Three Red Hatters Travel to San Diego

Friday - Monday, May 17-20, 2019

Carla Kerr aka Queen Ladybird, Trudy Reese aka Lady Sunshine and Gail Swineford aka Baroness Von Doolittle of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society in Alamogordo, New Mexico traveled to San Diego to take part in Miss Kitty's Social Club, a costume chapter of the Red Hat Society led by Miss Kitty aka Jan Roberts of Platteville, Colorado. Members, a total of 60, came from California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Illinois, Texas and Canada to enjoy the fun.

Carla and her roommate, Elyse Soffer, arrived in the AM so they explored the block containing the hotel and finally discovered the Tequila Factory Restaurant where they grabbed some food since they had left home before breakfast to catch their respective planes.

Once checked into the Best Western Plus Hacienda in Old Town, we quickly donned our first costume depicting Rhinestone Cowgirls and boarded a trolley which took us to the pier to board the Hornblower Yacht that took us on a cruise of the San Diego Bay area. They served delicious
hors d'oeuvres and champagne. The DJ was excellent in that he played music people over age 50 could relate to for dancing those dances from way back when. Line dancing is also a favorite with this group and Carla got super enthused dancing to "That Old Time Rock And Roll" and singing it as well.

Elyse Soffer, Carla's FUN roommate from Phoenix, Arizona

Faun Ricks from Gallup, New Mexico

Chana Vernado is from Las Vegas, Nevada

L to R: Trudy Reese and Gail Swineford from Alamogordo, NM and friend

Samella Daniels-Taylor and Angie Pate from Las Vegas, NV

L to R: Nita from California and Connie from Tucson, AZ; Elyse and Faun

Janice Roberts from Las Vegas and Nita from California

Name not known and Marilyn Miravete-Smith from California

Tanyia Rawls-Junior with Angie Pate

Rhinestone Cowgirl Carla

Several "civilians" decided to join the group and the gals took over dancing with the young man and his date. Some younger girls joined us opting for the pole near the dance floor for fun!

Some of the girls dancing. Nora Sellards on the right from Arizona

A couple of the girls had these little walking ponies

Line dancing to "Achy Breaky Heart"

                                              Dancing "The Electric Slide"                                                    

This was a Latin dance and the girl is dancing with Nora and the guy is dancing with Nita

Carla looked out the window and discovered all types of sea birds

AND walruses with their babies

AND more sea birds

Before we knew it, the sun was setting below the Coronado Bridge

A gorgeous sunset as we head back to the pier

After a refreshing nights sleep and showers, part of today was "free time" so we found our way back to the Tequila Factory for breakfast. However, regular breakfast was over at 9:00 AM and the Buffet Brunch was the only thing available at $27.95. Thankfully, the hotel shuttle driver kindly took us to a small family restaurant where we enjoyed a lovely, reasonably priced meal. I had lox and bagels and thoroughly enjoyed them.

Elyse and I took a walk to Old Town State Historic Park and found a lovely shop called Johnson House where I found a hat I couldn't live without.

Elyse beside the headless manikin sporting vintage clothing in front of the George Johnson House, an 1870 home of reconstructed pre-fab wood frame that was brought by ship around the Horn.

Carla in front of the George Johnson House

On our way back to the hotel we discovered a girl walking a pig

It was now time to attend the melodrama "Pride and Prejudice" at the Cygnet Playhouse Theatre. This was so funny and very professionally presented. If you are going to San Diego anytime soon, I highly recommend that you see this. It was fabulous.

Waiting in the lobby to enter the theatre

As you can see, props and wardrobe are stored openly for quick use as needed

A more close-up shot of displayed props

The Red Hatters were scattered all over the theatre

My roommate Elyse was sitting above me

Trudy with Bobbie Goode

Time for another costume change, this time we are Saloon Girls and there are many variations on these costumes which made it so interesting and FUN.

Faun showing off her red garter

Gail and Trudy

The ever lovely Mary Stopa from California

Lori Pawlowski with our fearless leader, Miss Kitty

Don't know her name, but isn't she adorable

These two are sisters Lisa? and Nora

Don't know names, but aren't they cute

Two more beautiful Saloon Girls

L to R: Barbara Angel, Cindy Logston, Lori Pawlowski, Carolyn Carter, Nell Athouguia and Grace Bright

Tanyia Rawls-Junior and doesn't she look fantastic

Carla showing off her bloomers

Carla Saloon Girl being a bit more proper

We enjoyed a lovely dinner there in the El Pueblo Room at the hotel and we were entertained by violinist Jennifer Argenti. She played everything from classical to hoedown and is an excellent musician. Unfortunately, I was at the back of the room and did not get a photo of her.

It was a full day and we were happy to get back to our rooms for rest and relaxation so we could be up and ready to go to Miss Kitty's Bloomer Breakfast and Jewelry Show. This means Mimosas and lovely jewelry at very reasonable prices.

Faun in her nightcap and bloomers which she made herself

Shopping! Shopping! Shopping! The official Red Hat Sport

Mary and Janice are the money changers

That's Marilyn on the right having a discussion over who gets what

Don't have name for first on left, Candy, Nora and Ada

Aren't their bloomers cute

Time for another costume change so we all headed to our rooms to dress in our Victorian ensembles. We had to make various arrangements to get to the Victorian Cosmopolitan Hotel for our Tea Luncheon because it was raining. Somehow we all managed to get there (it too was in the park) without getting soaked. Everything was prepared for us and quite elegantly at that.

This photo just to give you the flavor of the event

Everything looked lovely and scrumptious

Gail and Trudy looking smashing

End of table is Nora, Ada, Carla and Elyse is half there

I do apologize for not knowing more of the names of everyone, but it is so difficult to remember them when you only get together once a year. Some of these Red Hatters I see at other functions so we've become more acquainted. It is a wonderful group of women who just want to have FUN. #POWERofFUN A good time was had by all.

Thanks to Janice for some of the pictures (in particular that I'm in) that she took and thanks to Elyse for capturing some pictures also. Thanks also to my husband, Doug for processing the pictures for me. If I got any of the names wrong, please don't hesitate to let me know so I can correct them.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Shop and Dine in Old Mesilla Village, New Mexico

Saturday, May 11, 2019

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter from Alamogordo, New Mexico joined three new Red Hat members from Chaparral, New Mexico and El Paso, Texas for shopping and dining. We got our wires crossed (It's the Red Hat way) and they went straight to the Hacienda de Mesilla while we waited at the town Plaza for them to shop with us. We finally communicated and joined up with them for lunch first.

The new Red Hat members are Queen Laura Kidwiler of the Sun City Hot Flashes who lives in Chaparral, NM; her Vice-Queen Shari Coffman of El Paso, Texas and Queen Susan Amtillon of the Chaparral Butterflies Chapter in Chaparral, New Mexico.

Their enthusiasm just bubbled over and we truly exercised #POWERofFUN visiting with each other and getting acquainted. We celebrated our Pink Hatter Alice Cuevas' birthday with kazoos of course and I keep a supply at hand so the new Red Hatters had their first experience kazooing Happy Birthday to Alice. We gifted them with their very own kazoos. Laura gifted us with adorable little decorated hats she made. All three had on purple shirts with the Red Hat logo and they had ordered red hats, but they didn't arrive in time so they put their creative juices together and decorated some they found and they looked adorable.

Queen Laura has invited me to attend their very first meeting once she is established and I am looking forward to being there in Chaparral which is about 70 miles from Alamogordo. We plan to do events together as time passes. It is just so wonderful to meet new Red Hatters and bask in their enthusiasm and sense of FUN.

When lunch was over, time had run out for Susan who owns a restaurant in Chaparral. Her daughter was graciously working in her place but Susan had to be back by 3:00 pm and it is about an hour
drive from Old Mesilla for her. We said our goodbyes, they left and we returned to the plaza to shop for a while.

L to R: Queen Laura Kidwiler, Vice Queen Shari Coffman, Queen Susan Amtillon and Carmen Veenpere

L to R: Queen Susan, Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr and Queen Laura

Our Birthday Girl, Alice Cuevas

Gail Swineford,The Royal Scribble aka Baroness Von Doolittle and Alice

Trudy Reese aka Lady Sunshine

Laura and Shari doing the selfie thing

We are back at the Plaza and this wedding party has just come out of the lovely old Catholic Church for wedding pictures in the gazebo

Beautiful bride

Wedding attendees - Doesn't she look classical and classy and he is the perfect escort!

Finally organized for the family wedding portrait

Queen Laura emailed me the pictures that she took so I am adding them on here.

Queen Ladybird (Carla) and Queen Laura

L to R: Trudy, Queen Ladybird (Carla) and Queen Laura

L to R: Trudy, Carla, Laura, Shari, Susan, Carmen, Gail and Alice

L to R: Alice, Susan, Carla, Carmen, Gail, Shari and Trudy

#POWERofFUN and you can tell from these photos that we indeed had FUN. We are looking forward to getting together again soon.

Thanks to Laura for your photos and thanks to Doug for processing them.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Lunch At Rocket City

Saturday, April 13, 2019

Members of the New Mexico Road Runner Chapter of the Red Hat Society located in Alamogordo, New Mexico went to the new family fun center called Rocket City for lunch, table games and to play Laser Tag. Our excellent hostess for this event was Vice Queen Alice Evans.

The food at Rocket City is excellent and after enjoying a delicious lunch, Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr provided Easter eggs stuffed with chocolate candies for dessert. We played the dice game, Left, Right, Center, which we played last time we were together, but it happens to be a favorite with everyone. Carmen Veenpere won all the quarters because she was the only one having a quarter left when the game was over.

Most of us decided to play Laser Tag, mostly because none of us had played it before and we thought it would be a new FUN experience. We made quite a commotion when we walked over to sign up for Laser Tag and, in fact, their official photographer took a group picture of us.

Each of us put on an interesting "vest" to which our laser gun was attached. One girl told us the rules such as, "Do not shoot a person in the eyes" and some other rules which got away from me. There was also a family going in the same time we were (a man, his wife and their son and daughter). So off we went into the darkness. I don't know about the others, but if I saw something move, I shot at it. The layout is somewhat like a maze and I kept running into the man of the family. One time he said, "Oh, no. Not you again."

We will definitely put this under our #POWEROFFUN because we had a blast. They also have a fabulous bowling alley, but lifting that bowling ball might have been difficult for most of us.

Carmen Veenpere and Trudy Reese

Margie Purcella and Vice Queen Alice Evans

Royal Scribble Gail Swineford and Rosanna Heath

Nancy Brooks

Carla Kerr

There were some interesting characters roaming around Rocket City that day and Rosanna made friends with them.

Of course, Queen Ladybird had to join in.

Here we have Alice, Carmen and Rosanna with the group

Carmen with her winnings from the dice game

Unfortunately I did not shoot  pictures of the Laser Tag because no cameras allowed, but their photographer took shots of us before we went in to play so I will post it or them as soon as received.  It was indeed a FUN day for all of us.

Thanks to Douglas Kerr for processing the pictures.

This is all I have to say for now.

Red Hatters Lunch at Nuckleweed Restaurant in La Luz, New Mexico

Saturday, March 23, 2019

Members of the Red Hat Society New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter from Alamogordo, New Mexico dined and played games at the Nuckleweed Restaurant in La Luz, New Mexico on Saturday, March 23, 2019.

We always love going to this restaurant because the food is excellent and it is actually located in the Sacramento Mountains on La Borcita Canyon Road, a lovely drive this time of year.

Rosanna Heath was hostess for this event and she had little gift bags containing favors for each of us as well as door prizes. She had asked that we each bring four quarters for a dice game and a favorite joke or riddle to share.

After partaking of a delicious lunch, several members ordered their amazing brownie sundae for dessert which is the size of a dinner plate and a lot of sharing took place.

The dice game consists of three dice on which there are the letters L, R, or C and dots. One rolls the dice and passes a quarter  left, right and/or to the center depending on what comes up on the dice. Dots don't count so if you get one, two or three dots, this is a good thing. When your quarters get down to two, you only throw two dice and down to one, you throw one die. When you run out of quarters you are out of the game. This actually takes a while and we had a lot of fun playing. The last person with a quarter or quarters wins all the quarters in the center. The winner was Margie Purcella aka Countess of Karr Canyon.

Our Pink Hatter Alice Cuevas shows off her favor gift from hostess Rosanna, Red Hat Salt and Pepper Shakers

Jean Courtier aka Marquesa Corte Alegre and Trudy Reese aka Lady Sunshine

L to R: Trudy, Karen Townsend aka Enchanted Empress and Alice C.

Vice Queen Alice Evans aka Madame of the Mountains and Margie

Hostess Rosanna with Royal Scribe Gail Swineford aka Baroness Von Doolitte

L to R: Karen, Carla Kerr aka Queen Ladybird and Alice C.

We than enjoyed telling our jokes and/or riddles with a lot of laughter and smiles displayed proving our #PowerofFun was in abundance.

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for processing my photos for this article.

This is all I have to say for now.

Alamogordo New Mexico Red Hatters Attend Red Hat Western Roundup

Saturday, March 16, 2019

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society traveled from Alamogordo, New Mexico to Las Cruces, New Mexico to take part in the Las Cruces Queens Council Red Hat Western Roundup Funvention on Saturday, March 16, 2019.

We arrived early Saturday morning to engage in Red Hatters favorite sport, "Shopping", with vendors at the event. While waiting for registration to begin, we occupied the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces restaurant for coffee and sweet rolls. We definitely needed sustenance after all that shopping.

The fun started with some fun games and door prize drawings. We also purchased raffle tickets in hopes of winning some lovely items on the raffle table. Then, it was time for the "Hat Parade" peopled by those Red Hatters who created and/or decorated hats for the event. I did not get the name of the pretty lady who won for most beautiful hat, but in our chapter, Rosanna Heath's hat won for best representing the western theme and Carla Kerr's hat won for being the most outrageous. We were on a roll and it got even better from there. Karen Townsend won a prize for the worst Red Hat Bingo Card and she also won the table centerpiece which was a lighted red cowboy hat on a small bale of hay.  Carmen Veenpere won a door prize.

We enjoyed a chuck wagon buffet consisting of salad, fried chicken, barbecued brisket, potato salad, corn on the cob, pinto beans and spiced apples for dessert. The food was truly delicious and it looked like it was enjoyed by all.

We were entertained by a "senior" singing group of ladies with a gentleman director. They even brought in a keyboard, drums, and maracas for backup. They sang all the golden oldies that we learned as kids and a lot of us even sang along with them. This was a lot of fun as well.

For the next hour and a half Hatters went to different rooms for activities that included Decorate a Fascinator Class; T-Shirt Class; Line Dance Class and Red Hat Bingo. Everyone returned to the large meeting room for more door prize drawings, announcements and raffle ticket drawings. Trudy Reese won a door prize; Carla won two beautifully made throw pillows in the raffle and Carmen won a set of Red Hat plates and with another ticket won a Red Hat candy dish. We had a lot of winners at our table for a change. Table favors were mugs with purple or red western bandanas in them.

Driving back to Alamogordo was another experience because we drove through rain and as we approached San Augustin Pass in the Organ Mountains, we were hit with a blizzard. Being one of the drivers, I was so grateful the temperature never got down to 30, but close at 33 degrees because I don't have 4-wheel drive. Once we got further down into the Tularosa Basin, everything was bone dry and it was smooth sailing from there on out.

Royal Scribble Gail Swineford and Twinkle Toes Carmen Veenpere

L to R: Queen Curvy aka Kimberly Gugliotta, Lady Sunshine Trudy Reese and Enchanted Empress Karen Townsend

Rosanna Heath

Random shot of the attendees

Karen holding up her door prize ticket and Gail wishing it was hers

More attendees and the girl in the middle was in the Hat Contest

Another random shot of the attendees

Back Row from Left: Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr, Carmen, Rosanna, Gail. Front Row L to R: Kimberly, Karen and Trudy

Rosanna and Carla sporting their winning hats

Side view of Carla's hat

Front view of Carla's hat

The back of Carla's hat

If you enlarge the photos of the hat, you can see more detail. It took me a while to put it together with my trusty glue gun.

Thanks to Doug Kerr for processing all the pictures for this article.

This is all I have to say for now.

Spring is Coming

Sunday Morning, March 10, 2019

When I rise every morning, I do my necessaries i.e. brushing teeth, brushing hair, washing face, etc, and I then do what I call "Waking up the house" by going through, turning on lights, turning on our FM Radio Station set to WRR in Dallas, Texas for wonderful classical music, opening the shades on the glass patio door, etc.

This morning when I looked out the patio door I observed our first Robin of Spring and grabbed my camera to immortalize this welcome sign.

Isn't t his a healthy looking robin, harbinger of Spring!

Good morning everyone. Hope your Spring will come to you as a positive event of a great year ahead. Thanks to Doug for processing the photo for me.

This is all I have to say for now.