Below is my latest acrylic painting (a hobby I've taken up since moving to New Mexico) and I paint under my maiden name C. C. Crittenden to honor my Cherokee Native American Heritage.
I do hope you enjoy seeing it. I have many more articles to catch everyone up on and I promise to do this as my New Year Resolution.
Hugs,
Carla Kerr
July 16, 2022
Ten Red Hatters and two guests had a FUN luncheon at the Nuckleweed Restaurant in the Sacramento Mountains up above Alamogordo, New Mexico.
Rosanna Heath and Queen Ladybird (aka Carla Kerr) shared hostessing which included drawings for bagged gifts that Rosanna and Carla had put together.
We were going to play a game after lunch, but we were too many to fit in their backroom and had to move to the main dining area which is made up of stationary four-seat tables and our game just didn't fit the occasion. We had many laughs and much enjoyment just talking with each and relishing our meals.
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| This is a shot of Jean Courtier's fabulous Beef Wellington |
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| Guest Evans with his wife Vice Queen Alice Evans |
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| Margie Purcella with Jean Courtier |
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| Flo's guest, Ann Barron with Hostess Rosanna Heath |
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| Jan Praught with Florence Dean |
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| Natalie McCartin with Kimberly Resel, our newest members |
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| Our excellent waitress, yet to be named |
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| Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr with Kim Gugliotta |
This was the largest group we've had in quite some time and it was so good to see everyone. Our waitress is going to call me because she wants to join our chapter as a Pink Hatter for two years and then we will have another Reduation. FUN! FUN! FUN!
Thanks to my spouse, Doug Kerr, for processing the photos for me. He does a great job of making all of us look wonderful. Our next event is early August for the Queen's 84th Birthday.
This is all I have to say for now
Saturday, June 18, 2022
Red Hatters Are Off To The Races at Ruidoso Downs, New Mexico
Six Red Hatters and one brave gentleman (Kimberly Gugliotta's husband) Tim, carpooled to Ruidoso, New Mexico for a day of horse racing at Ruidoso Downs. It is a little over an hour's drive from Alamogordo, through the Mescalaro Apache Indian Reservation with beautiful mountain scenery along the way.
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| L to R: Gail Swineford, our newly Reduated Red Hatter Shelly Carns, Trudy Reese and Jan Praught |
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| Queen Ladybird aka Carla Kerr |
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| L to R: Shelly, Gail and Carla |
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| L to R: Trudy Reese, Carla, Gail, "Talk to the Hat" Jan and Kim Gugliotta |
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| R to L: Kim, Jan, Gail, Trudy and Shelly |
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| A nice lady took this shot so all of us could be seen. R to L: Carla, Kim, Jan, Gail, Trudy and Shelly |
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| Hubby Doug took this shot just before I left |
We had a lot of FUN which is what we are all about and most of us "donated". However, Shelly went home a winner or as I call it, "beginner's luck". We had lunch in Billy the Kid Restaurant on the premises. The food was quite good, but slow in arriving. Paying our tabs would make a great scene in a play. We received apologies and the usual nowadays excuse due to COVID, "Short of help". One could tell there was a lot of "On the Job Training" going on, but we made the best of it as Red Hatters do.
I never knew where Tim (our chauffeur) disappeared to, but he magically appeared with the car and drove us safely home. Gail drove for the other group and we thank her as well.
This is all I have to say for now.
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| Carla's son Russ | | |
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| Carla Kerr |
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| Lynne with Mom (Carla) in Lynne's spacious kitchen |
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| Carla's great granddaughter, Tawni |
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| Carla's grandsons, Landon and Dakoda making turkey sounds | |
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| Tawni, their mother, Marcia and Taylor Ann |
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| Great Grandchildren, Dakoda, Brooke and Sydney with Granddaughter Tiffany |
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| Carla and Doug lunching with Doug's daughter, Nancy |
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| Lynne with her mom, Carla | |
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| Grandson Drew with his son, Cooper |
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| Alison getting acquainted with Great Grandmother, Carla |
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| Drew carving the Christmas turkey |
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| Alison listening to Priscilla talking | |
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| Priscilla helping Cooper eat | |
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| Brooke and Alison sharing some cousin time |
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| Standing from L: Lynne, Wesley, Taylor, Jennifer, Carla, Tiffany, Priscilla and Drew |
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| Lynne's beautiful home | |
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| Miss Maggie May |
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| Carla, Samantha, Joshua and Joni |
We had such a marvelous time visiting with each family and the grandchildren and the great grandchildren. What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of chemotherapy and the beginning of my weight gaining regimen. As I am very late in putting this communique together, I can tell you that I am up to 119 pounds and I have a full head of hair. It feels good to look like myself again. My sweet husband, Doug, was with me and apparently he was behind the camera so much that we only got one photo of him when we met his daughter, Nancy, for lunch and the waitress took that one.
I am so grateful for being blessed with such a big family. Since we visited there, Samantha is newly married (last October) and Taylor Ann is now engaged, so the grandchildren and great grandchildren are carrying on as nature intended.
This is all I have to say for now.
Hello All,
We had a large group of Red Hatters plus two gentlemen (Carla's husband, Douglas, photographer, and Nancy's husband, Chuck). Five ladies came from El Paso, Texas, members of the Red Hot Flashers Chapter, for this grand event. Shelly actually became 50 the next day, but, hey, whose counting??
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| Queen Ladybird appears to be somewhat confused! |
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| Early arrivals |
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Our Pink Hatter, Shelly Carns, walking the Red Carpet during her Reduation as the Queen reads "Warning" by Jennie Joseph |
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| Queen Ladybird reading the Red Hat Mission Statement |
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| Vice Queen Alice Evans reads the Reduation Poem |
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Queen Ladybird asks Shelly, "Are you ready to spread your 
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| And now for lunch! |
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| Dom, our fabulous server |
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| Is the queen amused? |
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| Jan Praught and Kimberly Resel |
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| The queen is amused! |
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| Queen Ladybird visiting with Shari and Queen Laura |
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| The Queen telling tall tales |
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| Members of the Red Hot Flashers Red Hat Chapter with Queen Laura and Queen Ladybird |
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| Kim, Queen Laura and Queen Ladybird |
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| Our guest of honor, Red Hatter Shelly Carns with the ladies of the Red Hot Flashers and Queen Ladybird |
I do believe a grand time was had by everyone and it was so wonderful to share this great occasion with the ladies of the Red Hot Flashers Chapter of the Red Hat Society from El Paso, Texas. Shelly Carns is now officially a Red Hatter, but she now has the task of finding a new Pink Hatter for our chapter. She received many lovely gifts and advice cards from each Red Hatter in attendance.
Our server, Dominic, took such good care of us and even jumped in and helped Doug take pictures of the event. The food was delicious, as always, at Casa de Suenos. We are never disappointed there.
This is all I have to say for now.
