Labor Day Weekend 2018-- Part 3: J's, BLT Pizza and NTN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

More rain today.  We have had rain every day since Friday and lots of it.  How long before we have no wake or closed on the Chain of Lakes.  Beginning to look like we won't get out at all on the boat this year.  Plus, after 33 years, we are seriously considering selling it.

We went to J's in Ingleside, Illinois, and enjoyed their $1.50 draft pints and half price pizza.  Their BLT pizza is one of the best in the area.  That is bacon, lettuce and tomato to those of you who don't know and it is like getting a salad on top of your pizza.

We met Usual Suspects Kevin and Kelly there and played NTN trivia, something we used to do a lot, but rarely anymore.  We had several Top 20s as individuals and he bar.

Stopped at Sunnyside on the way home.

--RoadDog

YOUR ENGLISH LESSON:  And that "eat" is the only word that if you take the first letter and move it to the last, it spells the past tense "ate"?

Labor Day Weekend 2018-- Part 2: Going back to Summer '78 and a Band at Choppers

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

Bob Stroud did his Part 4 of the Summer of 1978, the songs on the radio and in your record collection from Labor Day weekend 40 years ago.

Some of the songs:  "Right Down the Line" Gerry Rafferty, "Shattered" Rolling Stones and "Old Time Rock and Roll" by Bob Seger.

We then went to Choppers on Illinois Highway 173 in Antioch, on the channel of Channel Lake.  We enjoyed John Piet and Aging Teen Idols and had some of those great 35 cent wings.

We then went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.

--RoadDog

A Wet and A Sick Labor Day Weekend, Didn't Stop Us Much-- Part 1

Liz and I aren't going to let little things like me getting a summer cold and a whole lot of rain Thursday to Monday.

Well, the sick stopped me Thursday and Friday.

 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Bummer.  Paid my $4,407.73 in property taxes this morning.  And, that's just half of the yearly property tax.
We went to the Fox Lake American Legion on Nippersink Lake and saw our favorite band, 3 Aces.  They play only pop and country oldies and is a big favorite at the Legion.  One group od boaters came in wearing Ole Miss shirts and we got into a talk with them.  They said the Ole Miss Rebels are now the Landsharks.  Hope that is not correct.  I hate these Confederate haters.

Sadly, we watched the Iowa Hawkeyes blow our NIU Hiskies out in a football game on the Big 10, 11-12-13-14 Network.

Then went to Spring Grove Pub & Pizza for a while.

--RoadDog

YOUR ENGLISH LESSON:  Did you know that the word "racecar" spelled backwards still spells "racecar"?

I'd Celebrate That!! September 3-9: Friday Is Beer Lovers Day

**  I'd celebrate that.

SEPTEMBER 3,  MONDAY--  Labor Day**

SEPTEMBER 4, TUESDAY--  Wildlife Day**  Newspaper Carrier Day**

SEPTEMBER 5, WEDNESDAY--  Cheese Pizza Day**  But I like mine loaded, garbage style.

SEPTEMBER  6,  THURSDAY--  Read A Book Day**  Coffee Ice Cream Day

SEPTEMBER 7,  FRIDAY--  Beer Lovers Day**********   Lazy Moms Day

SEPTEMBER 8, SATURDAY--  Ampersand Day    Not sure what this is all about.

SEPTEMBER 9,  SUNDAY--  Teddy Bear Day   Weiner Schnitzel Day**   Grandparents Day**  Sure miss mine.

--RoadDog

YOUR ENGLISH LESSON:  (From Wassup magazine)    Did you know that "listen" and "silent" use the same letters?

Labor Day Weekend-- Part 3: Research, Boating, Pizza, Beer and NTN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Sat out FP (Front Porch) for breakfast and coffee as well as reading yesterday's Chicago Tribune.  Must catch up on my newspapers.  On the internet and doing some research on Major League Baseball players in World War II playing for the Great Lakes Training Base baseball players, coached by Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane.

One of the players was Chet Hajduk who had a "Cup Of Coffee" with the Chicago White Sox in April 1941, who appeared in a major league game exactly one time before being sent to the minors for the rest of the season.  He joined the Navy after the season and played for Great Lakes.

Last week, I wrote about the Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, August 23, 1942, where 32 Dubuquers were sworn into the Navy and there was a baseball game between the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the Navy Pre-Flight School at Iowa City in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog.

While I was researching and doing blog entries, I listened to 'Fessa Hook's Beach Music Top 40 for 1961.  He played some mighty good stuff and should have it for another week.  You can listen to it at beachshag.com.  I'll write the names of some of the songs in the next post.

I went out boating on Fox Lake for awhile and then we met Kevin and Kelly at J's in Ingleside for half price pizza, $1.50 pints and played NTN.  Afterwards, we went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.

A Good Day.  --RoadDog

Labor Day Weekend-- Part 2: About Those Bar Dogs

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

On the internet in the early morning and found out that Illinois evidently had our own ribbon highway, like that one stretch of Oklahoma's Route 66.  And it went from DeKalb to Waterman, Illinois.

Enjoyed Bob Stroud taking his listeners, the Stroud Crowd, back 40 years to a summer I remember well, 1977, on Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM from 7 to 10 a.m..

We had planned to go to Cabana's on Pistakee Lake to see the band, but it was way too crowded, so we went to Oak Park Lounge nearby on the same lake.  This is an original bar on the Chain of Lakes, dating back to the 1890s and a favorite of ours.  We also got to see (and feed) the bar dog, Bomber.  If there is another more spoiled animal in the world than a bar dog, I'd like to know?  He has us all trained well.

We then went to the PLAV (Polish Legion of American Veterans) in McHenry for Bloody Marys and last stop was at Sunnyside in Johnsburg.

Bomber Likes His Pepperoni.  --RoadDog

Labor Day Weekend --Part 1: Love Those Bands

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 1

Enjoyed the FP (front porch) and OD  (on deck)  I did some shopping in Spring Grove and McHenry and went to the American Legion in Fox Lake.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 2

FP and OD.

We went to the American Legion at 3 to enjoy one of our favorite bands, 3 Aces, playing all those great pop and country songs from the 1950s-1970s.  We then went to Sunnyside in Johnsburg to see the band Central Stonerollers playing classic rock and some of their own songs.

Very good band, but like so many, they were way too loud considering how small Sunnyside is.

--RoadDog

JSS: Boating (Lack Of)-- Gas Gouge-- Quite Cool

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  BOATING (LACK OF)--  Try as I might, getting out on the boat "School's Out...Forever" is not easy.  Monday and Tuesday this last week, it threatened to rain the whole day.  I was able to do some cruising Wednesday.  Thursday and Friday it was sunny, but very windy, and, even worse, lots of cold in that wind, so didn't go out.

This weekend, of course, is Labor Day Weekend.  Way too many boaters out on the water, so probably won't be going out.

2.  GAS GOUGE--  I was wondering when the gas prices around here were going to go up because of Hurricane Harvey.  They went up Wednesday from $2.30 to $2.60 in Fox Lake.  I, though, was able to find a Mobil station that hadn't raised their price yet and still was at $2.40, so filled up the '03 Malibu and got 5 gallons for the boat.

3.  QUITE COOL-- Thursday and Friday, we had quite cool temperatures.  Even worse, there was a lot of wind blowing the cool on you, even with a lot of sun.  We also did not go to the McHenry Concert in the Park Thursday because of the cold.

--RoadDog

"Working" Songs for Your Labor Day Enjoyment: "Let's Work Together"

From Bob Stroud's September 2, Ten at Ten on WDRV, 97.1 FM in Chicago.

1.  JUST A JOB TO DO--  Genesis
2.  TAKIN'' CARE OF BUSINESS--  BTO
3.  WORKIN' FOR A LIVIN'--  Huey Lewis & the News

4.  WORKING MAN--  Rush
5.  DIRTY WORK--  Steely Dan
6.  WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND--  Loverboy
7.  LET'S WORK TOGETHER--  Canned Heat

8.  BLUE COLLAR MAN--  Styx
9.  A HARD DAY'S NIGHT--  Beatles
10.  TAKE THIS JOB AND SHOVE IT--  Johnny Paycheck

Name That Tune (from the above):  "I Ain't Workin' Here No More."  --RoadDog

THE FINAL MORE SUTHEN-ISM:  Only a Southerner knows instinctively that the best gesture for solace for a neighbor who's got trouble is a plate of hot fried chicken and a big bowl of potato salad.

"Take This Job and Shove It."

Labor Day Weekend 2015-- Part 2

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 6TH--  Listened to Bob Stroud's trip back to the Summer of '75 on his Rock and Roll Roots show on WDRV in the morning.  We went to Sunnyside Tavern with hopes of having our raffle ticket drawn and winning $150.  But to no avail.  Then drove over to 'Cuda's on Grasslake Road for Bloody Marys.  We were impressed with the number of signs as well as black and blue ribbons all along the road.  The funeral procession for murdered Fox Lake police Lt. Joe Gliniewicz will travel down Grasslake Road tomorrow.

We then went to Nauti-Knots and sat out by the tiki bar on Bluff lake..  Last stop was at Lake View Place overlooking Grasslake.  Came home and had a bonfire out on the patio.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 7TH--  This day was largely one for "G.I. Joe" as people called Joe Gliniewicz.  We went to the American Legion and watched the funeral and then went outside for the funeral procession.  Estimates put somewhere around 1,500 police vehicles in it.  A very moving affair.

Waited at the Legion for a couple hours as traffic had really been backed up.

--RoadDog


THE 10 RULES OF LIFE:  Never give yopurself a haircut after three margaritas.

Labor Day Weekend 2013

FRIDAY, AUGUST 30TH--

No boating because of storm threat. Storm. Johnsburg-Richmond Burton high school football game cancelled because of lightning.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 31ST--

Rescheduled Johnsburg-Richmond-Burton game. R-B wins 27-7.

We went to Wauconda and Terry and Gregg Spizziri playing out on deck at the Tiki Bar.

Back home and Fire on the Strand and gazebo. Listened on the radio to and watched on TV, the end of NIU's first-ever win over Iowa after eight losses!!!!!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 1ST-- Summer 1973 Part 4 on Rock and Roll Roots on WDRV.

Boating. Bloody Mary at Dirty Rooster on deck overlooking Grasslake. The Eddie Butts Band playing at Captain's Quarters on Fox Lake. The world's LOUDEST band. Then to Tommy's to recuperate ear drums.

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 2ND--

Yardwork. Worst day ever of boating. Idiots out on Fox Lake. Kevin and Kelly are grandparents. Toasting them at 50 K and Dawg House. Last stop at the Legion.

A Mostly Great Holiday Weekend

The Drive's Labor Day Album Sides

This is always a favorite show for me when WDRV, 97.1 FM in Chicago pulls out the old vinyl 33 and a thirds and play a whole side straight through like we used to do in those days of turntables and cartridges.  And, you get the hiss and pps in places, but their albums are evidently in real good shape.  (Probably no brothers to raid and scratch up a collection while someone is at college, right, Bob?  Hold the albums by the edges, don't slide them across each other and carefully put them back in the sleeve when done.)

All the regular deejays have the day off, and the one taking the morning slot has been enjoying the album covers and says this new digital age has brought about "The lost art of cover art."

They play the album straight through, even the dead space between the cuts   Right now they're finishing up side 1 of WHO'S Next by the Who.

Here is a partial list of what they've played so far.  Can you guess the artist?  Listed at bottom.

CANDY-O (side 1) 1979
A HARD DAY'S NIGHT-- (side 1) 1964
NEW WORLD RECORD--  (1) 1976

THE STRANGER--  (1) 1977
BREAKFAST IN AMERICA--  (2) 1979
COSMO'S FACTORY--  (1) 1970

MADE IN JAPAN--  (1) 1972
STRANGER IN TOWN--  (1)  1978
IN THE DARK--  (1) 1987

SLOWHAND--  (1) 1977
HOUSES OF THE HOLY--  (1)  1973
CRIMES OF PASSION--  (1) 1980

Playing side 1 of John Mellancamp's SCARECROW album right now. 

I'll Be Listening to the Station a Lot Today.  --RoadDog



Cars
Beatles
ELO

Billy Joel
Supertramp
CCR

Deep Purple
Bob Seger
Grateful Dead

Eric Clapton
Led Zeppelin
Pat Benatar

Labor Day Travelin' Songs: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Friday, Bob Stroud's Ten at Ten was Planes, Trains & Automobiles in honor of all those of us who hit the roads, rails and air over this Labor Day weekend.  We stayed close to home.  Plenty to do here and I'm also protesting the Isaac Gouge.

TRAIN KEPT A ROLLIN'--  AEROSMITH--  Aerosmith's version from Get Your Wings  (Thought it was Blackfoot)
LAST TRAIN TO CLARKESVILLE--  MONKEES--  Their debut single  (I miss Davy.)

PARADISE BY THE DASHBOARD LIGHT--  MEATLOAF--  Back down here in a lasivious sort from Bat Out of Hell.  (Bet I misspelled lasivious.  Where does Stroud get these words?  Always reminds me of the impromptu singing of this song I did with the female bartender across from the Preservation Hall down in New Orleans.)
JET AIRLINE--  STEVE MILLER--  Up, up and away from the Book of Dreams (And here I always thought it was "Big Old Jet Airliner."

CARS-- GARY NUMAN--  Very Euro-sounding from The Pleasure Principle
ROCKIN' DOWN THE HIGHWAY--  DOOBIE BROTHERS--  From Toulouse Street (The album that really broke them out.  One of the greatest driving songs ever made.)

PEACE TRAIN--  CAT STEVENS--  Sooner or later, a seat reserved for each of us on the peace train from Teaser and the Firecat.  (Do you think humans will ever stop fighting?  Doubt it.  Well, if you're not on this train, you might be destined for the last selection.)
HOLIDAY ROAD--  LINDSEY BUCKINGHAM--  A little road trip with the Griswald's, anybody?1983 and the soundtrack to "National Lampoon's Vacation."  (Another great road song, this time with the dog killer.)

MUSTANG SALLY--  WILSON PICKETT--  1966  (The "Wicked" Pickett!!)
CRAZY TRAIN--  OZZY OSBOURNE--  Sooner or later, there's a seat reserved for us on the crazy train.  Blizzard of Oz music.  (I've been enjoying playing the original Black Sabbath akbun lately, but Liz is not so keen on it.)

Some Travelin' Music.  --RoadDog

It's Them, Not Me: Living Here In The State of Gas

Well that was some big, but expected, shock on the 30 cent gas jump (to $4.26) we had here in the Fox Lake area of northeast Illinois.  I imagine it was the same all over the state.  I know this past week, it came out that Chicago was paying the highest price for gas in the continental U.S.. Even beating out Los Angeles.  You can always figure Chicago to be another 30 cents higher than here (about 35 miles northwest).

Illinois' Attorney General, Lisa Madigan, daughter of der Slick Mike, announced that she would be investigating for gas gouging.  Kind of like looking at the site of a barn fire and deciding that there had been a fire if you ask me. Gas Gouge?  What Gas Gouge?  Not Here!!

Anyway, by the next day, gas at a couple stations had dropped to $4.10 and two on US-12 to $4.16.  I noticed yesterday they too had joined the $4.10 crew.

Just In Time for Labor Day Driving, Labor Day Profit!!  --RoadDog

A Really Good Labor Day Weekend-- Part 3

AUGUST 31st-- continued

Went back to Donovan's and had many national rankings on NTN, and at 4 pm, Vaughan put an absolutely delicious cornedd beef and cabbage dinner out, and even better, it was ABSOLUTELY FREE!!! Sundays at Donovan's, the kitchen is closed and there are either free Vienna beef hot dogs with Chicago-style fixins or a cut of meat, often roast pork, also for free.

Liz and I had a corned beef brisket in the freezer and weren't going to make it, so we donated it. Vaughan bought another brisket, carrots,and cabbage (which he steamed in water and olive oil) and we feasted.

Who needs to wait until St. Patrick's Day to have corned beef and cabbage?


SEPTEMBER 1st-- MONDAY-- Went out for a boat ride in the morning, before it got crowded outon the Chain. Afterwards, drove into McHenry and had an very tasty steakburger, fries, salad, and milk shake dinner at Steak and Shake and did some shopping.

All in All, Not a Bad Weekend, Even If I DIDN'T HAVE TO GO BACK TO WORK ON TUESDAY!!! --RoadDog

A Really Good Labor Day Weekend-- Part2

Saturday-- August 30th continued

Next we went to the Korner Kitchen and had ribeye dinners for $9.95, definitely a hard deal to beat.

Completely full, we meandered over to Donovan's reef, named after the Lee Marvin/John Wayne movie, and got our room. Played NTN from 8:30 to 2 am with a lot of top twenties and even some #1 rankings. We thoroughly enjoyed the band Affects which specializes in 50s-60s music. They even have a sax player and a guy who can do a pretty good job on Roy Orbison. You have to be very confidant to try Roy Orbison.


SUNDAY-- AUGUST 31st-- Up way too early at 7 am, but I just had to hear Bob Stroud do his last Roots Salute to the Summer of 1968 for three hours. He told us about news and played the songs that were on our radios forty years earlier.

Afterwards, I walked along the lakeshore to Main Street and had some of Ray's ultimate bloody marys while talking with Cruz and Pinky who said that the Korner Kitchen will be torn down shortly to make way for a new WALGREENS. Sad to hear that.

Met Liz on the way back to Donovan's, and we went to the Triangle on the north side of town where we talked with the former village president of Twin Lakes. He said that Korner Kitchen would move across the street to Rumpoles if the Walgreens deal goes through. Rumpoles dates back to the 1920s when it was a amjor dance room and featured all the great Big Bands during that era like Glenn Miller and Tommy Dorsey.

I'd never been to the Triange nor the next place we went, the Basset Hound, in Basset, Wisconsin. That's a good name for a bar in that town.

Still to be Continued.... --RoadDog

A Really Good Labor Day Weekend-- Part 1

Sure enjoyed myself this past Labor Day weekend. Even got out on the boat three times, something we usually don't do because of the masses of boats descending upon the Chain of Lakes on this, the unofficial end-of-the-season.


FRIDAY, AUGUST 29th-- Did some floating in the boat in the morning and then had thumb therapy. Afterwards, went back out on the boat and went over to Baja Benny's where we met up with some friends and had beverages and a nice talk out on the deck overlooking Fox Lake.

Then, boated over to the Mineola for their fish fry, always a favorite. Costs $7.95 and is all-you-can-eat cod, fries and it comes with a salad bar. The Mineola dates back to the 1890s and is like a mini Grand Hotel from Mackinac Island. It has a long veranda upstairs for a perfect view of Fox Lake.


SATURDAY, AUGUST 30th-- Boated over to McDonald's for breakfast and ate our in the boat. Not too many places around where you can boat to a McDonald's.

Had to break down and cut the weeds and some grass after a two-week stoppage because of the drought. Ran out of gas part way through it.

Then drove to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin and watched the last show the season of the Aquanauts who put on quite a show on the water. We especially liked the pyramids which would be hard enough on dry land, but really difficult on skis in rolling water.


More to Come. --RoadDog

Labor Day 1967

Last Monday was Labor Day. I can remember a time when it was very important to me, like all through school and teaching, but now, it is just another day. The only difference is that everyone else is now off as well.

I got to thinking about what I was doing way back then while I was listening to Bob Stroud do his final installment of his Summer of Love Rock and Roll Roots Salute.

I was living with my family at 1048 Anderson Drive in Palatine, Illinois.  Liz was living in Chicago, but coming out to Palatine on the Chicago & Northwestern train to attend Palatine High School.  We didn't meet u til near the end of October.

As near as Liz and I can recall, we hadn't gone back to school yet. School, even college, just didn't begin before Labor Day as it does today. Actually, my sister began school in Georgia around August 5th and teachers in Round Lake went back August 13th this year.

I was getting ready to start my junior year at Palatine High School at Palatine High School. I was working at the Burger King on Northwest Highway earning a whopping $1 an hour (but you could buy 3 gallons of gas for that back then). A Whopper cost 49 cents. You got a Whopper, fries, and small drink for 92 cents.

I still didn't have my drivers license, though. At Palatine High, you took drivers ed junior year.

Later, junior year, I joined the school newspaper, the Cutlass.

Forty Years Ago...Already!!...Ya Gotta Be Kiddin'!! ---RoadDog

Labor Day Weekend: Bands, Bars, Festivals, No Boating

Boating wasn't an option, even without the flooding. We generally stay off the Chain of Lakes on the weekends and especially holidays. We let the "weekend warriors" have their sway. Thank you very much, we'll go out on the weekdays.

SATURDAY I worked in the yard and fought mosquitoes. I planted eight tall phlox out by the deck flowerbed.

Then, we drove US-12 down to Wauconda where they were having a Main Street Festival. Old Rand Road, the original US-12 before the bypass, was blocked off and a great blues/rock band, Kevin Purcell and the Nightburners, was playing on a temporary stage.

We had some cotton candy for the first time in a long time. We had forgotten how little there is of it. The Rotary Club was selling it and the poor guy at the machine had cotton candy up to his elbows.

Lots of restaurants were offering food. I had an excellent burrito from a Mexican place for $4. Sat at a table and talked with another couple. They had been married for two years, BUT, had been married before and then divorced. They had met again at their daughter's wedding and the flame rekindled. That was a neat story. We found out they were also into the two lane roads so talked about some of our experiences.

SUNDAY I listened to Bob Stroud do his final Summer of Love installment. Today, he played the songs we were listening to on our radios back on this date in 1967. That was 40 years ago, and in Chicago, we were listening to WLS and WCFL. I'll print out the playlist later. I'm sure they will bring back some memories.

I then went to Alden Terrace in McHenry to visit with Frances.

Came home and then Liz and I drove to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for some of the World's Greatest Bloody Marys at Main Street. The big talk was about Wisconsin's easy victory and Appalachian State's great upset of Michigan. There are not too many Wolverine fans in Wisconsin.

Played NTN at Donovan's then drove back to the Chain of Lakes.

Passing over the Grasslake Bridge, we only saw about ten boats going no wake. Normally, on Sunday, you'd see close to a hundred and even more on a Labor Day weekend. The flooding has really put a damper on the celebration.

We went to Captain's Quarters to see Cirrus Falcon, one of out favorite bands. All those people who weren't out on boats were in here. There were no seats anywhere, so we left.

Drove Grasslake Road down to the Harbour Lounge and went outside to the tiki bar. When it comes to bands, we almost ALWAYS arrive when they're just going on break. However, this band was breaking down their equipment at 4 PM, way to early for an afternoon set. We found out that someone had complained and the police had told the owner that the band had to stop.

The owner had them move inside, but, again, we couldn't find seats so went home.

TODAY I enjoyed the deck, planted some more perennials, and caught some sun.

We went over to Alden Terrace so we could take Frances to the Labor Day celebration there. A guy was playing a piano with backing music and playing the Big Band songs this elderly group would like. He was quite an entertainer and everyone was having a great time.

Pretty Good Labor Day Weekend if You Ask Me. --RoadDog

"Speed Bump" The Cartoon- Labor Day Weekend

Today's " Speed Bump" cartoon was funny. You saw a cave man cooking over a grill and behind him, a cave woman is saying to a caveman, "After he discovered "fire," he invented "The Weekend."

Well, we just had an extended weekend called Labor Day Weekend. I used to REALLY look forward to these three days off as a break from the early hassles of the new school year. I used to make definite plans around it.

But, for some reason, it's just not that big of a deal anymore. It's just another weekend. Or, I'd even go so far as to say, it's just another day.

I wonder why that is?

Dazed and Confused in Spring Grove. --RoadDog


OH, YES, IT JUST DAWNED ON ME. I BE RETIRED!!!!!!!!! HOW 'BOUT DAT!!!!! Every day is a holiday. I'll just have to learn to live with it.