Recently I completed a two-week house/pet sitting assignment
at The Villages in Florida.
The Villages is a gated community for people over 55 and is
primarily made up of retirees. It's
population in a census conducted in 2010 was more than 50,000 which is a 500+%
from the 2008 census. This place is huge
and building more homes at the time of this posting.
Within the community, there are three Town Squares, each
with its own theme. They have around 27
executive (9-hole) golf courses and an additional 15 or so championship
courses. Residents' don't pay to play
the executive courses and championship courses are played at reduced rates.
I'll leave it to Wikipedia to provide
more details about The Villages.
This house/pet sitting was for friends and previous clients
while I was living on the island of Antigua in the Caribbean. Having owned their home in The Villages for a
while now and renting it, Tim and Joanne decided to retire. They now enjoy friendly neighbors, golf,
nightly selection of three different concert venues nightly, pools, social
clubs and activities, and literally something to do from A-Z; all free.
When they asked me to look after their home and more
importantly take care of Petey their dog, I immediately said yes.
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| In a gated community |
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| It's Florida, we do get some rain |
Driving the 100 miles from my home to theirs, I arrived two
days before Tim and Jo were to leave. We
spent time reminiscing, meeting neighbors, going to one of the outdoor
concerts, and partaking of a cocktail or few.
The day of departure came early as their vacation began with
a drive to visit family before embarking on self-guided tour of the Erie Canal
system in New York.
As some of you may have read on my blog postings while
sitting on Corn Island Nicaragua, I don't always use a car. In Nicaragua, my primary mode of
transportation was a bicycle, well here in The Villages, I had a gas powered
golf cart.
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| EVERYBODY drives golf carts |
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| Golf carts are not only for golf |
My two weeks were spent living like a local; golfing,
walking, going to concerts and any of the many other activities available. Nightly a few of the neighbors and I would
sit on a patio reflecting on the day and telling stories of times gone by.
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| Live entertainment at the Sumter Lake Village Square |
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| The "marina gas station" at Lake Sumter Square |
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| Yes, there are gators in the lakes; hey it's Florida |
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| Entrance off the county road to Brownwood Village Square |
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| Weekly farmers market at Brownwood Village Square |
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| Even The Villages have the Governor of Florida visit (the bald guy in the blue shirt) |
- Florida's Adult Disney World
- A golfing community with a drinking problem
- A drinking community with a golfing problem
Well the two weeks ended and I had to make my way back home;
which in my mind, staying at Tim and Joann's home is like a home away from home for me. Having knowing them for a few years and sitting for them several times, it's like I belong there.
Anyway I digress, my time in The Villages has come to an end...
Until next time
mike
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