John Wayne probably deserves better than this.

Good morning, Howdygramsters. It’s not quite the crack of dawn here in north Texas but I’m awake nonetheless, working on a grocery list and keeping company with a nice box of TicTacs.

Sam and I enjoyed our junket to Oklahoma yesterday even though it was slightly different than our usual experience. For instance: 1) the Choctaw Casino is hosting the World Series of Poker through the end of January so it was almost impossible to find a parking area that wasn’t reserved for the valet service; 2) neither of us won anything at the slots; 3) somebody brought a screaming baby to the buffet; and 4) they ran out of guacamole.

For your possible interest, yesterday’s featured sugar-free pie was chocolate meringue. No normal person could ever find fault with that.

I just received an email from TCM.com promoting a bunch of John Wayne merchandise that includes a few movie DVDs, a couple of hats and the 8-inch figurine pictured below that sells for $74.95.

I don’t know about you, but I think that’s a hell of a lot of money to spend on a toy that doesn’t actually do anything, such as talk, pee, dance the jitterbug, shoot real bullets or bobble its head. And poor Duke is wearing his hat like Lupe Vélez and looks like he’s straddling a moldy Chips Ahoy cookie with a kitchen towel around his neck. I’m just saying.

I should go back to bed now. Stop by later for another post because I have lots more assorted crap to write. Thank you for reading this.