March 4, 2006
I called my old Carson City bootmaker friend Johnny Weinkauf yesterday and told him I need a new pair of custom boots to match my $1,000 Optimo “Performance” hat. John, who moved to Kerrville, Texas last year, informed me that to cover the bottom extremities of my body, he will match the price of covering the top end. John and I go back to Wyly’s Leather days in Tucson. In fact it was John who took me out to Paul McCartney’s ranch out on East Tanque Verde, near Redington Pass, when the cute Beatle was closing on the ranch. We snuck in and looked around. Frankly, the place was kind of underwhelming. Ironically, this is where Linda spent her last days. She and I almost crossed paths at the Fine Arts College at U of A in 1965 (she left the semester I enrolled), and it was only a couple of years later, when I was driving down Speedway Blvd. and first heard the lyrics, “Jo Jo left his home in Tucson, Arizona. . .” and I thought, “Hmmmmm, from Liverpool to my back yard. How strange is that?” Suffice to say, it was the late sixties and it was strange.

Here’s the photo of me and legendary Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson (on right) in front of the Museum of the Big Bend in Alpine, Texas last weekend. A photographer for the Alpine Avalanche sent me the pic. I told Kathy this is as close as I’ll ever come to meeting Wyatt Earp. Joaquin is the modern day equivalent or incarnation of the taciturn lawman. It was a total thrill to meet him and I enjoyed the whole event down there.

Does Blogging Have Any Inherent Strengths?
“Blogging makes it possible for writers to commit instantaneous worldwide libel without having access to traditional media.”
—Terry Teachout

News From The Front Lines
“James Wilkins from Poynette, Wisconsin called today to straighten a problem with his subscription. He said that he found TW on the newsstand, is 62 and has never grown up! He said that he has horses and dresses western. He likes the History Channel and likes the segments that you do of TW Moments. He vacations in Western States and visits museums and historical sites (mentioned Cody). He said that True West magazine is a good fit for him.”
—Carole Glenn

Favorite Onion Headline de Jour
Visiting Liberian Dignitary In No Hurry To Leave

“As I get older I seem to believe less and less and yet to believe what I do believe more and more.”
—David Jenkins