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Picture this:
The evening shadows are starting to creep across the huge animal sanctuary just steps from where you're sitting. The preserve was designed specifically to harbor the burrowing owl, a protected species about 9 inches long and with a 21-inch wing span. But there are plenty of other inhabitants, the gopher tortoise, the indigo snake and myriad waterfowl that you might see crawling or flying about. Meanwhile, pour a glass of your favorite beverage (not provided) and relax in your comfortable chair in the complete privacy of your screened-in lanai. Look to your left and you will see, hanging over your backyard, Florida's finest - grapefruit and oranges. This is the good life!
Relax, but not for long. When the sun gets low in the Villages, the golf carts start streaming home from the courses and the Villages comes alive. Your wife is ready for dancing. The live bands start their evening gigs at 5 in both town squares so take your choice. Spanish Springs square is only a mile from your front door and Morse Blvd with its wide multi-modal trails only 6 doors away. Your electric golf cart (provided) should be charged and ready. Don't worry about coming home in the dark or the rain. The cart is fully equipped with lights, weather covering and even locked compartments for any valuables.
Spanish Springs is teeming with revelers every night, the outdoor dance pavilion rocking. Grab a beer or glass of wine at the outdoor booth and join in the fun. When you get hungry, you can choose from dozens of fine restaurants in the square or close by. We like Margarita Republic for NTN trivia at the bar, RJ Gators for sports and, of course, the resident-only Katie Belle's for the finest in food, inexpensive drinks and live entertainment beginning at noon everyday. As our guests at the Villages, just present your guest card for admission.
After dinner and dancing, you will find your lovely 2-bedroom ranch welcoming. Tiled floors, vaulted ceiling, new furnishings - you will feel at home here. For the convenience of any guests, the second bedroom area has a sliding door which gives full privacy to this side of the house. The kitchen is fully stocked with all utensils and dinnerware for dining at home. You can watch cable TV and dvd or VCR movies. The computer is connected to broadband which can also be accessed with a laptop through our Wi-fi network.
You will no doubt want to play golf while you're visiting and you have plenty to choose from. Nine championship golf courses with names such as Arnold Palmer and Nancy Lopez and 20-plus executive courses are located in the Villages. Look out the back door to the right and you will see the closest course, and one of our favorites, Hacienda Hills. Chi Chi Rodriguez calls the opening holes on two of the 3 nines his favorites to play. Each of the championship courses has a beautiful clubhouse and recreation facilities, including tennis and swimming. As our guest, your are automatically a member of all 9 country clubs. Enjoy their fine restaurants and bar areas. While you will have to pay a reasonable fee to play golf on the championship courses, the executive courses are free with the optional $50 transfer fee. Some can be quite challenging.
There are so many other activities to choose from: both adult and family pools, shuffleboard, boccie ball, pickleball, tennis, horseshoes, basketball and billiards to name a few. Watch a polo match, play bridge everyday, take dance lessons, try your hand at archery or skeet, or choose from myriad social clubs and recreational activities at one of the Villages' regional recreational centers.
We were initially skeptical of retirement communities, but after one visit we were sold. The Villages is not your parents' retirement community; no one is retired here except from the humdrum of a 9 to 5 work schedule. Welcome to our home at the Villages. You will love it. |
