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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #135
November 8, 2002
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Dear Subscriber:

I'm sure it has become apparent to most Newsletter readers that
Peggy and I spend a lot of time together.

Our livelihood dictates that we work as a team. While most
citizens leave home during the day to go to their jobs, Peg and
I get up in the morning and spend the whole day together working
on whatever it takes to make a living.

I wouldn't change the arrangement for the world, but this week
a situation arose that separated us. I was called away to
Roswell on business. Peggy wasn't feeling well and decided not
to make the trip.

There I was...early Monday morning. Driving through the
Mescalero Apache Reservation.

By myself.

Just me and my coffee cup.

As I drove I listened to a talk show on the radio, but every
time someone on the show said something I felt worthy of my
comment, Peggy wasn't there in the passenger seat to banter
with.

It was just a little 6 hour round trip to Roswell and back to
Cloudcroft, but one hour out of Cloudcroft I began feeling very
lonely.

An hour out of Roswell, I started talking to the radio.

"Rush, you'd better check your facts on that one," I said to
the dashboard. I had to laugh. I'm not sure whether or not I
did so out loud.

"Relax," I told myself. I decided to concentrate on the passing
scenery. I began to notice the beautiful fall colors in the
Hondo Valley near Ruidoso.

The foliage change around Ruidoso is about 2 weeks later than
the festival of colors in Cloudcroft...because of the difference
in altitude, I guess. I was taken by surprise by the golds and
medium and deep browns as I drove down Highway 70.

Peggy's voice crept into my head.

"Drive Carefully" were her last words to to me as I walked out
the door.

I had a choice. Drive carefully and watch the dull old highway
or stop and look at the trees.

The trees won.

I drove down a gravel road I had passed and had never taken a
zillion times going from here to there since my grandfather
first brought us to Lincoln County over 40 years ago. I went
down that road because it seemed that was where the autumn
leaves were the thickest.

It was like a dream. I stopped where the sky was hidden by
the canopy of trees changing their clothes.

I wanted to share the moment with Peggy, but I couldn't, so
I selfishly stood there and took it all in by myself.
Appropriately, The Rascals were singing "It's a Beautiful
Morning" on the radio. I don't know what heaven is, but....

I pulled into the drive this afternoon. Peg was working on a
project I should have been there to help her with, except I was
out tree-watching.

I bought her a gift from one of the roadside curio shops near
Ruidoso. She loved it. I could tell.

There's something to be said about solitude. Everyone needs to
be alone every once in a while.

Next November, though, I'll take Peggy to that gravel road.

I want her to see what I saw.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS
3. INSIDE THE SHOP -- BUSICH SKI HAUS
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO FAST FACTS
5. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
6. COMING EVENTS
7. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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Cloudy, foggy at times, and colder this week. Little
precipitation. Highs in the 50s. Lows around 30.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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A heavier than normal voter turn-out in the village this past
Tuesday with up to 20 persons waiting in line for a voting
booth. Unaccustomed to such a crowd, there was some confusion
and voter impatience, but cooler heads prevailed.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- BUSICH SKI HAUS
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We offer the newest and best in snow play equipment and apparel
for sale or rent. Open Friday through Monday 9 to 5 and other
times by appointment for sales, rentals, and lessons. Featuring
N.E.O.S. performance overshoes for after skiing. They quickly
and easily slip on over your street shoes. We have beautiful
handmade wooden snowshoes for the woods or just to look pretty
on your wall. We rent all snow play equipment from sleds to snow
blades to snow boards...to oh, yes...skis and bindings,
protective gear and clothing. We've been here 20 years. Call us
(505) 682-2284 for more information.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO FAST FACTS
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What? You writin' a book? If it's about New Mexico, here's a
good place to start.

http://www.state.nm.us/category/aboutnm/fastfacts.html

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - I heard cellular phones don't work in the mountains around
Cloudcroft.

A - It is true that there are some "dead spots" around
Cloudcroft when calling out or receiving calls on cell phones,
but in the past year, since most service has been switched from
analog to digital, the service is much better.

Many roofs on the homes here are of the metal variety, which
also impedes the cell signal somewhat. You might need to step
outside and out from under the metal roof to avoid dropped
calls.
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COMING EVENTS
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November 9-10 -- Christmas Craft Show. Civic Center.
Alamogordo.

November 23 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park. 5pm-7pm.

November 23 -- Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce annual banquet.
Lodge Pavilion.

November 24 - Community Thanksgiving Service, First Baptist
Church. 7pm. Everyone is welcome.

December 7 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 14 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 15 -- Community Christmas Cantata, 4pm. at Cloudcroft
United Methodist Church

December 21 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 24 - Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, 7pm. at Cloudcroft
United Methodist Church

December 31 -- New Year's Eve torch light parade at Ski
Cloudcroft.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. The Society will be
having an Art Sale and Show November 29, 30 and December 1, 7,
8, 14, 15 at the Old Red Brick School House, 11am - 3pm.
Call (505) 682-2494 for more information.

Mountain Garden Club meets every third Monday of each month.
Call (505) 682-2910 for more information.

Senior Van from Timberon to Alamogordo leaves the Timberon
Lodge promptly at 8:30 every Tuesday morning.

Free Vitals Clinic. Cloudcroft Senior Citizens Center, every
Wednesday. High Rolls Senior Citizens Center, first Thursday
of each month.

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For an online calendar of area events, click the Events Calendar
link in the left column of our home page:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/index.html

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

In reference to the "Q and A -- Because Cloudcroft Online
readers want to know" in the November 1 newsletter (134):

You should have mentioned the OMNIMAX theater at the Space
Museum in Alamogordo. Though movie selection is limited to
those films shot with a special wide angle camera, it is a
unique experience to view the movies in that format. The
"surround vision" and accompanying "surround sound" in the
small, domed theater is unparalleled.

Bill Burkett

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Dear Newsletter:

Hello Again from the Mississippi Coast.

Tell those nice folks, The Holts from Decatur, MS that if
Biloxians can make the decision to move to Cloudcroft, they
can too!

We observed a herd of elk in High Nogal where our new property
is--nearly drove into them. Saw them again the next three days
in addition to hearing them at two in the morning. Mostly cows,
I think. Didn't see any bears, but we were told a bobcat was
seen prowling our hillside early the morning we arrived in town.

Between the critters, the fall foliage and the down-right nice
folks thereabouts, we're very anxious to make the move from MS
to NM. Not to mention your beautiful skies at that altitude.

Happy Holidays to all y'all (plural of "y'all" for those that
don't know).

Dick & Bobbi Day
Biloxi, MS

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Dear Newsletter:

I got a chuckle or three out of your comments on politicians.
Here's a proverb from Africa:

Politicians are like a bunch of bananas. They hang together,
they're yellow, and there isn't a straight one among 'em.
(Straight is Britspeak for honest. Someone dishonest is "bent.")

Shirley Alford

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