CityView Magazine

Below | A dramatic dining room table takes center stage in the Weavers’ home. Right | But the sunroom is the couple’s favorite room in the house. She and Gail sold most of their furniture along with the house in Linden, and Carolyn spent the spring picking out everything from new sofas to shades. The home has a traditional feel. With its warm colors and heavy pieces, the look should be dark but instead has an airy touch. Light spills into the living room, which is dominated by a large, buttery leather couch and a grandfather clock. The dramatic black dining room table is given a modern touch thanks to a round glass top. But the WeaversÕ favorite place in the house is the sunroom. ÒI get up and come in here, and it is total relaxation,Ó C arolyn says. Gail says they donÕ t regret a minute of life in Linden, but he doesnÕ t miss the worry of the next do-it-yourself project. He, too, has enjoyed nearby neighbors. Ò You can walk out your door here and literally run into someone,Ó Gail said, Ò and get to talking.Ó Carolyn is the neighborhoodÕ s de facto social director. With Friday morning brunches, Thursday night socials and impromptu ice cream soirees, itÕ s become so busy Carolyn organized a committee of three to plan it all. Everyone seems to know everyone, not difficult in a place with less than a dozen families though more are to come. 26|August/September • 2009 The Cottages at North Ramsey is still in its infancy Ð the community celebrated its first anniversary this summer Ð and it is a unique development in Fayetteville featuring single-story, cottage-style homes. When itÕ s complete, the 20-acre neighborhood will include 88 homes, a community walking trail, plus the pool and clubhouse. Every home has a two-car garage and private entrance. Cathedral ceilings, granite counters and energy-efficient features are just a few of the amenities the Cottages offer. So far, it is a diverse neighborhood of retirees and working folks, grandparents and the first family to bring a toddler into the mix. And with two doctors and Carolyn, a retired nurse, it just might be the cityÕ s statistically safest neighborhood in case of an accident. ItÕ s also a good place to get fed. A neighbor who cooks every day for her grown children and grandchildren Ð enough for PharoahÕ s army, Carolyn says Ð passes on the leftovers. Carolyn, in turn, cooks for a single neighbor. ÒI call us a family,Ó s he says. She and Gail have two sons of their own, plus two grandchildren and a great-granddaughter, but Carolyn says they were looking for community. ÒI was ready for neighbors,Ó she said and laughed. Ò After all, I hadnÕ t had any for 25 years.Ó CV

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