Feels Like Home

September 30, 2008

I’m feeling a bit more positive today. The stock market came back a bit, maybe it is not the beginning of the end of our economy. Made a few calls for Obama. I am still shocked his numbers have not gone through the roof but as my good friend Brad always said “Never underestimate the ignorance of the voters.”


The Pre-Historic side of the village is a dirty little secret that the sales staff and promoters of the Villages would just as soon keep in the family. It may have been where the community began, but it does not quite purvey the image that the place is currently trying to promote. The Trolley or the Sales team seldom brings prospective new Villagers past these homes. I, however, found it quaint and homey. The large trees and quirky mobile homes were a warm contrast to the cookie cutter homes with the stark Stepford like landscaping of the new neighborhoods. I found a double wide on the water and rented it for a few of the cold months.

I returned to New York still planning to return to work a few more years. Rich and I were going to split the rental and I made plans for my family to join us in the Villages for the Holidays. Rich was retiring and invited his family down for some time in January. My health was still an issue, but I felt better in the stress free sunshine. My kids and in-laws came down for a visit and we all had a great winter. This place feels like home.

Prices all over the Villages were going through the roof, and I started to feel like if I didn’t get into the market soon, I would not be able to afford anything. Rich challenged me to “Get off my ass” and buy something. So the next day I did. We went to see a “for sale by owner” around the corner from our rental. It was an older double wide, and smelled like it had been owned by smokers, but owner financing was what sealed the deal. We called Wayne, who had gone back north to work, and agreed to buy it. We were closed in weeks, and were now official Villagers.

Rich was jubilant. He was the token old guy and the only one in our click actually old enough to be in the Villages. He had retired, recently divorced, and figured he’d have the place to himself for years before Wayne and I retired. He was wrong.