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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #139
December 6, 2002
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Dear Subscriber:

9-ll seems a long time ago.

Many of us have returned to our lives pre-attack. The sight of
those two mammoth American towers falling to the ground and
killing thousands has become a distant nightmare.

It worries me. Have we quit being mad? Is our resolve to rid
ourselves of the vermin capable of such atrocities been
compromised? Are our collective memories short?

There's even talk about how we, as Americans, are to blame for
the World Trade Towers attack. Nobody has said that to me. I
hope they don't. I'm not a violent person.

This morning I was in the driveway tinkering with the ATV.
There was a sudden grumbling overhead, becoming louder. Soon
the valley was full of the sound of big jet engines.

When the sounds of aircraft engines bounce off the mountains,
it's hard to know where they're coming from. I looked up just
in time to see a Stealth fighter cork-screwing into the sky.

Since we're located only 25 miles from Holloman Air Force Base
(the home of the Stealth), seeing that big black bird is fairly
common, but this sighting to me was like a wake-up call.

It occurred to me that, while I was here on the ground tweaking
my ATV and thinking about what I was going to have for lunch,
that Stealth pilot was preparing for war. He was training in
one of America's finest aircraft and yes...he was still mad.

Next week or next month, he'll very possibly be flying that
plane in harm's way. He'll be doing it for me and for his
country.

I stood straight, screwdriver in hand, and saluted. There
wasn't anyone else around to see me. No matter. My salute was
between me and that pilot. He was too high and much too busy
controlling that brute of an aircraft to see me, but I hope he
knows there are people here on the ground that are backing his
efforts. I hope his wife and kids know it, too.

Protocol dictates that only Service people salute other Service
people. Us civilians are supposed to express our patriotism by
placing our hands over our hearts.

I saluted anyway. This is a different kind of war. In this
war, we are all soldiers.

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 -- THE ESTATE
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- THE IMAX THEATER
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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A good snow on Tuesday, warm temperatures on Wednesday, made
the snow cover a little slushy, but still good for snow play.

Highs in the upper-40s. Lows in the 20s.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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The Forest Service is issuing Christmas tree permits. Permits
are 5 dollars and available at any Lincoln National Forest
office during regular business hours.

A map showing where trees can be taken accompany each permit.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE ESTATE
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The Estate is an upscale resale shop featuring high-quality
vintage and estate clothing and accessories for men and women.
We specialize in unique vests and sweaters, evening and cocktail
dresses, Hawaiian shirts and vintage hats. Friendly, courteous
service to all our customers is a priority. Call us at
(505) 682-3900 or email ragdealer@aol.com.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- THE IMAX THEATER
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A giant screen surrounds you with picture and sound. In
Alamogordo. Now showing: "The Space Station". Call the
Alamogordo Chamber of Commerce for show times or check their
web site:

http://www.spacefame.org/movie.html

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - I read that a Cloudcroft real estate broker had her license
suspended. Is this an isolated incident, or are Cloudcroft
real estate offices to be trusted?

A - I have lived in Cloudcroft for 8 years, and this is the
first incident to my knowledge during that period of time
where a real estate broker has been cited for unethical
practices.

Real estate is like any other business. There are those in the
business that pride themselves in their ethics. There are
others that are not so trustworthy. It has been my experience
that the overwhelming number of real estate offices in
Cloudcroft operate under the strictest of ethical standards.

It's a good idea to ask a real estate office for references
from former clients. You can also check with the New Mexico
Better Business Bureau if you have any doubts.

There has also been more than one incident in the Cloudcroft
area in recent weeks of unethical practices with respect to
building contractors.

Since dealing with the wrong people in both real estate and
building can cost a person large amounts of money, one should
check these people out before signing anything. Ethical real
estate agents, brokers and building contractors welcome your
scrutiny. That rule of thumb holds true no matter where you
live.

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COMING EVENTS
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December 7 (Pearl Harbor Day) -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 13, 14 -- Cloudcroft Academy of Ballet Christmas.
Flickenger Center, Alamogordo.

December 14 -- Pet Parade. Downtown Cloudcroft. 2 pm.

December 14 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

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

December 18 -- Planned opening of Ski Cloudcroft.

December 18 -- Christmas Pasada. Cloudcroft Catholic Church.

December 21 -- Santa Town at Zenith Park.

December 21 -- Caroling in the Clouds. 4:45pm Downtown
Cloudcroft.

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

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

February 28 -- Mardi Gras in Cloudcroft. 5 days of festivities.
Call 682-2733 for more info.

Editor's note: Girls and Boys Cloudcroft high school basketball
schedules will be posted next week.

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 December 1, 7, 8, 14, 15 at the Old
Red Brick School House, 11am - 3pm. Art Party Dec 8, 2-4pm, also
at the Old Red Brick School House. 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:

What a neat newsletter. Sounds like you guys had a nice pot
luck dinner with your Mom. Pot luck dinners are my favorite
dinners.

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We had a great day. 
Hope you have a nice Christmas.

Thanks Again!
Shirley Myers
Amarillo, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

Yes, my best dinners have been at the church dinners we always
think we could miss. I can relate....this next two weeks will
hold two - the Ladies in Blue (Air Force chorus) from Mac Dill
will sing at a luncheon shared by two churches here, followed
by one of those lunches, and the following week, our own church
will have its own Faith Fellowship luncheon (ladies, mostly)
and that will also be a food buster.

The best food in town, and the Thanksgiving meal the church
puts on by pot luck is to be beaten, yet. They will roll us out
of there!

Beth Scott
Tampa, Fl.

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Dear Newsletter:

I just wanted to let you know how much we enjoy reading the
Cloudcroft Newsletter. Because I subscribe to the Newsletter,
my husband and I and our granddaughter Stacey and two
great-granddaughters (along with our big dog Yogi) all decided
to visit Cloudcroft and Dusty's Place. We had a wonderful time
and Yogi was in seventh heaven playing in the unexpected
snowfall. He made friends with the dog next door along the
fenceline. After that the dog didn't bark at us anymore. 

Years ago I lived in Albuquerque and have always had a soft
spot in my heart for New Mexico. Now, I will have to add
specifically Cloudcroft to that soft spot.

We are looking forward to our next visit. Thanks again for
Dusty's Place. 

Happy Holidays to you and all Cloudcroft residents.

Bud & Barbara Hargrove
Goodyear, AZ

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To all the people I met in Cloudcroft:

I vacationed with my boyfriend in Alamogordo over Thanksgiving
when he went to visit his brother for a week. The first place
his brother took us was to Cloudcroft. I fell in love with your
community and the people that I met were so friendly!

I currently live in Orlando, Florida so, as you can imagine, I
was so impressed with your clean air, the mountains, the
"quaintness" of your town and of course the residents there! I
actually got to see snow for the first time in twenty years!
Don't laugh! I told you I was from Florida, remember!

I am sure all of the shopkeepers there know who I am because
in the week I was there we made two trips to your town and I
broke my budget in the worst way, but I will recover!

The memories you gave me (not to mention the souvenirs) will
be with me for a long time to come! There aren't very many
towns like yours left, PLEASE! don't ever change!

I came home immediately and subscribed to your newsletter so I
can keep the memories alive and, by the way, did I mention all
the pictures I took!?!

Thanks again for just being the town and people that your are.
You are a rare breed...and isn't that a shame we don't have
more communities like yours!

Love, laughter & happiness to all,
Nanci

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Dear Newsletter:

Thank you for posting my "letter to the editor" in your
newsletter. I was pleasantly surprised that it was posted in
its entirety and felt very bad that mine was the only one you
printed in that issue.

I have been deluged with emails not only from people who live
near there; but also people who plan on retiring and living
there in the future. Thank you very much.

Karl

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Dear Newsletter:

As usual, you are able to talk about anything that pops into
your frame of reference. And that is a "plus".

The older generation you speak about was not entirely innocent;
indeed, every generation seems to have some "skeletons in the
closet" and our generation (boomers) has "fresh meat" in theirs.

Focusing on one generation detracts from the giving's and
misgivings of the other gens.

Yes, the WWII crowd faced enormous pressures and stood strong.
But I believe any American generation would react the same way
with the same stimulus.

Till death, divorce, responsibility, and common sense has
evaded all generations from time to time.

I would not focus on the current trends for it forces you to
look backwards on the good ol' days and some of them were not
that at all.

Not sure? Just ask some of the geritol crowd to comment about
their parents and grandparents. If they are honest, or not
suffering from dementia, they will recall some "colorful" past
incidents. Every gen has them and each gen contributes to the
total American psyche and knowledge base with the mistakes they
make.

I personally know about stories in the 30's and 40's where
people were killed for their color. Is it done today? Yes. Is
it right? No. But hate spans generations since time began. And
we all suffer from an "apple incident" in the garden a long
time ago.

Keep up the dialog - it's one of the few things that stimulates
the mind and keeps us from getting too old too quickly.

TexasTip
Houston & Florida

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