About Last Week-- Part 1: Storms and That Field of Dreams Game

Monday and Tuesday, we finally had rain, unfortunately several times in the form of storms.  Monday there were tornado warnings in the area and then a real bad one went through Tuesday, but with no tornadoes, but a lot of tree destruction.  Kevin and Kelly were without electricity from Tuesday night to Saturday.  On Wednesday, I did a Firebird Cruise on Pioneer Road and finally had to get off it because of all of the places where work crews were removing topple trees and big tree limbs from the road.  Plus, one stretch was nothing but little twigs and branches.

But, at least we got rain which was badly needed.

TUESDAY AUGUST 10

Donovan's in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for trivia.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 11

Firebird Cruise

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 12

Finally had to cut the grass because of all the rain.  

I had to make a choice tonight.  Whether to go see the band at Antioch, Illinois' It's Thursday as I originally planned, or go to Stucky's in Johnsburg and see Jim Sieg play music and host a jam.  But, today was also the Field of Dreams game in Dyersville, Iowa, with the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees playing where the "Field of Dreams" movie was shot.

Well, either way, I'd get my music, but at Stucky's I could also watch the game.  So, Stucky's it was.

And, I am sure glad I did.  Besides all the corn (and them walking out of the corn like in the movie), WOW.  What a game.  The Sox went up 1-0 in the 1st, then fell behind 1-3 in the top of the 3rd before scoring 4 runs in the bottom of that inning to go up 5-3.  They added two more in the 4th to go up 7-3.

The Yankees scored once in the 6th and things were looking good until the 9th, when the Yankees scored 4 times to take a 7-8 lead over the Sox.  I tell you, we were downfallen.

Then Tim Anderson hit that walk-off homerun and a 9-8 win!!  Eight home runs were hit in the game.

Wow!  --RoadDog

LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE, LAW OF COMMERCIAL MARKETING STRATEGY:  As soon as you find a product that you really like, they will stop making it.  Boy do I agree with this one.  I look at it this way.  If I like it, they will take it away from me.

The $3800 Six Mile Auto Trip Last Tuesday-- Part 1: One Helluva Storm

We had had an almost unbelievable streak of warm weather for almost seven days in early November, so we had been taking advantage of it.  

However, Tuesday, November 10, it was supposed to end and in a big fashion with storms rolling through and really big winds.  Of course, that was the sky-is-falling weather forecasters so it was something you had to see.

We were down in Johnsburg sitting outside enjoying a late lunch (wow, sitting outside comfortably with just a sweatshirt and short pants in November here in the Midwest.  Wow!!) and then it began looking like the weather folks might be right.  Some really bad-looking black clouds were rolling in from the west and the wind was picking up.  (We were sitting outside because of the virus and no dining inside.)

Around 4:15, a big blast of wind and a smattering of raindrops hit, sending customers chasing after chairs, tables and umbrellas and then we and others decided it was time to hightail home.  We got to the car just ahead of a downpour.

Driving north on Johnsburg Road, we could see the rain coming down horizontally.  Trees were bending over alarmingly.  The pavement was becoming slippery.  We stopped at Ringwood Road for the sign, proceeded through the intersection and about a quarter mile north, I saw a large tree branch blown down and start across the road.  This was maybe a hundred feet in front of us.

Slammed on the brakes, but had to let up when I started skidding.  The branch was sliding across the road, but enough in it so that we were going to hit it.  We did.

The car continued going with no problems and we drove the last couple miles to home.  Parked in the garage and we could see no damage.

Hopefully, we wouldn't have any damage, but would have to wait until the next day to take a look in the daylight.

That Was Too Close.  The Heart Was Racing.  --RoadSmash

THINGS TO PONDER:  If the #2 pencil is the most popular, why is it still #2.

Sure Rained On Our Parade Yesterday-- Part 2: Near Continuous Storms and Flooding

We lost electricity around 3 a.m..  Another problem when we lost electricity, being on a well, we also lose our water.  That also means no flushing toilets.  These are things I did not know about when we bought the lot.

There wasn't a lot to do because of no power, and even though the sun was up, there were full clouds obscuring it so even to dark to read on the front porch.  And, of course, no coffee.  I like my coffee in the morning.

I decided to go to our local McDonald's for coffee and a bite to eat, but before going I took a walk around the yard to check on things.  It wasn't raining at the time, but sure looked like it was getting ready to do so and soon.  Especially dark to the north of us.

I saw a lot of flooding in subdivision culverts and streets and in the farm fields on Sunset and Spring Grove Road on my way to McDonald's.

While eating at McDonald's, I saw a line of really dark clouds coming from the north.  Eventually, it was as dark as it is at 1 a.m..  And we had high winds and pelting rain.  I was starting to think tornadoes and figured I was not in a good place with all those big windows around.  I continued with my sandwich, but kept a weather eye out for funnels.

Too Bad the Boat Wasn't Still in the Drive-Way, We Might Have Needed It.  --RoadDog

Sure Rained On Our Parade Yesterday-- Part 1: Why We Lose Electricity During Storms

There was a reason I was only able to do two of my seven blogs yesterday and that was  because we had no electricity until a little after 11 a.m. yesterday morning.  The reason for that was a tree taking out the lines coming into the subdivision.  The reason for that being we were having some really bad storms with high winds and lots and lots and lots of rain.

I usually do these blogs in the morning.  No electricity, no computer or internet connection of the old PC.

Before going to bed Tuesday night, I noticed we were having a lot of thunder and lightning with rainstorms forecast.  We sure did have them.  At one point, there was so much lightning that for about ten minutes we had flickering light.  And the thunder was a constant roar.  Rain was pelting the windows hard.

Storms like this usually mean we will lose power.  Well, any storm for that matter, although we had also had a similar storm in the wee hours of Monday morning and kept electricity.

When we bought the lot for the house back in 1992, the builders boasted that storms would not be a problem as all power and phone lines would be buried.  And, they were.   In the subdivision.  But the problem was (and is) that the lines coming into the subdivision are above ground.  And, trees keep falling on them.

And, then we have no power.

Not Finished Yet.  --RoadDog

YOU'RE DRINKING TOO MUCH COFFEE WHEN:  You're so wired, you pick up AM radio.

Sure Miss My Old Tree

I looked out the kitchen window yesterday after I got back from my Thanksgiving trip to North Carolina and it sure looked strange not to see the big old Bradford pear tree out there on the west end of Frances' Back 40, the flower bed area on the southeast corner of the yard. It was easily 30-foot high and just as wide and had those remarkable white colors in the spring and the golden red as late fall into November, the last trees with color.

That stormy Sunday we had on November 17th (with all the tornadoes in Illinois) brought it down as well as several big limbs from the Bradford pear tree by the deck.

While I was gone, I paid  a friend come by and cut it up and cart part away and the rest he piled out by the wood pile. I'll miss that tree, which I planted as just a little sapling. Now, I have to decide if I want to plant another Bradford pear by the old one or perhaps a sugar maple or perhaps nothing.

Well, at least I have a new supply of firewood.

Decisions, Decisions. --RoadDog

This Past Weekend: Part 3: One Real Hard Storm and Da Bears Win

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 17TH: Listened to Rock and Roll Roots on WDRV and recorded Breakfast With the Beatles in the morning, as usual.

We started getting storm warnings and a tornado watch by 9 AM. With it being as warm as it has been around here in November, that usually signals "Watch Out! Something bad is on its way!!" Getting quite windy. Liz said that she heard someone say the last time we had barometric readings and storms like were on their way was 1975 when the Edmund Fitzgerald sank.

Drove to Squaw Bar and met up with the Usual Suspects for Da Bears game. Weather continued to worsen and, about six minutes into the game with Da Bears down 10-0, the game went into rain delay and fans were ordered to go below the stands for the approaching storm. That ended up with a two-hour delay.

CBS, which was carrying the game, went to two hours of weather reports. And, the news was grim. The little town of Washington, Illinois, near Peoria, had been clobbered and we had reports that Coal City and Diamond near Chicago had been hit by tornadoes.

We had big winds and heavy rains off and on at the Squaw Bar and once, a really strong breeze blew through the place. I had to move the car to another spot as I was near some trees that had lost a lot of smaller limbs during the windburst as there was fear bigger ones would fall or perhaps the tree itself.

The game started again and the field quickly became a quagmire after all that rain, but Da Bears were able to tie it up and won in overtime in a game that started at noon but didn't end until about 5:30.

When we got home, I looked out back to see if there was any damage, but it was too dark to see. The next morning I found that the Bradbury pear tree on Frances' Back 40 had blown down.

Quite the Day! --RoadDog

That Was Some Storm Yesterday

Well, it was in Fox Lake, but here in Spring Grove, about four miles away, we sure didn't get anything much.  A couple drops was all at the house and, judging from puddles, some rain at the Jewel about a mile away.

I was out in the yard working on a flower bed and did have to come in with all the lightning and the smattering of drops that made me think we were in for a big old storm.

We had been planning a day out on the boat, but boats and storms don't go well together.  So had to cancel that as well as taking the '03 Malibu to the Fox Lake Chevy dealer to have the driver's side back window, which will not close, fixed.

Decided to have the half-price BLT pizza at J's, east of Fox Lake, and play some NTN.  It started raining when we got to State Park Road on US-12 and got harder quickly.  That had to be the hardest rain I've ever had hitting the window, practically hail.  Started noticing lots of water standing in the road.

At Grand Avenue in Fox Lake, the police had the road blocked off because of flooding.  We later heard from a village road department guy that they had three and a half inches of rain in the water gauge at the village works building and they got that in just over an hour.

We had to take a detour along with many other cars that caused a backup and a half at Rollins Road.  We drove back to Grand and had to navigate around lots of standing water on the pavement most of the way to J's.

Later, at the Legion, we talked with one group of folks caught out on a pontoon boat in the storm and they got drenched and were afraid for their lives because of the wind and lightning.  Even three hours later, there were piles of hail at the Legion.

I sure would have liked to have some rain, but not like that.

Rainy Days and Storms.  --RoadDog


FUNNY HEADLINE:  Grandmother of Eight Makes Hole in One

Back on the Blog Again

Last time I was on the internet was Thursday. Friday, we had really bad storms and turned everything off to avoid an electrical charge. Saturday there were more storms, but not bad enough to turn off the ol' 'pute. However, out internet service was down, then we were gone the rest of the day.

Sunday is my usual "Day Off" from these dumb old blogs, so I took it.


FUNNY THINGS TO SAY TO YOUR DOC AT YOUR COLONOSCOPY..."If your hand don't fit, you must quit."

My Experience with the "Derecho"-- Part 2

This was a storm, that for me, didn't appear to be too bad of a one. After two hours, our electricity was back on. I just caught up with my sleep by taking a nap during it. I didn't get enough sleep last night.

Once up, Liz said she was hearing that almost a million people had lost power and most still didn't have it. Later, we hear that it was expected that a lot of the people weren't going to have electricity for a day or so and then, that was extended until later in the week.

Much worse of a storm than I thought.

We then heard that the Fox Lake area was particularly hard hit, so decided to drive over and take a look and see how the boat fared, since we dock it in that village.

While waiting for Liz to get ready, I took a walk out to the arboretum tp pick up branches that always come down in a wind storm. Entered it at the east end and started picking up the branches. When I got over to the west end, I saw that the sumac tree was broken off at its base.

That is too bad because it always reminded me so much of a tropical plant and was about 15 feet tall. Unfortunately, my electric chain saw is broken (well, the chain is hanging down). I'll have to see if I can figure out how to fix it. Probably not. One thing I'm not good at is fixing broken machines.

That Was One Strong Wind. --RoadDog


FUNNY THINGS TO SAY TO YOUR DOC AT YOUR COLONOSCOPY..."Can you hear me now>"

My Experience with the "Derecho"-- Part 1

Monday morning, I got up at 6 and had my usual coffee and newspaper reading on the front porch. It was overcast, but not windy.

I went downstairs to the computer and once logged in, the Weather Bug was chirping like crazy with thunderstorm warnings. And, this thunderstorm was coming up fast and would be short.

Then, the internet started shutting down, coming back, shutting down. Strange. I went upstairs and looked off the front porch again and now there were some serious looking black clouds off to the west and the wind was picking up considerable.

I woke Liz up and had her turn her computer off and went downstairs and did the same with mine.

At about 7:45 am, the electricity started going off and on and the wind was picking up greatly. I remembered my hanging baskets and went out to take them down just as it started raining. I then remembered the swivel things hanging from the gutter and took them down as well.

The wind swept in and trees were really bending over. The electricity went off and stayed that way for a couple hours. Very standard in our subdivision to lose power in any sort of storm. All our lines are underground, but coming into the subdivision the lines are on poles and running through lots of trees.

The storm only lasted about 15 minutes and was really bad for about two of those. Unfortunately, we didn't get much rain as we really need it as it hasn't rained for about three weeks.

The Big Blow. --RoadDog


THE VERY LAST YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM CHICAGO IF...You know the phone number for Empire Carpets. The last times we've been to North carolina and Florida, it was strange to see Empire Carpet commercials on the local stations.


By the way, that number is 588-2300. (now introduced with 1-800).

What It Was was a "Derecho"

That mean storm that came through here Monday around 8 am, now has a name. It is called a DERECHO, a term coined back in 1888 by Dr. Gustavus Hinrichs. The word is Spanish meaning straight or direct which is exactly what it did along its 1,400 mile path of damage.

It saved its best for around here. At 7:30 am, a trained observer in Crystal Lake, Illinois, about twenty miles from us, recorded a sustained 70 mph blast of wind for 2-3 minutes.

We still have friends without power. Yesterday, friend Kora came over to take a shower and get out of the heat. We have heard that some folks have been told not to expect power until Saturday.

There are sure lots of trees down in the area.

Don't Want Another One of These. --RoadDog


YOU MIGHT BE FROM CHICAGO IF...You can distinguish from the following Area Codes: 847, 630, 773, 708, 312 and 815 (my area code.)

Boy, That Was One Nasty Storm!!

Yesterday, after we got the boat tied up and covered, Liz said she had heard warnings that even though the sun was out and everything seemed fine, that we'd best be taking cover as some really bad storms were on their way.

We got about a third of the way up to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, where we were taking friends Kevin and Kelly for their first visit to Popeye's when we realized we'd left the 50% off coupon at home, so had to drive back to get it.

The stations we were listening to o n the way there kept interrupting with dire warnings of this fast-moving and powerful storm that was going to hit the whole area. We parked and had just gotten in when it hit Lake Geneva with quite a fury. Visibility dropped to maybe 100 feet and there were some of the blackest clouds I've ever see,

The rain came down with a vengeance, quickly turning the street in front of the place into a raging torrent. And, then there were some really serious wind. The lights flickered a few times in Popeye's, but kept coming back on. By the time we finished eating, the storm was completely gone.

About an hour later, the sun came out.

On the way back to Spring Grove, we saw quite a few trees down and a wayward trampoline that had gone on a joy flight from somebody's house. The most damage seemed to be centered right along the Illinois-Wisconsin border. The roof of the Antioch Bowling Alley was blown off. I used to deejay quite a few weddings there in days gone by.

Close to the entrance of our subdivision, there was police tale around twp trees that had blown over and pushed the wires down. Our electricity had been out, but was back on by the time we got home.

That Was One Frightening Storm. --RoadDog


Life Before Computers: And, finally, if yopu had a three and a half inch floppy... you'd better hope nobody found out about it.

Boy, Did We Have a Thunder-Whumping, Lightnin' Spewin' Storm

This past Monday, the Chicagoland area was visited by one of the worst storms in recent history. There wasn't a lot of damage and, fortunately, no deaths, but any way you want to look at it, that was one bodacious storm.

I missed a lot of it while at the movie theater, but, on the way home, the sky was fairly constantly lit up. Reminded me of the electrical storms we used to have in North Carolina. Some bolts would start at one corner of the sky and go all the way across it.

During the storm, there were 90,000 lightning strikes in the Chicagoland area, about as many as we get in six months. At the storm's height, there were 800 strikes a minute. Now that is a really charged storm.

We got some much-needed rain, but not as much as you'd expect. Unfortunately, there were no Japanese beetle fatalities. Drats.

At 11 pm, I watched another storm roll in to the south of us. It was like watching strobe lights.

Mighty Big Storm. --RoadDog