Leading Up to St. Patrick's Day: Pizza, Beer, a Movie, a Presentation and Trivia

And, it was unseasonably warm around here until Saturday.

MARCH 11--  MONDAY

Went to Saylor Mick's in Spring Grove for half price pizza and Bricks 'N Ivy for the $8 pitcher of Blue Moon.

MARCH 12-- TUESDAY

Drove to Woodstock, Illinois, for the movie "King Fu Panda: 4" at the theater, then spent some time in the library before meeting members of the Round Table at 3 Brothers restaurant for dinner.  Then we adjourned back to the library where the McHenry County Civil War Round Table has a presentation on Confederate Railroads during the war.

MARCH 13--  WEDNESDAY

Put up the spring flowers at Liz's grave and talked with the funeral director at the Spring Grover Funeral Home about a grave stone.  Then drove to Twin Lakes, Wisconsin, for snack day/trivia at Donovan's Reef.  We sure ate well.

Good Times in the Area.  --RoadDog

Movie Scratches 2023: Groundhog-- Brady--Plane-- 65

Movie Scratches--  Movies I saw in the theater in 2023.

5.  GROUNDHOG DAY--  2-5--  Woodstock--  $2--  There wasn't one today.  What if there is no tomorrow.  Nothing like seeing this great flick on the big screen and in a theatre that was actually in the movie.

6.  80 FOR BRADY--  2-10--  Super Brady fans  What those ol' gals got into?  Four lasses on the loose and their "particular" skills that avoided disaster.

7.  PLANE--  2-10--  All the action you could possibly want from a storm, lightning strike, jungle landing and those mean old rebels.

8.  65-   3-31--  Fox Lake--  $7--  Earth 65 million years ago was not a friendly place.  If the dinosaurs don't get you, that big ol' asteroid thing will.

--RoadDog

A Day with the Groundhog in Woodstock then the Bars of McHenry and Johnsburg

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Drove to Woodstock, Illinois, for the last day of their Groundhog Days Festival.  I saw the movie "Groundhog Day" in the big screen at the Woodstock Theatre which was in the movie as the Alpine Theatre where Bronco Billy Murray and date went.  I didn't know the date was Mrs. Gary Fencik, Chicago Bears player from Super Bowl XX.

The place was packed and everyone was laughing at the comments.

Then took a walk around the Woodstock Square past the Top Top Cafe (now a Mexican restaurant) and Bill's Puddle, where Ned accosted Bill, the Pennsylvanian Hotel (Woodstock Opera House) and the bar where they drank to world peace.

Of course, the entire square itself was the site of Gobbler's Knob where the groundhog was pulled out of his burrow.   It also was where they danced in the gazebo, where Bill did his ice sculpture and the snowball fight.

Stopped at Wayne's Lanes which was the bowling alley in the movie where Bill saw his glass as half enpty and where the drunks got in the car and led the cops on a chase.  They now have a cut out of Bill Murray at the spot he was sitting at.

Drove to McHenry and had Bloody Marys at the Polish Legion  ($2.75), mixed drinks at the McHenry American Legion (rail drinks $3) and beers at Sunnyside  ($2).

Busy Day.  That Darn Goundhog's Got To Be Stopped.  --RoadHog

I Was Back in Woodstock... Again-- Part 2: The Groundhog Bit Murray

More Fun Facts:

**  Murray was bitten twice by the groundhog while filming and even had to get rabies shots just in case.

**  The film was not shot in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, but rather Woodstock, Illinois.   During a scene with Ned Ryerson, Phil's old classmate,  a sign for Woodstock Jewelers can be seen in the background.

**  Ramis, Murray and  Stephen Tobolowski (Ned Ryerson) have been honorary  Grand Marshals  in Punxsutawney on Groundhog Day.

**  Other famous actors were considered for the role of Phil Connors that director Ramis considered "too nice: were  Chevy Chase, Steve Martin,  Robin Williams and Michael Keaton.  Keaton reportedly turned down the role because he thought it was too confusing.

** Even though the movie was filmed in Punxsutawney, it had a big impact on the town.  Celebrations went from about 5,000 to 35,000 after the movie came out.

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How long was Phil stuck in deja vu?  No one really knows, but a whole lot.  The movie shows him reliving it 38 times.

--RoadPhil

I Was Back in Woodstock... Again for 'Groundhog Day'

This past Sunday, I drove the eighteen miles from the house to Woodstock, Illinois, to partake in the last day of the town's annual Groundhog Days festuival which started on February 1.

I was too late for the pancake breakfast at the Moose Lodge (where the dance/bachelor auction was held in the movie), but managed to get a seat to see the movie on the big screen at the Woodstock Theatre (where the scene with Bill Murray as Bronco Billy and his date went to see the movie "Heidi.")  I found out earlier that day that his date was the wife of Chicago Bear player Gary Fencik of the Super Bowl XX champs.

From the February 2, 2023,  WTAJ, Rochester, NY.  "Bill Murray's 'Groundhog Day' celebrates 30th anniversary" by Bill Shannon.

ANYWAY, SOME FUN FACTS ABOUT THE MOVIE:

**  Bill Murray's character, Phil Connors, evolved into a much nicer human being during the film.  At times when  director Harold Ramis would explain a scene, Murray would ask him:  "Good Phil or bad Phil?" so he would know how to play the character.

--RoadHog

A Movie, Meal and the Civil War As Well as Wings and a Concert

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9

Bob Stroud played Ten at Ten from that great college year for me, 1972, including "Ventura Highway" by America and "Sunshine" by Jonathan Edwards.  Took me back.  

Drove to Woodstock and saw the movie "Minions:  the Rise of Gru."  Gotta love those little yellow guys.  Then met some Civil War buffs at 3 Brothers restaurant in Il. Highway 47 and then to The Woodstock Library for a presentation on the USS Merrimac(k)/ CSS Virginia.  I especially like presentations on anything Civil War Navy.

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 10

Trivia at Donovan's Reef in Twin Lakes, Wisconsin

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 11

Went to Captain's Quarters on Fox Lake and had those great 50 cent wings and a good talk wih a Sox fan where we figured out that the Sox really have stunk up the place this season.  Drove to Wisconsin and got gas just over the border for $3.87 ($3.86.9) which is 45 cents cheaper than in Illinois.  A whole lot of Illinois folks near the border do this these days.

Then went to Antioch's It's Thursday concert featuring a good party band, 28 Days.

Why Go Anywhere Else?  --RoadDog

POINTS TO PONDER:  How can a SLIM CHANCE and a FAT CHANCE  be the same, while a WISE GUY and a WISE MAN aren't.

Movies, the Civil War and Sliders

TUESDAY, JULY 12

Drove to Woodstock, Illinois, and saw the movie "Elvis," met the folks from the McHenry County Civil War Round Table at 3 Brothers for a pre-meeting meal and then went to the Woodstock Public Library for the meeting and had a presentation by Bruce Allardice on "The Mysteries of the Hunley."  

That really made my night as we rarely have presentations on anything naval.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 13

We joined Kevin and Kelly and we had Sliders that Jeff had picked up at White Castle in Kenosha for "snack day."  Cindy and Jerry usually bring in the heavy snacks.  We bring in butter pretzels.

THURSDAY, JULY 14

Went to the Fox Lake (Illinois) Theatre and saw "Jurassic World Dominion."  I sure enjoyed the six "Jurassic" movies.  Later we went to Sunnyside.

--RoadDog

This Being Groundhog Day and All: Some of the 'Hogs

Well, the predictions are in.  Punxsutawney Phil says six more week s of winter out in Pennsylvania.  More locally to here in northeast Illinois, Woodstock Willie says it will be an early winter.

From the February 1, 2022, ListVerse "10 Weather-Forecasting rodents not named Punxsutawney Phil" by Jaycee Miller.  I am just listing and telling the location.  For more information, go to the site.

Here are the names of other furry weather prognosticators who are having their day today:

10.  Buckeye Chuck--  Marion, Ohio

9.  Chattanooga Chuck

8.  Concord Charlie--  West Virginia

7.  General Beauregard Lee--  Jackson, Georgia     Reckon this name will have to be changed as it might offend certain folks.

6.  Jimmy the Groundhog--  San Prairie, Wisconsin

5.  Mount Joy Millie--  Central Pennsylvania

4.  Octararo Orphie--  Quarryville, Pennsylvania

3.  Shubenacadie Sam--  Nova Scotia, Canada

2.  Unadilla Bill--  Nebraska

1.  Wiarton Willie--  Canada

What?  No Woodstock Willie?  --RoadHog

About Last Week: Back to MCCWRT, USMC 246th BD, Germanfest, Salute to the Vets and Donovan's

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 9

Drove to Woodstock for my first McHenry County Civil War Round Table meeting since March 2020 thanks to you-know-what.  It was back at the Woodstock Library.  Sure was good to be back.

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 10

A big happy birthday to the USMC, number 246!!  

Went to Stucky's for a Germanfest feast.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 11

A salute to all of our veterans on their day.  I went to Fox Lake for the ceremony at the train station but it was not there this year.

Met Kevin and Kelly at Donovan's in Twin Lakes Wisconsin, for live trivia and that great Happy Hour.

--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

JSS: Pi Day-- Freezing Rain & Snow On the Way-- The Drive's 20th

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  PI DAY--   Yesterday was National Pi Day thanks to the date being 3/14, the first three digits in that math thing called pi.  So, I went to the local Jewel and bought a fresh-made apple pie.  You'll probably never guess what I paid for it.

2.  FREEZING RAIN & SNOW ON THE WAY--  Just what I wanted to hear, this last week of winter as it was and Ides of March as it is.  And, we just recently got rid of the rest of the snow that we gathered in January and February last week.

Oh, well.  What can I say, but our local groundhog prognosticator, Woodstock Willie, lied when he said we were going to have an early spring back on Feb. 2.

3.  THE DRIVE'S 20TH--  All day, Chicago's WDRV, 97.1 FM, the Drive will be playing the exact set list of songs they played om this date back in 2001 when they started playing Classic Rock.  Well worth a listen and it streams.

--RoadNoMoreWinter

STUDENT TEST ANSWERS:  The theory of evolution was greatly objected to because it made men think.

What?

Okay, It's Groundhog Day, Again. Did Our Local Varmint, Woodstock Willie, See His Shadow?

It is now 7:36 am on February 2, 2021.  As the old tale goes, if a groundhog sees his (or her) shadow at sunrise, there will be six more weeks of mean old winter.

Sunrise here in Spring Grove, Illinois, was at 7:06.  I am looking at the window here deep in the basement of Key North and, there can be no shadows for Woodstock Willie if they have the same clouds we have (and Woodstock, where the famous movie was filmed) is just 18 miles away.

So, it is going to be an easy winter from here on out, or so they say.

And, it needs to be.  After a fairly easy November and December, January was a real bear.  We received a lot of snow on several different occasions and very little of it has melted because of cold temperatures and a lack of sunlight.  That snow is really piled up.  Just this past week, we received about 5 inches on Tuesday and another 9 inches Saturday-Sunday.

And, starting this Friday and going through to Thursday, Feb. 11 our forecasts call for cold, real cold.  Highs for those days:  15, 12, 3, 8, 10, 12, 14.  Lows for those days:  1, -5, -6, -1, -4, -2 and 1.

It is time for those Canadians to quit sending us their weather!!!!!  Build that northern border wall!!!

By the way, that "other" original groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, did see his shadow.  But that's Pennsylvania.

Are You Sure Woodstock Willie Didn't See His Shadow?   --RoadCold

Going Back to 1969 (BCV)-- Part 2: "Soul Sacrifice"

Continued from April 7.

The years Before CoronaVirus (BCV).

Going from a senior to a freshman for me.  That August, I drove out to Woodstock, Illinois, looking for that Woodstock festival.  It wasn't there.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS--  Chicago Transit Authority
SUSPICIOUS MINDS--   Elvis Presley
IN THE BEGINNING/LOVELY TO SEE YOU--  Moody Blues

BABE I'M GONNA LEAVE YOU--  Led Zeppelin
PRE-ROAD DOWNS--  Crosby, Stills & Nash
MAMA TOLD ME NOT TO COME--  Randy Newman

SOUL SACRIFICE--  Santana
DREAMS--  Allman Brothers
HANDBAGS & GLADRAGS--  Rod Stewart

I WANNA BE YOUR DOG--  Stooges
NO TIME--  Guess Who
MY CHERIE AMOUR--  Stevie Wonder

Name That Tune (from the above songs):  "Will You Have Whiskey With Your Water Or Sugar With Your Tea?"  Answer below.  --RoadDog


"Mama Told me Not to Come"

Looking For Woodstock, or, Dumb Ol' Me

As for me, I didn't know anything about Woodstock until it was going on, and I heard a report on WLS.  I, of course, was a huge music fan and especially of my absolute favorite group back then, Creedence Clearwater Revivial.  And, they were headliners.

I hadn't heard where it was (and certainly not it being in New York) and figured since it was at Woodstock, it must be Woodstock, Illinois.  This place was only about 25 miles away from Palatine so I figured why not go see CCR.

I actually drove to that town and....  Well, you can guess what happened.

A senior moment as a junior.

No Woodstock Music Festival for Me!!!  --RoadDumb

STATE OF THE JOKE  (from the Wassup magazine):   An Alaskan was on trial in Anchorage.  The prosecutor leaned menacingly toward him and asked, "Where were you on the night of October to April?"

Woodstock Willie "The Groundhog" Arrested for Making A False Forecast

From 13 WREX Rockford, Illinois,  NBC " 'Woodstock Willie'  questioned by police after predicting  early Spring"

Make sure you view the video for pictures of the arrest and booking.

They said it better than I could so this is the text of the message:

"Woodstock (where the famous movie was filmed), Illinois.   After three days  of searching, Woodstock police  finally have a suspect in custody, but released him without charges.

"Woodstock Willie was taken in for questioning on Thursday.  He is suspected in a false forecast.

"Willie predicted  an early Spring on Groundhog Day on February 2.  (I saw him wandering around the Woodstock Square on several occasions that day, but didn't suspect anything.)

Police said a sergeant spotted him today, he was cooperative but was released until police see what the weather  will be like on the first day of Spring."

Temperature here in Spring Grove is at a high of 17 degrees right now with a strong wind.  It is COLD!!

This morning the temperature was 4 degrees.  Right now at 1 pm, it is a "balmy 26 degrees.  We forget what it is like to be above freezing.

Was He Just Being Mean?  Not Funny, Oversized Rodent!!!  --RoadDog

Surviving the Cold Last Weekend: Teachers, Legion, Groundhog Day in Woodstock, Legion, Super Bowl

Last week was somewhat chilly here in the Chicagoland area as some of you might know.  But we sure had a nice warmup in the weekend and it sure felt like spring had arrived, despite temps in the 40s.

FRIDAY, FEB. 1   Met the retired Magee teachers at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin.  Good  to get together with old friends.  Went to the 50-50 at the Legion at night.

SATURDAY, FEB. 2    Went to Woodstock for their Groundhog Day festival.  This is where the famous movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.  Enjoyed it despite the bigger crowds.  Then Liz and I went to the American Legion in Fox Lake in the afternoon and enjoyed the duo Twice As Nice.

SUNDAY, FEB. 3  Bob Stroud Root Saluted Buddy Holly on his Rock and Roll Roots show on WDRV 97.1 FM on the 60th anniversary of his death in Iowa.  Watched the first three quarters of the Super Bowl game at Stucky's in Johnsburg.  Too bad you know who won.

--RoadDog

JSS: BBBBrrrrr!!!!-- Cold Or Hurricanes and Floods?--- Groundhog Day Festival

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.    BBBBBRRRRR!!!  Yep, mighty cold here in Spring Grove, Illinois, of late.  Never got over -10 degrees on Wednesday and Thursday at 9 a.m., it was -23 degrees.  But, today, predicted high of 22 degrees.   Then Saturday our first day over freezing in weeks at 41 degrees and possibly 50 degrees by Monday.

When it hits 41 degrees on Saturday, folks will regard that as almost shorts and tee shirt weather.  We didn't go out at all Wednesday, but I'm imagining that even the dumb high school and college boys weren't out in their winter tee shirts and shorts.

2.  COLD OR HURRICANES & FLOODS--  Listening to the Surf in North Myrtle Beach, SC, on Thursday and  it was 27 degrees going to the mid 40s.  DJ Jim Morgan was talking about how much better it was living there than in Chicago.  But I just have to think of their hurricanes and floods.

Even when they don't get hit by these, they have to worry about pretty much any tropical storm out in the Atlantic.  If I have a choice between hurricanes and cold, I'll go with the cold.

3.  GROUNDHOG DAY FESTIVAL--  In Woodstock, Illinois, where the famous movie "Groundhog Day" was filmed.  It started Thursday and goes to this Sunday.  For the events, go to my RoadDog's RoadLog blog.  And, this year, Steve Tobolowski, who played Ned the insurance salesman will be there.

And, Lake Geneva, Illinois, has their annual winter festival with snow sculpturing and all sorts of other stiff this weekend.

--RoadDog

Independent Bookstore Day This Saturday, April 28

Hundreds of mom and pop independent book stores will be taking part in it.

We have Read Between the Lines in Woodstock, Illinois.

If it isn't records and Cds, it's books for me.

Book It.   Dano.   --RoadDog

Kickin' Off Our Summer '17-- Part 6: Of Boats, Classic Cars, Movies and the Civil War

JUNE 12, MONDAY

As we really get into a hot hot hot stretch.  Hey, it's summer.  Took the boat over to the marina to be summerized so we're one step closer to that aspect of out summer here on the Chain of Lakes.  Bought flowers at$8 a flat at Ace in Antioch (another summer thing)  and these included tall snapdragons (my favorite and something most places don't sell).

Back home it was trimming and yardwork  Then I went to the Green Street Cruise-In in McHenry which happens most every Monday during the summer to into September.  Tonight was Corvettes and there were probably sixty there.  Stopped back at Sunnyside Tap for $1.25 drafts.

JUNE 13--  TUESDAY

Did some yardwork and then went to Woodstock and saw the movie "Wonder Woman," met up with some Civil War buffs at Three Brothers restaurant  and then went to the McHenry Civil War Round Table meeting at the Woodstock Library and heard a talk on the five Confederate attempts to capture Nashville, Tennessee.

Why Go Anywhere Else?  --RoadDog

DeKalb and Woodstock-- Part 4: Drinking to World Peace and the Glass Is Half Full

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 5

Sunday morning we checked out, drove around campus and the Lagoon and stopped at White Castle and tried one of their chicken waffle sandwiches.  Mighty good.

Then drove to Woodstock, Illinois, where their Groundhog Days Festival was still underway.

I've always wanted to go to the Public House next to the old court house, where the bar scenes featuring "I drink to world peace" were filmed.  usually this place is packed during the Groundhog Festival, but today it wasn't and we even got to sit where Andie and Bill sat at the edge of the bar.

Even better, we decided to give the sweet vermouth with a twist a try.  And, of course, they had it.  You could get a drink of it in a small glass with the Groundhog Day varmint on it and "I Drink to World Peace."  It wasn't as bad as Bill Murray made it seem like.

We then went over to Wayne's Lanes, the bowling alley featured in the movie where Bill was sitting with the two guys complaining about having to live  the same day over and over.  We parked where the car was that they got in before being chased by the cops and playing chicken with the train.

A Groundhog Kind of a Day.  --RoadDog