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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #233
September 24, 2004
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Dear Subscriber:

"I'm 72."

"Naa...no way." I said to Harry.

It was an early Monday morning. Cold and still dark. The day
after the Superbowl in 2002. Harry and I were driving to Las
Cruces to attend a week-long school for certification as water
operators.

I had attended a Superbowl party and had gotten to bed late the
night before and was a little hung over. Besides I never got up
before 8 and it was 6. Harry got up every morning at 5 whether
he needed to or not. He had me at a distinct disadvantage.

Harry and I were neighbors and both of us were members of the
neighborhood water board, but we weren't close friends. We
supply water for about 70 families. Our certified water
operator had recently passed away and the state wanted us to
have a new person in place ASAP. When the board asked for a
volunteer, Harry and I both raised our hands. We decided both
of us would go to certification school.

We were half-way to Las Cruces that morning when I began
regretting my decision. Harry and I had engaged in light
conversation and when the subject of age came up, I thought he
was already lying to me. No way Harry was 72. He looked to be
around 60.

It didn't stop there. He told me he was a building contractor
by trade before his retirement. He told me he was a member of 
a couple of NASCAR pit crews. He said he used to work on big 
off-shore oil rigs and used to sling steel on high rise building
construction hundreds of feet above the concrete of major
cities. Did this guy think I was dumb enough to swallow all
this?

For 5 days I got up at 5 in the morning and picked up Harry
and we drove to Las Cruces for class. I found out from others
that he was indeed 72 years old and had built several homes and
was involved in NASCAR racing. He wasn't just older than he
looked, he was also honest. Not a BS bone in his body.

For 5 days we rode the predawn highway together, sat in class 
8 hours a day together and ate lunch together. Like a couple 
of college kids we went over our notes and quizzed each other. 
I got to where I looked forward to picking up Harry in the 
morning. After two or three days we began to laugh together. 
Two old guys going back to school. When you have that much 
time with someone you learn a lot about them. Not just by what
they say, but sometimes by what they don't say.

I'm a basic pessimist. Harry annoyed me with his optimism. I
would tell him about things that made me mad and he would tell
me about things that inspired him. He would tell me about
experiences and close the story with "it was wonderful" or "it
was beautiful."

I could gild this account by telling you how much Harry loved
his wife, but that would be silly because all husbands lucky
enough to have married wisely love their wives. Harry's wife
suffered a serious illness a few years ago and was blinded. I
never heard him complain or act like his life had been
short-changed. He used those "wonderful" and "beautiful"
adjectives a lot when talking about his wife. He remodeled
their house so she could get around with minimal obstruction.
He fashioned walkways and handrails all around so she could go
out and take care of her flowers.

"How's he doing?" I asked the Intensive Care nurse as I walked
toward Harry's room for one of my visits. She shook her head
and looked down at her paper work. Harry had been in ICU for 4
days. A stroke. Then another stroke.

I pulled up a chair at his bedside and patted him on the
shoulder. He opened his eyes, breathed a sigh and closed them
again.

"I understand," I told him. "I don't have the most exciting
face you ever saw."

I couldn't tell if he recognized me. His breathing did seem to
become more regular. I would like to think my presence gave
him a little comfort but I don't know. I do know Harry had
become a friend of mine and if it was me in that bed he would 
be there for me in that chair.

At Harry's memorial service yesterday, while everyone was
singing "How Great Thou Art", I was thinking about one evening
two years ago when I let him out of the pickup after a long day
in Las Cruces going to water school.

"We can take my car tomorrow, if you want to," he said.

"Naa. I don't mind driving," I said.

"OK," he said. "You're a good driver. I should know. I used
to work on a NASCAR pit crew."

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. SPECIAL -- LOST DOG	
3. SPECIAL PICTURE FEATURE -- FALL FOLIAGE COUNTDOWN, WEEK 3.
4. VILLAGE NEWS
5. INSIDE THE SHOP -- CLOUDCROFT PROPERTIES
6. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NATIONAL PARKS CONS. ASSN.
7. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
8. COMING EVENTS
9. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
10. CONTACT INFORMATION
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LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
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Some rain during the week, amounting to about a half inch.

High 75 at 12:26pm September 16.
Low 44 at 6:35am September 16.

Total rainfall since the start of the year: 16.85 inches.

See the Cloudcroft 24/7 weather picture as it is now on
Cloudcroft.com.
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SPECIAL PICTURE FEATURE -- LOST DOG
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My Dad (Dave Hover) lives at 111 Mescalero Road (Dump Road)
(almost downtown) and when we let the dogs out at 7:15am 
Sunday (9/19/04) morning, our little totally black "Scottie 
Terrier" got loose from the yard and we think that she ran
north from the house up to the dump, to chase the wild cats...
or she ran downtown where there was all kinds of stuff going 
on...she never came back, and was nowhere to be found. I hope
that someone that lives in the Village found her and will be
wonderful enough to realize that she is loved by 3-year old
identical twins.

I am having flyers posted up at the bank, Allsups, Mercantile,
and Post Office. 

Will you please put out an "Alert" in your newsletter Thursday
so that maybe we can get her back? Her name is "Abby" and she
is 10 months old and about 6 inches at shoulder and again 
pitch black and very friendly. Please call either 
(800) 444-1529 to talk to Terri or leave me a message; or 
call (505) 682-2705 (Dave Hover) and she can be picked up 
right away.

Don, thank you for everything that you can do to get this into
the newsletter. 

Terri L. Hover 
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SPECIAL PICTURE FEATURE -- FALL FOLIAGE COUNTDOWN, WEEK 3
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This is our third in a series of six pictures of the same scene
during the period of fall foliage change in the Southern
Rockies. Picture taken September 22, 2004, 3pm.

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

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VILLAGE NEWS
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New Mexico military installations, including Holloman Air Force
Base, Cannon Air Force Base near Clovis and White Sands Missile
Range will receive around 100 million dollars in improvement
funds, leading observers to believe the New Mexico bases will
not be included in an upcoming round of base closures.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- CLOUDCROFT PROPERTIES
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Just right for your group size and budget. Cloudcroft Properties
has a list of some of the finest vacation properties available
in the Cloudcroft area. They range in price from $75 to $225 per
night (6 people or less). For more information, call
(877) 478-0426 (toll free) or (505) 682-4555, 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 -- NATIONAL PARKS CONSERVATION ASSN.
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http://www.npca.org/

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - Where do the hummingbirds go when they leave The Sacramento
Mountains in the fall?

A - Like all migratory birds, they head for warmer weather.
Banding programs (can you imagine a band on one of those little
legs?) show a large part of the Cloudcroft area population makes
its way to the coast of Mexico. While we're playing in the
snow in the Southern New Mexico Rockies, they're flying around
the beach and drinking little tiny Pina Coladas.
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COMING EVENTS
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September 25 -- Mountain Garden Club Style Show.

September 25 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Ft. Sumner.
Home. 2pm.

October 2 -- Flea Market/Garage Sale. 9am - 5pm. Cloudcroft
Elementary School Parking Lot. Cost of each booth: $15. The
$15 space rental goes to Cloudcroft Schools. (505) 687-3263.

October 2 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Hobbs JV. Home
2pm.

October 2, 3 -- Oktoberfest. Cloudcroft. Aspencade tours.

October 8 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Haggerman. 7pm.
Away.

October 16-17 -- High Rolls Apple Festival. Over 50 arts/crafts
vendors, local apples and apple products, food, kids' stuff,
and entertainment. Admission, parking, and ambiance are free.
For further information visit www.highrollsfestivals.com or
call (505) 682-1151.

October 16 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Capitan. 2pm.
Home.

October 23 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Mescalero. 2pm.
Home.

October 29 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Carrizozo. 7pm.
Away.

November 27 -- Beginning of Christmas in Cloudcroft and Santa
Land.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the second Thursday of each month,
5:30-7pm, in the Old Red Brick School House.

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 Wednesday morning.

Free Vitals Clinic. Cloudcroft Senior Citizens Center, every
Wednesday. High Rolls Senior Citizens Center, first Thursday
of each month.
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
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Dear Newsletter:

Thank you for the second picture of the fall foliage countdown.
I live in Brazil, next to the mouth of the Amazon River, in
Belém. 

I love Cloudcroft and look forward to see it again soon.

Antonio Manuel Pereira
Belém - Pará - Brazil

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Dear Newsletter:

Pictured is an elderly couple from Cloudcroft WALKING the
course at the Lodge. It was amazing. 

Rick Rowell
Duncan, Oklahoma

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

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Dear Newsletter:

I enjoy your newsletter so much! I was in Cloudcroft on my
birthdate of 2000 (December 21). I had never gone ice skating
in my life! I ice skated when I was there and enjoyed it
tremendously! 

I loved the scenery and everything about your community. I'm
sure I made the kids' day since I skated around the edge of
the rink. I enjoyed myself none the less. 

I read your newsletter and I feel homesick! Isn't that crazy?

I visited one time!

Thanks again!

Maria Palomino
Harlingen, Tx

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Dear Newsletter:

Hello from South Korea. 

My family and I venture up to CC almost every weekend. This 
trip allows us to escape from good ole Fort Bliss, Texas and 
enjoy some good folk and mountain air. 

Our first trip to CC was just an eye opener. My wife and I are
both from New England, so seeing the mountains and log cabins
and snow brought back so many missed memories. 

Now I am stationed on Osan Air Base, South Korea. I have taken
many pictures of CC which I look at almost daily. I just cannot
wait to come home to my family and take that well deserved 
trip to CC. 

I would like to thank the community in CC, you have always 
showed my family a warm welcome. I promise you we will return. 

Thanks again CC and I love the newsletter.
 
Kenneth Wells
Fort Bliss, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I’m new to your newsletter…but already get that nostalgic
Cloudcroft feeling (can almost smell the Pinion pine) when I
read your vivid stories. Being a former Lubbockite, I value
trees as you do and the story of “Biggun” moved me.
 
Makes me recall our 1980 lot purchase in Cloudcroft. Our place
is up on Oak alley and four of the largest and most beautiful
Aspen trees I had ever seen, played a major role in our lot
selection. The trees grew in a protective row on the up-alley
side of the property.
 
Unfortunately, Roger Loper, our builder, had to cut one of the
trees as it had been hit by lightening and was too close to the
road. The three that remained are now down to one as two have
fallen, one dangerously close to the cabin. I look up at that
last huge white Aspen tree and wonder what its plan might be. 
Hopefully not to join me on our deck!
 
Keep the great letters coming!
 
Jim Hayhurst
Brenham, Texas

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Dear Newsletter:

I share your weekly newsletter with several friends and 
co-workers. We look forward to reading your latest take on 
whatever the situation.

We were discussing the unfortunate condition of Biggun. We 
decided that if & when she has to come down, maybe you could 
find one of those talented chain-saw sculptors to carve a 
'monument' out of the remains. 

Just a thought.
 
Deborah 
El Paso, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I am sorry about old Biggun. It is a real loss to see a tree
that old have to come down. It kills me to see homeowner cut
down trees here in Lubbock where there are too few trees to
start with. Even with all the trees in Cloudcroft, the loss
of one reminds one of the fragility of the forest and our duty
to be good shepherds of the gifts we have been given.

By the way, I don't need to know whether or not you write in
your PJs. Some things just belong to a man and not to the 
world. Keep on taking care of Cloudcroft. It is a wonderful 
place to visit, and I am sure to live as well.

By the way, if any of your readers like good mysteries set in
New Mexico, try out the author Michael McGarrity. His stories
are good and his written "pictures" of New Mexico are beautiful.

Lee Phillips
Lubbock, near New Mexico

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Dear Newsletter:

I know how you feel. My wife and I bought our first house last
year. One of the big selling points was the trees around it,
including the huge one in the front yard. It provides shade to
the entire house and most of the front yard (not a small thing
in the Dallas area). 

Had a tree service come out to take a look at it, since it is
looking kind of sick. They said there is no way to save it, the
center is rotten. I'm extremely sad, and I just can't pay their
price ($2600 to remove it) so, I'm going to call around for a
second opinion.

Tim Covington,
Garland, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I agree with your comments about reporters stupidly standing in
the middle of hurricanes. Even Dan Rather and Harry Smith were
there but not too far from the safety of an expensive Palm 
Beach Hotel. 

Why Palm Beach, the home of millionaires? What about all those
poor guys who suffered in other areas of Florida?
 
Richard King
Round Rock, Texas

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