Bruce and Suzanne King moved into their cottage on Sunrise Ridge Circle in October 2019, and Bruce says they “got adjusted in about 4 ½ days.”
Natives of Maine, they moved to Lexington in 2003 for Bruce’s position as CEO of BARC Electric. By the time they started contemplating retirement, 4 or 5 years before moving to Kendal, they already knew a lot of people here – and were well prepared for the transition.
What they didn’t expect was that they would become healthier, more active and more social in retirement than during their working years.
Bruce and Suzanne have jumped in “feet first” to resident activities!
Mornings: Suzanne loves the swimming pool, attending lessons and activities in the pool most mornings. Bruce goes to the Fitness Center twice a week for strength and stretch. Bruce won a fit bit at Kendal’s recent health fair, and liked it so much he bought one for Suzanne. They both try to get in 10,000 steps a day! Suzanne says they enjoy breakfast in their cottage, “Bruce gets up and fries an egg for me.” Suzanne enjoys researching and investing in stocks, and usually starts her day checking the financial news while Bruce enjoys a cup of coffee in the sunroom.
Afternoons: Bruce says he doesn’t have “typical” days. In one recent week he went skiing on a snow slope in West Virginia, golfing at the Lexington Country Club, backpacking on the Appalachian Trail, and hiked up House Mountain! He also gets together with friends to play music. Suzanne enjoys quilting, reading, taking classes, and plays Duplicate Bridge weekly at the Maury River Senior Center in Buena Vista. She says there is talk of starting a Duplicate Bridge group here at Kendal, too.
Evenings: Bruce and Suzanne enjoy Movie Nights, a Wednesday night dance class taught by Tom and Karen Whaley, concerts and classes offered at Kendal Hall. And joining fellow residents for dinner in the Dining Hall is a daily highlight for the Kings. “We really do look forward to the evening meals,” says Bruce. “It’s a social occasion. We either meet someone new or join friends for dinner. We spend about an hour and a half socializing at dinner. When we lived alone, it was eat in front of the TV.” Suzanne says, “One of the things I love, after preparing the main meal for 50 years, I love not having to plan, shop for and cook the main meal.”
Suzanne and Bruce agree the food quality and variety at Kendal are very good. “Much more variety than when we lived at home.” Suzanne says the staff does an excellent job, but Bruce says he has one gripe: “The desserts here are too good!”
A plus to retirement living at Kendal that Bruce hadn’t thought about before moving here is the opportunity to quiz residents in their 90’s about their secrets to staying healthy. “They’ve got something to offer,” Bruce says. “They help us look forward to aging well. We think we’re going to live longer and better because we moved here.”