I agree for the most part with the above post. However, I think the article on the provided link goes a bit overboard. It is definitely a bad idea to vent a bathroom fan into the attic. However, flexible ducting is commonly used for bathroom fans (not for dryers which should have smooth metal duct). It is also fairly common to terminate the duct by butting it up to a vent opening in the wall or roof. I have seen many installations like this and have never seen them cause mold or wood rot (the amount of humid air that would get back into the attic is minute). While it probably wouldn't hurt to insulate the duct, I've rarely seen that done, with no adverse effects.

What you have is a common configuration which is called a 'switch loop'. Power comes in on one cable with the black then connected to another cable which takes the current down to a switch, returning it on the other wire in that second cable. Connect the white from the fan to the white from the power source. Connect the black and black/white to the white from the switch. Connect the green to the other grounds (usually bare wires in the box. The fan should then operate as before, with both the fan and light turned on and off by the switch. (If no light fixture is to be installed, do not use the black/white striped wire)

Good insulation is good news. My point about the "beam" is to make sure it's in good condition and not cracked where you'll attach the electrical box. I had a similar installation in my kitchen, where the previous owner put up a 1x6 across the rafters and hung a fan from it. Apparently, they didn't drill any pilot holes before attaching the box with wood screws. I found that the 1x6 was cracked around 2 of the 4 screws, so only 2 screws were holding up this ~15 pound fan and light assembly! As for identifying the 2 wires, you can use an extension cord and a neon voltage tester. Plug the extension cord into a nearby receptacle. Separate the 2 wires at the fan. Turn on the power. Insert one test lead in the neutral slot (the wider slot) on the extension cord, and touch the other lead to each of the wires. The one that lights up the tester is the ungrounded (hot) and the other is the neutral (white.) Shut off the power when done. NOTE: This test assumes that the extension cord is plugged into a receptacle that is wired correctly. You can verify that with an inexpensive plug-in tester, available at any hardware store.

Hi wantoretire_did! Thank you so much for the suggestions! I've been meaning to get to HD and my local ACE for a walk-about. I'm going to go when I have a couple of hours and don't have to rush around. Just walk around with my trusty legal pad and take notes. Lighting is a big part of what I want to look at. I really appreciate your suggestion because that didn't even cross my mind! I'm pretty sure most, if not all, of the fixtures in my house are original, and at 37, they need to retire, lol! I just can't see paying some guy from CL for the rest of my life to come replace bulbs and wash the fixtures! I have electric burners, but I can see how that could easily happen with gas. I'm pretty much leaning against the ceiling fans now; cathyyg made very good points, and these seven ft. ceilings feel so low already, even at my height, that I fear the fans would just draw attention to them. We've got a good system with the fans now, and I don't think ceiling fans are as necessary as I thought they were when I first posted this. Yes! Taking lots of pictures! :-) I hope all is well with you and yours!