Driving Thru Model Years

I heard Commander Ron and Broken Biker Pat say "Then we'll meet Tuesday at 9:30am here at Panera." Thats how I got involved.

Hey whats going on. We're going to Volo Auto Museum, do you want to join us.

Hell Ya, it sounds better than golf. Count me in.

Today Tuesday we met at coffee and asked Shy Roger if he wanted to join us. Sure, I'm not doing anything.

Pat volunteered to drive as he has a monster Ford 250 4dr cab, extended bed truck.
Roger, Me, Big John, Ron, and Pat

The 5 of us sat comfortably for the 25.2 mile ride. Ron won the guess of how many miles from his home in Mt. Prospect.

The ride was quick and so were the wise cracks. Seems like each of us took the brunt of others humor.

Before any world problems could be solved we were in Volo IL. A really tiny town or we saw a small part.


We paid our admission and didn't ask for the Senior discount but still the cashier asked me if I wanted the senior discount.

Why did she ask me? She didn't ask Ron or John or that gray hair shy guy, Roger.

Look at the photo. Do I look that old. Just because I cut my hair short. HELL NO I told her. I'm only 62.

By the way, how much is the discount. 2 bucks huh.

oh, do I qualify.

Nope 65. I know I don't look 65. Maybe Ron does

Soon, we started our trip.

Thru the specialty cars from the movies.

The BatMobile

Dr. Seuss' vehicle.

The Flintones vehicles.

The Ghostbusters car

Then to another building where maybe a hundred cars were lined up.

They're almost all for sale and had the sale price on them.

$10,000--21,000---69,000 up to $250,000 for a Mustang l, I believe.

Corvette's, Chevelles, 442's, Barracuda's, Carmaro's, 55-56 T-birds. You name it and if it were a muscle car, it was there.

We moved out of that building to bldgs 2 & 3 and the antiques.

All were enjoyable and brought back so many memories. Mostly about how Ron's first car had a seat that after pulling a hidden wire, the passenger seat back would drop back flat.

None of us could understand why a teenager would want a seat like that.

After a few hours of bursting smiles and leaving our fingerprints
on cars with "Please don't touch the cars" signs all over them.

Yes, the old guys remembered these cars from a part of our lives long gone but not forgotten.
Pat, 44yrs, remembered these cars from stories his father and uncles told him.

So many of our favorite cars were older than Pat.

They all looked in good shape or like new. But I'm sure they had their hidden problems.

Sort of like us.

The old guys, we're nice to look at, but who would want to take us for a ride.
c'ya
jim

Another Friday Night In Another City--Niles

Park Ridge, home of Hillary, has a fine arts concert each Friday night. As a group we have been attending for a few years.

Fridays are busy. Today a little more than usual. Talk at McDonalds at 7am, Breakfast at Sunrise, followed by Panerra.

During breakfast this morning, with the Neighbors. We all discussed if we would see each other at the concert tonight. I knew of other concerts that weren't so long hair. Tonight it was Mozart. How many years do we have to listen to this guys music.

I mentioned that other very close cities have more lively concerts. You know like oldies or rock & roll.

Some eyes rolled and Jerry Murphy jumped in and said he would check out the local paper.

At 4pm we got the call. Niles is having oldies night in the park about a mile from the house.

At 7:30pm we walked past the playground where 50 young kids were climbing the monkey bars and other devices.

Thru the greenery we could see the crowd and the stage in front.

This must be the place.

A short distance ahead we could see our friends just sitting down.

We joined them and discovered that our friends had brought treats.

A cheap bottle of wine $4 from Trader Joe's that said it beat the expensive wines in some national contest.

Yes, even I thought it was good.

Then Peg brought out some Pretzel bread with a little cheese and turkey wrapped up inside.

Gail Powers brought Spicey Liversausage on crackers. Karolyn thought it was the best.

Me, with a name like LIVER SAUSAGE, gave it a pass. Just let me enjoy the music.

Sure enough soon THE RAGTOPS started to play and they sounded good. We started to get the urge to get up and start swinging.



But first we have to get into the mood.

That cheap wine sure helped put the smile on us.
Then it was get out of our way.

Peg and Karolyn were ready for some action.

Soon the ladies were dancing. And picking up men and women. They ran over to Phillip and dragged him over to dance with them.

The old guy did a great job. I had my camera and took many photos. It was dark but some came out ok.

Another women Pat came running over and jumped into the dancing folks.

She had the biggest smile on her face as did the crowd.
Seems like more concert goers were turned and watching our group than the band.







Yes, Big Jim could not help myself and did a little hip shaking, arm swinging and singing.

Hey, who could hear me with the loud music.

I thought I sounded good.

They played about an hour.. all of our favorites from the 50's and a few from the 60's.

From the Big Bopper -- the Beatles --Neil Diamonds "Sweet Karoline" -- the twist and many more sweet tunes.

Yes, we all had a great time except for those who don't like to dance. NOT ME....

I really enjoyed the night, the music and friends. I wondered "Life is Great".

c'ya
jim

Was that Tammy Mae Baker

Visiting
Everyone is visiting so we went to Vandalia in S ILL

We've been here before with our crazy/wild friends Judy and Bob.
Friday we arrived about driving 260 miles from Chicago.

Judy should have been an entertainer. She sings like Patsy Cline and her "Crazy about you" song is fantastic.

Friday night she dressed up like Tammy Fay Baker and called herself Tammy Mae and Timmy

Her friends were having a family reuniion and asked her to do the character.

It was a 50's theme & Bob dressed up as Jimmy BakerJuly has a mouth and brain to go with it.

Yes she's a brunette...just kidding....

Anyway, for 40 minutes she ab libbed in front of 80 folks in a small room.

She told the group that she was the lost relative. The twin of Terri.

Terri's parents whom Tammy Mae had stand in the front of everyone, went along so great, it was almost magic.

Of course Tammy was the good looking sister and Terri the ugly one.

She rewrote the words to some song I can't remember, and applied it to the parents.

So what seemed like a small fun gig, took her months to prepare for.
The skits, songs and dress.

Everyone was laughing and gave her a standing ovation. So the effort must have been worth it.




We then went to a senior home and visited with Bobs 93 yr mom (Helen)who did not recognize Judy







When we arrived and asked Helen "Do you know who this is"

She said NO, but I had blonde hair like her when I was young, long down my back.


We told her it was Judy, but I don't think she could see her daughter in law under the wig, plastic strip eyelashes and 50's outfit.

Afterwards, Judy changed and we went for Margarita's at a small little Mex restaurant with a pitcher of Margies for $12.

I only drink/enjoy Margies so a buzzing was in my head soon. I slept good.

Whats up for today, tomorrow we can only imagine.

Except I will start with Judys brother Robb for a round of golf.

c'ya
jim
PS: We just read that the Real Tammy Fay Baker passed. She was a character.

I'm Back, from a lot of excitement

Hi everyone,
June 19th..
I did make it to fla and back. The back is the tough part. I really love it there and after awhile I don't miss the family. Ok, I do but could travel back and forth if I lived down south in Paradise.

We arrived in Fla during a heat wave that felt more like a sauna. As soon as we got off of USA 3000 flight 659, we felt the humidity.

What were we going to do get back on the plane, nope we were here and no matter how difficult it would be, we would tough it out for the 12 days.

We stayed at our condo in Sarasota. The reason for the trip was Great Grampa Ted's 89th bday.
Our daughters Jill & her Sara, and Jessie joined us. Jill left Thomas at home and Jessie let Mark do his mountain climbing. As you might know, that did not go well.

We spent most of the time together going to Teds house or touring the area.

One trip we drove thru ST. ARMANDS CIRCLE...(which I compare to Rodeo Drive in Calif). It smells of money. Then turned right and drove thru Longboat Key where all the big politicians visit.


We ended up on Anna Marie Key. We were surprised where years ago it had tacky beaches that were blown away by some hurricane.

Now the beaches were great and we found a wonderfull restaurant that borders the beach.....THE SANDBAR....at the north end of the key.

After Anna Marie we returned to Sarasota and jumped in the pool, sauna--yes a heated sauna. And visited Gramps several times.


We ate on St. Armands at Columbia, expensive. Carrabbas in North Port--almost as expensive.


And of course my favorites: Sam Selzer and McDonalds.

One night we went to Sara's favorite restaurant near downtown Sarasota. Its on the water in Sarasota Harbor.

Yes, its Marina Jacks and we ate outside on a new like boardwalk. I think I had a French Dip beef sandwich $12.

I'm cheap and this sounds expensive but it was as good as one of those $15 prime ribs. A good choice made by Sara.

We all had fun everyday and it was time to leave. Gramps thanked us for the bday celebration and we all cried as we said goodbye.

USA took us back on July 1, 2007.
c'ya
jim