To Topsail Beach, NC

I did get to go to one of my favorite places, Topsail Beach, North Carolina. Mom has a town home there on the second row, meaning that it is in the second row of homes from the ocean. Just a row of cottages and a street separating it. But with the way the ocean is coming in, who knows, it might get to be front row, as Bob Uecker would say.


MARCH 23RD

Took US-117 to the extension to I-40 all the way to Rocky Point near Wilmington where we got off I-40 and back on US-117 to Paul's Place for some of their great hot dogs (since the 1920s).

Then to the place. Watched the NCAA games.


MARCH 24TH

Hit and miss with the weather. Sunny then threatening, then rain off and on. Spent time out on deck and taking stuff down from outside walls as the decks, stairs and exterior are to be replaced starting Monday.

Friend and Topsail Beach Commissioner Julian Bone stopped by and said there will be beach replenishment with sand taken from Topsail Inlet to deepen it.

We were going to go into Holly Springs to eat, but had a huge downpour and the roads in Topsail Beach and Surf City really get flooded when that happens so stayed in and Mom made up her famous spaghetti. Watched more b-ball games. Real big storm after midnight.


MARCH 25TH

Took a long walk on the beach with lots of jellyfish washed up on it. Watched some of the Kentucky game but a blow out so stopped. Enjoyed some more deck time before leaving.

A Day or Two at Da Beach. Good Livin'. --RoadDog

Flashing Back to 1967-- Part 3

Some more songs from that year.

SHE HAS FUNNY CARS-- Jefferson Airplane
SOUL MAN-- Sam and Dave
COME ON DOWN TO MY BOAT-- Every Mother's Son
I'VE BEEN DRINKING-- Rod Stewart
THE BEAT GOES ON-- Sonny and Cher

WHITER SHADE OF PALE-- Procul Harum
SHE'S LIKE A RAINBOW-- Rolling Stones
LET IT ALL HANG OUT-- Hombres
LOVE ME TWO TIMES-- Doors
SWEET HOME CHICAGO-- Magic Sam

SEE EMILY PLAY-- Pink Floyd
SWEET SOUL MUSIC-- Arthur Conley
I'M WAITING FOR THE MAN-- Velvet Underground
I THINK WE'RE ALONE NOW-- Tommy James & the Shondells
MORNING DEW-- Grateful Dead

NY MINING DISASTER 1941-- Bee Gees
FRIDAY ON MY MIND-- Easy Beats
DOCK OF THE BAY-- Otis Redding
FOXY LADY-- Jimi Hendrix
BOOGALOO DOWN BROADWAY-- Fantastic Johnny C
HAPPOY JACK-- Who

Good Stuff, Maynard. --RoadDog

Flashing Back to 1967-- Part 2

Continuing with WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback from March 17th

HIGHER AND HIGHER-- Jackie Wilson
MR. SOUL-- Buffalo Springfield
BROWN EYED GIRL-- Van Morrison
ALONE AGAIN, OR-- Love
ONE MORE HEARTACHE-- Butterfield Blues Band

PUSHING TOO HARD-- Seeds
WILD HONEY-- Beach Boys
LITTLE WING-- Jimi Hendrix
I CAN SEE FOR MILES-- Who
SUNNY AFTERNOON-- Kinks

I'M A MAN-- Spencer Davis Group
SO YOU WANT TO BE A ROCK AND ROLL STAR-- Byrds
A DAY IN THE LIFE-- Beatles
THE LETTER-- Box Tops
COLD SWEAT-- James Brown

Remember Any of These? --RoadDog

Mom's Yard

I always enjoy coming to North Carolina during the spring as the state is a month ahead of us in northern Illinois as far as plants and flowers blooming. However, we're way ahead of schedule this year because of all of that welcome warm.

The dogwood trees are bursting into bloom and azaleas are out. Of course, their azaleas are a lot bigger than ours in Illinois. And mom has at least 14 different kinds of azaleas and about seven colors and ten different camellias, which she said were especially beautiful this year, but are past bloom.

Unfortunately, the daffodils are also pretty much gone.

The spirea bushes are all white and verbena are blooming.

Mom provided the flowers for the vases at yesterdays Salvation Army barbecue and they were quite colorful.

Liking Those Flowers. --RoadDog

Flashing Back to 1967-- Part 1

March 17th, Saturday Morning Flashback on WXRT in Chicago went back to 1967. Between the songs and stories, it was a real trip back for me.

Of course, back in the days of the sixties, those songs were really short, so there were a lot of them on the show.

MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR-- Beatles-- Well, it was a tour going back 45 years.
GROOVIN'-- Young Rascals
PAPER SUN-- Traffic
FUNKY BROADWAY-- Wilson Pickett-- The "Wicked Pickett"
KIND OF A DRAG-- Buckinghams-- Chicago's own.

TALES OF BRAVE ULYSSES-- Cream
INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS-- Strawberry Alarm Clock-- How's that for psychedelic?
RESPECT-- Aretha Franklin
BACK DOOR MAN-- Doors
EXPRESSWAY TO YOUR HEART-- Soul Survivors

FAKIN' IT-- Simon and Garfunkel
SOUL FINGER-- Bar-Kays-- Otis Redding's backup band, also victims in that tragic crash.
STEPPIN' STONE-- Monkees-- Beatles, Part 2.
THERE IS A MOUNTAIN-- Donovan
MERCY MERCY MERCY-- Cannonball Adderly

Good Stuff Maynard. --RoadDog

Arrived in North Carolina

March 20th

Drove to Milwaukee, stopping at the White Castle in Kenosha for our slider crave. Bought a Civil War book at that great bookstore in the terminal. Connected at O'Hare and through to Raleigh-Durham. Rented car at Thrifty and drove to Goldsboro.

MARCH 21st

Set up for barbecue at the Salvation Army in Goldsboro, then to Lenten service at the Presbyterian church and Bible study at the First Baptist at night.


MARCH 22nd

I really wasn't needed at the Salvation Army bbq, but was there if needed. Great Wilber's bbq, though. Afterwards, some work around the house and now, b-ball. Too bad Wisconsin lost.

Back in the Home State. --RoadDog

I Remember These Guys

From the March 20th Listverse "10 Sixties Icons Still Active Today"

10. David McCallum
9. Bill Cosby (We saw him about five years ago at the grand opening of Northern Illinois University's Convocation Center.)
8. Clint Eastwood
7. Robert Wagner
6. Cher

5. Mick Jagger
4. Betty White
3. Tony Bennett
2. Stevie Wonder
1. Paul McCartney

And, I Remember 'em All. --RoadDog

St. Patrick's Day-- Part 1

How to enjoy a St. Paddy's Day.

First, I listened to Wendy Rice do her Saturday Morning Flashback Show on WXRT in Chicago to 1967, a mighty fine year for me back in my high school days of yore. I'll be listing the songs she played this week if my mother's laptop in NC works.

Then, it was off to Pearle's to drop off out taxes on our way over to Lake Villa, Illinois, for their annual St. Patrick's Day Parade. Much bigger crowd than usual because of temps in the upper 70s and sun. Absolutely beautiful.

Met the real Irish folk, Kevin and Kelly in front of Gallati's, the old George's Cedar Inn where I deejayed after the parade for 15 years. This officially ends my deejay career as it is where I deejayed the last two times in 2010 and 2011. George sold it last spring.

Gallati's really fixed the place up as it was in bad shape and were selling beer to watch the parade with and doing a bang up business. The parade was extra long with primaries and voting coming up Tuesday. If I see another politician or hear another ad, it will be TOO SOON.

Kind of sad after seeing Milwaukee's one last Saturday. Not much to it. Just ONE bagpiper and only one small group of bouncing hairs. One neat float had someone's real wedding reception. Now, that was truly unique.

Getting Our Irish On. --RoadDog

Brackets Pretty Typical

I sure like being able to pick the games I want to see now with all games televised. I'm a big Carolina fan, but if the Tarheels are blowing somebody out by thirty points, I hated watching that game, especially if a "Little Guy" school was beating a "Big Guy" or there was a close game going on.

Hey, the tournament has to be about excitement, about underdogs accomplishing the unimaginable, unbelievable plays, teams you've never heard of like Norfolk State.

And speaking of that, big congrats to Norfolk State and Lehigh, both #15s, beating #2s Missouri and Duke (two of my favorites). I would have loved to see the #15s go to the Sweet 16, but sadly they didn't. And big tip of hat to Ohio, the lone representative of the MAC and still in.

My bracket looks like it bled out as usual. I really like college b-ball and watch it a lot, but when it comes to picking at the end, my wife beats me picking schools she likes.

Still left:

SWEET SIXTEEN: Kentucky, Baylor, Mich State, Louisville, Marquette, Kansas, UNC, OSU, Syracuse

FIELD OF EIGHT: Syracuse, UNC, Kansas, Mich State, Kentucky

FINAL FOUR: Mich State, Syracuse, UNC

Bring On Thursday. --RoadDog

And a Happy St. Paddy's To Ya

We will be going over to Lake Villa, Illinois, for their annual St. Patrick's Day parade. This will be their 16th one. Afterwards, there is a band and food at the VFW.

Then later tonight, it's Donovan's Reef in Twin lakes, Wisconsin, for corned beef and cabbage and plenty of green beer and a LTJ (Lap Top Jockey).

This will be the first time in 14 years that I will not be deejaying at George's Cedar Inn on Main Street for the parade. This is where the idea for the parade began all those years ago, when George and another guy decided folks should not have to go to Chicago for a St. Patrick's parade. Why not have one closer to home.

George hired me the second year they had it and I'd been there every year since. I'd be there today, except George, who is in his 70s, sold the place. I was still deejaying there the last two years even though I had already retired from deejaying. The deal was that as long as George had the place, I'd deejay this party. I didn't even charge him the last two years.

Oh Well, Things End. Things Begin. --RoadDog

An Unseasonably Warm Friday

OK, what do you do on a Friday so warm and fair? Yesterday was a day to savor. We're still waiting for our usual lousy weather to catch up with us. Bob Stroud went back to 1968 for his Ten at Ten show on the Drive, 97.1 FM in Chicago. Sat out on the deck (OD) enjoying the sun and warmth while he played: HOOKED ON A FEELING-- BJ Thomas RIDE MY SEE-SAW-- Moody Blues ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER-- Jimi Hendrix STREET FIGHTIN' MAN-- Rolling Stones WONDERFUL WORLD-- Louis Armstrong WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS-- Joe Cocker DANCE TO THE MUSIC-- Sly and the Family Stone FIVE TO ONE-- Doors MONY MONY-- Tommy James & the Shondells THE CONTINUING STORY OF BUNGALOW BILL-- Beatles Then, Frank and Canadian Al came by and we went up to Popeye's in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin for their great fish fry (made even better with Frank's 60th birthday coupon). We drove up there along the original alignment of US-12 from Richmond, Illinois and Genoa City, Wi. in Frank's convertible. Later, went out to El Puerto Mexican Restaurant and Bar on Nippersink Lake and watched a beautiful sunset with the Usual Suspects. Everyone has spring fever and were out in force. Was it ever crowded. Then, there were some really fine NCAA games at Margaritaville in my basement. A Good Day. --RoadDog

JSS: Heaven Help Us!!!-- Boat Chompin'- First Flowers

JSS-- Just Some Stuff


1. HEAVEN HELP US!!!-- The politicians are UPON us as primary voting draws near this Tuesday. Way TOO many phone calls. Way TOO many ads and commercials. WAY TOO MUCH MUDSLINGING. I'm voting for he or she who slings the least.


2. BOAT CHOMPIN'-- With all the warm weather (it's been in the 70s all week) everyone here in the Chain of Lakes land is chompin' at the bit to put our boats in the water. Yesterday, we saw a couple out on Nippersink Lake in Fox Lake, Illinois.

I'm hoping to get ours out when I get back from NC in a couple weeks. The last several years we didn't get out until June or July.

That is, of course, if we can afford the gas which is always much higher on the water.


3. FIRST FLOWERS-- I have our first daffodil in water in the house!! The smell of spring!!!

Just Some Stuff. --RoadDog

Twenty Barroom Classics in Honor of St. Patrick's Day Tomorrow-- Part 2

If you go to the WXRT site and find this list, you can see videos to most of these songs. And there are some I wasn't familiar with before this list.

11. WARM BEER AND COLD WOMEN-- Tom Waits
12. ALABAMA SONG-- Doors-- My second favorite Doors song.
13. I'M DRINKING AGAIN-- Ry Cooder
14. RED WINE AND WHISKEY-- Katrina and the Waves
15. SALLY MACLENNANE-- Pogues

16. FACE DOWN AT FOLK CITY-- Rockes
17. HAVE A DRINK ON ME-- AC/DC
18. WHY DON'T WE GET DRUNK AND SCREW?-- Jimmy Buffett (A love song of a different sort.)
19. WHISKEY, YOU'RE THE DEVIL-- Clancy Brothers
20. MARIA'S RIPTIDE LOUNGE-- The Juleps

Where's That Green Beer? --RoadDog

Twenty Barroom Classics in Honor of St. Patrick's Day Tomorrow

From WXRT's Morning Guy, Lin Brehmer. www.wxrt.com.

Lin's been known to tap one-two-three alcoholic beverages at times, especially this weekend. These are his Top Twenty quaffing songs.

1. HONKY TONK WOMAN-- Rolling Stones
2. UNEMPLOYED-- Michael McDermott
3. HEY, BARTENDER-- Koko Taylor
4. SLOPPY DRUNK-- David Bromberg
5. DOWN DRINKING AT THE BAR-- Loudon Wainwright

6. DRUNK GIRLS-- Led Soundsystem
7. HERE COMES A REGULAR-- Replacements
8. I GOT LOADED-- Los Lobos
9. ONE BOURBON, ONE SCOTCH, ONE BEER--
10. O'REILLY AT THE BAR-- Dan Hicks and His Hot Licks

Ten More!! Gimme Ten More. --RoadDog

JSS: Sore-- Warm-- Blago-- Bracket Time

JSS-- Just Some Stuff


1. SORE-- One thing about the early days of working in the yard. The joints and muscles are screaming. I'm paying for it.


2. WARM-- The reason I'm getting yardwork done this early is that the weather is unseasonably warm, in the 70s the past two days and predicted to continue for the next week. Who needs to go to Florida for Spring Break. We can have it right here. Been getting some use out of the deck, or, as I call it OD.


3. Blago-- What a waste! He must be related to dear old Jesse J. with his love of getting his mug on camera. We were at Tommy's here in Spring Grove, Illinois, getting our $10 large pizza and enjoying those buck bottles of Miller products and Channel 7, ABC, was outside his home airing the whole thing. He scheduled his departure for the news.

Enjoy prison, gov.


4. BRACKET TIME-- Filled 'em out yesterday and today. Getting my red pen ready to bleed all over my wrong picks.

Just Some Stuff. --RoadDog

Where Were You March 4, 1976?-- Part 3

DREAM ON-- AEROSMITH-- Almost three years old at this time, originally released 1973 on their debut album. (Guess Steven didn't do so well on Idol.)
SKY HIGH-- JIGSAW-- One-hit wonder from the UK. (I forgot how much I liked this song. I was sure singing along.)

TAKE IT TO THE LIMIT-- EAGLES-- Their first million-selling single. (And they had a bunch of them after that.)
LOVE IS THE DRUG-- ROXY MUSIC--

FIFTY WAYS TO LEAVE YOUR LOVER-- PAUL SIMON-- The #2 song in Chicago. "Hit the bus, Gus.")
CALL ON ME-- CHICAGO-- From the #1 album this date, Chicago Greatest Hits, spending its 12th consecutive week at #1. A track from it, a hit from '74.

SATURDAY NIGHT-- BAY CITY ROLLERS-- Tartan Rock. (I remember our next door neighbor's kid Alice, about eleven at the time, was a huge fan of the Bay City Rollers at the time.)
DECEMBER 1963 (OH WHAT A NIGHT)-- FOUR SEASONS- #1 song in Chicago. We'd heard their first #1 song 14 years earlier back in 1962. They were also in the '66 Time Warp for this day. (How can you not like those Jersey Boys.)

Hey, BCR, How Do You Spell Saturday? --RoadDog

Taking On Milwaukee Last Weekend

We got our Irish going in that grand old German city by the lake which is surprisingly Irish after all.

We were shocked by a huge gas gouge on the way up, $4 everywhere.

Parked by the Hilton and enjoyed the hour and a half parade. I don't think there could be anymore kilted bagpipe bands and bouncing hair straight arm dancers going down the street. And then, that Wacky Wheel leprechaun.

Checked into the Hilton and rested a bit watching that close UNC-NCSU semifinal game. Kelly got our room for $45. That's good even for a Motel 6 these days.

Took the bus over to the Irish Cultural Center in an old church just west of the Marquette University campus. $2 to get in and more hair bouncing on the main stage. Saw two Irish bands in two different rooms and had two-three beers or four-five and corned beef sandwiches.

The last one closed with that wacky "Scotsman" song.

Back to the Hilton for more drinks at its Miller Time Pub.

B-Gosh and B'Goraa. "Lad, I Don't Know Where Yer Been, But I See Ye Won First Prize." --RoadDog

Where Were You March 4, 1776?-- Part 2

MY LITTLE TOWN-- SIMON AND GARFUNKEL-- A duo we heard back in the '66 segment. They reunited for this 45 and then it was included on each of their solo album releases. Paul Simon's Still Crazy After All These Years and Art Garfunkel's.
EVIL WOMAN-- ELO-- (One sweet sound from Fred Lynne and band.)

FOX ON THE RUN-- SWEET-- Falling down the charts. Back to back songs from Sweet. Where else you gonna get back-to-back songs from Sweet except Rock and Roll Roots?
ACTION-- SWEET-- Their brand new single.

BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY-- QUEEN-- Just starting to climb the charts from their great release Night at the Opera. (How do yo make a better song than this. However, when I hear this, I just keep thing Wayne's World.)
LOVE HURTS-- NAZARETH-- Band from Scotland.

YOU SEXY THING-- HOT CHOCOLATE-- (Such a song from such a group.)
DREAM WEAVER-- GARY WRIGHT

Happy 200!! --RoadDog