July 23, 2007
Well, yesterday was the last day of the big Billy the Kid Show in Albuquerque. Comes down today. It was amazing, and I'm hearing rumors that it may be reassembled at another museum. More later.

Got the word last night the Prairie Rose Chuckwagon Suppers has closed and is for sale. This is the very popular Thomas Etheridge property north of Wichita that spawned the Wild West World theme part. The dominoes keep falling.

Working hard on images for The Top Secret Project. Here's two pages from my sketchbook. Not a bad likeness of Fred Remington (at left) sketching at San Carlos:



Speaking of Freds
"Am just back from a three week trip that included appearing in the BTK Symposium in ABQ (where at long last I met Johnny Boggs and liked him a lot) and a trip to Cheyenne for the WOLA Shootout. During my stay I mailed you a copy of my Tascosa book—did it get to you safely? Oklahopeless just sent me the dustwrapper for the BTK Reader. If nothing else it will confuse would-be Michael Wallis purchasers.

"You seem to be managing well without Kathy. How, I cannot imagine."
—Fred Nolan

More Amazing Bachelor Comments
“Sure do enjoy reading your daily account of your tumultuous life. Makes mine seem rather ordinary! Glad you will be seeing your sweety soon. I can tell you miss her.

“Today and tomorrow I'm at a local ranch rodeo and have set up a table to sell books in the trade fair there. Had a good day today and sold a few cowboy books to some happy people.

“On Sunday I'll be off to the Bar U Ranch to help out at the chuckwagon camp. I love telling lies and pouring cowboy coffee for the "dudes" , I mean tourists. At the camp we talk about the days before barbed wire and how the plow changed the world of the old-time cowman forever.

“This is the ranch that the great Harry Longabaugh worked punching cows in 1890. He was a well behaved boy in Canada, I think he's was afraid of the Red-Coats. Also worked in a hotel bar in Calgary in 1891 before heading back south across the line to get into big trouble. Have a tall cool one for me and keep writing. Best cowboy wishes from the foothills of Alberta.”
—Bill Dunn

Hats Off To The Missus!
"Long story short, I saw these hats on the wine tour, and they were selling for about $65. After checking with BBB, we decided he needed one, but when I tried to find one in Valparaiso, I just couldn’t. It was the last day in port, the sun was setting, and I was walking along a row of venders near the ship asking, 'Hay un sombrero de Huaso?' To which they all said 'no', except one man, who wrote on my map the name of the store on Argentina Ave. where I could buy one. Oh goodie, I know Argentina Ave!! So I hop on the bus, and find the store in a blink (thanks to the name on my map) and inside are huge rolls of vinyl & upholstery fabric, belts, saddles, and two kinds of sombreros de Huaso. I bought them both. The felt one was $25, and the summer straw $20, but don’t tell the students who paid $65!!

"Honey, I also got the poncho for only $25. Can't wait to show you."
—Kathy

Meanwhile, I have a neighbor who thinks my life should be a movie and he sends me ideas, like this:

"Keep thinking about that fictional biopic on Kid Boze, 'Out of the West He Rode'. The 1940's gave us Walter Mitty. The 1980's gave us Clark "Sparky" Griswald in the Vacation series. For the 00's, America, (aka Los Estados Unidos for all our local friends visiting without benefit of AAA maps), American is ready for Life with Boze, the 'Everyman' who views life through the pallate of many colors of guache and finds wisdom in the common sense.

"Cue the guy from Holywood with the voice... Oh forget it for now. The story has gone back for a major rewrite and recasting. I am not sure about the young Shia Labeouf playing Bob as a young man. We are talking with Sam Shepherd, a real life writer, about playing the mature Bob Bell."
—Tom A. (cat whisperer)

Classic Onion Headline de Jour
I Support The Occupation Of Iraq But I Don't Support Our Troops

"Hat, hats and more hats! What else could a man want in a woman!"
—BBB