Spotlight stops searching contacts

Hi, this one is a 'baffler' - new state of puzzlement.
After upgrading to Mountain Lion spotlight would occasionally stop searching my contacts, the artist previously known as Address Book. The Spotlight preference box for Contacts is ticked, and the Privacy tab does not have anything listed. Occasionally it would start searching Contact again after a re boot, but this is a mac and shouldn't need that. Now even that doesn't work, I can't get spotlight to search contacts at all. I have also added my HD to privacy, then removed it off forcing it to re index everything, which takes a while. It would work after that then stop after a few days.
I am normally not alone if ever I have a problem and find helpful solutions in forums etc. But alas, I seem to be on my lonesome on this cold dark night.
Any help appreciated, thanks.

I am on OS 10.8.2, All Latest Updates, MacBook Pro 17', SSD all maxed out.
I don't remember having this issue prior to OS 10.8.2, to which I Upgraded from 10.7.4.
I did not try Deleting any Files or Folder to fix this yet!
I did recently Signed Out and back Into iCloud while on call with AppleCare.
This issue of - Spotlight Stops Searching Contacts - comes and goes!
This issue existed before and after my Sign Out and Into iCloud!!!
Below is the Log of my Latest Research:
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Re-indexed Spotlight on my MacBook Pro by Dragging my Macintosh HD in and out of Privacy Tab in Spotlight!
54 minutes remaining at halfway point. Looks like it could be a two hour project! 
That took 1hr 9min on my SSD!!!
Problem still exists
Time Machine Backup ran during Re-Indexing, but I decided to let it do its thing!
Unchecked Contacts in Spotlight
Restarted
Checked Contacts in Spotlight
Problem still exists  - even if it worked for the l1nu5r post on Apple Discussions below
Saturday, November 17, 2012
After 2 SuperDuper Clone Backups + Time Machine Backup - All Contacts can be Searched in Spotlight!!!! The Issue Fixed itself - All Contacts could be Searched in Spotlight, but... That "success" lasted only for a day:)!
Sunday, November 18, 2012
After my SuperDuper Clone Backup, Contacts could not be found, even after UnMounted External HDs, turned them off and Restarted, and Shut Down my Mac twice!
I Edit a Contact and that Contact showed up in Spotlight, but only that Contact
I did a Safe Boot - Nothing in Spotlight was available except Web and Wikipedia
I Shut Down for 2 min and Restarted. Spotlight did some more Indexing for about 1 minute!
That Edited Contact showed up in Spotlight, but only that Contact
My Best Guess:
This issue appears to be related to iCloud!
I hope Apple is reading this and all our posts!
Apple is welcome to call me...
I will be calling AppleCare soon!
I hope All Our Dots Will Connect, so that this Issue is fixed!!!
Stay tuned!

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