We have rooms and windows

September  greetings.

 Isn't this time of year refreshing?  The mornings are cool and on the mountain there is a wonderful smell of autumn leaves.  Another sign of fall is the sound of the official's whistle.  Gary has discovered how to find a seemingly infinite number of football games that he can watch by running the computer through the TV screen.  Meanwhile I have found a fun group of women from our new development.to hang out with.  It started by my joining the Thursday afternoon Scrabble get togethers and grew from that.

 And here is a wonderful story of a Little  Library that Could.  It was started by  couple when they retired to Signal Mountain twenty years ago.  They found space in an old elementary school and began their free lending library.  The wife passed away two years ago, so Bill, who is now 90 years old, continues the library  in memory of his wife. He keeps the book selection current by accepting donations, of course, but also by using the money from the sale of his iris plants which he divides each year. With the NY Times list in hand, he goes to Books a Million with his proceeds and buys as many of the bestsellers as he can.  The books in the library are not organized according to the Dewey Decimal System; Bill continues to organize the books the same way his wife did.  There is a card catalog where books are filed by both title and author, and each book has a check out card tucked into its pocket.  You don't need a library card to check out books, just an honest face and a telephone number. I have joined a few of the women who are starting to volunteer in the library and help Bill out on the two days a week the library is open.  There is such a peaceful atmosphere, and I swear I saw the ghosts of Barney Fife, Andy Griffith, and Gomer Pyle the other day.

Front 9/24

Our house is moving right along and a January move still seems possible.   The framing is completed and today the windows and outside doors were installed.  I have included a picture of the front and of the back.

  Becky, Scott, and Julia are coming down next weekend so Scott can help Gary string the speaker wire through the house before the drywall goes in.  I know that Julia will be expecting to see her rocking horse in the house on this visit, but it's still in storage.

Back - a lot of fill dirt needed yet

I saved the best news for last.  Becky and Scott are expecting another baby in late March.  I'm so excited to be Nana to another adorable baby.  It gives me another reason to bake cookies!

Looking forward to a California visit,
Judy

Labor Day Weekend

We've been here in the Chattanooga area long enough to be getting familiar with things and  have started visiting some of the tourist attractions.  Annual passes to the Tennessee Aquarium along the waterfront will give us a nice place to relax if we are in the city. Besides, I couldn't resist checking out a members-only Caroling with the Fish evening in December!


We finally went to Ruby Falls one afternoon.  These caverns have been a tourist attraction for about 75 years.  The features are now strictly protected, but in the early years the regulations weren't as strict, so some damage from humans has been done.  But the underground falls in the depth of the cave are incredible.  It seems strange that no one has been able to figure out the source of the water, but in a rainy season the falls are very full and in a dry season much less water makes its way to the cavern.

Another afternoon we went to Signal Point on Signal Mountain.  This is where the Union army based communications in the Civil War and it is the reason for the name Signal Mountain.  In this picture the second mountain behind the river is Lookout Mountain and Georgia is off in the distance. There are quite a few trails which begin from this point, but most of them start by descending a very steep wooden stairway and the thought of climbing back up those stairs in the summer heat made us choose to put off exploring until the weather is a little cooler in the fall.



Our house is coming along. It is about the same size as our home on Laura Ct, but since it is one level (except for the bonus room over the garage), the footprint is larger.


 In this picture the dogs are standing in our bedroom closet.





The next picture is taken from the kitchen and looks into the breakfast nook and the view to the back.












I came across this site the other day as I was searching  for restaurants, dentists and the location of a small lake.  Although we will be living on Signal Mountain our development is not actually in the town itself, so some of the entries don't apply to us as much as others, but most of these comments now make perfect sense to me. Don't forget to click on the photos, as a few of them will give you an idea of the area and the lifestyle.
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=49335924277

When we moved to CA so many years ago we had to adjust to the three hour time difference, and over the years we have gotten used to football according to a west coast schedule.  But now we have to wait until 10:00 pm to watch Fresno State play Cincinnati.  I wonder where Danny's loyalties will be during that game!

Love to you all,
Judy