[senior citizen]

x

[ajdeck]

Originally Posted by senior citizen

You are certainly a wonderful "ambassador" for the friendly residents of the Villages, however, are there some folks who might wish to comment on their experience as more quiet, laid back, private , "non golfers" who are used to the New England type of friendliness where it isn't as overt or constantly at your front door. No disrepect intended; just used to more privacy. Unlike the south, New Englanders (although there for you when needed) are more conservative in their lifestyle.

Also would anyone like to comment on what they perceive as the "VERY BEST" neighborhood for "non golfers" which would be close to either of he town squares and restaurants, shopping......3 bedroom home, etc. Obviously, everyone has fallen in love with a different aspect of the Villages, thus we welcome all viewpoints and suggestions. A neighborhood with a nice pool for when the grandchildren visit from Vermont, or a home with a pool and enclosed lanai. Any such home exist "very close" to the town squares? If so, which neighborhood. Any help at all would be most welcome. We do have the map purchased from the general store or whatever;-)

My husband enjoys boating, but we've discovered he would have to keep his 24 foot bayliner "overnighter" at a marina approximately 30 minutes away. Any suggestions on harbors or docking for the boat? Again, we are doing research for two years hence.
Or perhaps sooner;-) Everyone has been so helpful and friendly. We'd like to hear for the more "shrinking violet" types and how they adjusted to all this enthusiasm and activity when used to a more quiet lifestyle. Are quieter people seen as strange?
Also enjoyed the comments that the black African American fellow received as to would he be welcome. TV is obviously a friendly place. Again New Englanders are more "keep to themselves" with a small circle of friends & family.

How do grandchildren enjoy visiting TV???? Thank you all in advance for responses.

Hi,

We are also boaters, if you can come up with any boating info please advise. We currently have a 20' Port Erie cat, reason for this boat is we are now on Pine Island Florida and have some skinny waters but the cat handles the Gulf very well also. We replaced our Proline due to the skinny water deal.

We also have a pontoon up north as well as our friends who have a villa in TV. They have mentioned they will bring that down when they move full time. Currently they are in TV from Sept to June every year.

Anyway, let me know if you fine a marina and any details. Also, do you know if there is a boat club in TV???

ajdeck

[youngretiree]

Hi! Just a general note about the friendliness of The Villagers. Once I got to know the people in my villas, I now feel that they are very friendly and nice. And if I strike up a conversation with a Villager most anyplace I find that they open up and are happy to chat. I love living here, though being single I often feel kinda out of place. A peeve of mine is that I keep waving at people in their cars and golfcarts and speaking to people at the mail station (where they would have to live close by) & if they don't know me they don't respond, even with just a smile. I am from FL so I am not used to that. What's up with that anyway? Do the men think that if they say "Hello" to a woman that they would be inviting some kinda further whatever?

[GOJODO]

Yes it is friendly!
We closed on our home in early November and have met many people one of course is Gracie. What a jewel, she is as friendly as she sounds on totv. In the few short months since our move in and between unpacking we have taken good golf lessons, played a little, want to play more.Taken pickleball 101 and playing several times weekly, still need more lessons. What fun! We both have taken a class at the life long learning college.

Before deciding on TV we have traveled extensively across the US and in our opinion nothing compares to this place. There are good places everywhere but this is the best.

There is so much more to do and so little time, come down and enjoy the experience.

Do we miss VA. ..... well no, we go back to visit family and as much as we want to see them we would rather be here.

John & Dorothy
Manakin Sabot, VA just 45 minutes from Charlottesville

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by rajaha674@aol.com

what is there to do at the villages if you do not play golf, tennis or fish. We like to be comfortable at home and not be bothered by going to dances, plays or anything that looks like a old folks place.

I too am not a golfer/line dancer/pickle ball plyer etc. But there are so many other things to do here in TV-- go exploring on the golf cart, meet new people, join a gaming group. you can do as much as you want and as little as you want. Just do whatever brings rest to your soul.

[frannieb]

One thing we found (and we have only been twice for 2 mos each time) was that so many people already have their friends and it was hard to get "into" a group. It may be b/c we just are not here for most of the year and clubs etc meet once a month, not weekly for example.
My husband would love to find golf buddies and people to socialize with but just found it hard.

[teachnmo]

We obviously do not pick up our mail at the same time at Bonita as I would have been the one waving, smiling, and saying HI to people. Always figured it just came from my small town living in Missouri. But I have found many many people who have the time in their lives to share a smile or help you out. I'm on the short side with a top mailbox and the men are usually very happy to help me out.

Just keep on smiling! You will probably make somebody's day better without even realizing it.

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by teachnmo

We obviously do not pick up our mail at the same time at Bonita as I would have been the one waving, smiling, and saying HI to people. Always figured it just came from my small town living in Missouri. But I have found many many people who have the time in their lives to share a smile or help you out. I'm on the short side with a top mailbox and the men are usually very happy to help me out.

Just keep on smiling! You will probably make somebody's day better without even realizing it.

You are so right. I too come from a place where it is still safe to walk around the neighborhood and to smile at people in the grocery store.

On our block here in TV we have a couple who don't smile or wave or acknowledge others smiles or waves and I have to think that they have come from an area of condensed population where people do not feel so safe.

Unfortunately, after almost three years, I don't make as much effort towards smiling or waving at them as I did at first.

Almost every one of our neighbors have hosted a casual get together. The memorable and stellar efforts have been on Christmas eve (while the grandchildren were visiting and Santa came in person) the neighbors were asked to join that joyous time...and on Christmas morning breakfast was made in another home where half the couple is ill.

Either we live in the nicest area in The Villages or this town of small villages is truly wonderful. I am pretty sure it is pretty wonderful, warm and friendly.

And if a person doesn't want to be part of a group, they too are respected.

I also love that big expensive houses and little not so expensive houses are in the same village.
The whole place is a mix of backgrounds, lifestyles, and personalities.

We villagers just are the greatest.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by rajaha674@aol.com

what is there to do at the villages if you do not play golf, tennis or fish. We like to be comfortable at home and not be bothered by going to dances, plays or anything that looks like a old folks place.

We don't play golf, tennis or pickle ball. With over 600 activities available we keep busy as we want and at home as much as we want. your choice.

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by barb1191

I've been here for seven years and find the people to be very friendly and yet not at all imposing.

I came here single as a snowbird and three years later Mr Wonderful appeared while in TV and we were married about a year later. I didn't attend many social functions as a single gal, other than the friendly neighbors' functions and joining a bocce team.

My husband found me online, we met for lunch in Spanish Springs (before LSL was built) and the rest is history. I had been single for over thirty years and felt that I had flunked marriage and didn't dare try again until Mr Wonderful came into my life.

Bill and I are so very happy and have settled for good in TV with an occasional visit up North. Family up North are not too happy about our choice of full-time residence here in TV, however after this past winter in New England....No way; we're here in TV for good!!

Welcome newcomers and good luck...... barb1191

Thanks for sharing your wonderful story with us.

[K9-Lovers]

Originally Posted by rajaha674@aol.com

what is there to do at the villages if you do not play golf, tennis or fish. We like to be comfortable at home and not be bothered by going to dances, plays or anything that looks like a old folks place.

Hi Rajaha674,

You sound alot like me. I don't play golf. Nor do I play tennis, "pickleball" or fish. I rarely dance, although I love to listen to music. My favorite activities are playing with my dogs, reading, writing, painting, photography, and cooking.

Most of my favorite things are are stay-at-home activities. Eventually, I may join some of the wonderful clubs here...there is a club or two for each of my favorite activities (reading club, writing clubs, painting groups, photo groups, cooking clubs, etc.) I also have taken a couple of courses at the "Lifelong Learning College" here which were very well done: intermediate French, art history and meteorology. I plan to take a few more courses. Also have attended various concerts which were outstanding!

While I am more of a homebody, Mr. K9 is out and about golfing and playing a variety of sports. So whether you are more comfortable at home, or not, you will love living in The Villages.

There is so much to do here, and such an overwhelming variety of clubs and things to do, that you will surely find something that makes your heart sing.

Nothing here looks like an old folks place, let me assure you! Quite the opposite.

By the way -- welcome to Talk of The Villages -- I see this is your first post.


Mrs. K9

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by rajaha674@aol.com

what is there to do at the villages if you do not play golf, tennis or fish. We like to be comfortable at home and not be bothered by going to dances, plays or anything that looks like a old folks place.

There isn't anything in The Villages that looks like an old folks place.

If you don't like to be involved with others, than maybe The Villages might not be your best choice.

It is a people centered place.

If you like to be comfortable at home...you could live almost anywhere.

Be happy wherever you choose.

Thanks for the advice...well said

Originally Posted by graciegirl

Dear anxious couple.

Please stop worrying and get yourself here as soon as possible. There are so many things to do that sometimes we just have to scratch a NOTHING day on the calendar to regroup. AND FRIENDLY........

If I choose to read the paper on my front porch, every few minutes walkers are saying " good morning" and people are waving from golf carts. (These are people I haven't met). If I choose to go out my back door to Odell pool and read a book, I never get the book read, because someone with a big friendly smile will strike up a conversation and soon we are having a friendly quarrel about who has the smartest grandchildren. If I choose to go to Barnes and Nobel to buy a book, I find myself in another lively conversation, sometimes started by me, most times started by another.

I have found that there are so many people who play golf and who are also from Ohio, (We were born in Columbus) that I could never enjoy even a portion of them. We didn't graduate from Miami University but our children did.

Since I moved here I found time to learn Mahjong, attend Lifelong Learning College colored pencil portrait class and discover at least four couples from our neighborhood back home who live here. I have found that we Ohioans are the only people with unaccented speech, and that people from Virginia, New York, Boston and New Jersey talk a little funny, but people from Indiana sound just about right.

I have played bingo, bunko, bridge and bocce. I have made four tons of potato salad for pot lucks. I have laughed until my sides ached. I have hugged and touched peoples hands who have touched my heart.

I never, EVER, expected to be this happy.

Friendly? YOU ain't seen friendly yet. Come on down!

P.S. We would be glad to show you around and play golf with you. P.M. when you plan to arrive.

GracieGirl et al.

[PamfromNY]

I was wondering just how easy is it to fit in at TV if you are single. My Dad and I visited there two years ago and are considering moving there from NY. It seemed to me that most people were couples. I am 57 and divorced and my Dad is 79 and a widower. We plan on buying separate homes near each other and are hoping that we each find new friends and people to do things with. Any info would be appreciated.

[Pturner]

Originally Posted by PamfromNY

I was wondering just how easy is it to fit in at TV if you are single. My Dad and I visited there two years ago and are considering moving there from NY. It seemed to me that most people were couples. I am 57 and divorced and my Dad is 79 and a widower. We plan on buying separate homes near each other and are hoping that we each find new friends and people to do things with. Any info would be appreciated.

Hi Pam,
Please don't worry about being single in TV. There are many active singles! Anyway, I have friends in TV who are singles and friends who are couples.

Smile. Wave. Get involved in activities you love. You will meet the nicest people here and have no trouble making friends. This is "Florida's friendliest hometown". No kidding, it is!