Livin' in the Forest " The Foster Family"
September 30, 2008 by admin
Filed under Livin' in the Forest
Although we have only lived in the Forest for five years we have grown to truly appreciate those who have been here for 20+ years. I had asked some of the veterans to write a monthly feature for the Forester so that the newcomers could get a better sense of how the neighborhood was in it’s earlier years. Larry Foster has generously offered to be the first.
John WomeldorfÂ
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Livin’ in the Forest
The Foster’s have spent twenty great years in the Forest – we raised two children here that could not wait to get out on their own but would be terribly upset if their parents moved. Windsor Forest is their home. They don’t have anything to worry about, we’re not going anywhere.
We arrived 20 years ago; we could not have been greeted more warmly. Our children who were 1 and 9 made friends quickly, and we made friends with their friend’s parents. Before we knew it four families had joined together to create a “Cooking Coop” where Monday thru Thursday one of the families delivered dinner to the other three homes. In essence each family only cooked one night per week, the other three nights we had great leftovers or dined out. Eighteen years later the Coop is alive and well and has been a special part of our lives and friendships. Speaking of cooking - every three months the neighborhood participated in “Knife and Fork” where 30 to 40 couples gathered in groups of 6-7 couples at assigned homes for dinner parties. Each house had the same menu and all guest participated in preparing the dinner. For the newly arrived it was a great way to meet new friends.  The friendships made at Knife and Fork continue today. Â
What did I like most? Memorial Day, Fourth of July and Labor Day – the basics haven’t changed so this will not be new to a lot of those reading this. We’d start the day with a golf tournament, followed by lunch, libation and laughs at the club house- off to the pool or horseshoes at someone’s home or both, then back to the clubhouse for a picnic. But that’s not all – after the picnic we’d play jungle volleyball until it was so dark we had to stop. Needless to say they were long, tiring but great days. What were the best things? -the camaraderie and sense of community. As a newcomer the golf was a great way to meet new people – some of my best friendships today started while participating in theses events. I remember watching the younger generation swimming in the pool and playing volleyball with us. What great memories. Members of that younger generation have gone out to do good things with their lives and I am confident they are using their memories of the holidays in Windsor Forest in their new neighborhoods.  Some have decided to raise their families in the Forest. By the way – the entire neighborhood owes a great deal of thanks to Barry Beers who has been organizing the holiday golf tournaments for at least the last 20 years- and more.
Neighborhood clean up day – loved to hate them. When I first arrived there would easily be 100 people at the club house and things were happening – mulch everywhere, weeds flying, paint spreading, libation and laughs. It was hard, dirty work! But I never left a Neighborhood Clean Up without a very strong feeling of camaraderie and sense of community.
Have you noticed the common theme?  Interesting how work and play in the Forest end with the same results. Good times, great friends- a terrific, caring neighborhood.  Â
Larry and Lee Foster
13 Tempsford Lane
Williamsburg VA