March Coming in Like a Gas Gouge: Gas Gouge!! Sunnyside, Legion, Band, Stuck's and Karaoke

FRIDAY, MARCH 4

Gas prices are going nuts around here.  Yesterday I got gas for $3.60 in Wisconsin.  It was $4 at Rock Corner on Il-173 by the Wisconsin border.  Today, gas in Spring Grove and Johnsburg was $4.10.  And, we know the problem is the GRBs from Big Oil out to make a profit from the crisis.

We went to Sunnyside in Johnsburg.

SATURDAY, MARCH 5

Well, the temps hit mid 60s.  Helps take the edge off the Gas Gouge.  I went to the Fox Lake American Legion in the afternoon and enjoyed watching the duo called the Hunnymooners from 3 to 6 p.m.  Then met Kevin and Kelly at Stucky's in Johnsburg for dinner and karaoke, not to mention the $1 draft beer pints.  Who'd have figured gas would cost four times a gallon than beers?

SUNDAY, MARCH 6

We went to Stucky's for the NASCAR race.  We aren't NASCAR fans, especially with the Bubba, but, it is a fun party there and every time there is a caution flag that is good for somebody.

--RoadDog

JSS: rn Sure Looks Like an "M"-- Relief Money Coming April 15-- Good Weather-- No Boating For Us This Year

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  rn SURE LOOKS LIKE AN "M"--  While typing (with my own two little fingers) the last post, I can't but notice that when you put the letters "rn" together, that sure looks like the letter "m."

2.  RELIEF MONEY COMING APRIL 15--  Listening to Myrtle Beach's Surf, 94.9 FM this morning, I heard Jim Morgan say that money from the government to tide us over (somewhat) through this "V" thing will be coming April 15.  For some reason that date used to mean something else.

3.  GOOD WEATHER--  Since March, we have only had three days I'd consider good with fairly warm temperatures (never over 70 degrees though) and little or no wind.  That is good because crummy weather keeps folks inside in this "V" time.  However, today (Tuesday, April 7) looks like a good day here in northeast Illinois, so we'll see how many stay inside or refrain from traveling off their property.

4.  NO BOATING FOR US THIS YEAR--  This will be the first year since 1985, that Liz and I won't have a boat.  Two of our friends have already been out on their boats.  But, with all this crummy weather and you-know-what, I doubt that we'll miss boating all that much.

--RoadDog

Guns, Oldies and DaBears Weekend-- Part 2

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14

Went to McDonald's for their 2 for $4 bacon, egg and cheese biscuits.  We like those a lot.  A perfect day weatherwise, even as the Chain was closing down because of the flooding.  Sure glad we got out of boating earlier this summer as the Chain has been closed or no wake for almost half the time this year.

Enjoyed WXRT's Saturday Morning Flashback to 1982 and did some yard work.

We went to the SAL gun raffle at the Fox Lake American Legion and met Glenn and Barb and enjoyed Mitch Edwards until 6 and then the oldies band Looney Train.  Went over to Stucky's in Johnsburg where Uncle Will and the Wayback Machine were playing oldies.

Liz and I definitely love our oldies music.  Perhaps because we are OLD!!

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

Well, we had rain all night.  Just what we needed with all the flooding.  Listened to Bob Stroud's Rock and Roll Roots show on the Drive from 7 to 10 a.m.and recorded Terri Hemmert's Breakfast With the Beatles on WXRT.  I do this most Sunday mornings.  Sat out in the gazebo and read the Chicago Tribune.

The Bears played at 3:30 p.m. and we drove over to the Squaw Bar in Ingleside on Squaw Creek only to find the whole rear of the place flooded and the front parking lot full, so didn't go in.  Went to the Fox Lake American Legion on Nippersink Lake and all its piers were under water, but a dry parking lot so watched the first quarter of the Bears game.

Then went to Sunnyside Tavern in Johnsburg and found seats at the bar and watched the rest of the Bears-Denver Broncos game.  That last 31 seconds was something else and the Bears kicked a field goal to win 16-14 as time expired.

We B Old.  --Old RoadDog

Is It Spring? Nope, Not Yet

I just came in from raking pine straw up by the east pine island and am thawing my fingers out.  Man, it is real cold out there and a big wind blowing the cold on you as well as overcast.  I started seeing stuff falling off the pines, or so I thought.  Must be pollen, but wait!!!  They are white.  It was SNOW.  My working agreement clearly states that I do not have to do raking in the snow, so I came inside to thaw out.

Temperature is 38 degrees.

Yesterday and Monday, we had sun and low 70s.  Very nice and everyone was getting spring fever.  Now this!!!

Sunday I brought in three daffodils from the yard and have some others blooming and several hundred getting ready to bloom.  Hyacinths are getting ready to bloom as well.  Plus, all the rain on Sunday and the grass has turned green all over the place.

Spring or Not Spring.  Make Up Your Mind Mother Nature!!!!  --RoadDog

JSS: A Movie Experience-- Warm-- 9-7

JSS:  Just Some Stuff.

1.  A MOVIE EXPERIENCE--  Tuesday, I went to Round Lake Beach's Regal Cinemas to see the movie "Logan."  Near the end of the first upcoming preview for the remake of "Alien" a light started flashing and an alarm went off.  At first, I, and the other people in the theater were unsure whether it was part of the preview or not, but it eventually dawned on us that it was a real fire alarm, so we exited.

The fire department came, checked and found nothing so we got to see the movie.

This was my first fire alarm since 2006, when I taught school.

2.  WARM--  Wow, temps in the 70s tomorrow.  Has spring finally gotten here?  Well, the spring equinox was this past Monday.

3.  9-7--  Well, that's my record in the Sweet Sixteen beginning today.  Still remaining teams for me:  Baylor, Gonzaga, Arizona, Kansas, Purdue, UNC, Butler, UCLA, Kentucky.

Other than Butler, I am completely out of the East Region.  But, have all four left in the South.

No Clue Picking As Usual.  --RoadDog

Sure Been Enjoying This Warm Weather-- Part 2: Plain Joe and Just Jake

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6.

Hard to imagine sitting out OD (On Deck) and FP (Front Porch) comfortably in tee shirt and shorts on November 6th, but here I sat.  Enjoyed listening to Rock and Roll Roots.  And, with the end of Daylight Savings Time, it was light out much earlier.

I did some raking and burned some leaves, the smell of fall.

We went to Sunnyside for the soup cookoff (I especially love chili cookoffs) and saw the duo Plain Joe and Just Jake play.

--RoadDog

SIGNS AND NOTICES:  Seen in a restaurant:  "Open seven days a week and weekends."

Sure Been Enjoying This Warm Weather-- Part 1

Definitely something you wouldn't be expecting here in the Midwest along the Wisconsin-Illinois border.

The temperatures have been in the lower 70s with lots of sun.  We've got to really enjoy this because you-know-what is around the corner.

FRIDAY, we had a perfect day for the Cubs World Series parade and celebration in Chicago, but we didn't go and glad of it as that was some really big crowd as I had figured it would be with all the Cub fans around here.  We did watch it on TV in between trips outside to enjoy the sun.

I got a lot of yardwork accomplished and later we went to Bootleggers Bar for fish dinners, 'Cuda's for $2 craft beer and the Usual Suspects and later to the Legion.

SATURDAY, I sat out at the front porch, deck and gazebo.  Later, we went to Kevin and Kelly's and helped polish off Kelly's Oktoberfest, Strawberry Blonde and Port craft beers.  She is getting to be quite the brewer.  We sat outside at their place on Fox Lake and enjoyed the warm afternoon into evening.  Who'd have figured you'd get a chance to do this on November 5, wearing tee-shirts and shorts.  We then had a bonfire.

Enjoying It While We Can.  --RoadDog

SIGNS AND NOTICES:  At a car dealership in Maryland to announce new seat belt legislation:  "Belt your family.  It's the law."

Almost No Posts Yesterday, and, There Was a Reason

And there was a reason why I only got the one for my War of 1812 blog posted.  The reason was that it was much too nice of a day to waste sitting inside the house.  And, as we approach the end of October, great days will be getting fewer and fewer.  You-know-what is around the corner.

I spent time out on the front porch, deck and gazebo.  We also took the boat out for one of the last times and cruised around Fox Lake, Nippersink Lake and Pistakee Lake.  We got thirsty and boated into the McDonald's and had something to eat, drink and an ice cream cone.

Sure glad to see McDonald's is bringing back that tasty and hot McChicken Jalapeno sandwich.

--RoadDog

National Record Store Day Saturday

A favorite time of the year for me.  This is a day to visit your local mom and pop record store and talk with others who are still fans of the vinyl record albums.

I'll be headed over to our local record store, The Vinyl Frontier in McHenry, Illinois, and no doubt will be buying some albums and maybe a CD or two.

Hope you're headed for one as well.

And, we have finally gotten spring with temps today in the 60s and 70s tomorrow.  Tomorrow after the record store, we're heading over to Route 12 Bar and Grill on US-12 (Rand Road) in Fox Lake where they will be having their first outside entertainment of the year.

About Time We Got Some Warm Weather.  --RoadDog

JSS: Warm-- Bears Outside-- Boating

JSS--  Just Some Stuff

1.  WARM--  After a very chilly and rainy Halloween, we have had great weather since then ans it will continue until Friday.  I mean shorts and tee shirt weather.  Got to enjoy that now as by next week, you-know-what will be here.  Temps in the 70s!!

2.  BEARS OUTSIDE--  It has been so nice, we even were able to watch Da Bears lose again outside at Kenny's  place on Sunday.

3.  BOATING-  Well, boating season is over.  Planning to pick up the boat today at the marina and take it out to Hebron for the winter.  This was not a very good boating season as we only hot the boat out 26 times.  We normally shoot for 40.

Oh Well, Maybe next Year.  --RoadDog

JSS: Christmas Lights-- Warm Weather-- Firebird

JSS--  Just Some Stuff


1.  CHRISTMAS LIGHTS--  I had put up the outside Christmas lights before I went to North Carolina and turned them on this past Sunday.  Some worked alright, others took some work on them again, but now all are hooked up to come on automatically at dusk and run four hours.  Looks good as usual, especially with the inside lights and Christmas trees Liz put up.


2.  WARM WEATHER--   I was a bit worried to find that I had gone off to NC without a heavy coat.  hey, you expect cold weather in late November, early December, but as it turned out, I didn't need it.  Sunday, we enjoyed sitting out on the deck at the Squaw Bar during breaks in the defenseless Bears game.  Then, Monday, it was actually shorts and tee shirt day.  Had it not been so cloudy, I would have sat out OD and caught some rays.  Wow, shots and tee on December 3rd!!!

Temps are more like what is to be expected today.


3.  FIREBIRD-  Monday, I took the '85 Firebird out for one last run for the year.  I drove it about 350 miles, just around the area.  Runs great, but looks rough and does have a leak of something.  I'm figuring on just keeping it until it stops running.  Then, I'm thinking of one of those new Camaros or a Mustang.  Late Middle Age Crisis I suppose.

Send More Warm Weather.  --RoadDog


WHAT SHE SAYS, WHAT SHE MEANS:  We need = I need

JSS: Sore-- Warm-- Blago-- Bracket Time

JSS-- Just Some Stuff


1. SORE-- One thing about the early days of working in the yard. The joints and muscles are screaming. I'm paying for it.


2. WARM-- The reason I'm getting yardwork done this early is that the weather is unseasonably warm, in the 70s the past two days and predicted to continue for the next week. Who needs to go to Florida for Spring Break. We can have it right here. Been getting some use out of the deck, or, as I call it OD.


3. Blago-- What a waste! He must be related to dear old Jesse J. with his love of getting his mug on camera. We were at Tommy's here in Spring Grove, Illinois, getting our $10 large pizza and enjoying those buck bottles of Miller products and Channel 7, ABC, was outside his home airing the whole thing. He scheduled his departure for the news.

Enjoy prison, gov.


4. BRACKET TIME-- Filled 'em out yesterday and today. Getting my red pen ready to bleed all over my wrong picks.

Just Some Stuff. --RoadDog

Almost Forgot About That Rotten Weather

It's been awhile now since that snowy Wednesday and my back and arms have recovered.

Lately, ever since Thursday, I've been suffering through 80 degree weather here in South Florida in Cape Coral. Today was overcast, but it was sunny the whole rest of the time.

Makes me wonder why I am staying uip in Illinois and putting up with all these crummy winters.

Even Got a Sunburn. --RoadDog

A Perfect Snow

Awoke this morning to an inch, or possibly a little more, of snow on the ground. Just enough for everything to look pristine, even though the grass is still green. Even more important, none of it stuck to the roads driveways, or sidewalks. Anytime it snows and I don't have to shovel or use the snow blower, that's alright with me.

On top of that, we have our first sun in several days. What is that bright stuff?

It is still on my evergreens, which makes for a beautiful sight.

Reckon I'll have to fire up the old snow blower if I can figure out how to mix the oil with the gas. Hopefully, I'll be able to afford the gas. Lousy speculators. I just buy a gallon though, which should get me through the season.

Over the River and Through the Woods. --RoadDog