Over the years, I’d see Chuck McCann’s face pop up in numerous films and TV shows: Foul Play, The Bob Newhart Show, They Went That-a-Way and That-a-Way, Little House on the Prairie, Diff’rent Strokes, and Matt Houston (in which he played an Oliver Hardy look-alike). Each time I’d see him, I’d say to myself, “ah! there he is.”

I didn’t see Chuck McCann in person again until 1992, when he and Jim MacGeorge would perform a skit as Laurel and Hardy look-alikes. As Bob and I arrived on the island, we saw Chuck and I had him sign the photo above. I recall that he initially seemed put out, but then caught himself and beamed a big smile at me after signing.

Then I’d see him four times in four successive years in the mid-1990s, starting with the New York Sons of the Desert convention (where he signed the photo at the top of the posting), where he was a celebrity guest. Then the following year, I’d see him working the crowd with Hugh Hefner at the Ray Courts Hollywood Collectors Show on June 24, 1995. Then the next year, he’d be part of the Sons of the Desert convention cruise through the Caribbean. In 1997, I’d see him again at the Hollywood Collector Show – again with Hefner. During all of these encounters, I never once got a photo with Chuck.

Another ten years passed before I’d see Chuck again, this time at the Way Out West Tent’s 40th anniversary banquet on July 28, 2007. He partnered up with Jim once again to perform a routine. I had every intention of finally getting a photo taken with both Chuck and Jim, but an ‘incident’ that occurred between my friend Jimmy and Chuck ensured that I’d have to pass up this opportunity when he left the event somewhat prematurely.

With Chuck being a longtime fixture of the Sons, I did want to get a photo with him at some point, and fortunately the opportunity arose again when I caught him working the crowd at the Hollywood Show on February 12, 2011. As usual, I always look familiar to him – even if he can’t recall my name. His face lit up when I mentioned being a Sons member and he was more than happy to pose for a picture. Incidentally, I’d see him yet again at the Hollywood Show later that year on October 8. This time, he’d approach me to inquire about my friend Jimmy.

Celebrities of the Winter 2011 Hollywood Show will continue…

I was a little bit out of the loop from the Sons of the Desert in 1992, as the Towed in a Hole Tent, of which I was a 12-year member, had become inactive and I wasn’t even getting the official publication any longer. I had to rely on my friend Bob to get me the convention registration materials and pass on pertinent info. A few weeks before the convention, he did just that. It seems that Jacquie Lyn’s son had bought her a copy of the VHS tape for Pack Up Your Troubles and on that video included some home movies of Jacquie Lyn playing with Stan’s daughter Lois. Lois had narrated the video and had mentioned that we were looking to find out whatever became of her. She had proven most difficult to locate, as her actual name of Jacquelyn Dufton was unknown at the time.

Jacquie, who was now married and going by the name Jacquelyn Woll responded by sending a note to the address provided. This belonged to my friend Dwain Smith, Corresponding Secretary of the Sons. An invitation was extended to have Jacquie as a guest at the convention and she accepted.

I couldn’t wait to have the photo from Pack Up Your Troubles, which had long hung on our wall, autographed by the one and only Jacquie Lyn. I met up with her the first night of the convention, Sunday, July 12. I found her to be completely down-to-earth and friendly. She didn’t have any airs about her. And why should she? She had retired from the movie business at the age of four. I asked her to become an honorary member of my new tent and she accepted… and remained until her death in 2002.

This photo hung on our wall for years, and I was pleased to finally get it signed

She also signed this photo that Bob had previously gotten signed by Grady Sutton for me

A greeting that came out of our first meeting, This one currently hangs on my basement wall.

More troubles from Pack Up Your Troubles

Mary Gorden joins Jacquie, Babe, and Stan

A brutal scene with Rychard Cramer

Nice publicity still of a scene that never appeared in the film

Jacquie as she appeared in the Our Gang, along with Dick Moore (who has also signed the photo), Kendall McComas, Stymie Beard, and Spanky McFarland

Jacquie Lyn and Jerry Tucker signed this great photo from Prosperity with Marie Dressler and Polly Moran for me in 1994

In the intervening years, we exchanged a few letters, one of which was a through-the-mail interview – which I would print in issue #4 of  my newsletter Dante’s Info (to be seen later). She also signed several additional photos for me through the mail. Despite the fact that subsequently was a special guest at the 1994 Sons convention as well, I only ever got one photo with her. This was taken during our first meeting on July 12. Since the photo was obviously rather blurry, I’m still kicking myself for not getting a better photo when we met again that year.

The first time I met Jacquie Lyn in Las Vegas on Sunday, July 12, 1992

But overall, I feel extremely blessed to have gotten the chance to meet Jacquie Lyn. There was a day when we had no idea where she was, or if I’d ever get such an opportunity to meet her, but I had already repeatedly enjoyed her performance in the films. And once again, that’s all we can do now.

Celebrities of the 1992 Las Vegas Sons of the Desert convention will continue…

That’s the subplot of the story. Jon was there, but it really made no difference to me. I was there to celebrate the magic of Stan and Babe once again. This was my sixth convention, and it ranks right near the top in my book. Joining Jon and me were my Dad and my sister Denise. We all stayed in the same room and there was a bit of contention on whether to split the room bill three ways or four, but other then that, we all got along swellishly.

The event began on Sunday, July 12, 1992 at the Palace Station Hotel and Casino – where I would spend my first time ever in fabulous Las Vegas. We flew out that morning and arrived in Las Vegas that afternoon. Registration was conducted in a central meeting area just up a set of escalators that I would re-visit in 2009. Whilst waiting to make my presence known, I was tapped on the shoulder and turned around to see my pal Bob Satterfield, looking decidedly thinner and with longer hair – which he later attributed to his mid-life crisis. Visiting Bob back in his room, he presented me with a somewhat late graduation present, which was well worth the wait: an amazing photo album full of autographed photos with graduation wishes from about 25 L&H and Our Gang co-stars. Someday, I’ll post the album in its entirety.

That evening we had a fun cocktail reception (where Bob received a Stan Laurel check endorsed by Stanley “Tiny” Sandford, which I carried around with me and showed off). Then we had a “Salute to Hal Roach Dinner”. Mostly what I remember about this was that Dick Bann had accompanied Hal Roach himself to the event. At this point, Hal Roach was 100 years old. This ended up being the third and final time that I saw Mr. Roach in person. Following the dinner, The Parade of Tents was presented via video presentation. The evening culminated with the opening of the cinema and the Dealers Room. I made a couple of significant purchases at some point during the week – framed and matted autographed photos of Oliver Hardy and Edgar Kennedy. I was up exceptionally late reading my new copies of The Laurel and Hardy Magazine in the bathroom in our room while everyone else slept.

Having Tommy “Butch” Bond, now sporting red hair, sign a photo for me at the cocktail mixer

I think Jon and I tried our hand at the slot machines that night. Not being a big gambler, I’d be surprised if I spent more than $20 in quarters throughout the week. I remember that night watching Sherry Han, the host of the convention and Grand Sheik of the Jitterbugs tent, playing slots with silver dollars and quickly going through 100 bucks. How I cringed!

Monday, July 13, saw a lot of standard Sons fare: the Grand Council meeting, the Dealer’s Room and Cinema, a seminar on How to Start and Maintain a Sons Tent (which interested me greatly at the time), the Trivia Contest and Tournament of Champions Trivia Contest (of which I didn’t participate), the Hal Roach All-Stars Look-a-Like & Sound-a-Like Contest, and the Pee-Wee Contest. I can’t recall if I participated in the latter – but it was something I would typcially do. All of this provided plent of time for Jon to sit back in the room.

I also brought along a ridiculous amount of copies of my new tent newsletter (for the tent that didn’t quite yet exist) Dante’s Info. I was proud of that darn thing and periodically laid numerous copies around the convention and watched people pick them up, hoping that they would gawk and think it was a literary masterpiece.

That night saw a great event at a local waterpark Wet ‘N Wild, called the Honolulu Baby Luau. A lot of folks – and I’m not honestly sure if I was one of them – participated in the waterslides, with special focus going to Bob Satterfield and Tracy Tolzmann, both of whose girth made for some very impressive splashes as they went down the speed slides.

After swimming, we had a great dinner with background music provided by Ronnie Hazelhurst and his Orchestra, playing the tunes of the Hal Roach Studios. I recall standing in line for food with Bob and celebrity guest Vera Ralston and her husband. Dwain Smith noted that Larry Semon’s cousin was also present at the event and could be recognized by the stain on his pants. It was a fine, warm evening in the 100-plus degree weather, which was almost bearable with the low humidity.

 Tuesday the 14th saw the Celebrity Panel & Autograph session at 10am that morning. This convention had more celebrity guests than any other convention other than Hollywood ’80. Participating in the Q&A were Tommy “Butch” Bond, Lois Laurel Hawes, Jerry Tucker, Jacquie Lyn, Anthony Caruso, Jay R. Smith, Trudy Marshall, Eugene “Pineapple” Jackson, and Dorothy deBorba. Other celebs that were not present at the Q&A were Diosa Costello, Vera Ralston, and Della Lind. Two guests had been slated to attend but did not end up coming: Felix Knight and Vivian Blaine. Postings regarding encounters with some of the celebrities begin here.

Jay R. Smith, Jacquie Lyn, and Dorothy deBorba during the Q&A session

Jerry Tucker, Pineapple Jackson, and Tommy Bond

Trudy Marshall and Lois Laurel

There was a Laurel and Hardy Olympics in Toyland event that afternoon, but I don’t think I participated. This might have been when Jon and I spent a very brief time at the slots. There was also a screening of going on, and although I didn’t watch it, I was able to meet celebrity Diosa Costello my one and only time after the screening. I never saw her again at the convention or any other time.

We went directly from the theatre area to the banquet room, where there was some bizarre Murder Case Crime Scene, where one was to guess who the killer of ‘Bozo’ was. I really had no idea what was going on, but it was fun to see various Sons, Tony Hawes in particular, play characters who were suspects of the ‘murder’. I think Bob, also not knowing what was going on, took part in this also.

Bob in costume with Kathy Luhman, following the Crime Scene event. Randy Skretvedt and I are in the background.

The banquet that night was hosted by Bill Cassera’s The Midnight Patrol tent had a cops and robbers theme and everyone came dressed accordingly – but not me as per usual. After the banquet, Bob drove my Dad, Denise, Jon, Jimmy, and me into Vegas and we visited a couple of the casinos. It was a nice chance to look around although none of us gambled. Jon kept his ideas peeled for legal prostitutes. As we weaved our way through the blaring neon, my Dad jokingly asked Bob, “Yeah, but where do people go to gamble?”

With the display of one million dollars at the Binion’s Horseshoe Casino

Thank goodness we had at least one group shot: Dad, me, Jon, Denise, and Jimmy with the million bucks

Bob working his way though the lights of Vegas

Denise participates in some late night antics with paper cups

The final full day of the convention came on Wednesday, July 15. The first activity I can recall was the screening of Pack Up Your Troubles, which included a talk from Jacquie Lyn and featured a print that included footage that I had never seen before. This was about the only Laurel and Hardy film I actually watched during this convention. There was an auction that afternoon, and I purchased an original lobby card from The Dancing Masters and had Trudy Marshall sign in that evening at the Jitterbugs banquet, which featured live big band music.

In between the auction and the banquet was the final Grand Council meeting where we voted for the next convention. I declared my soveriegty by voting on behalf of my own tent instead of the Towed in a Hole Tent. Although I actually voted for Harlem, Georgia, the convention bid for 1994 was won by Tarrytown, New York and the Founding Tent.

The standard Farewell Brunch and Passing of the Pineapple was held on Thursday morning. My Dad, Denise, and Jon departed for the airport and took along the long piece of artwork that I had brought to exhibit in the Al Kilgore art gallery. I, however, didn’t leave from Vegas. I was continuing my vacation by participating in some of the post-trips and celebrations in California. So I loaded up my loot in Bob’s car and we began our drive back to his place in San Bernardino.

Jimmy and Denise at the Farewell Brunch, with standard foliage head garb. My pal David Rodriguez is behind Jimmy.

Denise gets around with her plant heads. Here is John Duff sprouting something besides hair on his head.

With my artwork contribution and the world’s worst mullet

It had been a fabulous convention and I so wish that I had captured more photos. I had also recently begun a journal, which was mostly so that I could journal my experiences on this trip – but alas, that invaluable book no longer exists.

The 1992 trip will continue in California…

Follow the trail of celebrities from this convention here…

I had mentioned previously to Jamie and her Mom that the Food Network TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives had done a segment in two of our local Cincinnati eateries. On Friday, June 24, Jamie’s folks suggested that instead of eating dinner at their house, they would like to take us out to eat at Blue Ash Chili, one of the two establishments featured on the show, this one in the episode Comfort Food With Attitude. This entire event intrigued me: the concept of eating some spectacular and acclaimed food dishes at some unique and interesting (and mostly cheap) restaurants. After tasting their chili, chili dog, and taking a few bites of Jamie’s Mom’s heaping Reuben sandwich (she gave me half, but I had to save most of it for leftovers), I was hooked. I simply had to find out what other restaurants were out there to be discovered. Blue Ash Chili was the first of the current of 477 (the current number featured so far), but as far as I was concerned, there were going to be more in my future.

DD&D #1: Blue Ash Chili in Blue Ash, Ohio

Attacked by the sunlight, Jamie and I high five our first DD&D meal, complete with chili, a five-way, a chili dog, and gigantic Reuben

We went back to Jamie’s folks’ house after dinner, and despite the fullness, we played some rousing games of ping pong and I helped Jamie put her spare modem on Amazon. I went to my Mom’s house that night to sleep, knowing that I’d be picking up Jamie bright and early the next morning, Saturday, June 25.

The reason for this: Kings Island. It had been just slightly over a year since I had visited the park, and I was pumped and primed to replace that memory with a much grander one. Our bright and early start wasn’t horribly bright and early by any means. In fact, by the time I picked her up and made our way to the park, it was nearly noon.

After getting through the gates and getting our Eiffel Tower picture taken, we headed over to the Action Zone of the park for a ride on Invertigo (formerly known as FACE/OFF when Paramount owned the park). I didn’t ride this ride during my last visit, so it had been at least nine years since I had been on this one. We nearly didn’t get to ride it. As we waited in the 90-minute line, it was announced that the ride had shut down. Most people left, but we had waited so long – and so many people had departed the line, that we decided to wait it out. It still took about 90 minutes as had been announced, but with its six inversions and speed up to 55mph, it was certainly the heart-pounder needed to start our day.

Arrival at the park, lackluster framing courtesy some lunkhead man-about-town

Invertigo: a feeling of dizziness, a swimming in the head…

Post-traumatic Jamie at the end of the ride

The Racer – located in the Coney Mall – had been one of Jamie’s favorite rides, but she had preferred the backwards version. It was only going forward these days, but it still provided the pulse pounding rickety thrills that it always had - and had been since opening day at the park in 1972. The Monster had been another of her childhood favorites, so we hopped on that one immediately. However, I don’t think either of us were quite as prepared to feel so nauseous when we got off. It hit us both at the same time, so it must have had something to do with our particular ride and spins.

Creaking our way up The Racer

One of Jamie’s favorite childhood rides…

The Monster is about to claim two more victims

Jamie gets her stomach reconfigured and back in working order…

The remedy for this upset stomach was naturally to get some blue ice cream. Remarkably, Jamie had never had this staple Kings Island taste treat, so we meandered over to the Planet Snoopy area to grab one. Jamie wasn’t quite convinced about this former-Smurf ice cream, so she searched in vain for a chocolate cone before she finally gave in and settled for the blue food group.

…all in the name of blue ice cream therapy

Blue lips to match the blue eyes

…and his unkissed lips are blue…

Since my all-time favorite defunct Kings Island ride had been the Enchanted Voyage, I was curious to see the attraction that was now housed in its building. It had been closed when I visited during the previous summer, but this time we got to ride the Boo Blasters on Boo Hill. Unfortunately, it was more of the same – a crummy laser gun ride where one can shoot the miniscule targets on the various ghosts and goblins. I didn’t even like it as much as the former Phantom Theater, and certainly not as much as the Disney World counterpart Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin. We opted not to spend the extra $1 to purchase 3-D glasses that supposedly made the ride all the better. The targets were so hard to hit that my score was only 390 versus Jamie’s 240. This still put me on the second tier, the Beginner Blaster level.

At the site of my old favorite ride, the Enchanted Voyage

It was about 4pm by this time, and we were ready for more excitement. The excitement we desired could only be found on Firehawk, the insane ride that makes you feel as if you are flying like Superman. The entrance to the line said that this would be a tw0-hour wait, but it ended up taking less than an hour. I have no idea how they could be this inaccurate, but I wasn’t arguing. This was my second time on the ride, and Jamie’s first. She took it like a trooper although midway through, she began questioning why should take her life into this rollercoaster’s hand like this. I almost nearly made the fatal mistake of leaving my glasses on, and had to carefully remove them after the first loop had nearly shook them off of my head.

I struggle to remove my glasses and Jamie gets attacked by her hair. No comment on the blue people.

Jamie and I took a rest, sitting on the sidewalk, and sharing a Coke and a water, for about an hour. In its own way, this was one of the most fun parts of the day. Then she was ready to brave another first-time ride on the park’s grandest rollercoaster Diamondback. As it had during my first ride on it, Diamondback again provided untold thrills, speed, and excitement. Both Jamie and I marveled how a steel coaster that reached a speed of 80mph could be so freaking smooth.

Jamie and I are ready to brave the Diamondback

Against the better judgement of mankind, we opt to ascend this ridiculously steep hill

After being occupied with Diamondback for an hour or so, we decided to uphold another Kings Island tradition by having some LaRosa’s pizza at the pizza parlor made famous not only by the Kings Island of yore, but by The Brady Bunch – where Bobby and Cindy decide to partake in some of the italian treat whilst looking for Mr. Brady’s plans.

A visit to LaRosa’s always capped Jamie’s childhood days at Kings Island

“One of our favorite foods is pizza” and I told the pizza server as much. His response: “I hate pizza.”

It was 8pm and don’t ask me why Jamie and I decided to try out the new ride WindSeeker so soon after dinner, but we did. This bad boy was 301 feet tall (which is just 13 feet shorter than the Eiffel Tower replica on International Street) and had been in operation for a grand total of four days. Surprisingly, the wait was only about 45 minutes. I guess the other guests were waiting to see how it all worked out on us crash test dummies. It was an amazing spin. I kept my food down by looking down rather than looking at the other guests spinning.

Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. We’re going up there.

Getting ready to take a very high spin on WindSeeker

It was about 8:30 when we finished WindSeeker, and Jamie and I both decided that we didn’t want to face any further stomach-turning thrills. So probably for the first time in history, I didn’t ride The Beast or The Vortex during my visit. We did however, pay the extra fee to check out the new Dinosaurs Alive! attraction, and coupled it with the Dinosaurs Alive! 3-D movie in the Action Theater.

While I can’t imagine that these dinosaur animatronics (located in the woods behind The Racer) will be a big money-maker for Kings Island, the effort put into them was amazing and I quite appreciated them. There were no less than 60 life-size dinosaur models, most with moving parts, and many with full sound roars. Some of them would even let you operate the parts on them that move. The 3-D movie that accompanied the display was quite amazing as well and was the first 3-D film that I had seen in the new Dolby process. It was cool to end the day with quite a bang.

The vicious Racer-eating lizard, Irritator

The difficult-to-prounounce Parasaurophus was one of the dinosaurs the could be operated

A long-neck variety dinosaur, the Mamenchisaurus

Jamie is nearly overtaken by the beastly Olorotitan

The Apatosaurus family

Dolby 3-D glasses make it appear that we are strange

Speaking of bang, the day really ended under the Eiffel Tower, which was now lit up in various lights and colors (reminding me of the the real Eiffel Tower in Paris). Jamie and I hung out here and watched the evening fireworks display as she joyfully ate the chocolate ice cream cone that she finally located. We tearfully bid the park farewell at about 10pm.

Jamie finally gets her chocolate ice cream

Beautiful purple Eiffel Tower

I dropped Jamie off at home and we filled her Mom in on the day’s events, then I went to my Mom’s again to spend the night. Sunday morning the 26th saw more activity in the vicinity.

I had found out about the Disneyana Convention taking place at the Dayton Mall Holiday Inn in a strange way. Being friends with Margaret Kerry on Facebook, I had noticed her status that said that she was departing on flight to Dayton, Ohio to attend the Disneyana convention. I had never heard of this so I immediately went digging the internet, only to find that there is a local Dayton chapter of the Disneyana club and that they have been holding a rather prominent Disneyana convention for several years. So naturally I decided to go check it out.

Although it was mostly memorabilia sales, Margaret Kerry and Bill Farmer (the current voice of Goofy) were the special guests. I chatted with Margaret for a bit and we even gave our mutual friend Bob Satterfield a phone call together. Mr. Farmer however would be arriving until later, so I missed getting to meet him. I picked up a nice Disneyland plate and chatted extensively with several members of the local branch. I am quite interested in attending one of their upcoming meetings and seeing what goes on. It sounds rather like the Disney version of the Sons of the Desert.

At the admissions table

A tiny portion of the Disney memorabila being sold at the Dayton Disneyana

Meeting up with Margaret Kerry at the Dayton Disneyana

The ‘stubborn Tinkerbell’ pose

I couldn’t stay very long at the Disneyana show, as I was meeting Jamie that afternoon to attend a family function with her. This was the 60th anniversary of her Mom’s sister’s husband’s sister, June and her husband John. Their daughter was the hostess and she and her husband have a beautiful place in New Richmond. The food was also amazing with some of the best meat (!) I’ve ever had – as well as a bok choy salad, Jamie’s Mom’s incredible baked beans, avocado dip, brownies, and other delicacies that I stuffed into myself. Jamie and I played a few games of ladder ball against her Dad and a partner, and we lost each one. I particularly enjoyed the weight room, the neighbor’s dog, and her uncle Tom’s musical invention, the violette. Great times that reminded me of the camaraderie shared at my own family events.

The neighbor’s dog makes himself at home

Lake, big lake

Jamie and I enjoy the proceedings

I won’t even try to explain how the Ladderball balls got stuck this high in the tree

Jamie digs into the amazing array of food

John and June show their strength and endurance after 60 years of marriage, while Jamie’s uncle Tom looks on

Wit that the countdown began until my next road trip. I had lunch with Mom at Chick-fil-a on the Monday the 27th, dinner at Jamie’s on Tuesday the 28th, and went out with some of Jamie’s friends on Thursday the 29th. This left me only the incredibly hectic Wednesday to pack, cut the grass, buy new shoes, and get everything ready for the trip.

The Tuesday dinner at Jamie’s was a lot of fun. We had tacos that I actually assisted in making by frying the soft tortilla shells on the griddle. We played some cornhole with her folks and Jamie and I actually defeated them in one game after losing the first. We also practiced some ping pong and watched an episode of Double Trouble.

The final night before out departure was Thursday. Jamie wanted to meet up with her two of her best local friends - so we ended up on a triple date with Alison and her husband Kris and Melissa and her boyfriend Cody at Newport on the Levee. The original plan was to take one of the Duck Boats on a tour around Cincinnati and the river, but they were all sold out. Instead we just grabbed some dinner at Tom + Chee (known for their amazing gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches; I had the 3 Little Pigs, with bacon, ham, and pork rinds) and some ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. I don’t think I had been there before and enjoyed creating my own cake batter/strawberry/Kit Kat concoction. We took a walk and hung out for a while on the Purple People Bridge, chatting and making plans for a future get-together.

Me, Jamie, Melissa, Cody, Alison, and Kris outside Tom + Chee at the Newport on the Levee

Kicking back on the Purple People Bridge over the Ohio River

Thankfully, by doing the bulk of my packing on Wednesday night, I wasn’t up too late. But on Friday, I got up extra early to pack up my car and head to work. Jamie would be meeting me at 3pm and we’d be setting out on a massive road trip, my fourth big vacation of the year.

 2011, and July, will continue on the road…

This was my first time in Wyoming…and I brought this lovely girl with me

We got to the Capitol building at around 3pm. I had actually made an appointment, and we had joked that there might be representatives from the state waiting at the border for our arrival, asking “are you Brad?” We weren’t that far off. We found our tour guide Lynette waiting for us, and when we showed up, she did in fact ask, “are you Brad?” Our tour was underway.

Interestingly, this capitol was built in 1886 – four years before Wymoing had even achieved statehood. Remarkably, we didn’t end up being the only folks on the tour. A family who had been on our Denver Capitol tour had had the same idea as me, and made the trek up to hit two in one day – which, by the way, was a first for me. When I found out that they were into State Capitols, I asked them their ‘number’. They were wallowing in the “11 or 12″ range, while this Capitol in Cheyenne was my 19th total, and my third for the year.

Lynette gave us a great tour. As with similar small state capitols that I’ve visited (Dover for instance), there weren’t a lot of restrictions – so upon request, she let us get photos on the Senate floor, in their seats, and at the podium. Even Matt Mead, the Governor himself, wasn’t off-limits. She said that if I asked his secretary if he would come out and meet us, he would be glad to. Unfortunately, he had just left for the day – probably starting his Memorial Day holiday weekend early. In lieu of this, they let me into his personal office, where I was able to get a photo at his desk.

Apparently, bisons have some special significance in this state

Livi jumps into the arms of our tour guide Lynette

Doing some very important paperwork at the Governor’s desk. Sadly, he had no mints in his desk drawer.

Jamie, me, Livi, and Chris in the Capitol rotunda

Cheyenne, Wyoming or bust! Incidentally, this is Abraham Lincoln – who absolutely no involvement with the state of Wyoming whatsoever.

From the gallery, overlooking the House floor

Stained glass dome – imported from England

Livi at the head of the Senate

Copying off of Livi, and feeling pretty darn important

Livi at the desk of Republican Senator John C. Schiffer, Senate President of the 59^th Legislature. She couldn’t care less. The seat was comfortable.

One final task in Cheyenne: to get behind the Information desk

It was a nice and quick tour that lasted about 40 minutes. We got a couple of pictures outside the Capitol, and then we headed out of Wyoming, stopping to get a photo at the state’s Welcome sign. It was my quickest purposeful state visit to date. As we drove back, Livi kept us and herself entertained by trying to eat her foot.

Well, here it is…

…My third State Capitol of the year, 19th total. And naturally…under construction.

Oh give me a home…

Jamie on her second State Capitol venture with me. She’s halfway through this year’s quota.

Almost lunchtime

We did make one very important stop as we headed back to Denver. One of my favorite Our Gang members, on whom I’ve always had a healthy crush, was Mary Kornman. Mary sadly passed away in 1973. I have been fortunate to know here sister Mildred, and in fact just visited with her two months earlier. Finally, at long last, I had the opportunity to pay my respects and visit her final resting place, alongside her beloved husband Ralph McCutcheon at the Linn Grove Cemetery in Greeley, Colorado. It wasn’t readily apparent where her grave was located, so I called Bob to see if he could recall the general area and figure out if we were in the right place. After we had talked for about 30 seconds, I miraculously happened upon the grave on my own.

At the grave of the beautiful and talented Mary Kornman

The four of us left the cemetery a little bit after 5pm and drove back to Denver. Well, Chris did most of the driving in the car that he borrowed from his brother-in-law Josh. Back in Denver a little past dinnertime, we parked and walked a few blocks to the Hard Rock Cafe, arriving about 6:45pm. It had been long enough since I had had my last Hickory BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger that I was ready for another one. Jamie got wings, but after she tried my burger, I think she is ready for one at our next Hard Rock. This one, by the way, was my 38th total, 7th new one for the year.

Chris, the quick-change artist

7th Hard Rock of the year, 38th total…but who’s counting?

Yes, this proves that I’m at the Denver Hard Rock

Watching Livi enjoy her crayons and crumbled vegetable cookie mess

Our gang – along with an over-zealous waiter – get ready to dig into our dinners

Today’s memorabilia highlight: a toboggan used in the sledding scene of the Beatles film Help!

We attempted to walk off some of our meal by checking out the 16th Street Mall District, attempting to pick up a few necessities – like nail clippers – at a local Walgreens. But we gave up when they were too crowded. We also shunned an annoying man handing out brochures to ‘help the hawm liss’.

On the streets of Denver, Colorado – more specifically 16th Street

Chris has some last minute council with Livi, describing ways not to scream on the way home

We departed Denver at about 8:30 and drove back to Chris’ place in Colorado Springs. Chris and Sarah had been sharing a house with Sarah’s brother Josh and his wife Angela and kids Mackenzie and Jack. They were kind enough to put us up for the long weekend as well. Livi had a massive screeching attack for about the last half hour of the drive. It was rather loud. After the incredibly long day – we had been up for over 20 hours – and the crying, we were ready to claim our sleeping area and doze off.

It had been a great first day, and we had three more even better ones ahead of us.

The Colorado trip will continue…