With apologies to fans of The Villages, I hope they leave the golf-cart drill team in Florida. I find these incredibly poor value and tacky.

http://www.thevillagesgroup.com/

Could rant on but it's sunny today and I'm going to do some much-neglected gardening.

Oh, please. Say it isn't so.

Maybe 6 years ago, when we were in very early stages of planning retirement, a work associate of my husband's gave him a promo video of "The Villages".

I was torn between sitting open-mouthed or running screaming out of the room. Not to mention mildly miffed/insulted as he thought we would "fit right in". Even now, given the setting, we look at each other and mouth "The Villages" at the same time.

That it not to say there aren't plenty of slapped-together vacation and retirement villages in France, but all the more reason an American version isn't needed.

Am really blown away by the price.

A side effect is that you get very white teeth.

There goes the neighborhood.

Now, you too can have all of the charm of living in France, yet bring Central Florida with you.

Perfect for some Americans.


Does anyone remember TW3, with David Frost discussing staying at Hilton Hotels in Europe?

I think it's fine if they put a big fence around it and don't let any of the residents out. ;-)


(It should be mentioned that the French are doing exactly the same sort of thing for themselves in Morocco.)

"Does anyone remember TW3, with David Frost discussing staying at Hilton Hotels in Europe?"

Iced water (pronounced almost "I said").

The idea stuck in my mind for years (and Frost's diction of "iced" still comes back whenever I pass a Hilton) till I went back with a friend to her room at the Athens place in the early 70s.

She told me to look at the view: I ran to the tap in the bathroom to test the water, which was the same temp as any other cold tap. Our relationship never developed, and I've never trusted Frost since.