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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #212
April 30, 2004
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Dear Subscriber:

You can take my knowledge of computer technology, place it on
the head of a pin and have room left over for a basketball
court.

Our Cloudcroft.com webmaster and I have been working for the
past week on bringing the Cloudcroft.com weather station on
line. I won't bore you with the details but it's like putting
those little bee bees into the clown's eyes.

It seemed like such a simple task. We spent more money than we
had for a package of weather instruments that would feed data
into a computer and said data would be transferred to our web
site for everyone on the internet around the world to see.

David (The Web Guy) and I spent all day Saturday configuring
the instruments and running the cables and plugging in this and
adjusting that. I was hoping I could announce the grand opening
of Cloudcroft's only internet 24-7 local weather station this
week but...

...you're likely getting tired of hearing it, but it won't be
long now.

-o-

You old timers to The Newsletter will recall that a few years
ago we addressed and put to bed once and for all the topic of
"Toilet paper: should it unwind from the top or the bottom?"

The final consensus at that time, voted on by readers, was a
slight edge for "over the top".

I am compelled to prevail on our readers for a solution to
another important question.

I heard on a radio newscast the other day that there are almost
as many domestic quarrels over him leaving the toilet seat up
as there is over the number one domestic disagreement, which is
family finances.

It occurred to me as I listened: Who says the "up" position
isn't the proper stand-by position for the seat?

You might say (especially if you're a lady) that the "down"
position is the proper position of a toilet seat in its
unused mode. Why? I ask. Just because the ladies say so?

That sound you hear is a can of worms opening.

Obviously the most presentable position is seat down and
cover seat down but we're not talking about that. For the
sake of this argument, we're only dealing with the seat seat.
Most toilets have the cover seat up most of the time unless
there are visitors in the house and the hostess wants to
show off her seat cover. Besides, what if the dog gets
thirsty?

One might use the argument of Chivalry. It's only the polite
thing to do for the man to lower the seat after use, but in
today's climate of equality, why shouldn't she RAISE the seat
after use?

"Thanks for raising the seat, Honey."

"For you, Dear...anything. Can I wash your pickup?"

"I might get germs," she might say. Are men any less
susceptible to germs when he has to raise than she is when she
has to lower?

When I leave it up, Peggy just gives it a little nudge and it
crashes down. That serves two purposes. She has minimal
contact with potential contamination and the noise sends me a
message no matter where in the house I might be.

I'd like to hear your arguments, pro or con, up or down. I feel
sure opinions will be divided along gender lines but what the
heck.

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 -- REBECCA'S RETREAT
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- VALLEY OF FIRES
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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No new precip this week. Not as windy. Highs in the lower-60s.
Lows in the upper-30s. No Forest restrictions.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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The Cloudcroft School Board is considering a program designed
to keep youngsters in school despite problems with regard to
teen pregnancy and other situations that can compromise pursuit
of a good education.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- REBECCA'S RETREAT
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Great location in the Village, yet gently secluded nestled in
the trees. Beautiful new 3 bedroom/3 bath/garage/sleeps 8.
Fully furnished kitchen and linens. New southwestern
furnishings; river rock fireplace; cable TV; video player;
washer/dryer/ large covered deck; BBQ grill; all the comforts
of home and more. Email bvirtue@houstontexans.nfl.com, call
(281) 497-1034 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 -- VALLEY OF FIRES
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Great stop on your New Mexico vacation tour. Near Carrizoso.

http://www.recreation.gov/detail.cfm?ID=1803

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Can we have campfires this summer?

A - Due to a good amount of moister in the latter weeks of
winter, the fire danger is less this time of year than in recent
years. There are no special restrictions on Forest use at this
writing. Call the Forest Service (505-682-2551) for up to
date advisories.
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COMING EVENTS
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April 30 -- VFW 11999 Spaghetti dinner. 5pm to 7pm. Post 7686
building on Highway 70 just over the overpass, Alamogordo. $5
a plate. Proceeds go to the general operating fund for the
VFW.

May 1 -- Fiesta Finale. Flickinger Center. Alamogordo.

May 1 -- Skywatch program. Free planetarium show. NM
museum of Space History. Alamogordo. 437-2840

May 1- July 31 -- A T-Rex named Sue. Hubbard Museum, Ruidoso
Downs.

May 5 -- High Noon book club. 12pm. In the library. Bring
your lunch and join us in discussing MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA by
Arthur Golden.

May 6 and 8 -- Little Women. Play by Alamogordo High School.
Flickinger Center.

May 7 -- An evening with comedy writer Don Foster. Flickinger
Center.

May 8 -- Old Timer's Reunion. Cloudcroft.

May 8 and 9 -- Heritage Preservation Days. Oliver Lee Park.

May 29, 30 -- Mayfest. Cloudcroft.

June 12 -- Miss New Mexico "Show Me Your Shoe" Parade. Golf
Tournament at the Lodge Golf Course. Proceeds go to the
Scholarship Account for the Miss NM Contestants.

June 18, 19, 20 -- Western Roundup. Cloudcroft.

June 19-20 -- High Rolls Cherry Festival. 9am - 5pm each day.
Food, drink, cherry and cherry products, activities for kids,
arts/crafts vendors. (505) 682-1151

June 25-27 -- Chimney Spring Bluegrass Festival. For more
information call 505-687-3520.

July 10, 11 -- July Jamboree. Cloudcroft.

July 23-25 -- Singing in the Clouds. Gospel singing, solo's,
trio's, quartet's, and a lot of group singing by all.
(325) 691-9123.

September 19 -- Gary Johnson’s Cloudcroft Run. World’s highest
certified 10k run. For more information call 505-687-2133.

October 2, 3 -- Oktoberfest. Cloudcroft.

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.

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:

Congrats on the rain, it has been dry as **** here in Austin
too, until this spring...so far so good. They tell us that we
have potential wildfire areas all over the place, including
the area where our house is.

Enjoying the newsletter.

Chris Mosser

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Dear Newsletter:

Enjoyed your newsletter and envy your lifestyle, and keep
digging.

Bob Lichlyter,
Vice Pres,
Woodworkers of El Paso.

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Dear Newsletter:

Recently Ken wrote to you and related the disappearance of his
Pomeranian from his yard, with no indication of a hole in the
fence or other exit.

I would suggest the presence of a two legged predator, or the
winged kind. Several years ago, my brother's Dachshund
disappeared one dark evening from his patio, also within a
fenced yard.

Without belaboring the gory details, it subsequently was
determined that a large owl had taken the pet. Hawks and other
birds of prey are also threats to small animals. In our area,
coyotes and other predators are also becoming bolder as
civilization encroaches, and put these animals at risk.

Just wanted to mention this in case other pet lovers may not
be aware of such things.

Phyllis 

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Dear Newsletter:

I read with interest Elmer's account of his playing golf and
I'm here to tell you he doesn't play train any better.

I should know, I spend the summer just across the road from
him. Come next week we will be arriving up in the mountains
for the summer we are looking forward to it.

I agree with you about your project of paving the road to the
shed, hope you made it wide enough or maybe you are a better
driver than I am. I would need the "whole thing" paved.

Marshall Pior
Sweetwater, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

Once again I find myself writing you. This time on a much
lighter note. It has to do with your newly named street,
Silly Avenue.

In my day and it is still my day, we called your endeavor sweat
equity, getting into shape, staying in shape or just wanting
to spend the savings on something else, like tools. There are
very few people left in this world that have that attitude.

Also, I like the idea of telling somebody, "Yes, I did that
myself!" There should be more Silly Avenues in this world.

Thanks,
W. A. Waller

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Dear Newsletter:

Don, did you ever notice when you live in the Texas South
Plains how grumpy people get when it is dry and windy? And how,
when it rains, just a little, they are smiling and no longer
grumpy? It seems everyone has this renewed feeling of life.

Of course, if it stays wet for three or four days and is
overcast, that grumpy feeling comes back.

There are some things I can do without hiring it done. I know
an experienced person can do it faster and in less time, but
I can do it also, I think. I know I can. "Honey, what was the
name of that carpenter?"

By-the-way, read the newsletter about the hummingbird. Figured
if they were in Cloudcroft they were surely in Levelland, TX.
Put out the HB feeder and two days later it was found.

Archie,
Levelland, Tx

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Dear Newsletter:

You are an absolute joy to listen to. I always pine for home
when I read your newsletters.

I can smell the rain in the mountains. I can hear the wind
rustling through the trees, I can feel the soil with my hands.
But I agree. It's the rain I miss the most. We get plenty of
rain here in Central Texas. But it isn't the same as when it
rains back home.

Bnogales
Round Rock, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I was so happy to read of rain in Cloudcroft and hope you have
some slow, soaking rains this spring. We've been lucky enough
to have more than our average recently that have helped bring
us wonderful fields of spring wildflowers. No one who lives in
rain-sparce areas can fail to share your joy. And the smell of
rain when it first starts is better than any expensive perfume. 
 
Hope your driveway is a great success. I have a concrete drive
up my hill that now sports a huge hole on one side where some
fool tried to get a granite truck up to the level of the house
when we were building our pool.

It was repaired at the time, but the patch gave out last fall
and I can't find anyone willing to do such a small job. I'd be
happy to put you and Peggy and the dogs up for a week or so if
you'd like to take on another job! 
 
I've loved the pictures you've included from time to time. Hope
you continue to post them -- maybe a shot of the completed
"Silly Street"?
 
Sandy Woods 
Austin

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Dear Newsletter:

I was never a particular fan of soccer. Not until it is My
Great-Grandson out there sending all the balls past the goalie!

Some of the residents may remember Bill (Billy) Guzman. He
attended Cloudcroft HS long enough to play a season of
basketball, and have Mrs.---- (the one who used PIFFLE as
her strongest word) call him an algebraic genius.

He now has 4 sons, and they live in the Knoxville, TN area.
Dalton, his oldest, is the star (says me!) of his great soccer
team. He is l0 years old. This weekend Billy and all the boys
are in Nashville for Dalton to play in the Tournament there. 
His wife is attending a retreat (they are missionary types,
and will be going to South America soon to work with college
students.

I am very proud of them. I just hope when they leave, I will
be entrusted with their rotwieler named Hannah even if I can't
keep the boys for the summers they are away.

Ilda Reid Calvert
Jerusalem, AR

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Dear Newsletter:

Please pass on thanks to Ken. He wrote of our loss. That is
Ginger root.

Ginger has found us a new six month old baby golden. We call
her Sandy. She is a joy. I know that she is what Ginger has
picked out for us. At times I find myself turning around seeing
Ginger, but knowing it is Sandy trying to fill those big paws.

We have a long way to go to get her used to staying at home
with Tucker and Stetson, but she is trying. Sandy has stress
anxiety. Carla is out while I am typing this raising the fence
by four feet. She is a jumper. Wants to go with us to work.

Cheryl and Carla

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Dear Newsletter:

I just wanted to comment about the letter about the rain.

I lived in Cloudcroft for 12 years 'till my present job keeps
me here in Las Vegas, Nevada.

But think the lottery statement is not telling all there is
about the rain. Here in the desert there is very little moisture
and when there is there is a smell in the air much like a cat
litter box and there is a film of scum on everything that comes
in contact with the water.

Man I miss Cloudcroft!
 
A1C Deutsch USAF 

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