A good night for Sports II

Yesterday our softball team finally got caught up with all of our rainouts, postponed or moved games that we had to play. After falling behind 0-7, we rallied for 16 unanswered runs for a 16-7 victory to run our record to 8-5 on the season. Chris "Hector" Ostien had the hot bat and seemed to clear the loaded bases every time he came to bat. I lost track of his RBI's for the evening, but the total was notable.

After the game we stopped by to see Arron and his Pony League team with the Championship on the field right above ours. They won by the 10-0 mercy rule and secured the City Pony League Baseball Championship with only one loss on the entire season.

I did manage to get my picture taken with a very pretty girl as you can see.

Back to the Grindstone

After a great weekend of pic nics, softball, and an enjoyable post softball game at MiHALAEY'S, it is time once again to go back to work for the week.

Moke will be headed back to Wisconsin this morning and we return to our daily grind of what we do.

I do have to say it was a great weekend, but I guess all good things need to end before you can start another great thing, so it's back to work for me today. Fortunately this is going to be a four day work week for both me and Michelle as this Friday we will both be off celebrating the 4th of July weekend.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....

A Party for Moke

Pam and George had a deployment party yesterday for Moke, he will be leaving Monday Morning to go back to Wisconsin, then to New York, then to Germany (beer), then off to Kuwait and finally to his destination in Iraq.

It was a day of festivities yesterday, the food was a plenty as were family and friends. A Keg of beer and strawberry daiquiris plenty of liquor and a beer pong table was put to good use and there was going to be a big bonfire, but that was after Michelle and I had already left.

Michelle needed a little bit of solarcaine applied last night as she looked like a fresh lobster from the sun beating down on her the first part of the afternoon.


I took numerous picture yesterday and they can all be found HERE as we made quite a few Kodak moments.

A Cookout for Moke

Moke is in for an extended weekend before he is going to be deployed for duty in a few days. The last I heard his latest orders are that he is headed to Iraq, but I'll confirm this today. Pam and George have a nice cookout planned for the day, I know the grillmaster George will be at it with a lot of food from what I understand. He and Calvin have built a new grill and an extended Pic Nic Tablezilla in the back yard.


View Larger Map

If you need directions, I have provided them for anyone who may not know where to go. I know Michelle, Hayley and I will be heading to Core today to say hello to Moke and see him before he is deployed.

I have to admit that I was wrong, I never envisioned him going to Iraq, other places possibly, but with the plans on pulling our troops out of Iraq I really thought if he were deployed it would either be to Afghanistan or quite possibly the Pacific.

I'll have my camera and hopefully we can make a few Kodak Moments today.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

Looking for a movie, Journey to the Center of the Earth is what is playing for tonight's movies on the Mon at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater. Bring your lawn chair or blanket and your favorite snacks and drinks and enjoy yet another free movie on the big screen under the stars.

Kim, Robert, Brittany and Lynn are leaving today to fly to Orlando Florida and a enjoying a few fun filled days at Disney World. This is Robert and Kim's graduation present to Brittany for graduating High School. They will both be entering WVU this fall.

Moke is home for an extended weekend before he has to deploy to Iraq. Pam is on Vacation and will be the entire time that he is in until he leaves early next week,

Moke will be in later this evening

Moke will return from his training this evening for a nice long weekend before he is deployed to the Middle East.

It was supposed to be a surprise that they were going to have for him, but since he is being deployed and in case there is anyone he may want to invite, he already knows about it.

George has built the pic nic table version of Treezilla with pic nic tablezilla at his house. He is building a new (concreting everything in place) BBQ for this weekend and there will be food-a-plenty for the party Saturday.

Thought this made a good story

Last Night

The Parrot Head nation once again again managed to do their yearly assembling around Burgettstown PA for their Western Pennsylvania style party of Jimmy Buffett fans. This year Michelle and I got to indoctrinate my Niece and her Boyfriend Lynn into the nation as it was their first trip to Margaritaville.

Jimmy didn't disappoint and put on about a two and a half hour concert in his SummerZCool tour.

Margaritaville!!!!!!

The day has finally arrived, Jimmy Buffett will be putting the fins up tonight in Burgettstown. Fins will be flying everywhere tonight and we will be there!!!!!!!!



PARTY!!!!!!!!!!

Ohiopyle

Every year I love to try to make at least one trip to Ohiopyle State park in Pennsylvania. Yesterday Michelle Hayley and I all decided to take a trip up and have a little pic nic. Michelle saw a very beautiful dragonfly that I just had to get a picture of.

If you don't know the significance, at my father's Eulogy the preacher spoke of a dragonfly and its journey's and likened it to our time on the earth and passing. being yesterday was Father's Day I had to get this picture, although Michelle was the Photographer on this picture.

Another reason to head to Ohiopyle other than to be with two very beautiful women was to find a new type of geocache. There are numerous types of caches, and I had a chance to get my very first Earthcache.

After that I took the girls to the gorge as you can see.

Happy Fathers Day

Wow has it been going on ten whole years since my own Dad had passed away. He may be gone but he still lives in all of us, especially on this day. In another Holiday that's origins are right here in North Central West Virginia, Fairmont to be specific, I would like to wish all of the fathers out there a very special and Happy Father's Day.

May your day be filled with the ones you love around you and good times.

Work and Auction

I have the time to take off, but we are running behind schedule so I will be making up some hours this morning at work in anticipation of the Tuesday Night Parrot Head gathering in Burgettstown. I need to work a few hours to help make up for when I will be out.

While I am at work, Michelle will be helping her sister and brother in law at their auction later today at the Cassville firehall.

Michelle's Coffee is done, time to wake my sweetie up.

Happy Birthday Erica Jean Nicholson.

Hey, guess who just moved a little bit closer to retirement age today! OK, she has a long way to go, but Erica Jean Nicholson is turning that ripe old age of 5 today.

Val is planning on having both her and Josh's birthday party together next month on the 12th, but this is her special day.

Happy Birthday Erica Jean Nicholson.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to. When we finally cease our labors for the week and take a little bit of that needed time out to just sit back and enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is yet once again the dawn of another fun filled weekend and another Bog Ole Hairy Friday!!!!

For those of you seeking a little cheap (as in free) entertainment this evening, Movies on the Mon continues this week with the animated movie iGor. Once again I have never seen it, but this looks to be a very entertaining animated movie for the younger viewers. Take you a bag of Popcorn, your favorite beverage and something to put your butt comfortably on and enjoy the free movie outside at the Amphitheater.

Tomorrow morning don't forget that Michelle's brother in law is having an auction at the Cassville Firehall at 10:00 AM.

I may have to work a little bit tomorrow, got a tight deadline and am going to see Jimmy Buffett Tuesday night. I have the time to take off and then some, just trying to stay on schedule.

Wow

Talk about a storm last night, I was flipping through the channels last night and came upon channel 4 in Pittsburgh. I have seen a few bad storms before, but I can't remember the last time I saw such a large and damaging storm front over such a large area.

Hayley was out on the rails to trails and we called her and immediately went and got her.

An inch of rain in a half hour, over 1,000 lightning strikes per minute, tornadoes, 60 MPH wins, hail the size of eggs and just sheer chaos.

It was a time to watch TV, and contact family in the area.

I did it

I added a new sidebar on the side, as you can tell I am now a twitter and have the feed running to my BLOG. I thought that I would just give it a try to see what it's like to see if I want to keep it. Not sure if I'll keep it, so this is nothing more than a test for a few days to see if I like it.

I'm still a Blogger by heart though.

A Traumatic Day

Yesterday afternoon Hayley and her friends received some rather traumatic news. When we grow up we all have our "Circle of Friends", the people that when we are young we spend pretty much most of our time with, stay at each others houses and years later always remember.

Hayley like any other teenager has her circle of close friends. AS I type this most of them are spread about my living room. Not the first time it has happened, it is a regular occurrence only this time it may be for the wrong reason, one of them is in the hospital from a car wreck yesterday afternoon on Summers School Road.

Gracie was in a very traumatic car accident yesterday, she had to have her left arm amputated from the shoulder down. A very sad and traumatic incident for all of these kids. Please keep Gracie and all of this circle of friends in your thoughts and prayers.

The kids will be waking up here soon and heading back to the hospital early this morning.

Midweek

Wow has this week just flown by for me, two long days at work followed by two late night softball games (10:00 PM) later that night. When we do that we get home and unwound kind of late, so the amount of sleep is a little on the not enough side.

I found out yesterday Rich (Snider) is in the hospital. I read on Val's Facebook that her and Amy were heading to Mon General and then Ruby yesterday. So out of obvious concern I called to get the scoop. They are just keeping him for observation, I do not know anything beyond that at this point.

On the WVU Football recruiting front coach Bill Stewart has continued to show he is a great recruiter. They reveived a verbal commitment from Barry Brunetti. Listed as Rivals.coms #1 Dual Threat QB in the country. We will have no less than three High School All-American QB's on the roster for the start of the 2010 season. Parade All-American Geno Smith will be here this fall.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....

Tuesdays Tidbits

* We are already at Tuesday for the week, being I had a very busy day at work yesterday and a late night (10:00PM) softball game last night.

* Late night again tonight, only this time we are matching up against Riverside Church and my old boss (great guy) and the guy I used to play trivia with at work. I know they will be out today warming up with a little wiffle ball, so we'll have to bring our "A" game tonight.

* Hey if you are looking for a nice auction to go to, Michelle's Brother in Law is now an auctioneer (they used to own High Moon Stables for you older readers) and will be having his first auction this Saturday. HERE is a list of what is being auctioned off. Jim has a knack for it, I've heard him do a little of it. Michelle and I will be there.

* One week. I am once again week or seven days from once again embarking on the Parrot Head Nation. I tried to sell to hard to Michelle last year, but if you have ever been to a Buffet concert you know words don't do it justice.

* I'm wanting to do another Music/Image movie. I think I would like to do one for Brittany being she just graduated and Michelle has given me a nice theme type idea to do.

* I think I am needing to take more pictures. I have an external Hard Drive that I use to store them, currently I have just under 12,000 memories that I have captured since I bought my first camera and took an interest in Photography.

* Finally I think I have really found a social networking site that I really like. I was a a member of MySpace for a while and I still use it, but Facebook just offers so much more including the ability to meet up again with people that I would actually want to meet up with again.

* It was a short night and a long day ahead, so Hi Ho Hi Ho........

Relaxing Day

If there is any one day of the week you need to take time out and relax, it has to be Sunday. After me deciding to retire a little early Saturday Night, my best friend, room mate and most importantly girlfriend posted on facebook that she was a lone again. When I woke up the next morning Pam asked her to help her Babysit, Val wanted her to help paint, her sister Chris was worried about her, Amy volunteered for Michelle to watch Kaiden and she would drink the six pack and Jane give the worst advice of all, dump ice water on me. Sheesh.
I figured I better do something to make her happy on Sunday or I was in for a loooooooooong week.

We decided to take a nice trip to Valley Falls in Fairmont and have a nice little pic nic somewhere close to the falls.

Michelle had a hankering for Kielbasa and I was not about to argue with her, since she is such a great cook and I do like to eat.

It was a good time, food was great, the company was great and the aesthetics of being their laying under the trees on a blanket and just staring up into the sky for a little while was very relaxing.

It was a good day, but that was yesterday. Today is work, meetings, WebX's and a late night softball game. It will be a full day to say the least.

Sunday Morning

I'm up early on this fine Sunday Morning, as I am about every other day of the week. Got up a little before 5:00 and have been surfing around on the internet as everyone else is asleep.

We changed the brakes on the car yesterday, but when we drove around last night they had a little bit of a wobble to them, but it worked itself out before we went home. We were talking about going to Uniontown to try out a Sonic, but decided that may not be wise until the car broke in. However by the time we had went to Eat N park to have dessert, they were fine.

Not too much on the agenda today that I know of, I do know we'll be starting the day off with a weekly grocery shopping trip.

Have a good day

Stanley Cup Champions

After the total meltdown by the Pittsburgh Penguins in game 5 of the Stanley Cup finals in which they lost 0-5 in Detroit going down 2 games to 3 I had an epiphany. I said during the meltdown last Saturday Night that the Detroit Red Wings just handed the Stanley Cup to the Pittsburgh Penguins.

When you are talking about Professional Athletes, the difference between the best team and the worst team in the league is actually very small. These are well trained professional Athletes and any team can beat any other team on any given day. Beating a team is one thing, embarrassing them is another, especially when you are playing them in a series with a Championship at stake.

The Penguins won game six in Pittsburgh setting up the game 7 in Detroit, the same arena they were embarrassed in just six days earlier. I knew last Saturday night that when the Pens walked into Joe Louis Arena last night that they would have an edge. Detroit was the defending Stanley Cup Champions and they were playing at home where they had beat the Pens by a combined score of 11-2 in the first three meetings in Detroit.

The stage was set I stood confidently by my prediction. When the final clock read 0:00 after three periods of play, it was the Penguins who held the 2-1 lead in the score and had just won Lord Stanley's Cup.

This was the first time in 30 years that a Championship had been won in a game seven by the visiting team rather than the home team. The last time it happened in any major sport? The 1979 Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pen's are now 5-0 all time in Game 7's.

The Pens made my epiphany a reality and are bringing the Cup home. Steelers defending Super Bowl Champions and the now the Pens Stanley Cup winners. It's been 30 years since Pittsburgh was first scribed "City of Champions", they once again hold that title.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week. When we take time out from our labors for the week and take a little time out to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is the dawn of yet another weekend and another Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Tonight's movies on the Mon is The Longshots. If you are looking for a little cheap (as in free) entertainment, the riverfront park is the place to be.

If you are looking for some competitive motorcycle action, the Motocross National Championship is held this weekend at High Point Raceway.

I do have to start the weekend with some bad news, looks like the trip to California is on hold. I guess to window was too close for the Feds to get all the appropriate paperwork filed. That's OK< my schedule may have prevented me from going then, if we go to a later one my schedule may be a little more open. I guess there was some travel money in ourt budget, so we'll be using it sometime this year. I wonder if ESRI has an office in Hawaii..LOL

If you are at home tonight, game seven of the Stanley Cup is on. Watch the Pittsburgh Penguins get revenge for last years cup loss by winning the cup in Detroit. Go Pens.

Have a super weekend.

Might be spending Post 4th of July in California

I got into work yesterday and received an e-mail about a implementing JavaScript into an ArcGIS server training session in Redlands California on July 6th and 7th. We are going to be building a Web interface for some of our Hurricane Mapping and the Fed I report to wants to send at least one of us if funding is available to Redlands, the home of ESRI for a few days. Here is an example of what the training is about, so this could be interesting.

I told him I would LOVE to go, providing my schedule allows me the time to go. I have been working on a large Carbon Sequestration Project pretty much all this year and I have some deadlines around that time period.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed, never been on the West Coast and I would love to go to the home of the software that I know so well. I'll keep everyone updated.

Painting Party

If anyone wants to lean an hand, my Niece Val is going to be painting her house Saturday weather permitting.

She mentioned it when she was over Sunday and I thought to myself I would give her a helping hand and announce it over my BLOG to help get the word out.

I'm sure she can use as many spare hands that are available and are willing to help out. I'm sure Bobby will also appreciate any help that will be available to him also.

So, if you are not doing anything Saturday and need something to do, Val and Bobby can sure use your help.

Tidbits

* Long day, softball game and you the reader gets a tidbits rather than a normal blog post.

* Tonight is game six of the Stanley Cup. It'll will be the Pittsburgh Penguins taking out their frustrations from Saturday Night against the Detroit Red Wings. The Pens played horribly Saturday evening, something tells me they will use that bad game to win the next two. You heard it here first.

* This week is shaping up like last week at work. Busy as heck and can't seem to get caught up.

* After the dame last night the team went to MiHALEY'S, but me and my sweeties decided to just veg out at home. After a long day, we were due.

* It was nice to see everyone together this weekend for Hayley's birthday party. It doesn't happen nearly enough. Maybe we should all organize an old fashioned pic nic somewhere.

* I did managed to see my nephew Randy last night, he was driving a truck in front of me on my way to the ball fields. I didn't the a chance to talk to him though. I'm thinking the last time I got a chance to talk to him was last summer. That is pretty sad.

* OK, I'm done. ;)

Hayley's Sweet 16

We managed to pull it off, with a lot of very much appreciated help, but everything I think went rather well for Hayley's Sweet 16 birthday.

I managed to make it a Kodak moment and have already put all the pictures of yesterday up on my website, hopefully I managed to get a picture of everyone.

I know Hayley was very appreciative of everyone showing up and helping her celebrate. It was also the first chance for some of Michelle's family and my family to mingle a little bit.

It was a great day, a very special thank you to everyone who made this a very special day for a very special 16 year old.

Happy Birthday Hayley Dawn Collins

I would like to take this chance to wish Hayley a very wonderful and Happy 16th Birthday. I have only known her for a little over a year, but she is someone that has had a big impact on me.

Michelle and I will TRY to throw a surprise Birthday party this afternoon at 1:00 at the house. If you know where I live you are more than welcome to come over to help us celebrate.

If you need directions, just go ahead and call me. Jopefully we can make this one for her to remember.

New Bakery in Westover

Well kind of, Ray's Bakery a long time staple in the Morgantown area for their baked goods has decided to put in Pizza Shop at it's original location. So Rose has decided to move part of the shop to Westover where one of my favorite readers spends her summer hours working and called it Rose's Bakery.

I spoke briefly with Danielle Mascioli this morning about why I had not blogged yet, and she gave me the topic of this great bakery that has came to Westover.

I guess there is another sister that will be opening up soon somewhere in the Sabraton Area but the time frame for that is currently incomplete.

Ray's has always been a favorite of mine, and I think he makes some of the best Pepperoni Rolls anywhere.

Happy Birthday to my Brother Gary

If you happen to see Gary Allen Hall today, make sure you wish him a very Happy (38th?) Birthday. I can say without prejudice that Gary is by far my favorite brother. he (in)voluntarily helped out my wrestling career every night when I was wrestling in High School. I swear he used to ask me to twist him like a Pretzel on a daily basis..LOL

Happy Birthday Gary.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes readers and I can't believe it. It is once again that time of the week when we get to cease the labors of the week and this week is long over due and take a little much needed in my case time out to enjoy the fruits of our labors. It is one again the dawn of yet anther weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!!!!

For those of you looking for a little bit of cheep entertainment, BOPARC is having Movies on the Mon again this summer. Down at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park they show a different movie on Friday nights throughout the summer. Tonight's movie is one of my favorite, it's Kung Foo Panda that will open the season up. This is in my opinion the best movie that they will be playing all summer.

Michelle and I will be having a cookout for Hayley's 16th birthday Sunday. If anyone is interested in coming let me know so we can have enough food for everyone. This is her sweet 16th birthday, a special one for her.

I may try to fit in a GeoCache sometime this weekend. There are a few new ones around town I may try including the closest one to here.

I'm ready for the weekend, I hope you are too!!

Congratulations Brittany

I just got word this morning that Brittany has been accepted into West Virginia Universities main campus for this fall. I am so proud of her, especially when it turns out that her school of choice is my Alma Mater.

I'll be there for her next graduation too.

Drawing a blank.

It happens to the best of us, days when you sit down and try to write something readable for your followers and you just struggle to even come up with a topic to discuss other than what day of the week it is, or the weather which has been rainy thank you.

Sometimes you just need to reach down and come up with something entertaining to break the monotony. I could always start being a twitter, but I have committed myself to being a BLOGGER, even though I am sure some people may confirm I am a twit.

It's been a long week at work so far, so I'll just leave you with a little bit of entertainment for the day. Enjoy.

Happy Hump Day

Man has this been a very busy week. Between things going on at work and me trying to meet some deadlines to all the distractions associated with that and to having softball games right after work the last two nights, I am happy as a frog on a log that we are now at Hump Day and on the downside of the workweek. It's went fast, but I have been busy as heck to say the least.

Michelle has been battling with a bought of Bronchitis the past few days, but she is starting to feel a little better. We stopped over at MiHALEY'S last night and sat on the deck with the guys watching the Pen's Hockey game from the deck before a thunderstorm shortened our night of fun.

Oh well, it is hump day so Hi Ho Hi Ho off to work I go.

Tidbits

* It's been a long day for me and my brain is a little bit fried, so I'll do todays posy as a tidbits.

* When I first started writing tidbits, it was on Tuesdays and they were called...Tuesdays Tidbits.

* Softball team lost last night, it drops our record to 4-2 now with one more game left tonight at 6:00.

* I'll have an all hands meeting today at work. All SAIC employees in our business unit will be meeting simultaneously through a teleconference.

* Amy and Ralphie have set their wedding date as August 8th. It was going to be later in the month but one of Amy's close friends is coming into town and that is the only weekend she can make it. As I recall she lives in Augusta Georgia, where yours truly first blessed this world with his presence.

* After last night's game, we saw the aftermath of what appeared to be a very bad motorcycle crash downtown. Lot's of police cars, ambulances and rescue squads arrived right as we were coming onto the scene. Possibility there was a fatality. Check your local news this morning.

* Tidbitted out, have a great day.

General Pics of 2009

I have finally regained control of my software and at the request of my Mother, I am placing a new album called General Pics of 2009 on my site.

Graduation Dinner

Last night, Brittany's grandfather and Grandmother John and Rita hosted a graduation dinner for the recent graduate.

Dinner was at Oliverios's Restaurant in the Wharf distric in Morgantown. A beautiful location located on the rails to trails, Oliverio's offers a very nice selection of fine Italian foods that we all dined on.

I think Brittany had a great time, surrounded by friends and family. Hopefully it will be a memory that will last her a lifetime.