Author Topic: Sweet Home Alabama (Read 773 times)

GrampaMike · « **on:** June 18, 2007, 02:17:44 PM »

I know there are a number of Alabama people here.

I just bought my retirement home in Calhoun County, Alabama.
About three miles north of H. Neely Henry Dam on the water on the east shore.
Anybody live or know the area. Hope there is a good place to shoot.
Please don't tell me that I made a big mistake...OK to tell me the good stuff.

Mike

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** June 18, 2007, 05:09:30 PM »

Howdy neighbor.

You'll be about ten miles or less from me as the crow flies and not a heck of a lot further by road really. When ya coming down? We need to get together when you get here and I'll be happy to show ya around the area. 256-435-1125

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #2 on:** June 18, 2007, 06:26:32 PM »

That is pretty neighborly of you GB. I hope you guys get together and have a real good time.

GrampaMike · « **Reply #3 on:** June 19, 2007, 03:59:31 AM »

Well... I'll be a ____

Just down there last week for closing. But only there for the day.
I will be retiring April 2011, unless the government lets me go early, or unless they extend me again.
Just passed 38 years of service. DJ has retired, she will be moving down there as soon as it is ready for her, having a little more added to the place. Suppose to be ready for her next January, her brother owns the house next door, that is how I got into the area. I had never been there until closing day.

Thanks Bill, real neighborly of you for the offer, which I will take you up on when I am down there at least for a few days. DJ's brother and I don't have the same interests even though he is a retired Colonel (Dentist) from the Army.

Real good to know I will have good neighbors.

Mike

Graybeard · « **Reply #4 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:06:52 AM »

When DJ gets down tell her to look us up and her and Faye can get to know each other. It will be good to have fine folks like you two so close to us.

GrampaMike · « **Reply #5 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:27:00 AM »

After I told DJ who is living close by, first thing out of her mouth was "I have got to have them over for supper."
She loves cooking more than anything, besides her "ShopSmith". One of the buildings will be her own wood-shop. She is so excited about moving down there.

Graybeard · « **Reply #6 on:** June 19, 2007, 07:43:51 AM »

We too are looking forward to you two joining us here in Bama. I've spent most of my life here in Calhoun County so have learned a bit about it.

I have my own 100 yard rifle/pistol range in the back yard and you can come join me there and just up the road outside of Gadsden is the Owl's Hollow Range with rifle and pistol set ups and a skeet range where I can be found most Wednesday and Saturday mornings.

We'll have fun for sure. Ya'll be sure to let us know when you're next in the area.

GrampaMike · « **Reply #7 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:19:37 AM »

Thank You Bill,
I will surely do that!
Mike

Rustyinfla · « **Reply #8 on:** June 19, 2007, 09:25:11 AM »

  Ain't this a small world? Kind of like a buddy of mine that left Ky. for a world tour thanks to the U.S. Army back in the 70's. he said when he got of the plane in V.N. the first face he saw when he walked down the steps was his neighbor from back home.

   Happy Trails and God Bless,
   Rusty <><

xhare · « **Reply #9 on:** June 19, 2007, 10:41:53 AM »

A sizeable portion of my childhood was spent there as an Army brat. My father was an instructor at the well known MP school at Ft. McClellan (now closed) and later as an instructor at the much less well known Counter-terrorism school. We were actually there twice, from 1975-1977 and 1980-81 with a trip to Germany inbetween. First time we lived off post for a year in the little town of Alexandria where I went to 1st grade, then on post for a year (first duplex to the left just inside Baker Gate) where I went to second grade. The second time there we lived off post again in Jacksonville where I went to 6th grade. I was there when half of the square in downtown Jacksonville burned down. I am not even sure all of those towns were in Calhoun County but they were in the area.

I call Bowling Green KY home now, but went through Calhoun a few years ago. It brought back lots of memories.

Graybeard · « **Reply #10 on:** June 19, 2007, 11:19:24 AM »

Yup all that's in Calhoun County. Jacksonville is about 7 miles up the road from me to the east. Alexandria is about the same distance away depending on just which route we take. My wife graduated from Alexandria High School and we were just there a short while ago buying groceries. The grocercy store is at the intersection of US431 and AL144. That latter one (AL144) is the road to Neely Henry Dam. When you cross the dam you are in St. Clair County and not far from Ragland which is a hop, skip and a jump from where we had a cabin on the river when I was growing up.

Lak I said I've been in this area all over Calhoun Co. for the last 62 years.

xhare · « **Reply #11 on:** June 19, 2007, 12:15:38 PM »

I remember that school. Seems to me that K-12 was in the same school. I remember seeing much larger kids in the school with me. Got my first paddling there too I might add. I have a distant memory of going to a store in downtown Alexandria and buying fish for our aquarium, although we did most of our shopping elsewhere. Its nice to meet an old neighbor.

Also, we lived there when my dad bought his first real bass boat. We went to that lake, both for swimming and fishing, on a regular basis. My dad lost his favorite lure there, is a bush along the bank. He trolled up to retrieve it and found the bush was full of snakes. He let them keep his lure.

One other thing I remember...it was God, Bear Bryant, and Country, in that order (most days anyways).

Graybeard · « **Reply #12 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:09:49 PM »

There really isn't a "down town" to Alexandria as it's not an incorporated town but rather just a name for an area of the county. It has grown up quite a lot and especially along US431 there are a LOT of businesses and stores. The "down town" area is mostly the school, county water authority, a grocery store and post office and not a lot more. Out on US431 is where most of the stores are. Since you've left the area a LOT of stores have moved in the area.

Stan in SC · « **Reply #13 on:** June 19, 2007, 01:35:39 PM »

I was born in Anniston and lived there till I was nine.Been back a few times.Sure has changed.
In 1965 I was working in Montgomery,AL and got transferred to Gadsden.We were there about 2 years.
Bill,you mentioned Owl Hollow.I remember that very well.Wife and I used to take rides thru there.Local legend had it that there was a natural tunnel under the ridge there and that Confederate soldiers hid in those tunnels.

Stan

myarmor · « **Reply #14 on:** June 19, 2007, 02:40:07 PM »

Sounds like you all are gonna have some fun as well with your BC's

Can't forget the Handis in this equation bringing friends together.

Have fun fellas. My best to you both...er... all

-Aaron

xhare · « **Reply #15 on:** June 19, 2007, 02:51:48 PM »

I should have put downtown in "quotes". As I remember it, downtown Alexandria was nothing more than an intersection. The one I remember must be the one for US 431 and AL144 you talk about.

I think this is cool. As I said I lived in the area for a sizeable chunk of my childhood and it is wonderful to hear from someone who is from the area. One other memory I have, Alexandria was my introduction to fireants. Our yard seemed to be full of them.

The Handi family may be small, but we seem to be a well travelled group of folks.

DalesCarpentry · « **Reply #16 on:** June 19, 2007, 03:45:21 PM »

Quote from: Rustyinfla on June 19, 2007, 09:25:11 AM

Ain't this a small world? Kind of like a buddy of mine that left Ky. for a world tour thanks to the U.S. Army back in the 70's. he said when he got of the plane in V.N. the first face he saw when he walked down the steps was his neighbor from back home.

Happy Trails and God Bless,
Rusty <><

I have been reading this thread with interestest. It reminds me how small our world really is. I think it is great that Bill is welcominging a neighbor. This brings up some memories of places I have lived. I lived in Florida for about 12 years. I was only 17 when I moved there. Well when I was 18 I lived in Fernindina Beach Florida. ( Amelia Island )I worked at Kingsbay Navel base in south east Georgia. It was about 25 miles or so to the north of Fernindina Beach. I worked on that base for about 7 or 8 years. This is when Reagan was president and we were building up our defences. This was in the early 80's. I worked with a guy named Roger for a couple years. Well I moved around Fl for a few years going where the work was. Then hurricane Andrew hit and I moved to Key Largo Fl. I was looking for work after being there a couple days. I walked on to a job where a guy was ripping some plywood with his back turned to me. I waited till he was done then asked if the foreman was around that I needed a job. When the guy turned around it was Roger!!!!! I was probably 800 miles from that Navel base where we worked together for a couple years and there he was. I don't want to steal this thread but yes it is a small world. Dale

Graybeard · « **Reply #17 on:** June 20, 2007, 11:50:19 AM »

Certainly no shortage of fireants around here or anywhere in the south these days. Just a part of living in the south now but sure wasn't so when I was a boy as that was before they got imported into the US.

I've lived out of Bama twice in my life. Back in the early days actually before my personal recollection we lived in Memphis, TN for a short time when I was only two years old. I'm told I fell from the second story porch and landed in a rose bush. Right next to it that I could have landed on was a huge rock. As I say this is not from memory as I was too young but just what my family reported to me. I do seem to recall that many long years ago I recall they had a photo of me on the second story porch but I have no clue what happened to it over the years.

The other time was in '58 when I lived for about six months in Haines City, FL. All the local pipe shops were on an extended strike and dad moved us down there to the only pipe shop outside of Alabama as far as I know. When the strikes finally ended we moved back to Anniston.

270Handiman · « **Reply #18 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:16:18 PM »

I just can't help jumping in here because I have a lot of family in Anniston. They actually own a rather large funeral home there in town. Dang small world.

270

Graybeard · « **Reply #19 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:25:26 PM »

Grey/Brown I assume? Was just there a short while back when my wife's uncle Henry died.