Marietta couple enjoys new, smaller place they call home
By Kate York, kyork@mariettatimes.comArticle Photos
It took three years, lots of packing and parting with some treasured mementos but Russ and Anna Reid say they have no regrets about downsizing their home.
"It's hard because people don't want to get rid of the furniture and things they've loved for 50 years-I had things my children had made in the first grade," said Anna, 76. "The thing I'm happiest about is that we did it while we were still able and we could pack and make the decisions. We didn't keep putting it off and putting it off."
The couple, married for 55 years Saturday and together for 60, traded in their four-bedroom ranch home in Devola in January 2005 for the first home to be built at the Village at Glenwood, an extension of Glenwood Retirement Community.
"I was on the Glenwood board when the village was in the planning stages and I said 'Hey, we want one of those,'" said Russ, 78.
It was one of the best decisions they've made, say the Reids, along with choosing the lot at the end of the street that borders the woods and allows for frequent views of deer, wild turkeys and other wildlife from their windows and screened-in back porch.
The Glenwood staff does all the landscaping and yard work and is on call to move furniture or hang a picture inside anytime it's needed.
"They'll even change the light bulbs," said Russ Reid.
The couple also eats at least twice a week at the Glenwood dining room, has neighborhood security and medical emergency buttons they can push in their homes.
"It's really ideal," said Anna. "One of the things at our house that had gotten to be too much was the yard and he's not a yard person anyway."
When Russ had to have a knee replacement last fall staff transported him to each therapy session, which was "a godsend," said his wife.
The Reids have their independence but help when they need it, which is exactly the right mix, they said.
"We sat down and thought about the future which a lot of people don't do," Anna Reid said. "Now our sons have peace of mind."
Their current home has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, one with a walk-in shower perfect for Anna, who is sometimes in a wheelchair.
"It's much smaller," said Russ. "It's about 1,450 or 1,460 square feet and our old house was 3,000. But we don't miss the space."
Anna said she's happy to have less to clean while both of the Reids kept a healthy attitude about the things they no longer have room for.
"It's just stuff," said Russ. "And we're happy here."
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troyinohio
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08-24-08 9:53 PM
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How expensive is it to be there?
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1968native
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08-23-08 12:21 PM
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Awesome! Good for you! Looks like a nice place!
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