2020 Was a Weird Year

Definitely a different year for us.

**  We didn't even play one game of NTN (Buzztime) at a bar.  Granted, every year this number has been declining, but even then.

**  We stayed in a motel only twice.  Both times were in DeKalb, Illinois, where we had gone to see NIU basketball games.   Usually we stay in motels at least 35-40 times a year.  Both motel stays were before the you-know-what hit.

**  The furthest we drove from home was 60 miles the two times we went to DeKalb for the basketball games, and, of course, both times were before the you-know-what.  After the you-know-what, the farthest I went was 25 miles to Algonquin, which I did three times for Civil War Round Table discussion group meetings.

Usually, we have at least two 1000+ mile trips along with a lot of ones around 100 to 300 miles.

**  I only saw 14 movies at the movie theaters for the year, the last one on February 28.  Usually I see 50 to 70 movies a year in the theater.

Fun and Games With You-Know-What.  --RoadStayAtHome

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  Among the islands of the West Indies are the Pyjamas, noted for their toilet sponges.

Two Funerals In Four Days: Jim Terryberry and Ken Reid

This has been a rough week for Liz and myself.

On Monday, we went to the funeral of a good friend, Jim Terryberry, 72,  in Antioch, Illinois,  at Strang Funeral Home.  He is a friend from back in Round Lake and he and his wife would come out to see me deejay at Tom's Cafe in Johnsburg, Illinois, pretty much every St. Patrick's Day.

Plus, we would run into them at various festivals in the area during the summer.

Thursday, we went to the funeral of Kenny Reid, 68,  at Justin Funeral Home in McHenry, Illinois.  Wherever you would find Kenny, you'd find fun.  That was just the way he was.  A graduate of McHenry High School, Class of '68, he was  instrumental in their yearly reunions which were real blowouts.

He also played NTN with us a  lot at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.

Hard To Take.

Labor Day Weekend 2018-- Part 3: J's, BLT Pizza and NTN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 3

More rain today.  We have had rain every day since Friday and lots of it.  How long before we have no wake or closed on the Chain of Lakes.  Beginning to look like we won't get out at all on the boat this year.  Plus, after 33 years, we are seriously considering selling it.

We went to J's in Ingleside, Illinois, and enjoyed their $1.50 draft pints and half price pizza.  Their BLT pizza is one of the best in the area.  That is bacon, lettuce and tomato to those of you who don't know and it is like getting a salad on top of your pizza.

We met Usual Suspects Kevin and Kelly there and played NTN trivia, something we used to do a lot, but rarely anymore.  We had several Top 20s as individuals and he bar.

Stopped at Sunnyside on the way home.

--RoadDog

YOUR ENGLISH LESSON:  And that "eat" is the only word that if you take the first letter and move it to the last, it spells the past tense "ate"?

This Week, Or, How To Survive Some Serious COLD!-- Part 1

Well, this new year has certainly started off cold here in the Midwest. But, it is even cold in the South and the poor Northeast really got pounded with that storm.

JANUARY 1, MONDAY--  We celebrated an early New Year's Eve at the Fox Lake, Illinois, American Legion yesterday with toasts at 4 p.m., our kind of celebraton anymore.

Today we met Kevin and Kelly at J's in Ingleside for half price pizza, $1.50 pints and NTN.  We did quite well at NTN/Buzztime with five Top Twenties.  Watched that great Georgia-Oklahoma game there and at home in Margaritaville.

JANUARY 2, TUESDAY--  Stayed home because of the cold and we're both recovering from the flu thing going around.  Met Kora at Sunnyside for a few.

JANUARY 3, WEDNESDAY--

Went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin,  and met Kevin and Kelly for drinks and 50 cent jumbo wings.

On the way home, we stopped at a new place that opened yesterday in Spring Grove, Illinois, (where we live) called Bricks & Ivy (a take on Wrigley Field).  The building has been about four different places over the last years, MVPs, Dill Pickle, 21st Amendment and Spring Grove Tavern.  Let's hope this one takes.

We saw that Tommy's, right down US-12, had reopened and stopped for a couple more.  They just opened today.  So, we were first-nighters.

Here's Hoping the Two New Bar/Restaurants Make It.  --RoadDog

ACCIDENT REPORTS:  "I had been shopping for plants all day and was on my way home.  As I reached the intersection, a hedge sprung up, obscuring my vision."

Labor Day Weekend-- Part 3: Research, Boating, Pizza, Beer and NTN

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4

Sat out FP (Front Porch) for breakfast and coffee as well as reading yesterday's Chicago Tribune.  Must catch up on my newspapers.  On the internet and doing some research on Major League Baseball players in World War II playing for the Great Lakes Training Base baseball players, coached by Hall of Famer Mickey Cochrane.

One of the players was Chet Hajduk who had a "Cup Of Coffee" with the Chicago White Sox in April 1941, who appeared in a major league game exactly one time before being sent to the minors for the rest of the season.  He joined the Navy after the season and played for Great Lakes.

Last week, I wrote about the Navy Day in Dubuque, Iowa, August 23, 1942, where 32 Dubuquers were sworn into the Navy and there was a baseball game between the Great Lakes Naval Training Center and the Navy Pre-Flight School at Iowa City in my Tattooed On Your Soul World War II blog.

While I was researching and doing blog entries, I listened to 'Fessa Hook's Beach Music Top 40 for 1961.  He played some mighty good stuff and should have it for another week.  You can listen to it at beachshag.com.  I'll write the names of some of the songs in the next post.

I went out boating on Fox Lake for awhile and then we met Kevin and Kelly at J's in Ingleside for half price pizza, $1.50 pints and played NTN.  Afterwards, we went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.

A Good Day.  --RoadDog

North Carolina Summer 2016-- Part 13: Home

AUGUST 1, 2016, MONDAY

I left at 7 a.m. from Richmond, even though that would mean I would hit Indianapolis at 8 a.m., right in the middle of Indianapolis rush hour.  And, i went right through the center of the city.  Traffic was heavy, but there were no slow-downs.  I stopped on the west side in Speedway and went to the Kroger store and bought two more Fuzzy's Premium Vodka 100th Running of the Indy 500 commemorative bottles.

I will be giving one to my good friend and teaching Buddy, Terri, who is a major INDY CAR fan.

Drove I-74 northwest.  Gas at Crawfordsville, Indiana, a usual stop for me, was down 9 cents to $2.

Took Illinois-47 north of Mahomet and stopped in Morris at the Burger King, which still has those great greasy tacos (much like those at Jack-in-the-Box or Jacks as they call themselves now).

Arrived home and cut the grass which needed it with all the rain we've been getting since I was gone.  Went boating and then to J's for half-price pizza and NTN where we had a #3 and #4 team finish.

Then went to the Sons of the American Legion meeting at the Fox Lake Legion.

Home At Last.  --RoadDog

HELL!  ... Let's Offend Everybody!  How do you get a sweet little 80-year-old lady to say the "F" word?  Answer:  Get another sweet little 80-year-old lady to yell "Bingo!"

A Good Time Last Weekend

FRIDAY, FEB. 12--  Met friends at 'Cuda's in Antioch, Illinois and enjoyed their fish fry and $2 craft beer pints.  Then went to the Legion in Fox Lake.

SATURDAY, FEB. 13--  Went to the Legion to listen to the 18-piece Lakes Area Swing band playing all that Big Band music for their Valentine's Day Dance.

SUNDAY, FEB. 14--  We went to the Boy Scout Pig Roast at the Johnsburg, Illinois,  and then to Hickory Lodge in McCullom Lake.

MONDAY, FEB. 15--  Played NTN with friends at J's in Ingleside with four Top 20s, despite other places having seen the questions before.  Enjoyed their famous BLT pizza at half price.  Then went to the Legion in Fox Lake.

--RoadDog

T-Giving 2015-- Day 1: Travel

November 24, 2015, Tuesday.

Drove Il-47 south from Woodstock, Illinois, to Mahomet. I had a back up for road construction at south of Stark's Corner by Il-72 and US-20.   Glad to report that the road construction through Yorkville is finally finished after at least two years and a great, four lane stretch the whole way.  I got gas at the Pilot at Crawfordsville, Indiana, for $1.66 a gallon.  I sure love these gas prices these days.  I never saw gas over $2 today.

Took I-74 from Mahomet to Indy and through town on I-70 and then on to Huber Heights, Ohio, where I got a room at the Days Inn.  I was glad to find a Skyline Chili by the motel and took advantage, having a four-way.

Gas prices on our side of I-70 were $1.66 as well, but $1.90 on the other side.  I was thinking about filling up, but decided to wait until tomorrow to do so.  More on this decision on the next post.

Went to BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wings) and played NTN while watching NIU put forth a lame effort against Ohio University.  I left in disgust at half time.

--RoadDog

Heading to Jacksonville Beaches, Ended Up in St. Augustine

APRIL 27TH, MONDAY:    So much nicer leaving Tybee Island today as the traffic jam was gone.  Drove to Savannah and toured Old Fort Jackson and saw the divers working on the wreck of the CSS Georgia.  Then drove through Savannah along a regular oak tree/Spanish moss tunnel and out to I-95 and took it to Jacksonville, Florida.

We were hoping to find a motel and check out any of the three beaches by the city, but only found two expensive hotels and got back on I-95 and took it to St. Augustine, where we found an NTN place called Mardi Gras and played there.  Decided to stay nearby and got a room at the Howard Johnson's about two buildings down.  Drove around the town and then played NTN at the BW3 (Buffalo Wild Wing).  Paid $5.70 for two Pepsis.  BW3s are EXPENSIVE!!!

Back to the Mardi Gras and watched the Bulls lose their game.

--RoadDog

Thanksgiving Trip 2013-- Part 2: Nov. 22nd The National Road

NOVEMBER 22ND: After leaving the museum, Denny and I backtracked a way into Dayton and had lunch and played NTN at one of the Cadillax Jack's you see so often in the national top twenty.

Then drove the National Road (US-40) into Springfield, Ohio, and saw the new Madonna of the Trail statue location and then National Roaded it to Columbus where we took the interstate (I-271) north and got rooms at the EconoLodge Motel ($50 a night) then went to Dave Wickline's Route 66 Roadhouse nearby before driving to the Ohio National Road annual dinner and awards meeting at the Florentine Italian restaurant (dating to 1946) on US-40 in downtown Columbus.

Quite the dedicated group there and they were nice enough to let me get a dinner as well. Lots of Ohio State fans there. Someone said tickets to the OSU game were $100 each and still a sell-out.

Afterwards, drove down Ohio State's party strip which was just beginning to hop what with the home game tomorrow against Indiana. This strip had to be three miles long, a real lot longer than NIU's Lincoln Highway party strip. Then, back to the Route 66 Roadhouse for drinks and back to the motel.

--RoadDog

Good Times Around Here Last Weekend

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH: NTN Farewell Party at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH: Saw Richmond-Burton High School defeat Marengo 48-23. It got mighty cold.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21ST: Bought that first HDTV, a 29-inch Vizio. Now to "figger" out how to install it. Hopefully not too hard. Pirates invade Captain's Quarters for Pirate Day on the Chain of Lakes. About 100 dressed and ready to pillage pirates in attendance. Saw the band Hooked on Sonics playing 60s to today's music.

**NIU Huskies win a very close game over Eastern Illinois. (Heard it on the radio.)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22ND: Bloody Mary at Main Street Tap in Twin Lakes. Last day of NTN at Donovan's. Packers lose, but Bears win!!!!

Good Times Around Here. No boating over the weekend because it was fairly cool. I did do some yardwork, however. --RoadDog

Saying Goodbye to NTN/Buzztime at Donovan's

Several of us got together yesterday at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, to see the NTN trivia game out in style. We were in the Top Twenty the seven games Liz and I were there (the last four all in the Top Ten).

Barb and Lance put out three pizzas for the NTN players which were also eaten by the other regulars who don't play NTN. We even got Jeff to leave his "bidness" over at the corner table. He played NTN more than anyone else, almost every day, until he got the laptop and started spending time on his food and e-Bay businesses. We usually averaged once a week at Donovan's.

We even saw the Cubs win a completely unimportant game against the Brewers. The two teams are battling it out for last place. And, it being Talk Like a Pirate Day, there was a lot of pirate talk. Captain Jack Sparrow would have been so proud.

Oh well, all things pass. This is just one more. Right now, I am thinking of letting my two NTN players, Parrot and Whodah, just fade off into the distance when NTN drops Donovan's, which we think will be this Sunday. Surprisingly, NTN sure didn't make much of an effort to keep Donovan's as a client.

Goodbye Last Twenty Years of Good Times.  --RoadDog

The End of an Era at Donovan's Reef: No More NTN

Today, we have the goodbye celebration for an old friend at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. After close to 20 years, the place is dropping NTN, the National Trivia Network, now called Buzztime.

We have spent many hours enjoying food, drinks and comraderie at the place dating back to when the Stewarts took over the place. We have made Top Twenty many, many times during that run and have been visited by many out-of-towners who came because they saw out name up there so often.

However, due to people moving away (and one major player died), the number of players have dropped tremendously and so few play it now, it is just not worth the $500 monthly charge to play it, so the new owners are dropping it. I don't blame them. I would have dropped it a year ago.

That's a lot of money to pay out if you're not getting a lot of people sticking around to play it.

We're having a going away party today for it, and hoping to get one last round of rankings.

Sorry To See It Go. --RoadDog

About Last Weekend: 3 Festivals, 9 Bars, 3 Bands and 1 Car Show

AUGUST 1ST, THURSDAY-- Boating. Antioch, Il.: Sequoit Lodge for wings, J.P. & the Cats playing at the bandstand, classic car show. Then, Steitz's for Chain passport stamp.

AUGUST 2ND, FRIDAY-- Donovan's in Twin Lakes, Wi., with Kevin and Kelly for NTN (ten top ten rankings), Never Sink Inn and Tommy's in Spring Grove, Illinois.

AUGUST 3RD, SATURDAY-- Genoa City Days in Wisconsin. Mitch performing on the deck at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes. Fireworks at Venetian Night in Fox Lake, Illinois.

AUGUST 4TH, SUNDAY-- Bloody Mary and cocktails on the deck at Dirty Rooster overlooking Grasslake. Port o' Blarney for Chain Crawl passport stamp. Funk Libido Circus playing at Captain's on Fox Lake. Fire on the Strand (bonfire) and gazebo back home.

ALL OF THESE PLACES ARE WITHIN TEN MILES OF OUR HOUSE. Pretty Good Times. --RoadDog

No More NTN at Donovan's Reef

I have to admit that we had kind of been expecting it for quite some time, but yesterday when we went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, we found out that the owners were going to drop NTN, National Trivia Network, also called Buzztime.

We have been playing NTN there since at  least 1994 and really putting the place on the NTN Top Twenty Board.  We've had people from all over the U.S. visit because they say they've seen us on the rankings so many times.

We generally go there once a week to play and have noticed that fewer and fewer people are playing.  Most of the regulars completely ignore the game.

With it costing $450 a month for ten boards, that is a lot of money being spent for little return, so I am not surprised.

Barb says they will keep it until some friends we met in Myrtle Beach come a visit in early August.

The last seven years or so, the people running NTN have done one thing after another to anger me and try to attract a different group of players, so I have grown disenchanted with it so this will not cause me to miss it as much.

Things Change.  --RoadDog

Good Times Around Here: June 27th to July 1st

THURSDAY, JUNE 27TH

The trip to Dekalb for the Lincoln Highway Centennial.  Looking for Hawk Stanley Cup gear.

FRIDAY, JUNE 28TH

Popeye's in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, overlooking Geneva Lake for my birthday fish fry.  Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin. Then, karaoke at the Lakes Area Legion in Fox Lake, Illinois, on Nippersink Lake.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29TH

Terry and Greg Spizzirri performing on the deck at Dock's On the Rocks Tiki Bar in Wauconda, Illinois, overlooking Bang's Lake.  Then, Mellancougar tribute band to John Mellancamp playing at Captain's Quarters in Antioch on Fox Lake..

SUNDAY, JUNE 30TH

After listening to Rock and Roll Roots in the morning, it was yardwork and then Milwaukee's Eddie Butts Band playing at Captain's Quarters from 3 to 7.  They are an ultimate party band.

MONDAY, JULY 1ST

Yardwork and then J's in Ingleside for half price pizza, $1.50 pints and NTN.  Then the Legion where we bought the boat launch yearly pass.

Summers and Retirement Just Sort of Go Together.  --RoadDog

The Local Dealer, the Cozy, Double J and the Curve

APRIL 22ND

We ended up taking the '03 Malibu over to the local Chevrolet.  Not that we wanted to, but because the check engine light came on the day before.  Don't want to have problems on the road going home.

Friendly Chevrolet, on the southwest side of town took it in right away and had to wait for a part, but had us out of there in a little over two hours and a little over $200 lighter.  Something about something with emissions.  Very friendly place and great popcorn, coffee and pop while you wait,   Sure like the looks of the '13 Malibus.

We were way too late for breakfast at Charlie Parker's so went to Cozy Dog for the Cozy Dog special (4 Cozy dogs and a large fries for $9.50).  You can't go to Springfield without eating at Route 66's Cozy Dog.  While we were there a tour bus came in with people from welcome centers around Illinois` who were finishing a five-day excursion around the state to experience some of the sites and places.

Hung around the motel and enjoyed the first bit of springlike weather and then went to Capital City and played NTN with JJ, Rusty and Peaches and then to the Curve Inn for 25 cent wings.  Lastly back to the motel's Southside Pub and watched the Bulls win their playoff game against the Nets.

The Day Got Better.  --RoadDog

Saying Goodbye to Alfons

Tuesday, there was a memorial service for Al Sowka. 

He had been cremated, so no body, but lots of pictures, many of which were the Alfons we remember.  As Liz was signing the guestbook, she heard me chuckling around the corner where I found a shot of a long-haired, mutton-chopped late 60s early 70s hippy Al.  Now, that was funny.

Enjoyed looking at all the photos and as the deacon said, we were not just there to see Al off, we were there to celebrate our lives with him and those old pictures sure did.

Al's Cubs and Bears jacket were up at the front as well, although I think the jacket should have been cremated with him.

Back at Donovan's, Jeff was playing Alfons' NTN board.  I played Cub Al and Go Al and Liz played an Al board, trying to get him on the Top 20 nationally, or at least Top Ten locally, but it wasn't to be.

Yesterday, I mentioned the song "A Dying Cub Fan's Dying Lament" by the late great Steve Goodman and decided to go to You Tube and give a watch.

I found a really great one of the song featuring Goodman sitting at one of the Rooftops across from Wrigley Field with the ballpark behind him and groundskeepers going about their work

A very fitting memorial to Alfons as well.  See it at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7xBxZGQ1d3k.

Or, just type the song and name in.

Goodbye, Alfons.

A Goodbye to Alfons

Last Thursday, we went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, as we do around once a week, and were saddened to hear that our buddy, or son as I will tell you about later, had gone to the doctor after he though he had had a stroke and while examing him, terminal cancer was found.  He was given only two weeks at the max to live.  He died Saturday.

That is a shock.

We had just played NTN with him a month ago and used to play the game every time we went to Donovan's as he used to live in Twin Lakes, but had moved back to Illinois in the last year. We had no idea he was ill.

He was one great NTN player and was especially good at movies, an area I am unbelievably bad in even though I see a lot of movies.  And, he shared answers.  We always did better as a team when he was there.

He was also in our age group, having been born in August 1951 and had been an Arlington High School in Illinois Class of 69 graduate.  This school was right by where we graduated from, Palatine.  They were our arch-rivals and were not well-liked.  We liked to kid around about past rivalries.

Plus, he was regarded as our "son."  We called him "son" and he called us "Mom and Dad."  That stemmed back to the time I was deejaying a St. Patrick's Day party at George's Cedar Inn in Lake Villa.  Liz. Al and  his wife were sitting at the bar when the bartender asked if Liz was Alfons' mother.  That got to be a standing joke after that.

Alan Sowka (1951-2012)

Anyway, Alfons, Old Buddy, Sure Gonna Miss You.

I Been Working on the Yard

Well, Saturday anyway. This past weekend.

FRIDAY

Picked up boat in Hebron, Illinois. Did some shopping. Met the Usual Suspects at Stormy Monday on Fox Lake. Good to have that great view again. Enjoyed the $2 pint taps.

SATURDAY

A day of yardwork and a sore body as a result. My "Aching Back" acre. Did tye burn pile.

Afterwards, signed up for the Chain Crawl at the Squaw Bar in Ingleside. 37 Bars in One Summer. Starts next month. J.C. was not happy we didn't tell him about the Footstompers being at After the Fox last Sunday afternoon. Enjoyed the DJ and $5 pitchers.

Then, the Kevin and Kelly joined us at J's for NTN. DJ and $2 23 ounce taps.

SUNDAY

Enjoyed Stroud's Time Warp back to April 8th 1970 and 1980 inthe morning. Went over to the China Buffet in Fox Lake for Easter dinner. It was $13.99 for five kinds of shrimp, roast beef and crablegs. Too full to do much after that.

Another Good Weekend. --RoadDog


WILL ROGERS SAYS: The country has come to feel the same when Congress is in session as when the baby gets hold of the hammer.