Monday, June 30, 2014

Happy Birthday Krissy

A hot and humid day today after some late night showers which happened right after we got home from Summerfest last night. Not a really great music last night in my opinion but different music for different tastes and I understand that.

Krissy and I ended up at Bradford Beach during a morning walk. They are setting up massive bleachers for the AVP volleyball tournament that starts July 4th.

So, we ended up at the Tiki Bar and had a couple drinks. Then Jen and Krissy's mom showed up and we had lunch on the beach. She's truly loved by the masses with yours truly as her number one fan!

No Summerfest today as it's closed and resumes tomorrow through sunday. We'll be heading out to Krissy's moms in a bit for her birthday cookout.

Going to jump in the shower now but hope all my Florida friend's keep an eye out for 'Arthur' the first tropical of the season which started on June 1st. So far it doesn't look like a truly serious storm but you never know. Stay safe!

Later

Sunday, June 29, 2014

The Grand Prize Game

Apparently it's now time to get up early and play beat the heat. Coco and I were at the basketball court fairly early practicing this morning and yet the heat and humidity still attacked us hard. Oh well, I'll take this over January anytime.

The Summerfest Big Bang fireworks is officially postponed until July 1st because of the ongoing London type fog. I'm not sure if London is really that foggy but it certainly was in every Basil Rathbone version of the Sherlock Holmes movies. Apparently this past winter actually created our fog problem as Lake Michigan is 12 degrees cooler than it usually is at the end of June.

Our neighborhood is filled up with cars again and people circling looking for any place to park. World Cup mania is still going strong and the local pubs are raking in the benefits.

We're getting ready to head down to the Summerfest grounds shortly. Looks like we'll catch the shuttle from Jack's Pub again. I think we'll take it easy tonight especially since I'm still recovering from friday's marathon of a day. Plus, it looks like it's boy band night so I know I'm already going to be a bit aggravated by the crowd before I even walk in.

Hopefully someone out there still remembers Bozo's Circus and the Grand Prize game. For years in Chicagoland it was a noon telecast with the Grand Prize game being played at the halfway point. It was actually the biggest daily gambling event in Chicago. Thousands of blue collar pubs would be filled with worker's grabbing a sandwich and a beer at lunchtime. In all of these pubs everyone gambled on the kids playing the Grand Prize Game and predicting what bucket's the children would get to. Eventually, Illinois politicians wisened up and decided to start something called the Illinois State Lottery. Yep, the Illinois Lottery was started by a clown in more ways than one!

Later

Saturday, June 28, 2014

Jabari Parker and Taj Mahal

It was a long day at Summerfest yesterday. When we first arrived we ran into Milwaukee Bucks first round pick Jabari Parker doing an interview. He's a very well spoken and thoughtful person and he seems genuinely excited to be playing for the Bucks. We also saw Green Bay Packer legend Paul Hornung at an autograph booth.

We made it to the Whiskey Belles show at 2pm and they put out another fine performance. Then to Sazs for lunch and the brisket is truly out of this world. They always have great food.

After that it was some general stage and show hopping until 8pm where we watched legendary bluesman Taj Mahal. One of the finest shows I've seen in a long time and we watched it from the fifth row.

After that we caught a cab home and I'm still recovering as I type!

Later





Jabari Parker





Taj Mahal






Friday, June 27, 2014

Summerfest and the NBA Draft

It's a sunny day at least but some of the haze is still hanging around the lakefront. No fireworks last night because of poor visibility. I wore pants last night to Summerfest which is the first time I've ever done that!

Even with the coldish air the Lady Gaga fans still managed to wear as little clothes as possible. We started at Jack's Pub on Brady Street and took a the shuttle down to the grounds. I was impressed with the shuttle driver's ability to drive a bus load of people, text and sell beer all at the same time!

I managed to get 6 of the first 7 players correct in my NBA draft selections. I even picked the 1st, 2nd, and 7th pick perfect. So good to see the next wave of instant millionaires enter the workforce last night.

We're heading back to Summerfest soon for the 2pm Whiskey Belles show. Looks like we're meeting another 4 people from our posse and it should be a great day!

Later



Surprise


A Burger on a Barrel

Thursday, June 26, 2014

Tough Day At The World Cup

It's certainly a busy day when there's such a huge game in the late morning of a thursday. It was a tough 1-0 loss for USA but they had a shot at the end. It was a rough and physical game and the referee's let them play. At least they still get to advance so we still have hope!

Coco and I played some basketball then grabbed a sandwich at subway. His game has improved a lot in a short period of time.

Former Tennessee Republican Senator Howard Baker passed away today. He was a very well respected and honorable man who had the courage to tell President Nixon that it was best if he resigned.

The Supreme Court ruled that the police must have a search warrant to look on a suspect's cell phone. It was a unanimous decision which is rare these days but it certainly made sense to me under any privacy law. Of course, even judges have cell phones so I'm sure that played into it as well as it's something everyone can relate to.

We're heading out to Summerfest now. Lady Gaga is the headliner. We won't be seeing here but I'm certainly anxious to see her fans as that should be pure entertainment!

Later



Wednesday, June 25, 2014

The Big Gig Is Here

Summerfest is here but you'd never know it with the 57 degrees and the fifth day of fog. They've already cancelled the fireworks tonight because of poor visibility. It looks like the crowd is pretty good none the less and Bruno Mars is playing tonight!

Fabien Cousteau is over halfway thru his 32 day underwater living experiment. He's 60 feet under the sea in a special facility in Key Largo, Florida.

I caught a glimpse on the news of the soccer player in the World Cup biting another player during the game. It's reportedly the third time that he's bit someone. How is this classless clown even representing his country in this historical event let alone being allowed on any soccer team? It doesn't matter how good you are as that's total bush league.

The NBA draft is tomorrow night and I promised my picks about 3 weeks ago. With the USA game tomorrow and my Summerfest visit planned I'll give you my well thought out picks right now.

1) Cleveland takes Wiggins.
2) Milwaukee takes Parker.
3) Philly takes Vonleh.
4) Orlando takes Exum.
5) Utah takes Embiid.
6) Boston takes Gordon.
7) LA takes Randle.

I'm sure I'll get a few of them right but I won't place any bets on it after my NFL Draft fiasco.

Anyways, to all the brave cold Summerfest fans, stay warm and enjoy the music. It really is a premier music event in the entire world and it's truly great to live just a mile away from all the action. 

Later

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

World Cup Noise Variance

The morning fog burned off pretty early this morning and took the rain with it. This is the fourth day in a row of fog which is pretty unusual for us. The rest of the day looks great!

We watched '24' again last night. Just when you think you have it figured out the show takes a total 90 degree twist. Spectacular episode writing!

LeBron James of the Miami Heat opted out of his contract. My guess is that he still re-signs with Miami. He's trying to send a message to management that they need a better bench and to add a few more years of security to his deal.

The NHL announced that the Chicago Blackhawks will play at the Washington Capitals on January 1st. This is the annual outdoor classic played in the afternoon which I always look forward to. The average high in Washington at that time is 44 degrees so the locals must be looking forward to it also.

Need a gift for that special hard to buy for woman? Try the new bra holster so your sweetie can always pack heat when she's out with you. I'm sure there's a ton of guys who think that's a horrible idea!

The World Cup Finals are sunday July 13th and the Nomad on Brady Street has already applied for a noise variance. As I've previously mentioned, the turnout this past sunday was enormous. Hopefully, the local authorities will just shut down thru traffic and not let the rebel rowdies do it themselves. It's going to be a crazy sunday in our neighborhood and I can't wait!

Later


Monday, June 23, 2014

Finding Bigfoot On Animal Planet

Amongst the morning fog and rain, something called the sun finally found us this afternoon. The 10 day forecast has a possibility of rain every single day. Summerfest starts in 2 days and a lot of people from far away places come every year for the fest. So, this hope for a little luck and that it stays dry for most of it.

I've been under the weather today with some stomach issues and feeling very tired. I did venture outside on a trip to pick up some custom made metal flashing at a metal plant. Another project on our list!

Carmelo Anthony opted out of his contract with the New York Knicks and officially becomes a free agent. Supposedly he has a strong interest in joining the Chicago Bulls.

The USA World Cup soccer game last night was the most watched USA soccer game ever. Judging by the incident on Brady Street, I wouldn't doubt that for a minute.

I'm making my first attempt at writing a book starting tomorrow. Maybe tonight if I get a couple hours of free time. I've bought plenty of notebooks and index cards for the first draft. I'm not sure how long it will take but hopefully I'll finish it this year.

I'm watching a new episode of 'Finding Bigfoot.' Coco just loves watching it. One of the researchers, Bobo bills himself as an expert field caller. The researchers travel the country investigating Bigfoot sightings. They even camp out in remote wooded areas making loud knocks on trees and doing some 'expert' field calling. How does acquire such a hefty title without actually catching or finding a bigfoot?

Later

Sunday, June 22, 2014

Teddy Roosevelt at the World Cup

We woke up and drove home from Jackson, Wisconsin this morning in a blanket of fog. It took forever to make it home. A big thanks to Holly and Steve for the invite and letting us crash at their place. Action in Jackson was a fun first festival of the year and Mozart's Cadillac was the featured band and put on quite the good show!

We grabbed a few hours of sleep then headed to the grocery store. It was still hazy and foggy around noon so the air show never had a chance to take off. Weather totally ruined the air show this year and the last 8 months have been tough in the midwest. Hopefully, the Blue Angels will come back next year as Milwaukee truly loves them!

Michelle and Gary came over this afternoon for the World Cup festivities on their motorcycle. They were also in Jackson last night for the festival. We ventured down to the Nomad for the block party for the U.S game. They had a huge cinema screen on a truck for the game. It got a bit crowded so we also watched some of it across the street at 'The Garage.'

They crowd became so big that they took it upon themselves to basically close down Brady Street. The police came with a paddy wagon but wanted no part of the crowd so they voluntarily closed it down themselves. Sometimes, the masses still rule!

In the middle of the World Cup game the network panned thru the crowd. There was a USA fan dressed up in the spitting image of Teddy Roosevelt. The game ended up in a 2-2 with Portugal but that Teddy Roosevelt fan made my night!

Later


Nomad's outside TV
USA! USA! USA!
Brasil on Brady:)


It's a tank!!


Funnel cake
more funnel cake..




Action in Jackson isn't just about funnel cake


Steve & Holly
Gary & Michele




Saturday, June 21, 2014

Live from Daryl's House

It's the first day of summer and we're in a fog bank with 50ish degree weather. I'm waiting for Sherlock Holmes to peer around the corner. The forecast has the fog lifting this afternoon so I'm not sure if they will have the airshow today or not. I can't even see the top of small buildings this morning.

Krissy undertook her big stairway project today. She's taking the paintings of famous dead people off the south stairway wall and moving them to the north stairway wall. Then she's putting up photos of dead people we do know on the south stairway wall. Looks like there's a few live ones also.

We watched 'Live from Daryl's House' last night with guest Darius Rucker. (www.livefromdarylshouse.com) It's a fantastic show that we watch quite often featuring Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Daryl Hall. Rucker was the former frontman for Hootie and the Blowfish who is now an award winning country singer. It was one of the best episodes yet. It could be argued that Hootie and the Blowfish had the best debut album of all time. It usually takes a couple of attempts to get something released that does that well. They never quite had the same success after that. Hall and Oates are actually performing at Ravinia in Highland Park, Illinois tomorrow as part of their tour.

Going to jump in the shower now. Were heading over to Jackson, Wisconsin to visit the Action in Jackson festival with friends.. I'll let you know how it went tomorrow!

Later

Friday, June 20, 2014

World Cup Scammers

Overcast and rainy this morning but the forecast is sunny and clear for the Milwaukee Air and Water Show on saturday. Sunday doesn't look good but the air show is from 10-4 both days so I'm sure tomorrow will be packed.

The U.S. Navy Blue Angels are featured but you can also see the Marine Corps C-130 also known as 'Fat Albert.' In addition, there's the veterans parachute team, an A-4 Skyhawk and the Firebirds Extreme Team. The full program can be viewed at (www.milwaukeeairshow.com). It's going to be loud at times but you can't beat fun at the lakefront! Plus the vendors sell some really cool stuff.

We'll also be going to Action in Jackson tomorrow afternoon and evening. Our friends live in Jackson, Wisconsin and it's a festival so that will conclude a busy saturday.

Apparently some Brazilian soccer fans have resorted to desperate measures to obtain tickets to the World Cup Brazilian matches. They have been buying 'disabled fan' tickets on the secondary or black markets. Even though most of them appear to be late 20's or early 30's they play the part up good showing up in wheelchairs. Human instinct did take over though when an exciting play would invariably happen they would stand up in the excitement. Naturally, their photos appeared on the internet and an investigation has been opened even before the game finished.

Be safe, friday night brings out the crazies, like me!

Later

Thursday, June 19, 2014

The Blue Angels Are Back

It's time to call Noah and have him build an ark. It was raining early when I woke up and more rain tonight and tomorrow. At least it's been drying up enough for soccer and basketball practice with Coco.

Jazz in the Park tonight at Cathedral Square downtown. It doesn't look like we'll attend tonight but I'm hoping it stays dry through 9pm for everybody else.

Congrats to Harley Davidson on their new prototype electric motorcycle. It's called 'Livewire' and goes from 0 to 60 in 4 seconds. They released a promotional video today and it's absolutely a beautiful machine.

The Chicago Cubs promoted last years 1st round pick Kris Bryant to their Triple A affiliate in Iowa. Bryant pretty much forced their hand as he had nothing else to prove in Double A by leading the league in every Triple Crown category. He's only a phone call away from stardom in Chicago now as he's that good.

The Blue Angels are back loud and clear. We heard the first jet early this afternoon taking some practice runs getting ready for the Milwaukee Air Show this week. I love living by Lake Michigan. All the summer action is in my neighborhood. It makes it hard to leave town knowing you will miss something great. The Blue Angels were on hiatus last year due to the government shutdown and the debt ceiling debate. Another reason that Congress has an approval rating in the low teens!

Later

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

It's Hail Season

Another crazy night last night. Not one hail storm but we got nailed with two different storms. At one point we were worried about the skylight above us cracking. This morning more thunderstorms and it's so dark the street lights are on as well as our backyard solar lights. A very rainy June so far.

We're a week away from Summerfest. The ten day weather forecast looks favorable for a sunny and dry opening.

The Milwaukee Air Show is this weekend. The Blue Angels were supposed to practice today at 1:30pm but I don't see that happening with all this fog. The buzz it creates downtown is awesome especially for workers in the high rise office buildings.

We've caught all the episodes of '24' so far. It just gets better every single week. I won't give it away but I don't think anybody saw that coming nor knows what is next.

Janet Yellen the Federal Reserve Chairwoman gave her mandated report today. It lasted less than an hour but the talking heads spend hours telling us what she said. For the record, it was much more of the same as her last two reports. Slow and steadily improving economic conditions.

The 38th annual Swim Around Key West is June 28th this year. Nothing like making a 12.5 mile swim in hurricane season!

Later

Tuesday, June 17, 2014

The Hi Wheel Bicycle

What a crazy night. It poured hard almost all night. Luckily, the wind wasn't a factor as it remained fairly calm which is unusual. The ground was totally saturated with a bit of standing water. Around 10am the sun came out and dried everything up. Thunderstorms in the forecast thru friday but the weekend looks wonderful.

A big welcome to the Czech Republic as they become the 21st country to visit the blog!

Congrats to the USA World Cup soccer team with a big 2-1 victory over Ghana last night. My neighborhood started filling up with cars around 4pm and you could feel the buzz in the air. More traffic than a friday night which is something in the Brady Street area as we have some of the finest gin joints in the entire city amongst us. We could hear the crowd noise from 3 different soccer bars every time the USA scored a goal. The next USA game is sunday which should make it totally crazy on Brady Street!

Kudos to Jim Guthrie as he was on the morning news riding his Hi Wheel bicycle. He's actually put on about 10,000 miles on this bike including a trip to Ohio. It's the type of bike that was extremely popular after the Civil War era. It has the giant front wheel and the tiny back wheel. I have a picture from last summer that I will post with Jim and his bike. He was demonstrating how to get on the bike and off safely. It was on live television so luckily for Jim he showed a lot of grace!

Later

Jim Guthrie's Hi Wheel




Monday, June 16, 2014

The Yellowtail Snapper Burglaries

Today is an absolutely gorgeous day. Sunny and 84 degrees which is how I'd like every summer day to be. Mid 80's, not too hot and not too cold. Shorts and flips and hold the rain please!

Congrats to the San Antonio Spurs on their NBA Championship and to the Los Angeles Kings on their NHL Championship. Both teams played extremely well in their respective finals and simply outplayed their opponents.

Legendary San Diego Padre Tony Gwynn passed away today. He amassed over 3100 career hits and won 8 batting titles to become the greatest hitter of my generation.

A big kudos to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz and Arizona State President Michael Crow. In a combined effort to keep tuition costs reasonable and education accessible, Starbucks will give free junior and senior year tuition to any Starbucks employee working at least 20 hours a week. It can all be completed online. It's nice to see a CEO care about employees for a change instead of just making lip service.

The stock market is staying fairly stable through this Iraq turmoil despite the media trying to bring it down with their gloom and doom talk. It's by design not an accident. A lot of these talking heads make out very well if they can create a mini-panic and buy your shares cheap!

Apparently Key West has a big time burglary ring working the area. No, it's not cars or home burglaries. It's on the docks and people are stealing yellowtail snapper off commercial fishing boats. Sometimes, when the loading docks are packed captain's will keep their catch overnight and unload the next morning. Burglars are sneaking onto boats in the midnight hour and pilfering buckets of snapper. On the black market a bucket will fetch at least $20 but it's worth four times more. It's the signature dish at Blue Heaven my favorite restaurant. I hope the authorities bust these guys soon. The local fisherman there are truly legendary!

Later

Sunday, June 15, 2014

Happy Father's Day To All

A little humid but a wonderful Father's Day. I received an ornate garden stepping stone from Coco and Krissy, complete with Coco's handprint in the cement. A truly awesome gift.

We left early and traveled to Lake Somerset to spend some time with Dad and Dee. Both of them looking quite well after recent eye surgeries.

Last night we spent some time hanging out at the Roman Coin. We had a blast at the bar talking with some fellow locals.

Casey Kasem passed away earlier this morning. He'll go down in history with one of the most successful radio shows of all time!

We just got home and I'm beat. Some photos of the weekend below.

Later









Roman Coin Legends

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Coal Mine Fires

A clear sunny day but we're only pushing 70 degrees by the lake. Slept late then trimmed a tree back by the garden. Krissy said there was too much shade over her garden. It's not even our tree. Hopefully, the slumlord who owns the property to our south doesn't read my blog. But, if you do, please mow your backyard as it's up to my chest!

We watched an interesting show after dinner on the Travel Channel last night. It was about the Centralia coal mine fire in Pennsylvania. It's one of over 200 underground coal mine fires in the United States. I've never heard of this before. The Centralia mine fire has been burning since 1962. That's not a typo. That's 52 years of smoldering smoke still coming out of the ground to this day!

Once a small town of over 1000 people, it currently has 7 residents that refuse to leave. Most buildings have long been torn down and the government basically gave the departing homeowners a lot of cash. I'm not sure why the Centralia Mine owners didn't cough up any cash. It's estimated that this fire could burn for another 250 years. Yet, we still have resistance to solar and wind energy.

Chuck Noll passed away yesterday. He was the legendary coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers which won 4 Super Bowl's under his helm.

Off to the store for a bit then doing some grilling when I get back. Looks like a platter of sausage and chicken drumsticks for dinner!

Later


Friday, June 13, 2014

Full Honey Moon

After dinner last night we headed down to Water Street. Our first stop was the outdoor boat deck at the Harp. We had a round and took a couple of photos. Then, off to McGillycuddy's and watched an excellent reggae band on their fabulous outdoor patio. We also hit the Y-Not 2 before heading home.

On the walk home I noticed how bright the moon seemed. A couple people standing outside an apartment building told us that it was some kind of special moon last night. Sure enough, it's called a 'full honey moon.' This rare celestial event received it's nickname dating back to the 1500's.

Old blood and guts, Senator John McCain is calling for more involvement in Iraq. Obviously this man has some kind of Napoleon complex. He's never seen a war he didn't like!

Happy Birthday to President George H.W. Bush. He went skydiving to celebrate his 90th birthday. I've been on the record before as holding him in very high regard. A first class guy with a lot of integrity. I'll never understand how the apple rolled so far from the tree.

It turns out he was completely correct back in 1991 on Iraq. He was adamant that taking out Saddam Hussein would enable even worse people to create havoc and destruction in Iraq. He was a CIA Director before he became President and had a unique perspective from that experience.

Krissy had the day off so we hit the grocery store this morning rather than going saturday. We still need to pick up the paint for the deck rails.

Some mowing and meat grilling in my future tonight. Everything else will be by the seat of our pants!

Later


view from the Harp



Thursday, June 12, 2014

World Cup Day 1

I received a text from my good buddy Derek at 3:01. He'd be at the Nomad for the game. No problem, I was going down there later so I took a quick shower and headed there. Luckily, it's less than 3 blocks from my house. The host country Brazil was playing Croatia. Brazil won 3-1 but it was a cheap and blatantly wrong penalty when they scored their second goal. The third goal made everyone feel better as no one wanted to start the World Cup Soccer with too much controversy. Quite a few Brazilian citizens are protesting the enormous cost to host the games feeling that the money could have been used better to help the impoverished. Brazilian police even started using tear gas on the crowds.

My hat is off to the Nomad. (nomadworldcopa.com). It's a long time soccer bar with tons of loyal soccer fans. This year, they took over the lot next to the bar and actually built a city. Outdoor bars and outdoor televisions. It's fashioned after the slums in Brazil. Naturally, someone became upset and the local television station's covered it last night. Poverty and slums exist quite heavily in Brazil, sometimes the truth hurts.

Coco took off to visit some friends in the Wisconsin Dells this morning. It truly is the waterpark capital of the world. We made sure to go for a run first before he left. He's become quite dedicated to his summer of becoming a fitness sports warrior!

I'm gonna go now. Dinner to eat and perhaps Jazz in the Park or more World Cup soccer. Besides, I'm seeing 3 keyboards right now and just trying my hardest to hit the middle keys as I type. Thanks Derek, good seeing my amigo again!

Later

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Those Crazy Canadiens

It's been pouring all morning and the ground is totally saturated. We won't make it out of the 50's so it doesn't look like any soccer or basketball for Coco today. We'll do some running and weight work instead.

Congressman Eric Cantor became the very first U.S. House Majority Leader to ever lose a primary. His challenger, Dave Brut won by almost 12 points. It wasn't even close. Cantor's pollsters showed him up recently by 30 points. The spin machine is already claiming that this defeat is a good thing. Of course, everybody knows a first term congressman basically has zero power. This is the equivalent of firing General Eisenhower and replacing him with Beetle Bailey!

Southwest Airlines discontinued their routes to Key West this past weekend. Something about profitability which I find hard to believe. The flights always seem full and the fares aren't cheap. Key West International airport is my favorite airport with Negril, Jamaica's a close second. At Key West, you disembark onto the tarmac and walk into this small room with a tiny conveyor belt full of suitcases. It has a few chairs and a small bar outfitted in the corner if you can't wait until you get to Duval Street. It all started in 1913 with a flight to Cuba. A truly unique airport. 

Ted Cruz officially renounced his Canadian citizenship this past week. The Texas Senator was born in Canada and lived there until he was 4 years old. He's claimed that he was unaware of his Canadian citizenship until a Dallas newspaper pointed it out to him last year. I find that hard to believe coming from a Harvard educated lawyer.

A lot of people chalk it up to being a crazy Canadian. I admire Canada a great deal myself. They don't fight a lot of wars and everyone can see a doctor if they want. Their government wouldn't let an oil pipeline cut thru their country so they sent it south. But they are really a country of pure genius. In a span of one year, they got rid of both Justin Bieber and Ted Cruz. Thanks Canada, thanks a lot!

Later


Tuesday, June 10, 2014

A Sports Filled Tuesday

Another cool day in Milwaukee. I'm not even sure if we hit 60 degrees by the lake and more of the same tomorrow. Coco and I started off with a quick run, then to the park for some soccer practice. We're working on his leg strength and kicking the ball with more velocity. I must be doing a decent job with him. He damn near broke my finger when I was playing goalie!

We had another longer run in the afternoon then he took off for a bike ride. Then a quick basketball shooting practice for forty minutes until it started drizzling. If the plan works, he'll improve his skills and I'll be in decent shape by the end of summer.

I read an interesting statistic today. The entire coal industry nationwide employs approximately 80,000 people. The business media makes it sound like billions will be forced out of work with all the green energy plans. Geez, I worked for a major bank that employed over a quarter million people and that's just one bank!

Fifteen days to Summerfest! Need I say more. Not really but I will. It starts June 25th and will run for 11 full days. The music is awesome, the drinks are cold, and Krissy and I have season passes. This blog will try and have some of the best Summerfest coverage out there. The count down is on!

Later

Monday, June 9, 2014

No Crocodile Tears Please

I almost broke down and turned on the heat this morning as we woke up to 50 degrees. Instead,  Ithru on pants,socks and a sweatshirt and toughed it out.

It didn't warm up very fast so I was feeling irritated. Then, I read about a man in Australia who was killed by a crocodile last week. His family was unable to save him and had to drive 2 hours to call for help. They were so far in the outback that they had no cell phone coverage. So, I quit feeling bad for myself. Other people's 'real' miseries tend to do that. Authorities did end up killing the crocodile and recovered human remains.

Coco is over and we've started our summer sports training program. We played soccer this morning and basketball this afternoon. He fell asleep on the couch for a bit in the afternoon. I must be a tough taskmaster!

The Locust Street Festival was a lot of fun yesterday. It was a good 15 degrees warmer at the festival despite only being 2 miles away. We had the cool Lake Michigan breeze at our hacienda yesterday. The Whiskey Belle's put on an excellent show as always. I was very surprised and pleased to see my favorite reggae band, RAS Movement playing on the main stage.

Alexander Imich passed away on sunday.  He was the oldest man in the world at 111 years of age and he lived in New York. It seems like every month the oldest person in the world passes away. The newest oldest man is Japan's Sakari Momoi who was born a mere one day after Mr. Imich. Hopefully, we won't be hearing about him next month. Enjoy the honor Sakari and good luck!

Later

Sunday, June 8, 2014

That's Horse Racing

Commanding Curve finished up 9th at the Belmont Stakes yesterday. He was in good position at the mile marker then just faded into oblivion. The first three horses were lightly raced which upset the

co-owner of California Chrome who finished 4th. At least I received a snazzy commemorative glass for placing a wager. Not sure it's worth 45 bucks though!

We made our way out for a few cocktails after the Belmont since we didn't have to trek back to the casino to collect any cash. Nothing too exciting, just stops at the Roman Coin, Wolski's, Jamos and Thurmans. The crowds seemed thin as most people started early because of the art festival.

It looks like we're heading to Locust Street Festival with Angela and John this afternoon. The Whiskey Belles are playing at 4:30pm. I better throw some pants in the laundry. It's windy and low 60's today. It always seems like the first June weekend is on the mild side. It's why Jimmy Buffett switched his tour date to August for Alpine Valley a few years back.

I'm just finishing up the back deck. I have the air conditioning unit on wood blocks and it should be dry any minute. Then, I'll just do a few minutes of touch up then fire up the grill. There's a beef tenderloin in my future!

Later

Roman Coin, a very Milwaukee bar

Thurman's, a very deadhead bar!

Saturday, June 7, 2014

The Fake Gorilla Was Shot

The back deck looks really good. I need to lift the air conditioner and do that area still. There's a fifty percent chance of rain in the forecast so we'll finish it up tomorrow. We still need to pick out a color for the new railings so that will be next on our list.

My new book finally came from Amazon. it's called " Mile Marker Zero" by William McKeen and it's about his time living in Key West in the 70's. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to start it this afternoon.

The Loro Parque Zoo in the Canary islands had a serious mishap this week. The zoo decided to have an escaped animal drill. So, a zoo employee dressed up in a gorilla costume and went onto the zoo grounds. Word didn't filter down the ranks obviously. A veterinarian thinking the 'fake' gorilla was real shot him with a tranquilizer condition. The sedative is designed to take down a 500 pound beast for hours. The 'fake' gorilla man is hospitalized in serious condition. Communication, it's such a wonderful thing!

I'm sticking with Commanding Curve to win the Belmont Stakes. He's a closer and the extra quarter mile should play into his hands for an exciting race. Krissy decided today would be a wonderful time to place her first horse wager so she's taking half my action. We're going $15 across the board for a total of $45. I'll be heading to the casino in just a few minutes to place the wager. They also happen to have the world's greatest fried chicken so I'm bringing some home for lunch.

We'll play the rest of the afternoon by ear. Brady Street is having some sort of festival this afternoon so we'll check that out. Then we'll catch the race on television and head back to the casino to grab our loot!

Later

Friday, June 6, 2014

School Is Out For Summer

I picked up Coco from school at noon. He's done for the year. It's hard to believe he'll be in fifth grade in the fall. Time really flies. Four more years and we'll have to pick out a high school.

The Cubs took University of Indiana catcher Kyle Schwarber with their first pick. He looks like quite the left handed power hitter.

Jazz in the Park was absolutely packed last night and vendors galore. When you have a long hard winter like we did, people will flock to the first nice weather event.

It's the 70th anniversary of D-Day. It looked like a very nice remembrance ceremony on the news. The youngest any living veteran from that battle could be today is 88 years old. Such a great generation.

Well, I had better cut this short right now. I'm in the middle of staining the back deck and I have some trim work to do. Good thing I was working barefoot as my feet are covered in grayish stain. Please, everyone do me a favor. Enjoy your friday afternoon more than me!

Later

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Navajo Code Talkers

It's a pretty decent night for Jazz in the Park at Cathedral Square. It will be interesting to see if all the vendors show up for opening night. Historically, the weather hasn't been great for the opener. We'll probably head down there about 6pm. It's a nice mile walk.

Legendary baseball manager Don Zimmer passed away yesterday. He spent a total of 66 years working in professional baseball in various capacities. He lead the 1989 Cubs to a division title. You have to love a guy nicknamed "Popeye!"

Today marks the 50th anniversary of the Rolling Stones first U.S. concert appearance. Ironically, they are still touring this year. Truly a legendary band.

I was watching the news today of a $10 million dollar yacht being launched. It was a snazzy blue 3 tier beauty. A lady popped a champagne cork and the boat was released where it promptly capsized on it's side. Definitely a "Caddyshack" moment! The yacht builder quickly pointed the blame squarely at the launch crew. I'm sure that made the purchaser feel better.

I was 3 weeks ahead of myself earlier this week concerning the NBA draft. It's actually the MLB draft that starts today and the Chicago Cubs have the 4th overall pick. Not a really big mistake, as it's just a different set of millionaires in the wings. But sorry for the confusion anyway.

Chester Nez, the last of the original Navajo code talkers passed away this week. He was amongst a group of 29 Navajo who served in World War 2 as code talkers. The Navajo language was deemed virtually impossible to break by non-Navajo. They were deployed to places like Guam and Guadalcanal.

The Japanese never did break the Navajo code like they did to virtually every other code. No one really knew about the Navajo contribution until 1968 when it was de-classified. The original 29 were awarded a long overdue and well deserved Congressional Gold Medal in 2001. Mr. Nez might be gone but the Navajo language still lives on to this day.

Later


Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

It was quite a rainy morning as I headed down to St. Marcus school for the primary grade reward program. Coco received two awards for high scores in Renaissance reading and math. He scored 96% and 97% respectively. Nice job Coco!

I have to head back to St. Marcus later for the end of school celebration. The 4th grade is putting on a musical performance. Coco had to bring shorts and a t-shirt to school because he has a great part. He's going to be some guy on a beach. Great casting as he's perfect for the part!

After 90 years on WGN radio, it looks like the Chicago Cubs will be signing a contract with WBBM radio. It's hard to imagine the Cubs being on another station. I can still hear the voices of Lou Boudreau, Vince Lloyd and Jack Brickhouse calling a game. They were all legendary broadcasters and historical baseball figures!

I'm going to make a new rule in our house. If a pen quits working, throw it away. We get them for free for the most part as promotional gifts. I'm the main offender so I'm basically yelling at myself!

It looks like it's clearing up a bit. The forecast looks dry for the next 3 days. I'm going to move some lawn furniture and prep the deck for some cleaning. Then comes the staining tomorrow. Hmmm, maybe I should grab some chicken and sausage gumbo first. Always a bad omen to start a project on a hungry stomach!

Later

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

The Haray Caray Diaries

Dreaming of days like this is what gets me thru January and February. A perfect 75, sunny, with little wind or humidity. Rain in the forecast tomorrow so I think I'll put some grass seed down in a few bare spots. It's been a quiet day today with little opportunity to save any dogs like yesterday.

A big welcome to Lithuania who becomes the 20th country to visit the blog. I'm totally amazed by the amount of international support in the first 6 months of existence. Thank you so much!

We've been watching every episode of 24 so far starring Kiefer Sutherland. It's such a well written show and it's really suspenseful.

The NBA draft is this thursday. Another batch of young millionaires in the making. The top 3 picks seem pretty set but I'll give you my top 7 picks in a couple days just for fun.

A recent 1972 diary was recently discovered. It's owner was Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray. He had just moved to Chicago to start broadcasting the White Sox games. It's easy to see in this diary how Harry obtained his moniker, "The Mayor of Rush Street."

This diary is basically a record of the bars he visited. In those days, one could write off martini lunches for a varied myriad of reasons. Apparently, the diary is very meticulous with exact amounts of bar tabs for tax write off purposes. Anybody else would have been audited with amounts that high, but Harry was Harry.

Some of Harry's drinking buddies that year included boxer Jack Dempsey, New York Yankee Joe Pepitone, and the great Wilt Chamberlain. But the most staggering figure has to be the 288 consecutive days of bar visits. Oh Harry, Chicago and I really miss you. Even in death, the legendary broadcasting icon still speaks.

Later




Monday, June 2, 2014

I Found Milo

The Blackhawks lost last night in overtime. A crazy ricochet shot won it for the Kings. Nothing the goalie could do to stop it. Overall, the Kings played better defense in the series and defense wins still wins championships. Still, giving away game 2 like the Hawks did makes for a long summer. There never should have been a game 7. Long story short, I'm in a pissy mood all day!

Coco had the blue and green hair today and put his hair in a ponytail. Crazy hair day they call it. Some pics at the end.

My dad called to let me know Dee's surgery went well. She has to be up every hour doing a little walking. My dad is having his eye laser surgery tomorrow and he didn't seem too concerned. Those old school tough guys never cease to amaze me.

I read an article concerning the French bicyclists and how they ride against traffic. When I was growing up all my friends and myself rode that way. It was easier to see the idiots who couldn't stay between two lines coming towards you rather than behind you. Everyone I know in the city who rides a bike has been clipped by a car at some point. Maybe all cities should ride the 'French' way.

The early odds have been posted for the 2014 Belmont Stakes. Naturally, California Chrome coming off two Triple Crown wins is the big favorite. I'm sticking with Commanding Curve as my pick at 15-2 odds. He's a closer and the added distance should let him prevail in my humble opinion.

I saw a little lost dog in my neighborhood today. His name was Milo according to his tag which fortunately had a phone number. A friendly little guy and the owner's were very grateful. In some cultures, anyone who saves a lost dog is entitled to a giant rum and coke. I think I'll participate and have mine on the back deck!

Later
Blue Hair

Down By The River


Sunday, June 1, 2014

Blue and Green Hair Dye

It's been a lazy day for the most part. Plenty of sunshine until rain came thru about 5pm. Even managed a nice steak on the grill with pineapple and onion before Krissy left for work.

We had to run out this morning for blue and green hair dye. Coco has crazy hair day tomorrow at school. So far, it's looking pretty good. We'll touch it up in the morning and I'll get some pics for tomorrow.

I talked to Dee and dad on the phone for a while today. Dee is having some major eye surgery tomorrow so best wishes with that. My dad will be having eye laser surgery and cataract surgery later in the summer. Not the best way to start summer but I'm sure it will work out fine.

NHL game time in about 30 minutes. The winner goes to the Stanley Cup Finals and the loser goes home for the summer. Coco and I are anxiously awaiting the puck drop. Go Hawks!

Later
Grilling In Orange Socks




Look At That Meat

A Big Beer With Dinner