Every Blooming THing-- Early June: The Cicadas Are Here

I was beginning to wonder where they were, but now I know.  They have arrived.  I found a whole lot of them in one of my crabapple trees and they were dropping down and molting.  I had earlier found one every so often while working in flower gardens.

I kind of enjoy nabbing them and their fluttering (now I know they don't bite).

My daisies (about 50 of them) are still blooming white and I have a couple perennials in yellow and gold blooming, but don't know what they are.  Also, my Missouri primrose.

I have been to my local Jewel grocery stores since they are now selling flowers for 50% off.  Now they're hitting my price.

Annuals are pretty expensive these days.  At Wal Mart they sell for $3.47 a four-pack.  I can remember buying six pack cells for 50 cents full price many years ago.

Lots of weeding and trimming to do.

--RoadDog

Trying to Reason With an Ice Storm-- Part 6: How to Keep Busy When There's Nothing to Do at Home

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

I went to Wal Mart and overheard several people talking about not having electricity and that was why they were out "shopping," also to stay warm.  Then I went to Meijer and I heard someone call to me, turned, and it was one of the couples from Midwest Breakfast Company.  Great minds must think alike.  Right?

Returning home, I walked around back to check for damage and sadly saw that one of my clump white birch trees was broken about two-thirds of the way up.  Too bad.  That is a pretty tree.  Plus, there were a lot of limbs down on both pine islands.

Like I said, this is by far the worst ice storm we've had in the thirty years living in this house.

Still no power when I got back to the house, so, what else could I do but take a nap.  I was awakened at 11:30 am when the power came back on. This means lots of resetting items that usually Liz did (and knew how to do).  But now I have to figure it out myself and remember, I'm pretty technologically challenged.  Electricity had been out 17 hours.

Then, there is that computer thing.

Actually, I somehow got it going again.  No idea how, though.

With roads in good shape, I drove over to Bulldog Ale House south of McHenry for their $2 draft beer special.  They have 32 draft beers, including domestics, imports and craft beers.  I like imports and craft beers, but not for $6 to $8, but am like a kid in a candy store at $2.  I tried quite a few different ones (No IPAs though, Yuck!!).

Came home and watched the Thursday TV shows (a favorite night).  Sadly, Wednesday night is also a favorite, but we all know what happened to that last night.

--RoadIce

Our 49th Wedding Anniversary

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24

This was the first time Liz and I had been farther than about twenty miles from the house since March 2020 because of the COVID thing.  I had driven as far away as 35 miles to Marengo a couple times (and even to the Indy 500, but friends drove).

We went to Galena, Illinois, where we went on our honeymoon in August 1973.  This was before it became such a popular place as it is today. 

We took Il-47 to Il-176 and then US-20 (US-20 is the U.S. Grant Highway in Illinois because of his living in Galena) the rest of the way.   We stayed at the Grant Hills Motel just south of Galena.  This is an old mom and pop kind of motel where you park right outside your room.  We especially like this place because you can sit outside at night and talk to other people staying there.

This was a 130 mile trip.  That is really not that far, but since this was way farther than I had driven since 2020, I was quite tired when I got there and had to take a nap. 

After that, we drove on US-20 past the that neat old downtown to Wal Mart to stock up on beer and a bottle of Jim Beam for that outside sitting at night.

--RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  If it was just a three-hour trip, why did Mrs. Howell have so many clothes?

The Very Best of Outlaw Country: 'The South's Gonna Do It Again'

Several months ago, I was in Wal-Mart going through their bin of close out CDs and found this great little nugget for the whopping price of $5.  Well, quick as a wink, I grabbed it.  I wasn't going to let it get away from me.

I already had most of the songs on other LPs, CDs and cassettes, but this collection would fit in just great in my Ultimate Jukebox.

And, besides that, I am a real big fan of Outlaw Country.  One of my favorite albums, of course, is "Wanted! The Outlaws."

Here are the first five songs of this new CD:

1.  ARE YOU SURE HANK DONE IT THIS WAY--  Waylon Jennings

2.  THE SOUTH'S GONNA DO IT AGAIN--  Charlie Daniels Band

3.  RAMBLIN' MAN--  Allman Brothers

4.  WHISKEY RIVER (LIVE)--  Willie Nelson

5.  ALL MY ROWDY FRIENDS ARE COMING OVER TONIGHT--  Hank Williams Jr.

Just these first five songs would get it on my jukebox.  I'll list the rest of them next post.

Will This One Get On My Ultimate Jukebox?  You Betcha.  --RoadLaw

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Tryin' To make A Livin And Doin' The Best I Can."  Answer below.  --RoadDog

"Ramblin' Man"

Slim Pickings Yesterday As Far As Blackhawk Stanley Cup Souvenirs

I went to Wal-Mart, Meijer's and Dick's yesterday in McHenry, Illinois, in search of Blackhawk gear to celebrate this third Cup in six years.  I even stopped for breakfast at Steak 'N Shake and made it back home in time to see the parade and rally on TV.

I came back with very little.  Just a shot glass, pint glass and a tee shirt for Liz and all that swag at Wal-Mart.  I'm sure in the next week I will have more opportunity to spend money.

Sure glad I didn't go downtown to Chicago for the rally and parade.  I am not a big fan of huge crowds.

After the concert by Alex and the All-Stars at Antioch's It's Thursday Concert Series, we stopped at the Antioch Wal-Mart, but came up with no Hawk gear again.

I Know I'll Have a Chance to Spend My Money, Though.  --RoadDog


THE WISDOM OF WILL ROGERS:  Don't squat with your spurs on.

Went to DeKalb for Da Game-- Part 4: The Day After

Like the song said, there has to be a morning after, and there was. After the continental buffet, I drove over to Lowe's in DeKalb (notice the capital "K") on Il-23 and found that they have a real nice collection of Christmas items and spent a bunch of money there and then over to Wal-Mart and did the same.

After Liz got up, we drove over to White Castle for our usual meal #1 (4 Sliders, fries and drink for $4.99, less 10% for senior discount which covers the DeKalb 10% food tax). Then to Big Lots for some treasure hunting (you never know what you'll find in there) and a crazy dancing Frosty the Snowman.

Then, Il-23 to Il-176 to Union where we toured the McHenry County Historical Society (we especially liked the Christmas store selling all those great toys from our childhood) and stopped at Classen's, a tavern dating to 1900. Union is quite a historical town which also has the Illinois Railroad Museum and Donley's Antiques and Western Museum.

Then, it was the Red Mill Inn in Woodstock and Twisted Moose in McHenry before going home. Every place was packed. Guess a lot of folks are off for Christmas.

Too Bad We Lost. --RoadDog

Sitting Here Looking At All Sorts of TVs

And, they're not plugged in or anything like that. The last few days have been major TV time for me. Earlier this week, with difficulty, I hooked up the new digital HDTV in the corner of the downstairs bar (and it even works).

Wednesday I spent the day looking at 50-60-inch HDTVs at Wal-Mart, Meijer's, Target and Best Buy in McHenry and finally settled for an E-Series 55-inch Vizio Smart TV at Wal-Mart for $698. Unfortunately, they didn't have any in stock but could get them next week, but that would be too late for Sunday's Bears party at the house.

They had two of them at the Huntley Wal-Mart, about 30 miles away, so yesterday, Liz and I drove over there and bought it. It is now sitting in its box in the basement and in a little while I'll try to get it hooked up.

In the meantime, I have the old 19-inch picture tube set from the corner of the bar, the 25-inch picture tube set and the 25-inch console set sitting right here across from the computer. I am going to turn the area into an old-timey TV watching area to see my old VHS tapes, both ones I recorded and store-bought movies.

Sure Hope I Get That 55-inch Hooked Up. That Smart TV Is Too Smart For Me. --RoadDog

And, Speaking of Obsolete Technology

Those $5 bargain bins at Wal Mart attacked me on my recent trip to North carolina on several occasions.  Must remember to stay away from electronics section.  I did buy a couple hugely expensive $7 ones as well.

Here's the list:

Great Women of Rock and Roll: The 50s
Icon: Thin Lizzy
Icon: SOS Band
Diamond Rio Greatest Hits
Ten Great Songs: The Hollies
You Don't Mess Around With Jim--  Jim Croce
I Got a Name--  Jim Croce
I Love Rock & Roll--  Vol. 16
Dixie Chicken--  Little Feat
The Best of Lobo
Beautiful Loser--  Bob Seger
Under the Influence--  Alan Jackson
Waiting for the Sun--  Doors

My biggest problem bin-surfing is whether or not I already have it.

Going into those bins is like going on a treasure hunt.  You never know what you'll find.  Buddy Frank thinks a person should just download.  It's just not the same.

Put It In My Hands Everytime.  An Obsolete Person Should Have Obsolete Stuff.  --RoadDog