First Weekend of 2022

SATURDAY, JANUARY 1

Started snowing early and continued all day so just stayed home.  Watched Bowl Games, Yellowstone and the movie "The Magnificent Seven."

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2

"Binge watched" TV for the first time.  We don't have any of those streaming services, but Paramount Channel was running the "Yellowstone" series, so caught up on background. Great show but way too much cussin'.

Listened to Da Bears win on the radio and went over to the McHenry American Legion.

The new neighbor and his young son came over and cleared the snow off our driveway and sidewalk.  Mighty neighborly of them.

--RoadDog

THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SAY:  I like you.  You remind me of when I was young and stupid.

New Year's Day: Good Friends, More Rotten Bowl Games and the Legion Again

JANUARY 1, 2016   Friday

For some reason, today seemed like it was Saturday all day.    That was the same thing with Christmas Day.

Another bad day for the teams I supported in Bowl games.  Both Notre Dame and Northwestern lost.

We went over to Kevin and Kelly's for a get together with them and Jim and Arlene.  Watched some football and had plenty to eat.  The others had never seen that hilarious, but oh so true Chris Rock video on how not to get your ass beat by the police.   All the gangsts should be made to watch this over and over.  Jin especially roared.

We had plenty of food and liberal samplings of Kelly's home brews.  She is getting quite good at it.

Afterwards, stopped by the Legion on the way home.

My cold continued to get worse all day.

--RoadDog

Toastin', Snowin' and Bowlin'

New Year's Eve, Liz and I went to the Fox Lake American Legion for the annual "Early New Year's Celebration" from 1 to 5 PM. Just great timing for old fogies like us. We had plenty of food, drinks and karaoke. Afterwards, we went to Antonio's for a couple before going home. Actually stayed up until 12:30 AM. //// New Year's Day was spent mostly shoveling snow (which started at 3 PM New Year's Eve and continued until this afternoon with probably a foot accumulation of fortunately light snow which I usually shoveled off instead of using the snowblower. I also watched the Rose Bowl Parade and then more bowl games than usual. I wasn't happy about Georgia's loss to Nebraska or the Wisconsin and Iowa losses, but was very happy with Michigan State winning the Rose Bowl. //// Spending the Eve and Day. --RoadDog

Pretty Good New Year's Celebration

Now, it can be said.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30TH--

One last get-together with the Usual Suspects at Route 66 Bar to toast good friends with PBR.


SATURDAY DECEMBER 31, 2011--

We were part of a group of First Nighters in more ways than the fact it was going to be the first night of the new year. Last February, the motel at favorite stomping ground, Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, caught fire and was partially gutted.

This past June, construction began on it and we figured it would be open by September. Of course, delays, and they finally opened for business today. Quite a few regulars got rooms as well.

Went to Main Street at 5, but they were too crowded (having an early New Year's celebration. So ended up at Laurin's Landing for a couple or three.

Lots of friends at Donovan's and grabbed spots at the bar. Buck pints!! No band, but open juke box and had a great time with it. Good food out at 9. Stayed up way too late, 2:30 am.


SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2012--

Recorded Bob Stroud's Time Warp this morning back to January 1, 1971, forty years ago. That was a trip.

Then Ultimate Bloody Marys at Main Street and back to Donovan's for Da Bears and Da Packers, both wins!!

Home and Crash!! --RoadDog


HOW'S THAT AGAIN? Pretty is as pretty does...(Your actions are more important than your looks.)

It's a New Year's Celebration

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 30TH-- This was our trip to Kenosha, Wisconsin, playing NTN at Uncle Mike's the Brat Stop and Donovan's. The brats at the Brat Stop have to be the best I've ever had and that's saying a lot in Wisconsin, the Brat Capital of the US. The Brat Stop is one of the top tourist attractions in the area.


FRIDAY, DECEMBER 31ST-- We celebrated New Year's Eve at the Legion. It was everything you'd expect to have on this party, only earlier for us stay-up late challenged. Great food, friends and lots and lots of shots and beers.

Woke up before midnight, watched the Chicago fireworks and we sure had a lot around here.


SATURDAY, JANUARY 1ST-- Watched the Stooges and Tournament of Roses Parade. Went over to the Kellehers for a day of Bowl Games, food and drinking with them and the Clintons.

Definitely not a good day for the Big ten. Didn't mind Michigan losing, but the Northwestern and Wisconsin losses were hard to take.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 2ND-- Listened to Bob Stroud's annual "Gone But Not Forgotten show on Rock and Roll Roots.

Went to After the Fox Bar on Fox River and watched the Bear-Packer game. Too bad we lost, but I do pull for the Packers unless they play the Bears so am happy they're going to the playoffs.

A Good Time. --RoadDog


YOU'RE A FLORIDIAN IF...You know what a snowbird is and when they'll leave.

What To Do New Year's Day

Listening to the Northwestern game right now. We can't watch it because we don't get ESPNU.

I just listened to Myrtle Beach's Surf radio station 94.9 FM play the yearly Top 40.
The number one song was "Boardwalk Angel" by the Sand Band. This is an old Billy Joe Royal song.

Off and on I will be watching the Three Stooges marathon on AMC. Love those guys, especially when they have Curley.

In a while, we're going over to some friend's house to watch bowl games. We're especially up for the Rose Bowl.

Speaking of which, I watched some of the Tournament of Roses parade and recorded the rest. That's got to be the best parade anywhere. Period.

New Year's Day. --RoadDog


YOU'RE A FLORIDIAN IF...You're on first name basis with the hurricane list. They aren't Hurricane Charley or Hurricane Andrew. You know them as Andrew, Charley, Frances, Ivan and Camille.

First Day New Year, New Decade

Writing this right now at 7:39 while watching "Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring" the first of the trilogy. Ring, ring. Who's got the ring. Why, it's a Baggins.

Spent New Year's Eve watching probably the worst band ever play at Donovan's last night, True Devotion. This band obviously had never played together more than a couple of times. They seem to be talented, but should never have taken an $800 paycheck for a New Year's Eve party.

Liz was loaded for Bear, and I'm not talking Chicago Bear. She even asked a couple members if they'd ever played together before.

For breakfast, I went to Country Kitchen and had a delicious gyro omelet for $5.75and talked with Trov, Cruz, Keith, Rich and others.

Then, I went back to Donovan's and Barb treated me to two of her fantastic Bloody Marys. We played NTN with Barb, Jeff and Marcia and had about 16 Top Twenty rankings in NTN-Buzztime. We had about the same number last night.

Way too bad about Northwestern's loss to Auburn which was fortunate to have injured the Wildcats' field goal kicker. At least Penn State won. Way to Go Papa Joe!!!

However, staying up past 11 PM is hard for me any more, so was quite worn out by the time we got back home. We had stayed up until 3:30 AM. Quite a battle to stay awake through TNT's Lord of the Rings. Missed a fair amount of it.

Kicking Off a New Year. --RoadDog

Great Day for Bowl Games

There really weren't a lot of bowl games that really cared much about until today. There are WAY TOO MANY bowl games these days. One of them even featured two .500 teams!!!

I was happy to see East Carolina defeat Boise State. Both Mom and Dad graduated from there, and I would probably have gone there as well had we not moved to Illinois. Unfortunately, Central Michigan lost in the last minute to Purdue after coming back and tying the game.

Way to go Mr. Paterno who won his 500th game with Penn State at the Alamo Bowl. I have a lot of regard for this man.

But, today there are lots of great games.

I am a big Wisconsin fan, actually, they're my very favorite Big Ten team. Unfortunately, they're playing my second favorite SEC team, Tennessee. My nephew Andy is one of the biggest Vol fans in the world. Just ask anyone who knows him and walk into his "orange" room. My brother Bob, didn't go to Tennessee, but his money sure did. Tennessee won 21-17.

The Really Big Game today, is the Rose Bowl. Come on Illinois!!!! I attended Northern Illinois, and at one time really hated the Illini, but I have since become a Big Ten, well, Eleven actually. Win one for the Chief!!! The late great Chief Illinewek.

The Sugar Bowl will pit Georgia against Hawaii. I'm pulling for Georgia as I went there one year and my sister graduated from there and my niece goes there now.

I'm pulling for LSU in the championship. Two teams I really don't like are Michigan and Ohio State.

Nothing Like Some Good College Football on New Year's Day. --RoadDog