Why a blog on retiring in the smokies?

Planning for retirement involves more than money. Yes, a steady stream of income is important, but equally important is where you plan to spend your time as well as money. Location is everything. Through this blog, I hope to share with you what led us to our decision to choose east TN and more specifically Cocke County as our place to settle in for the "final frontier". I hope to share information that may be helpful if you plan to embark on your own long distance building project. Building a cabin in TN while living in GA had its pitfalls. I also hope you'll enjoy reading about some of the folks we've met, places we frequent and things we do in the area. I welcome reader input about your own experiences in planning your retirement location as well as your experiences in the Smokies.

By this time next year I hope to say that Cosby is our new permanent home. I plan to be out the door with our 2011 graduating class from Thomson High School in Thomson, GA. Will I miss my job there as counselor? Of course. The kids in Thomson are great. My co-workers are the best and I understand from others that once you leave a job you've been at for some time that you actually dream about it! Probably so. Still, I look forward to the changes that will come with our move to the mountains.

Thanks for spending a minute or two with me. Come back again and we'll talk colors: bluegrass music, clear blue streams, yellow wildflowers, smokey blue mountains and green hillsides!