Our experience has been so much better than we anticipated, it’s difficult to put into words the sense of freedom and liberation, there’s just something about it that frees you up. What did you do on New Years Eve? We danced the night away to Showaddywaddy, how’s that for living?
Our experience has been so much better than we anticipated, it’s difficult to put into words the sense of freedom and liberation, there’s just something about it that frees you up. What did you do on New Years Eve? We danced the night away to Showaddywaddy, how’s that for living?
Jim
Hughenden Gardens Village
Resident Jim discusses Hughenden Gardens Village and why the decision to move there has left he and his wife freer than ever.
I’ve been here at Hughenden Gardens Village for a year, we only thought of it this time last year. Back in 2010 when we were in our early 70s we downsized from a six bedroom house to a four bedroom house, we had everything we could want, we were still doing lots of international travel, leading groups in Kenya, 12 years on the landscape started to look a bit different. We were still healthy, but my wife and I sat down and had a good deep discussion on how fortunate we’d been with both of us admitting neither of us wanted to be alone in our house as one day we would be if we’d hadn’t done anything about it. Life was going to change for us, it was inevitable, and we needed to prepare for it.
We phoned some friends who lived in Hughenden Gardens, then went and looked around with our friends. Six weeks after we put our house on the market. We moved in in July 2023.
Jim and wife Edna.
Our friends’ reactions were very interesting particularly our friends in the 40-60 year old age range. They said they wished their parents had a discussion about that too.
Our life has been a chartered-out life with myself and my wife, we moved a lot with my career. Moving had no terrors for us as we’d moved many times. The blockage for others in the same position is the thought of moving after 30-40 years in their house, it wasn’t the same challenge for us. All I’d say for anyone in that situation is the benefits are so much greater than the challenge. You leave it to your children to sort things out otherwise.
Life here is so impressive for us. One of the reasons we feel so relaxed is we’re in the right place, the core principles here are very good.
Our experience has been so much better than we anticipated, it’s difficult to put into words the sense of freedom and liberation, there’s just something about it that frees you up, our children are delighted we’ve moved, and we’re delighted too. Our friends say, ‘you are so relaxed, you’re enjoying life’ and we are. We have every opportunity to stay fit, I hadn’t anticipated this advantage, I go for a one-mile walk, either outside or in the corridors, and I go to the gym 4 or 5 times a week. My wife goes to yoga and keep fit, and we’re back dancing again thanks to the regular cabarets. I’d ask anyone who’s reading this what did you do on New Years Eve? We danced the night away to Showaddywaddy, how’s that for living?
Other Stories