Originally Posted by VillagesFlorida (Post 324906)

Thank you, Maryland Girl. It's a lot easier and takes a lot less energy to be positive in our thinking. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. Surgery was successful and I remain cancer-free. I have to believe that my relaxed life here in The Villages has contributed to my good health. How can we live here and NOT have a positive outlook? My belief is that if a person can't be happy here they will never be happy anywhere. This place isn't perfect but NO place is. I believe I said in another post that happiness means different things to different people. Trying to find happiness in external places and things doesn't always work. I often see golfers who can't seem to enjoy a game unless they are getting low scores on every hole. That is a definite set-up for misery! A great golf game for me is watching the undulating flight of a flock of bluebirds as they head across the fairway to a stand of pine trees. I still laugh when I recall the squirrel who stole my friend's snack bar out of the golf cart and proceeded to sit under an oak tree, peeling the wrapper and eating it all! How could I be angry, watching these antics? How can we not enjoy the beauty of a golf course as the sun sinks below the horizon? On a good day I break 100. On a good day my score is over 100! What did it really matter? I was too busy enjoying nature, the landscape, and my playing partners! So, getting back to the question, that narrow garage is nothing more than a challenge to me, and such a tiny negative in the grand scheme of life. As a cancer survivor I am just happy to be here, enjoying this fabulous lifestyle. It's all "gravy" to me and I couldn't have picked a better place to live out my "bonus" years!

Originally Posted by VillagesFlorida (Post 324906)

Thank you, Maryland Girl. It's a lot easier and takes a lot less energy to be positive in our thinking. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. Surgery was successful and I remain cancer-free. I have to believe that my relaxed life here in The Villages has contributed to my good health. How can we live here and NOT have a positive outlook? My belief is that if a person can't be happy here they will never be happy anywhere. This place isn't perfect but NO place is. I believe I said in another post that happiness means different things to different people. Trying to find happiness in external places and things doesn't always work. I often see golfers who can't seem to enjoy a game unless they are getting low scores on every hole. That is a definite set-up for misery! A great golf game for me is watching the undulating flight of a flock of bluebirds as they head across the fairway to a stand of pine trees. I still laugh when I recall the squirrel who stole my friend's snack bar out of the golf cart and proceeded to sit under an oak tree, peeling the wrapper and eating it all! How could I be angry, watching these antics? How can we not enjoy the beauty of a golf course as the sun sinks below the horizon? On a good day I break 100. On a good day my score is over 100! What did it really matter? I was too busy enjoying nature, the landscape, and my playing partners! So, getting back to the question, that narrow garage is nothing more than a challenge to me, and such a tiny negative in the grand scheme of life. As a cancer survivor I am just happy to be here, enjoying this fabulous lifestyle. It's all "gravy" to me and I couldn't have picked a better place to live out my "bonus" years!

Originally Posted by ssmith (Post 324931)

a bathtub in the master bath?

Originally Posted by taylor111947 (Post 324914)

What's missing is ME!

Originally Posted by Russ_Boston (Post 324888)

I've seen many people who add, for the lack of a better phrase, a European style grotto on the front entrance. Probably not too much cost.

Originally Posted by VillagesFlorida (Post 324906)

Thank you, Maryland Girl. It's a lot easier and takes a lot less energy to be positive in our thinking. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2001. Surgery was successful and I remain cancer-free. I have to believe that my relaxed life here in The Villages has contributed to my good health. How can we live here and NOT have a positive outlook? My belief is that if a person can't be happy here they will never be happy anywhere. This place isn't perfect but NO place is. I believe I said in another post that happiness means different things to different people. Trying to find happiness in external places and things doesn't always work. I often see golfers who can't seem to enjoy a game unless they are getting low scores on every hole. That is a definite set-up for misery! A great golf game for me is watching the undulating flight of a flock of bluebirds as they head across the fairway to a stand of pine trees. I still laugh when I recall the squirrel who stole my friend's snack bar out of the golf cart and proceeded to sit under an oak tree, peeling the wrapper and eating it all! How could I be angry, watching these antics? How can we not enjoy the beauty of a golf course as the sun sinks below the horizon? On a good day I break 100. On a good day my score is over 100! What did it really matter? I was too busy enjoying nature, the landscape, and my playing partners! So, getting back to the question, that narrow garage is nothing more than a challenge to me, and such a tiny negative in the grand scheme of life. As a cancer survivor I am just happy to be here, enjoying this fabulous lifestyle. It's all "gravy" to me and I couldn't have picked a better place to live out my "bonus" years!

Originally Posted by barb1191 (Post 324917)

WOW So eloquently put. I too share your positive thinking and I also share your having survived cancer, as I have myself (although still not cancer free, but alive and kickin') and owe so much to my wonderful hubby Bill and family, as well as this paradise we live in. It's the best medicine. Remember that song? "Don't Worry; Be Happy." Both Bill and I have a favorite expression when nitty-gritty things become annoying and then comes....."don't sweat the small stuff" and the agitation passes immediately....we laugh!

The "druthers" have passed and we are okay with the downsizing and thoroughly enjoying our little nest.

Originally Posted by Bill-n-Brillo (Post 324918)

Since all we're planning on for the near term is continuing to be snowflakes, we purchased a re-sale Patio Villa - Cabot Cove model. Vaulted ceilings throughout, indoor laundry, nice sized pantry, really large walk-in closet in the master BR, lanai on the front (so we can sit and watch the world passing by! :) ), backs up to a CYV development wall, nice sized car-and-a-half garage, some extras added by the previous owner (attic stairs and some decking above for storage, ceiling fans, solar tubes, blinds, leaded glass front door, extra shelving), and so on. It really suits our current needs for not a ton of money out-of-pocket. What do we wish it had? We would definitely prefer a 2-car with (being greedy here) a golf cart garage. Can't fit that on most existing PV lots, though (exception would be some corner lots). Also, an additional coat closet for jackets, etc. would be a plus. Upgraded appliances, countertops, cabinets......all the stuff that everyone would prefer as well........but then we'd wind up with nearly $200k in a Patio Villa!!! :eek:

In the meantime, we feel everything in life involves a series of compromises. What we'd really LIKE to have in a TV home and what really MAKES THE MOST SENSE for us are going to be two different things. We're willing to settle for the sensible option (at least what seems sensible to us) at present. :)

Bill

Originally Posted by Maryland Girl (Post 324948)

Russ,
I see where you quote Dennis Miller. Did you hear him say the other night on Bill O'Reilly that the Chinese President Hu and John Boehner together would be known as Hu and Cry? I'm still laughing. He can be very cutting edge funny!:laugh:

Originally Posted by graciegirl (Post 289332)

There are all kinds of homes built by TV, villas, cottages, designers and premiers and Cottages with a big "C". Is there something missing that isn't being offered and is part of your dream retirement home?

If I could I would have more outdoor space UNDER ROOF. I love to be outdoors and I like the open screened lanais, but the sun can be brutally hot. I would like to have that space under a REAL roof...and bigger than is offered.

I also wish that there was a way to climb into the attic with real stairs, so that it is safer to store things there and I also would like it to be air conditioned.

What would your dream for a home not offered be??