debrafrederick's Journal, 08 October 2023

Our low was 40 the high today is supposed to be 64....another Georgia girl 😊🍁🌻🍂 

Great job getting in some exercise and lovely plans for today! 🙂 I'm just north of you guys here in SC. I woke up early this morning, too, but it was cold, so I went back to bed! 🤣 🙃 There are lots of things to do here in the house today. It is supposed to be leg day (This is the suggested emoji...😒. 🤣 hilarious!), I hope to have time to get it in. If not, tomorrow it is. Hope you have a great day as well! 

SherryeB, what part of GA? Sounds like the Northwest area with a 7 degree temperature difference! I would have put on shoes if it were down to 40 here 🤣🥶 LOL@Zen I woke up at 5 and the first thing I did was robe up, coffee up and head outside. I prefer around 50 but after the heat of the summer, the cool is such a nice change....I will get tired of it by February but I can celebrate it now because I know it won't stay that cool, we still have a few hot days coming our way. 

Debra, I'm in the foothills....Dahlonega, about an hour north of Atlanta. 

That's farther west than I have visited, I've spent time in Helen...in July 🤣🤣 That's the farthest north I have been. Those are beautiful mountains there. Too cold for my bones in the winter though. We are about 70 miles east of Savannah off of I-16 

OOOhhhh how picturesque I google mapped it and it's showing pictures of the square with Christmas decorations ya'll have a beautiful bustling downtown area....and it's wine country with tasting rooms...marvelous! 

It's wonderful you have room for fruit trees. So sorry your lost some. Your lifestyle is a lot of work but it sounds healthy. I'm in the northeast of Los Angeles, and it's 93 at my house today. It was 100 for 2 days. I prefer 70 but glad it cools off at night. It's so good to read about your day, thanks for sharing. And also thank you for your support. You are special. 

You are special too Snow! We moved here because we got tired of neighbor drama and traffic in the cities, we figured our skills would get us into a decent entry level jobs that would not require us to supervise anyone but ourselves and not require us to work 90 hour weeks, grow our own food, hunt, fish, have whatever animals we wanted, be close enough to drive to civilization, but not have it in our faces. We got everything we asked for and more.....no neighbors within shouting distance, but if they see smoke they drive over and check on you and help you put the fire out if need be. We actually know them..their names, their kids names, the names of their dogs.. At night, instead of sirens and gunshots, we hear crickets, night birds and dogs barking at wild critters. Peace, plenty and natures beauty all around us. I complain because some of the conveniences I waa used to are not readily at hand here, but it would not be what it is, if those convenience's were here....and what it is, is a haven.  

We have spent lots of time in Savannah. We have friends there. Dahlonega is a beautiful little town. We moved here 27 years ago. It has grown a lot, partially because of the university here. We are still somewhat rural. We live on a 2.25 acre wooded property on the river. No livestock, but lots of woodland creatures....deer, fox, turkeys, birds, rabbits & the occasional bear. I like having city convieneces nearby while still being in the country.  

Sherry, it is beautiful and one of those town that had made the effort to not let the downtown area go to pot, it warms my heart to see all the little speciality shops with people going in and out, busy, thriving. Sad to say, our little town is not growing, the younger generations are moving away looking for better opportunities, generational land owners won't part with any land for business growth or home ownership, they want to keep collecting rent off of the existing buildings and homes, they won't put money into them for improvement, mainly because they are land poor and don't have the ready cash to spend. A city that is not growing is dying. Most of the residents left here are elderly and live on S.S. and they live at or below poverty level. As they get more feeble, one or two of their children come back to care for them, but when they are gone, the house is closed up and the children go back to their lives in the larger cities. I don't live within the city limits so I am not allowed to participate in the town meetings where I would like to advocate for change in city ordinances for affordable multi-family housing to be built, they are against even small scale duplexes and townhomes being built. Allowing only one residence per lot and they only allow stick built homes to be added to a standard city lot, you have to have at least a half acre lot to install a mobile home or modular building. With the median family income here at around 27,000.00 per year, stick built homes are not what they can afford, so they leave the area. The City Council is against change and allowing any other businesses to open up here that would provide competition for the existing businesses....there are only 5, one of which the Mayors' family owns. So no jobs, no homes....they just pack up and leave, that makes me sad.  

I grew up in a small town, got married and lived in a smaller one. Great place to bring up children, own a business, be part of a community. But, there were things I needed that a small town can't offer 

Shir, I know you have everything you need just minutes away there in Houston, there are very few things that you can't find there! 

Shir, we also have access to pretty much all the necessities. Medical care & other amenities are within a 10 to 30 min. drive. When we moved here 27 years ago we had to drive further for many things but always had access to medical care. It has grown a lot in the surrounding communities, since then. Atlanta is an hour away & the airport is an hour & a half.