TB:

We are talking with Paul and Peggy Soentgen, long-time residents of The Meadows. How long have you lived in the community?

PEGGY:

We rented here for the first time in 1994. We rented a condo for a month. In 1995, we bought a condo in Wedgewood. We lived there for 10 years. Paul was the Wedgewood association president while were there. In 2006, we moved to Surrey Lane in the east Meadows. We've been here ever since. We’ve been here 30 years and we’ve loved every minute of it.

PAUL:

The reason we came down was because I played tennis with two groups up north in Philadelphia. They used to come down here. People called them the Philadelphia mafia. I don't know how many guys there were.

PEGGY:

Some rented, some owned. Paul wanted to come here. That's what brought us down.

TB:

That's how you found the place?

Paul & Peggy Soentgen

Entrance to Surrey Lane

PEGGY:

We had friends who were renting a place in Treasure Cay in the Bahamas. They invited us to visit them. As we were returning, we thought, “Let's drive around Florida.” We started at the bottom. We looked at Plantation and other places on the Atlantic coast. We traveled over to Marco Island and Naples. Then we came up the Gulf Coast. Paul said to me, “I want to see The Meadows.” That's where all the tennis guys played. Anyway, he fell in love with it. But we didn't buy here until 10 years later.

TB:

So you moved here in 1994, but you had been aware of The Meadows since the mid-80’s.

PEGGY:

Yes. We both played tennis.

TB:

What has your experience been living in east side of The Meadows? Did you build here or was the house already built?

PEGGY:

It was already built. Paul loved the house right away. He really bought it. I didn't like it as much at first, but I had a friend who helped me get settled. Now I love the house.

I wish the neighborhood had an association, so there was more social activity. There isn’t much going on in the neighborhood. I don’t know people as well as I did in other places we lived. But I have so many friends here because I play bridge, golf, tennis, and other things, it didn’t really matter.

PAUL:

I don’t think you could squeeze in any more activities.

TB:

What else do you like to do?

PEGGY:

We go to the Monday card game at the club.

PAUL:

It’s board games, card games, anything else.

TB:

I've been to bingo. Never been to that one.

PAUL:

It’s in the morning.

PEGGY:

No, noon time. One o'clock in the afternoon.

TB:

That’s morning for retired people.

PAUL:

We play bridge. We also go to the spaghetti and burger nights.

PEGGY:

We love those events. 

PEGGY:

Recently, we’ve talked about trying to organize some neighborhood activities. The Meadows Single-Family Homeowners Association (MSHA) contacted some of us about serving as block captains for Surrey Lane. We’re planning a neighborhood get together. I’m excited about that. Meet some of our new neighbors. For years, nobody new moved here. Suddenly, six homes sold here. We have a lot of new people.

The nicest thing that’s different now than when we moved in here— you see all that shrubbery in the back yard? That was all closer to the back of the house. After we were here about four years, our neighbor next door told us that after the electric company cut away some brush, he could see the [Benderson Park] lake. After we saw his view, Paul started cutting down some of the brush. It was unbelievable. We could see sections of the lake. As Benderson developed the park, they cut down most of the brush and made a field. We had a clear view of the water. They’ve since put a hedge up back there to separate the road from the walkers. Now, as the hedge gets bigger, you have stand to see the lake, but it’s still a beautiful view.

PAUL:

We can see the boats on the lake.

PEGGY:

We have a couple paths where we can go back there.

TB:

You have direct access to the park?

PEGGY:

Yes. We have a couple paths where we can go back and walk directly into the park. Before Benderson started development, there was just a dirt road back there. There used to be a lot of young kids back there having big parties at night. It was a pickup place. I won’t go into some of the things that went on back there. Now with the Benderson Park development— the rowing center, playground, bike trail, and security gates— the park closes from dusk to dawn. I think it’s wonderful what Benderson has done.

PAUL:

When we first came here, Honoré Avenue was just a dirt road from Longmeadow down to University Boulevard. It was a construction road. University Boulevard was just a two-lane road. University Boulevard was originally called County Line Road. It didn’t connect with Honoré.

PEGGY:

When we came in from the airport, we had to go down Desoto Road, then Lockwood Ridge, and all the way over to 17th Street. Honoré was paved from 17th Street to Longmeadow.

TB:

How long have you been married?

PEGGY:

We’ve been married 66 years. He took me to me to my senior prom. We have five children, twelve grandchildren, and eighteen great-grandchildren.

TB:

Do you live here all year long?

PEGGY:

We usually go up north to Maryland for the summer. We leave in June and return in September.

TB:

You’ve been a volunteer on the Standards Committee for many years, Paul. Do you and Peggy go out on your rounds together?

PEGGY:

Yes. He drives. I do the writing. He goes too fast sometimes. I tell him, “We’ve got to go back. I missed something.” I don’t have time to write. I scribble something. He has trouble reading it. It’s funny. But we're happy to do it. We enjoy the volunteer work.

TB:

Thanks for talking with us. It’s nice to get a perspective on life in The Meadows from someone living in the neighborhoods on the east side of Honoré.

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