Thanksgiving Weekend: Granny's Diner and Lots of High School Championship Football

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 26

Web went to a new place that just opened Tuesday in Johnsburg called Granny's Diner.  The owner had come in to Sunnyside and we had a nice talk a couple weeks ago.

This is where the old Epic Deli was until it moved to a bigger place on Route 31 in McHenry.  We didn't expect a lot of people there, since it was new, but they had a crowd even when we got there just before they closed at 2 pm.

We both ordered lunch meals and there were huge and very good.  I think this place will do well.

During the course of the day, I watched a lot of the Illinois High School playoffs in Margaritaville (in our basement).  Wilmington, on Route 66, won in Class 2A, Byron (out by DeKalb, won in 3A and, no big surprise, but Joliet Catholic walked all over Springfield's Sacred Heart-Griffin to win a 4A.  Joliet Catholic beat our local high school, Richmond-Burton, last week.

Enjoyed cocktail at the bar and the Ultimate Juke Box.

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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 27

I had planned on going to Crystal Lake for the McHenry County Civil War Round Table discussion group and then to Algonquin for Half Price Books and White Castle, but kind of felt like I had a cold coming on, so decided to stay in.  

Today was the Class 5A to Class 6A high school playoffs.  In Class 6A, East St. Louis High School was heavily favored to beat Cary-Grove, in nearby Cary, Illinois, but this has to go down as one of the biggest David vs. Goliath games in the history of high school football as Cary Grove won 37-36n in frigid DeKalb at Huskie Stadium where the championship games were played.

Watched two great movies:  "Christmas Vacation" and  "Joker."

--RoadBall

Last Week: Fox Lake Yesterday and Today, McHenry Christmas Walk, Bears Lose

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20

I went to the Fox Lake/Grant Township Historical Society's meeting at the Grant Hall Museum in Ingleside, Illinois, after my mandatory stop at Thornton's for a large cappucinno coffee.  The museum has acquired the 24 historical signs that were up in Fox Lake in 2020 showing yesterday and today pictures of places around the community. Each one had an interesting story behind it.

In the afternoon, we went to the McHenry American Legion as our first stop on the McHenry annual Christmas Walk, where many stores, restaurants and bars have specials and Christmas-themed activities going on.

Later, we went to Grinder's, Old Bridge and ended up back at the Legion.

We were sorry to find out that Richmond-Burton had lost their game to Joliet Catholic, but no one was surprised.  That team should not have been in Class 4A.

Came home and watched "Ghostbusters" and "Ghostbusters II."

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21

Went to the McHenry American Legion and watched the Bears lose another game.  They have now lost six in a row.  People are calling to have Coach Nagy fired.

Stopped at Sunnyside on the way home.

--RoadDog

Last Week: Trivia at Donovan's Reef, Backing Our Richmond-Burton Rockets in the High School Football 4A Semi Final Playoff Game and a Fish Fry at the Rusty Nail

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18 

First time with sun in a long time.  Sure peps everyone up.

We went to Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for live trivia with Uncle Jeffie and that great half-price Happy Hour.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19

I went to our local Walgreens in Spring Grove, Illinois, and bought my Richmond-Burton High School gear for Liz and myself. I bought a hat and hooded sweatshirt for myself and a tee shirt for Liz.  Tomorrow, we play probably one of the best schools in the state in the IHSA football playoffs, Joliet Catholic, ranked #4 in the state, despite having only 600 students.  But, they draft their players.

Figured we'd support our boys even if we're not going out to the game.  It is way too cold to sit outside at our age.

Met Kevin and Kelly at Rusty Nail in Ringwood, Illinois, for their fish fry which is considered one of the best in the area.  We can see why with the quality and amount of food you get AUCE for $14.  Neither one of us came anywhere close to finishing our first round.

--RoadDog

It's a Numbers Thing

Some Numbers of interest.

7-6     Record of the Chicago Bears as they prepare to play the Packers in Green Bay Sunday.

10-3    The Packer record.

14-0    The 2019 record of the Richmond-Burton High School Rockets.  They won the Illinois State Class 4A Championship!!

5    The number of Illinois State Championships won by Route 66, Lincoln Highway and US-12 high school football teams.

8    The number of days before we start adding daylight time to each day.  I'm really ready for it.

40   The number of new Christmas movies being shown on the Hallmark Channel.

$1,000   How much you win if you have the best WDRV 97.1 FM, the Drive logo in Christmas lights.

I'm Not a Twit.   And Don't Call Me Shirley.  --RoadDog

DID YOU KNOW:  That a pregnant goldfish is called a twit.

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.

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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

A Football, Flooding and Oldies Kind of Weekend-- Part 1

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

Rained most of the night.  We've been having lots of rain this last week.  Went to Twin Lakes, Wi., an ate at Burger King and got gas at $2,45!!  That's the lowest we've seen it in awhile.    Went to Donovan's Reef and to bricks & Ivy on the way home.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

And we had real heavy rain all night.  The drainage basin behind the house was about half full.  That's a lot of run-off water

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Sorry to hear about the death of one of my favorite performers, Eddie Money.  Bob Stroud did his Ten at Ten on Eddie Money Songs:

Baby Hold On
Think I'm In Love
Walk On Water

Gimme Some Water
Shakin'
I Wanna Go Back
Rock 'n Roll the Place

Two Tickets to Paradise
You Really Got A Hold On Me
Take Me Home Tonight

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We're hearing about serious flooding on the Fox River and Chain of Lakes.  The Fox River is closed to boats and the Chain is all no wake.

I went to the Johnsburg-Richmond-Burton (R-B) high schools football game.  Johnsburg High School is one of my Cubs-Sox, Packer-Bears teams.  I pull for Johnsburg unless they play Richmond-Burton, which is where the kids from our subdivision go as well as a real lot of out tax dollars, about $3,300.  (I also pull for the Cubs unless they play the Sox and Packers unless they play Da Bears.)

The R-B Rockets blew the Johnsburg Skyhawks out 49-0.  That kind of makes up for the 55-0 shellacking R-B suffered a couple years ago from Johnsburg.

--RoadDog

Well, It's High School Football Season Again

And, I missed the first one, let's just blame it on the afternoon game of the Cubs and $1.50 draft pints at Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg.  I go to them unless it is bad weather.

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Anyway, I back these six teams

RICHMOND-BURTON Rockets  Our local high school and where lots and lots of our money goes in property taxes.  I'm pulling for my money.

GRANT High School Bulldogs in Fox Lake, Illinois.  We kept out boat there and it was like our town all these years.

ROUND LAKE Panthers   I taught in Round Lake at the middle schools for 33 years and we lived in Round Lake Beach for 17 years.

PALATINE Pirates    Where Liz and I graduated in 1969

JOHNSBURG Skyhawks  We hang out a lot in Johnsburg these days and the school is just two miles directly south of our house.

MT, CARMEL Caravan, Chicago.  Ex-NIU quarterback Jordan Lynch is coach.

Where Else You Want To be On a Friday Night With Good Weather?  --RoadDog

STATE OF THE JOKE:  California    What is every Californians favorite part of winter.  Watching all the bad weather on TV.    (That is unless they aren't being shaken about or sliding off the hillside in a  mudslide.)

A Trip Back Kind of Weekend-- Part 2: A Trip Back to the Old Stomping Grounds in Palatine and a High School Football Game

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

We drove US-12, Rand Road, to Arlington Hts, Illinois, and tended to Amby and Frances' grave (Liz's parents).  Put up fall flowers and a U.S. flag as he was a major in World War II.  We then drove by our old houses in Palatine (where we lived while growing up) and stopped for a bite to eat at Photo's on US-14, Northwest Highway.  This is the site of where I used to work at Burger King.

Later, I went to the Richmond-Burton-Harvard high school football game in Richmond.  It looked like Richmond was going to blow Harvard out, but it got tied shortly into the third quarter.  Then Burton scored one more time to win 21-14.

--RoadDog

A Football Kind of Weekend-- Part 1: A Statue, a Boat and a High School Football Game

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

The usual internet blog posting and FP, Flats and OD (my outside areas).

I drove over McHenry, Illinois, to Meijer and found that they still had cassette tapes so bought a couple 5-pack bricks ($5.49)  I still record on them as it is my preferred way to record.  I then went to the Big R store where I had seen a really neat statue of an American soldier kneeling by a cross with his head down yesterday, but they didn't yet have a price on it and couldn't find the cost.

It was $42 and I bought it.  Not sure where I am going to put it right now, but I do know I will put a small American flag by it.  My way of saying thanks to all service members who put their lives on the line so we can live as we do.

I went boating and then to the Richmond-Burlington Central football game.  Where else you want to be on a warm Friday night (though I still wish high school games were played on Saturday afternoons as they were when I was back in school).

A much better game than the one last week at Johnsburg which we lost.  I pull for Johnsburg unless they play Richmond-Burton where I send a real lot of money for property taxes.  Some confusion as they were also called the Rockets.  We won 38-10.

--RoadDog

Saufen Und Spiel Weekend-- Part 1: Friday Night Lights

SEPTEMBER 8, Friday

I went to the big rivalry game out here in northeast McHenry County, Illinois, the Johnsburg-Richmond-Burton (R-B) high school football game.  Had we had kids they would have gone to Richmond-Burton, but we are just a couple miles north of Johnsburg High School.  I pull for Johnsburg unless they play Richmond-Burton because I send a REAL lot of money there.

R-B scored a TD on an 88-yard running play on the third play of the game, but that was the high point in a 34-10 loss.

I came home and found a really great new internet station, Jukin' Oldies, which features one of my favorite deejays, 'Fessa John Hook.  There are 14 djs on it and they play all sorts of music, including Beach, Boogie & Blues and oldies you've never heard of before.

--RoadDog

Brrr! Mighty Cold Out There, Thanks A Lot Fox Lake Oktoberfest

Completely miserable weather today, the worst since Thursday when it started getting bad and it has stayed bad.  I've had to bring the summer plants in from the frond porch and back deck as temps last night got close to freezing and today may not even break 48 degrees and become the coldest high we've had for October 4th since the 1930s.

It's already caused us to cancel going to the Richmond-Burton football game last night and out to DeKalb today for the NIU game against Kent State.  I'm just not going to sit outside in blustery, cold and rainy conditions like this.

However, we'll be leaving shortly for a band at Route 12 Bar and after that, Ron Payton playing at the Legion, both afternoon gigs.

Then, this evening Fox Lake is having their annual Oktoberfest festival at Lake Front Park, inside I'm figuring.

Actually, their having the Oktoberfest is a big part of the reason we're having this "Global _____" incident.  Every year they have it, we get bad weather.  It's like the infamous spring carnival in Round Lake which brings on bad weather every April.

Too Much of This _____ Is More Than I Can Handle.  --RoadDog


SAY WHAT?  "In technicolor"--  If only life looked like that early color film process.

High School Football Again: Richmond-Burton Routs Chicago's Roosevelt

I always enjoy going to the local high schools to watch football games this time of the year.  Last night, our local high school, Richmond-Burton Rockets, opened their season against Chicago's Roosevelt Rough Riders.

I figure, I give enough money through property taxes to the school that I ought to get some enjoyment.

This is the second straight year that we opened against Roosevelt, which is coached by a former Richmond-Burton grad and Spring Grove resident.  And, this was the second-straight blow-out for our guys.

The score at the end of the first quarter was 35-0 and 42-0 at half.  Surprisingly, Roosevelt received the ball at the beginning of the third quarter and held onto it for all 12 minutes, but did not score.  I left with R-B having a 42-0 lead early in the 4th.

It was sad to see Roosevelt only had about ten fans and no cheerleaders.  I found out that last year they were 3-6 and the year before 6-2.

--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

What It Was Was Football

Last night, I went out to the Richmond-Burton (our local high school)-Marengo game. The R-B Rockets won easily, 48-23, and in the third quarter were leading 48-13 before putting in the second string.

I left at the end of the third quarter as it was getting too cold (that's pretty early in the season to be getting that cold).

We were planning on driving out to Dekalb today for the Northern Illinois-Eastern Illinois game, but yesterday we found out that the game was sold out!!! That has never happened before. I guess all the success the team has been having, including the Orange Bowl appearance is finally paying off.

Gone are the days when we could go to the game anytime and get tickets.

Sunday night, the Bears play the Steelers at 7:30. I don't like night games!!

Football, a Game That Should Be Played in Daylight. --RoadDog

This Past Weekend-- September 7th to 9th

Friday I met my old buddy Kip at the Triangle Restaurant in Grayslake, Illinois. We talked about what we were doing back on September 11, 2001. He was at a negotiations meeting trying to settle our contract and he suggested that they adjourn to go back to school to be with the kids. They did.

I then went over to Gurnee Mills and walked around it. I saw the big fake snake outside the Rainforest Cafe that really gave me a jump a few months back. I was walking along looking in store windows when I looked up, and saw a huge snake about two feet above my head, looking at me with mouth wide open and tongue flicking. I guess I must have a strong heart as I didn't have an attack right then and there.

Saw an excellent Western movie called "3:10 to Yuma" which was just released. I highly suggest it. You don't see many westerns anymore.

Drove to Richmond-Burton High School and watched the game with Stillman Valley. They led most of the game, but evidently we had a comeback at the end to pull withing two points before we losing 33-31. I had already left after losing my battle with the mosquitoes. Once back at the truck, I saw a really big praying mantis on the top of the cab and it just wouldn't get off. After some work (I didn't want to kill it) I finally got it off.

Saturday, I went to Des Plaines for a meeting of the SCV, Sons of Confederate Veterans. Our camp's name is the Camp Douglas Memorial Camp, named after the infamous Union prison in Chicago where over 6000 Confederates died.

I then went to a memorial service in Fox Lake for the 21 year-old son of friends of ours from the American Legion. He died from massive injuries suffered two weeks ago when a car wash collapsed from a wind shear in the storms that passed through Chicago. He was near Wrigley Field at the time. This was a very sad thing.

We then went up to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, where Donovan's Reef was celebrating their first anniversary with the new owners. They've done a great job with the place, keeping the things we liked from before and improving everything else. They had an excellent pig and beef roast, and we were able to get five national rankings in NTN.

Sunday I went to the German Club meeting in Lake Villa and then met up with the usual Bears crew at Baja Benny's on Fox Lake to watch the game. That would be Jim, Paul, Sue, Pam, Laura, and Ed. Too bad the Bears lost.

Going, Going, Going. --RoadDog

Great High School Football Rivalry- Johnsburg vs. Richmond-Burton

I've decided to start going to see some local high school gridiron action on Friday nights for entertainment. You can't beat the price and pageantry. Parking is free and usually there are not the big crowds that make getting out of the parking lots, or grass as was the case last night, too bad of an effort. The food is relatively inexpensive as well, definitely better prices than you'll get at Soldiers Field for Da Bears.

Last night, I paid $4 after a long walk from where I ended up parking the Dakota to see a game at Johnsburg High School, which is located about two miles directly south of our house. It was between them and arch-rival and neighboring Richmond-Burton which serves students from our village of Spring Grove and Richmond.

I normally would have pulled for Johnsburg, and, until they built the new subdivision between our house and the school, I could hear the pa for their games when it wasn't too windy. I'd sit out on the deck or out by a bonfire on the Grand Strand (what I call the lower patio) and listen to the game. However, since the kids in our subdivision go to R-B (Richmond-Burton), I decided to play it loyal and pulled for the Rockets.  And besides that, I send a whole lot of money there  in my property taxes.  I mean a WHOLE LOT!!!!

Can't do that anymore.

Got a hot dog and drink for $3.50 and walked over to the visitors side. The whole field was packed and there was nowhere to sit in either grandstand.

I took up a position by the fence at the 20 yard line and watched the end of the sophomore game which ended in a 40-7 rout for the Rockets.

Johnsburg has been to the state playoffs quite often in the last ten years and was heavily favored to win...again. While talking with one of the player's fathers, I found out Johnsburg has the whammy on R-B and usually wins six out every seven contests. Kind of like Arlington High School was to my alma mater, Palatine. We just couldn't beat them. The University of Toledo has the same thing going against my college, Northern Illinois. Even on those VERY RARE times we beat them, they still go to a bowl game and we stay home.

Standing along the fence in the grass, we got to watch the game and battle the hungry-for-your-blood mosquitoes all evening. After all the rain, they are the worst I've ever seen.

The Johnsburg Seahawks got the opening kick off and were marching down the field when a pass was intercepted and run back to the ten yard line and that led to a R-B touchdown. They came back and scored, and were easily containing the R-B offense the whole first quarter.

In the second half, a Rocket running back took the hand off and ran 70 yards to set up another TD a few plays later. The father I was talking to said that the player was his son, who very rarely ever plays offense. He didn't seem too excited about the run as he wasn't cheering any louder than the other fans. Later, his son went down with leg cramps, but after a few minutes got up and was able to walk off under his own power.

His father said his son, a senior, was going to go to Carthage College in Kenosha, Wisconsin, about 45 miles away. He won't play football, but will do track. He will join two other siblings already there. I told him his money was definitely going to Carthage as it is a private college.

I left with ten minutes to go as I was getting tired of standing, had lost a fair amount of blood to the mosquitoes, was getting chilly as I was wearing shorts and a polo shirt, and, when the game ended, there would be quite a mess getting out with all those vehicles. Richmond was winning 20-10, and I saw this morning that that was the final score as well. Congratulations Rockets.

Love Them High School Football Games. --RoadDog