Why did we move to The Highlands?

Why did we move to The Highlands?  Pretty simple answers: Jean retired from her work at age 86 and we were tired of worrying about snow, freeze-ups, lawn care, precipitously increasing property taxes, housekeeping and so on. So we looked around at the independent living alternatives and chose the Maine Lodge of The Highlands because: 1) We could pay rent instead of buying in, 2) There is central air conditioning as opposed to a window unit, 3) The swimming pool is right here on the premises, 4) Since this is the largest of the area retirement communities, there are more entertainments, more trips, more activities, and 5) The friendliness of both staff and residents is outstanding.

We turned down the first apartment offered because it was near a lot of traffic and seemed dark. We were delighted with the offer of apartment 105 in the Maine Lodge. We think the first floor location is great, our being right next to one of the side doors. It is sunny, comfortable and convenient. We have a full kitchen, living room, a screened porch which we and our cats enjoy, two bedrooms, a full bath and a half bath, two large closets and two smaller ones, plus a basement storage area. Here is the floor plan of our apartment:

Do we have a guest room? No, but when our children have visited, we have used the guest suite at the Holden Frost House which we think is a great bargain at $50 per night. It is nearby but affords privacy and comfort for the visitors. Would we like to have more space? Sure, we'd like to have a room by itself for our desks, computers and associated hardware. But by making effective use of the existing space, we do fine. I mentioned our cats. We appreciate being allowed to have them here. They seem happy, just as we are.

How much does all this cost us?  Right now (March 2011) the rent per month for one person is $3,433 and for the second person $550, so our total is just under $4,000. Our only regular extra bills are for electricity, cable TV, telephone and Internet connection. One big plus of living in the Maine Lodge is the fact that we are served one excllent meal a day, evenings on weekdays, noon on Sundays.

In our period here, Jean and I have interacted with most everyone. We know every resident of the Maine Lodge by name, as well as a lot of the residents of the Estates, Benjamin Porter, and Holden Frost House. We will gradually become acquainted with the new residents of Town Hall Village.