Every Dog Has His Day: Go You Huskies!!!

Yesterday while posting about that house with the Christmas lights set to the NIU Huskie Fight Song, I came across another song called "Every Dog Has His Day" and thought, well, I need to give this a listen.  It might just pertain.

AND, it was by one of my favorite country performers, Toby Keith.

The regular stanzas were not much use, as it was about some guy trying to cut in while he was dancing with his gal, but the chorus!  Well, the chorus was right on, and sums up poor little NIU going up against the Big Dog FSU.

The chorus goes:

See, Every Dog Has His Day.  When the Big Dog (BCS) Throws Him a Bone (Orange Bowl)
One Moment in the Sunshine (Florida), When Your Ducks Line Up in a Row (Getting the BCS Invitation)
Lucky Dog Gets a Big Ol' Bed (BCS Bowl), Stray Dog Gets the Porch (Outside Looking In Again)
Every Dog Has His Day, But Today Dog Just Ain't You  (Wouldn't That Be Something If We Win?)

See It At http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3bD3TyZwc0

With apologies to the Kirkster.

Maybe The Chorus  Should be Our Fight Song Going Down There.  What You Think Huskie Fans?  --RoadDog

A Perfect Day

In one of my favorite movies, "Groundhog Day", Bill Murray, when he became aware that he was stuck on February 2nd in cold Punxsutawny, Pa (actually Woodstock, Il), lamented that if he had to be stuck on a day, why couldn't it be that time he met the beautiful girl on a Caribbean island and had drinks and partied all day and night.

Well, boys and girls, I have to say that I had a day that would have to be classified as perfect. Now, I have many ways to have a great day, but this was definitely one.

I woke up at 6:30 AM and put on a pot of coffee while enjoying the deck (which I refer to as "OD", On Deck). The sky was a deep blue and the temp was in the 70s. I listened to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show on the Drive, 96.9 FM, something I like to do every Sunday from 7 to 10 AM. Today he featured a Roots Salute to Paul McCartney who is turning 65 tomorrow-- 65--EGADS!!! Are we really getting that old? Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys is also turning 65 this week. Like Garth Brooks ably said in his song, "Much Too Young to Be This Damn Old." He played 24 Beatles songs on which Sir Paul was the only composer.

I drank coffee, wrote in the journal, and listened to the birds.

I then watered the backyard as we haven't had much rain in the last week and a half. I have been doing a lot of planting and have to keep those little darlings living. I then planted 12 snapdragons, 12 red salvia, 2 gladidoras, a Russian sage, about 20 mum transplants, one other plant I don't know as well as a groundcover that I don't know.

I didn't get enough sleep last night, so I took a short "Bob" nap out in the gazebo, where I enjoyed the breeze and the shade.

I then went over to Captain's Quarters on Fox Lake and enjoyed talking with friends while listening to an excellent band, the Rhythm Kings.

Came home and am on this right now before I put in a Tombstone frozen pizza into the pizza oven (once you make one in a pizza oven like they have at bars, you'll never want another oven one-they're perfect) and then I plan on going out to "The Grand Strand" and burning some wood as it gets dark. I'll listen to my new "Big Dog Daddy" album by Toby Keith. This is a good one!!!

Sitting OD, drinking coffee, listening to music, working in the yard, enjoying the gazebo, a band at a favorite watering hole, these blogs (which I do enjoy), pizza. and a fire on the Strand. Now, that's a GOOD DAY.

Coca, Chrissy, Rusty, Frank, and ALL THOSE DOGS of Julie and family, have great days. So does old RoadDog.

Every Dog has His Day. --RoadDog

THIS DAY IN HISTORY- 1885- Our largest immigrant-ever, The Statue of Liberty, arrives as a gift from France.

I Get to Meet a Cicada!!!

Much has been made about this "invasion" of the 17 year cicadas here in the Chicago area. There really hasn't been much to it as far as I'm concerned. If they're here, I'm not seeing them.

I did see one meeting its demise in the beak of a sparrow a few weeks ago (see earlier posting). There are very few in Chicago and it seems that the close-in suburbs like Highland Park and Lake Forest have huge numbers. I know of none here in Spring Grove.

I wouldn't expect any here at the house, as it was built in 1992 and cicadas don't do well where the soil has been disturbed. Plus, back in 1900, our house was in some farmer's field. (Our subdivision, Orchard Bluff Estates, also had a treed area and apple orchard).

Yesterday, after visiting with Liz's mom Frances in Woodstock (right on the historic square), I got to see one up close and personal. I'd just gone to the 1890s Opera House (formerly City Hall) to buy a ticket to the upcoming Asleep at the Wheel show later this month. This is one of my favorite groups who do my absolute favorite version of "Get Your Kicks on Route 66". I have most of their albums (for you younger folks, that would be CDs). They play a lot of the Western Swing music as popularized by Bob Wills & the Texas Playboys in the 40s.

On the way back, I saw a younger couple, probably about 18), and the guy was busily stomping something in the grass. I asked him if it was a cicada and he said yes. It had flown onto him and scared him. That cicada will scare no more people. I told him that was too bad, as I really wanted to see a cicada and hadn't seen one up close. By the way, the Woodstock Square dates from the 1850s, so there are some very old trees in it.

He said there was another one on the other side of the tree. I looked and there was!!! I picked it up and looked into those red bulging Marty Feldman (I'm watching "Young Frankenstein" right now; for the first time-ever) eyes. One of its wings was partly gone, so it couldn't fly away, but it did make quite a buzzing sound. This is one ugly insect and thankfully, they don't bite.

I have seen people putting netting on newly planted trees (which can be damaged by them). Plus, Walgreens is selling "I Survived the 17 year cicadas" teeshirts. Bob, you will be happy to know I didn't buy one. Why should I, I haven't really seen enough to make it true?

On the way home from Woodstock, I took one of the most beautiful drives anywhere I've ever seen, down Bull Valley Road, which is canopy for much of the way. At one point, I pulled over and turned down the sound on my new Toby Keith "Big Dog Daddy" album (CD for you younger folk) and had a listen. Supposedly, the male cicadas put out a big sound, akin to standing within 100 yards of a jet takeoff, while trying to attract a mate. I could hear something off in the distance, but don't know if it was the Sound of the Cicada.

Fly to Me, Fly to Me, You Ugly Cicadas. --RoadDog