The Checker

Our first contingent of guests from Japan have departed for their next stops – Yoshiko and her three girls are now in Chattanooga getting acquainted first-hand with their American sisters and brother. Her three other traveling companions are in Atlanta tonight ready to return to Japan on an early flight in the morning. After a midnight arrival here in the mountains last Saturday night, everyone got up bright and early to discover Highlands- including waterfalls, feeding the ducks, canoeing, Sweetreats for ice cream and The Toy Store, of course! The highlight of their second day with us was the complete failure of our community water system – read “no water”. That’s right – 9 of us with no water for drinking, bathing, etc. Yoshiko said, ”Wow, Mom – this is just like Little House on the Prairie!”(her favorite TV show when she lived with us in Arkansas 20 years ago!). Everyone was a really good sport through it all – thank goodness for bottled water and a nearby hotel where we rented a room to use for everyone to shower. The good news is that our new waterline was installed today at a new well and we now have water. That will be welcome news when Yoshiko and her family, including her husband and parents, return here on August 5. Stay tuned – the adventure continues. . . .