The Pinehills became the setting for the final chapter of a beautiful 42-year marriage—and the unexpected beginning of a new love story.
In 2013, when my husband, Dick, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, he encouraged me to move to a townhouse condo in The Pinehills. He wanted to ensure that I would be independent after his passing and surrounded by a vibrant and supportive community. Together, we built a home in the Rebecca's Landing neighborhood.
It wasn't easy to leave our five-bedroom house and the friends we'd had for 34 years. But from the moment we arrived, our new neighbors welcomed us with open arms, and we knew we had made the right decision. We created a beautiful courtyard garden with a small pond—our shared love of photographing flowers and butterflies lived on in every bloom. Dick lived to see our first spring there: crocuses pushing through the soil, angelique tulips in full bloom, and chickadees nesting in the birdhouse.
As part of my grieving process, I spent five years writing a book chronicling our journey through Dick's illness. Through the Lens of Love: Facing Terminal Illness was published in 2019 and includes chapters titled "The Pinehills" and "Rebecca's Landing." I never felt lonely, as I was blessed with a large, supportive family and a close-knit, social neighborhood. At Rebecca's Landing, neighbors gather poolside every Friday evening to share drinks, appetizers, and community.
Eventually, I joined the Pinehills Club for Active Singles Over Forty. During COVID, I pushed myself outside my comfort zone and attended my first event—a beach party—where I met Rich, who would become my future partner.
I saw him again when he was walking through the Rebecca's Landing parking lot one Friday evening. During the pandemic, this became the new gathering spot to stay connected while keeping our distance. My neighbors may have gently pushed our relationship along when they invited Rich to join us and encouraged him to go see my garden. He followed me back home that evening—and love blossomed in that garden.
Our love story was featured in local magazine's Valentine's issue of 2024. In time, Rich and I both sold our homes in The Pinehills and bought one together in Rebecca's Landing, in the community that first brought us together and had already given me so much. – Robin Gross
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