Pret-zilla

Just like clockwork, the deadline for our restaurant review approaches every two weeks. Honestly, this time we had nothing! Time to ask the fountain of all knowledge (not Nancy), we’re talking about Google. We searched restaurants near us and were treated to a list of culinary delights. This included such delicacies as burgers, hot dogs, sub sandwiches, and the all-encompassing chicken nugget emporiums. We kept expanding our search until something caught our eye in Lake Barrington. We decided the place we are going to review is the Wild Onion Brewery.

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Fishing derby makes big splash!

The weather was perfect on July 25; the fish were biting, and the grandkids and grandparents had a great time at the Fishing Derby.

This popular event was hosted in conjunction with the Del Webb Anglers for Sun City residents and their grandchildren over two years of age. Prizes were awarded for various categories for ages 2-7 and 8 and above. Each child was able to choose a prize due to the generosity of donations from the Anglers, grandparents, Bait Shanty, Ace Hardware in Huntley, Culvers, and Moretti’s.

Gardening resources, an interview with Brenda Dahlfors

Successful gardeners rely on all sorts of support. Personal experiences, friendly advice, research orientated books, plant-based events, and horticulture programs all can assist homeowners as they live and learn while trying to grow vegetables, flowers and shrubs. For 114 years, Illinois residents have benefited from the research and education of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Extension programs.

Political Place: August 8, 2024

Note: The views expressed in these political submissions do not reflect those of the Sun Day, its staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.

Del Webb team receives silver medal in the 70 and older 6 County Softball Senior Olympics at Elk Grove Village

The team lost 7-6 in a very spirited game to the Elk Grove League champions.

‘He knows everyone’s name’

Tom Schlechter, a steadfast pillar of the Sun City community, has diligently served as the pool monitor at Meadow View Lodge pool for ten years, withstanding the challenges of the COVID years.

“I like people. I like talking to them. They all have interesting stories,” he shared, a testament to his unwavering dedication to the community.

Brick by brick

They may be called nerds or geeks, but there’s a more fitting term for adult LEGO collectors – AFOLs, which stands for Adult Fans of LEGO. These AFOLs are not just collectors but also builders, and anyone with a deep-seated passion for the LEGO brick. This shared passion creates a strong sense of community among adult LEGO collectors.

During the pandemic, Peter Mazzoni embarked on a new hobby. “I used to love building models. When I was younger, that’s what we would do. But I always disliked the smell of the glue. Then my son suggested, ‘Why don’t you try LEGOs?’ And that’s when I got hooked. I built the Colosseum, R2-D2, Millennium Falcon, and the shuttle.”

Lions, tigers, and bears… and gorillas… and the Brookfield Zoo

We were thrilled when we found out our granddaughter (13) would be able to visit for a week this summer. Then the panic set in! What do we do to keep her entertained for a week? Not that she wouldn’t enjoy just visiting, but a week is a long time for a teenager. The quest was double-hard since she had just finished a two-week vacation with her parents in Europe. She had spent days in London, Venice, Rome, and Lisbon. A high barrier to overcome but we knew we could find something. After multiple suggestions, we decided on the zoo, but not just any zoo, Brookfield Zoo. We realized we had not been there in over 10 years and it surely had changed but that didn’t matter. It was at the top of our list. Now what would be the best day?

An impossible snapshot of a fleeting, meaningless moment

When I retired from 34 years of teaching and coaching, I spent my last few days walking around the school, saying goodbye to all that I would miss.

I started, of course, by saying goodbye to colleagues — teachers, secretaries, custodians, counselors, and even a few administrators — but then I bid farewell to the places and things I would miss.

Go fish!

The Sun City Anglers Charter Club’s Membership met on Wednesday, June 19, in the Birch/Cedar Room of Prairie Lodge to thank their outgoing President, Randy Johnson, with cake and a plaque acknowledging his service as club president for the past eight years. One of the members also prepared a pictorial remembrance book of those years.

Francis Rowinski beautifully encapsulated Johnson’s dedication: “Randy has been deeply devoted to our Angler’s Club, tirelessly working to create a space where anglers of all skill levels can grow and find new friends. His instrumental role in organizing fishing tournaments at Wildflower Lake twice a month during each fishing season is a testament to his unwavering commitment.”

Sunday in the park

Our dog Baxter is named after the tiny dog that belongs to Will Ferrell’s self-important character Ron Burgundy in the “Anchorman” movies.

Like most pet owners, we subject our poor Baxter to many nicknames. Some are run-of-the-mill like “Puppy” or “Puppy-Schmup.” We call him “Booxie” and “Booxinator.” On days when Baxter is freshly brushed and walks with a certain swagger, I refer to him as “Lord Buxton.” This is always pronounced in an awful English accent for absurd reasons that I can’t explain. I hope you agree with me when I say it is our absolute right as pet owners to be reduced to sappy ridiculousness when it comes to our pets. No explanations required.

One of the most prevalent myths that gives me pause is the belief that receiving home care means giving up my freedom and independence. I worry that inviting a caregiver into my home will diminish my sense of autonomy and control over my own life.

Late to the party

As the Fourth of July has passed, we are entering a lull period that could be the dog days. Oppressive heatwaves have certainly given that impression. But that doesn’t mean that we are without our reasons to party. Seeing as I left out Pride this year, let me declare this a second Pride month with some reasons to celebrate and educate all on a bit of secret history. No fear that this be a dry, doctrinaire thesis; we are about fun after all. And what doesn’t say entertainment more than humor.

ABBONDANZA!

Social media is a wonderful thing. Where else can you learn about a household “hack” that will wind-up taking you twice as long to do a chore. You can read a post from someone trying to convince you that the earth is flat, complete with Photoshopped pictures. Also, you are able to engage in a rousing argument about which is the best toe nail clipper. We have to admit, sometimes social media does come in handy, like when we heard the buzz about a new Italian restaurant in Marengo. It piqued our curiosity, so we locked up little Rosie in her crate, armed our GPS, and dashed off to Abbondanza Cucina.

Political Place: July 25, 2024

Note: The views expressed in these political submissions do not reflect those of the Sun Day, its staff, or those associated to the Sun Day.

All eyes on the 25th annual golf cart parade!

Sun City’s 25th anniversary celebration continued on the streets on June 29.

It started with a pancake breakfast catered by Sammy’s Bar and Grill. After breakfast, residents and guests got their faces painted, sponsored by the Grandma, Grandpa, & Me Charter Club (GG&ME). Student volunteers from Huntley High School assisted club members in fulfilling requests. Board members Dottie Harrison and Bob Olson sat down and were happy with the artist’s work.

Olson said, “I loved getting my face painted. The young people from the high school who did it were all terrific young people and fun to talk to.”

Reflecting on the Sun City cicada summer

The Chinese insist that 2024 is the Year of the Wood Dragon, but if you’re an Illinoisan, you know that 2024 is the summer of the cicada.

Still, if you’re a Sun City Illinoisan who was looking forward to getting reacquainted with those long-awaited love-bugs, this year of the dragon has been a bit of a drag, because there hasn’t been a cicada in sight in our part of the world.

Percussion with a purpose

Alex Macaluso, 68, has transformed his garage in Sun City into a musical workshop, where he spends his time preparing donated drum sets and other percussion instruments to be given away on behalf of a non-profit organization called Recycled Rhythm.

Recycled Rhythm got its start in 2018 when its founder, Anthony Maland, wanted a way to share the positive effects of music therapy with other young people. Maland, who was diagnosed with ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) at age 5, benefited greatly from his musical training and refused to allow his diagnosis to hold him back.

Reaching 100th blood donation a proud milestone

Fred Joob, a regular blood donor, was recognized on Monday, June 17, for his blood donations. Joob first started donating blood in 1990. He vividly remembers the moment that sparked his commitment. “I belonged to a church in Chicago. A parish member, a young girl, Emily, had tumors around her heart. I started donating palettes. I got in the habit of donating. I kept on donating every six weeks.”

Today, Joob is a 100-pint blood donor, an accolade he reached.

Increasing connectiveness in an increasingly disconnected world

Last month’s My Sunday News health report focused on the 2023 Surgeon General Advisory that “Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Social Isolation.” The Advisory cited several studies confirming that loneliness, isolation and alienation are on the rise. One especially telling study revealed that 25% of Americans claim that they have no one to share a personal problem with.

Resident organizes flag display to honor veterans

During the 4th of July week, a heartwarming sight greeted those driving through Neighborhood 9 — flags proudly flying underneath some of the mailboxes. This initiative was sparked by Cindy Byrd, a resident in N9, who sent an email to her neighbors, asking if they were veterans and, if so, which branch of service they served in.

Byrd said, “It would be nice to bring awareness to how many military veterans we have living among us. For those veterans that responded to my email, a flag with a tag identifying the veteran’s name and branch of service was placed in front of their mailbox for the holiday.”

Sunflower Garden Club grants scholarships to next generation of scientists

Thanks to the support of the Sunflower Garden Club basket sale this year and the fall mum sales, scholarships were awarded to three Huntley High School students.

Darlene Pratt, Chair of the Scholarship Committee, said, “Our sales were so well supported, we were able to increase the number of scholarships from the two planned to three.”

Sun City granddaughter snags impressive running award

Local residents John (J) and Karen Semancik are beaming with pride over their granddaughter, Myla Wade, who clinched a remarkable second-place finish in the eighth-grade 400-meter run at the prestigious Illinois Elementary Sports Association (IESA). Her impressive time was 59.16 seconds.

Reflecting on her journey, Wade shared, “The whole event was enjoyable. It was a little overwhelming, especially the school bus ride to East Peoria. But it was a great feeling knowing my family and friends were supporting me.”

Digital Decay: (Wo)Man Yells at Cloud

The Pew Research Center came out with a recent analysis that discovered that a quarter of all web pages that existed at one point between 2013 and 2023 are no longer accessible.

For pages that existed in 2013, 38% are not available today. Even 8% of webpages from just one year ago are no longer available.

This phenomenon is called “Digital Decay.”

Bathing in the forest

Whether we like it or not, our world is becoming more electronics-focused. Information that we used to get from books, we now derive from our computer. Communication that previously took the form of face-to-face conversations is now done through our smart phones. The average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes staring at a screen per day. Only 1/3 of all adults spend more than 1 hour a day outside. Children spend less time outdoors than any other generation.

A wild ride

Upon watching the Pride Parade a couple weekends ago, I was reminded of how fun riding on a motorcycle looks like. Wind in your hair as the world breezes past. The exhilaration of being outdoors while simultaneously on a moving vehicle seems too good to resist. That is, with the exception that you can be more easily hurt than riding in a car. Back in college I read Robert M Pirsig’s Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance for class, but it feels like the afterthought of the feature I plan to talk about today.

Ask an Angel: July 11, 2024

As I sit down to plan our family reunion, I find myself filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension. It’s been years since we’ve all come together under one roof. I want to ensure that this reunion is not only memorable but also inclusive and enjoyable for everyone, especially our elderly family members.

One of my primary concerns is how to prepare and accommodate our elderly relatives, some of whom have specific needs or health issues. For example, my beloved aunt has been showing signs of early dementia and I want to ensure she feels comfortable and supported throughout the gathering.

Granite City here we come

It’s a wonderful age we now live in. There are hundreds of cable channels and dozens of streaming services, all for the low introductory price of $4.99 a month. Nancy cringes when I turn on the TV. She is fed up with me watching Hoarders, American Pickers, and Dr. Pimple Popper. As a result, we find ourselves tuning into the old standards, such as the prime-time cartoon show, The Flintstones. We love their creative solutions to everyday items such as the Pterodactyl Airlines, the dinosaur garbage disposal, and the baby elephant vacuum cleaner. Interesting, isn’t it, they all had TV. With this in mind, we jumped into our prehistoric “Mini”-mobile and decided to go to Granite City Food and Brewery in Schaumburg. Jim got his size 14 clod-hoppers all revved up, his feet hit the pavement, and off we went.

Proudly Serving the Community of Sun City in Huntley

Proudly Serving the Community of
Sun City in Huntley