TO SAY KEN AND BARB CRONIN ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO THEIR FIRST CHRISTMAS AT GEMLIFE WOODEND IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.
“Yes, we are definitely hosting Christmas here for the family,” said Barb adamantly. “We had been empty nesters for a while and our last place, before moving to GemLife, was a two-bedroom apartment in Collingwood.
“There we had a four-seater dining table and a handkerchief-sized kitchen, but we always managed to fit everyone in, even if they had to sit at a plastic trestle table and on fold-up chairs.
“The very first thing I did after signing our contract in February was to go out and buy an eight-seater dining table.”
For Ken, a retired IT project manager and Barb, a retired long daycare nurse, there was never any doubt that GemLife Woodend was the place for them.
“When we paid our deposit (sales consultant) Michelle Merrett told us that should we change our minds, the deposit was refundable,” said Ken. “I told her that there was no chance of that because Barb had already bought the furniture!”
Joining the couple this Christmas will be three grandchildren and two of their three children, a son and daughter and their spouses. While waiting for construction of their GemLife home which was completed in August, Ken and Barb visited their other daughter who now lives in Philadelphia with her husband.
“Because we were away, we moved into our home in September,” said Barb.
And since then, the couple have fully embraced the active lifestyle. Barbara goes to aqua aerobics while Ken, a keen guitarist, has joined a music group and is working on making his own guitar in the residents’ workshop.
“We play ten-pin bowls, swim in the pool, go to the movie nights on Tuesday and we’re planning to go to our second trivia night,” said Barb.
Before the Christmas gathering, the family is gathering for a camping holiday to Mallacoota, in Victoria’s East Gippsland.
“After that, we’re definitely getting into the Christmas spirit,” said Barbara. “A couple of ladies and I will be getting together to do roving Christmas carols around the resort. It’s going to be so much fun!”