Memorial Day

It it is the last day of an extended holiday weekend, but we should all take a little time out and remember why we have this day off from work. It's Memorial Day and is a day set aside by our nation to remember those former soldiers who died in the line of duty protecting the very freedoms that we enjoy today and may even take fro granted.

If you see or know a vet, or an active member of the military make sure to take a few seconds out and thank them for what they have done. We live in the greatest country in the world because of the ultimate sacrifices these men and women have made for us.

Enjoy your extended weekend, and take a few moments out and remember why you are not at work today.

For those of you traveling home, have a safe trip.

Beautiful Weather

I don't think you could ask for better weather during a holiday weekend. Michelle and I went out yesterday and got a few geocaches out of the way. It's been a slow start on the season for us for weather reasons or just having something else to do. Yesterday however was a day when conditions were right for us to find a few. We actually found a couple of caches that were set by two people I helped get started in geocaching, but they have way more finds than I have now and have been all over the country doing it.

Yesterday evening Jane and Chris Came into town and we went out to dinner with them at Puglioni's. Of course when we get together there is a nice long BS session that always seems to be associated with it. Jane tells me her kids are into something similar to geocaching, called letterboxing. It's similar in many ways to geocaching, except instead of swag and GPS unit's you make a rubber stamp and a compass is your primary resource for finding the location of the object you are attempting to find.

I think we are going to get an early start this morning to get out and do our grocery shopping so as to avoid much of the crowds that we ran into last week when we got a later start. I think Hayley is going with us this morning.

I hope everyone enjoys their day, the weather is going to be beautiful.

Earl Saturday Thoughts

After a day off yesterday, plus a trip to Milanos for dinner and going and visiting Jean, we stopped at Wal-Mart yesterday evening to get a few flags to put on a few graves. We stopped and put one on dad's and one on Grandpa Hall's graves.

Today Hayley will be going to both the Morgantown High and the University High School graduations for a few of her friends.

I think we will seek out to find a Geocache or two sometime today. It's been a while since we have went and I for one would like to take advantage of the nice weather and get out and find a few caches today.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword 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 once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

For me and Michelle however, our weekend started last night and we will be off for the next four days. Today we are finishing up some spring cleaning and carpet shampooing that we started last night. It's a good way to start the summer season, and helps remove the remaining wintery smells like from the fireplace.

Nothing major planned for the weekend, maybe a geocache or two. Jane and Chris are going to be coming into town so we are planning on having dinner with them Saturday evening.

Movies on the Mon has released their summer schedule that will start next weekend.

Schedule
June 4 - Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
June 11 - Monsters vs. Aliens
June 18 - Daddy Day Care
June 25 - Fame
July 2 - Imagine That
July 9 - Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
July 16 - Rudy
July 30 - ET
August 6 - The Spy Next Door
August 13 - Where the Wild Things Are
August 20 - Up

It is my weekend, everyone needs to hurry up and join me.

2009

No it's not a year, it's is the number of Blog posts that I have made since becoming a Blogger a number of years ago. I was planning on doing something special for my 2000th BLOG, but I guess I kind of missed the opportunity so I'll take it now.

I want to thank my readers, for you have been my inspiration as well as wanting to create a document of my life over the past six years.

Since I missed 2000, here is to the next 1991 posts to get me to 4,000.

Update

I said I would decide sometime today on whether or not I was going to work tomorrow, well as it turns out I have a single call in conference call that I'll make from home.

Hello Four day Weekend!!!!!

Weekend is almost....

It's Thursday and I know Michelle is taking a four day weekend with today being her last day. I'm keeping the option open and will decide today if I am going to work tomorrow or also take an extended four day weekend.

We have the Carbon Sequestration Atlas III coming upon it's deadlines and benchmarks. I'll have to see where we are with that today before I make a decision on tomorrow. That, and probably the weather will play a significant factor in my decision. I've seen varying weather reports, from sunshine to rain all weekend and back to sunshine.

Oh well can;t get it started until....hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Happy Hump Day. First a couple tidbits of bad news. My niece Brittany was in a little bit of a fender bender yesterday evening. She was leaving the Kroger's Parking Lot on 705 and dinged up her car a little bit. It had to be towed away, but she is physically fine and not injured although she was a little upset when she called me.

Michelle was at the Ball Park with me and left to go and assist Brittany while getting in touch with Kim and Robert with a partial assist from my Sister Pam. Grandpa John was also on the scene to re-assure Brittany everything will be alright. The front passenger side quarter panel was damaged and the car was leaking fluid very badly. The adjuster will look at it today.

The other bit of bad news is we lost last night in softball. The loss runs our record back to 2-2 on the season. We played a decent game, but quite a few mental mistakes could have been considered the difference ion the game.

Hi ho hi ho...

Tuesday's Tidbits

* It's once again Tuesday, so I guess it is a good time to do a tidbits.

* Michelle made a treat for me last night, we put our ice cream maker on its initial trial run last night by making our first batch of ice cream. It was pretty good, we're going to change a few things up and do it again later this week. I think we are going to make our own from scratch.

* Moke and Ang have bought their first home together. They closed on a trailer yesterday out towards Mason Dixon park. I'm sure that a man who just served our country for a year half way around the world could use some young able bodied assistance in setting up their home.

* Back to the fields tonight for another softball game. We play at 8:00 tonight.

* I've been helping Jane the last week or s set up a couple of websites. The registration and setup for the Laurel Soccer Club. She built a registration form and I helped her tie it into a back end MySQL database. That and the Blast Softball team picture pages.

* Both Kim and Michelle are making an effort to quit smoking for good. I bought Michelle one of the NJOY Electronic Cigarettes to help assist her in quitting. She still gets the nicotine, but no carcinogens.

* Went for another good walk last night down on rails to trails with Sadie. It was nice and warm and a little humid, so I came back with a good deal of sweat all over me.

* It's been 802 days since mine and Michelle's first date, 25 days since our engagement and 214 Shopping Days left until Christmas. However there are only four days left until an extended Holiday Weekend.

* Hi Ho Hi Ho

Back At It

yesterday was filled with grocery shopping (also bought a new Ice Cream Maker), followed by a nice afternoon nap.

Later on it was time to play softball. I think as a team we played one of our better games in some time with a 13-0 win in a makeup game to run our record to 2-1 on the young season. We played a solid game all around, hitting and on defense, it was like we turned the clock of time back a few years.

After we got home I took Sadie out for a good healthy walk along the rails to trails.

It was a pretty good and relaxing weekend to set us up for yet another week of work. This will probably be a short week for me, as we are thinking about taking Friday off and extending our three day weekend into a summer starting four day weekend.

Can't get to the extended weekend until I get this Monday over with, so....hi ho hi ho.

Happy Birthday George McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my brother from another mother the very happiest of Birthdays today. His son returned from Iraq in one piece yesterday and today George McClain and breath a sigh of relief on his birthday.

To the man who I owe a million and a half favors to, I want to extend a very heartfelt Happy Birthday wish.

Happy Birthday George.

Moke Coming Home

Fresh off of his nearly year long tour in Iraq, Moke will be returning to Morgantown today. I know that my sister Pam and George and a slew of others will be traveling down to meet him as he gets off of the airplane.

Knowing that traveling half way around the world and haven't seeing his fiancée for a number of months, that he is going to need a little bit of time to get acclimated to being home, so I will probably wait till he gets situated and settled and then we will pay him a meaningful visit.

I have to say that I am very proud of him, it takes a special kind of man to have been what he has been through the past year.

Welcome Home Moke

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword 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 once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Yes as stated in a previous BLOG, Moke will be coming home tomorrow. I think Pam and George and a few others are planning on going down to Benedum Airport and pick him up tomorrow afternoon. He and Ang have purchased a trailer that they will be moving into over the weekend. I'm sure they could use any available hands to help assist them as they can get.

Tonight we will be going over to Trish's once again, this time to celebrate her and Jen's birthday. We were just there a few weeks ago celebrating Jackie's, but got started a little late do to the spring game. We'll be going over after work tonight.

I can't get this weekend started until I do what I have to do, so hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Pam McClain

I would first like to take this opportunity to wish my Sister Pam the very Happiest of Birthdays today. Pam has always been that sister that was always on your side and willing to lend a hand no matter what the situation.

I consider myself a very lucky guy to have a sister Like Pam.

If you happen to see Pam today, make sure you take a little time out and wish this very special person a very Happy Birthday.

PS, her son returns home from Iraq tomorrow.

WVU Baseball

Went to the WVU baseball game tonight. This was actually our first baseball game of the year, and this is the last home stand of the season.

The Mountaineers lost to Villanova 504, but it was a very good and a very memorable game.

I have had the pleasure of connecting with one of my old wrestling team mates son this morning, when I got to briefly talk to Nick Christoloulou's son on Facebook. The big surprise for me was at the WVU baseball game. I won a 12 pack of Coke and when I was coming back from picking up the coupon, I ran across my old High School Wrestling coach. I no more than said hello and he turned to the man sitting beside him and low and behold, Bobby DeAntonis. A man who I tried to structure my wrestling style after and someone I haven't seen in probably 25 years. It was a pleasure to say the least.

I have to say, it was a pretty good day, too bad the Mountaineers cake up a little short.

Mom Released from Hospital

I just got the call fro Mom a little while ago, she is being released from Ruby Memorial to go home.

She has been in there since Monday for observation after she started getting a little bit short of breathe, but there was no infection around her heart and everything was good. There was an infection somewhere, but not around the heart.

They've kept her for a few days to observe and inject her with a few anti-biotics.

Big Ole......Not yet

I know, I wish it was Friday, but it's not.

Stopped by at the hospital yesterday after work to check up on Mom, she appeared to be in very good spirits but she is still in there. She will probably be going home sometimes today from the hospital and once again start enjoying life at home.

I have had the opportunity to eat hospital cafeteria food for the past couple of days, and for the record I love the food at the cafeteria. It's almost a treat.

Michelle and I are thinking about making next weekend a four day weekend by taking Friday off before Memorial day. Weather permitting of course.

Hi hi hi ho....

Hump Day

Hey we are one step closer to the weekend, it is up over the hump day!!!!!

Not much excitement yesterday, Michelle and I went to the hospital after work yesterday to see Mom. She seemed like she is doing very well and will probably get to come home today. There is an infection, but it is not around her heart.

Moke will be returning this weekend. Pam and George tell me he will be returning home on Saturday. Time to start the next phase of his life with Ang.

Not much to say other than this weather sucks, so hi ho hi ho...

Happy Birthday Trish Rosiak

Both Michelle and myself would like to take this time and wish a very special friend a very Happy Birthday today.

I have been going to her families 4th of July pic nic for about 13 years now, so she is like a sister to me.

We love you Trish, and Michelle and I want to extend the happiest of birthday wishes to you.

Tuesdays Tidbits

* Well Monday is now behind us and we have a good start to the week of work ahead, I guess it is a goof time to do a tidbits.

* On the softball front we got good and bad news yesterday. The good news is we have a make up game scheduled for this Sunday. The bad news, just look outside at all the rain. WE were going to go to the game in the limo tonight too being it was our only 10:00 PM game.

* Hayley went and had her hair done this weekend, and the place she went to absolutely fired it. She went to Mastercuts in the mall and told them to color her hair. It usually costs her around $50.00 when she goes there, although this time it was a nightmare. They completely fired her hair (and we are talking about a high school aged teen aged girl) and CHARGED HER $140.00. Michelle was livid and went up last night and spoke with the manager. My advice, don't go to Mastercuts. Professionals is not the impression that I got.

* Mom went to the hospital yesterday complaining of tightness in the chest. I'll update when I find a little more information than I have.

* This weekend looks like we will be helping Trish celebrate her 21st birthday again. Or at least we'll all like like we were 21, I think that was 1984 for me.

* Oh well, Hi ho hi ho....

Commencement

Yesterday I had a very distinct honor of watching a former US President be issued an honorary Doctorate from my Alma Mater and give the commencement speech. I did manage to get a number of pictures from the event as well as the last ten minutes of his speech that have shared with this BLOG.





It was an honor for me, on the 33rd Anniversary of my Grandpa Hall's passing and on the sixth anniversary of my own commencement, I was in the same room listening to a former President of the United States for the first time.

It was a day I will remember for the rest of my life.

Commencement Today

West Virginia Universities 141st Commencement will finish up today at 2:00 when Eberly has their colleges commencement at the Coliseum. I plan on attending today mainly due to the main speaker who is receiving an honorary Doctorate from WVU. Former US President Bill Clinton will be today's guest speaker at 2:00.

I have been to a couple of commencement's other than mine, I went when current Ohio State President E. Gordon Gee spoke and I went when Governor Joe Manchin spoke. I wanted to go when John Chambers spoke but didn't make it then.

I think today's graduates are going to be in for a real treat and a very memorable day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

It's Saturday morning and like the other six days of the week I am up early. I think this is something that I have always done, clear back to when I was a kid and would wake up early and watch, well Buggs Bunny.

I'm not sure what the day holds for us, I know Michelle wants to go to Michaels to use a 40% off coupon that I received last week when I purchased a couple of Military Flag Cases to put dad's and Grandpa Hall's Military flags in.

We stopped by the graveyard yesterday afternoon to see my dad's grave. Since Thursday was his birthday and we were in the area I decided to stop by and see the grave. We walked around and saw the graves of a few friends of mine that were my age or younger who have met their demise at one time or another. Makes you think when you see things like that.

This weekend is the WVU commencement. I see that WVU has finally unveiled their new statue at the Alumni Center. The whole place was done very nice and it is a real showpiece for the University. Former President Clinton will be here tomorrow to deloiver the commencement speech to my old College (Eberly). I did FINALLY manage to register in the Alumni Online Community.

Have a great day and enjoy it.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword 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 once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Man what a rainy week it has been for us, Monday was the only day so far this week that just wasn't down right dreary outside, and it wasn't that great out. Calling for more Thunder Showers today, then finally tomorrow it is supposed to clear up and we can get a little bit of the sunny weather.

I did manage to take out Sadie for a nice relaxing walk last night. I out a little Ozzy Osbourne's "Live and Loud" on the iPhone and used it as an iPod and took a good hour power walk along the rails to trails.

I can;t to the weekend without finishing today so hi ho hi ho

Got My Livescribe Last Night

Happy Birthday George Edward Hall Sr

Today is once again May 13th, it would have been your 65th birthday. It would have been a time for you to start your retirement and enjoy the later years of your life watching your great grandchildren now grow up. I'm sure it was a day you envisioned yourself, the day you retired and hung up the mining gear for the last time. A time when you wanted to get in the RV and just tour the country and enjoy the rewards of a long life of working under the earths surface.

Unfortunately for all of us, this summer will be 11 years since your dream of this day was halted. Life is short and it waits for no one and I think that this more than anything is what I walked away from with your passing. 54 years old was way too young to leave, too many memories that were yet to be shared and enjoyed.

We all wish you could have been here the last 11 years and would have allowed all of us to join together today and celebrate your 65th birthday and the day you would have most likely hung up your mining equipment for the last time. It would have been a wonderful celebration enjoyed by everyone around you.

Unfortunately this large celebration is not going to happen, but I will keep the memory of what should have been alive today on my blog. We miss you Dad, Happy 65th Birthday.

Hump Day

Happy Humpday everyone!!!! We're getting closer and closer to yet another fun filled weekend.

Tonight after work, Michelle and myself will be going to watch Hayley's Spring Time Choir Concert at the Morgantown High School Auditorium. I have yet to experience the spring event, but I have been fortunate to see the Christmas Concert twice, so this will be a first for me at attending.

It's just a little bit sad that the weather for the spring time concert is calling for rain. I can't say I am disappointed, we are needing the rain to increase the water table, I'm just glad it had decided to rain on days that I work this week.

Oh well, hi ho hi ho it's over the hump we go!!!!

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well this workweek started out just great for me. My work computer kept getting BSOD's on Friday and I had to find the problem. Wasn't the drive, we just reformatted it and rte0installed Windows. Now it's just a matter of putting all my software and data back on my computer.

* I did make a Pen Drive version of Kubuntu to restore all of my data from the crashed drive. It's just another Linux based live CD, it can run from a flash drive so that makes it nice. No need to worry about carrying around CD's or DVD's.

* It's been 788 days since Mine and Michelle's first date and 11 days since our engagement.

* Well Monday is finally over with, and now we are looking at Tuesday. We are making a little bit of progress towards the weekend.

* Visiting with everyone this past weekend I thought I would share a few updates. Mom is doing very well, she is getting around exceptionally well and it's hard to even imagine she just had open heart surgery a few weeks ago. Jean, Nana and Gary planted a whole lot of flowers over the weekend in front of the house.

* WVU will have their 141'st Commencement this weekend. Former President Bill Clinton will speak at 2:00 at the Coliseum, I am planning on attending. There are not too many times in your life you get to hear a President, either past or present speak, and I would love to hear him speak.

* Oh well one down and four more to go. Hi ho hi ho.

Let's Start This Again

All good things have to come to an end, and another weekend has come and gone. It's time to put the nose back to the grindstone and head back to work for the week. Look at the bright side, once we get today in it will only be 4 more days till another weekend.

Softball season resumes tonight with a game at 7:00 tonight. This is our third scheduled game, but only the second time we will be hitting the field for the season. Hopefully we can extend our winning streak to two games this evening.

I have to say it was a busy day yesterday. We stopped over to visit my Mom and then stopped over to see Jean. Grabbed a few pictures from yesterday, that are up in my General Pics 2010 album for all to see.

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day, an international day of celebrating Mother's is a day that has its very origins right here in North Central West Virginia. Anna Jarvis is credited with celebrating the first Mother's Day in Grafton.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all Mother's, Step Mother's, Grandmothers and everyone else a very happy Mother's Day today. I hope your day is filled with flowers and gifts and spending time with your children and grandchildren.

Hayley and Prom

Today came as a little bit of a surprise as we had less than an hours notice to know that Hayley would be attending the University High Prom tonight. She had a dress to wear, but no shoes to go with it. Off to the University Towne Center we went to find a shoe store. We pulled into the parking lot there at 6:41 PM and were leaving the parking lot at 6:46. Five minutes for two women to walk in and find a pair of shoes for a formal dance, choose the shoes, checkout and be out the door and heading back home. This has to be some kind of world record.

I have started a General Pics of 2010 Album on my website that I uploaded the pictures to so that they can be hosted. Inside there are also a few pics of the engagement ring.

Birth Certificate and other things

A couple of weeks ago I ordered my Birth Certificate, a document that I lost track of a number of years ago and to be honest had never really seen with my own eyes other than a quick glance one or two times.

Yesterday I received it from the Georgia Department of Health and Human Services (I was born in Georgia) and now have a certified copy of my birth records. They are safely put away in the safe with the rest of our important items.

I don't know why it has taken me so long to have enough common sense to get a copy of this, but I currently have it in hand.

Kim, Brittany and Michelle are planning on going to Buckhannon today to look at a Terrier puppy that Kim is wanting to buy. The Dog is a week old and she won;t be able to pick it up for another six weeks, but she is going down today to pick which one she wants.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes it is once again that time of the week that we all look foreword 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 once again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Hey I think the town is almost empty. Today is the next to the last day for finals at WVU (other than a few Saturday Finals), but most of the city's temporary residents have already packed up and left town. Most of the undergraduate candidates who will be back in 2010-11 have already boot scooted out out town, knocking the heck out of all the traffic that we have here most of the year.

As Morgantown is starting to transition from the University City to getting the local kids out of school and starting the summer programs, Movies on the Mon will once again be playing tis summer at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Riverfront Park, but that will start with the first Friday in June, so there is still a little bit of time to go before that starts.

Looking at Mylan Park, the WV Outdoors Sports Show ran yesterday and today.

Hi Ho Hi Ho, let's get this day over with...

SKYWARN®

As a professional geographer/GIS Analyst you are always looking to expand your capabilities and be able to add something new to a Resume that may help you out down the road.

A few weeks ago while watching the news, I saw a call for people to be weather spotters. It was from an outfit called SKYWARN® which is a group of trained severe weather spotters that report directly to the National Weather Service. I was thinking to myself it could be something to add to my resume and it looks like it might even be a lot of fun.

So this evening I will be going and taking the basic SKYWARN® class that is a prerequisite to be able to take the advanced class later down the road and certifications are good for a period of five years. I'm really interested in seeing what this is all about.

Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes

Hump Day

Well we have made it through two days this week, now it's just a trip over the hump and cruise on down to another weekend.

Jean called me yesterday afternoon all excited that she is now a geocacher. She found the Johnny Cash Cache that I had told her about previously. She seemed to remember right where it was at and managed to find it and sign the log sheet. I'm thinking that this was also my first find as well as Michelle's a year or so later.

One of our softball players is out for the year, and he is an avid photographer. Skip is the teams photographer this year and has put up a number of pics from our first game this year on his website.

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone.

Tuesdays' Tidbits

* Well it is Tuesday, I guess it is time for a tidbits.

* We started our softball season last night on a winning note with an 11-5 victory for our first game of the season. After the hard fought season opening victory, many of the team traveled to our sponsors and had a nice dinner out on the deck with the guys.

* For you people keeping track of the Christmas Shopping season, there are 235 shopping days left until Christmas.

* We, as in the team, are talking about taking the Limousine and a bus to the game in two weeks. It will be a late game and we just want to have a little fun with it. Should be interesting.

* I haven't gotten a chance to stop in and see Mom since she as sent home, I'll have to make it a point to check up on her this week sometime.

Let's Try This Again

Well last week we wee supposed to have our first softball game of the 2010 season. However Mother nature did not cooperate with us and with a good bit of rainfall our first game of the season was rained out and postponed until a later date. That was last week.

Tonight we will once again attempt to start our 2010 softball season with our first game of the season this evening. It rained basically all day yesterday and there is rain in todays forecast, so it may be guess as to whether or not Mother Nature will cooperate.

I'm ready to head to the ball park and enjoy all the fun that is associated with a good softball game.

A Big Thank You

Yesterday evening Michelle and I were invited over for dinner to my old Buddy Smitty and his wife Stephanie's house. It had been a while since I really got a chance to spend much if any time with John, and I guess he took the initiative to say it had been too long.

We were treated to a seafood dinner that included shrimp, scallops and mussels. I've always thought John was a very good cook, and once again he has come through with a very nice dinner.

From Michelle and myself, I would like to thank John and Steph for a great evening, we need to get together again sometime soon.

Our Day

P and P Family auctions will be having their monthly auction today at the Blue Horizon Flea Market.

A lot of big heavy equipment, trucks, campers and other such items appear to be on the agenda for the auction today.

This evening we are going over to my buddy Smitty's for dinner. I'll give me a chance to sit down and do a little BS'ing with him, which we are long overdue for a good BS session.

Should be a great day.