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Monday, July 21, 2014

We Stopped in Rural Retreat VA To Visit Brother Jackie

This is Jackie and Tami's ranch home - high in the mountains of Virginia. I purchased that van in Florida for Jack. They converted it into a camper - with stove - frig - bed - toilet - AC - generator.

A propane tank helps power the house in winter. The synthetic wooden deck is really nice. We had supper there. In the tent is Jackie's childhood car - a 1980 Pontiac Fiero.

The barn has two tractors inside. The garden was in full bloom.

The white door is a private entrance to the basement. It could easily be a nice full separate apartment. the French doors into into a big hot tub spa room.

We ate breakfast at a quaint little country diner - note the sign about Rural Retreat. 

Lulu's brother Jack Cox left the Tamaqua Valley early and moved south. He ended up in a town called Rural Retreat VA. It was once the Cabbage Capital of the world. Now it is just a small Appalachian town of 1400 people. Jack is a manager at a plastic plant just down the road. 

Rural Retreat sits high in the mountains. In the winter it is a south capital - but during our visit - the weather was beautiful. It was clear and sunny and at night it dropped down to 48 degrees.

Jack has lived in this brick ranch home for 10 years. He is very handy - doing most of the work on the home himself or with the help of Tami. The main floor has real oak hardwood floors. It has a full finished basement with an exercise room and a bar room - plus two bathrooms. Out back - he built a deck of synthetic wood that is made at his plant. The deck is 3 years old and looks like brand new. No weathering - no paint - no wood rot. The house has several fireplaces and stoves for the long cold - snowy winter. 

They have a garden and grow a wealth of fruits and vegetables. They have two tractors - one for mowing their large yard - the other one for plowing the driveway. 

Rural Retreat is just a mile off Interstate 81 in Virginia. 



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