Tuesday, November 3 - Election Day - Thank Goodness!

4:41 a.m. - It's finally election day.  And sure I'm interested the results, but I'm really interested in not seeing political ads!  And I'm really interested in getting through this day.

Yesterday, I got the camper back home, and it's winterized.  That's a big job.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the camper backed up into it's spot next to the house because I didn't trust the soft ground due to recent rainy weather.  That's okay...I'll wait a couple of days and then the sunshine will return and the ground will dry out, and I'll get it backed up then.  After arriving back home, I went and got a haircut and visited with mom.  Then I got home and watched a little college basketball and some of the Bears game as I tried to stay awake.  From what I saw, the Bears looked pretty good.  Also, when I got home, one of the things I did was take Sailor for a walk.  Amber tried to tell me that she doesn't have as much energy, but I'm not sure I agree.  So it's two weeks with what I would consider a big lab puppy!  That tail of hers is like an alligator tail.  And I can confidently say that Bella the cat is not all that happy about the current grand dog visitor that we have.  

So let's get to today, which is my first day of running Amber's former bus route.  I just want to get all the students and get back safely and in time.  The rest of the day I'll figure out.  Of course, yesterday there was a para that needed a sub.  Why could we get through a week with all the paras actually working a full week.  And Kim is gone too.  Great!  And it's raining today, so I'll figure out how to use wipers.  God wouldn't give me what I couldn't handle, right?  Just keep swimming.

 OTHER THINGS

• Get mom's porch fixed
• Nov. 5 - 10 a.m. - Milan Optical
• Dec. 1 - 7:45 Hussain Moline
• Dec. 4 - 7:50 Dr. Blew dentist appt.
• Mar.. - Call TRS and get paperwork rolling - 1-877-927-5877
• Mar. 19-24 - trip to Kourtney in Florida

Fall Volleyball-Basketball 26 Schedule

11/3 - OPEN

11/4 - OPEN

11/5 - OPEN

11/6 - OPEN

11/7 - at Sherrard JH 8 a.m. - 2 games 8 and 9:10

11/8 - SUNDAY

11/9 - BOE meeting

11/10 - OPEN

11/11 - OPEN

11/12 - OPEN

11/13 - at Monmouth girls scrimmage

11/14 - OPEN

11/15 - SUNDAY

11/16 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:30 p.m. - Gabby Suarez

11/17 - at AlWood VGBK - 6 p.m. (I think) - Marcus, Tony

11/18 - OPEN

11/19 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:00 p.m. - Gabby Suarez (NO BUS THAT DAY)

11/20 - at Monmouth boys scrimmage

11/21 - at Galesburg 6 p.m - Tony, Kraig

11/22 - SUNDAY

11/23 - BLOCKED - Marotta interview

11/24 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

11/25 - at Wethersfield 2 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/26 - THANKSGIVING

11/27 - at Wethersfield 3:30 p.m. - Robbie, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/28 - at Galesburg 2:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

11/29 - SUNDAY

11/30 - BLOCKED - night off

12/1 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (NO BUS THAT DAY)

12/2 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/3 - at MerCo 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/4 - at Erie - 7 p.m. - Marcus, Dan Howard

12/5 - at Erie F/S 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. - Marcus and Michael Parsons

12/6 - SUNDAY

12/7 - at Sherrard 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/8 - at Erie 7 p.m. - Berlin, Howard

12/9 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/10 - BLOCKED - night off

12/11 - at MonRose 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (11:30 dismissal day)

12/12 - at ATown 11:30; at United 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/13 - SUNDAY

12/14 - BOE Meeting

12/15 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Tony, Marcus

12/16 - BLOCKED - XMAS PROGRAM

12/17 - at United 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/18 - at Sherrard 5:30 , Tony, Hu

12/19 - at ATown 2 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

    at Sterling - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/20 - 12/27 - BLOCKED - Christmas

12/28 - at Erie Warkins   5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/29 - at Erie Warkins  5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/30 - OPEN

12/31-1/2 - BLOCKED - New Year's

1/3 - SUNDAY

1/4 - at Riverdale 5:30 - Tony,Teel

1/5 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/6 - OPEN

1/7 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/8 - at Knoxville 6 p.m - Tony, Marcus

1/9 - OPEN

1/10 - SUNDAY

1/11 - at Sherrard 5:30 p.m. -  Tony, Josh

1/12 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

1/13 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/14 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/15 - at ATown 6 p.m. - Tony, Robert McGinnes

1/16 - at Cuba 3:30 p.m. - Tony, Eric Geiger

1/17 - SUNDAY

1/18 - MLK Day - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/19 - at Mercer County 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Scott Verstraete

1/20 - at AlWood    6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/21 - at Riverdale 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/22 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/23 - at Fulton noon - Robbie, Tad

1/24 - SUNDAY

1/25 - at IESA/Rockridge - 6 p.m. ???

1/26 - at Riverdale - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Brad Steinhagen

1/27 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Matt DeSutter

1/28 - OPEN

1/29 - OPEN

1/30 - at Alleman - 1:30 p.m. - Marcus, Josh????

1/31 - SUNDAY

2/1 - IESA BOYS SECTIONAL 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/2 - at West Central - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/3 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

2/4 - at Rockridge - 5:30 - Tony, Verstraete

2/5 - at Princeton - 7 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/6 - at Rockridge - 1 p.m. - Tony, Verstraete

2/7 - SUNDAY

2/8 - BLOCKED - BOE Meeting

2/9 - Erie 7 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

2/10 - OPEN

2/11 - Alleman 7 p.m. - Marcus, Josh???

2/12 - OPEN

2/13 - IHSA Girls Regionals Begin

    - ROWVA boys LTC 1 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/14 - SUNDAY

2/15 - ROWVA boys LTC 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/16 - OPEN

2/17 - OPEN

2/18 - OPEN

2/19 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/20 - OPEN

2/21 - SUNDAY

2/22 - IHSA Boys Regionals Begin

Monday, November 2

1:00 a.m. - Yes, it's way, way, way too early to be awake.  And yet, I woke up and new I wouldn't be able to get back to sleep quickly, so I just as well may get up and think about life and get something done and maybe read my book and then go back to sleep.  

Yesterday was a good, lazy camping day - the last full camping day of 2026.  We had a good breakfast, and then we made a trip back home.  We got Sailor's kennel; we got the Escape back home; we fed Bella; and then we headed back.  Once back, Amber and I went for an nice walk up to the other campground to see what's going on, and it appears that they are installing concrete pads up there.  I guess that's okay, but I'm not sure it was necessary.  After the walk, I took a nice shower and then commenced to burning firewood with a campfire that lasted all day and into the evening.  The weather wasn't pretty by any means; it was a chilly, cloudy, breezy day - like a lingering October day.  And yet it was perfect for sitting near a campfire and reading a book.  The Bears weren't on, so I wasn't really interested in football, so I just chilled by the fire.  I did end up cooking up the pork chops on the campfire, and they turned out good.  And the end of the fire ended up with a nice finale - I had one campfire log left with a hole through it, and it turned out great to create a "candle log" on the fire - very pretty, and a fitting way to have a last campfire at the campground.  Plus, a lot of other campers were gone for the weekend, so it was pretty quiet.  (Although there are more campers left than I expected.)

And on to today.  I really had hoped the rain would hold off and let me get cleaned up, packed up, winterized up and back home.  I don't think, though, that it's going to work out that way.  Oh well, you can't fight Mother Nature.  I'm really not sure how it's all going to work out, but I'll figure something out. 

OTHER THINGS

• Get mom's porch fixed
• Nov. 5 - 10 a.m. - Milan Optical
• Dec. 1 - 7:45 Hussain Moline
• Dec. 4 - 7:50 Dr. Blew dentist appt.
• Mar.. - Call TRS and get paperwork rolling - 1-877-927-5877
• Mar. 19-24 - trip to Kourtney in Florida

Fall Volleyball-Basketball 26 Schedule

11/3 - OPEN

11/4 - OPEN

11/5 - OPEN

11/6 - OPEN

11/7 - at Sherrard JH 8 a.m. - 2 games 8 and 9:10

11/8 - SUNDAY

11/9 - BOE meeting

11/10 - OPEN

11/11 - OPEN

11/12 - OPEN

11/13 - at Monmouth girls scrimmage

11/14 - OPEN

11/15 - SUNDAY

11/16 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:30 p.m. - Gabby Suarez

11/17 - at AlWood VGBK - 6 p.m. (I think) - Marcus, Tony

11/18 - OPEN

11/19 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:00 p.m. - Gabby Suarez (NO BUS THAT DAY)

11/20 - at Monmouth boys scrimmage

11/21 - at Galesburg 6 p.m - Tony, Kraig

11/22 - SUNDAY

11/23 - BLOCKED - Marotta interview

11/24 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

11/25 - at Wethersfield 2 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/26 - THANKSGIVING

11/27 - at Wethersfield 3:30 p.m. - Robbie, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/28 - at Galesburg 2:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

11/29 - SUNDAY

11/30 - BLOCKED - night off

12/1 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (NO BUS THAT DAY)

12/2 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/3 - at MerCo 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/4 - at Erie - 7 p.m. - Marcus, Dan Howard

12/5 - at Erie F/S 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. - Marcus and Michael Parsons

12/6 - SUNDAY

12/7 - at Sherrard 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/8 - at Erie 7 p.m. - Berlin, Howard

12/9 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/10 - BLOCKED - night off

12/11 - at MonRose 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (NO BUS THAT DAY)

12/12 - at ATown 11:30; at United 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/13 - SUNDAY

12/14 - BOE Meeting

12/15 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Tony, Marcus

12/16 - BLOCKED - XMAS PROGRAM

12/17 - at United 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/18 - at Sherrard 5:30 , Tony, Hu

12/19 - at ATown 2 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

    at Sterling - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/20 - 12/27 - BLOCKED - Christmas

12/28 - at Erie Warkins   5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/29 - at Erie Warkins  5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/30 - OPEN

12/31-1/2 - BLOCKED - New Year's

1/3 - SUNDAY

1/4 - at Riverdale 5:30 - Tony,Teel

1/5 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/6 - OPEN

1/7 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/8 - at Knoxville 6 p.m - Tony, Marcus

1/9 - OPEN

1/10 - SUNDAY

1/11 - at Sherrard 5:30 p.m. -  Tony, Josh

1/12 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

1/13 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/14 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/15 - at ATown 6 p.m. - Tony, Robert McGinnes

1/16 - at Cuba 3:30 p.m. - Tony, Eric Geiger

1/17 - SUNDAY

1/18 - MLK Day - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/19 - at Mercer County 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Scott Verstraete

1/20 - at AlWood    6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/21 - at Riverdale 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/22 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/23 - at Fulton noon - Robbie, Tad

1/24 - SUNDAY

1/25 - at IESA/Rockridge - 6 p.m. ???

1/26 - at Riverdale - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Brad Steinhagen

1/27 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Matt DeSutter

1/28 - OPEN

1/29 - OPEN

1/30 - at Alleman - 1:30 p.m. - Marcus, Josh????

1/31 - SUNDAY

2/1 - IESA BOYS SECTIONAL 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/2 - at West Central - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/3 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

2/4 - at Rockridge - 5:30 - Tony, Verstraete

2/5 - at Princeton - 7 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/6 - at Rockridge - 1 p.m. - Tony, Verstraete

2/7 - SUNDAY

2/8 - BLOCKED - BOE Meeting

2/9 - Erie 7 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

2/10 - OPEN

2/11 - Alleman 7 p.m. - Marcus, Josh???

2/12 - OPEN

2/13 - IHSA Girls Regionals Begin

    - ROWVA boys LTC 1 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/14 - SUNDAY

2/15 - ROWVA boys LTC 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/16 - OPEN

2/17 - OPEN

2/18 - OPEN

2/19 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/20 - OPEN

2/21 - SUNDAY

2/22 - IHSA Boys Regionals Begin

Sunday, November 1 - It's the holiday season!

4:29 a.m. - It's daylight savings time, it's November - October 26 is now history!  It was a quick month, but also a month full of long days.  Maybe long days just make for quick months?  Yesterday was a day not at home, not at school, and not around children.  I don't mean that to sound harsh, but sometimes it's just nice to have a quiet day that is only grown-ups.  And I did campground things - I got in some breakfast on the Blackstone, took a shower in the shower house, went for a long walk and worked on hills, started a new book, watched some football on the TV, listened to some high school football on the radio - RR lost.  And then we went to the casino - I lost.  And then we went to the Mexican restaurant we like - it was good, as usual.  And then we came back to the camper and I watch some more football and tried to watch some meTV and went to bed.  There was no campfire, but I'm hoping for that today. 

And what will be today?  Blackstone breakfast, shower house shower, long walk, and then I'm not exactly sure.  The Bears don't play until tomorrow night, so that doesn't help.  I will probably need to take a nap and will be starting a campfire early in order to burn up all the fire would we have, especially the special log I have to burn that has a hole in it.  If I need to run home, I will need to grab some antifreeze.  I do need to watch the morning news this morning to find out the latest forecast.  I'd really like the rain to hold off.

I'd like to start doing some Christmas shopping, but my cash flow is a little low right now.  Maybe I can do some Christmas shopping "thinking".

OTHER THINGS

• Get mom's porch fixed
• Nov. 5 - 10 a.m. - Milan Optical
• Dec. 1 - 7:45 Hussain Moline
• Dec. 4 - 7:50 Dr. Blew dentist appt.
• Mar.. - Call TRS and get paperwork rolling - 1-877-927-5877
• Mar. 19-24 - trip to Kourtney in Florida

Fall Volleyball-Basketball 26 Schedule

11/3 - OPEN

11/4 - OPEN

11/5 - OPEN

11/6 - OPEN

11/7 - at Sherrard JH 8 a.m. - 2 games 8 and 9:10

11/8 - SUNDAY

11/9 - BOE meeting

11/10 - OPEN

11/11 - OPEN

11/12 - OPEN

11/13 - at Monmouth girls scrimmage

11/14 - OPEN

11/15 - SUNDAY

11/16 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:30 p.m. - Gabby Suarez

11/17 - at AlWood VGBK - 6 p.m. (I think) - Marcus, Tony

11/18 - OPEN

11/19 - at Sherrard JH BKB - 5:00 p.m. - Gabby Suarez (NO BUS THAT DAY)

11/20 - at Monmouth boys scrimmage

11/21 - at Galesburg 6 p.m - Tony, Kraig

11/22 - SUNDAY

11/23 - BLOCKED - Marotta interview

11/24 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

11/25 - at Wethersfield 2 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/26 - THANKSGIVING

11/27 - at Wethersfield 3:30 p.m. - Robbie, Tony; at Orion 7 p.m. - Josh, Tony

11/28 - at Galesburg 2:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony; at Orion 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

11/29 - SUNDAY

11/30 - BLOCKED - night off

12/1 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (NO BUS THAT DAY)

12/2 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/3 - at MerCo 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/4 - at Erie - 7 p.m. - Marcus, Dan Howard

12/5 - at Erie F/S 9 a.m. & 10:30 a.m. - Marcus and Michael Parsons

12/6 - SUNDAY

12/7 - at Sherrard 5:30 - Tony, Teel

12/8 - at Erie 7 p.m. - Berlin, Howard

12/9 - at United 6 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/10 - BLOCKED - night off

12/11 - at MonRose 5:30 - Marcus, Tony (NO BUS THAT DAY)

12/12 - at ATown 11:30; at United 2 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

12/13 - SUNDAY

12/14 - BOE Meeting

12/15 - at Wethersfield 5:30 - Tony, Marcus

12/16 - BLOCKED - XMAS PROGRAM

12/17 - at United 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/18 - at Sherrard 5:30 , Tony, Hu

12/19 - at ATown 2 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

    at Sterling - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

12/20 - 12/27 - BLOCKED - Christmas

12/28 - at Erie Warkins   5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/29 - at Erie Warkins  5:30 - Josh, Tony

12/30 - OPEN

12/31-1/2 - BLOCKED - New Year's

1/3 - SUNDAY

1/4 - at Riverdale 5:30 - Tony,Teel

1/5 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/6 - OPEN

1/7 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/8 - at Knoxville 6 p.m - Tony, Marcus

1/9 - OPEN

1/10 - SUNDAY

1/11 - at Sherrard 5:30 p.m. -  Tony, Josh

1/12 - at MerCo 5:30 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

1/13 - at West Central 6 p.m. - Tony, TBA

1/14 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/15 - at ATown 6 p.m. - Tony, Robert McGinnes

1/16 - at Cuba 3:30 p.m. - Tony, Eric Geiger

1/17 - SUNDAY

1/18 - MLK Day - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

1/19 - at Mercer County 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Scott Verstraete

1/20 - at AlWood    6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/21 - at Riverdale 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/22 - at ROWVA 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

1/23 - at Fulton noon - Robbie, Tad

1/24 - SUNDAY

1/25 - at IESA/Rockridge - 6 p.m. ???

1/26 - at Riverdale - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Brad Steinhagen

1/27 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Matt DeSutter

1/28 - OPEN

1/29 - OPEN

1/30 - at Alleman - 1:30 p.m. - Marcus, Josh????

1/31 - SUNDAY

2/1 - IESA BOYS SECTIONAL 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/2 - at West Central - 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/3 - BLOCKED - NIGHT OFF

2/4 - at Rockridge - 5:30 - Tony, Verstraete

2/5 - at Princeton - 7 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/6 - at Rockridge - 1 p.m. - Tony, Verstraete

2/7 - SUNDAY

2/8 - BLOCKED - BOE Meeting

2/9 - Erie 7 p.m. - Marcus, Tony

2/10 - OPEN

2/11 - Alleman 7 p.m. - Marcus, Josh???

2/12 - OPEN

2/13 - IHSA Girls Regionals Begin

    - ROWVA boys LTC 1 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/14 - SUNDAY

2/15 - ROWVA boys LTC 6 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/16 - OPEN

2/17 - OPEN

2/18 - OPEN

2/19 - at MonRose - 5:30 p.m. - Tony, Marcus

2/20 - OPEN

2/21 - SUNDAY

2/22 - IHSA Boys Regionals Begin