Karla's Blog

January 2, 2022

LOL. Actually that’s not true. Not all lots here are created equal. For example, the lot we’re living on is on a corner which means it’s a big pie shape and larger than most of the “regular” lots. There are 592 lots in this resort and they range from smaller with no build-outs (outdoor kitchens, etc.) and no view to speak of, to quite large with beautiful fancy build-outs and spectacular views of lakes with fountains, waterfalls or palm trees with hills in the background. This is a view across the lake from our patio.There are LOTS of ducks here.

And an egret who graces us with its presence from time to time . . .

What a gorgeous and graceful creature. We’ve also got crows, scrub jays and lots of other little birdies, and we’ve even heard coyotes a few times. But I digress . . .

We decided to buy a second lot here to use as a rental. It’s just down the street from us which is convenient. It’s a “regular” sized lot and does need quite a bit of work before it’ll be ready so that’s what we’re working on now. Here I thought I had retired from property management . . . sigh . . . The weather has thwarted our efforts though. You see, a place like this is considered “recreational” and the rules prohibit fully enclosed build-outs, meaning you can’t put solid windows or doors in place. They have to be screen or canvas or some other non-permanent material that either rolls up and down or snaps into place. Our rental lot has the roll up screens and when it’s really windy, it’s not so pleasant to work in there, especially when it’s cold as it has been. We’re looking at 31 degrees tonight (Jan 2). BRRR. When we get the lot completed I’ll post before and after pics. 

Something else really fun around here is everybody has golf carts so there’s always folks rolling around from tee to tee. Many people have made it almost a ritual to hop in their carts and just ride around the Ranch at about 3:00 or 4:00 in the afternoon with a glass of wine or other beverage in hand. Now that we have a cart we join in that whenever we can. Max sits on my lap and seems to enjoy the ride LOL. We get a lot of attention because we found ourselves a really cute little cart fashioned after a 1943 California Roaster. Check this out!

We love our cart! We decorated it for Christmas, as did many folks. It was so much fun seeing the different ways people decorated them. The entire Ranch was decorated up and looked really beautiful and festive! So, even though we’re pretty busy, we still find a little time for fun. Most people here are really friendly and it’s very common to see two or more carts stopped in the middle of the street with drivers yakking it up. LOL.

We soon hope to learn how to play pickle ball, which seems to be a hybrid between tennis and racquetball. There are pickle ball courts down the street from us but we either haven’t had time or the weather hasn’t supported it. Soon, very soon . . . In the meantime we have a jacuzzi a block away from us that we have enjoyed several times. AAAHHHHHHH!

There’s a lot to love about this place!