High Rolls, NM Red Hat Event

May 24, 2014

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society gathered at the home of hostess, Alice Johnston, for a potluck luncheon and game playing.

It was such a lovely day in the mountains that we sat outside enjoying the view and the sunshine. We could see houses far above us that appeared to be touching the sky in the middle of  the beautiful Lincoln National Forest.

We enjoyed a wonderful luncheon consisting of various dishes brought by members including potato salad, macaroni salad, fresh fruit and vegetables, eclairs, southwestern chicken and white bean soup, deviled eggs, etc.

After lunch, we had a rousing game of Yatzee and Queen Ladybird (Carla) won, but barely.  Several of the girls brought cups of coffee with them to the game table. Once, when it was VQ Penny's turn, she picked up the dice to put them in the cup to shake them, lost her place, and dropped them into her coffee cup. She turned nine shades of red while we all laughed hysterically.  Margie, who had the next turn, quickly sat her coffee cup on a small table behind her before taking the dice afraid she would make the same funny!

We had a brief planning session for future events and came up with some grand ideas. For starters, next month, we are going to the local zoo and plan to ride the train around the area as well.  Yes, we know it's for kiddos, but we just want to have fun!

Hostess Alice Johnston with Queen Ladybird (Carla)

Our lovely Lu in deep conversation with someone

Jean, our jet setter. Always jetting off to somewhere in the world

Our charming hostess Alice

VQ Penny, looking great with her repaired nose and Jean

Margie, our gifted and talented creator of just about everything she puts her mind to. She is wearing a bonnet her mother made years ago which she decorated to update it for Red Hatting.

Just a portion of what we dined on at our luncheon

Thanks to Lu for taking the picture of Alice and Queen Ladybird. 

This is all I have to say for now.

Alamogordo Downtown Merchants Association Renaissance Faire

Saturday, May 10, 2014

The Alamogordo Downtown Merchants Association sponsored a delightful Renaissance Faire on New York Avenue this past Saturday. Doug and I decided to dress in costume and attend.

We took a selfie just before leaving the house.  There were plenty of booths with everything from jewelry to arts and crafts items as well as food and drink.  All of the downtown stores were open, advertising specials to bring the public inside.  We hadn't been in that area for some time (due to my illness) and we were quite pleased to see all the new stores that have opened here.

Costumes included knights, court jesters, ladies-in-waiting, pirates, belly dancers and magicians.  The face painting booth was very popular and they were quite talented in their applications.

We visited the Le Spirit Arts and Crafts shop where we met the owner, Pennie Strawbridge and I am going to begin taking painting lessons from her in June. This is something I've wanted to do since moving to New Mexico and I'm excitingly waiting to begin the lessons.

Classy Cats, the cat rescue operation has moved across the street from their former location. It is quite a lovely store. They take donations of items for resale to support their rescue operation. The store is well appointed and easy to navigate. They always have cats and kittens on display just in case you might see one you would like to take home.

Of course, I had to go into Antiques Etcetra. to see the proprietress Audrey and to browse for any new items on display.  I found a beautiful red hat and a roadrunner to go in my collection.

Also on site was a Collie Rescue Group with some of the most beautiful animals I've ever seen. Some of these dogs have been service dogs and are no longer needed in that capacity. Made me wish we had a huge yard to give one of these dogs a home.

Queen Carla and her consort, Douglas ready for the Faire

A great shot of the booths at the Faire

L to R: Queen Carla, our lovely Mayor Susie Galea and her cute daughters

L to R: Linda Laws (one of my Red Hatters), Queen Carla and Linda's best friend

One of the fair maidens with her pet boa

A very pretty court jester with a dark knight

Gentleman in front of Stella Vita's sporting the fantastic talent of a face painter

Carla window shopping and one of the magicians

Audrey, owner of Antiques Etcetra., greeting Queen Carla

Three members of the Alamogordo Rocket Dolls roller derby team

We think this Collie is beautiful because he is so differently colored from the others

Thanks so much to the Alamogordo Downtown Merchants Association for creating a lovely venue for this Saturday afternoon. We had a lovely time and look forward to this happening again next year.

Thanks to my darling Doug for taking the great pictures of this event.

This is all I have to say for now.

Carla's Ongoing Medical Saga

May 4, 2014

To continue and hopefully put an end to all this, I have been in and out of the hospital a total of six times since March 18, 2014, due to various difficulties in getting me back to a healthy place. I was just so far down that things kept happening even while under competent doctor care.

This is why there has been so little on my blog lately.  At any rate, I am truly on the mend and grateful to UNM Sandoval Regional Medical Center in Rio Rancho (suburb of Albuquerque, NM) and their doctors for pulling me through. Considering that I am almost 76 years of age, this is no small feat.

I am still saying, "God's not done with me yet", and I just keep on keeping on. Thanks to everyone for your care and concern and for all the cards and phone calls. My precious husband, Doug, hung in there with me and I think, suffered more than I through this whole ordeal. How fortunate I am to have a husband like this man. Life is good again!

This is all I have to say for now.

Sweet Sixteen Red Hat Society

Saturday, April 26, 2014

New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society celebrated the RHS sixteenth birthday with a potluck luncheon and playing Pictionary.

Queen Ladybird aka Carla furnished the cake and ice cream for dessert

VQ Penny with our birthday girl, Lu

Jean with our newest member, Lorraine

L to R: Alice, Queen Ladybird and VQ Penny

Our lovely hostess Rosa Rico with Alice

Alice and VQ Penny contemplating describing

a picture being drawn at the easel

Lu, concentrating on deciding the best description of a picture

Rosa Rico at the easel with Alice and VQ Penny looking on

Looks like the cake and ice cream were a hit!

We played Happy Birthday to the Red Hat Society and then to Lu on our Kazoos.  We had a great time laughing and talking and playing Pictionary.

As we were leaving, each carrying bags and such on a very windy day, VQ Penny didn't notice a rise in the sidewalk, stubbed her toe and went flying through the air, landing on her face.  I threw my stuff down and went to assist her in getting up. I could tell right away that she probably had a broken nose because it was immediately swelling.  Alice and Lorraine took her to the emergency room and she got pain pills until she could contact her ENT doctor on Monday.  Sure enough, her nose was broken and her doctor will repair it this coming Wednesday, May 7.  This was not the end we were looking for to a lovely fun day, but it certainly could have been worse.  Needless to say, I did not take photos of Penny in her distress!

This is all I have to say for now.