Trivia: In John Wayne's Movie Flying Leathernecks the Leathernecks of the film's title is military slang. Leatherneck is a common nickname for marines of the United States Marine Corps (USMC).

Each month of this year Duke and I are going to visit somewhere new he has never been before. This month we went to the John Wayne Museum in Bowie Maryland. How is there a John Wayne Museum in Bowie, well allow me to tell you how Bill Atkins was in Flying Leathernecks with John Wayne when he was 19 years old. Bill has turned half of his real estate office into a mini museum with items from the movie and stills where you can see Bill in shots of the movie with The Duke. When we came to the door I introduced Duke to Bill and he was tickled/ surprised by my son's name. He was very excited to talk about the different items and had a partner he use to work with who was a John Wayne impersonator.

I asked Bill if he would mind taking a picture with Duke and he didn't mind, but didn't think he would come to him. Duke, as usual, took to Bill and cuddled with him as Bill talked with him. I was only nervous because I wasn't sure if my baby may have been to heavy for Bill, but Bill walked around and showed Duke pictures. At the end he gave Duke and I a "John Wayne Dollar" he makes for all visitors. He was a sweet man and I loved that this was our first adventure for 2012. For information about going to the John Wayne Museum you can call Bill at 301-262-0153 and make sure you tell him Duke sent you.

 

"[on being asked about his "phony hair" at Harvard in 1974] It's not phony. It's real hair. Of course, it's not mine, but it's real." John Wayne

January 16th: Guess who learned to Raspberry.....

"[on America] I can tell you why I love her. I have a lust for her dignity. I look at her wonderfully classic face, and I see hidden in it a sense of humor that I love. I think of wonderful, exciting, decent things when I look at her . . ."

January 13th: Duke is a wiggle worm in bed he starts in the same position when he goes to bed (on his belly with his hands up, but everymorning he is in a new area of the bed. At times it is like he is doing sleep breakdancing. We have switched from him waking me up to me waking him up in the morning to ensure he is getting his full bottle. I love when I see him and playing with his toys in the morning. The bear he had in the hospital melts my heart when I see him playing nosies with him. Nosies is the game his PopRock came up with Duke, it is where Duke touches noses with different things.

Merry Christmas

December 25th: I was nervouse about Christmas this year because on Christamas Eve Duke had a fever, but it cleared up by Christmas morning. Duke's Second Christmas was more interesting for Duke. He loves wrapping paper and giftbags with tissue paper he can take out. He got lots of noisy gifts and several cute toys that melted my heart that he loved them.

Duke's favorite things lately he will actively go to, and he lets everyone know if he doesn't like something now. He is still happy 99% of the time, but when he isn't pleased that 1% of the time...you know.