++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #188
November 14, 2003
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Subscriber:

Thanks for the flood of email birthday greetings last week.

Seriously, y'all...I was using the occasion of my birthday as
just another topic of conversation. That's my story and I'm
sticking to it. I wasn't fishing for recognition...but it sure
was nice.

While we're on the subject of getting older than dirt, there are
several things that change in your life when you go around the
bend past 50.

Aches and pains get your attention. Back when I was in my mid-
teens, I remember lots of bumps, scrapes, bruises and blood, but
it never really bothered me...except the time I broke my arm
playing football. That bothered me.

When you're 55, you wake up in the morning. That's a good
sign...yet the little hitches in your gittyup you used to accept
when you were a kid are now signs of impending trauma.

That little pain in your side can't be the pizza you had for
supper. It must be one of those diseases you've been hearing
about on TV, ("You may be suffering from Agno-Racto-
Reverberation Disease. Ask your doctor if this drug is right
for you.") That dark spot on your chest staring back at you
from the shaving mirror scares you until you realize your
ballpoint pen leaked in your pocket the day before.

My old man thing is teeth.

I still have a head full of my own teeth, but my dentist says
some of them are becoming suspect. I brush and floss and
gargle, but I still get that gnarly look from my dentist over
his surgical mask while I'm helpless and on my back in his
silly chair with that dumb bib around my neck and his
assistant swishing around behind me out of eyeshot talking in
dentist-speak that only he and she can understand.

"Are you grinding your teeth in your sleep?" my dentist
accuses interrogatorily.

"I don't know. I'm asleep."

"Well, quit doing it."

"OK...I'll wake up and quit doing it."

"I'm serious."

"I'm serious, too. It's my mouth."

My dentist and I are friends. He's 20 years younger than I. He
wasn't even born when I graduated high school. If that doesn't
put age in perspective, I don't know what does.

If my dentist and I weren't friends, I don't think we would
like each other much. After all, he's just a 35 year old kid.

Peggy and the dogs threw me a birthday party this weekend.

Peggy fixed me one of my favorite dishes (salmon patties and
scalloped potatoes). I got some sweaters and a new shirt and we
all had cake. It was a great party. I forgot all about my
teeth.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com.

----------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. VILLAGE NEWS
3. INSIDE THE SHOP -- BUSICH'S SKI HAUS
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- TOMBAUGH PLANETARIUM
5. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
6. COMING EVENTS
7. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
8. CONTACT INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
----------------------------------------------------------------
A cooling trend this week. Light moisture and cloudy. Highs in
the mid-50s. Lows around 30.
----------------------------------------------------------------
VILLAGE NEWS
----------------------------------------------------------------
The village is still looking to fill the voluntary position of
Parks and Recreation Chairman. The new chairman would oversee
a board of about a half dozen other people and represent the
parks and recreation interests of the village to the village
council. For more information, call the village office.
(505) 682-2411.
----------------------------------------------------------------
INSIDE THE SHOP -- BUSICH'S SKI HAUS
----------------------------------------------------------------
We rent and sell downhill skis, snowboard, cross-country skis,
snowblades, snowshoes, tubes, clothing, boots and more! We are
located 3/4 miles south of Cloudcroft on Hwy 130 just past
McDaniels Street. Come by and see us! For added convenience,
pick up your rentals the day before. For more information, call
(505) 682-2144.
----------------------------------------------------------------
CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- TOMBAUGH PLANETARIUM
----------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.spacefame.org/plan2.html

----------------------------------------------------------------
Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
----------------------------------------------------------------
Q - How well do cell phones function in the Cloudcroft area?

A - A lot better than they used to. Five years ago Cloudcroft
was a vast waste land when it came to cell phone reception. Now,
with the introduction of digital service, cellular phones are
much more reliable. There are still areas between Cloudcroft
and Alamogordo (along Highway 82) that are iffy and some areas 
between Cloudcroft and Artesia that are a bit problematic.
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMING EVENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------
November 14, 15. 21 thru 23 -- The Glass Menagerie. Play at
Rohovec Fine Arts Center. Alamogordo.

November 15, 16 -- Star Trek Convention. Convention Center.
El Paso. Many of the original cast are expected.

November 18 -- Kiss Me, Kate. Musical comedy. Spencer
Theater. Alto. 888-818-7872.

November 21 -- Moscow Boy's Choir. Flickinger Center.
Alamogordo. 437-2202

November 22 -- Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce banquet.

November 28 -- The Lettermen. Holiday Music. Spencer
Theater. Alto. 888-818-7872.

November 29 -- Santa Land opens. Cloudcroft.

November 29 -- Lake Lucero Tour. White Sands.
479-6124

December 6 -- ULLR Fest. Cloudcroft.

December 6 -- Cloudcroft Art Society Holiday Art Show and Sale.
Old Red Brick School House. 10am to 5pm.

December 7 -- Cloudcroft Art Society Holiday Art Show and Sale.
Old Red Brick School House. 11am to 4pm.

December 13 -- Pet Parade. Burro Street. Cloudcroft.

December 20 -- Christmas in Cloudcroft. Zenith Park.

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

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. For information on
other Senior Center services, see their web site, listed on the
Cloudcroft.com Links button.

http://www.cloudcroft.com/links.htm

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.

----------------------------------------------------------------
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

----------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Your words: Maybe we should send the New Mexico State Police
to Iraq.
 
Just wanted to let you know we already have! My son Captain
Richard Miller retired from the NM State Police and immediately
went to Iraq working for the US Department of Justice helping
to set up the new Iraqi police training program. He has been
there since early May of this year. 
 
Walter Miller
Alamogordo

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Don you are funny and your stories make my day.
 
Really did like the comment about "Maybe we should send the New
Mexico State Police to Iraq to find Saddam." But how about
sending the Texas State Police with them please!
 
Bob Sparr
DeSoto, TX. 

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

This week’s story about the dogs and the time change is very
true! We have two four legged family members, and they think
we are starving them to death! What happened to 8:30 dinner
time! Now they have to wait another hour! You’d think we were
the most forgetful, neglect ant humans ever put on this earth!

I guess next spring the entire doggie community will rejoice
that we have finally noticed our grievous errors and start
feeding 1 hour early!

Love your newsletter and all the great stories. I forwarded it
to my Dad last week about the motels. It was truly a trip down
memory lane!

Thanks,
D'Niese Mills
Cloudcroft NM

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Happy Birthday!
 
I for one love birthdays. Its a nice time to "remember" those
you love in a "special" way. (I will be 40 in two months, 
yippee.)

I really enjoy your newsletters, my family and I will be
vacationing in Cloudcroft (Browns Cozy Cabins) next month and
we cannot wait. We have mowed lawns in the hottest part of
summer, cleaned homes, baby-sit and worked lots of overtime
to have this time in your beautiful little village.

Every newsletter I get makes me more excited to get there. And
what a better time then around Christmas.

Our family took a vote on what we wanted to do most this year
for Christmas, go on a family vacation and ditch the presents
or have presents and stay home. Everyone voted for the family
vacation in Cloudcroft. I think it will be a refreshing time
and a great way to escape the commercialized side of the
holidays.

OK, maybe we will slip in one present.

Happy Holidays!
Debbie Webb
Abilene Texas

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

In my estimation, birthdays are wonderful things. One day each
year we celebrate the fact that a friend or a loved one exists
in this world. What can be stressful about that?
 
Cheers,
Kelley Keenan
Austin, Texas

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Happy birthday, Don!

I look forward to your newsletter each Thursday. I hope you
have many more birthdays.

Terence Kelly
Las Cruces

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Well Hoppy Birthday anyway...why Hoppy, instead of Happy?
 
We just got back from a cruise (if you haven't taken one...do).
My first and Judy's second. Not sure how that happened, but it
doesn't have anything to do with Hoppy. 
 
There were 90 countries represented on our ship, the
Celebration. From the Carnival line. At supper time they would
sing Happy Birthday, except it came out Hoppy Birthday. We
laughed every time they sang. So, in honor or their wonderful
efforts, we've adopted Hoppy over Happy.
 
God Bless...
 
John and Judy Madden
Weatherford, Texas

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Just a quick reply to wish you a Happy Birthday and let you
know that I truly enjoy your weekly newsletter. My first trip
to Cloudcroft was in September and I hope to visit many times
in the future. A friend of mine told me about your weekly
newsletter shortly after my return to Texas.

I too am a dog lover, so just consider this birthday wish as
a scratch on the belly. No stress involved or any other
innuendo!

Brenda Beaty

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

I am 55 too! My birthday was September 21. I appreciate every
day and look forward with eager anticipation to the rest of
them that I will spend, however many that may be.

I am old enough to be sure of my feelings most of the time
and confident enough to express my opinion, and HOPEFYLLY,
sensitive enough not to take advantage of either of the other
two traits! Life is good.

Bernadine Pleoger
Gonzales, Tx

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Just wanted to wish you a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, since we share one on
the same day. Unfortunately though I have about a 15 year head
start on you.

I have to agree with you, after a certain point in time it does
become somewhat depressing until you stop to consider the
alternative. I saw a magazine at the check out counter of the
super market the other day with a headline that declared there
is now a pill that can keep you from getting older (or something
to that effect). Jeez, I didn't read the article but I have to
assume they were referring to strychnine...it's the only pill
I ever heard of that can keep you from getting older.
 
Hope you have a really Happy Birthday!!!
 
Phyllis Kinded
Shreveport, Louisiana

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Now I understand why your newsletter strikes a chord with me
every week. We are contemporaries who share a birthday! Just
when I think birthdays are over-rated, something nice happens
to change my opinion.

Each year my husband bakes me a chocolate cake. My kids call.
Friends send cards. For the past six years I've celebrated
here in the mountains I love. And this year my 92 year old
mother-in-law joined the festivities.

Life is good. Have a great day.

Marsha Harris
Mountain Park, NM

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

Happy Birthday Don.

Birthdays are special I had one last week and I sure am glad I
was here to have it. 

What would we do for an editor if you stop having birthdays?
So Happy Birthday and many more. Keep up the good work. We are
new residents to the mountain and just love it and all the
people we have met are super.
 
Don't Worry be Happy
Robert and Jane

----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

I knew there had to be a good reason other than your writing
skills that made me subscribe, I turned 52 on the 7th also.
Happy belated birthday! And may we see many more.
 
Leo Parker 
White Sands Missile Range

================================================================
CONTACT INFORMATION
================================================================
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
To unsubscribe, email: unsubscribe@cloudcroft.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
TO SUBSCRIBE
To subscribe, go to
http://www.cloudcroft.com/subscribe.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------
BOUNCED EMAILS
If email to an address bounces (returns to us), that email
address is automatically deleted from our mailing list. If you
cease getting this newsletter suddenly, probably your provider
bounced your newsletter. This can happen when a provider is too
busy or is shutdown for some reason. If this happens to you, 
just revisit our site and re-add your email address to our list.
----------------------------------------------------------------
SUGGESTIONS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
If you have comments or suggestions for this newsletter, please 
direct them to: newsletter@cloudcroft.com
----------------------------------------------------------------
PAST ISSUES
http://www.cloudcroft.com/newsletters.htm
================================================================
Please feel free to pass this newsletter along to your friends.
However, we ask that you keep it intact and forward it in
its entirety.