That Cubs Game Was Horrible

Definitely not one of the Cubs finer moments of 2016 last night.  They were destroyed 12-5, disappointing the many, many Cub fans at Mailwaukee's Miller Field.  i would say that at least half the people there were wearing Cubbie blue.

Jason Hammel, our pitcher definitely was not on his "A" game, but we did get to see Rizzo hit two home runs.

Oh, well, At least I Can Say I Did Get to see the Cubs If This Indeed "Be the Year."  --RoadDog

OH HELL!  LET'S OFFEND EVERYBODY:  Where does an Irish family go on vacation?  A:  To a different bar.

Going to See the Cubs Play at Milwaukee Tonight

In an hour, I will be going over to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg, Illinois, to catch a bus to Miller Field in Milwaukee to see the Chicago Cubs play the Milwaukee Brewers.

I wasn't going until yesterday when I was there for a retirement party and enjoying the antics and singing of Jim Sieg.  We were also watching the Cubs game against the Brewers, which they won 7-2.

I realized that if I was going to see the Cubs this year, and, if indeed IT IS THE YEAR for you-know-what, I'd best get signed up to go.   And, I did.

We will have drinks on the bus and at the tailgating as well as sandwiches and pretty good seats from what I heard.

I will, however, be going in my full White Sox gear.  I mean, I love the Cubs, but they are my second favorite team.  I will, of course, be cheering for the Cubbies.

--RoadCubbie

25 Ways To Know You're From Lake County-- Part 5: General Mitchell All the Way

17.  You have an annual subscription to the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire.

18.  You know at least four different ways to avoid driving on Routes 120 and 176.

19.  You try to fly out of General Mitchell Field in Milwaukee because it is easier than it is to fly out of O'Hare.  Much cheaper daily parking and flights that actually leave on time.

20.  You can always find a seat on the Metra trains into Chicago (as you get on earlier).

--RoadDog

25 Ways to Know You're From Lake County-- Part 3: Always, Chicago Suburbs

8.  You understand that North Chicago is not actually in Chicago, nor is it anywhere near Chicago.  The North part is right, though.

9.  You may be geographically closer to Milwaukee, but still say you're from a "suburb of Chicago."  (I'm looking at you, Antioch.)

10.  You have a relative who works for Abbott, CDW, Baxter or Walgreen's.  (Or, you work at one of them.)

11.  At least once a week you are late for work, school, practice or an appointment because of a freight train.

12.  You say "Great America" instead of "Six Flags."  (We had Marriott's Great America before it became Six Flags.)

--RoadDog

Ex-Beatle Still Rockin' 'Em-- Part 4

WXRT is playing the new Paul McCartney song "Queenie, I" right now at 7:10 AM, from his upcoming album. A good one. WXRT has been playing his new song "New" a lot. I may even have to go out and buy this new album. I haven't bought any of his new stiff since he was with Wings, other than greatest hits collections. His new album, titles "New" comes out this Tuesday.

These are the songs he played at the July concert in Milwaukee:

#20. LOVELY RITA-- First time he's sung it live
#21. MRS. VANDERBILT-- (I'm not familiar with this one.)
#22. ELEANOR RIGBY

#23. BEING FOR THE BENEFIT OF MR. KITE-- The last and most intriguing of the new songs. John Lennon's psychedelic work. All five of the "new" Beatles songs fall into the "fun category."
#24. SOMETHING
#25. OB-LA-DI, OB-LA-DA

#26. BAND ON THE RUN
#27. BACK IN THE U.S.S.R.-- On jumbotron behind him, the words "Free Pussy Riot" appears in support of the punk rockers imprisoned in Russia.

Shoulda Gone to the Show. --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

Off to Milwaukee for St. Patrick's

In just a few hours, we're heading to Milwaukee for the St. Patrick's Day Parade and celebration at the Irish House.

Most years I can't go because if deejaying in Lake Villa, Illinois, for their St. Patrick's Day Parade and then the party back at George's Cedar Inn, which I did for eighteen years. I'd still be there today, except the place was sold, so here I go north!!

Where's That Green Beer? --RoadDog

Going to See the Cubs Tomorrow

Liz and I are going to Milwaukee tomorrow to see the Cubs play the Brewers.

It is a bus trip sponsored by the Spring Grove-Richmond Chamber of Commerce.

For $65 apiece, we get a breakfast pizza at Tammy's, the bus trip, drinks on the bus, a two-hour tailgating party and drinks on the way home.

I call that a good deal, even if I am more of a Sox fan than Cubs. However, I will be pulling for the Cubbies.

As the Late-Great Steve Goodman (Whose Birthday Would Have Been This Week. I Found Out When Bob Stroud Played "Lincoln Park Pirates" On His Rock and Roll Roots Show Sunday) Would Say, "Go Cubs Go." --RoadDog


GROANERS: How do you catch a unique rabbit? Unique up on it.

Monday to Wednesday-- Boating, the Brew Crew, and Boating Again

MONDAY-- It was boating time. Floated around then went to Baja Benny's on Fox Lake for their 75 cent draft special. We met up with the Kevin and Kelly and were planning on going across the lake to Captain's Quarters for their $2 rat and fries special and $2 domestic bottles, but the weather got threatening, so put the boats up and met over at Hello Folks in Fox Lake for their $1.50 pint special, NTN (with about seven Top Twenties), and the $2.99 Italian beef and fries. Stopped at the Legion on the way home for their 50 cent draft special.

We like to do things on the cheap as much as possible. Have a good time, but do it cheaply.


TUESDAY: KENOSHA, WISCONSIN, AND THE BREW CREW

Drove around Kenosha during the afternoon. I'll need to go back as there is a lot to do there. They have done a great job on their lakefront, but the fog sure rolled in. Met a teacher buddy (also retired) Paul for dinner at the Golden Corral. Met up with two other retired teacher buddies, Mike and Bob, and we carpooled it to Miller Park in Milwaukee for the Brewer-Padre game.

Huge traffic jam on I-94 north of Racine when it went from three lanes to one. Great planning guys. Big wait at parking as well. Between the two, we didn't get to our seats until the middle of the second. Good game until the sixth, when the Brew Crew got blown out.

More on this trip at RoadDog's Roadlog: http://roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com


BOATING DOWNRIVER

I had the best boating experience of all, boating on someone else's boat, yesterday. Kelly and Kevin drove down he Fox River to McHenry and we went to two new bars that we hadn't visited yet this summer: Old Bridge and Bimbo's. With these two, we have now been to a total of 27 different bars by boat on the Chain of lakes and Fox river this summer. We estimate there are about another five we haven't been to.

We also revisited After the Fox, Snug Harbor, and going back, the Aquarium on Nippersink Lake.

The deals on Wenesday:

Old Bridge-- $2 domestic, $1 PBR drafts
Bimbo's-- none
After the Fox-- $5 pitchers
Snug Harbor-- $3 Long Island Ice Teas, half-price appetizers (recommend the Caribbean rings and Margaritaville Nachos
Aquarium-- $1.25 12 oz drafts, 25 cent wings

Hey, cheaper is nicer!!!

Tough Life, But Somebody's Got to Do It. --RoadDog

Got Crowned at Wedding in Milwaukee

This past weekend we attended the wedding of Kevin and Kelly's daughter in Milwaukee. They got married at one of the most beautiful churches I've ever seen at Marquette University. The stained glass windows were outstanding.

The reception was held at the Boerner Botanic Gardens in Hales Corners. They had arranged for buses to carry the reception party from the Wyndham Hotel by the airport to the reception, but, unfortunately, we missed it and had to take a cab.

We missed the cocktail hour and got there just in time for the meal and had some of the best lamb I've ever eaten. Kevin and Kelly are Irish, and everyone had a coffee mug, mini bottle of Jamison Irish Whiskey and the ingredients and recipe for Irish Coffee. Nice touch.

The reason we had the buses was to enjoy ourselves. And that we did. I made up for missing the cocktail hour with a steady stream of Crown Royals and soda. I had found Crown Royal as being a very popular drink earflier this year when we were in Panama City. There was also a 12 member band with a six-piece horn section called The Mr. Lucky Syndicate that played great Big Band Tunes to Blues Brothers.

Best of all, at the end, we didn't have to drive back to the hotel. The buses took us.

A Grand Time Was Had By All. --RoadDog

More Rain!!! NTN

This morning, I went out boating to McDonald's and did some floating around. How many other places can you boat over to McDonald's for breakfast or your burger fix?

Came home, just in time to catch some more rain. At least it didn't rain while I was in the boat. That is never a very pleasing thing to be on your boat in the rain, especially when you have an open bow boat.

We've been getting the rain of late. It rained last Thursday. We got another 4-5 inches between Saturday and Sunday. Then, we had a real big storm Monday night to Tuesday, with another 5 inches around here. However, rain is a good thing for the yard as it has been a bit dry so far this summer.

The Chain is higher than it's been since the drought of summer 2005. The boat looks a strange to be that high along the pier. The lower Fox River is closed to boating because of the high water and the stretch between the dam and the Chain is no wake. The Chain itself is open for any speed, but I'm sure if we get much more, they will close it.

Got another load of mulch at Rick's, then went to Hello Folks to play some NTN. T Lady, Pgrstr, Soxfan, Klofmn, and I did pretty well on Appeteasers, the 15 minute lunch game that's offered. We had three #1s, a #2, two #5s, and a #6. Not bad out of 9000 people playing. We even beat Dennis from Fargo Lounge in the Quad Cities four times. He is usually number one most of the time. Not bad.

I had planned on doing some yardwork this afternoon, but that appears to be a bit rained out. The grass can definitely use it with all this rain.

Right now, I'm planning on going to the Wisconsin State Fair outside of Milwaukee tomorrow.

Just TOO Much Fun Around Here. --RoadDog