Trying to Reason with an Ice Storm-- Part 2: All That Real Gone Electricity

Continued from March 2, 2023.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23

That was a miserable night.  No flushing toilets and I had to take a flashlight with me everytime I had to go.  All those shadows.  No washing hands afterwards either. No fun to lose electricity on well water.  The pump is electric.

I was hoping that when I woke up we'd have power again.  We didn't.  And, it was getting pretty chilly in the house.  We have natural gas, but guess what the blowers work on?  No going into the freezer or refrigerator either to make sure food keeps cold.

At daylight I could see that I have some branches down and others hanging on the pines.  It is pretty though with all the ice on everything.  Nature's doing its icing.

I was hungry so decided this would be a great time to go over to the Midwest Breakfast Company in Spring Grove and have breakfast.  It's been here for many years and Liz and I had never gotten over there to give it a try.

I was going to take the Malibu over to it, but it was in the garage and guess what the door opener works on.  Then I remembered I could just go over to the door and pull a chord and it would open.  But, guess what the lights out there work on.  And then, after I opened the door and backed out I would have to get out of the car, penguin walk on the ice back to the garage door and pull it down manually as I wasn't going to leave it open while I was gone.

So, I decided to go out to the driveway and drive the Dodge Dakota.  But, guess what that was covered in.  

--RoadFun

Past Movie Scratches: Pets-- Olympus-- Fifty-- Godzilla-- Equalizer-- Kingdom

Past Movie Scratches--  Movies I watched on TV in 2021.

49.  THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS--  7-23--  Along came Liam.  Fun and games down on the farm.  Find the ball.

50.  OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN--  7-26--  You don't want Mike Benning sneaking around when you take over the White House.  Right, bad guys?

51.  FIFTY FIRST DATES--  7-28--  Like a first kiss fifty times.  It was deja vu all over again.

52.  GODZILLA--  7-29--  Good ol' Godzilla saves the world from the two bad ones.  Hey, it's an alpha thing, you know.

53.  THE EQUALIZER 2--   8-5--  Have black Malibu will Lyft and solve your problems.  Making things right the hard way.

54.  JURASSIC WORLD:  FALLEN KINGDOM--  8-6--   Outrunning the lava flow and falling rocks.  (Well, and dinosaurs.)

--RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  Quicksand works slowly.

Still Using Cassettes (Hopelessy Behind the Times)

FRIDAY, JULY 1

Went to Quality Tire in Spring Grove to check on the Malibu and then to McHenry to check out some garden centers at Wal Mart and Home Depot and then bought three 5-pack Maxell cassette bricks and a Sony Radio, Cassette and CD boombox player using a 30% off coupon.  Nowadays a cassette brick costs $9.99 at Meijers which is the only place I know of to buy a brick.  The boom box usually cost $69.99.

Gas on Illinois Highway 31 was $5.15 and $5.05.  Getting better, but still way TOO expensive

Stopped at the Spring Grove Jewel on the way home and bought six 12-packs of Diet Coke for Liz at 3 for $10, a real good deal these days of inflation in pretty much everything.  (Sale prices on these used to be 4 for $10.)

I see that USC and UCLA are going to join the Big 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.  That will make it the Big 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16.  Time for a name change.  Another case of the rich get richer among the so-called Power Conferences.  I liked the old days where conferences were based on regional location, but not no more.

Picked up the Malibu which ended up with $460 in repairs.

Met the usual suspects at Johnny's Cafe in Fox Lake and then went to the Fox Lake American Legion.

But, I Like Cassettes, and, Even More Important, Know How toUse Them.  -RoadDog

It's Winter: Air Pressure, Stucky's, Ice, Bears

Continued from January 17th.

SATURDAY, JANUARY 8

I was able to put air in all the tires on the Malibu and the warning lights and indicators went off.  I am of the opinion that this continuing cold had something to do with it.

Went to Stucky's in Johnsburg and enjoyed the $1 draft pints.  How do you beat that these days?  Unfortunately, we had a light rain falling and it turned into ice, so had a real fun time walking out to the car and cleaning off the windows.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 9

We didn't go to the McHenry Legion as they are closed for a few days because of a COVID outbreak. Listened to the Bears lose the last game to end the season 6-11.  Looks like changes are in store  for them.  So sad to see that Tarik Cohen didn't play at all this year.  I doubt he will ever play again.  Too bad, he was a lot of excitement carrying the ball.

Went to Sunnyside and there were a lot of sick people there.  Most said it was a cold and not you-know-what, but who can tell these days.

--RoadDog

The $3800 Six Mile Auto Trip, Nov. 10, 2020-- Part 3: Since Then

NOVEMBER 12, 2020

The guy came from the Chevy dealer and towed the car there.  Later that afternoon, we got a phone call about the damage to the car.  I planned on paying for it myself if it was under $1000, but it sure wasn't.  To do the mechanical repairs (with damage to the radiator and various other parts up front, it came to $2100.  To get the grill and front bumper replaced the whole price came to $3800.

Quite a bit more than I wanted to pay for.  So, I called our State Farm agent (not Jake from State Farm) and made a claim.  After giving the information, we were assigned a claim number and told their person would contact the dealer and work out something.

The contact, however we found out, was to be virtual in these virus days.

We have not heard from anyone as of yet, but will be calling today to find out where we stand and what will be done.

Just several years ago, we had four vehicles and now we are down to just one, a 2005 Dodge Dakota.

Kind of Would Like to Have At Least Two Vehicles, Though.  --RoadAlmostCarless

POINTS TO PONDER:  Why are you "in" a movie, but "on" TV?

The $3800 Six Mile Auto Trip Nov. 10, the Next Day

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 11

And that is considering that since March 16, I haven't driven further than 25 miles from home.  With this virus, it is just no fun to drive anywhere.  We even dropped plans to join family in Savannah, Georgia, this coming Thursday for Thanksgiving.  We had that in the plans for a year and a half.

That storm, as bad as it was, was over in about an hour.

Anyway, the next day, I walked out by the car and saw the garage floor was very wet under the front of the car(perhaps, I thought, from all the rain we had) but there was nothing by the back tires.

I looked at the front of the 2011 Malibu and could see the license plate and holder were a bit bent and he bumper under it was dented as well.  Then I saw a piece of wood jammed in there, but I couldn't loosen it. (Nor could I get the hood up after I pulled the inside lever to do it.  I couldn't find the latch in the engine.)

I started the car, and it started right up.  Backed it out of the garage and drove around a couple blocks.  It ran well.  No warning lights came on either.

Parked it on the driveway which was dry, figuring I would see if it was still leaking.  I went out a few hours later and the driveway was covered with some sort of liquid.

I called our Chevy dealer to have it towed in the next day.

Watch Out for Them Motivating Big Tree Branches.--RoadWreck

POINTS TO PONDER:  Why do we press harder on the remote when we know the batteries are getting weak?

The $3800 Six Mile Auto Trip Last Tuesday-- Part 1: One Helluva Storm

We had had an almost unbelievable streak of warm weather for almost seven days in early November, so we had been taking advantage of it.  

However, Tuesday, November 10, it was supposed to end and in a big fashion with storms rolling through and really big winds.  Of course, that was the sky-is-falling weather forecasters so it was something you had to see.

We were down in Johnsburg sitting outside enjoying a late lunch (wow, sitting outside comfortably with just a sweatshirt and short pants in November here in the Midwest.  Wow!!) and then it began looking like the weather folks might be right.  Some really bad-looking black clouds were rolling in from the west and the wind was picking up.  (We were sitting outside because of the virus and no dining inside.)

Around 4:15, a big blast of wind and a smattering of raindrops hit, sending customers chasing after chairs, tables and umbrellas and then we and others decided it was time to hightail home.  We got to the car just ahead of a downpour.

Driving north on Johnsburg Road, we could see the rain coming down horizontally.  Trees were bending over alarmingly.  The pavement was becoming slippery.  We stopped at Ringwood Road for the sign, proceeded through the intersection and about a quarter mile north, I saw a large tree branch blown down and start across the road.  This was maybe a hundred feet in front of us.

Slammed on the brakes, but had to let up when I started skidding.  The branch was sliding across the road, but enough in it so that we were going to hit it.  We did.

The car continued going with no problems and we drove the last couple miles to home.  Parked in the garage and we could see no damage.

Hopefully, we wouldn't have any damage, but would have to wait until the next day to take a look in the daylight.

That Was Too Close.  The Heart Was Racing.  --RoadSmash

THINGS TO PONDER:  If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2.

JSS: Dumb Commercials-- Calvin & Hobbes-- Butterflies & Humming Birds

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  DUMB COMMERCIALS--

 How dumb is that Pepsi commercial with Nate and Kate as taste buds in your mouth?  Way too much flirting and stupid dialogue.  How much longer must we be subjected to it?

Plus, that weird little Prince-ish guy for Diet Dr. Pepper.

2.  CALVIN & HOBBES--  I sure wish the creator Bill Watterson would bring it back.  But, I go to Go Comics every day and see am old one.  On August 6, 2019, we see Calvin talking to his tiger, Hobbes, and saying:  "Dad might be a secret super hero but driving a car that isn't cool.  I know, ours doesn't even have a cassette deck."    Kind of dates the comic strip.

Today's kids wouldn't even know what a cassette deck is.  Shoot, in Chevrolets, you can't even get a CD deck anymore.  That will be a big problem when we buy our next Chevrolet.  I have to have at least a CD player.  Last year, we sold our '03 Malibu which had both a CD and a cassette player.  Now  that was a great sound system.  Our '11 Malibu at least still has a CD player.

3.  BUTTERFLIES & HUMMINGBIRDS--  Well, butterflies might be endangered now, but I sure have a lot out in the yard.  As a matter of fact, I usually have several fly into me whenever I'm outside.  I especially have a lot of monarch butterflies.  I also have several hummingbirds (even though I don't feed them) that scare me badly every time I see see them.  My first thought is, "Look at the size of that mosquito!!"

Just Some Stuff.  --RoadDog

STATE OF THE JOKE:  INDIANA--  What is the difference between Indiana sports fans and puppies?  Answer:  Eventually, the pups will grow up and stop whining.

JSS: Busy Day-- Goodbye To the '03 Malibu

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  BUSY DAY--  Today, I will be leaving in just a little bit and going to the Fox Lake American Legion for the Tom Grosvenor Marine Corps / Toys for Tots birthday breakfast.  Afterwards I plan on burning leaves and limbs in the yard.

Then, if the weather holds good, there are two Illinois High School Association playoff football games nearby and I plan to go to one.  After that, the Legion is having a band.

2.  GOODBYE TO THE '03 MALIBU--  We were sad yesterday when friends came over to pay for and take title of our '03 Chevy Malibu.  We bought it new and this was the first car where we ever got over 100,000 miles.  The odometer read 145,265 miles.

It is in really good shape, but we figure it is time to buy a new car as the newest one we have is a '11 Chevy Malibu.  (We also still have a 2005 Dodge Dakota and an '85 Firebird.)

We drove the '03 Malibu from Chicago all the way out to Santa Monica, California, from one end to the other of Route 66.

It was a really good car.

We'll Sure Miss It.  --RoadDog

SAYINGS:  "You learn something new every day."  Actually, you learn something old every day.  Just because you've just learned it, doesn't mean it's new.  Other people already knew it.  Columbus is a good example of this.

Shouldn't Have Gone to That Car Show: A '67 Firebird for Sale!!

Yesterday, Monday, September 25, I went over to the final Green Street Car Show in downtown McHenry, Illinois, as the featured cars were Pontiacs, which remains my all-time favorite vehicle.  I have had a '67 Tempest, '67 Firebird convertible, '85 Firebird and two Grand Ams.

My all-time favorite car remains the Firebird, but since Firebirds were phased out and later the whole Pontiac line, I was thinking of getting a Corvette for my next middle (older) age crisis car, until they came out with the new Camaros.  Everyone called the 1967 Firebird a middle age crisis car back in 1987 when I bought it.

But, yesterday, I came across a '67 Firebird that was for sale.  It is not in perfect shape, but definitely good enough for me and a whole lot better shape than the '85 Firebird which we (well, I) still have.  It has a 400 engine and the price is right at $10,000.  Though, it had an 8-track player and I would have to do something to get a cassette/CD player and FM radio.

We have four vehicles right now: '85 Firebird, 2003 Malibu, 2005 Dodge Dakota and 2011 Malibu.  I don't need another vehicle so would have to sell one, maybe two.  All of these we've had since brand new.  We paid cash for all of them as well.

But, I am seriously considering it, but trying to come up with reasons not to buy it.

Somebody Help Me.  --RoadDog

Good Times in the Area: Leading Up to St. Patrick's Day-- Part 3: A Tribute to Harold Ramis

MARCH 13, SUNDAY--  Getting used to Daylight Savings Time.  Pizza and pitchers at Hickory Lodge in McCullom Lake.  Stop at Sunnyside in Johnsburg.

MARCH 14, MONDAY--  Took the '03 to Ray Chevrolet in Fox Lake to get the back lights fixed.  Went to Half-Times for their Monday Happy Hour with 1/2 price appetizers and $1 20 oz. drafts.  Really getting tired of all the political ads as tomorrow is primary day in Illinois.

MARCH 15, TUESDAY--  Took the '11 Malibu to Ray Chevrolet for recall on the seatbelt.  Enjoyed looking at the 2015-1016 Camaros and Malibus.  Probably our next car.    I tried the Taco Bell breakfast offerings, not bad for a buck.

Drove to Woodstock for the Harold Ramis Tribute at the Woodstock Theatre.  First, I saw the movie "London Has Fallen."  I then went to La Placita Taqueria Mexican Restaurant for dinner.  Great burrito.  Even better, this was where the Tip-Top Cafe was in the movie "Groundhog Day" and I sat in the spot where Bill Murray crammed all that food into his mouth.  Harold Ramis was very involved with this movie and directed it as well as co-wrote the screenplay.

I then saw the third of the movies in the tribute to him, "National Lampoon's Animal House."  This is my all-time favorite movie and it was great seeing it on the big screen again.  Until the end, this movie could have been my old fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi.  There sure was a lot of laughing and many, like me, knew the lines essentially by heart.

Laughing All the Way.  --RoadDog

RAMBLINGS OF A RETIRED MIND:  Why do they put up pictures of criminal in the post office?  What are we supposed to do-- write to these men?  Why don't they put their pictures on postage stamps so the mailmen can look for them while they deliver the mail?