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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #238
October 29, 2004
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Dear Subscriber:

When the next newsletter is posted, the election will be over
and just about all the ballots will be counted except maybe in
Florida, so if I'm going to say anything political I'd better 
say it now.

This has been the sleaziest campaign I've ever seen. Candidates
haven't just disagreed with each other on issues, they're using
words like hate and despise and their mothers cheat at canasta.

If I were an alien from outer space and I had just arrived on
this planet and checked into a Holiday Inn and turned on the
tube, I would be confused.

These Earthlings are voting on their leaders based on what they
did or didn't do in a war that occurred more than thirty-
revolutions-around-this-planet's-sun ago. Those that aren't
talking about that old war aren't talking about much. They're
doing things like kissing young offspring and eating strange
foods at tribal gatherings called county fairs. When the
electronic devices broadcasting their images across the country
are turned off they quickly hand the young ones back to their
parental units and spit out the strange food.

Beam me up.

A year ago when this campaign got started, I was really
interested. Now, I'll be glad when it's over. Sure, I want the
candidates of my choice to win, but somewhere along the line the
discussion moved from what's best for the country to whose the
meanest or whose the dumbest. I remember having that meanest
and dumbest debate when I was in the 7th grade.

We attended a political rally Sunday. It was the usual speech-
making, but I'm glad we went. We got to see Secret Service
officers wearing black suits and dark glasses and wires in their
ears trying to blend into a crowd of tank tops and cowboy hats.
We had to walk a mile and a half back to the pickup. Finally I
got something substantive from this campaign...a little
exercise.

I'll add my voice to the others that say you need to go vote.

Unless you're voting for the other side. Then, I hope you have
a flat tire.

I'm Don Vanlandingham and I approved this message.
Cloudcroft.com

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IN THIS ISSUE
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1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. WEEKLY PIC
3. VILLAGE NEWS
4. INSIDE THE SHOP -- DAISY'S TOO
5. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NM HIGHWAYS
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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More rain this week. About 3/4 inch, bringing the total year to
date to 21.42 inches.

The high since last Thursday, 61.5 at 11:01 am October 21. Low
was 32.5 at 8:08 pm October 23.

Get up to the minute weather stats from Cloudcroft's only
on-line weather station 24 hours a day, 7 days a week including
Cloudcroft weather history. Just go to Cloudcroft.com. It's
free.
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WEEKLY PICTURE -- SHE SHOULD HAVE ZIGGED INSTEAD OF ZAGGED
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http://www.cloudcroft.com/pics/cloudcroft2.jpg

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VILLAGE NEWS
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The Upper Cox Canyon Volunteer Fire Department is seeking
firefighters. The UCCVFD is specifically interested in retired
persons with previous fire fighting experience.

Call Hans Steinhoff, (505) 682-4664 for further information.

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INSIDE THE SHOP -- DAISY'S TOO
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Relax in this 3-bedroom, 2-bath mountain home. Five minutes from
Cloudcroft shopping-golf-dining. Large deck with gas grill.
Fully equipped kitchen, satellite TV/VCR, fireplace and wood
burning stove, washer/dryer. Two night minimum. For more
information, email daisyslodge@hotmail.com, call (505) 682-3234,
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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Call them or go on line for winter highway conditions in New
Mexico.

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 - Can we buy firewood in Cloudcroft?

A - Are you asking for enough wood for a couple of days or a
truckload to take home with you?

The answer under both situations is yes.

Both Cloudcroft grocery stores sell bundles of firewood for
your vacation fireplace. If you're looking for a big load to
take home, there are several firewood jobbers in the area.
Call Andy Olson (505) 682-3276. If he can't supply you with a
load of wood, he knows who can.

Most vacation cabins furnish firewood to their renters.
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COMING EVENTS
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October 29 -- Cloudcroft Bears football vs. Carrizozo. 7pm.
Away.

November 3 -- High Noon Book Club. 12pm. In the library. Bring
your lunch and join us in discussing A WALK TO REMEMBER by
Nicholas Sparks.

November 20 -- Chamber Banquet. Lodge Pavilion. Cocktails at
6pm, dinner 7pm. Tickets available from the Chamber office and
Chamber Board Members.

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

December 4 -- ULLR-fest.

December 11 -- Pet Parade on Burro Street. Cloudcroft.

February 4, 5, 6, 7 -- Mardi Gras celebration. Cloudcroft

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:
 
Last week my brother and sister-in-law brought my 86-year old
mother up to my house in Cloudcroft for what they hoped would
be a nice relaxing week. They arrived on Tuesday afternoon and
in the middle of the night my mother became ill. Her congestive
heart failure had kicked in! 
 
To make a long story short, my brother called 911 at about 7:30
am – unfortunately, no EMTs were on duty in Cloudcroft – and
they had to come up from Alamogordo which took about 30-45 
minutes. The EMTs immediately administered oxygen and loaded 
my mother up and took her down to the Gerald Champion Regional
Medical Center where they literally saved her life! 
 
Being from Houston, the young doctor in charge, Dr. Sungho Jun,
asked if she was nervous about being away from such a big 
medical center and in such a small hospital – which by the way
had no cardiologists on staff. Mother said she was not nervous
and trusted him.
 
My mother had a very good experience during her four-day stay
in Gerald Champion and found Dr. Jun to be excellent. In fact,
he seemed to be better than the cardiologist she had been going
to in Houston and Dr. Jun got her back into good enough shape
where she could spend a couple of nights in Cloudcroft (with
oxygen) before she was strong enough to head home. And what a
surprise when Dr. Jun’s office called my mother in Houston the
other day to be sure she had made it back ok. 
 
Just wanted to let all your readers know that if they need 
medical help, do not hesitate to call on Gerald Champion 
Regional Medical Center in Alamogordo. It’s only four years
old, very clean, not busy, so the staff pays a lot of attention
to the patients – in fact, I’m afraid my mother will want me to
take her to Alamogordo the next time she has to be in the 
hospital!
 
Becky Virtue 
Houston, Texans 

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Dear Newsletter:

Was in your fair city last Friday - cool and colorful! Talked
to a young lady at the Boutique - she said that you were real
hard to catch, so maybe next time. You need to send some
customers by her store; she is a quick wit and has some real
neat stuff!

I am a bit concerned that if all the people in your newsletter
all retire and move to Cloudcroft, you will run out of dirt,
then I was told that you might run out of water first.

Anyway, the golf at the Lodge was great; it's really nice when
the people in the pro shop remember you from the trip last year
and the greenskeeper and his helper was shoveling snow off the
#3 green at 1:30pm and we made a trip down the hill to High 
Rolls and that was beautiful with all the changing colors in 
the trees.

Hope your teeth all stay in and keep smiling!! It will make 
people wonder what you are up to next!

SantaBear
New Braunfels, TX

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Dear Newsletter:

I just got home on Sunday 24th, from another beautiful visit to
Cloudcroft. (It seems redundant to use the word beautiful in
conjunction with Cloudcroft.) Leaving Sunday morning wasn't 
easy, my wife claims that it was I who wouldn't leave, but the
truth be known it was her that had to be pried from my sister's
cabin. She even went so far as to claim that I was crying as we
drove down the mountain. I just can't believe her; everyone 
knows I have over active tear glands. Besides, Mountain-Men 
don't cry!
 
What made it extra hard to leave this time was that during this
trip we purchased some more property with a cabin on it. It 
borders the property I already owned and my sister's place as
well. I had my eye on 9 ½ acres located at the opposite end of
my property but that had sold prior to this visit (wonder who
my new neighbor is?)
 
On Sunday the 17th we visited the Apple Festival filling the 
vehicle with pies, preserves and candied apples. On Monday 18th,
and I can't understand why, we didn't eat breakfast until lunch
time. We chose Big Daddy's for our meal. It is the first or 
last eatery, you'll come to when entering or leaving the Village
of Cloudcroft from the east end. It was so good we had dinner 
there on another night. Word of caution; if you're having the
chicken fried steak for dinner DO NOT select the "Big Daddy" 
for an appetizer. The Big Daddy is a meal by its self and the
chicken fried steak can feed two NON-mountain men. But both
are gooooooood!
 
Saturday the 23rd we attended the football game between the 
Cloudcroft Bears and Mescalero Chiefs. The weather was great, 
as was the game and it was fun watching all the little people
playing on the field during half time.
 
I've got 304 more days before I hit the finish line. It feels
like it will never come but it will and when it does I'll be
one happy mountain man! Darn, there go my tear glands again.
 
Good Day to all,
Bill White
Phoenix, AZ

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