Thursday, December 28, 2017

New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the RHS Have a Game Day Event

Saturday, November 11, 2017

Members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society gathered at Carmen Veenpere's home for a FUN Game Day event. They played "Farkle"  and enjoyed many laughs at the happenings as the game went on.

Carmen treated the chapter to pizza and salad and Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr provided ice cream and cupcakes made to celebrate two birthdays in the chapter. However, since neither person was in attendance, they hummed "Happy Unbirthday" on their kazoos and a good time was had by all.

Carmen's husband, Juri, should be an award winning gardener as their yard was much enjoyed by those in attendance. They have a beautiful home on the golf course and we were treated to some fun yells as the golfers went by.

Sitting is Flo Dean with Jean Courtier standing
The effervescent Bobbie Tanner
The delightful Vice Queen Donna Williams
This is sweet Alice Evans
Another shot of the darling Flo
Carmen's decorating and food prep
Our charming hostess, Carmen
Margie Purcella and Alice enjoying the backyard
That Juri sure has a green thumb!
And more of the flowers in the Veenpere backyard
Isn't the Bougainvillea stunning?
Another area of interest along the back wall
As you can tell, I am really into the flora today!
Jean, Bobbie and Alice discussing the aloe vera plant
This is the Zia Sun on the upper level of an outdoor balcony
Jean is concentrating on adding up scores
VQ Donna unwinding one of her yarns while Alice listens intently

Jean and VQ Donna
L to R: Margie, Bobbie and our hostess, Carmen
As usual, I was behind the camera and failed to have a picture taken, but that's okay. I've been in many others and everyone knows what I look like. We never fail to have a great time at Carmen's home and always look forward to going there.

This is all I have to say for now.

Wednesday, November 1, 2017

Alamogordo, New Mexico Red Hatters Hold Halloween Costume Party


Saturday, October 28, 2017

The New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter had a FUN Halloween Party at Vice Queen Donna Williams' home on Saturday, October 28, 2017. Normally we do these in home events potluck, but she insisted on providing everything. She has a lovely daughter-in-law (Judith) who makes the best lasagna I've ever eaten so we had lasagna, salad and garlic toast along with various pies for dessert. VQ Donna started us off with Mimosas which were yummy!

We played two games that I got from the Internet. One was seeing how many words one could make from the letters in Halloween. Jan Jennings won a lovely red evening purse with 50 words. Then we played multiple choice with questions about horror movies. Trudy Reese won a purple evening bag with a total of 15 correct.

Alice Johnston-Evans won a prize for best costume as a cowgirl. We celebrated two birthdays, Jan Jennings received a feathered fascinator and Jean Courtier received a headband fascinator as well! We kazooed Happy Birthday to them.

Gail Swineford came as a darling witch

Margie Purcella loves everything Western as you can see

Darla Shelley came as (would you believe it?) a Red Hatter
Trudy Reese came sporting a mustache and a palette on her thumb
Alice Evans in her winning cowgirl costume
One just cannot have a Halloween Costume Party without a pussy cat and doesn't Florence Dean make a lovely one
Bobbie Tanner makes a lovely "Country Girl" and she decorated that hat too!
Carmen Veenpere came in oriental attire but she came straight from the beauty salon and forgot her Red Hat!
Our hostess, VQ Donna Williams adjusting her fishnet stockings. Ssh! She doesn't know I shot this picture! lol
Jean Courtier came as part of a witches coven (I think)
Flo looks on as Jan Jennings the Magician works on one of the games
Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr aka Janis Joplin and I even entertained the group by singing "Mercedes Benz".
Our adorable hostess, Vice Queen Donna Williams makes a lovely Saloon Gal!
Thanks to Judith for her hard work in the kitchen. The lasagna was to die for and the garlic toast and salad made perfect luncheon fare for all of us. And, Thanks to Donna for making her lovely home available for this event.

This is all I have to say for now.


Friday, October 27, 2017

Red Hatters Attend the Flickinger Guild Tea

Sunday, October 15, 2017

 Somehow I managed to skip over a very important event so herewith is the report and photos taken at the Flickinger Center Theater Guild Turquoise and Silver Tea which took place on Saturday, October 15, 2017 at the Tays Center here in Alamogordo, New Mexico. This is probably the social event of the year here and is always well attended and tons of FUN.

They have a silent auction with everything you could imagine to bid on. Then there is a fabulous style show with local residents strutting their stuff on the stage from many retailers not only in Alamogordo, but surrounding areas as well. Entertainment was provided by several sets of local talent. The Alamogordo High School ROTC students were servers and they did an excellent job.

Eleven members of the New Mexico Roadrunner Chapter of the Red Hat Society attended. I attended dressed in the ensemble I wore when I was selected "Divine Diva" at "Hatters Get There Kicks on Route 66" in Wichita, Kansas. Several Red Hatters won door prizes and a grand time was had by all.

Trudy Reese and Darla Shelley looking lovely
Florence Dean and Alice Johnston-Evans all decked out
Vice Queen Donna Williams with Nadia Sikes looking so great
Margie Purcella sporting her stunning bra hat she made at a chapter crafts day the first year we were organized. The emcee said she looked like a Vegas show girl!
L to R: Rosanna Heath, Dorothy Edwards and Gail Swineford all a-smile!
Margie won a door prize
The young man on the right is a family friend, Andrew Spencer
This was a lively dance troupe and the one man managed to stay up with them
Fellow thespian, Monica Helm, modeling a lovely ensemble during the style show
This is yours truly in the same ensemble I wore in Wichita, Kansas at their Red Hat Convention when I was selected "Divine Diva" of the convention.
The tea was, dare I say, "Divine"? We all had a grand time and our bra hats were a big hit. Everyone wanted to take pictures of us. This was a new venue for this event and it was absolutely fabulous. The Tays is much larger and the models were able to walk around the tables giving us a better look at the fashions being modeled. I should have taken more pictures because several of the girls won door prizes, but we were split between two tables and that made it a bit more difficult to do a good job of it.

Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for taking the picture of me.

This is all I have to say for now.


Monday, October 23, 2017

Hatters Get Their Kicks on Route 66 Convention in Wichita, Kansas

October 6-8, 2017 in Wichita, Kansas

Wichita Red Hat Convention

This is the last event with photos until this coming Saturday. On Friday, October 6, 2017, I boarded a plane to Wichita, Kansas to take part in their "Hatters Get Their Kicks on Route 66" event. This was a FUNtastic event and I thoroughly enjoyed being a part of it. I got acquainted with Connie Pearl, Queen Mum of the Toto-ly Oz-some Red Hatters Chapter in NYC at the RHS International Convention this past February. When she realized I was from New Mexico, she said, "Oh, you simply must come to our convention in Wichita, Kansas in October." I told her I would think about it.

As time passed, we emailed each other and I made the decision to represent New Mexico on Route 66 at their convention. I arrived too late on Friday to judge the old car show, but I put myself together for the evening FUN as Janis Joplin and sang "Mercedes Benz" on the stage. Many attendees really got into portraying themselves as famous 1960's characters. The "singing" was hysterically funny and entertaining. We enjoyed a nice dinner in the ballroom. Michael Wallis, curator of the Route 66 museum, author and voice of the Sheriff in all the "Cars" movies, told a lot of great stories about Route 66 and making the "Cars" movies.

Saturday morning, we attended a breakfast and were entertained by LaDonna Gatlin (little sister of the Gatlin Brothers) gave a fun talk entitled "Sometimes You Just Gotta Laugh." She was originally a singer with her big brothers but gave it up for marriage and motherhood. She also has a great voice and sang to us.

The second person on the agenda was "Ms. Woman of the United States", Sierra Scott, also a television personality. She thoroughly entertained us with some great stories.

Saturday afternoon, we were to dress as a character in one of five choices of 60's TV shows. I had chosen "Gilligan's Island" as Ginger. But, alas, I discovered I had left my costume hanging in my closet at home. As all of you know, when Red Hatters get lemons, they tend to make lemonade. I walked across the stage in my red and purple and told Connie that I was Ginger fifty years later! I did have the poster I made for "Let's Make a Deal" which was next. I kept waving my poster and shouting "Pick me! Pick me! I finally got up there and took the money a couple of times, but they teased me with the "What's Behind the Curtain" routine and I went for it with everyone shouting, "Don't do it! Don't do it!" I won a "washer and dryer" which turned out to be a huge metal washer covered with silver glitter and a huge clothespin covered with purple glitter! I have it in a place of honor right now in my living room!

Saturday evening was dinner and big time dress-up night to vie for the title of "Divine Diva". I got number 13! We traipsed across the stage and the judges narrowed the group down to six. Amazingly to me, I was still in. We six went back onto the stage while the judges did some more figuring. Then we were sent off-stage to a small alcove. We were all talking among ourselves as Red Hatters are prone to do when Connie said, "We have a winner and it is number 13." I froze and the girls were saying, "Carla, that's you. Get up on that stage." I was almost in shock as I went back on the stage and Connie was there saying, "Tell us who and what you are." I was almost in tears saying, "I'm overwhelmed." I did regain my composure and the next thing I knew they were pinning a sash on me with "Divine Diva" printed on it; gave me a half-dozen long-stemmed red roses (plastic, of course, because how would you get them home on the plane alive?); and a red carry-bag filled with individually wrapped gifts. It was like Christmas!

We had a lovely breakfast on Sunday morning and we paid tribute to military and service professionals and it was amazing how many Red Hatters have served in the military. We were also entertained by Curtis the Mentalist. He was amazing. Very difficult to figure out how he reads your mind!

I wore my sash home on the plane and got quizzed about it many times. WOW! This is one memory that will stay with me forever. I must add that Carol K. Drake "Goddess of Design" was the person who created her version of "Let's Make a Deal" and it was spectacular, no wasted motion and tons of FUN. Kudos to Carol and the whole committee on creating a fabulous event. I'm so glad I went!

However, when my plane got to Phoenix, Arizona on my way home, there was a security breach in our terminal (suspicious package) and we sat on the tarmac over an hour. When we finally were able to deplane, my flight to El Paso was already gone and I had to sit there until 10:45 PM before getting another flight. When I arrived in El Paso, it seems my luggage had gone to LAX. My poor hubby, Doug, had spent the whole of Sunday afternoon waiting at an Applebee's Restaurant for my arrival. My luggage did arrive on Monday afternoon about 7:00 PM intact and everything was there and nothing broken. Boy, were we both tired!

Some of the Flower Children singing Karaoke
More Flower Children singing Karaoke
Michael Wallis, Curator of the Route 66 Museum, author and voice of the Sheriff in the "Cars" movies
Sierra Scott, Wichita TV personality and Ms. Woman of the United States winner
LaDonna Gatlin (little sister of the Gatlin Brothers) gave a talk "Sometimes You Gotta Laugh" and sang
L to R: Unknown, Mary Kay and Mary Stewart, table mates
Ana and Belle, table mates
Pam, a table mate
Cheryl Fiesbeck, table mate
Pam, Carla Kerr (just before I won Divine Diva) and Ana
Representing the U.S. Navy
U.S. Air Force veterans
Connie Pearl, U.S. Army Veteran and the Convention Chairperson
Red Hatters helping Curtis the Mentalist do one of his mind bending tricks
Curtis wrapped his head in duct tape while Connie looks on incredulously!
I do not have any photos of my winning "Divine Diva", but will be receiving a DVD of the whole event which I will share with anyone interested.

This is all I have to say for now.