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| SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JANUARY 2025 | 17 WHY IT TOOK A TRIP TO MEXICO TO RENEW OUR LOVE FOR SUN LAKES (and America) Entering our sixth year of living at Sun Lakes, our deep appreciation for our amazing lifestyle here had begun to fade. We had grown tired of affordable golf any time, free live music on the weekends, parties and get-togethers with dear friends, scenic, meandering paved streets, manicured lawns, mature trees, lovely homes, and green belts surrounding two fabulous golf courses. We took for granted that we could easily drive to exceptional lounge and food venues in our golf cart, and we failed to acknowledge the work hundreds of volunteers put forth daily to keep the community great. We'd even forgotten how the volunteer members of the Master Board sacrifice their easy lives every day to the simple goal of making things better for everyone else. Furthermore, our spirits were tired of the rampant criticism of America. So, when we received an invitation to spend two weeks with our son and daughter-in-law at their new home in Cerritos Beach, Baja, Mexico, we looked forward to discovering what they called, "The perfect lifestyle." We were eager to learn why someone would leave the USA behind, and wondered if we would see it as they do. An hour after leaving the airport, we turned onto a rutted dirt track. Billows of dust followed us as we bumped along for about a half mile then turned into a narrow one lane trail that terminated at their new home. The sandy, silty desert f loor invaded our sandals and shoes as we made our way toward the house, but the white walls of the home rising three stories above a tangled field of prickly cactus and chaparral that had established itself since the dawn of time took on a golden ref lection from the setting sun. We could see the ocean a few miles to the west. In the fading light, we appreciated the raw beauty, the stillness. Over the next two weeks we discovered why Baja is a great place to visit. The inherently gentle, friendly, caring, and respectful people made us feel welcome. The bright colors, upbeat music, and endless variety of foods and libations were impressive and memorable. We loved the boundless entrepreneurial spirit. The kaleidoscope of shops and businesses, cafés, bistros, and bars that line the streets. You close your eyes and think of how America must have been 50 to 100 years ago. Full of unbridled opportunity … but rough, rugged, and untamed. Somewhere along the time line of our visit, we began to miss Sun Lakes, and America. We missed the order and system of our lives here. The cleanliness, safety, security of a well-run, established community. We missed our friends, and everything we had taken for granted. As we returned through Gate 6 into Sun Lakes, our spirits soared. We were coming home to a place where we belonged. We've never kissed the doorway of our home, but we did that day. God bless Sun Lakes, and God Bless America! And Happy New Year! Info, Michele Walter, (951) 202-8009. ~ Submitted by Jerre Blodgett. jb@jbblodgett.com Marketing Advisory Lifestyles Magazine is the resource most residents turn to find out what's going on in our community. At 80 pages, it includes pictures from residents plus articles from the Master Board, Delegate Assembly, FirstService, the Restaurant, the golf pro, and all the advisory committees. Clubs and groups send articles and photos about their activities to Sunlakesnews@ yahoo.com by the sixth of each month. The Lifestyles Advisory Committee meets on the seventh of each month, unless otherwise specified, to review and edit the articles submitted for each month's issue of the magazine. We meet with Master Board liaison Beverly Simmons, Assistant General Manager Jason Ewals, and Recreation Manager Linda Vang to keep updated about events coming up in our community. We also publish want ads and for sale items from residents at no cost and hide a monthly joke for residents to find. Responses to our "Get the Joke" contest are put in a hat and a winner is randomly drawn, earning a restaurant gift card as a prize. Photographs taken by residents of areas within Sun Lakes are used on the magazine cover. We also post pictures of residents on their vacations, or of their beloved pets. If you're good at proofreading and are interested in joining us, please fill out a volunteer application form that you can get in the Main Clubhouse Lobby, and we'll put you on our waiting list. ~ Robin Warner, Chair, robincwarner@yahoo.com Lifestyles Advisory Our publishing crew and committee members enjoyed each other's company at a lovely holiday dinner

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