said that for her age, all of her organs, etc. were that of a much younger woman.

Alzheimers is for sure "The Long Goodbye". She lived with us for six years until I could not bathe her anymore............and if you want to see aging up close and personal, visit a nursing home. Not assisted living........but the Alzheimer's wing.

Many of our elderly friends and neighbors were all there at the same time as my mom.........many of my friend's parents as well.......the end of an era...........no, they didn't play tennis and golf, but they were active in their community and church, etc........and PHYSICALLY HEALTHY and very mobile until the dementia hit........so one really never knows, does one?

Everyone ages. We don't have our heads in the sand as we've seen it up close and personal............it kind of just sneaks up on one.

Some things that one never imagined would happen, do happen.

My mom was always "young at heart" as well as in great shape physically. Who would have figured she'd end up that way?

She had never had a single surgery in her 91 years, never broken a bone; had all her original "parts"..........and had never been on prescription meds until the Aricept, which didn't help at all......just made her light headed. He took her off of it. Dizziness can cause falls and broken bones.

Again, we saw all of our peers / friends / neighbors' parents take the same trip..........I "inherited" my mom when I was 49........she moved in with us for 6 years.....then assisted living for 2 years, followed by skilled nursing care facility for 18 months.........it truly is the "long goodbye".

My mom was one of the most positive thinking ladies I knew.
I'm sure she never thought she'd end up that way. It's very sad, to say the least.

bump

Thanks Gracie.......we did go to the mailboxes.....

I finished the book. At the ending page, on my Kindle, was his photo plus a statement that his winter home was in central Florida. He knew an awful lot about The Villages.......even mentioning Harmeswood near the end of the "story"............

Only one fact I wondered about........in the beginning of the book, he had the house in Bridgeport at Lake Miona having a SECOND FLOOR.

Other than that, his descriptions seemed pretty much on target......

daryll40: The first downside to living in The Villages is not being able to ask what is the downside in living in The Villages.

So true.....that the heat is measured in days, not weeks or months.

Many Floridians drive up to Vermont during the summer months and say, "Why is it so hot up here?" That's when there is a "rare" 95 degree day or two and most folks and many restaurants /stores / shops / galleries DO NOT have airconditioning. But the heat soon breaks and it's back to great weather.

We've had a wonderful summer up here while other states are quite hot.

We are "dry" though .....and in need of rain.........but lately it's been very cool in the mornings and might rise to 80 by late late afternoon and then dip again for evening and overnight.........however, the humidity will return........but our sun is not as INTENSE......as Florida.

We've driven up the middle of our state 4 times recently and got to see the extreme damage done by tropical storm IRENE last August......N.Y. State's farmlands were also badly flooded.

In Vermont we saw houses tilted over........still.
Bridges washed out and just now being repaired.
Roads cut in half. Water is powerful.
Barns were washed away........down river.......

Every state has "something"..........however, in all of our 42 years up here, this is the WORST damage we've ever seen.........Vermont even made the national news last August and September, which is quite unusual.

The two times we resided in Florida........1972 for one full year and then in 1994 for FOUR MONTHS........before returning north.....we were never choosing to be "unhappy".

We had a 2 year old and a 5 year old the first time around.
We just missed the "four seasons" and the beauty of those 4 seasons.
Now, truthfully, we couldn't care in the least if winter never arrived.
In 1973 we returned and bought our third home, on the same street as our second home, same neighborhood, same neighbors and settled in for the next 25 years until our kids graduated university and married, went off on their own, etc.

At that time, now 1994, still in our late 40's, we decided we wanted a condo on the beach..........sold the big sprawling home with inground pool, etc.......and headed for Florida once again.

By the way, we vacationed in Florida every single year of our marriage and knew both coasts........but only interior Disney World as far as central Florida was concerned.

Well, again, we "did not choose to be unhappy". My mom's third husband had passed away and we had to close down two homes to bring her along with us.........discovering that she was in the early stages of Alzheimers Disease.........very confused. Long story short, we decided to sell the condo on the beach (totally remodeled beautifully by us) and return to ours and her "support system" in Vermont...........it was the right decision for the past twenty years............

A minor part of that decision (besides the Alzheimers) was the rigid rules of condo living............the "organization" or whatever it is called, were extremely elderly and extremely rigid ; not allowing washers and dryers in the units, etc...........among other things. There was NO pest control.
Nuff said. The condo and the location was gorgeous.....but we were SO VERY HAPPY to return to our little town where everyone knew everyone and no one had show I.D. or sign a contract for work done in your own home........too much red tape in Florida.........

We had just flown back and were driving up to our new house (same old neighborhood which draws us back like a magnet).........when the Town Clerk, our neighbor of long standing, stopped and said, "DO YOU WANT ME TO PUT YOU THREE BACK ON OUR VOTING REGISTRY?" We said, "Sure". No I.D. to show, no papers to sign..........just our word and a handshake is all that's needed up here. It is a different world.

Although everything ended up well and we did make a profit on the beachfront condo.......we found out that the "carpenters" for the kitchen remodel had some type of lein on their business...........not sure if I spelled lein right or if that is the right word.........but it affected our sale...........they were recommended by the kitchen cabinet store.
Luckily, our bathroom guys, etc. all were A o.k..........as were the tile guys, the painters and the carpeting guys...........

We also had been "misled" by the realtor who wore a surgical mask.
How dumb can I be? He never disclosed that the area was known for the red tide bacteria..........we soon found ourselves coughing all the time, including my elderly mom............hubby had serious pneumonia like symptoms......as did I later, after the fact, just from walking on the beach or sitting on one of our two balconies.
It felt like we were strangling. We are not hypochondriacs. Never need to visit a doctor. Once we left the area, it cleared up. I did my research.
Red tide has been there forever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's in the air....causes bronchial problems, etc.

Just my two cents. We are happy folks by nature.
No one chooses to be unhappy.

Sometimes life just happens........

We are in the stage now where the heat feels better than the cold.
The Villages has everything we would want in a new place......
We might rent for awhile and keep our northern home rather than go through our past experiences again..........it does seem like a lot of folks rent through the winter seasons...........it's cheaper in the long run than buying and selling and buying and selling..............

I actually know of no one who chooses to be unhappy. Life circumstances can interfere with the best of plans, however......

As far as other posters who do not like grandchildren visiting????
I haven't understood that............unless they are very impolite, unruly kids.

Family is everything..........we are proud of ours, having been married almost 50 years.........

This is a terrific....if sobering....reminder that the continuum of life has an inevitable endpoint. It's said that a major differentiation of humans from other species is the ability to contemplate their own mortality; while we can never be absolutely sure that we're truly unique in this cerebral ability, it certainly is part of the human condition and becomes more meaningful as we age.

Coping with the loss of a loved one is very difficult, as can be the challenge of aging for the living. We often hear trite phrases such as "enjoy every minute" or "every day could be your last" or my personal favorite "don't sweat the small stuff...you're going to be dead a long time" but I've never figured out how to incorporate this in a realistic way into the real world of challenges, disappointments and conflicts. But I have learned to look back on each day and be grateful for the "good stuff" and reflect on the lessons learned from the bad. Each day presents a new chance for fun, love, learning and joy.

Vic

Schaumburger, I too believe that "happiness is a choice". However my understanding of this is that we choose to make the best of a situation and focus on the pro's. However if the location is making it difficult to be happy in, then it may become necessary to change the location. I love TV and think it offers more than anyone could ask for in one location. That being said, I am sure that there are many people who do not get pleasure from participating in any of the activities and would be happier on their own in a smaller community or closer to their family on a daily basis, or many other reasons that I can't even fathom. So choosing to be happy becomes that much more difficult. Perhaps if she could be happy for her husband that might work for a while, but in the long run, happiness has to come from within and although there are some women who enjoy pleasing their husbands as a source of their pleasure, if she is home alone for the most part, it is easy to understand why she is unhappy. In truth, there are probably many more factors involved in why someone is unhappy, but I just wanted to note that we can always "choose" happiness, but TV isn't the easiest place for everyone to be able to choose it, if that makes any sense.

BTW there is a good book called "Happiness in a Choice" by Barry Kaufman that speaks to this topic. It was written 20+ years ago but is still relevant today. We took a couples workshop with him back then and it was very impactful. Really helped to identify the beliefs that are keeping us stuck in emotional places that no longer serve us. Still use some of the ideas that we learned.

Glad that you are making the choice to live with that understanding. To me it makes the most sense and it sure makes life fun and joyful. Have you seen the Laughing Yoga group? I want to attend when we get back down. I missed the meeting as we were leaving when I saw it in the REC News.

I'm currently reading a book by Neale Donald Walsh called "Happier than God" (2008) and it is a really good read. He wrote the series "Conversations with God" which were very cutting edge for the general public back then. Did a few workshops with him and found him to be really down to earth, light hearted, and practical so I enjoy his writing as it doesn't feel like a burden to plough through, yet very thought provoking. It is all about choice, and choice making. So I've come full circle in this longwinded post!

LW888

Thanks Vic. Very intelligent post.

Truthfully, I never thought of aging until "the long goodbye" with my mom. It was quite the learning experience.......not only being with her but all of her peers during that last 18 months in the Alzheimers wing at the skilled nursing facility......

At home was a bit different, even though I had to bathe and feed her, dress her, etc............at least I was doing something for her. She still knew me and my husband and our adult children.......

Once in the wheelchair, in diapers, in the nursing home........unable to speak, only remembering her parents and siblings from 1911, 1918, etc. all we could do was spoon feed her some ice cream ........it was the only means of "communicating"..........a crash course in the kind of aging no one wants to experience for their loved one.

It was a wonderful place, two minutes from our home.........the nurses, bathing attendants, personal aides, were all angels of mercy....in my humble opinion. We could visit at any time of day or night.

Her passing was very peaceful; she had signed a "comfort care" only document.........so palliative care it was. Basically, it's dehydration.
No fluids.......just a type of popsicle swab in the mouth........some oxygen and frequent injections of morphine...........the nurses sat with me.....all day into the evening.......she died on my dad's b.day.....and her own mom's death day............not to be all maudlin, but I did feel her spirit "freed"..........and dreamt of her afterward......"happy", "young again" and "free".........it's sad losing them but it was time to go.

So, yes, enjoy each day you have............but not too wild now !!!

:shrug::shrug: what? two differnt points of view from where I'm sitting...Bingo:shrug:

It's the , for want of a better word, "politically correct folks" who do not allow for freedom of speech or opinion on the state of Florida in general.

Anyone who has lived in "small town America" or New England knows that everyone has opinions and sometimes gripes about the town they live in.

It's all taken with a grain of salt.

We read our own local newspaper every morning and laugh at the antics of the local yokals. We don't DENY it ever happened......just as we do not deny the bad weather or flooding, etc.......or in Florida's case, that sinkholes are so prevalent.

For someone to deny that N.E. has pot holes on the roads after winter is just "having their head in the sand".......or to deny that northeners cannot tolerate high heat and humidity, ditto. Even Floridians come up here as tourists to our town and COMPLAIN about the heat and humidity.

I will agree that there is a small faction that cannot tolerate freedom of speech....or asking questions that potential "buyers" seem to repeatedly "need to know". No place is perfect. We've seen most of the beauty of the United States and Canada.......however, again.....no place is perfect.

Hey Russ, I had a snake hiding in my "stuff" in the garage. A scary moment. He finally slithered out when prodded.

...

I don't know how long I can stay gone. Did you notice Bill is missing too?[/QUOTE]

Bill is taking a vacation from TOTV. :popcorn: :popcorn:

One downside......
 

No indoor pools in TV.

Exactly whose post are you replying to? I must have missed something.
Your helpful replies are always pretty much on target, thoughtful, kindhearted and helpful. Why stay gone?

I just re read most of the earlier posts and I must have missed something.

Which villages are the ones north of 466 that have all this freedom?
After retirement, I doubt that too many would want to be "active" again in community affairs such as town politics. Not even sure of what the TV town politics consist of.

In my own post, right before yours, I mentioned being able to speak one's mind freely.........but then I got lost in your posting.

:popcorn:And Skyguy missing?

:popcorn:And Skyguy missing? Cheer up GG it's just dog days.

North of 466
 

It's a long story as to how we came to "govern" ourselves, but we are fortunate to have an amazingly smart group of people north of 466 who "run" our area of TV. They are totally dedicated, work extremely long hours and have access to some very successful retired professionals living here.