I want to wish everyone a happy and healthy new year and take this opportunity to bring you up to date on several matters.

Work is underway on the clubhouse ceiling replacement. All of the old ceiling in the great room has been removed. While the attic is open and exposed it will be examined to determine if any work is necessary in that area. The new ceiling installation should be finished by spring.

Progress is being made on the water system. The day after Thanksgiving one member of the Water System Committee, two directors, and I met with the Association’s engineer to review the work that needs to be done to obtain the authorization from the State to proceed with construction. The various tasks that need to be completed were listed and a schedule was established which is designed to put the Association in a position to begin construction work in late spring. The schedule was intentionally made to be aggressive so that slippage, if any, may still allow time for construction this year. The cooperation of third parties, including the State, will be necessary to meet the schedule, but that effort is already underway. A week after meeting with the engineer, Dieter Kuberg and I met with Keith and John Miller to discuss the status of the water system and what information was needed from them to satisfy the State’s requests for additional submittals. As a result of that meeting, additional water sampling and testing was scheduled to satisfy and obtain all of the requested test results. Sampling was done the week of December 12^th, but the holiday’s and confusion at the lab have delayed the receipt of the test results which are now expected in mid-January. As the tasks under the schedule near completion, hopefully in the spring, a special meeting of the membership will be held to approve an assessment to pay for the construction and establish any reserves that the State will require. At present, that meeting is projected to take place on Saturday, April 22, 2006. A meeting notice with a firm date will be sent to the membership once the date and the amount of the proposed assessment is established.

Each homeowner should locate the water shutoff valves for their house before a leak occurs. Some houses were built at Granny Squirrel without shutoff valves while others have at least two valves that will shut off all water to the house. In any event, you should determine whether there is a shutoff valve at your house and where each is located. The valve could be in the basement or crawl space, under the deck, or below ground near the house. Start by looking near the point where your water line enters the house. Make a note of the location of this valve and keep a diagram handy so guests or a plumber can locate the valve if you are not there. If you sell the house, be sure the purchaser knows where the valves are located. In addition, there should be a shutoff valve at or near the point where the water line to the house comes off the water system distribution line. These valves may be near the driveway or along the side of the road. Some are actually in the middle of the road and may be covered. Every homeowner should attempt to locate both shutoff valves. If you do not find a valve at the house, it is recommended that you have a plumber install one. If you cannot find the valve near the distribution line, please notify the Secretary so the valve can be located or relocated during the reconstruction of the water system improvements. It is a good practice to turn off the water when you are away. Remember, the Association maintains the water system up to and including the distribution line shutoff valve, while the property owner is responsible for all plumbing repairs between that point and the house as well as inside the house.

Answers have been filed in response to the Burns lawsuit and discovery is underway. There have been no hearings. The Burns have attempted to amend their Complaint to enjoin construction of the gates which were approved at the October meeting.

As noted above, the Burns are seeking to amend their lawsuit to enjoin the construction of the gates claiming they have an easement to use the roads and that roads cannot be obstructed by a gate even if they have the codes to open the gates.

Unsightly propane tanks continue to be a problem. All property owners are reminded that the covenants require that propane tanks must be shielded "…from view by fencing, trees, plants, bushes, shrubbery, grading or otherwise, or buried underground…" A number of property owners are in violation of this provision, while a number of others have cooperated by making sure that their propane tanks are in compliance. All property owners must comply with this provision.

The Association has received a request that each house have the street number displayed at the road using reflective numbers to assist emergency responders in locating the house to which they are dispatched. Apparently, numbers on the house may be hard to see, especially at night, and emergency personnel need to see the numbers, not only to find the house they are looking for, but also to determine that they are headed in the right direction.

Mike Kessler

In the last few months we have been to River’s End Restaurant in the Gorge, Brasstown Country Club in Young Harris, GA, and The Cole House in Andrews. Our attendance is slim in the wintertime, but we hope it will pick up in the spring. Come and join us on the third Thursday of each month.

Nature Watch

As we enter the winter season, we still have not seen any significant snowfall. Our forest has welcome touches of green as seen in our various pine varieties. The hemlocks, rhododendrons and holly are also part of the evergreens.

The hemlocks are disappearing due to a severe blight. If you take notice, there are many dying trees as you come up Granny Squirrel Drive toward the pond. The forest service has said they do not expect this species to survive.

This will be as great a loss as the now extinct elm and American chestnut trees. There was nothing quite as beautiful as a lacy, graceful, towering hemlock.

Thanks to Terry Fredricks and Brad Mueller we now have a brightly painted and repaired covered bridge. Frank Hamilton and Wes Griffiths replaced most of our fence and will paint it in the spring. Several of Granny’s residents pitched in to cover the expenses of these projects. We thank you all!

Len and Peachie Friedman arrived in Andrews as passengers on their dentist’s plane. They came for the now famous pig roast, and by 1987 they had become homeowners of Cattail Circle.

Lennie met Peachie in 1970 and they were married three years later. Len had three children, Lisa, Marc, and Alex. Peachie had Kathy, her only child. They have reason to be proud of all their children. Lisa works performing voiceovers on Lifetime TV, Mark is a landscape artist, and Alex is a culinary artist of sorts, with his own business. Kathy worked in Pisgah National Forest for many years.

In 1994 Len retired from Abbott Pharmaceutical division and Peachie retired from twenty years in the dental office. They have enjoyed traveling by cruise ship and coming to Granny Squirrel. They reside in Florida where they relax and do some volunteer work. Lennie in the Pharmacy department.

Lennie and Peachie have made many friends and acquaintances over the years in our community. Len said, "I was honored to be elected to the board of directors…" and he served nine years. We are honored you served so long and faithfully, Lennie. All who know this couple enjoy their energetic personalities. We are glad to have them as our Granny Squirrel neighbors!

Please remember that as a lot owner you are responsible to notify the GSMC secretary if you sell your property, change your contact phone, or address. Any assessments will be billed to the owner on record. Secretary’s E-Mail is: jjmueller12@aol.com  Thank you!

If you are a new resident and have not been introduced at our meetings, please drop me a line. Tell us a little about yourself and your family. We will publish it in a subsequent newsletter. Thank you!

Editors c/o Jean Parks
22 Bear Cove
Andrews, NC 28901

John Isitt – Daytona Beach, FL

Albert Escueta, Palm Coast, FL

Walter & Margaret Duryea, Naples, FL

In case you notice a leak on the road, please call:

Bob Parks 321-3040
Harold Spaulding 321-0545
Jackie Mueller 407/671-6743 or 321-1488

This list may be revised in the spring.