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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #159
April, 25, 2003
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Dear Subscriber:

It was Monday. I was writing the first draft of the Cloudcroft
Online Newsletter. I glanced at the appointments calendar. No
obligations until Saturday. None, that is, except writing The
Newsletter.

Uncontrollable thoughts entered my mind. The car had an oil
change last week. We've been working non-stop for a few weeks.
We needed a break.

On my right shoulder suddenly appeared a little angel. She
said, "You have an obligation to the readers of The Newsletter.
You can't just ignore your obligations."

On my left shoulder, in a puff of red smoke, manifested a
little devil. He said, "You've been doing that silly newsletter
for almost 3 years and what has it got ya? Fame? Fortune? An
invitation to a White House dinner? Naaa! Blow it off this
week! Let those readers eat cake!"

The little angel said, "You're not that kind of person. When
you have a job you do it."

The little devil said, "Shut up, you goofy girl-with-wings!
He's been doing your bidding long enough. It's time he listened
to me!"

The little angel fluttered over to my left shoulder and kicked
the little devil in a very sensitive place.

"Break it up, you two," I said. "We're taking a few days off
and that's that."

The little angel started weeping. The little devil was still on
his knees. I started to turn off the computer, get up and go
help Peggy pack a few things.

The little angel whimpered, "So, where are you going?"

"I don't know," I said. "Maybe a couple of days in Vegas."

I thought she was going to blow a halo. "Vegas!" she squealed.
"Sin City! Decadence! Graft! Corruption! One-deck dealer
stands on soft 17 Black Jack! For shame!"

"Get off my shoulder," I said.

"Here," the little angel said. "Since you're going anyway, put
this 10 on a roulette red spot for me."

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS (SHORT) ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. SPECIAL -- SEASONSCAPE, PHOTO 9
3. VILLAGE NEWS
4. INSIDE THE SHOP
5. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT
6. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
7. COMING EVENTS
8. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
9. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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A pretty windy week. No new precipitation. Highs in the low-60s.
Lows in the mid-30s.
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SPECIAL -- SEASONSCAPE, PHOTO 9
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The SeasonScape photo experiment by Kit Richards continues:

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/seasonscape.htm

Here's another interesting photo by Kit Richards, taken about
an hour before sunset from Sunspot on a windy, dusty day.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/sunset1.jpg

Here's an earlier sunset photo by Kit Richards, also taken
from Sunspot.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/photos/sunset.jpg

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VILLAGE NEWS
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Call Gloria. If she doesn't know the news nobody does.
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INSIDE THE SHOP
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The shops that are open are unlocked. The ones that are closed
are locked.
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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT
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Temporarily unplugged.
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Q and A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - What's the difference between ignorance and apathy?

A - I don't know and I don't care.
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COMING EVENTS
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May 3 -- Smokey's Revenge mountain bike race.

May 10 -- Old Timer's Reunion (505) 682-2932

May 11 -- Cloudcroft Art Society Mother's Day Show and Sale.
Red Brick School House, 11am - 4pm. (505) 682-3004.

May 17, 18 -- High Altitude Classic bike race (505) 682-1229.

May 17-18 -- Annual Art Society Miniature Art Show and Sale.
Red Brick School House, 11am - 4pm. (505) 682-3004.

May 23-24 -- Mayfair.

May 23 through the 25th -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion.

May 24-25 -- Annual Art Society Miniature Art Show and Sale.
Red Brick School House, 11am - 4pm. (505) 682-3004.

June 7 -- National Trails Day

June 7 -- Miss New Mexico Day Parade

June 13, 14 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion

June 20, 21 -- Western Roundup

June 21, 22 -- High Rolls Cherry Festival

June 27-29 -- Blue Grass Festival. Camp Chimney Spring
687-3520.

July 4 -- Burro Avenue celebration.

July 4-6 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion

July 5 -- Street Dance. Burro Street.

July 11, 12 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion.

July 12, 13 -- July Jamboree.

July 12 -- Street Dance. Burro Street.

July 18, 19 -- Melodrama. Open Air Pavilion

August 30, 31, Sept. 1 -- Labor Day Fiesta

September 1 -- Lumber Jack Day

September 21 -- Governor Johnson's Run/Walk

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-3004
for more information and details on the Cloudcroft Summer Art
Workshops.

Would you like to help deliver meals to the homebound around
Cloudcroft? Monday through Friday deliveries. Call the
Cloudcroft Senior Center at (505)-682-3022.

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:

I am writing to you today to "Thank You!"

I was with the 507th Maintenance Company during Desert Shield/
Storm, and now am retired after 20 years of service. As a
community you supported us through prayers, letters, packages,
a fine home coming parade and so much more. This support helped
us get through the days and we were so thankful for your
efforts.

When our troops needed support once again you were there!

The support and flowers for the memorial service for the five
fallen soldiers of the 507th Maintenance were beautiful and
appreciated by so many. A special thank you to Gloria and Gary
Woods and Diane and Jim Valencia for kicking off the support of
the 507th Maintenance Company one more time.

Once again I would like to "thank you" Cloudcroft for your
endless support for our troops. 

Cynthia Sullivan 
United States Army Retired 

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Dear Newsletter:

I think it is past time the that we told you how much we do
enjoy the Cloudcroft newsletter.

Also, we did miss you Don on KLLL. So it is a pleasure to hear
your tongue in the cheek remarks that make sense to other
West Texas Readers & New Mexicans.

We have a home up at Chipaway. We don't get up there in the
winter so your newsletter cures or helps the homesick feelings
& keeps us in touch.

We look forward to each addition.

Thank you,
Merritt & Marilyn Mize
Wolfforth, Tx.

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Dear Newsletter:

I just subscribed and yes, I am a Texan...but as my grandmother
was born in 1903 in Portales (when NM was a territory), I claim
my New Mexican lineage w/ great pride.

In fact, at the tender age of 45, I have high hopes of retiring
there. Here in San Antonio is is already becoming hot, just in
time for Fiesta! The rumor is that on the other side of my
family (my uncle Ross Bell in Las Cruces tells me) that my
great-grandmother Sally Bryan was Oliver Lee's girlfriend
before she married J. A. Bell!

Can't wait to come for a three day weekend May 2nd Cloudcroft
and The Lodge were awesome in 1998.

Any ideas on fun stuff to do?

Thanks and God Bless America!
Dana Bell
San Antonio, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I always look forward to Thursday knowing the Cloudcroft
Newsletter will be in my mail. I was surprised to discover
that it wasn't "there." My first thought was that maybe you
were not able to put it together on time. But after a moment
of pondering over that idea, I came to the conclusion that
you are never late. 

A short while later the light went on -- I had put a block on
my email. The reason, I couldn't cope with all the spam
coming into my mailbox. There was up to 100 per day on each
of four addresses. It would take me up to two hours just to
rid the spam from my PC. There was various spammers wanting
to sell me mortgages, vitamins, sex products, travel, gambling
or most anything dreamed up by these phony people/places
around the globe. It was a chore to just try and read my email,
therefore the block. Of course I had completely forgotten the
mail I wanted to receive. So now, I am back to square one. 

Oh, by-the-way I was forwarding all of the spam to AOL and I
understand they are suing the spammers. Well, good luck to
AOL -- they'll need it -- spammers are a persistent bunch.
Maybe AOL will get a cease and desist order and things will
then go back to "normal." One can only hope.

Sorry to go on so long, but its so frustrating to deal with
these people. If anyone has a surefire way to avoid spam I
would really appreciate their input. Thanks for listening to
a faithful reader and lover of Cloudcroft and New Mexico.

Barbara Hargrove
Goodyear, Arizona

[In the last 6 days we received over 5,000 spams to our
Cloudcroft.com email address. Any published email address
has become a spam saturation target. It's spam shock and
awe. When you address the newsletter, please put CC-Editor
in the subject line. With so many spams, we can only scan
the subject lines. If your subject line sounds like a spam,
it will not be read.]

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Dear Newsletter:

Just wanted to let you know I will be moving from Phoenix,
and will not be moving to Cloudcroft in the near future, as
I had planned to do, so you can delete me from your subscriber
list.

I have enjoyed your wit and humor and fell in love with
Cloudcroft, which to me is like a mountain paradise, with a
setting that is second to none I have ever seen. I am a
composer and was working on a song about Cloudcroft and when
my life settles down a bit, will try to finish it and be in
touch with you again.

Thanks and keep writing those wonderful Newsletters.

Jeff Arnold

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Dear Newsletter:

Remember a few months ago I sent a picture of our two Great
Pyrenees puppies. Well, just 10 month later and they've hardly
grown at all.

We are looking forward to our trip to Cloudcroft next year to
look for acreage for a retirement place. Keep up the good work.

Paul Rozell

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Dear Newsletter:

We loved your comments concerning the Iraqi citizens. We wish
there was someway this issue could be forwarded to them or to
one of the major news networks so they would know our
sentiments and thoughts concerning them. Just today, prior to
getting the newsletter, we were remarking at just how "pretty"
the children are. Then, your newsletter comes in reinforcing
our sentiments.

Thanks again for a great job.

Beverly Bridges
Weed, NM

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Dear Newsletter:

Regarding this week's editorial I can only say: "Right on!"

Beautifully stated. The photographs and video images we see
coming out of Iraq show both the tragedy of war and the
appreciation of being freed from the "Evil One." I see what
you see in the eyes of those beautiful children and pray that
they will live a full and good life without the hatred of the
citizens of America.

David Collins
Germantown, TN 

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Dear Newsletter:

The people of Iraq and Iran are descendants of the Persians,
who were notably very attractive people. Standards of beauty
are unfortunately set by various media in various regions of
the world. If you saw the woman on TV who was not wearing a
veil, and the wife of the leader of Cutar (?), still can't get
that one right - in a ceremony opening the Cornell Campus in
her country, you saw a very beautiful woman, by any standard.

Sometimes, we humans feel more comfortable believing that our
adversaries are less than attractive, and we are surprised by
what we find under the propaganda. I am amazed by the beauty
of the Ethiopian, Sudanese, and Ugandan people. They have
wonderful bone structure in their faces, and beautiful teeth,
usually. We shared a church congregation with such a group,
and continued to be struck by the beauty, and grace and talents
of everyone. Sure puts a damper on our own media mix of who
is beautiful, Hollywood style. 

Hearing Blue Angels overhead,
Beth Scott
Pensacola, Florida

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Dear Newsletter:

Yes, I do believe that the majority of us have noticed how
beautiful and handsome most of the Middle Eastern people are.
Especially the children. And the children seem so eager for
some stability and sanity to their lives.

The one thing that is difficult to observe are those who are
still searching a way out of pain from injuries and starvation.
May God wrap his loving arms around them.

I did not mind seeing the statue of Saddam Hussein come down.
However the other looting did seem so senseless as it does in
our country and any other countries. It is an act that destroys
the very basic things we believe in and try to preserve. 

Thank you for your newsletter, which is always a joy to read.

M. Goodin 

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Dear Newsletter:

I owe an apology to those who thought I was knocking Don for
not supporting the war. I definitely didn't intend that thought
to even come to mind. My note to the newsletter was more a
reflection of my thoughts, especially after hearing a national
newscast that indicated that the extra expense to pay for the
war protesters should go directly to the White House.

Sorry, but that got me really hot under the collar and my
fingers spewed across the keyboard possibly a few seconds ahead
of my mind. My note was more of an open note to anyone who
doesn't support our troops.

Here in Corpus Christi we've had the unpleasant view of these
few protesters...surprisingly, they decided to show support for
our troops last week, once it looked like we were on top of 
everything.

I look forward to living in the mountains, away from the crowds, 
where the true spirit of America is all around us. Mountain folk
just seem to care more for their land, and are ready to take up
arms to protect it. That's what I want to be, pure American,
God fearing, mountain folk.

Thanks, and again, I apologize if my thoughts on the April 4
newsletter were misconstrued. Don, you're absolutely wonderful
in my book, and I hope to take you and Peggy out to dinner
someday!

Sandy Pierson
Corpus Christi

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