We Had a House Guest!

With the Coronavirus pandemic, contact with others has been very limited.  Given our vulnerabilities (age and, in my case, pre-existing conditions), we had to consider just how many ‘safe’ people could pay a visit.  People with active school age kids, people who still work away from home, grandparents who baby sit, folks who don’t regularly wear masks or who take risks by dining out or partying… Of course, a 2 week self-quarantine by potential visitors would work for some.  Otherwise, there is a risk of infection for us and others like us!

So, we were happy to have Dawn Marie visit us for a few days!  She is as at risk as we are, works at home, avoids going out except if necessary and she always wears a mask.  The couple of contacts she has had with others were also folks who were very Covid-19 cautious…and even those contacts took place a couple of weeks before her visit.

Dawn Marie’s birthday was actually back in August but her trip was postponed so we celebrated during her visit.

There were presents…and who doesn’t like to receive presents!

This t-shirt was perfect!  These days there are so many things that can make someone roll their eyes in frustration or disbelief…

There had to be some cake with a candle!  Unfortunately for Dawn, we also sang “Happy Birthday”…no human should have to experience our dulcet voices in ‘harmony’!

Dawn is an officer with a computer security business so we lean on her to provide some tech support whenever she visits.  She helped Laurie with her phone, coached us on TV/Amazon Fire/On Demand operations and helped me with a couple of desktop computer issues.  Thanks again!

It wasn’t all work though… Friends Jodie and Morrie have also been in isolation and virtual lockdown…so they are among the few really coronavirus safe couples we know.  They’d volunteered to take the 3 of us out on their pontoon boat during Dawn’s visit.  So off we went!

We were cruising along Tellico Lake, one of the Tennessee Valley Authority’s reservoirs along the Tennessee River and its tributaries.  Along the way, we passed the historic Bowman House.  This unoccupied structure sitting on either 2.5 acres or 3.63 acres is the oldest house in Loudon County. 

Mr. Bowman built this Federal style home in 1828 and the Bowman family lived here until 1937.  At one point Mr. Bowman owned 7,000 acres in the area.  He was a cooper (barrel maker) and he was a US Indian Agent who worked with the Cherokee Indians. 

From what I could discern, the TVA still owns the property although it was listed for sale in 2006.  One issue is that whoever buys the property cannot tear down the historic home.  Another factor is that the Bowman Family Cemetery (deeded through the family) is located on the property.  There are about 75 graves on the site.  A local homeowner from Tellico Village has been voluntarily caring for the cemetery…   

As I’d recently reported, there is a home building boom in our area.  The count of active construction sites near our home is now at 15.  The same building spree also applies to those who live on the lake and need a dock or who need their dock rebuilt.

Here are a few of the lakeside homes in Tellico Village.  They have some great gently sloping lots although many homes have almost cliff-like shorelines to negotiate to reach their docks.  These homes…actually any home on the water…are, as the saying goes…above my pay grade!

Here is a more typical stretch of homes along the lake…still with the flat lots though.  Cruising up and down this side of the lake is interesting as you get a good look at the homes…but the other side of the lake, which isn’t developed is more restful to the eyes and to the soul.

This is a view of Tellico Lake looking down river (The Little Tennessee) toward the mountains and the Tellico Dam.  The lake is 33 miles long with 357 miles of shoreline.  Better yet, Tellico Lake is connected via a short channel with Fort Loudoun Lake...and that lake stretches for another 55 miles upstream on the Tennessee River.

Morrie loves to entertain and apparently Dawn Marie was truly enjoying his company!

As we neared the apex of our 2 hour cruise, we passed these 2 ‘castle like’ homes being built at Rarity Bay, a high-end gated community that features a golf course and stables for owner’s horses.  These homes are as big as some of the hotels we stay in!

End of the Road… Back home we posed for photos.  Dawn Marie is like a daughter to us.  We first met at Montgomery Ward over 25 years ago then she met Laurie and we’ve been close ever since.  She refers to us as her “Tennessee parents”.  FYI...it is a 12 hour plus drive from Miami to us in Loudon County...and a 12 hour drive back.   Yikes... 

There will be one visit related ‘food’ post to follow…

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Stay Safe and Take Care, Big Daddy Dave