++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #239
November 5, 2004
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Dear Subscriber:

The funniest comedians are the ones that don't look like
they're trying to be funny. Some comics look like they turn it
on the minute they step out from behind the curtain. The
funniest ones leave the impression they were funny BEFORE they
came out on the stage and will be funny after they leave the
stage.

My dogs are like that. I don't think they're trying to be
funny and that makes it even funnier when they're funny.

For instance there's this thing they do when someone rings the
doorbell.

People are a little intimidated when we answer the door and
there are four dogs (sorry, three dogs and Tipper) there to
greet them, so when the dogs are in the house and the doorbell
rings...we clap our hands and rally them into the back room
and shut the back door before we answer the bell. When we first
started doing that they acted confused and a little hurt that
they weren't included in the welcoming party for whoever was at
the door, but after a while they got into the swing of things.

Now, when we're all lounging around watching the tube and the
door bell rings the dogs jump up and start barking their
defend-the-household barks and...head straight for the back
room.

People often wonder why I'm laughing when I answer the door.

Pogo is the funniest of the four.

Pogo is like that kid we all knew in school. The one that
wanted so badly to be accepted that he drove everyone else
crazy.

"Anybody sitting here? Ya mind? Good lunch today. I love
fish sticks. Can I get you anything? Want my extra milk?
I don't mind. I'll just get a drink out of the garden hose
outside. Where ya goin'? Here...you can have my fish sticks."

Pogo doesn't have the social skills that tell him all he has to
do is lay his head on your knee to make your heart melt. He is
beside himself to get your attention and he does it in all the
wrong ways.

"Here, let me lick your face. OK now I'll use my paw and...
oh...I'm sorry! Did I scratch you? I'm so sorry. Here, let me
lick it. No, that's all right, I'll be careful. Oh, did I
knock off your glasses? I'm soooo sorry! Here. I'll lick your
hand. Oh, did I scratch you again? I'm such a jerk. Maybe I
should just go away and never come back. Maybe I need
counseling. I guess I'll just sit on the other end of the couch
and stare at you until you decide what to do with my useless
self."

If Pogo were a person, he would never get a date.

Winter is here. It's snowing in the Sacramentos. That means
the dogs will be spending more time in the house. They're in
the living room right now curled up around the fire watching The
Price is Right. Oh, no. Here comes Pogo into the office. Wants
to tell me how much he loves me. Scuse me while put on my old
catcher's mask.

Don Vanlandingham
Cloudcroft.com

----------------------------------------------------------------
IN THIS ISSUE
----------------------------------------------------------------
1. LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
2. PICTURE OF THE WEEK -- AN EARLY WINTER CLOUDCROFT SNOW
3. VILLAGE NEWS
4. INSIDE THE SHOP -- THE FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CLOUDCROFT
5. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO CULTURAL TREASURES
6. Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
7. COMING EVENTS
8. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
9. CONTACT INFORMATION
----------------------------------------------------------------
LOOKING AT THE WEATHER
----------------------------------------------------------------
Cold and somewhat windy during this reporting period. A light
snow early in the week. Hi was 57 at noon Thursday (10-28).
Low 17 at 8am Tuesday (11-2).

Year-to-date total rainfall...21.42 inches.

A glitch in our precipitation totals at Cloudcroft.com's weather
station this week due to a frozen gauge. Those stats should be
corrected by Thursday (11-4).
----------------------------------------------------------------
PICTURE OF THE WEEK -- AN EARLY WINTER CLOUDCROFT SNOW
----------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.cloudcroft.com/pics/cloudcroft3.jpg

----------------------------------------------------------------
VILLAGE NEWS
----------------------------------------------------------------
Dave Nichols, Maintenance Supervisor for the village of
Cloudcroft for over two decades, will retire at the end of
November.

-o-

Marti Mills, long-time manager of The Cloudcroft Lodge Golf
Course, has also announced her retirement.

-o-

Cloudcroft resident Mike Nevison was re-elected to another term
on the Otero County Commission. He ran as a Republican and was
unopposed.
----------------------------------------------------------------
INSIDE THE SHOP -- FIRST NATIONAL BANK OF CLOUDCROFT
----------------------------------------------------------------
If your account is big or small, you're special with us! A
full-service community bank. We serve families and businesses
throughout Otero County, New Mexico, Holloman Air Force Base
and beyond.

Six locations to serve you--10th Street, 1st Street, 9th Street,
and White Sands Mall in Alamogordo, 300 Central Street in
Tularosa, and Burro Street in Cloudcroft.
COMMERCIAL LOANS, MORTGAGE LOANS AND INSTALLMENT LOANS. Local
approval for all loans!

FAST CASH VISA DEBIT CARD - NO FEE - withdraw from checking.
PC BANKING: Secure and convenient! DIRECT INFORMATION ANYTIME
LINE: (505) 437-3425 (437-DIAL). CHECKING ACCOUNT OPTIONS TO FIT
YOUR NEEDS. Make us your home town bank! 

For more information see the link to our web site on the 
Finance page of Cloudcroft.com:

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

----------------------------------------------------------------
CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- NEW MEXICO CULTURAL TREASURES
----------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.nmculture.org/

----------------------------------------------------------------
Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
----------------------------------------------------------------
Q - We're getting married in July. We would like to be married
in Cloudcroft. Is there an outdoor venue for such things as
weddings in or around the village?

A - That's easy. Just about every road you go down in these
mountains is a good place to recite your vows.

The Cloudcroft Lodge is a favorite place for weddings if you're
looking for a more formal setting with lots of services like
catering and lodging.

Contact the Chamber of Commerce for more specific information on
where to get married in the mountains. 1-505-682-2733.

Oh, and good luck.
----------------------------------------------------------------
COMING EVENTS
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
----------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Newsletter:

I just love getting the Cloudcroft news every Thursday. It is
great reading! 
 
Thanks. You are doing an awesome job!
 
My family and I would love to visit Cloudcroft again, however,
unless I get an oxygen tank for the trip, we won't be able to.
The elevation really did me in our last stay there. Good clean
mountain air and I couldn't breathe. Something definitely
wrong with that picture! 
 
What beautiful country you live in!
 
Cathy Vaughn
Friendswood, Texas

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

We have been receiving your newsletter for several months now,
and look forward to reading it every week. We lived in Hobbs
for 7 years, but have been back in hot, humid, Central Texas
for 16 years much to my dissatisfaction. 

We have 9 more years before retirement and look forward to
returning to beautiful New Mexico and most likely Cloudcroft.

We try to make it back there every so often, and will be 
getting to visit you guys in 3 weeks, when we spend 
Thanksgiving week there. I sure hope that by the time we
retire, that there will be room for another transplanted 
Texan. 

I see from your letters, that a lot of us plan to move there. 
Those mountains are just beautiful. I do have one question for
you. Can you tell us a good place to eat Thanksgiving dinner,
that is open, or will we have to go down the mountain to
Alamogordo? 

Keep up the good work, and keep those Newsletters coming. Look
forward to the day when we can say that we are full-time 
residents there too.

Gary Smith
Waco, Texas 

----------------------------------------------------------------
Untitled

'tis a might chilly now
In the mountains where we
Now reside in the shadows
Of evergreen trees.

By the fireplace, aglow
With logs burning bright,
We look forward to snow
And a winter's delight.

Seems a distant remembrance
When we lived in the city,
With its life of encumbrance
And pathos and pity.

We've had troubles like most -
Life in general and such -
But this notice we'll post:
God is good and gives much!

Grief gives place to thanksgiving;
Pain is soothed by new joy;
We'll not waste any living
With mournful employ!

As the embers burn low,
Fading softly with grace,
We nod peaceful and know
All is well in this place.

Thank you, Lord, for these treasures:
Our family and friends.
Thank you, too, for the Measure
Your mercy extends.

Amen.

JD
Cloudcroft

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

Just read your newsletter for the week. I too will be glad when
this election is over and I hope that my guy wins. Each time
a political ad comes on TV I pause the television (I have a
really cool DVR with my Dish) and wait the 30 seconds until
they are over. This election makes me angry. 
 
Today my son Davey Swope turns 24. He is serving in the Navy
and stationed in Bahrain. He speaks Arabic and flies around in
airplanes trying to figure out what the bad guys are up to
(layman's description of his duties). Last night when we were
visiting with him on the internet, he told us that once again
his airplane had been shot at. The missile barely missed their
airplane thanks be to God. It really makes me angry that the
men and women who are running for election are so caught up
with ugliness that they forget that my son and others are out
there fighting for their freedom to do exactly what they are
doing.
 
I know by the time this newsletter is out, the election will
be over. I think that the winners of each election will go back
to business as usual and forget what they said during the
campaign and we will be left much as we are now with very
little change. It is my prayer that our Country's leaders will
strive to do what is best for our Nation. It is also my prayer
that we citizens of the United States of America are always
mindful of the sacrifices that the members of our armed forces
make each day for us. I believe in our great Nation. I just
hope that we don't take for granted what our freedom costs us
each day.
 
Thanks for letting me vent. I probably would have not said
anything but after talking with Davey last night, the mommy
in me was scared and angry. 
 
Kathy Swope
Cloudcroft, New Mexico

================================================================
CONTACT INFORMATION
================================================================
TO UNSUBSCRIBE
To unsubscribe, email: unsubscribe@cloudcroft.com
You MUST put Unsubscribe in the Subject line.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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
You MUST put CC-Editor in the Subject line.
----------------------------------------------------------------
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.