Good Times in the Area: Last Weekend and This

Last weekend is a good example of why we like to stick around the area here in northeast Illinois during the summer.

The bars are open again and the bands are playing.  Spring Grove and the towns around us are in an area of Illinois known as the Chain of Lakes (or Chain o' Lakes).  There are about nine interconnected lakes and a long stretch of the Fox River.

And, boating is king.  As a matter of fact, we had three boats over a period of time ranging from 1985 to 2019.  The waterways go crazy on the weekend with hundreds of boaters out to have a good time.

An example of the fun we have took place last weekend.

On Saturday, our friends Kevin and Kelly had a party for their new granddaughter and a keg of beer and lots of food.  They have a house right on Mineola Bay on Fox Lake.  There is something about ice cold beer, the sun and watching the boats go by.

However, many folks brought their own libations and that keg wasn't empty, so we signed up for a Day After Party on Sunday with some other friends.  We worked as hard as we could, but we couldn't finish that keg.

So, it became necessary to have a Day After Party Part 2.  This time we succeeded.

Last night, we went out for one of those great Midwest fish fries at Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois.  In just a little bit, we're going to Rosie's on Grasslake where they will have a band out on the deck.

Oh, Well, Somebody's Got to Do It, and We're Just the Guys to Do It.  --RoadParty

Movie Scratches 2017: Beauty-- Kong-- Rangers-- Zookeeper's

Movie Scratches:  A Dog's Eye View of Today's Movies.

25. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST--  4-10--  Fox Lake, $6--  He booked and saved her into falling in love with him to break the spell.  Another princess movie.

26.  KING KONG: SKULL ISLAND--  4-11--  Woodstock, $5--  So good, I just had to see it on the big screen a second time.  A hot dog, beer and opening day at Wrigley Field, a World War II vet's dream comes true.

27.  POWER RANGERS--  4-13--  Fox Lake, $6--  Morphin' sure ain't easy, especially with the kookie robot and wall guy.

28.  THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE--  4-24--  Round Lake Beach, $6--  German-occupied Warsaw, Poland  Saving Jews at the zoo.  I really liked that little running camel until the Nazis killed him.  I would nominate this one for Best Picture.

Sticky Cup-Holders.  --RoadDog

Kicking Off the Summer Around Here

JUNE 5TH, FRIDAY  Our friends Kevin and Kelly had their annual "School's Out" party at their place on Fox Lake.  They have admirably continued with our annual "School's Out" parties since our last one in 2006 when we retired.  Many of our Usual Suspects in attendance as well, plus, we know a lot of their teachers.

JUNE 6TH, SATURDAY:  Listen to Wendy Rice's Saturday Morning Flashback to the year 1969 on WXRT from 8 to noon.  Great way to kick off a morning.

In the afternoon, we went to the Taste of Summer in downtown McHenry, Illinois, and wound up going to ten of the twenty places.

In the evening, the Usual Suspects gathered at Sunnyside Tap in Johnsburg to watch the Hawks-Lightning game.  Sadly, we lost.

JUNE 7TH:  Listened to Bob Stroud's annual "Summer of" show where he plays songs from the summer of 40 years ago.  This year, of course, 1975.  See the last two posts.

Then, we went to Kevin and Kelly's for the annual "Day After" party to finish the keg.  (Well, Two-days After.)  Because of the off-and-on rain, we didn't sit out by the lake, but enjoyed their new basement bar.  We killed the keg.

It Must Be Summer.  --RoadDog