We bought this condo almost 13 years ago. There are fourteen buildings, each with eight units. Some buildings have all 2 bedroom units and other buildings have all 3 bedroom units (although many have removed a wall between the smallest bedroom and made a large room. It never looks like one room to me, as two columns have to remain for structural integrity. Most people usually decorate like two living rooms. Very odd to me.
An ambulance or fire engine drive in at least twice a week. My friend drove himself to the ER while having a heart attack because he didn't want neighbors to gossip about who the ambulance was for.
We have several deaths every year which leaves a lot of single 80+ year old ladies on their own. Many of these are slowly becoming more demented. A few of these have fallen for scams from potential "husbands" and have lost thousands of dollars. One neighbor even reserved the Clubhouse for her "wedding" to a rich man who lives in a mansion in Hollywood, CA. She had to send him money several times because his is tied up in big investments. So sad.
Due to their dementia, (or maybe bad childhoods) these ladies are mostly estranged from their children. It leaves our Village trying to help these singles. One neighbor finally relinquished her keys and had her neighbor sell her car. Another neighbor had to sell her car to afford necessities. She can't sell her condo (now going for $350,000) because early on they got a reverse mortgage.
But it's not ALL bad/sad news. With a community of 112 owners, every one recognizes almost everyone. There a several groups of close knit neighbors who help people so much. Whether setting up a meal delivery after surgery or doing a surprise birthday party, most everyone gets along. Many of the folks love seeing our boys outside playing. They are polite and chat with them, accept cookies or candy, then continue being army guys. They get Christmas gifts, Halloween bags of candy and other treats so it's like having 5 grandmothers. The boys write notes back and the ladies are delighted.
Covid threw a big wrench into our community. We have some die hard anti-vaxers so they were excluded from small outdoor gatherings. I stayed home and out of sight for so long, several thought I passed away. Things are getting back in swing! One neighbor just turned 95 and a parade was organized around her building. Banging pots and pans, birthday kazoos, balloons, silly hats and many happy birthday signs. Ending with someone providing her with her own individual cake.
I'm lucky to have my family living with me so when I retire from driving I'll still be able to get around. The grandsons are still a hoot and I love their curiosity. That's for another blog!
Your community sounds wonderful, although I know each place has its pros and cons. We have lived fifteen years in our current home, the longest I've lived anywhere in my entire life. There are just about 50 homes here, and they seldom go up for sale. Because we're so stable, nine of our homes are occupied by people who have sons, daughters, or siblings in another of the houses, solidifying the ties between neighbors. Yet, we have an impossible acre to take care of as well three bedrooms and an office that, before the pandemic, were often filled with visiting grandchildren, several of whom grew into busy young adults during these last years. While they often FaceTime still, they only occasionally stop by on their way through town, for an hour or two. We need to move closer to our closest daughter, but I know something she doesn't. She thinks that will make her life easier as we age, but where we are now, neighbors jump in to help each other when they see a need. When my husband had to go by ambulance to the hospital, neighbors lined our streets to wave us off and called out offers to take care of our 85-pound dog as long as we needed. We will never have that again if we move to a more convenient house in a new neighborhood, and then we'll be dependent on her. So far, hubby won't entertain the thought of moving.
ReplyDeleteOh my! A published writer!! Thanks for stumbling upon my blog. We downsized from 2 level 4 br/2.5 ba to a 3br/2ba condo AND a 900 sq ft home in Maui. Don't downsize until you are both ready ... it's a tough job no matter what. He had a dream to live in Hawaii and I certainly loved that idea. It was like a five year vacation!
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