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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #200
February 6, 2004
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Dear Subscriber:

A dang good Superbowl game this year.

I watch the Superbowl just about every year, but I make a point
to miss the halftime. Superbowl halftimes are notoriously
lacking in entertainment and are basically brainless. As a
result I missed Janet Jackson's revealing performance.

I thought the highlight of the game was the last second field
goal that won the game for the Pats but everybody seems to be
talking about Jackson's halftime flap.

For those of you that don't know what I'm talking about, send
me an email and I'll explain it to both of you.

-o-

Maybe I've been living at this altitude a little too long, but
I'm beginning to believe Misty has supernatural powers.

Misty is our part bull/part something else. We found her
when she was a puppy...abandoned at a tacky little roadside park
outside of Artesia about 3 years ago. It was a gray misty day
when we found her so obviously we couldn't name her Bob. She
was sick and tick-ridden, but she recovered and has become quite
a remarkable looking dog. She has beautiful eyes and a noble
face.

She also has powers beyond the normal heightened ability of
smell that dogs are known for.

It has become a ritual. When I wake up in the morning she comes
over to the bed from her pallet. She sniffs my face, then my
ears and finally my eyes. I have occasional sinus problems so
if I happen to have a little stuffiness that morning Misty
scopes it out and licks around my eye. If the discomfort is in
my right eye that's where she licks. If it's on the left...she
knows it. If I'm stuffy on both sides I get a two-fer. I don't
know how she does it but she does.

Her name is Misty but I call her Magic.

-o-

My scam-meter went off the scale last week when I saw a
commercial advertising FREE computer software. You know what
they say; if it sounds too good to be true...

"Just send for it and we'll mail it to you." the pretty lady
said. "All you pay is a small shipping and handling charge."

I did a little Sherlocking and discovered the small shipping
and handling charge was 8 bucks. Eight dollars for a half
dozen out of date computer programs.

Sad thing is, the guy selling this free junk is probably
getting a little bit rich.

The ad also said to order before midnight tonight.

What are they going to do if you order at 12:10 am? Turn
down your 8 bucks? Sure they are.

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 -- EAGLE EYRIE
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NM DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
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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About 5 new inches of snow Tuesday night. Partly cloudy at
press time Wednesday noon.

Highs in the low-40s. Lows occasionally in the single digits.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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Signs have been posted on New Mexico Highway 130 indicating the
Timberon Road may be closed between 11 am and 3:15 pm Monday
through Friday as major improvements continue on that section.

For timely information on interruption of traffic, contact the
Sacramento Ranger District office at (505) 682-2551.

-o-

A water emergency has been declared by the Village of Cloudcroft
due to on-going drought conditions. Call the village office
(505) 682-2411 for specifics.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- EAGLE EYRIE
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Once you've stayed at our historical Victorian retreat,
Eagle Eyrie, you'll come again! One of Cloudcroft's most
notable, beautiful, historic homes, Eagle Eyrie is located in
the heart of the Village. Eagle Eyrie features a large stone
fireplace and has 1 king room, 2 queen rooms, a bunk bed room, 3
queen sofa sleepers and 2 full baths. Two 20-foot balconies
overlook Cloudcroft's natural beauty. Additional amenities
include a fully-equipped kitchen, cable TV, VCR, and washer/
dryer. Eagle Eyrie can easily accommodate large groups, but it
is also a romantic getaway for two at a reasonable rate. Call
(505) 522-1787 for reservations or see the link to our web
site on the Lodging page of Cloudcroft.com:

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

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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NM DEPT. OF TRANSPORTATION
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Up-to-the-minute information on road conditions in the state.

http://www.nmshtd.state.nm.us/

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Does the state of New Mexico require automobile safety
inspections?

A - No. Why they do not, I don't know. You can be cited for
obvious safety violations on your vehicle, such as burned out
lights, excessive smoke, etc.
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COMING EVENTS
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February 20-22 -- Cloudcroft Mardi Gras.

April 10 -- Easter Egg Hunt and Easter Bonnet Parade

May 8 -- Old Timer's Reunion

May 29, 30 -- Mayfest

June 18, 19, 20 -- Western Roundup

July 10, 11 -- July Jamboree

October 2, 3 -- Oktoberfest

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. The Cloudcroft Art Society will not be meeting in
December or January. The next meeting will be the first Sunday
at 2pm in February.

Cox Canyon Volunteer Fire and Rescue is organizing an
auxiliary unit. If you would like to help support this group
of dedicated men and women, call 682-3084, 682-4664, 682-3719
or 682-3234.

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.

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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 landed down there in Cloudcroft almost 13 years ago and spent
the vacation of my life.

One of your Subscribers guided me there as I was totally new
in the area. The harmonized yet impressive beauty of what God
gave us to care for just blew my mind. Then I realized the folks
there create some sort of a family.

Looking for leisure resort - go to Cloudcroft. Honeymoon?
Cloudcroft. Where to spend birthday in May - why not in (guess)
Cloudcroft?

So going back to childhood memories, enjoying the present and
planning the future the family gathers where? Right there!

I was happy with you. Best regards to your Subscriber, my
Friend-guide.

Andrzej Jastrzêbski
Kraków, Poland

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Dear Newsletter:

Don, you can come out to my house anytime you're around Lubbock
and look at the stars. I live about 15 to 20 miles North of
Lubbock, in the country, it does make a difference. You are
right though, nearly anywhere in Cloudcroft you can look up and
see the stars, they look so close you could touch them. I miss
the feeling of Cloudcroft but I am a true Texas girl, after a
week or so in the mountains I have to get back, so many trees
that I get to feeling closed in, I can't judge distances very
well there either.

Beverlee had some good idea's, but it would turn Cloudcroft
into a little Ruidoso. How about we keep Cloudcroft the way it
is and when we visit we just make sure and spend money! We know
what is offered in Cloudcroft, if we need anything else, we can
just come prepared!

On another note, my husband has been gone since February 2003
with the Army, he is in the northern part of Iraq, doing well.
I thank ya'll for your support of all of our troops! For those
out there with loved ones that have been activated, my prayers
are with you. Those of you that are around families that have
been effected, take time out for the kids, boys need role models
when their daddy's are gone and mom's and dad's sometimes need
a break from the 24-7 single parent role.

I sure do have respect for all those single parents out there,
keep up the good work!

OK, I am off my soapbox. Have an awesome day in God's Country!

Love ya'll, take care!
Kim, near Lubbock, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I just finished reading what you wrote about the wind in West
Texas and couldn't agree with you more. Here in Midland it has
been an especially windy winter. I can't remember one like in
the time I've lived here, all of 25 years now. Houston even
sounds good. We are getting tumble weeds in our yard and our
neighborhood is enclosed by a brick wall, go figure.
 
My husband and I can't wait to move to the village. Yah, yah,
more Texans. Well my husband is, I'm not really, I was born in
California. 4 more years. We want this move so bad we can almost
taste it. By then, he'll still be bouncy and I'll be doddering.
Save a nice house for us. 
 
Robin Ball
Midland, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

As a resident of your former West Texas town, I do agree the
wind does cut like a knife. I think that winds in the area of
Cloudcroft are buffered by the trees, and the cold temperatures
are not as noticeable due to the body's natural process of
expecting the cold in the high mountains and adjusting its
thought process accordingly. The expansive beauty of the area
clouds the mind with nice thoughts so as the coldness is not
so prevalent.

But your comment on the one star in the sky is really not
accurate, on a clear night I can see a number of stars and
constellations, when laying out on my hammock in the back yard.

I am happy to live in this area of the world, and having the
wonderful Village of Cloudcroft only a short 4 hours away. We
frequent the village a number of times each year, sometimes
camping in the Forest or staying with friends on their land
on the way up to Sunspot.

I think that I enjoy "most" the fact that your adopted little
town is a small little Village with one convenience store, one
grocery store, and few but usually good restaurants, and then
the main Burro Street stores and the hidden ones around the
corners.

I think that to become another, hopefully not, Ruidoso, would
totally ruin the total atmosphere of the area. Commerce and
business are good for the economy, but in my eyes would not do
justice to your "little town".

I am happy to know that growth will be greatly limited by the
National Forest, after all isn't that what makes this little
place we all love and cherish, such a beautiful place to live
and or visit. Commercializing the area would do a great
injustice to the serenity of what we love about Cloudcroft.
 
Thank you,
Sean Poindexter

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Dear Newsletter:

I was born and raised in Carlsbad, higher educated in Las
Cruces. Cloudcroft WAS and IS the place to go to get away for
a day or a weekend. I would be so very sad to see the village
grow to include chains such as Waffle House, Denny's, Chili's
or any other chain.

If you choose to live in or visit the mountains, you need to
accept the truth of "getting away". There are more commercial
establishments in Ruidoso if you want mountains and commercial.

If you HAVE to have chain/commercial, Alamogordo isn't that
far. Have a waffle then come back up. I like eating in home
owned and operated places. Having been raised in a small town,
I know what big chains (...ahem...Walmart....) can do to the
small "I did it myself" family type businesses.

I really don't want Cloudcroft to go the corporate route. In
order to be happy, you have to be willing to sacrifice. Please
don't grow too big.

Nancy Hamouch
Carrollton, TX 

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Dear Newsletter:

Well, I'm a resident of Austin, Texas and I'd like to counter
with my perspective on growth in Cloudcroft.

I very much enjoy the opportunity for another to cook for me,
but I found plenty of Cloudcroft dining opportunities. The Far
Side, the local health food store and cafe, has a rich
selection of food. My favorite was their enchiladas and the
desserts were way too tempting. I could dine in their small
lunchroom or they would pack up my meal to take along.

The Western Bar had the best nachos - obviously I'm from Texas.
The Texas Pit Barbecue has almost as good barbecue as Rudy's
here in Austin. And the Mountain Top Mercantile could have a
pizza ready for me in minutes. Mountain Top also had bakery
items I couldn't resist. And I know there are still more haunts
to discover the next time I can spend time in Cloudcroft.

Cloud Video is the local "blockbuster" and Cloudcroft Cable
has HBO. Perhaps Cloudcroft lacks the flashing marquis and the
gaudy arches, but thank goodness for that. Part of the fun of
Cloudcroft is a new discovery and getting to know the people
who have found a niche to live affordably. This is so much
better than some corporate giant neutralizing the personality
of almost every other town in America. 

There may not be a live band every weekend night but the street
dances are amazing. Amazing that they exist and amazing that
people care to attend.

Then there's the outdoor theater during the summer and when all
else fails, the beauty of the stars and the sounds of silence
in the evening is priceless.

Cloudcroft is not in need of growth except for one more - me.
But because growth will occur, the Council needs to work to
keep it affordable so those whose hearts hear the call of the
mountain will be able to come and be a contributor. As one
realtor put it to me, people who want to be entertained won't
like it. People who can entertain themselves will. There's
nothing wrong with that. As a matter of fact, there's something
very right with that. Thank you Cloudcroft. 
 
Karen Travis
Austin, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I have a request of Cloudcroft residents, part-time residents,
and would-be residents who read this Newsletter and may
participate in Cloudcroft planning and development, PLEASE:
NO FRANCHISES!

One of Cloudcroft's many charms right now is its small,
family-owned, one-of-a-kind businesses, with Allsups being the
only exception (and it has its own "charms").

This current lack of chain businesses makes Cloudcroft highly
unique in this country and lends it a very desirable small-town
atmosphere. I, for one, would like to see this continue for as
long as possible.

I would also be happy to see a few more restaurants and cafes,
but I hope they don't all serve the same sandwich, pizza, BBQ,
and other lunch fare. Some of us are around town at dinner-
and breakfast-time too. Ethnic and wholesome (that is, non-junk)
food would be welcome, in addition to good-ol' traditional
American and country fare.

Lyn Canham
Sandia Park, NM

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Dear Newsletter:

Thanks for January Village Council report.

In regard to water users in the Village. I have learned that
there are 1004 meters with 120 cut off (Dec). Are there 884
meters having water usage every day? I don’t think so, which
means part-timers are paying full rate and not using one drop.
So those are helping to pay for full timers usage.

Also everyone of the 120 meters cut off are paying full rate
sewer and garbage. That too is helping pay the bills of the
full-time users, not the other way around. The Council voted
to charge those 120 $7.50 monthly for water to the cut off
meters, thus not a drop used. More help to full timers paid
for by part-timers.

Don, you are doing a fine job of keeping people informed.

Geraldine Johnson
 
PS: I know there are many part-timers who use to be full-time
residents but age etc. cause them to leave Village in cold
winter (still more time in Cloudcroft than away). They are
legal voting residents as we are also.

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Dear Newsletter:

It is sad that we are all subjected to the spammers of the
world.

I look forward to each issue of your newsletter and hope to
visit Cloudcroft in the near future.

Keep up the good work and hopefully the spammers will find
something better to do with their lives.

Bob Armstrong
Seattle, Washington

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