On Dec. 27, 2003 Mike and I found ourselves signing a contract to have a home built at Baywinds in West Palm Beach. This was truly a surprise to us, since our intention was only to see what was going on with the real estate in southeast Florida, not to leave our sons, friends, family and hectic lives in New Jersey! We both had our own businesses and worked 24/7. Our youngest son was still living with us and we had an active social life! What were we thinking?? In March we sold our home and on July 5 we headed for Florida to face the unknown.

August 17, 2004 was our closing date and despite some major hurdles, we moved into our home on Egret Chase Lane and were welcomed by Frances and Jean. Our life has been a whirlwind since, but the quality of our life has been improved tremendously. We brought our businesses down here, but work fewer hours, and are enjoying the new people we are meeting while working. Our evenings are now our own to enjoy our new neighbors and friends, and for the first time in many years, I have access to my mom and sister, who live in Delray Beach, on a daily basis. We are taking time for ourselves, walking, swimming, going to the movies and having fun with new and old friends. We have visitors from the north and enjoy taking them to the nearby beaches (something we never did in NJ, though living only 1 1⁄2 hours away from the water).

Of course, the move brought in new challenges: the problems that come with a brand new home, going to meetings, voting on issues and understanding the obvious and not so obvious politics of life in a gated community. Like everyone here, we have gripes with Lennar‘s people, furniture stores, contractors, etc., but would I move back up north? Not on your life! The only thing that would make us happier would be to have our sons come down here to live too! We keep telling everyone,nothing is perfect, but this comes pretty close. Each day we wake up to a piece of Paradise, who could ask for anything more?

Susan and Mike Zellea