Saturday Morning Snowmageddon Preparation

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, Kiwi and Peanut are both kind of quiet and giggling back and forth about how much snow we are going to get between today and tomorrow. Kiwi likes snow, he said he can fly over top of it if he wants to go anywhere and Peanut, she plans on sleeping through it. Oh the life of spoiled animals. I think Kiwi is eyeing up where he is planning on building that waterfall this spring. 

Michelle is heading out early to do the grocery shopping before all the snow drops today and tomorrow. She actually wants to get there and get the shopping done before the excessive influx of people all show up to do their snow shopping. She hates crowds the same as I do to be honest. Other than that no big plans for us other than to wait it out over the weekend. As a precaution, I brought my work computer home with me, I'm planning on being in the office on Monday but if it gets too bad I can still work from home. 

Today may just be a day of watching movies. Landman completed last week, Tulsa King completed a couple months ago and George and Mandy's First Marriage is in the middle of a 2 month hiatus, so there is nothing that I am anticipating on watching as far as TV shows at the current moment. The NFL is even winding down with the AFC and NFC Championships tomorrow to determine who will be playing in the Super Bowl. 

Have yourselves a great day, get done what you need to get done early and most importantly, stay home and warm once this all starts. 
 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!!!

There’s something about Friday that just hits different. The emails slow down, the calendar suddenly looks less aggressive, and my brain starts gently powering down sometime around mid-afternoon. Responsibilities don’t disappear, but they do get quieter—and that’s a beautiful thing.

This week was one of those weeks. The kind where every day felt a little longer than it should have, and the coffee pot worked harder than I did. But we made it. The finish line is here, and it’s waving a big checkered flag that says: relax.

Tonight is all about doing absolutely nothing productive—and doing it well. No alarms, no plans that require shoes, and no pressure to be anywhere except exactly where I already am. Maybe it’s pizza. Maybe it’s leftovers. Maybe it’s staring at the TV wondering how I ended up watching something I swore I’d never watch. That’s Friday magic.

This weekend, I’m slowing things down on purpose. Sleeping in just a little too long. Letting the morning decide what kind of day it wants to be. A little time outside if the weather cooperates, a little couch time if it doesn’t. No rushing. No “shoulds.” Just rest, recharge, and whatever small joy happens to wander by.

Weekends don’t have to be packed to be perfect. Sometimes the best ones are quiet, simple, and slightly lazy. The kind where Monday feels far away and time forgets to keep score.

So here’s to Friday. Here’s to letting go. And here’s to a weekend that does absolutely nothing—beautifully.

Happy Big Ole Hairy Friday. 🍻

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week, I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned, or just stole from somewhere on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up, recalling or reliving the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task, and sometimes it's not that easy, but one thing it has always been a lot of fun.

I had to go back well over 20 year ago for this one, back when Nick and Terri had first opened their first Bar, the Country Inn on Rt 73, it was their first of two bars that they would own and operate. 

The dollar that they are holding was the first dollar that they had made together on their first official day of business. I can't remember who the first customer was or what they ordered, but I was fortunate enough to have been there when they opened and it happened. 

Have yourselves a greeat day

Hi ho hi ho

Lucy's Journal

January 21, 2026

Dear Journal,

Today I learned that nothing in this house happens by accident—especially when Kiwi and Peanut are involved.

It started innocently enough. Kiwi landed on the back of my chair with that wide-eyed “I have an idea” look, while Peanut stretched out on the table like a furry project manager who already had blueprints drawn up. The topic? The backyard waterfall. Apparently, this is no longer a “someday” idea—it’s now a full-scale operation.

Before I could even ask a question, they tried to recruit me. Not ask—recruit. Kiwi pitched it like an adventure: “Think of the ambiance! The soothing water sounds! The dramatic lighting!” Peanut followed up by slowly tapping the table with his paw, as if waiting for my signature on a contract.

Then came the bribes.

Kiwi promised front-row seats to every construction meeting, exclusive early access to the finished waterfall, and unlimited shoulder time during “supervisory flyovers.” Peanut, on the other hand, offered something far more serious: reduced 3 a.m. zoomies, fewer mysterious items knocked off shelves, and a temporary cease-fire on keyboard sitting while I work.

And then they brought in the Quackers.

The Quackers are apparently unionized. They won’t lift a feather without proper compensation. Their demands included premium pond access once the waterfall is complete, extra snacks (the good kind, not the boring kind), and veto power over any rocks that “don’t feel right.” One of them insisted on a daily headcount meeting. Another wanted naming rights to the waterfall.

The payouts kept escalating.

Kiwi requested a cut of the snack budget. Peanut wants a shaded lounging rock positioned just so, with optimal sun coverage. The Quackers want assurances in writing—possibly notarized—that this waterfall won’t suddenly turn into “a bird bath with dreams.”

By the end of it all, I realized I wasn’t being recruited at all.

I was being managed.

So here I am, considering my options. Do I help them build the backyard waterfall and pay the bribes in snacks, treats, and future favors? Or do I risk being on the wrong side of a very determined conure, a master-manipulator tiger cat, and a flock of highly opinionated Quackers?

Let’s be honest.

I’ll probably help.

But I’m definitely negotiating my own payout.

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with and I have to go back to work with these 10 hour shifts for the rest of the week, good reason to do a tidbits. 

* It has been 22,672 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. zmom is at 30,326 which would make her 28 according to my new and improved calendar. 

* It has been 7,924 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I love what I do and am thankful to still be working in my field. 

* 6,518 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,722 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. I've been the luckiest guy since that fateful day. 

* It was 5,759 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, it was a great day with friends and family. 

* I have now lived 2,897 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong, slowing down but still going. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 1,551 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 1,414 days, making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* Old roommate Gregg proposed to his fiancée 129 days ago, I'm happy for those two. I asked him a couple weeks ago if they set a date yet, he saids we would be the first to know. 

* I have 2,213 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows, though, doing what I do I may never retire.

* 345 more days to go until my Goodbye 2026 Blog is posted. 

* There are 338 more shopping days left until Christmas 2026. 

* There are 315 days until I hit the age of 63. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are only 199 more days to go until Michelle and I will celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary......maybe

* There are 58 days until my favorite season begins, a lot of people love different seasons, I am a Spring person who loves the Springtime. 

* 13 more days until Phil steps to center stage once again for Groundhog Day.    

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State.

* I have written 8,220 blogs in what is now 21 years of Blogging. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* Are you looking to buy some Girl Scout Goodies? Well Releigh has started her campaign to sell chocolates, candles, stationary and other things. This is her store. 

* Are you looking to buy some Girl Scout Goodies? Well Bella has started her campaign to sell chocolates, candles, stationary and other things. This is her store. 

* They both have their own stores, their own campaigns and their own goals to meet. 

* Let's keep it in the same household, go give Crown of Scars a listen. It's my Nephew Moke and he tells his life story through song, so listen to the lyrics, it's pretty deep. 

* This is my favorite Tiktok for this week, got to love the birds. 

* Progress on my Selfie in Space, right here. We are ready for liftoff and holding. 

* Morgantown High and WVU Alum Curt Cignetti, lead Indiana to the National Championship of College Football. 

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Morning Gratitude

Mondays usually come with alarms, coffee refills, and that familiar mental checklist of everything waiting to be done. But this Monday feels a little different. Today is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and with it comes a rare and welcome gift—a day off.

Dr. King’s birthday isn’t just a name on the calendar or an excuse to sleep in (though I’ll gladly accept that part). It’s a reminder to slow down and reflect. His words still echo decades later, calling for kindness, equality, and the courage to stand up for what’s right—even when it’s uncomfortable.

Having the day off gives space to think about those ideas without the usual rush. It’s a chance to appreciate progress made, acknowledge how far there still is to go, and consider the small ways we can live out those values in our own lives. Not through grand gestures, but through everyday actions—listening more, judging less, and treating people with respect.

So today, I’m enjoying a quieter Monday. Maybe a second cup of coffee. Maybe no alarm at all. A little rest, a little reflection, and a lot of gratitude for a holiday that honors someone who challenged the world to be better.

Tomorrow, the grind will be back. But today, I’m thankful for the pause—and for the reminder that even on an ordinary Monday, we can choose to move forward with purpose.

Happy Monday, and happy MLK Day.

Sunday

Here I sit in a quiet household, Kiwi and Peanut are actually still sleeping (do you believe that), and it is actually quiet around here. There is no mischief or anything going on, except Kiwi now wanting to play 52 pickup with the little toys just outside of his cage walls. That's a little game he and Mommy love to play. 

Do you need an example of sometimes life moves too fast? My little flower girl from our wedding is turning 18 years old today. She is a High School Senior at University High and in a program that is pretty much going to help her get a start in the Medical Field, and she has been in the program for a couple of years now. I know Michelle, and I are both honored watching this little baby grow into a beautiful woman. Happy Birthday, Layla. 

No plans for the day, but what else is really new. I am excited the watch the season 2 finale of Landman sometime today. I just started watching it this past fall and by the time I was done streaming season 1, season 2 was starting and now it is getting ready for its conclusion. 

Have yourselves a great day, make it special.