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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE NEWSLETTER #98
February 22, 2002
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Dear Subscriber:

I was talking to a friend in the village this past week. The
subject of The Cloudcroft Online Newsletter came up.

"I love your newsletter, but..."

"But what?" I asked, not really wanting to know what she didn't
like about the newsletter.

"You've written about events and your dogs and people you know,
but you've never written an article about Peggy."

This may be hard to believe, but it never really occurred to me
to write an article about my wife. Being a constant part of my
life, I've always felt she was a part of every article I write.
To expose all the nuances of her character in a glaring tribute
would somehow strip away her mystery.

"Would you like something from the food bar?" I asked Peggy.

It was our first date. June 3, 1982. I had first met her at
the Lubbock radio station where we both worked. Me a disc
jockey. She in charge of advertising traffic. She was recently
divorced, as was I.

Being the suave and sophisticated person I am, I took her to my
favorite neighborhood bar for a drink and the happy hour finger
food (and free) buffet.

She glanced in the direction of the tacky little table with the
cans of Sterno burning under the pans of God-knows-what.

"What do they have?" she asked with a marked lack of interest.

I half-rose from my seat to get a better look and then eased
myself back down. "Looks like frijoles and taco chips" I said.

"I don't think so," she said. "Beans give me gas."

I think it was at that very moment that I knew I was in love.

Later that evening we went to dinner in a quiet and romantic
restaurant and then after that I took Peggy to the dirt track
races.

Am I a great date or what?

What is it she saw in me? You'll have to ask her. In her I saw
a no-nonsense lady with a heart of gold and a huge and
unpredictable sense of humor.

19 years ago this month, we got married and worked hard and
bought a house in Lubbock and I mowed the lawn on Saturdays and
she did all the interior decorating. We had a wonderful bunch
of friends but in retrospect, I think our friends were drawn to
us because of Peggy. There's no way you couldn't love her.

I think they call it "Middle Age Crazy." We had bought property
in Cloudcroft early in our marriage and in 1995 I said to Peggy
"Let's quit our jobs and move to Cloudcroft."

Peggy was hesitant, but she agreed. In her mind, she was
probably thinking "this guy is an enchilada short of a
combination plate," but one thing we have always shared is a
sense of daring and adventure.

We struggled when we moved to the mountains. We opened a
Karaoke recording studio and a short-order cafe. Both
businesses lost money and bellied up. Then I got a job at an
Alamogordo radio station and Peggy went to Real Estate school.
We were rebounding.

Then I got sick.

I was in the hospital for a month. It is times like that that
test relationships. I was a terrible patient. I know there
were occasions when Peggy would have liked to hit me over the
head with my bedpan and walk out the door, but she didn't.

She conferred and argued with the doctors. She gave comfort to
family members. She told everyone, including me, how it was
gonna be.

I know. I haven't really told you much about Peggy. Suffice it
to say we have re-rebounded. I would prefer to keep the rest of
her character a mystery.

She's a mystery to you. She's a mystery to me.

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 -- CLOUDCROFT.COM GENERAL INFO
4. CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- SNOW STATS
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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It's beginning to warm. That doesn't mean there's not another
winter storm lurking, but it seems spring may be near.

There's still snow for play.

Highs in the high-40s. Lows in the 20s.
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VILLAGE NEWS
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Purchase of fuelwood permits for Wright Springs and Burnt Woods
(Pinyon Pine and mixed Conifer) are available at the Sacramento
Ranger Station. Permits are $10 per chord.
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INSIDE THE SHOP -- CLOUDCROFT.COM GENERAL INFO
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One of the most informative sections of Cloudcroft.com. For
both visitors and residents.

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

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CLOUDCROFT ONLINE SPOTLIGHT -- SNOW STATS
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A listing of skiing and snowboard areas in the state.

http://www.snowstats.com/

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Q AND A -- BECAUSE CLOUDCROFT ONLINE READERS WANT TO KNOW
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Q - What are the gas prices like in Cloudcroft?

A - For the first time in memory, prices of gasoline in the
Cloudcroft area are near a buck a gallon. Prices are expected
to go up in the summer.
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COMING EVENTS
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February 25-26 -- Circus Chimera, Otero County Fairgrounds
For more information, call 505-437-6120

February 27 -- Candidate's Night. Community Center. Question
and answer program for candidates for Cloudcroft Village
Council. 6pm.

Thru February -- An exhibit of oils by Jack Schuller. Ruidoso
Village Hall.
http://www.zianet.com/jaxart/gallery/gallery2.html

Thru February -- 11 Artists from Artisan Alley will have a show
at Eagle Ranch. The show runs the entire month, a reception
with the artists will be Friday, February 15, 7:30-9:30pm.

March 1 -- End of early voting for Village elections.

March 2 -- Cloudcroft Dance Theater Epicurean Dinner and Ball.

March 5 -- Village elections.

March 31 -- Village Easter festivities. Check with the
Cloudcroft Chamber of Commerce for a list of events (682-2733).
Cloudcroft Art Society meets the first Sunday of each month,
2-4pm, in the Old Red Brick School House. Call (505) 682-2494
for more information.

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:

Thank you for letting us know about the Scott's loss. We were
at Cloudcroft for 5 years, my parents were there since 1974.
The Scott's were your first stop in the relocation process that
we took when my husband retired and we moved to Cloudcroft.

We left the mountains for Tennessee in 1991. My parents sold
their place in Dark Canyon about 5 years ago. My daughter,
Johnette forwarded the newsletter to me and I in turn sent it
on to my mother. We all love the area and have many fond
memories of our time spent there.

Thank you again for taking the time to send out the newsletter. 

Sincerely,
Carla Yeates

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Dear Newsletter:

With all of the "thou shalt nots", it does sound like you
bought a four-wheeled planter. Turn it into a catnip bed for
the family felinities (Tom, Dick, etc.).

Sorry to hear about the Scotts. I'd met them a few times.

Shirley Alford
NMSU

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Dear Newsletter:

I just wanted you to know, although a recent subscriber, I love
your newsletter. I think you are a great humorist writer (can
easily measure up to Andy Roony and more). In fact, just a
great writer period.

I was just wondering if you ever entertained the thought of
putting your writing skills on the commercial market. If you
have not, I think you should. I think you could knock out a
short story, a weekly news column editorial, or even a novel,
with ease. Have you ever had an interest in attempting any of
these? Is your weekly newsletter your only outlet for your
writing creativity? If you have done other commercial writing,
I think your subscribers would be interested in knowing about
it. Once again, thanks for the bit of entertainment in my email
each week.

Jimmy McDowell

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Dear Newsletter:

We loved your story about your sister. When we were living in
Cloudcroft the l980's, we were fortunate enough to have 4 of
our Grandchildren spend a winter with us, (rather than return
home at the end of summer, as Jesy and Johnette Yeates had to
do) and attend Cloudcroft schools. They were Billy and Bobby
Guzman and their sister, Sissy. We also had Jesse Dale Condley.

Jesse has Cerebral Palsy. Though he was in second grade, he has
really good memories of that school. I think that was his
favorite school, and he was very gifted, although someone had
to hold his books, turn the pages, and write his answers to
questions. His speech is not clear, but he passed his Microsoft
A plus's exams with flying colors.

He is still in school; this time learning auto mechanics, as
computer work needs better motor skills than he has. He has
learned to drive, and has his drivers license.

One of my fondest memories of that year is that he wanted to
play soccer. I thought it was out of the question, as he could
not even walk without a walker. Seeing the kids on the team
take turns holding him up and trying to run down the field,
dragging him between them, letting him try to kick the ball,
still brings tears to my eyes, and gratitude for the small town
people who helped make the time so good for him. He never
realized he was handicapped there.

We have never changed the hailing port on the stern of our
sailing vessel, Cloud Nine out of Cloudcroft, NM. even though
she is now is berthed in Washington, D.C.

Ilda Reid Calvert

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Dear Newsletter:

Congratulations on your new over priced ATV.

I really envy you. When we moved to our hillside home in
Wimberley, Texas I too wanted an ATV but my husband put his
foot down and said no. We didn't need an ATV he said for just
4 acres, maybe 5 acres yes, but for 4 acres, absolutely not.

I told him if he bought me an ATV + a chain saw I could cut
down all the cedars and haul them away, but he still said no.
He made me continue using the old wheelbarrow mode of
transportation to haul those trees which I had to cut with
loppers.

I told him since we have a B & B maybe I could use an ATV to
ride our guests up and down the hill , just for fun, but he
still said no.

I told him if we ever had grandgirls or grandboys wouldn't
they love going for a ride, but he still said no.

Until one day a couple of years ago the Lions Club had an old
golf cart for sale. Since Jay was a Lion he figured he could
get that for me instead. So, for my birthday he gave me this
100-year-old golf cart which goes no more than 5 miles an hour,
and just think, he'd paid only $100 for it. You have to realize
that this guy still thinks new cars should still cost $6,000,
so for him, the $100 he spent was right down his alley.

Now, he told me, it wasn't to be used for taking our guests up
and down the hill for scenic drives, and it wasn't to be used
to take any future grandkids for rides either but it would be
used by HIM to take the trash down every day and to pick up the
mail and his newspaper.

But, needless to say, when I can get it away from him I've
used that old thing a thousand times, if I can get it started.
I've hauled cut cedar and tons of rocks in the back of it. I
figure if it ever decides to roll down the hill on top of me at
least it has a plastic top that might protect me plus a plastic
windshield to protect my face.

Have fun with your new toy! Again, I envy you....

Gay Lynn
Cedar Hill Guest Quarters
Wimberly, TX

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