Along The Ad Routes

by Mike Reilly

It was perfect weather for DodgeFest last Saturday. Earlier in the week there was some rain predicted for later afternoon, but that didn’t materialize. All four bands were really, really good and the crowd grew to near capacity inside the courthouse parking lot area by the end of the evening. I was at the beverage ticket sale station at times and people were really thirsty! There is always a class reunion or two celebrating that day and it sure is great seeing people I haven’t seen for awhile, some in years! The kids’ games were a hit earlier in the day. The food trucks were a good fit to the event as were the few vendors on the street by the Chronicle office. I think merchants downtown and around were pretty satisfied too!

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Saturday morning breakfast took Bob, Terry, Dewey, Tom and me to the west. They always say “go west young man” and boy are we young! We went to Friederick’s Family Restaurant at the corner of Highways 18 and 61 in downtown Fennimore. It had been a year since we were there last. I think for the third time since we began motoring around on Saturdays. Rose was our waitress. I think she was our waitress last time too, but she didn’t remember us so probably she wasn’t - we are pretty unforgettable! She is a senior this next year at Fennimore. She said that she had been working there since she was a freshman. I should’ve asked her what her plans were after graduation, but she was pretty busy and really I forgot!

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Tonight (Thursday) is the Open house at the new “In the Beginning Child Care and Learning Center” in Dodgeville at the remodeled site of the daycare center at the corners of East Division and Union Streets.  Beth Mikrut-Gilles and husband Patrick, plus their family, have been working on the project diligently since acquiring the building. They also have daycares in Boscobel and Prairie du Chien.

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The annual Cobb Corn Roast is this week with sweet corn and a huge parade on Sunday, August 13. Events actually begin on the Tuesday before with ball tournaments, followed by activities the rest of the week leading up to the parade.

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The Iowa County Cancer Coalition will be holding its annual summer fundraiser at Ss. Anthony & Philip Church in Highland Saturday, August 19. Everything starts at 4:00 p.m. and concludes about 7:00. There’s food by the Red Zone, beverages served by the Highland Fire Department, kids’ games, a silent auction and a live auction. All monies raised stay right here in Iowa County - it’s a great cause to help with a dreaded disease.

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We have a group who meet at Jimmy’s and Country Cafe every other week on Mondays and at Dino’s on Thursdays to play cards, usually euchre. I usually am a watcher and referee! John Swanson, Vern Ott, Gary Haag and Bob Kratochwill are the regulars with Terry Carroll, Dewey Christoph, Pat Thym, Harlan Marten and Tom DeMuth as fill ins. Anyway I know there are two ways to play euchre - the right way and the wrong way. But, lately I found out there was a third way to play - the John Swanson way! I won’t say if it leans toward the right way or the wrong way!

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Today (Thursday) is National S’mores Day.  Now that’s a commemorative day I really didn’t know was around. It does bring me back to my days in and shortly after college when I was dating Nancy Broughton from Platteville. She and her family loved to camp up north. I remember making S’mores around the campfire by their cabin!