North Georgia Mountains!

I know this is a bit premature, but I started Phase I of my relocation process to Blue Ridge, GA. Some of you already know that I have been thinking of moving up north for a while now. I fell in love with the area when I visited Helen. I'm a huge fan of the mountains...always have been. I feel totally at home surrounded by mountains! Even when I lived in Southern California, I spent a lot of time up at Big Bear (Mountain) and had planned at one time of moving there, but ended up here instead. (I know, what a big difference, but it's a long story...)

In a few months, our apartment complex here in Lakeland will be undergoing a big rebuilding process that requires us tenants to move out of our apartments for two to three months and then move back in. We were all guaranteed our same units back, only they'll be brand spanking new. I interpret this as my final push to proceed with my plans of moving to Blue Ridge permanently. If I'm going to be packing up anyway, why not just drive up north to stay. The apartment I'm moving into is run by the same Management company, so paperwork problems should be minimal. It will probably be handled as a transfer.

I talked with the apartment manager of the place I want to move to and mailed my application with the fee today to put me on a waiting list. They have a long waiting list, but one just never knows. Susie, the apartment manager there, said it is a very nice complex that is nestled in the mountains, located on the NC (and TN) border, surrounded by lots of trees and wildlife. She said it is a very nice place that resembles more a resort than an apartment complex. She told me about the resident bear that comes through and the snow in the winter. She said it stays cool at night and that it was cool at night even now, which was music to my ears. I yearn for snow and cool nights! I don't mind the heat, but I'm done with the humidity. It has damaged my respiratory system and I need to get out of here! I guess Gizzy can have his long coat back too, right?

A while back I talked to my friend, Bobby-Jack, about moving and he said that he would help me move. I also know a few blogging friends that I will be close enough to visit once I live there. I'm not getting any younger and moving will only become more difficult for me as time goes by, so the time is now or never.

Here's a nice website to check out the area where I will be living - eventually!

Georgia's Blue Ridge Experience

This is the blog that has all the city's activities, such as festivals, arts and crafts and I look forward to maybe participating in some of it once I move there.

The Blue Ridge Experience

And here's another blog about Fannin County where Blue Ridge is in.

Welcome to Localism

(I will be following these blogs to read up on the happenings before I get there because I want a part of the arts and crafts scene.)

While living here in Lakeland, I made a few good friends that will be my friends no matter where I live - besides, it's just a six hour ride or so away and I've got a car now. I love to drive and will drive to Blue Ridge as soon as I get a call saying that an apartment has become available, because I will probably not take the very first one. I have too many things I want or don't want. I want an end-unit (with just one neighbor attached to me.) I don't want carpeting; I don't want to be near the dumpster and I definitely do not want to live next to a smoker or someone who has a lot of smoking visitors, because I am highly allergic to cigarette smoke...so, it will be quite a wait, but at least I'll have something to look forward to and who knows, maybe I'll be celebrating Christmas in the snow this year after all?

I can see myself and Gizzy walking along this brook all bundled up and enjoying the crisp, mountain air...and me trying not to slip and break one of my fake hips LOL

(all pictures courtesy of Google Image Search)

As a final note on my move: I have researched a lot of places I would love to live that include (but are not limited to) Vermont, Colorado, Utah, Michigan, California (where my daughter lives) but all of them are too far away and I can't afford to hire a moving team. Also, since the apartments are run by the same Management company, it's relatively easy for me to transfer from one to the other (other than then waiting period) and I know I'll have a nice, safe place to move into when I get there. In summary, it's the cheapest and easiest ordeal for me right now; after all, moving is always an ordeal!


P.S. Gizzy likes these treats after all. I got them on sale at Pets Mart and at first he turned his nose up, but today he likes them. Go figure!

For those of you that didn't know, Gizzy has a page on Facebook, appropriately named Gizzy's Page if you want to visit him there and "like" him to boost his morale, now that he weighs just 10.1 lbs (after the loss of all his fur!)

Don't forget to enter my Christmas in July Giveaway by July 19th, 2011.