March 26, 2005
Bummed. Arizona had Illinois down by 15 points with less than three minutes to go. A win sends them to the final four, and Illinois comes back and wins it in overtime. Bill Murray was there with his big, fat face, grinning like the loon he is. I'll never watch another movie of his again.

Not that I'm being an immature Wildcat alumni who puts way to much importance on sports for self-worth purposes. No, I'm being immature because I never graduated and that's one of the perks of being an underclassman (35 years and counting).

Peaches got into it with Amy on the road. Big fight. Ed, my neighbor tried to break them up and got bit. He called me right at the end of the game and wanted to know if she has had her shots. She has. Thought about killing her after the game. Ed too. Decided I was just being hysterical and washed the dishes (one of the perks of being 58).

This morning, my neighbors who are starting the bakery came by and asked me if I had any photos of Old West troopers from this area and I said I had some dillys. Showed her a great photograph out of a book of Al Seiber, the chief of scouts against the Apaches in the 1870s (played by Robert Duvall in the movie Geronimo). I asked her if she wanted me to whip out a scratchboard of it so she wouldn't have to battle copyrights. She asked me what I'd charge her and I said, "A lot of bread." She laughed.

I whipped it out in about 40 minutes. Nice shot of Al in buckskins, big ol' hat, hand in pocket. I think Herb Peck owns the original. I love homemade bread so now I've got that going for me.

Worked on getting big, flat rocks in the entrance (the driveway is done, but now I need to lay in rock by hand out to the road. Got about five feet of rock in place. Also did some painting and worked on a trio of galloping riders, big storm in the distance, lightning. Pretty loose and nice gouache. After the game I decided to channel some of my excess energy into a series of mini-portraits I've been wanting to do of all the Earps and Holliday and did about six. Interesting results. I'll post a few this coming week.

Got back the film of Festival of the West A($35, includes three rolls of film and a new battery, biz account) and there are some pretty groovy shots of many of the Maniacs who came by the tent. The little kid with the fake 'stash was priceless but I didn't get his name.

Last night I met Kathy at her office and we walked over to Arizona Wine Company and had a few tastes. Met a couple from Nebraska who have a time-share at Rancho Manana. Nice people. He's a banker and he was bummed that Oklahoma State got beat the night before by Arizona. I was gloating like that damned Bill Murray and see what it got me.

At seven, Kathy and I met the Tumalos for dinner at the new Bodega Tapas bar in Spanish Village. Great little restaurant. Had more wine, a nice cabernet. Turns out I know the owner, John, an old Cave Creeker ($72, includes tip, Kathy paid cash).

"Men always make passes at girls who drain glasses."
—Old Vaquero Saying