Leading Up to St. Patrick's Day: Teachers, Pi, a Cemetery and Some Bars

MARCH 14, THURSDAY

I met seven other teachers I used to work with at Magee Middle School in Round Lake at the Bristol 45 Diner in Bristol, Wisconsin, for breakfast.  It is always good to get together with old friends.  Stopped at my State Farm agent to see if I could get an adjustment on my vehicle insurance on the '05 Dodge Dakota and '85 Firebird since I don't drive either very much, but already was getting the lowest amount I could.

Bought an apple pie at Jewel for $3.14.  I wonder why that price?

MARCH 15, FRIDAY

Drove to Arlington Heights, Illinois, to replace the flowers on my mother and father-in-laws' graves, stopping along the way in Lake Zurich to get the tax information on my Charles Schwab account.  On the way back stopped at Sunnyside in Johnsburg and the Fox Lake American Legion.

Pi Is 3.14.  --RoadO'Green

JSS: Cold-- Gas Gouge-- Cemetery-- Cut Grass-- Old Stomping Grounds

JSS--  Just Some Stuff.

1.  COLD--  Well, we are being hit with a chilly day with temps this morning in the 40s and highs of 50s here in northern Illinois.  Those poor people out at Wrigley Field will be suffering for this afternoon's Cross Town Series game between the White Sox and Cubs.

2.  GAS GOUGE--  Yesterday we saw gas in Fox Lake at $3.10 ($3.09.9)  Gas at another station in Chicago's Northwest Suburbs was even at $3.20.  I guess the good old low prices are gone.  How high will gas get?

3.  CEMETERY--  This coming up on Mother's Day, we went to the cemetery in Arlington Heights where Liz's parents are buried and put up new flowers and cleared off grass from around the marker.

4.  CUT GRASS--  I cut the grass Sunday and had to cut it (and all those dandelions) again Thursday.  Can't have it getting too far ahead of me.

5.  OLD STOMPING GROUNDS--  After going to the cemetery, Liz and I drove by our old homes in Palatine and ate at Photo's in Palatine (Northwest Highway, US-14).  Photo's is located where the Burger King used to be where I got my first job and worked at junior and senior years in high school and freshman year in college.

We then drove on Quentin Road to Fairfield Road which is how we used to drive between Round Lake Beach to Palatine and later Arlington Heights to visit with Liz's parents.

--RoadDog

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 Trip Back For Us Last Weekend-- Part 2: The Old Stomping Grounds

APRIL 15, SATURDAY

We drove to Arlington Heights, Illinois, to put flowers and a U.S. flag on the graves of Liz's parents at Memory Gardens Cemetery.  We then cruised Northwest Highway from Arlington Heights to Palatine and ate at Photo's Hot Dogs.  This used to be the site of the Burger King I had my first job at and where we liked to hang out at during our high school days.

We then went by the old Palatine High School where we went and then the three houses our families lived in.

Stopped at J&D's in Wauconda and then watched the Blackhawks for as long as we could stand at Half-Times in Johnsburg.  They stunk again, losing 5-0.

APRIL 16, SUNDAY

Easter and we went to Grand Buffet in McHenry for their great meal.  Then to the PLAV and then to Sunnyside.

--RoadDog

N.C. Fall 2016-- Day 3 and 4: Mom's DAR Ceremony

SEPTEMBER 20, 2016, TUESDAY

  We spent the morning sorting through papers, documents (mostly financial) and books.  I took four loads of books over to Mom's Salvation Army Thrift Store.  She was very active in that group[s Auxiliary.

The big event for today was Mom's Daughters of the American Revolution David Williams group's graveside marking ceremony at her grave.  We were very fortunate that the earlier and later rains held off for it as it was outside.

Afterwards, we ate at B&D Restaurant in Goldsboro..

The rest of the afternoon and night was spent sorting through papers and books.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2016, WEDNESDAY

I had planned on going to Topsail Beach today, but decided not to because of all the rain around eastern North Carolina.  The day was mostly spent going through Mom's papers and books and taking them to her church, the town library and Salvation Army.

Bob and I went to Wilber's for some of that great 'cue.

--RoadDog

About This Last Weekend

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18TH--   The weather sure didn't cooperate as the storms that began Thursday afternoon and continued all night.  They threatened all day today as well, but nothing materialized.  No boating, so decided it was a good time to go to Liz's parents graves at Memory Gardens in Arlington Heights to change the flowers and U.S. flag.  Ambrose was an Army major in World War II.

Afterwards went to Half-Price Books and White Castle in Palatine, Illinois (two of my favorite places).  I was planning to go to the Richmond-Burton football game, but it started raining just before I left.  Just as well as the game was postponed until Saturday.  Ended up with the Usual Suspects at the Legion.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19TH--  Went to a friend's 65th birthday party and watched the amazing NIU Huskies nearly beat #1 Ohio State before losing 20-13.  Not bad for a little old school out in the corn fields, especially one that was a 35-point underdog.

Mitch Edwards played music for the party and we caught birthday boy Kenny by surprise.

Then went to the Grove in Spring Grove and saw a guy sing and play a lot of great classic rock outside in the biergarden.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH--  Went to the Squaw Bar in Ingleside and sat outside in their annex and watched the horrible Bears game against the Cardinals.  Then went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg and enjoyed the happy hour, but not the Cubs loss.  The Sox lost as well, so Chicago was a three-time loser today.

Football and Bands.  Not Bad.  --RoadDog


THE 10 RULES OF LIFE:  If you wake up breathing, congratulations!  You have another chance.

A Trip Back to the Northwest Suburbs

Monday, August 11th, I braved all the traffic, stoplights and photo-enforced lights and drove US-12 to Memory Gardens in Arlington Heights' Illinois, and cleaned off the grass from the edges of Liz's parents' marker and put up flowers in the vase.

I then went to China Buffet near where Liz's mom Frances lived after moving from her home in Palatine, Illinois.  We used to have a China Buffet in Fox Lake, but it closed and I was wondering if this was the same one.  They had the best walnut shrimp in the world.  It wasn't, but I had a great meal anyway.

Next, I went to my favorite store anywhere around, Half Price Books, which also had records and CDs.  Like the name says, everything is cheap and all the stiff that I like.  Cost me $40 to get out of there, but got some good stuff.

Then, I stopped at White Castle on Dundee Road and bought ten sliders to take home.

It seems that every other stoplight in Lake Zurich on US-12, is waiting to take that $100 out of your pocket.  They should change their welcome sign to "Welcome to Lake Zurich, the Village With a Photo-Enforced Heart!"

Stopped at Thompson's Nursery in Volo and then went out for some boating on Fox Lake.

Not a Bad Monday.  --RoadDog