New Year's Weekend 2022-2023

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30

Went to Sunnyside Tavern in the afternoon and met Kevin and Kelly at Johnny's Diner in Fox Lake for dinner before going to the Fox Lake American Legion for 50-50.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 31, 2022

Met Pam at the Windhill Pancake Parlor in McHenry, Illinois, and enjoyed the Christmas decorations.  They go overboard.  Later met Kevin and Kelly at the Fox Lake American Legion for the afternoon New Year's Eve Party with toasting at 4:30 pm.  That's my idea of "celebrating" the new year as it is hard to stay up past 11 pm for me anymore.  Enjoyed DJ Goldy, a real dj, not one of the new ones who do not interact with the crowd.

Watched the college playoffs at the Legion and at home in Margaritaville and was happy Texas Christian beat Michigan and especially happy about Georgia getting lucky and beating Ohio State.  (I went to UGA for a year, plus a whole lot of family went there.)

I actually managed to stay up to midnight.  Happy New Year!!

SUNDAY, JANUARY 1, 2023

I drove over to Squaw Bar in Ingleside to see the Bears play their game.  We used to get together with the "Usual Suspects" to watch the games here.  But, I hadn't been back there for years.  It was like old times, a fun place to watch the game with lots of fans.  Unfortunately, it was the 9th straight loss.

Then went over to Saylor Mick's, a new place in Spring Grove and had their $1 taco special and enjoyed the $1 pints of Hamm's.  This place used to be Tommy's and had huge crowds, especially during the Blackhawk games back 2010-2015.

--RoadNewYear

The Gas Gouge Comes Back!: Donovan's, Sox, Bulls and a Movie

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 20

Went to Donovan's and watched the Sox get blown out.  The Coz Man was not a happy lad.  But, the Bulls actually beat the Bucks in their playoff game, and beat them good to even up the series at one apiece.  That will probably be the last Bull victory, though.  But, this was a fun year to watch them, the best since the 90s.

THURSDAY, APRIL 21

Temps in the 60s.  Has spring finally arrived?  Drove to Fox Lake, Illinois, where gas has once again climbed to $4.40, the GRBs!!  

I saw then movie "Ambulance" which had a warning about the seemingly flashing lights of the way it was filmed and, I was pretty worn out by the time it was over.  That was some chase.

--RoadDog

Ending January: Warms Up, Donovan's, Round Table, CDs, Sliders, Stucky's & NFL

THURSDAY, JANUARY 27

Felt good to get outside after not even venturing out at all the last two days because of highs in the single digits without wind chill figured.

Picked up newspapers and mail from the driveway and mailbox (Like I said, I didn't even go outside the past two days).  Went to Donovan's in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, and played trivia with Uncle Jeffie.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 28

Drove to Crystal Lake and Algonquin (the farthest I've driven since the virus arrived in 2020, about 35 miles).  Met with other board members of the Civil War Round Table I belong to in order to discuss what's happening at Panera..  This virus thing has sure been rough on us.

Then, drove to two of my favorite places and made purchases.  I bought nine CDs at Half-Price Books and a ten-pack of Sliders at White Castle.

Went to Sunnyside.

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SATURDAY, JANUARY 29

Went to Ron's 61st birthday at Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois.  Ron and his wife Deb own the place.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 30

Went to Stucky's and watched the Kansas City-Cincinnati AFC Championship game and then home to Margaritaville for the Rams-49er game.  Between the Division Playoff games last weekend and the two games today, we sure saw some great football.

I'll be backing the Bengals in the Super Bowl since they have never won it.

--RoadFoot

Around Here: Da Bulls, Weird Hair on Athletes, Stucky's, Da Beatles and Stucky's Again

SATURDAY, JANUARY 15

We had snow flurries all day, but there was no accumulation.  That's a real good thing.  We went to Stucky's and watched the Bulls game, which sadly, they lost.  They are on a losing streak right now, but before that playing very well for the first time since the fabulous 90s when they won six NBA Championships in eight years -- the Michael Jordan years.  Ever since, they have been very sad.

I wanted to show Liz the hair that Bulls player Coby White had last year compared to this.  Back then it was one of those very eye-insulting 'dos, but now just a regular cut.  I don't like long, weird hair on athletes no matter if they're Whites or Blacks.

While looking for pictures of him, I found out that he was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, which perked my interest since that is also where I was born.  However, he played high school basketball in Wilson, N.C.  He went to UNC-Chapel Hill, but unfortunately was one of those one-and-diners.  I'm not real happy with these guys or the schools that "hire" them for that one year before they go to the NBA.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 16

Bob Stroud featured the Beatles Album "Meet the Beatles" as later this week will mark the 58th anniversary of its release.  This was the fun Beatles in my book.  And, they were the ones who got me to listening to pop music.  I never did before.  And, of course, music has had a huge impact on my life.

We went to Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and watched two NFL Wild Card Playoff games.

--RoadBeatle

Around Here: Good Things About Eliminations, Flu Shot, Raking Pine Straw and Lawn Tractor Problems

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 14

Well, one good thing about the Sox being eliminated from the playoffs (and the Brewers were also eliminated last night), I no longer have to make a special effort to watch any of the playoff games anymore.  I will watch parts of them as I get a chance to, but not all the games.  Plus, had the Sox gone to the World Series and won, there is a considerable savings on souvenirs of the event.

I got my regular flu shot for the second straight year,  I didn't get them for many years as I taught school and was around so many kids that I had built up quite an immunity, but the last several years I had been really sick with the flu for a couple weeks at a shot, so, hey, I'll take the shot.

Put up some more Halloween lights.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 15

I did a lot of pine straw raking (free mulch) around the east and west pine islands and picked up a whole lot of limbs and sticks in the arboretum area in preparation of cutting the grass.  Sadly, I couldn't get the lawn tractor started and will have to have it worked on again.  It is now 28years old and perhaps even a John Deere doesn't run forever.  This is the third problem this year so it may be time to get another one.

--RoadDog

Around Here: Sad Sox Eliminated, No Civil War Round Table, Donovan's Reef and German Fest at Stucky's

TUESDAY. OCTOBER 12

I had two big things to do today.  Originally just one, but yesterday's Sox-Astros ALDS game was rained out and rescheduled for today.  I also already had a McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting at Woodstock Public Library, the first in person one since the virus hit at 7 pm.  The Sox game was in the afternoon.

We went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg to watch the Sox game which was my big mistake.  The Sox got off to a 1-0 lead, but then the bats went silent and any mistake the Sox made, the Astros scored.  They were especially good at scoring with two outs which happened quite a few times.  That is the mark of a good team.

And, out pitching collapsed again as well.  The result was a 9-1 loss and elimination from the playoffs.  To say the least, I was in no shape to drive the 17 miles to Woodstock for the round table meeting.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 13

We went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin and played trivia with Uncle Jeffie.  Afterwards, I went to Stucky's in Johnsburg, Illinois, and had their Wednesday special, the German Fest 4-course dinner which included beef goulash, bratwurst balls & sauce, hunter's pork chops and Black Forest cake for $13.50.  As usual, Chef Deb put out a great spread.

--Eins, Zwei, Drei.  --RoadHund

And, Yet Another Futile Effort on the Part of the Bad / Sad Sox

Now down two games to nothing in a best of five series.  The season should be over tomorrow night.  Everything I feared the Six would do, is exactly what they're doing.  

Then there is that Craig Kembrel. Sure hope that arm-hanger is gone by next year.  He comes in with the Sox down by a run and then suddenly they are down my five runs.

The Astros take advantage of every mistake the Sox make.  In one inning the Sox walked three straight Astros and two scored to tie it.

And, I didn't like the fact that the game was televised just on the MLB network which we don't get.

Well, one good thing about a quick out for the Sox is that it frees up time for me.  With them gone, I don't HAVE to watch or listen to any more baseball games.  Plus, I won't have to buy stuff that I would had the Sox won the World Series.

--RoadSad

Congratulations to the Richmond-Burton Rockets on Winning the IHSA Class 4A State Football Championship!!!

Last night, in a chilly DeKalb, Illinois, at Huskie Stadium, Home of the NIU Huskies, the Richmond-Burton Rockets completed a wonderful 14-0 season with a big win over Murphrysboro.

Richmond-Burton serves students from Richmond and Burton townships and the villages of Richmond and Spring Grove.  We live in Spring Grove and our subdivision's high school students go there so it makes this an even bigger win for us.

And, what a season it was for the Rockets.  They were a scoring and defensive juggernaut.

A look at their games:

R-B  48  Wauconda  12
R-B  50  Aurora Central Catholic  0
R-B  47  Johnsburg  0
R-B  44  Harvard   0
R-B  38  Marengo  13
R-B  56  Woodstock  0
R-B  49  Woodstock North  0
R-B  37  Johnsburg 14
R-B  34  Quincy Notre Dame  14

So, in the regular season, Richmond-Burton scored 403 points and gave up 53.

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

PLAYOFFS

R-B  56  Chicago Urban Prep/Bronzeville  6
R-B  49   Marengo  7
R-B  24  Elmhurst Immaculate Conception  14
R-B  30  Coal City   0
R-B  50  Murphysboro  14

Scored 209 points and gave up 41 in the playoffs.

These scores show domination.

Immaculate Conception won Class 4A last year and Coal City was picked to winit this year.

Thank You for a Great Season, Rockets.  --RoadRocket

JSS: Football Alabama and Auburn-- 16-Team College Playoffs-- Rochester, Illinois

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

This one's about football.

1.  ALABAMA AND AUBURN--  That was one great football game last Saturday when Auburn upset Alabama.  I always like to see Alabama lose.  But what about the teams they played the week before.  The mighty 'Bama played Mercer and Auburn played the Citadel.  Come ON!!!  Those easy wins shouldn't count as victories.

2.  16-TEAM PLAYOFFS--  And again, I sure would like to see a 16-team playoff for the Power Five Conferences and another one for the rest of the teams.  That would make some of those "toilet" bowl TV games account for something.

3.  ROCHESTER, ILLINOIS--  This one is for high school football.  This team has dominated the Class 4A playoffs, winning seven of the last eight years.  Time for them to move up to 5A.

--RoadDog

The End of the "Blackhawk Dynasty"?

I remember back in 2015, when the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup, their third time since 2010.  Everyone was going around with the word "Dynasty" on their lips.  After they were swept by the Nashville Predators last night, I have to wonder about it.

The Hawks logo, is "One Goal" with a Stanley Cup on it.  For most of these sad four games, I would have been more than happy to settle for just one goal.  Three goals in four games for a #1 seed, just isn't very impressive.

Hopefully the coach will learn the importance of going into the playoffs hot, something the Hawks were not, losing their last four games and going 2-6 in the last eight.  No resting players when you're losing.  Now, they will have five-six months to rest.

Well, one good thing to come of it, I now have a real lot of time freed up.  Those playoff games seem like they go on forever and ever.  I am a Blackhawk fan, but not really a big hockey fan for anyone else.  If a hockey game happens to be on in a bar I'm in, I'll watch it, but otherwise not.

Plus, there is the amount of money I spend for souvenirs when the Hawks win the Cup.

A Big Savings For Me.  --RoadDog

Why You Want to Go Into the Playoffs HOT

People are stunned around the Chicagoland area after the Blackhawks were shut out the first two games of the playoffs against the Nashville Predators.  Even before the series, I was worried about the horrible way the Hawks ended their regular season.  They lost the last four games and were 2-6 in the last eight.

This is no way to go into playoffs.

Other Hawks fans told of how the ones they lost were often just by one score and that players were being rested.

But, sports are a thing of streaks and mental prowess.  When you're winning, that plays on a continued win streak.

We watched the first game and the first two periods of the second one.  We left the bar after the end of the second period and didn't watch any more at home.  Glad we didn't as Nashville scored two more goals.

Maybe Coach Q Will Learn Something From This.  Hopefully.  --RoadSad

A Munger-Moss Motel Trip-- Part 7: Rich Henry and Springfield

APRIL 25TH, MONDAY

Drove past that ever-impressive Chain of Rocks Bridge on I-270 and on to I-55, getting off at Staunton and actually finding Rich Henry's Rabbit Ranch with no trouble.  Rich's was the first regular Route 66 stop we made on our first trip on the road and a big reason we ended up caught in the 66 fever.  Thanks a lot Rich.

Then Route 66 to Litchfield and I-55 to Springfield.  Checked into the Route 66 Hotel and then drove to a new place, Costelloe's.  This is owned by the the former members of Coz's, a famous Springfield restaurant.  Then to Curve Inn and to the Filling Station at the Route 6 Hotel where we watched the St. Louis Blues-Chicago Blackhawks playoff game.  It was game 7, winner goes on to the next round, loser goes home.

Sadly, we went home.

--RoadDog

Good Times This Past Weekend: Sports, Bars and GI Joe

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH--  A stay-at-home day because of the cold.  Lots and lots of TV.  Catching up on "The Walking Dead" marathon.  Sadly, the Cubs lose in first NLDS game to St. Louis, 4-0.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10TH--  Still watching "The Walking Dead" marathon.  Went to Pug Mahone's in Fox Lake for the Joe Gliniewicz fundraiser.  (Won a pair of Bears tickets)  Watched part of the Cubs-Cards game there and then went to the American Legion and joined a whole bunch of fans watching the Cubs win to tie the series at one apiece.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11TH--  Planning on watching part of the Bears game at 'Cuda's on Grasslake Road, but they were having a classic car show.  Drove over to the Lodge of Antioch and watched the first half of the game, then the third quarter at Limerick's and the last one at Lake View Place on Grasslake with Kevin and Kelly.  Bears won.  Enjoyed the panoramic view of the lake from the deck.  Ended up at Sunnyside Tap.

--RoadDog


COUNTER PROVERBS:  Many hands make light work. -or-  Too many cooks spoil the broth.

About Last Weekend-- Part 1: Shopping, Hockey & baseball

FRIDAY, APRIL 25TH: 

Tried the new McDonald's chicken club sandwich to get a Black Hawks pennant. That is a good sandwich. Drove the '85 Firebird to McHenry and looked at the nurseries at Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Meijer's but didn't buy anything. It is still too cold to do any planting.

Also went to Target, Goodwill, Hobby Lobby, Five Below, Dick's Sporting Goods and Party Station. Lots of shopping, but didn't buy much.

Watched the NHL hockey playoff game between the Black Hawks and Blues at Tommy's with a whole bunch of other crazy Hawks fans. And, Chicago won in overtime. That was the fourth overtime in five games. The Hawks started off 0-2, losing twice in overtime by 4-3 scores. Now, 3-2.

And, the Sox won with a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth!!

Pretty Good Chicago Sports Night. --RoadDog

Coping With This Lousy Winter Over the Weekend (Sorry Snowmobilers)

I just got back in from shoveling drifted snow on the sides of teh driveway as we had a lot of that this past several days, especially yesterday with those high winds. It was about 30 degrees, but that wind made it very uncomfortable. //// We had light snow most of Thursday-Saturday. It melted when hitting cleared areas, but the flakes that didn't got their show the last two days with drifting. //// And, forecasts call for a couple days with highs in the single digits. Well, at least the snowmobilers and skiers are having a good time. We now have received more than the average winter snowfall. //// Anyway, I'm keeping busy and enjoying as well as I can. FRIDAY, JANUARY 17TH-- We went to Popeye's (not the chicken place) in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, for their great fish fry and then stopped at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes and Tommy's in Spring Grove. //// SATURDAY, JANUARY 18TH-- I went to the Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society meeting in the morning and then hit my first Chili Cookoff of the winter at Route 12 Bar and Grill in Fox Lake. //// SUNDAY, JANUARY 19TH-- We went to All Sports in McCullum Lake to watch the first period of the Black Hawk game and to have their great pizza (at $5 for a 12-inch with 75 cent extras: pineapple, Canadian bacon and black olives). Then to Twisted Moose in McHenry for the last two periods in the Hawks game (Hawks won in shootout!!!) Then saw the first part of the Denver-New England game there. Saw the last half at Antonio's in Spring Grove (Way to go Peyton Manning and Broncos!!). Then went to Tommy's for the first half of the Seattle-San Francisco game and home for the last half. //// Not Letting the Snow Get me Down. --RoadDog

Sox in a Playoff Race, But You Wouldn't Know It

Believe it or not, the dastardly Cubs are still outdrawing the White Sox as they close in one 100 losses.  The Sox are hanging in there and still lead the Tigers by two games in baseball's worst division.

From the September 3, 2012, Chicago Tribune.

Some stats:

As of Augst 30, the 2012 average home attendance:

Cubs  36,409  Sox 24,546

Television audience (Households tuned to the game)

Cubs 66,000, an 11% drop from last year
Sox 70,000, a 10% increase

In these days of Social Networking (Facebook likes)

Cubs 1,710,616   Sox 927,060

Thank Goodness we don't have to play those guys again.

Last night was just another in a long line of hurts the Kansas City Royals have been putting on us.  The Sox ended the season 6-12 against them.  I couldn't find our record against the Tigers, but I know it is also pretty pathetic.

One bright spot, though, we finally figured out how to beat those pesky Twins.  For the first time since that World Series season in 2005, the Sox won their season series gainst those guys, winning 14 of 18 games.

Even If the Sox Do Get to the Playoffs, I'm Thinking One Series and Out.  --RoadDog

Things Not Looking Good for the Lincoln Highway

The second round of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) football playoffs have been completed and the Lincoln took-a-beatin' compared to Route 66 in this round, with just two teams left. Meanwhile, Route 66 has six.

The Lincoln Highway was 2-5 for an overall 9-8 record. Route 66 was 6-4 with an overall 16-12 record.

The Quarter Final Round begins Saturday.

Remaining teams for the LINCOLN HIGHWAY:

Class 5A

Joliet Catholic (also on Route 66) 10-1, ranked #2

Class 2A

Morrison 10-1, ranked #3



Remaining teams for Route 66

Class 5A

Joliet Catholic (also on Lincoln Highway) 10-1, ranked #2
Springfield 9-2, ranked #3

Class 4A

Pontiac 11-0, ranked #1

Class 2A

Staunton 10-1, ranked #5
Williamsville 10-1, ranked #3

Class 1A

Lexington 8-3, ranked #4

Things Aren't Looking Too Good for the Lincoln. --RoadDog

October Baseball: White Sox Vs. Cubs in World Series

Well, that sure would have been a great thing. But, alas, it wasn't to be. Both teams were bounced in the first round, but, at least both teams got to the playoffs.

The Cubs were bounced in three straight and the Sox in one game more.

Sure didn't like the outcome of the four first-round match-ups, with the Sox, Cubs, Brewers, and Angels losing. My three favorite MLB teams are the White Sox, Cubs, and Brewers in that order. I was happy about the League Championship winners, Tampa Bay and Philadelphia. The Red Sox have been winning too much these days and the Dodgers knocked the Cubs out.

Pulling for the Tampa Bay Rays. Last to First would be something else. Quite impressed with them and the team ownership. I've watched parts of the first two games.

Go Rays!! --RoadDog

Sad Times in Chicago for Baseball Fans

Things are not going well at all for our Chicago baseball teams. Definitely looked like something was afoot when both teams got to the playoffs for the first time since 1906. However, unfortunately, that appears to be as far as it is to go as both teams are down in their best-of-five series, 2 games to 0.

Making it worse, neither team really showed up to play in either game.

At least, it was exciting to see the Sox win their last three games to clinch the AL Central. That was do or die. But now, it's all die. Those were some really sorry efforts.

Well, At Least I'll Have More Time to Do Things. --RoadDog

Da Cubs, Three and Out, Maybe They Pay TOO Much

Da Cubs were like Da Bears during the first quarter of the Packer game Sunday night. In the NLDS against the Arizona Diamondbacks, there was nothing, then three and out. Three straight losses.

Well, at least I don't have to wear that Cubs hat. I told my friends that I would actually wear it if the Cubs got to the World Series. That is no longer a problem. I have never, to my knowledge, worn anything with Cubs on it. I do pull for the lads, though. They are my second favorite team. Da Sox are my favorite and the less said about this past season for them, the better.

An article in the Sunday Chicago Tribune by Dave Van Dyck compared what the Cubs and Diamondbacks paid for their players. Contracts for Arizona's 25 man roster totalled about $35 million, including $7 million to Saturday's winning pitcher Livan Hernandez. Their starting eight on Saturday earned a total of less than $14 million, led by Eric Byrnes' $4.5 million. Five players were making less than $400,000 each (the major league minimum is $380,000.

In comparison, Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez combines for $30 million.

Then again, there's the New York Yankees who were eliminated last night by the Indians. You want to talk about a group of high salaries that under perform.  That is definitely alright with me as I really, really don't like those guys.

Plus, it seems like whenever the Cubs give out a super-salary, it backfires. Look at Carlos Zambrano this year after his big pay day. Then, last season, Derrek Lee was injured shortly after his big contract. Then, there was always Kerry Woods and Mark Prior's huge contracts that fizzled. Talk about your getting paid for nothing.

There was an interesting article about sites all Cub fans should visit while in Chicago. It is on my other blog at http://www.roaddogsroadlog.blogspot.com/ .

Well, I Suppose There's Always NEXT Year. --RoadDog
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