It’s no place like home – hooray!­

At the same time, Annie, now 77, wrote a moving story about the emotions in leaving the family home and sent it to the Bendigo Advertiser.

The paper published the article, and asked Annie to write a weekly column where she has written about “anything and everything”, including village life.

Here, in an excerpt from her recent column, Annie describes her writing journey and decision to move into a lifestyle village.

“IT IS now over three years since we moved into our lifestyle village – a euphemism for a retirement village with benefits.

“Before we left our beloved home, set in half an acre of native garden overshadowed by beautiful gum trees, I wrote of the experience in coming to this decision.

“I wrote of the memories we would always hold dear; the stillness of our garden in the evening light as we sat beneath those soaring gums, the echoing sounds of children's laughter, notes from musical instruments wafting from children’s bedrooms.

“The Bendigo Advertiser published that memoir, and it was the beginning for me of a new and personal journey where I was given an opportunity to write a column each week.

“I knew it was the right time for us to make the next move in our lives. Our home was too large, the garden too difficult with constant water restrictions and hotter summers – a home that needed maintenance we were past doing ourselves.

“Many of our friends, although not our immediate family, were shocked at the time when we made our decision to move.

“They were concerned that we may not really be ready for a downsizing option. Our children fully supported our decision. Our grandchildren now stay in school holidays. I have always maintained that it is not for everybody, but it was right for us. Our only regret is that we didn't do it sooner rather than later.

“Rob is about to tick over another decade. Younger people are moving into the village and they're taking up with gusto the things we have now enjoyed for the past three years.

“Rob has discovered the bowling green; his children say ‘now you are REALLY old, Dad!’ He laughs with them. He reminds them that the top bowlers today are teenagers! It had always been a family joke, that when Rob took up bowling the children would buy him a plot in the local cemetery. He has never been fitter or happier in his life. I love the heated pool, the library and the gym.

“There is much laughter when residents meet, as we do for a variety of social activities, people keeping as busy and involved as they choose to be.

“Our small backyard garden is a chaotic mix of native bushes, pots of various shrubs and flowers, groundcovers spreading wildly, climbers and altogether too many plants which all need a firm hand to cut them back. It will happen.

“We sit outside during summer evenings before dinner, sipping a cold wine or beer, sometimes with friends, sometimes quietly together.

“I don't miss those towering gums. They were part of the maintenance problem in the end; our roof gutters were always full of gum leaves. Someone else is now enjoying those gum trees and is young enough to climb onto the roof and clear those gutters.

“Here we have good neighbours, friendly residents, and great managers.

“Personal space is respected but knowing there is always someone around when help is needed is very reassuring.

“I nearly lost a close friend in the village recently to a heart attack. Uf there had not been competent and quick thinking people around before the ambulances arrived my friend would not be with us. If nothing else, that was the assurance we needed that this is the place for us at this stage of our lives.”