After spending most of her life in California, Terri (Hopson) Monroe moved to Cedar Rapids, IA. When it came time to retire, she set her sights on somewhere more south.
In 2019, after researching retirement communities in Tennessee, she packed herself and her dog, Molly, and moved to Fairfield Glade following a significant life event.
“I arrived in late autumn and witnessed the turning of the leaves. It was just beautiful here that year,” she recalls.
Terri rented an apartment in Crossville while scouting out a property. After finding the perfect plot and floor design, she began the process of building her home.
“Moving here at the onset of the Covid pandemic made things a bit challenging, but day by day, things progressed, and before long, I was unloading a storage unit and moving into my brand-new home.”
While the pandemic disrupted the normalcy of life, one thing it didn’t stop was love.
Shortly after her move to Fairfield Glade, Terri reconnected with John Monroe, who lived in California.
After a few months, John moved to Fairfield Glade to be with Terri, and they married in December 2021.
“I love being married to John. It’s wonderful being with someone you don’t need a break from. I thought it’d just be me and Molly, but now I have this fairytale life in an amazing place.”
Their home has allowed them to do things both together and independently.
“John’s a homebody and likes puttering around doing odds and ends and is happy doing so,” Terri says. “He likes genealogy, so when the weather is not suitable for being outdoors, John is busy doing his own thing in one part of the house, and I’m out here quilting.”
Though Fairfield Glade is a social community, things weren’t necessarily that way during the pandemic.
“Initially, I struggled with the isolation brought on by the pandemic, but walking my dog served as a catalyst,” Terri said. Molly and I met many of the neighbors on our walks. Someone in the neighborhood sends out a newsletter called The Hollywood Leafers that keeps us all connected.
“I feel like I really am a part of a community. Everyone is so nice, and it’s amazing how people care about one another here.”
One thing she’s found appealing is how easy it is for her and John to get back to nature.
“We love our backyard. We are surrounded by so much nature,” she says. “It’s incredible all the wildlife I see while sipping my coffee in the mornings. The property is like this squirrel highway. They dart around, playing and running up and down the trees. And then there are the chipmunks and, of course, the deer meandering through my backyard. It’s wonderful. I can’t believe I live here sometimes.”
“The lakes here are so well taken care of, and the water temperature is warm enough to enjoy them for several months. We’re only a mile from Dartmoor. If it weren’t for the ticks and chiggers, this place would be perfect. I feel so at peace here; safe.”
Being a self-proclaimed introvert, Terri was excited about all the clubs she could join to meet folks.
“I was especially eager to check out the Quilt Guild. I’m also looking into a card group. Maybe I’ll do that too. We’ll see. It’s wonderful having all these options.”
One of Terri’s priorities was finding a church.
“I went to a different church for a while, but John and I started attending Westminster Presbyterian Church here in Fairfield Glade after the house was finished. Being around other church members definitely helped with the isolation.”
“When I first moved here, I didn’t know anyone, but I soon felt how amazing it is to live in a place where people come year after year to vacation. And now we love our life here. We own a timeshare in Cancun and sneak away there sometimes, but we have no intentions of leaving Fairfield Glade. This is home.”