Monday's here. The Sweet 16 is live, the pool homes are looking good, and someone needs to explain to your blood sugar that 3am is not snack time. Dig in.

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On This Day in 1980 — Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington State in one of the most powerful volcanic blasts in U.S. history, flattening 230 square miles of forest and sending ash across 11 states. Most Villagers remember exactly where they were. (A good reminder that Florida's biggest geological drama is a sinkhole.)

— Kevin Rogers, Publisher

Poll of The Week

🚨 This Week's Poll: Scammers Are Coming For Us

The fake Medicare calls. The "your Social Security number has been compromised" voicemails. The texts from your "bank" with a suspicious link. The grandkid in trouble who needs gift cards immediately.

They're relentless — and they specifically target our demographic. No shame in admitting it. These operations are sophisticated, well-funded, and designed by professionals whose full-time job is fooling smart people. So let's talk about it 👇️ 

🏡 House of The Week

Golf course views, a paid-off solar system, and a heated saltwater pool — this Live Oak in the Village of Briar Meadow checks every box.

💲 $699,900 (No Bond) Open House 📆 Tuesday, May 19 | ⏰ 11:00 AM – 1:00 PM

📍 17270 SE 85th Willowick Cir, Village of Briar Meadow | 📐 2,349 sq ft

Why it stands out:

⛳ Direct views of Briarwood & Championship Erin Glen golf course
☀️ Whole-house solar fully paid off — plus gas tankless water heater and 2023 HVAC
🏊 Heated saltwater pool with waterfall, painted deck & Augusta-inspired privacy screen
🌿 312 sq ft enclosed, climate-controlled lanai + separate screened sitting area
🍳 Granite kitchen with gas stove, solar tube, and rollable butcher block island
🚗 2-car + golf cart garage with electric screen door, attic stairs & laundry room access

Tucked in the rarely available Village of Briar Meadow, this home is less than a mile from Nancy Lopez Country Club. No bond, no carpet, and no utility bills to worry about — this one's move-in ready and priced to move.

🌿 Villages Walk of the Week

🌳 Water Lily Pathway

Tucked into the newer southern Villages, Water Lily Pathway is a peaceful, easygoing walk with open green space, light shade, and a calm neighborhood feel. The paved loop is smooth and flat, making it perfect for a quick morning lap, an after-dinner stroll, or an easy daily routine. Benches and fitness stations along the way give it a little extra charm.

Expect about 0.5–0.8 mile loop, easy for all fitness levels.
📍 Location: 4710 Marsh Bend Trail

Simple, quiet, and beautifully maintained — a great low-stress walk when you just want to get outside and move a little.

🌴 Villages Pulse Lifestyle

Presented By Life Line Screening - Catch silent risks before they become serious problems — Life Line Screening gives you quick, non-invasive health screenings that can spot issues early, when they’re easiest to treat and most likely to save your life.

Pulse Sleep Series

🛌 Why Your Blood Sugar Might Be Ruining Your Sleep

You went to bed full, tired, and ready for a solid night — so why are you wide awake at 3am?

For many people over 60, the culprit isn't stress or noise. It's blood sugar.

Here's what happens: When blood glucose drops too low in the middle of the night, your body treats it like an emergency. It releases adrenaline and cortisol to bring levels back up — and those are wake-you-up hormones. Hard stop.

It works the other way too. A big carb-heavy meal or dessert before bed causes a spike, followed by a crash a few hours later. Right around 2–3am.

What actually helps:

🥜 A small protein + fat snack before bed (a handful of nuts, a bit of cheese) can keep blood sugar stable through the night

🍷 Alcohol is a sneaky trigger — it causes blood sugar to drop while you sleep, even if it helped you fall asleep initially

🚶 A short walk after dinner helps blunt the post-meal spike before it becomes a midnight crash

🩺 If you're waking at the same time every night, ask your doctor about checking fasting glucose — it's a simple test

Want to go deeper? Sleep & Blood Sugar Levels — Sleep Foundation How Your Sleep Affects Blood Sugar — Banner Health

The fix isn't complicated — but it starts with knowing what's actually waking you up.

Villages Pulse Battle of The Bands

🎸 Round 2 Is Here — The Sweet 16 Begins

874 votes. 16 battles. And now we're down to the best 16 bands in The Villages.

Round 1 wasn't close in most cases — the readers have spoken, and some of your favorites are still standing. Now the bracket tightens, the matchups get tougher, and it's time to find out who's really got what it takes.

Region A takes the stage first. Four battles, four polls — vote for the band you want to see advance.

👇 Cast your votes below — all four, if you're up for it.

Upcoming Events

Want a Featured Event with a poster/image? Reach out.

🏌️‍♀️ Ladies Full Swing Clinic | Central Lake | Tue May 19 | 8 am | Details

Sandra & Alex LeKid | Hotel Eastport | Tue May 19 | 5 pm | Details

🏌️ Scoring Bunker Clinic | Legacy Lopez | May 20 | 8:30 am | Details

Joaniefit Kickboxing | Sawgrass | Wed May 20 | 9 am | Details

Patriotic Bean Bag Baseball | Colony Cottage Rec | Wed May 20 | 3 pm

🎵 Denim, Lace & Bling | Bridgeport Rec | Wed May 20 | 5:30 pm | Details

Intro to Beach Tennis | Olympia Rec | Wed May 20 | 6 pm | Details

🎨 🍷 Paint & Sip | Legacy | Thu May 21 | 12 pm | Register

Doggie Boat Cruise | Lake Sumter | Thu May 21 | 4 - 8 pm | Details

24 Hour Longevity Reset | Rohan Rec | Thu May 21 | 6 pm | Details

🎨 🍷 Paint & Sip | Prima | Thu May 21 | 12 pm | Register

Have an event you want to announce to 9,700+ local Villagers? Email us the details and a link to [email protected]

Live Music Lowdown

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

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Thanks for reading! If you found it interesting, forward it to someone who loves messing with phone scammers.

P.S. Want to get your business in front of 9,700+ local Villagers? Reach out here.