Monday

All good things must come to an end—but if you’ve got to wrap up the weekend, today’s a pretty exciting way to do it. Now it’s time to take our collective noses and press them firmly back onto the grindstone of life. Back to work, back to the hustle, back to doing our part to make this spinning rock a better place.

Well I told Kiwi and Peanut that they better enjoy me this week, because most likely starting next Monday Daddy is going end his five years of working from home exclusively and return to an office environment when he starts working a contract for Hope Gas next Monday. So soak in all the daddy time you can this week. Honestly I think they are conspiring to create havoc and here while I am gone. My start date could have been today, but there are a number of things that still need to be done before I can start. We'll have to get me badged for the facility since it is enclosed and guarded. 

So what do I do this week? Maybe some clothes shopping, I doubt they will let me work in my underwear and slippers like I have been. I'm actually going to have to get dressed in business casual again. I'm still woring for Parsons as well, but work is a little slow right now with the uncertainty in the Government. We'll wait it out. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Sunday

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, Kiwi and Peanut are outside with a tape measure and a hard hat, it seems like they are getting this bright idea of building some kind of an animal playhouse/clubhouse where no hoomans are allowed, just pets. They want their own little place where they can go build and draw things to further get them into trouble. 

I managed to cut the grass yesterday, Michelle did the grocery shopping and I did the yard work, so all of that is complete. It was another hot one, but I got out early in the morning and managed to get it cut before it got too hot. I know Peanut and Kiwi appreciate it. 

So what is on today's agenda? Just some chores around the house. Michelle brought some ears of corn him from Ohio on Friday. I think we are going to soak them and then throw them on the grill this evening for dinner. She bought a dozen ears, and we'll probably par-broil some and either take it off the cob or freeze it. You can't beat the taste of garden corn in the winter. Anything you buy from the grocery stores is just tasteless, so we freeze some for the wintertime.  

Have yourselves a great day, make some memories. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit in a quiet household, Kiwi and Peanut are Happy and helping Mommy today. They heard that she ran off yesterday and out of state and they were worried that she wasn't coming home. So I tricked them and said if you promise to bring the groceries in today, Mommy will re-appear and she did!!!! Now they are bringing the groceries in. 

So what is on my agenda for the day? Probably going to try to cut grass weather permitting. It's not really tall enough, but if I let it go then it will be too tall. 

So update on me and my contracting situation. I'm still employed by Parsons and am available whenever they need me at my convenience when there is work available. In the meantime I have picked up a GIS Contract working for Hope Gas, only difference is for the first time in years I will have top be in the office rather than working from home. We have started the onboarding, I would guess my start date is going to be July 21, but it could be sooner. I've done my part, but now I'm waiting on the background check and the drug screen to come through. I'll be in an office for the first time in 5 years, I will be in the old Mylan Building on Chestnud Ridge Road, or about 3,000' from the house. 

Have yourselves a great day, make it special. 

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!!!

Are you looking for a little bit of cheap, and by cheap I always mean free entertainment? If you are head on down to the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater this evening. Tonight's featured act will be a Huey Lewis Tribute band called the Heart of Rock and Roll. The Rick K Road trip will be opening in the evening, surprisingly. Rick is someone I went to High School with, and he's been on world tours and is part of a viral video with 54 million hits from a few years ago. Kiwi and Peanut have went down early to reserve themselves some good seats. 

No plans for this weekend I think, I know next weekend we are planning a get-together at Hovatters Zoo, but that is next Saturday not this weekend. 

Have yourselves a great day, make some memories. 

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 and recall or relive 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.

Since we will be going to Hovatter's in less than a couple of weeks, I thought I would take a picture from one of our previous visits to the zoo. Michelle's favorite thing to do is feed the Giraffes, but she has a second favorite thing to do, and that is to go into the bird enclosure and feed the birds. (Don't tell Kiwi). 

One of their attractions is an enclosure that literally has hundreds of parakeets in it, and they are friendly and can be bribed with the bird seed and honey popcicle sticks that you can buy when you first enter the park. 

Have yourself a great day. 

Lucy's Journal

Journal Entry – July 9th
Written by Lucy, the white and tan Shih Tzu

Dear Journal,

Well, today was absolutely glorious. Mischievous. Sneaky. Downright devious. And I loved every second of it.

It all started right after breakfast. The humans were distracted with sunscreen and sunglasses and floaties and whatever else they lug out for pool day. Meanwhile, I spotted Kiwi doing little loops near the ceiling fan, already plotting. That bird’s got a glint in her eye that always means, “Let’s raise some chaos.” Naturally, I wagged my tail and joined in.

We waited until the humans were all lounging around the pool — some were reading, some sunbathing, one guy was floating on an inflatable flamingo with zero awareness of what was about to happen. That’s when Kiwi gave me the signal: a quick chirp and a head bob. The Operation: Dive-Bomb was a go.

Kiwi soared out the back sliding door like a tiny feathery superhero. He circled once, then twice, then — SPLAT. First victim: the bald guy with the Bluetooth speaker. Right on the shoulder. He thought it was sunscreen at first. Ha!

I was down below pretending to sniff around the garden beds, but really I was trying not to laugh. Peanut was lurking in the shade, rolling her eyes, pretending she was above all this. But I saw her smirk when Kiwi got Aunt Terri,  Aunt Kim, and Aunt Pam in her purple hair.

“Direct hit!” Kiwi squawked, zipping past me, laughing like a goblin. “Next one’s for the lifeguard!”

(We don’t even have a lifeguard. It was just my teenage cousin who thinks he’s important because he wears sunglasses and carries a whistle.)

Anyway, after three more precision air strikes and one near miss on the nacho plate (which I absolutely would’ve eaten if I could reach), we all regrouped in the garage. I pretended to be hot and tired. Peanut dramatically flopped onto a pile of beach towels like he’d just run a marathon. Kiwi, still jazzed from all the flying, perched on my head as I laid in the laundry basket and started writing this journal.

He’s still here now. Preening. Probably planning tomorrow’s air raid.

The humans? Never suspected a thing. They blamed it on random birds. Ha! As if a common pigeon could land that many bullseyes.

We’re legends. Feathered and furry legends.

Til next time,
🐾 Lucy the Poolside Prankster

P.S. Kiwi says he’s working on a midair fart move. I told him that’s not how bird anatomy works, but he’s determined.

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is once again completed, it was back to work after a three day weekend and now we're doing a Tuesday. TIDBITS!!!

* It has been 22,475 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. 

* It has been 7,728 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. 

* 6,322 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,526  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 5,564 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 2,701 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 1,355 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 1,218 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* I have 2,401 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.

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

* 190 more days to go until my Goodbye 2025 Blog is posted. Hopefully, I can put some better content together this year.

* There are 169 more shopping days left until Christmas 2025.

* There are 148 days until I hit the age of 62. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* Pitt comes back to Morgantown in 71 more days. I can't wait. Revenge time for Rich Rod!!!!

* In 53 Days, Rich Rod leads the Mountaineers back onto the field to finish some unfinished business. 

* There are 29 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Fourteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

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

* I have written 7,995 blogs in what is now 20 3/4 years since I started blogging. Two decades ago.   

* 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.   

* Life is much better when you eat Girl Scout Cookies, just saying, Ryleigh would appreciate it. They are really doing well and it benefits their troop. 

* Still playing Monopoly Go. I'm still in 4th place among friends and family, I had someone pass me this last week. 

* This is my favorite Tiktok for this week. I love these AI creations. 

* Progress on my Selfie in Space, right here

* Have yourselves a great day