Throughout their married life, Lawrence and Rosalie Dixon have moved house at least a dozen times which is why their new home at Tamahere Country Club is extra special – because it will be their last.

“It’s a big thing thinking about your final move isn’t it?” muses Rosalie. “Tamahere seems like a very relaxed, easy place to live and that really appeals. I just love the country feel and all the trees. You can leave behind the hustle and bustle of a city but it’s still so close to everything. It just couldn’t be better.”

The couple have predominately lived in Christchurch and Hamilton as Lawrence’s 37 year-career at Fletchers took them all over the country. He initially worked in sales but became a branch manager at the tender age of 24 – the youngest in the company. In latter years, he was Regional General Manager of the South Island for PlaceMakers, and then worked as a consultant before retiring two years ago.

Rosalie continues to run her own business – designing and making teddy bears for several speciality retailers. “About 40 years ago I started and worked with German imported mohair. It’s been a wonderful career, designing and making them.”

Among the wide range of places they’ve lived was a ‘retro’ house that looked like an old stone castle in Christchurch. The couple regularly hosted home and garden tours and Rosalie had a dedicated studio for her bears.

“We then moved into an apartment in a heritage building in central Christchurch that fell down in the earthquakes. We lost everything we owned and never went back inside. The demolition people pulled out what they could given the risk – we were on the ground floor of a three storey building.”

The couple then decided to return to Hamilton (where they had previously lived in the early 1980s), and have been in Flagstaff for the past six years.

Lawrence says community living is one thing they’re excited about at Tamahere. “We have lived in apartments in both Christchurch and on the Gold Coast. We just enjoy being with people and like the idea of being part of a bigger entity.”

The couple are very impressed by the ease of the sales process and the wonderful support they have already received from the team at Tamahere Country Club.

They’re also looking forward to spending more time with family, community groups, their local church and other organisations. “We just want to spend more time with people that are close to us. That’s the important thing at this stage of life – to give a little bit back.”