Why I joined Wolf Creek Lodge
Why did I join a co-housing community?
By Magdalene Jaeckel
Magdalene
For me it was the most natural decision I have made in my life, except the decision to get married, 64 years ago. We raised four wonderful children, but none of them lived close by, and now I witnessed my husband in the last stages of life. He was under hospice care, and there were only days left for him. I felt at peace with this, but I was facing the unknown: being a widow. This meant to get used to living alone or moving in with one of the children. I did not feel I needed to go into a “retirement home”, where much of your independence is taken away from you. Just then I heard about a slide show about adult cohousing in Grass Valley. I had heard about cohousing, but was only vaguely familiar with the concept. Nobody could explain this better than Katie McCamant, who had brought cohousing to the United States, together with her husband, Chuck Durett.
For me it was like a “sign from heaven”. I decided to join Wolf Creek Lodge, and I have never regretted it. This was four years ago, and I have experienced nothing but friendship, fun and cooperation from my new friends, the “Wolfies”. I am the oldest of the bunch, but I don’t feel old, because I am totally accepted.
