2024: Not Bad

Above, during the horseback ride in Monument Valley.

Well, 2024 is just about wrapped up.

The year hasn't been bad for me. For one thing, nobody in the family has passed away, which is always a good thing.

Above, during a boat tour in Nassau, Bahamas. Photo by Mitch Geriminsky.

Thus far, it has been a mild winter. Not much snow has fallen as of late. But there's always January and February. 

I managed to do some traveling. Two clampouts were attended. A cruise to the Bahamas was taken. Helped with the John Wayne Cancer Foundation Half Marathon in Ridgway, Colorado. That was immediately followed by a trip to Monument Valley. A visit with ex-roomie Jessica in Des Moines, Iowa. That included a visit to the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum in nearby Winterset. Christmas was spent with the Geriminskys in Lake Havasu. I also visited Fort Sumner, New Mexico and toured the Billy the Kid Museum and gravesite. I attended this year's G-FEST in Rosemont, Illinois (near Chicago). It was good to see everyone there.

Above, during a Jeep drive to McGaffey Lake in May.

Happily, the 2024 Election turned out the way I wanted. We even gained some ground in the New Mexico legislature during the election. That is certainly a plus!

Above. with the gang at Grandpa's Grill in Gallup.

What 2025 holds is anyone's guess, but I am optimistic.

I plan on staying home tonight. It is safer that way. 

Happy New Year!

"McLintock" Poster Framed

Before going to dinner at Jerry's Café in Gallup last evening, I stopped at the frame shop to pick up the John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara McLintock (1963) poster.

I bought the poster at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in October in Winterset, Iowa. 

I think the framing work came out nicely.

 

"The Quiet Man" Irish Jaunting Car

Above, the Irish jaunting car from The Quiet Man on display at the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Before her passing in 2015, actress Maureen O'Hara was a collector of film memorabilia.

The largest item in her collection was the Irish jaunting or sidecar from the movie The Quiet Man (1952). It was seen throughout the movie.

Above, the jaunting car with a monitor showing it in The Quiet Man.

After her passing, her estate notified the John Wayne Birthplace Museum that it is available but they'd have to act fast and get it. After a professional appraisal, the Museum bought it for the appraised amount of $75,000. 

I saw the jaunting car when I visited the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum last month in Winterset, Iowa.

After it was acquired, the aging wood was restored and new seat cushions were made. 

Donations to the Museum towards the jaunting car are still being accepted. 

For more information on the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum, go here.

"McLintock!" 61st Anniversary

Above, the poster I bought at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

One has to marvel at how life can pass so quickly, especially when one reaches retirement age and older.

Such is the case with the John Wayne/Maureen O'Hara movie, McLintock! (1963). I still remember seeing it with my parents during its initial release.

According to the John Wayne official Facebook page, today marks the 61st anniversary of its release. 

They wrote:

Today marks the 61st Anniversary of the release of McLintock! (1963).⁣​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

"I don't give jobs, I hire men." —John Wayne as George Washington "G.W." McLintock in McLintock!

Although often seen as simply a knockabout comedy, John Wayne also intended the film to be a statement on his disapproval of the negative representation of Native Americans in previous westerns he had no creative-control over, and his disapproval of wife-beating and marital abuse from either spouse.

The costume John Wayne wore to portray G.W. McLintock in this film is on display at John Wayne: An American Experience  in the historic Fort Worth Stockyards, Texas. 

We are open 7 days per week, from 9am to 6pm. Please visit the link in our bio to purchase tickets or to gift a ticket to someone else.

This film and a selection of other John Wayne movies are now available to stream on the official John Wayne YouTube Channel. Please visit the link in our bio to watch. 

Last month, I picked up a McLintock! movie poster reproduction at the John Wayne Birthplace Museum in Winterset, Iowa. I will eventually have it framed and hung.

A few years ago, I chatted with Patrick Wayne outside of Ridgway, Colorado about McLintock!. He lamented that he and Stephanie Powers are the last actors left from the movie.

"McLintock!" Poster

Above is the John Wayne/Maureen O' Hara poster from the 1963 movie, McLintock!.  

McLintock! is a western version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew" 

The poster is not an original, but it is a nice poster that I will have framed. I bought it at the gift shop of the John Wayne Birthplace Museum. It was only $10. As I spent over $100 there, I was given a cloth carry bag, which I gave to my ex-roomie Jessica.

The John Wayne Birthplace Museum

 

Above, the John Wayne statue at the main entrance courtyard. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Along with having John Wayne's birthplace, Winterset, Iowa also has a museum with many movie artifacts from Wayne's career. The Museum had its grand opening on May 22-25, 2015. I visited both this last Thursday.

While not as extensive as the John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit in Fort Worth, Texas, fans visiting the museum will come away not at all disappointed. There's lots of stuff to see.

There is a theater that shows a short film with Aissa Wayne on her dad's life and career. When she was a youngster, she appeared in several of Wayne's films including The Comancheros, The Alamo and McLintock! 

There is a big gift shop in the museum. I picked up several DVDs to fill some gaps in my collection along with a poster from McLintock! (below).

One can walk directly from the museum to the birthplace house through a room containing a chuckwagon from The Cowboys. 

There is also the "courting cart" from The Quiet Man along with a model of the Alamo. One of Wayne's customized station wagons is on display. (There's another one in Fort Worth at the John Wayne: An American Experience.) Many movie wardrobe items are also on display. A collection of coffee mugs Wayne gave to cast and crew members of his movies upon their completion are also on display. A cannon used in The Alamo is also on display.

The main entrance courtyard is dominated by a huge statue of John Wayne.

Here's a sampling of my visit:

Catty-corner from the Museum:

John Wayne's Birthplace

Above, the birthplace of John Wayne. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

As Jessica was busy doing other things, I went solo to the John Wayne Birthplace & Museum in Winterset, Iowa yesterday.

I rented a car and headed there. It was about 45 miles away from Jessica's. 

The house where Wayne was born was acquired by Winterset around 1983 and restored. The furnishings inside were from the period, early 20th Century. 

Wayne's daughter Aissa and her husband head to Winterset every May to celebrate her dad's birthday and meet with her dad's fans.The museum has many movie artifacts from Wayne's films. It is not as extensive as the John Wayne: An  American Experience in Fort Worth, Texas, but it has plenty to not be disappointing.

Wayne and his family lived in Winterset for two years following his birth. It is a pretty small town, especially with the trees in their autumn colors. 

I was talking to the docents and they were not aware that the John Wayne Cancer Foundation holds marathons in different locations (like Ridgway, Colorado). I showed them photos of  Patrick and Ethan Wayne and me. They were quite fascinated. I told them I would try to have the Foundation contact them about promoting the marathons.

Of course, I took some photos while there:

In Iowa

This past week, I went to Des Moines, Iowa to help out my former roomie Jessica with some business related to her late dad's estate and other stuff.

The first day or so was spent decompressing from the long flight and to try out a local sushi restaurant, Wasabi, in Ankeny, a Des Moines suburb. It has been a while since either of us had sushi, so it was an extra special treat.

I had to fly in via Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. It is hard these days to get a direct flight anywhere at a reasonable cost. 

The Des Moines International Airport was roughly the size of the Albuquerque Sunport, but much older. they are a undergoing some building at the airport. 

I took a few photos:

Above. yours truly at the Albuquerque Sunport.

Above, at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, at Des Moines International Airport. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Jessica at her apartment's gazebo. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, Jessica's cat Smokey. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, at Wasabi for dinner.

Above, the platter of sushi and sashimi for two. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Above, inside Wasabi Japanese restaurant. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The next batch of photos will be from my trek to the John Wayne Birthplace and Museum in Winterset, Iowa.