ROUNDUP 2003
by Jean Sharp, Lot 98
(from Palaver, vol. 6, no. 6)

Roundup got off to an early start Thursday morning at the Ranch House with coffee and cinnamon rolls.  The lots were filling up fast with guests and returning leaseholdsers.  There were 185 registrants for Roundup.

Jennie Schubert and her capable crew cooked and served a brats and sauerkraut lunch with all the trimmings on Thursday.  Jennie had quite a traumatic time getting her supplies.  She ordered all the brats in advance and checked to see that all her supplies were in and was told that they were, but when she went to pick them up, there were not brats reserved for The Ranch!  It was a scramble to get enough brats but Jennie perservered and finally got enough brats and there was plenty of food for the meal.

Bob Gambol headed up a discussion Salon Thursday afternoon.  That evening The Best of Raunchy was presented.   Great memories were revived as we listened to Lyle Plummer recite My New Mexico Babe, an original poem written by our own C. T. Hancox.  Norm and Shirley Partch brought the house down with laughter as they reenacted The Bickersons with Norm ad-libbing all the way.  Then with pen lights in their nostrils, and the house lights off, Bob and Marilyn Railey entertained us with Dueling Banjos.   With their paper fans covering parts not to be seen, Milo Marquardt, Pat Burke and Rudy Schubert gave a burlesque Ode to Sally Rand.   Then it was back to the '60s with that gyrating hearthrob Elvis played by Phil Sharp, and his swooning teens, Judy Bell and Phyllis Frey, and lovelorn dancers, Rudy and Jennie, enjoying great music when the whistle was blown and thos do-gooders, Sherif Lyle and Deputy Lillian, censored Elvis' act and took him off the stage!  In between acts, Wally Mauck read some great news from The Lakewood Gazette.  The final curtain came down after the rousing, hilarious performance by Barb Novy, Shirley Culpepper, Bev Ratzlaff and Joyce Cook who were the queen bees of the nursing home, all dolled up in the nighties and dancing to the Blue Danube Waltz.  They kept beat to the music with their walkers!

Cass Davis, Fran Barnes, Wanda Johnson, Karen Ogden and helpers planned a great Health Fair.  Many took advantage of the bone density, lab tests and the flu shots that were offered.  Vista Care presented a program on Hospice.  Dr. J. Abalos came to The Ranch and spoke on various health issues that were of particular interest to our traveling population.  Out in the parking lot My Daddy's BBQ rolling chuck wagon from Carlsbad was serving up great sandwiches for lunch and dinner. 

Friday evening the horse races were held with live mares - not those wooden things in the past.  Seems that mares with names of One-for-the-Money (aka Jennie Schubert), Two-for-the-Show (aka Marilyn Railey), Three-to-Make-Ready (aka Sally Stribling), Four-to-Go (aka Shirley Culpepper), Five-Alive (aka Barb Novy), and Six-Pack (aka Gene Sharp) invaded the Ranch House just raring to win.  Buglar Norm Partch signaled the beginning of each race.  But the dice may have been loaded because One-for-the-Money won four out of six races (sound suspicious?).  Then there was turn of winners when those dice were replaced!  Three-to-Make-Ready won the fifth race and when the last race was won by Four-to-Go, why that horse just went crazy strutting around the arena!

Saturday, Wally Mauck and Bob Railey led a caravan of 19 to Sitting Bull Falls and Dog Canyon in the Guadalupe Mt. National Park.  It was cloudy and dreary at The Ranch but they reported that the sun was shining for their outing and picnic.  While that group wandered the prairie and mountains, Subie Redd had a great gathering of crafters in the Sun Room enjoying a Craft Fair.  Later that afternoon, Elizabeth Evelyn was maestro at a jam session.  One of our visitors, Ann Nechodom, who enjoyed the jam session and had a beautiful voice, led the singing at Happy Hour that day.

Gene Wessman and his crew cooked up a great lunch of hot dogs and chili.  Sure was a welcome tummy warmer for such a chilly day.

Saturday night we were entertained with a great melodrama D. K. Molar, The Devious Dentist, or ...There's Gold i Them Thar Teeth written by Billy St. John and directed by our own Thayer Tarvin.  The cast included Trudie Tenison, Charlene Tarvin, Dave Duncan, Roxy Colomb, Phyllis Frey and Bill Giffin.  There was booing and hissing and great jubilation by the audience as the cast revealed the true character of the villain - that unscrupulous Dr. D. K. Molar.  Many, many people were behind the scences to get this great production accomplished.

After the melodrama, Bob Gambol headed up the raffle drawings.  Bob also chaired the 50-50 drawings after Happy Hour each day.  Vern Miller and his helpers served Margaritas each evening with all donations going to CARE.

Sunday morning a hitchup breakfast of pancakes and sausage was served.  Mickey Burch hochoed that event.

Tom and Marth McIlvain taught 55-Alive Monday and Tuesday mornings.

It was great Birthday-Roundup celebration.  This year instead of a Roundup Chair and Co-Chair, the Board hosted the event.  A hearty "Thank You" to the boad for a great celebration!