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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #83
November 9, 2001
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Dear Subscriber:

I celebrated another birthday this past week.

When you're a kid, you "celebrate" birthdays because it's when
your mom invites the neighbor kids over and everyone puts on
funny hats and eats cake and ice cream and they give you gifts.

When you're my age, you "celebrate" your birthday because
you're still breathing.

I had been noticing over the past few months that the guy
looking back at me in the mirror every morning was getting
pretty gray-headed. Peggy must have noticed, too. The other
day, while unpacking groceries, there was a box of that "Just
for Men" hair-color in the sack with the Oreos. I asked Peg,
"Is this for me?" and she said, "Of course not, it's for the
dogs."

Her humor is more biting than mine.

So I wasn't too surprised last night when she came into the
room wearing plastic gloves and a bib apron. "It's time, Old
Man," she said.

I'm not a vain person, but I admit I was getting a little tired
of my younger peers calling me "Sir," and friends eyeing me
strangely and asking if I was feeling all right. Getting rid
of the gray couldn't hurt.

I moved to the kitchen breakfast bar and Peg went to work.
First she read the side of the box. She said the instructions
dictated she rub the potion into my hair and let it set for 5
minutes and then simply wash it out. She snipped the end off
the little bottle and began. Squirt, rub. Squirt, rub. Peggy
was humming. Things must be going to plan. With finality, she
said "There...we wait 5 minutes," and she left the room...
leaving me to mark the time.

After 5 minutes, she came back into the kitchen and led me by
the elbow to the sink where she began rinsing out the stuff.

She quit humming. Then she said "Oh, no" and rushed out of the
room. I was beginning to regret seeing that little box in the
sack with the Oreos.

She rushed back into the kitchen with a bottle of alcohol and a
wash cloth. She began dabbing alcohol around my temples, then
my eyebrows, then the bridge of my nose. She said "Oh, no"
again, and then she STARTED LAUGHING!

You have to know Peggy. When she laughs, it's not good. For
instance when we go to the casino and she plays the slot
machines, she is perfectly quiet when she's winning, but the
more she loses, the more she laughs.

I couldn't help it. I started laughing, too. Peg says, "What
are YOU laughing at?" I say, "I'd better laugh now. After I've
seen what you've done to me, I may never have the chance to
laugh again."

Five minutes and a half-bottle of alcohol later, Peggy has
quit laughing and only snickers occasionally. I stay quiet and
still. My life is in her hands. One final rinse in the sink and
a quick blow-dry and we're done.

She says "not bad" and hands me the mirror.

She's right. Not bad. A little too brown, and a marked contrast
to the gray in my mustache, but what the hey...you only live
once.

I told Peggy, "I look just like that handsome guy on the 'Just
for Men' box."

There was a pause. Another snicker.

"Yeah," she said. "From the eyebrows up."

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 -- DAISY'S LODGE
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- WHITE SANDS
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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Dry. Very dry. Forest fire danger signs are back up to
"Extreme". Morning dew levels have been a little higher in the
past week, which is better than nothing. Highs are still around
the mid-60s. Lows are in the upper-30s.

Most of the foliage has gone off the trees in the upper
altitudes, but there are still some pretty fall foliage scenes
in the lower areas.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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Locals have quit laughing about the possibility that the
federal government may pass rules curtailing commerce in the
Cloudcroft area in the name of protecting the Checkerspot
Butterfly. It has become a serious topic of conversation.

For a complete explanation of the controversy, we suggest you
read Gary Wood's editorial in this month's edition of The
Mountain Monthly newspaper.

To submit your comments to federal authorities, do so before
December 5th by writing to:

Field Supervisor
New Mexico Ecological Services Field Office
2105 Osuna NE
Albuquerque, NM 87113

-o-

Ski Cloudcroft will be open this winter (weather permitting).
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- DAISY'S LODGE
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Semi-secluded and a short distance from the Village.
Appointments include 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, a fully-equipped
kitchen, satellite TV, VCR, firewood/towels/linens furnished,
large-capacity washer and dryer, sheltered parking, and an
outdoor barbecue pit. Priced below usual rates. (888) 543-3600
(toll free). For more information, see the link to Daisy's
Lodge on the Lodging page of Cloudcroft.com.

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

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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- WHITE SANDS
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Learn more about what is going on at White Sands. Go to

http://www.wsmr.army.mil/paopage/Pages/WUindx.htm

White Sands is 40 miles from Cloudcroft.
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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - We own a cabin near Cloudcroft. We may not be there again
until after the first freeze. Should we have the faucets turned
on to a drip to prevent freezing pipes?

A - While "dripping" your faucets may hold off freezing pipes,
it also wastes thousands of gallons of water over a period of
time. It will not keep pipes from freezing during sustained
below-freezing temperatures.

Privately funded water systems and the Cloudcroft village water
system are charging for wasted water.

For the sake of water conservation and to protect your property
from plumbing and water damage, winterize your vacation home
now.
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COMING EVENTS
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November 8, 9, 10 -- Santa's Workshop, Elk's Lodge, Alamogordo.

November 9, 10, 16, 17 -- Alamogordo Music Theater. "You're a
Good Man, Charlie Brown." 7:30pm.

November 9, 10, 11 -- Lodge Murder Mystery.
For more information, call (505) 682-2566.

November 10, 11 -- Civic Center Fair, Alamogordo.
For more information, call (505) 439-4142.

November 23 -- Santa Town. Zenith Park, 5-7pm.

November 24 -- Late Night Shopping. 5-7pm.

November 30 -- Chamber of Commerce Banquet, Middle School.

December 15 -- Santa Town. Zenith Park, 5-7pm.

December 1 -- Christmas Parade. Alamogordo, 6pm.
For more information, call (505) 437-6120.

December 2 -- First Baptist Church Open House. 5:30pm.

December 13 -- Preschool Christmas Program.
Cloudcroft Methodist Church. 6pm.
For more information, call (505) 682-2266

December 16 -- Community Cantata. "Do you Hear what I Hear"
Cloudcroft Methodist Church. 4pm.
For more information, call (505) 682-2266.

December 21 -- Late Night Shopping. 5-7pm.

December 21, 22 -- Cloudcroft Light Opera Company. Free!
For more information, call (505) 682-3317.

December 22 -- Caroling in the Clouds. First Baptist Church.

December 22 -- Santa Town. Zenith Park, 5-7pm.

December 24 -- Christmas Eve Service.
Cloudcroft Methodist Church. 7pm.
For more information, call (505) 682-2266.

December 31 -- Torch Lighting Parade. Ski Cloudcroft
For more information, call (505) 682-2733.

Cloudcroft Art Society meets the first Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. The November 4
meeting will present Kathie Mongaraz demonstrating silk
painting. No meeting in December. Call (505) 682-2494 for
more information.

Community Cantata practice meets at the High School Music
Room from 5:30-6:30pm every Tuesday. For more information
call Bob Myers at the high school.

Senior Van from Timberon to Alamogordo leaves the Timberon
Lodge promptly at 8:30am every Tuesday morning.

If you have news of public events in the Cloudcroft area, email
us.

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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:

My name is Mike Beckett and my wife and I live in Sullivan
Canyon, just off 82. We both have been reading the newsletter
for sometime now and we both really enjoy it. 

The reason I am writing is that James Canyon EMS is trying to
set up a FIRST RESPONDER COURSE and invite anyone who might be
interested to call me (505-687-2013) or send an e-mail to
mdbjab@pvtnetworks.net. 

If we could have this notice run in your newsletter it would be
a really big help. 

Keep up the good work, really enjoy the newsletter.

Mike Beckett

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Dear Newsletter:

My husband just e-mailed me this information. I'm passing it
on to you since I wrote you last week about just this topic!
By the way, a very touching column today!

http://www.endangeredearth.org/alerts/result.asp?index=1056

Judy Hungerford

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Dear Newsletter:

My name is Keith from Lubbock. I was one of the fortunate
people in the ER with you. I've been an x-ray tech for 27
years. It is a noble career with many satisfying moments and
some hair raising ones too. I work in the Electron Beam
Tomography unit at Covenant (Methodist) Hospital. If your
daughter needs any help or answers, have her call me, Keith
Harvey, most all of the techs know who I am.

Now about "step" people. I use to have 3 and one of my own.
Now I have just 4 kids that call me dad or dadaw. WHAT A
WARM FUZZY THAT IS!!

Your x-ray friend from Lubbock,
R. Keith Harvey and Sue Harvey

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Dear Newsletter:

Fantastic! Speaking from the step-daughter point of view, I 
sure love my Dad (Step-Dad for 24 years).

He has done everything my real father should have and did not.
He disciplined me, argued with me, taught me, made me work and
loved me. He is presently suffering from Parkinson's and I
hope someday soon he can argue like the Dad I remember. Smile!

Dedrianne

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Dear Newsletter:

Re: Your newsletter of Ray.

Next time you see Ray, as soon as you see him, give him a hug.
Hugs are good. They can cure a lot of things; just as a good
laugh & deep sigh can.

Re: Your newsletter of your daughter Amy.

I was deeply touched. I have 21 and 17 year old daughters; I
can certainly relate. You have a lot to be proud of, in your
Amy. I'm sure she'll be a great asset to any hospital or 
company she decides to go to work for.

Thanks again,
Tim Ryan
Cibolo, TX.

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Dear Newsletter:

Congratulations to Amy! Isn't it interesting how our lives
affect each other! It was because of my son moving to the
Lubbock area that I discovered Cloudcroft. Thought I was
settled into my retirement years in the Mimbres Valley here
when, helping my son move, we discovered Cloudcroft a little
over 2 years ago. We have since bought land and hope someday
to live there.

In the meantime, we sure enjoy your newsletter. When we can't
be in Cloudcroft, we really enjoy being tuned in to the weather,
etc.

The Richeys

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Dear Newsletter:

I've been enjoying your newsletter for about a year now. I
lived in Dell City when I was a little boy (my dad was doing
some flood-prevention surveying for the Soil Conservation
Service for a couple of years), and my wife (native of Tulia)
and I have been hoping to buy a few acres in the Cloudcroft
area in the next couple of years. I teach journalism at Baylor,
and we know a number of people who spend semester breaks and
summers in New Mexico. Really sounds like the good life,
especially when it's about 113 and 94 percent humidity in the
Brazos River basin in August.

I had a weird experience a couple of days ago. This summer, I
had a student in my PR-writing class, Eddy Patterson, who was
wrapping up his Baylor degree several years after leaving school
to pursue his partnership in Stubb's Legendary Kitchen, a 
barbecue sauce-restaurant-music club outfit that Stubb moved
to Austin a few years before he died.

So Eddy had sent me a video of various clips of Stubb on
Letterman, etc., and there you were, circa about 1983, on the
morning show with Johnny Walker, talking barbecue and West
Texas music. I said, 'I know that name,' and a couple of days
later, this newsletter confirmed it was the same guy. Rose and
I were in Austin on Saturday to see the East L.A. band Los
Lobos at Stubb's and have some killer ribs and brisket. 

All of which is to say I feel awfully lucky to have experienced
the Trans-Pecos, the Panhandle, New Mexico, and the Texas Hill
Country, and we appreciate the way you put it into words. Hope
to hook up with you in person one of these months.

Brad Owens
Department of Journalism
Baylor University

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Dear Newsletter:

October 25 - 27, 2001, my husband, son and I stayed in a cabin
in Cloudcroft.

October is such a beautiful time of year to visit. The weather
was perfect! Cloudcroft Inn's golf course was just gorgeous.
The apple festival was a delight. We enjoyed ourselves and plan
on returning. Thanks for a great family getaway.

Greg, Misty and Blake Yort
Shawnee, OK

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Dear Newsletter:

As a Lubbockite, I have enjoyed reading your newsletter for
quite some time. Your Texas wit and love for animals certainly
make my day. I really get a kick out of your stories. I love
Cloudcroft and hope to make it my second home someday. Today,
I found the story about your daughter particularly touching.

However, I was very disturbed when I read the letter from
Richard Gillespie. As a "huge fan of Texas history," perhaps
Mr. Gillespie needs to read more balanced accounts concerning
Native Americans.

I teach anthropology at Texas Tech and one of my main fields
of research concerns the Apaches of Texas and New Mexico. The
Mescalero, as I'm sure you know, were the original occupants
of the lands in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico (particularly
around Cloudcroft and Ruidoso).

For years they moved around the countryside as peaceful hunter-
gathers, until European and Anglo settlers moved in and 
confiscated their traditional and sacred lands. I found it
particularly offensive that Mr. Gillespie glorified settlers in
their attempt to "catch up and deal justice to the marauding
Indians." I find his notion of "justice" very "interesting,"
and his use of the phrase "marauding Indians" very disturbing.

A book entitled "In the Days of Victorio" would be a very
appropriate tool to learn more about Native Americans, 
particularly the Mescalero and Warm Springs Apaches. I would
also recommend a video series entitled "How the West Was Lost."
It provides the side to Native American history that is not
often taught in schools.

I understood the point that Mr. Gillespie was trying to make.
It was honorable, but his language and analogy were not. You
may certainly share this with Mr. Gillespie or any other readers
who might benefit from a more balanced view of Native American
History. The more knowledge we all have, the better off we all
are.

Thanks for the wonderful newsletter - it always brightens my
week.

Paula Marshall-Gray
Instructor of Anthropology
Texas Tech University

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