New lifestyle means reconnecting with old friends

Ruby is the traditional gift for a 40th wedding anniversary, but Clive and Inge Gentle are anything but traditional.

The vibrant couple moved into a new home at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront within days of their milestone anniversary.

“I bought Inge a house. And a pub lunch afterwards, because that’s all I could afford!” said Clive with trademark humour. “No, in truth, we were exhausted from moving in, so a pub lunch was easy.”

Even though the couple left the workforce four years ago – Inge worked in retail while Clive worked for Energex – they say it is only now that they’ve truly retired.

“We used to live in Taigum on Brisbane’s northside and had a beautiful place overlooking the creek,” said Inge. “Two years ago, we were flooded and had to rebuild our home.

“After that, every time there was a rain event, I’d watch the creek come up and get very nervous. The last time that happened, I told Clive I couldn’t live like that anymore and fortunately, he agreed with me.”

The search for a new home started and it wasn’t too long before the effervescent couple decided to look at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront, just 30 minutes north of their old neighbourhood.

“Because we had renovated our previous home just the way we wanted, we didn’t want to buy somewhere only to have to work on it too,” said Clive. “Moving into a brand-new home at Living Gems was exactly what we were looking for.”

Best of all, they already had friends waiting for them when they moved in.

“Tony and Glenda Merryman were neighbours of ours at Taigum,” said Inge. “Now we get to be neighbours again!”

“And I’ve discovered that a few blokes I used to play soccer with 30 to 40 years ago live here too,” added Clive.

Will there be a reunion of veteran players at the resort?

“Oh no!” he said. “I gave up playing soccer when I was 24 and married Inge.”

“But that wasn’t because I forced him too,” Inge hastily pointed out.

“I played indoor cricket for many years and only gave that up when I turned 52, but now living here I’m keen to get into lawn bowls,” said Clive.

“A friend of mine competes at club level and I’m just a social player, so I keep getting my butt handed to me every time we go onto the green.

So now I’m properly retired I can practise whenever I want to.”

Inge said she’d rather watch than play, with rugby league her preferred sport. But before then, the couple are concentrating on settling in and turning their new Living Gems house into a home.

“We have so much space, in fact far more than we did in our last home,” said Inge.

“I mentioned that to (Sales Manager) Glenys,” said Clive before having a chuckle. “I told her that I wasn’t happy because I was going to have to buy more stuff!”

This is your last opportunity to purchase a brand-new, three-bedroom home at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront. With only one home remaining, you’ll need to be quick to enjoy a lifestyle that is simply lifechanging. For more information, call Glenys Lowry on 0438 660 436 to make an appointment to inspect.