Good Times Around Here: May 8 to 12: Trivia, Retired Teachers, Two Legions, Fish Fry and a Band

WEDNESDAY, MAY 8

Donovan's Reef for trivia.

THURSDAY, MAY 9

Breakfast with retired Magee teachers at Bristol 45 Diner.  Fox Lake Legion.

FRIDAY, MAY 10

Johnny's Cafe in Fox Lake for fish fry.  Fox Lake Legion for 50-50.

SATURDAY, MAY 11

Saylor Mick's in Spring Grove for the band Peter & the Versatiles.

SUNDAY,  MAY 12

McHenry Legion and Sunnyside in Johnsburg.

--RoadDog

Leading Up to St. Patrick's Day: Teachers, Pi, a Cemetery and Some Bars

MARCH 14, THURSDAY

I met seven other teachers I used to work with at Magee Middle School in Round Lake at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin, for breakfast.  It is always good to get together with old friends.  Stopped at my State Farm agent to see if I could get an adjustment on my vehicle insurance on the '05 Dodge Dakota and '85 Firebird since I don't drive either very much, but already was getting the lowest amount I could.

Bought an apple pie at Jewel for $3.14.  I wonder why that price?

MARCH 15, FRIDAY

Drove to Arlington Heights, Illinois, to replace the flowers on my mother and father-in-laws' graves, stopping along the way in Lake Zurich to get the tax information on my Charles Schwab account.  On the way back stopped at Sunnyside in Johnsburg and the Fox Lake American Legion.

Pi Is 3.14.  --RoadO'Green

The Day of the 'Smart RoadDog' Arrives... with a Whimper

THURSDAY, JANUARY 5

Met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  I had found a list of Magee principals and administration from 1983 to 2001 and we had a quiz, Name That Administrator.  This could be a new show on the Game Network.  We sure had a lot of them.  Maxine was principal's secretary for most of that time.

Sorry to say that Big Oil's gas gouge is back.  Gas in Illinois is up to $3.10 to $3.40 since a week ago.  Gas in Wisconsin also went up and was $3.06 to $3.10.  By the way, when I say $3.10, that is actually $3.99.9.

Did some shopping at Wal-Mart and Menard's in Antioch.  Met Kevin and Kelly at Half-Times in Johnsburg, Illinois, for the half price pizza and those $1 pints of Lite.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 6

The big question this morning was, "Is this to be the day of the Smart RoadDog?"  Would I get the phone working, or, actually, would Kelly get the smart phone working.  This was way beyond my meager technological ability.  And, it challenged Kelly because switching from a flip phone to a smart one involved difficult steps and especially when the old flip AT&T account was in Liz's name and she had a secret password, which of course I didn't know.

I eventually had to drive over to the AT&T place in McHenry with her death certificate and they gave me a temporary code so I could switch over to Consumer Cellular.    After that, switching over was easy at Kelly's house and now "I are Smart."  Well, let's say I am in, but have no idea what to do.  This will take a lot of time.

Smart Ol' Me.  --RoadDog

Magee Teachers in Bristol. Bob Stroud Retires from Deejaying.

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29

We went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes for trivia and those great 1/2 price drink specials during happy hour.

THURSDAY, JUNE 30

Met the usual group of former Magee Middle School teachers for breakfast in Bristol, Wisconsin, at the Bristol 45 Diner.  We had two newcomers to the "club", Karen and Linda.  Always good to get together with people I worked many years with back in the day.  

I also had an Magee '81-'82 yearbook and everyone got a kick out of that.  I must admit I looked quite a bit like Gabe Kaplan of "Welcome Back Kotter" but with less hair.

This was Bob Stroud's last day deejaying before his semi-retirement from Chicago's WDRV after four decades of work, mostly spent at numerous stations in Chicago, the last 21 with this station.  I recorded a lot of his show on cassette tape.

However, he will continue doing my favorite shows that he does: Ten at Ten, One 45 at 1:45 daily and Rock and Roll Roots on Sundays.

He said how he got into the radio business back when he was 12 and living in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and a friend of him told him to tune into WLS, 890 AM, out of Chicago and listen to a deejay named Dick Biondi...and that got him hooked on what turned out to be a long career.

--RoadStroud

Wisconsin and Johnsburg

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1

As usual, we're going to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, to play trivia with Uncle Jeffie and enjoy those great half price happy hour drinks.

THURSDAY, JUNE 2

Drove to Bristol, Wisconsn, and met the Magee teachers for breakfast, something we do once a month.  It is good to see an d talk wih folks I worked with all those many years ago.

The gas gouge is really hitting hard right now with gas in Spring Grove, Illinois, at $5.56.

That evening, we went to Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and enjoyed listening to Jim Seig and all the others at Open Mic.

--RoadDog

March Coming In Like a Gas Gouge: Ukraine, Donovan's Reef, Trivia, Magee Teachers, Gas Gouge and GRBs

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 2

Who'd have figured at this date, we'd have a new Hitler grabbing land in Europe.  I have Ukrainian flags on two of my blogs, including this one.

Went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and met Kevin and Kelly and played trivia with Uncle Jeffie, and, of course, played along with Jeopardy.

THURSDAY, MARCH 3 

Met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.

I see out wonderful folks in Big Oil and the 1 percenters are out to make their ill-got profits again.  gas was $4 in Illinois and $3.60 just over the border in Wisconsin.

Let the Gas Gouge Begin!!   --RoadDog

About Last Weekend: Bristol 45 Diner, Donovan's Reef, Johnny's Cafe and the Legion

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10

Met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  The two Bobs, Maxine and Karen were there.  I'm a big fan of the Mediterranean omelet which is $11.49.  It is huge (gone are the days o $5 to $6 breakfasts) and I get two more breakfasts at home.

The GRBs are at it again with gas in Wisconsin between $3.20 and $3.30, but gas in Illinois is $3.50 and higher.  Needless to say, everyone up here on the Illinois/Wisconsin border, goes north for gas.

At 2 pm, Liz and I met Kelly and Kevin at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for trivia with Uncle Jeffie.  We had quite a few players.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11

We went to Johnny's Cafe in Fox Lake, Illinois.  For many years it was the Channel Inn and is on the same channel where we used to keep our boat.  Kevin and Kelly told us the portions are massive and they sure were.  I had the swai fish fry and there were two huge fillets along with potato pancakes, cole slaw, a roll and bowl of soup.  All for $9.95.  I'll sure be back.

Then we went to the Fox Lake American Legion for the fifty-fifty, bu, alas, won nothing.

--RoadDog

Second Weekend of This Year: Donovan's, 45 Diner, Stucky's, Da Bears and Sunnyside

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6

We met Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. for happy hour and trivia.

FRIDAY, JANIARY 7

The extreme cold continues.  Drove to the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin, and met the Magee teachers.  Always good to get together with old friends.  Got gas in Trevor, Wo., for $3 a gallon.  It was $3.465 at Rock Corner just over the Illinois border which is why I fill up with gas in Wisconsin.

Later drove to Stucky's on Johnsburg, Illinois, and found that we had low air pressure in all of our tires, more than likely from all this cold weather.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8

I pit air into all four tires at the Mobil station in Johnsburg (which still has free air, believe it or not) and all the warning features turned off.

Went to Stucky's for the dinner special and $1 draft beers.  We should have come home earlier because it had started sleeting and getting out to the car in the parking lot was all kind of fun.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9

We didn't go to the McHenry American Legion today because it was closed because of a COVID outbreak.  Went to Sunnyside and watched the Bears lose to end the season with a stellar 6-11 record.  No playoffs for us, obviously.

--RoadDog

It's Winter: First Anniversary Attack on Capitol, Donovan's Reef. Magee Teachers, Stucky's and Air Pressure Problems

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6

The first anniversary of the attack on the U.S. Capitol.  That is still hard to take.  Those pictures of the mob breaking in is right up there with those burning towers on 9/11.  As a  matter of fact, we were at Donovan's last year this date and that was when we first became aware of what was happening.  Barb, the bartender, had to turn the TV off when two patrons almost got into a fight over it.  I sure hope Americans will be able to reach some kind of a consensus on all this.

We have certainly been having a cold winter so far in the new year.  

Met Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's Reef.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 7

Met the Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  Always good to get together with friends I taught so many years with in Round Lake.  Both Bobs were there as was Karen.

Liz and I went to Stucky's at night.  Discovered that the air pressure in all four tires on the Malibu was way low and had many warnings.  I'll have to put some more in tomorrow.

--RoadDog

Going Back to 1974-- Part 1: "Any Major Dude Will Tell You"

On December 2, 2018, WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback featured the year 1974 and was hosted by Johnny Mars.

1974 was another busy year for me as I finished teaching my first year at Magee Middle School and started my second one.  We moved from our first apartment in Des Plaines, Illinois, to our second one in Vernon Hills, Illinois.  This one was about half way between where I worked in Round Lake and where Liz worked at General Finance Corporation in Evanston, Illinois.

I taught summer school at Grayslake High School.

We also started looking for an affordable house (and eventually moved into one in Round Lake Beach (for $33,000).

ROLL ON DOWN THE HIGHWAY--  Bachman Turner Overdrive
WALK ON--  Neil Young
ANY MAJOR DUDE WILL TELL YOU--  Steely Dan

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "We Rented A Truck And A Semi To Go."  Answer below.  RoadDog


"Roll On Down the Highway"

Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning)?-- Part 4

Continued from (in order)  Tattooed On Your Soul, Not So Forgotten and Cooter's History Thing blogs (see the side bar Blogs I Follow).

On this, the 18th anniversary of the Day the World Stopped Turning.

By Alan Jackson

**********************

Where were you when the world stopped moving that September day?

Teaching a class full of innocent children   (In my case, I was.)

Or driving down some cold interstate?

Did you feel guilty

'Cause you're a survivor

In a crowded room did you feel alone?

Did you call your mother

And tell her you loved her?

Did you dust off the Bible at home?

Did you open your eyes, hope it never happened

Close your eyes and not go to sleep?

Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages

Or speak to some stranger in the street?

************************************

How did Alan Jackson know I was teaching a class of seventh graders at John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake, Illinois?

About Last Weekend: No Hardee's, Sammie's, The Curse of the Round Lake Spring Carnival, Magee Teachers and Legion Name That Tune

THURSDAY, MAY 2

Four straight days of rain and that grass is mocking me.  Lots of flooding and the lower Fox River is no wake.  I saw a real creepy movie in Fox Lake called "The Curse of La Llorana."  Then went to Round Lake Beach and found that the Hardee's was closed.  I'm disappointed, but not surprised as there were hardly any customers when I went.  I ended up at Sammie's on Rollins for one of their great gyro meals.

I saw that the infamous Round Lake Spring Carnival was setting up, so that explains all the horrible weather this week.  Stopped at the Legion on the way home.

FRIDAY, MAY 3

A day without rain.  Wow!!  Went to the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin, and met with former Magee teachers.  Later went to the Legion in Fox Lake for 50-50 and enjoyed playing Name That Tune with the deejay.

--Roaddog

Surviving the Cold Last Weekend: Teachers, Legion, Groundhog Day in Woodstock, Legion, Super Bowl

Last week was somewhat chilly here in the Chicagoland area as some of you might know.  But we sure had a nice warmup in the weekend and it sure felt like spring had arrived, despite temps in the 40s.

FRIDAY, FEB. 1   Met the retired Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  Good  to get together with old friends.  Went to the 50-50 at the Legion at night.

SATURDAY, FEB. 2    Went to Woodstock for their Groundhog Day festival.  This is where the famous movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.  Enjoyed it despite the bigger crowds.  Then Liz and I went to the American Legion in Fox Lake in the afternoon and enjoyed the duo Twice As Nice.

SUNDAY, FEB. 3  Bob Stroud Root Saluted Buddy Holly on his Rock and Roll Roots show on WDRV 97.1 FM on the 60th anniversary of his death in Iowa.  Watched the first three quarters of the Super Bowl game at Stucky's in Johnsburg.  Too bad you know who won.

--RoadDog

A Busy Weekend-- Part 2: Old Friends, Vets and Ed Bearrs

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 7

This being Pearl Harbor Day, the 77th anniversary, I wrote about it in all my blogs.  My flags were already up for President Bush's funeral.

I drove to Bristol, Wisconsin, to have breakfast with former teachers from John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake, Illinois.  We had our first get-together back in November and hope to get it to being a regular monthly thing.  It is always fun to get together with old friends, especially ones you don't often see.  A lot of retired teachers from Round Lake have moved to warmer climes, but enough of us stay here to have them.

Afterwards, I drove to the Fox Lake, Illinois, American Legion Post 703 where we were putting on our annual Christmas dinner for the people at the VA Hospital in North Chicago.  I worked in the kitchen plating yams, mashed potatoes and gravy.  We served around 125.

Later I drove to Arlington Heights, Illinois, and visited the grave of Liz's parents in Memory Gardens and then, with some difficulty found the place where Ed Bearrs was going to speak for the Northern Illinois Civil War Round Table at the Arlington Hts. Museum.  Mr. Bearrs is one of the preeminent Civil War people, having written many books and led many battlefield tours.  It was worth the distance and confusion to hear him.  I will eventually get around to writing about him in my Civil War blog.

A Very Long Day.  --RoadDog

The Passing of My Friend Martin S. Kadner

I was very saddened to learn last night that Marty Kadner, a friend of mine and a fellow teacher for thirty years at John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake, Illinois, died.  Unfortunately, we lost contact after he retired.  My friend Kip said he had found out on Monday and given a call to me, but unfortunately, I didn't get the message until Tuesday morning and didn't get a call back until Tuesday night.  He and his wife had gone to the funeral and burial service.

I went to his obituary in the Chicago Tribune and it didn't have much information, just that Marty was 68, a Vietnam War veteran and recipient of a Bronze Star and that he had taught many years at Magee.  He was buried at the Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery near Joliet.

His wit and sharp tongue got us through some trying times at school.  If I didn't know better, I'd say his brother from another mother was Richard Belzer (Detective John Munch) from the TV shows "Homicide" and "Law and Order: SVU."

Marty was not a dog lover, but we once ran into him at Bill's Pizza in Mundelein and he went with us out to Lamb's Farm when we found and picked out Brandy to be our puppy.  The poor guy ended up holding Brandy on the way back to Bill's.  But he dogged through it.

Marty put out an occasional little newsletter called Burnt Offerings, something that he started when the district ceased giving us out Christmas bonus turkeys.  This was one of the funniest things to read I ever set hands to.  He had a way with words worthy of Mike Royko.  If not a teacher, he could have been a journalist easily.

He graduated from Southern Illinois in Carbondale and loved that area of the state.  He always planned to retire there and spend his days fishing.

I was amazed at how many students entered onto the Legacy to thank him.  He brought that wit and dry, really dry, humor into the classroom.

My Life Was So Much Better for Having Known Marty.

I'm Sure he Is Off Somewhere, Probably Fishing and Making His "Observations."

Thirty Years Ago: B-Ball Scoring, Secret Santa and Columbia House

Just looking back at my journal for Dec. 5-7, 1983.

I was keeping score at 7th and 8th grade boys and girls basketball games just about every day after school as I was the official scorer and ran the clock.

Our superintendent came up with the idea for "White Alerts" when we had the possibility of a snowstorm which we had today. This allowed teachers to leave at the same time students did.

I got my Secret Santa, Marcy.

Dec. 7, 1983, we had a fire drill at 2:40 PM and we all had to go out in the cold. Both Magee Middle School girls teams lost to Woodland.

"When I returned home, I found that my records (albums) had arrived from Columbia House, all 13 of them. I now need to buy 7 more records at around $11 apiece. That will come to $85 for 20 albums, not a bad deal considering most sale records now cost $6.99."

Anybody remember Columbia House and BMG (and I think they had another name before becoming BMG) Records? I sure always enjoyed looking at the ads for these companies and the pamphlets you'd get every month/4 weeks. The only problem was getting the featured album if you forgot to return the letter saying you didn't want it.

I still have a few/many of  those featured albums.

--Collecting Those Albums. --RoadDog

JAB'D, Wings, Oldies, Old Cars and An Old Bar

Thursday, we took advantage of decent weather for a boat float on Mineola Bay and Fox Lake. Then drove to Antioch and had some great 35 cent wings at the Sequoit Lodge before going out back to the bandstand and seeing the 50s-60s band J.P. & the Cats, which we have been seeing since the 1980s.

They are based out of Dekalb. Plus, it was a classic car show. Took a walk around and met Maxine, my school sceretary for many of the years I worked at Magee Middle School in Round Lake. She is still working there and we did some catching up.

After the show, we stopped at Steitz's on Bluff Lake to get a Chain Crawl stamp,. They have been open on the Chain since 1938 and quite noted for their German food. The inside is like a museum.

Good Day. --RoadDog

A Bit 'O History for Me Today

This morning, I drove into Round Lake and had breakfast with my old teacher team mate Terri. We worked together for about 24 years. She has four more years to go before retiring. I find it very had to believe that I have been retired for a full five years now. Where does the time fly by to?

She has been back at Magee Middle School in Round Lake where I taught my first 31 years. I was "forced" to leave for my final two years when they closed Magee.

We met at Richard's Chicken on Rollins Road which has been there since at least 1977. Great food and I live their Richard's omelet.

After some shopping, i went to the new Magee Middle School as it prepares to open next week. They were having sixth grade orientation and quite a few of the teachers I used to work with were there. This new building is something else. Had I still been teaching when it reopened, I would have done anything I had to to go back.

My whole team was told to go back. I would have gone even if that meant leaving my team. The district did a great job on the new building.

Afterwards, I went to the Round Lake Ace Hardware, which at one time was the largest Ace Hardware store in the US, and it probably still is. Unfortunately, the high prices and opening of a Home Depot and Menard's about five miles away has really hurt business. When we lived in Round Lake Beach, we went there often.

We live in RLB for 17 years.

A Real Trip Back. --RoadDog


UNIVERSAL TRUTH: Was learning cursive really necessary.

Where Were You December 27, 1979?-- Part 1

We were finishing up the 70s and getting ready to go into a new decade and living in our home at 1013 Morningside in Round Lake Beach, Illinois. We moved in during 1975. 

I was half way through my seventh year of teaching at John T. Magee Middle School in Round Lake and Liz was in her fifth year teaching and at Ellis Elementary School in Round Lake Beach. We were quite spoiled as I had a three mile drive to school and Liz a half mile. I was also working on my master's degree at Northern Illinois University.

As usual, Bob Stroud's comments are first. Mine are in parentheses.

COOL CHANGE-- LITTLE RIVER BAND-- By the end of the 70s, there was a bit of change in the music. (Not to mention it is quite cool these days in Chicago.)

DON'T BRING ME DOWN-- ELO-- From new album "Discovery." (And, they were ALBUMS back then.

HEARTACHE TONIGHT-- EAGLES-- co-written with Bob Seger. Glen Frey, Don Henley, J.D. Souther from the album "Long Run."

DREAMING-- BLONDIE-- a new-wave-punk thing happening.

How Do You Beat Electric Light Orchestra? --RoadDog

Watchin' the Doggies Run

New Year's Eve, my buddy Bob called from out in Iowa to say Little Tommy and some of the other Magee (now Round Lake Middle School) teachers were getting together at the Dairyland Park in Kenosha on the 3rd to bet on the dog races.

I drove the thirty miles there and paid $1 to park (hear that Chicago) and got to waive the usual $3 ticket to get in (something about senior day on Wednesdays). Went upstairs to the clubhouse and that is a great place to watch the race, either live or on TV. For some reason, there were a lot of "old folks" in attendance.

Little Tommy has a reputation of betting on any and everything and he was living up to it. Fortunately for him, he is usually lucky when it comes to betting. Not only could you bet on the dog race, but there were several horse races going on. Good thing he is in such good shape as he was constantly running up to counter to place bets.

Bob retired from Magee two years before me, but still has kids in college so is teaching at a Catholic school in Mt. Prospect. Mike retired this past June. Little Tommy, Jason, and Terri are still teaching, but Little Tommy will be retiring in five years, but the other two have a long way to go.

I ended up losing $10, which is not bad for me. I know that I don't have a lot of luck, so bet in moderation. Plus, you know, I'm on what they call a fixed income.

Love the Names of Those Dogs. --RoadDog