Red Hatters Tea Luncheon at Friendship Tea House in Alamogordo, New Mexico

Saturday, January 5, 2019

Thirteen members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society gathered at the Friendship Tea House in Alamogordo, New Mexico to celebrate the New Year at a tea luncheon.

Our newest member was welcomed, Pink Hatter Alice Cuevas (Pink Hatters are young women between the ages of 21 and 49 and when they have their 50th birthday, the chapter holds a "Reduation" and presents them with their first Red Hat.) from Alamogordo who owns an advertising agency. We are so excited to welcome her into our midst!

Two birthdays were celebrated for Alice Evans and Margie Purcella. They were presented with gifts and a rousing kazoo Happy Birthday.

More plans were made for future events for the chapter with various members volunteering to host these FUN plans. Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr announced that Alice Evans is now Vice Queen of the chapter.

The food was delicious and we sampled three tea flavors which came from the Tea Shop in Cloudcroft, New Mexico. Proprietor Barb also has cans of these teas for sale. Everyone seemed to enjoy all three flavors. I know I did!

L to R: Alice Cuevas, Darla Shelley, Rosanna Heath, Gail Swineford and Nancy Brooks

L to R: Lori Thomas, Jean Courtier and Karen Townsend

The Birthday Girls: Margie Purcella and Vice-Queen Alice Evans

Margie admiring her new hat

Nancy Brooks with Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr

Friendship Tea House Christmas decorations were beautiful

This tree isn't really tilted, the photographer was, but it is lovely

Trudy Reese with Carmen Veenpere

We have a wonderful year of events planned and with such an enthusiastic group, #PowerOfFun, which is our new slogan, will be easy to fulfill!

Thanks to Trudy Reese for taking the picture of me with Nancy.

This is all I have to say for now.

Four Inches of Snow in Alamogordo, New Mexico

Friday, December 28, 2018

We have lived in Alamogordo, New Mexico for almost seven years and this is the second time we've seen snow and the first time was very light compared to this one. We stayed inside and kept warm, but did venture out to take some shots of this winter wonderland.

Two of our Roadrunner sculptures enhanced by snow

Looking East to the Sacramento Mountains

And West to the White Sands

Front of house and palm tree weighted down

Our peach tree in all its winter splendor

Another shot of the White Sands

Grab shot of the icicle on the drain spout

The lady of the mountain

The Sacramento Mountains look as though they've been covered with powdered sugar

Both palm trees under siege

This poor willow tree is holding its own

These trees look as though they are bejeweled

The mountains fully covered with snow

The snow didn't last long, but it was beautiful and we were warm and snug in our little house. The snowfall helped Alamogordo to almost reach it's annual rainfall allotment of 13 inches so we are grateful for this.

Doug and I both share the photo credits on these pictures.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Annual Christmas Luncheon At Casa de Suenos in Tularosa, New Mexico

December 15, 2018

Twelve members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society gathered in Tularosa, New Mexico at the Casa de Suenos Mexican Restaurant for their annual Christmas Luncheon.

Unfortunately, their Queen Carla Kerr was home ill due to a sinus infection and she missed seeing everyone and being there for the festivities.

Each member brought a wrapped gift and as they turned in their gift, they drew a number out of a container which suggested when they would get to choose a gift during the event. There were several gifts that were "stolen" during this event due to their popularity with the attendees. However, everyone went home happy and the food was delicious as always at Casa de Suenos.

Left are Lori Thomas, Florence Dean and Alice J. Evans. Right are Nadia Sikes, Rosanna Heath and Dorothy Edwards

Lori and Florence

Trudy Reese and Jean Courtier

Dorothy and Rosanna

L to R: Florence, Alice and Margie Purcella

L to R: Lori, Flo, Alice, Margie, Trudy, Jean, Karen Townsend, Nancy Brooks, Gail Swineford, Dorothy, Rosanna and Nadia

Thanks to Lori, Rosanna and Gail for taking pictures of the event. Everyone looked so lovely and in a holiday mood. Several birthdays were also celebrated so Happy Birthday to Trudy, Lori and Rosanna.

Also, thanks to hubster Doug for helping me with converting the pictures into something workable for this article. Merry Christmas!

This is all I have to say for now.

Carla Kerr Takes Flight to Fresno, California

December 6-10, 2018

I flew out to Fresno, California and met my son, Russ, who flew in from DFW Airport in Texas where we were picked up by my grandson-in-law, Michael Peterson who drove us to his and Tiffany's home in Hanford, California. This trip was made for me to get acquainted with my 13th great grandchild, Sydney Maye Peterson, weighing in at 9lbs 14ozs, born on November 19, 2018 and for Russ to meet her as well, his 9th grandchild. One mission was to shoot a four-generation picture.

Sydney also has an older brother of 6 years, Dakoda, and an older sister of 5 years, Brooke, so it was a wonderful reunion with them as well. Sydney is a very good baby and we enjoyed our visit so much with the whole family. We played games with the children and Russ went to watch Brooke in her Hip-Hop dance class. (I was worn out by the trip.)

Also a part of this family are three dogs, Ruger, a giant Doberman Pinscher, Molly, who  is part wolf and German Shepherd, and Ben, a bi-polar (according to Tiffany) psychotic little Chihuahua. I think all of these dogs are rescues and two of them are quite friendly but not Ben.

Tiffany put up their Christmas tree while we were there and  Dakoda and Brooke helped decorate it. They also had their very own little Christmas trees that they decorated themselves.

All too soon, it was time to return to New Mexico and Texas, but it was a lovely visit and so good to be with the little ones and help sort out in their minds that I am Pop Pop's mother and their great grandmother they call "Grammy".

I did take some pictures at the El Paso Airport and Fresno Airport of their Christmas decorations. Fresno has built in Redwood trees which were decorated as well.

Christmas tree, little village, airplane and a little train circling the whole thing at El Paso, Texas Airport

The train coming out of the tunnel

The village, train and lit runway

The gingerbread house at Fresno Airport

One of the Redwood trees decorated

One of the Fresno Airport Christmas trees

Michael with his precious little Sydney

Brooke, Pop Pop and Dakoda

Grammy Carla with #13 GGC, Sydney

Grammy and Sydney

Sydney, just relaxing-look at those long fingers!

Tiffany feeding Sydney

This is a painting that Tiffany is currently working on

Molly and Ruger

Watching Tiffany put up their Christmas tree

Tiffany is starting to put the lights on the tree

Dakoda cuddled up with Pop Pop watching TV

I guess the show got too exciting for Dakoda to relax

The stockings are hung on the fireplace with care

Tiffany, her father Russ and Sydney

Michael with Sydney and Ben

They've both drifted off to sleep

Pop Pop putting puzzles together with Brooke and Dakoda

The Peterson Christmas tree!

Grammy playing a card game with Brooke

L to R: Brooke, Dakoda, Tiffany, Russ, Carla and Sydney in Tiffany's lap - Four Generations

The Peterson Family, Tiffany, Sydney, Michael, Dakoda and Brooke

Dakoda and Brooke

It was indeed a wonderful visit. Brooke and Dakoda are so bright and fun to talk to and play with. With more families like this one, we need not worry about the future of our world. I am so proud of all of them and thankful for the opportunity to interact with these precious children.

I returned home with a horrific sinus infection and went immediately to bed only to go to doctor twice in three days when she finally gave a prescription for penicillin. Weak and ill from December 10 to December 20 when I had the energy to move around again. What a siege!

This is all I have to say for now.