Sunday Morning Blog

First of all thanks to Michelle for asking me "Did you Write a Blog?" If it were not for those magical words I would have completely forgotten to write anything this morning. I guess I got a little too sidetracked playing Texas Hold Em on Facebook this morning. I did win a round one game for the shootout to enter round two.

We managed to get a number of things done yesterday including some much needed shopping. Clothes, decorations, pricing soda and a few other things were on the agenda for yesterday. I did get my wedding gift from Michelle, a Garmin Nuvi 1300LMT GPS. Maybe this will help me stop getting lost when I travel anywhere. Now maybe I won't get lost as much as I normally would.

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Well I am exactly one week away from getting married and still have a number of things to get done.

Last night we met with Bill, the guy who is marrying us and took a trip to the venue to get a few ideas. I think we are going to do the vows nice and simple as opposed to some longer drawn out version. Bill's bucket list included marrying someone and he really wanted to do ours, so we agreed to let him do our wedding.

Took another trips to Sam's yesterday to get all the plates, cups, silverware, napkins and things like salt and pepper for next Saturday. We actually loaded the car down with stuff and we have go out and do more shopping this weekend for the rest of the food.

Beer has been ordered, flowers have been ordered, extra tables have been reserved, cake order has been delivered, but we still have a number of things to do and places to go today. It's going to be a busy day no doubt.

Happy Birthday Josh Nicholson

Today is one very special little biys birthday, today is Josh Nicholson's birthday. val had his birthday party for him last month, where he received a go cart from Mommy and Daddy.

We all met at Krepps park to help him celebrate his birthday with family, friends and lots of food and fun.

If you see the birthday boy today, make sure you wish him a very Happy Birthday.

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!!!!

In case you have not noticed, there are 1 or 2 or 70,000 Motorcycles that have came to town for West Virginia Mountain Fest at Mylan Park. I would say if you are driving around today, be very careful because there are a lot of visitors around down riding motorcycles. Plan ahead, give yourself a little extra time to get to where you are going and that way you can manage to keep your sanity with all the extra traffic.

Just for the record, this will be my last working Friday as a single man.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback ThursdayO

Once a week I like to use my blog as an excuse to look back through the thousands of pictures that I have on my computer from the years gone buy and share it and tell a little story about it. This weeks picture was an image from my first real GIS company that I worked for in Frostburg Maryland called VARGIS.

VARGIS was opening up a satellite office away from their Sterling Virginia base and I was in the original group of compilers that was hired by that office. There were actually just five of us, the two in the front (notice how cute the bald one is) and the three that were behind the two of us up front. There was someone from the Sterling Office and a pair of workers who had traveled clear around this rock from Hyderbad India to teach how to compile 3D geosptatial data.

It was a time in my life when I was literally commuting 600 miles a week back and forth to work for my first real GIS job that actually gave me benefits as well as a paycheck.

I sometimes miss Frostburg, I don't miss that daily commute, but I miss the office and the people that I worked with.

Speaking of GIS Jobs, Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well that's two days down so far this week. If you look up over the noontime hump, you can see another weekend just off in the distance. I say that we start to head over towards that weekend and finish up this work week.

We're starting to finalize a few more things including our wedding (cupcake) order from the cupcakerie here in Morgantown. Our wedding cake will be a series of cupcakes and these ladies make the absolute best ones in town. We're doing a Reese Cup one (guess who picked that one), a very vanilla one, a Neapolitan one and rasberry lemonade.

Oh well, so much for cupcakes.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Daniel Edwin Bell

For any of you that are lucky to see Daniel Bell today down in Kentucky, make sure that you wish him the happiest of birthdays today. If my math is correct 27 years old today, that should put him back to being born somewhere around 1984. Wow, if Daniel is 27 now how old does that make me feel?

Anyways, the picture you see if of Daniel and his lovely wife Kamey and her two lovely daughters Shaina and Taylor.

Happy Birthday Daniel Bell, enjoy this years birthday and celebrate it with three beautiful young ladies.

Happy Birthday.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is once again behind us and we are staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* Mine and Michelle's fist date was 1,229 magical days ago.

* It's been 452 days since our engagement, I wonder how significant this will be after the next fact.

* 11 more days until our wedding. My final 11 days as a single man, it was a nice ride, but I'm ready to finally get to this part of my life.

* I think we have narrowed down our choice for Vacation/Honeymoon. We're liking the idea of heading to Ocean City for a few days. I haven't been to the Beach since the weekend before I started college, I guess this would be another good time.

* I hope everyone is enjoying a nice break from the ridiculously hot weather.

* Tonight at 7:00 at Krepps Park, Hillbilly Gypsies will be playing. Good times although I doubt if we have noodle salad.

* Hi ho hi ho

Back to the Grindstone

Well, this weekend has now went from present day to a place in our memories. It's time to put our noses back on the grindstone and start to concentrate on the things that help us pay our bills, that nasty little thing that always ruins a weekend called work.

Just realized this will be last full week of work as a single man as I will be taking off Friday the following week to prepare for the wedding the next day. We still have not decided on where we are going to go for our honeymoon, we've thrown a few ideas around and come up with a time frame and have estimated our budget, so now it's time to decide what we want to do and where we want to go. The clock is ticking, so I'll need a game plan sometime between now and two weeks from now when we might be leaving.

Well the good news is the NFL lockout is about over with, everyone has agreed to the terms and now the players must just approve the offer they made and the owners approved. I would say it will be settled today in my opinion.

Other than that, Hi ho hi ho

From Busy to Relaxing

Being that Michelle's bachelorette party was last night, I don;t think that Michelle is going to have any motivation at all until this afternoon. She said she had a great time last night, thanks to all who helped out or allowed her to have one, she had a huge smile on her face when she got home this morning.

Hayley showed me a great way to get music yesterday, it's called VideotoMp3, all you do is paste the address to a Youtube video that you want and it will extract the audio from the video and give it to you in mp3 format. I thought it was a nice little tool if you are only looking for a song or two. I've always like Bit Torrents, but that is usually for whole albums or an entire collection.

So, today should be a nice relaxing day.

Busy Day Planned

Busy Day planned today, Michelle has to go to the beauty shop to have her hair colored, Chad has an eye appointment, I have to find time to go to Mom's and fix her computer, I have prescriptions to pick up and drop off, grocery shopping at Sam's and Wal-Mart, work in a nap for Michelle because tonight is her bachelorette party.

I would say that we have a full day planned for the two of us.

Last night after work Michelle went to Amy's for a Mary Kay party. She said that she had a great time and ordered a good deal of product. Jean is going to have the next one from my understanding, so it sounds like hosting a party worked out pretty well for Amy. I know last year Michelle had a Pampered Chef book party and we did really well.

Temps are supposed to be high today, but thunderstorms are in the forecast, so it could make it hot and muggy, but that's OK with me because in case I have never mentioned it before, I HATE SNOW.

Have a great day.

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!!!!

No movies on the Mon tonight, but the big news is that they are trying to arrange for a Brad Paisley concert at the Mylan Puskar Football Stadium sometime in the near future.

Ladies, my niece Amy is having a Mary Kay party tonight at her place. Michelle and Jean are going to ride up after work, so no Milano's pizza for me tonight. Although with this hot weather I don't know if I was really in the mood for a hot pizza.

Have a great weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

It's once again that time when I look back through all of my old pictures and pick just one out of my past to talk about. This has become one of my most favorite BLOG of the week to write because I get to walk down memory lane.

This week's picture was taken probably about 1973-4. When I was a kid I would go to the Morgantown Speedway out at Cheat Lake. It was a time when everyone in town would spend Saturday Night at the Speedway, because that was the place to be and the place to go. It was a 1/4 mile dirt track and a load of fun.

Like every other race car fan, I had my favorite driver, and my favorite race car driver in the 70's was Morgantown's own Mike Cole. Mike ran the semi-late division and was in my opinion the best driver at the track. (Note the stylish Evil Knievel T-Shirt and the stylish pants I was wearing).

The speedway is now gone, but it will always be embedded into my memories as a fond time of my childhood.

Hi ho hi ho

12 Years Ago

It was twelve years ago today, a day that will forever embedded into my memory as one of the saddest days of my life. It was twelve short years ago that my Father George Edward Hall Sr passed away at Ruby Memorial Hospital.

A lot has happened in those twelve years, four weddings so far (Val, Kim, Amy, and Moke) with one more coming up. He would have seen three beautiful Great Grandchildren (Erica, Josh and Kaiden) enter this world. All of his grandchildren have graduated High School with the exception of Calvin who is still in High School. One son Graduate from WVU and two Grandchildren enroll at WVU.

He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten and his legacy lives on.

Erica's Surgery

Erica jean's Surgery went well, she was in surgery for less than an hour and was home by early evening. In her honor as I am writing this, I'm eating some Ben and Jerry's ice cream. I'll help her out and make the sacrifice...lol

I guess Amy's place got hit by lightning yesterday morning. It knocked her fuse box out, killed her Bedroom TV and DVD player and knocked out her satellite. I have a 20" TV with a DVD and VHS players that I purchased about four years ago that I'm going to give her. It's been just sitting in the bedroom collecting dust, so I figure she can put it to good use.

How do you like this weather? It's Summertime baby!!!!!


Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is once again behind us and we are staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, so I can;t think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* 1,222 days since mine and Michelle's first date a little over three magical years ago.

* 445 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to the woman I love.

* In 18 more days that woman will become my wife. We have the rings, have the license, have the person will will marry us and we have the venue.

* Went out again last night after work and bought more food for the reception. Jean went with us and we went to and got 60 lbs of hamburger for her to start cooking. She'll be making cabbage rolls, sambusa and baked spaghetti, so we are preparing to feed an army. There are still a number of things we will need to get before our day arrives.

* Big day of meetings today, I have a webinar that I'm hosting to an international audience and then a nice long meeting with the sequestration team.

* Erica Jean is having her tonsils and adenoids removed today, it should just be a simple surgery, so I guess that means she gets ice cream.

* Remember that NEXT Tuesday that the Hillbilly Gypsies will be having a free concert at Krepps Park, the concert will start at 7:00.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

One weekend is over with, but there are only four more fun days until another Friday. I guess you have to look at the optimistic side of the worst day of the week, so everything has an upside including Mondays.

Dinner last night was awesome, we found some really nice, thick and tender steaks at Sam's that we through on the grill last night for dinner. I have to confess my guilt that my taste buds love a good steaks with sauteed mushrooms and onions smothering the top of it with a delectable taste that you just want to slowly enjoy and savor. I have to say that the vacuum sealer we bought marinates steaks very well to say the least. It was a meal fit for any king and Michelle prepared them to perfection.


Anyone notice that the Pittsburgh Pirates are 5 games over .500 and 1/2 game out of first place? Barry Bonds was a tall lanky kid the last time the Pirates were above .500 this late in the season and contending for first place. Go Tribe and Go Bucs.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Once again I'm up early, didn't awake before the roosters today, but still up pretty early. Michelle's Bridal shower went pretty well yesterday, I've put the pictures from yesterday up on MY SITE that Michelle has taken.

I think Michelle had a blast, even after the shower she and a close friend who she hadn't seen since High School came back to the house to catch up on things. Holley ended up taking me and Michelle out to dinner later on before she started to head back north. It was a pleasure to meet another parrothead.

Once again another heart felt thank you to Chris and Jes especially, but also to all who attended and helped Michelle with this special day. I could just tell by the look on her face, that was a very special day for her.

Back to normal, grocery shopping we must do.

Michelle's Bridal Shower

Well our big day is getting closer and closer, three weeks away from today and preparations are under way to get this party started.

Today is Michelle's Bridal shower. She is starting to get a little nervous, but I know she is also getting excited. A special thanks to her Sister Chris for all the work she has done and to the best wedding planner around, Jes thank you for all that you have done. I know Michelle really appreciates everything that you two have so selflessly done to assist her and help her get this bridal shower organized.

I'm sure she'll grab a few pictures today, I hope I can teach her to take clear pictures and remain calm when her finger is on the shutter.

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!!!!

If you are looking for a great movie to see and even for a better price, tonight's schedule for Movies on the Mon is the movie Despicable Me. I saw the movie on Netflix this past week and loved it, I wanted to see it in the theater last year. So, if you are looking for a little cheap, as in free entertainment, grab your favorite butt cushion, some snacks and head on down to the Amphitheater for a good evening of fun. It's also Family Fun Fest night which means the inflatable jump tent will be up and running tonight for the kiddies.

We went out yesterday after work and bought some of the food for the wedding reception. We did manage to eliminate renting any equipment that we had priced about a month ago. We came in under budget for the stuff we were going to rent and we get to keep a few nice chafing dishes. We're not done by any stretch, but we have a good start on the stock items like veggies, butter, flour, sauces etc. We still have to purchase the meat, but we're waiting till a time closer to the reception to do that. With the wedding getting closer we're now starting to finalize everything that we need to.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I take a little bit of time to look back through my tens of thousands of digital images and pic one and reflect upon. This weeks picture is no different, maybe not one that has been lost or hidden, but one of my favorites.

I was living at Barrington North and Mom and Don were living in Georgia and had come up for a visit. They had stopped over to see me and brought Terri over with Val and Amy. Mom snapped this keeper of me and Terri on my back deck. It was a time long ago when I had hair and was much, much thinner than I am these days.

I would date the picture at around 1985 or 86 if I had to make an educated guess. I don't remember too much about the day, but I do remember that it was a day that Mom and Don were in for a visit.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well we are past both Monday and Tuesday and up over the horizon is yet another fun filled weekend. I do have to say that work wise this week has gone by rather quickly, we have been busy with the preparation of a couple of Atlases coming up over the next 15 months or so. One a multi country effort and one a US effort that between the two will keep us busy for a while.

I found out last night that Val totaled her car yesterday evening, she is OK, the kids are OK everyone is physically OK. Her car on the other hand is probably finished with a smashed front end. I spoke to Gary first and Val later to confirm everyone is OK.

Jean was finally released from the Hospital right before then from her short little stay. She says she feels fine and is ready to go, she didn't want anyone to know she was in there, but some of us didn't listen.

Everyone is OK and it's a go for this weekend.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is now in our rear view mirrors and we are looking straight down the barrel of a Tuesday. I can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* It's been 1,215 days since I had the pleasure of taking Michelle out on our first date. Dinner at Pizza Hut and that wonderful movie 10,000 BC.

* It has been a total of 438 days since I got down on one knee at 4:00 in the morning and proposed marriage.

* We are at 25 days until that proposal becomes marriage.

* It's Angela McClain's birthday (reminder)

* The Josh Judy Official Major League strikeout count still stands at 3. he's back in AAA Columbus, but should be called back up at various times throughout the season.

* Hi hi ho hi

Happy Birthday Angela McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Angela McClain a very Happy Birthday Today. Ang has been in the family for a number of years, her and Moke go together like lamb and tuna fish (Big Daddy reference) and it has been my pleasure to first get to know her and last year help welcome her into our Family on 10-10-10.

If you get a chance to see Ang today, make sure that you wish her the very happiest of birthdays today.

Happy Birthday Ang!!!!

I don't air out dirty laundry on the internet

As much as I would like to just scream at a few people, I refuse to step to the level of some. I want to write this blog and just scream at the top of my lungs about how mad I am right now.

But I won't do that, so this is a very short blog.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning

It's another Sunday Morning, which means it's our day to get our grocery shopping done for the week. I've always liked shopping on Sundays, considering that we are busy during the week and I like fresh vegetables to take for lunch, this is the one day I can get vegetables and have them the freshest by weeks end.

Michelle and Jes went out yesterday and assembled some nice personalized gifts for the bridal shower next week. I have to say they were very creative, or at least more creative than I ever could have been, but then again I'm a guy and lack that creativity. Michelle took a few pictures, but they are on her phone, I'll wait until her Bridal shower is over with and maybe get some pictures from her so that I can share them on my blog.

Our raised Garden is growing, we pulled up our lettuce as It grew very tall and started to get a little bit of a bitter taste. Same with out Broccoli, it kept on flowering so we had to pull up all the plants. The peppers are doing well, the Cabbage is growing and I underestimated how may tomatoes are on a tomato plant, there are more growing than we will ever eat.

Have a great Sunday.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Once again I sit here in a quiet house, early in the AM and just collecting my thoughts. I'm watching the award winning Pauley Shore is Dead on the boob tube, because it's just the best thing on TV at this hour. Sad I have hundreds of channels and a Roku and this is what I'm watching.

Michelle and Jes will be doing a little bit of shopping today in preparation of next weeks bridal Shower. Going to be grabbing a few game prizes and maybe a little bit of shopping for the wedding that is just four short weeks away from today. I've got one or two things on my todo list that I need to get done, so I might take advantage of Michelle spending the day with Jes and gather some pictures and start putting some music together for the reception.

In some sad news other than Betty Ford passing away, the NCAA has accepted the punishment WVU Football has implemented upon itself for the improper use of coaches and extra practice time under former coaches Rich Rodriguez and Bill Stewart. It includes two years of probation, loss of two scholarships last season (already done) and loss of one during this recruiting year. The good news is we are not suspended from any Bowl games, won't have to vacate any wins like Ohio State just had to nor be suspended from any Post Season or Conference Championships that this team could win in the upcoming season.

Have a great Saturday, this is what we work for.

Big Ole Hairy Good 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 those of you looking for soem cheap, as in free entertainment tonight, Movies on the Mon is playing the Karate Kid. So grab your favorite butt cushion or sit on the bleachers, gran you some snacks and go to the Amphitheater for a really good movie. I've seen it a couple of times, and I am pretty sure we even went to the Theater to see it. It's worth a watch if you haven't seen it before.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

It's once again that time of the week when I take a little bit of time out to look back through all of my old pictures and look for that one special picture to write a blog about.

This weeks blog goes back a number of years, back when my sister Pam went from being a Hall to being a McClain. A day when two young kids exchanged wedding vows a number of years ago, when going for Ice Cream was the thing to do and before Moke or Calvin were even a twinkle in their parents eyes.

It was a nice day, a day when two families joined together and there was a wedlock that has lasted until this day.

Easier times, simpler times, less complicated times.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well do I count that as two down or just one down? Who cares, it's Hump day and just over this horizon is another weekend for us to enjoy.

Last night Michelle went over and met with Jes, who has been helping us plan our wedding to go over a few things for the Bridal Shower in a couple of weeks. They are doing a little brainstorming and probably having a few legal beverages going over some games for the Bridal Shower. We're lucky to know someone like Jes and we both owe her a very bug thank you.

I think we are not planning anything this weekend so we can take some time out and get some things ready for the wedding and the bridal shower.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Even though we had yesterday off, we are still looking at starting the week with a Tuesday, can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* It's been 1,208 days since mine and Michelle's first date.

* 431 days since our engagement.

* 32 days until the wedding.

* The official Josh Judy Major League Strikeout count is currently at 2. He had his second one Sunday.

* Pam and George had a 4th of July cookout yesterday, everyone had a great time. I put all of my pictures from yesterday on my picture site. I had a few I stuck on facebook, but the juicy ones are on my site.

* Hi ho hi ho

Happy 4th of July

235 years ago today, a group of men met in Philadelphia and declared that we the Colonies were going to be Independent of England and we were going to form our own country.

Today we are going to the McClain residence for a what promises to be another great cookout. Pam and the grillmaster George will once agin this year host a get together at their place full of food, fun, family and friends and Michelle and I have the honor of being able to attend.

It's going to be a great day.

The Sunday Morning After

Another annual Rosiak Party has once faded into memory. Once again Frank and Pat Rosiak put on one heck of a shindig with lots of old and good friends, plenty of food, and of course a chance for me to break out my water cannon for its annual usage.

They had a waterslide that some of us took advantage of. Layla had a lot of fun riding it and you might have even seen a portly man ride it a few times himself.

Thanks once again to Frank and Pat Rosiak, had a great time once again this year.

Josh Judy is BACK in the Majors

I had a hunch something was up yesterday, I just had a strange feeling that Josh was going to be called back up in the VERY near future. Chris Perez was added to the Teams Bereavement list and Josh was once again called up to the active roster for the Indians.

The Official Josh Judy Major League Strikeout Count continues. Count is currently at 1 and Still counting.

Josh currently has 12 saves so far this season for the AAA Columbus Clippers.

This is his second OFFICIAL (as in Regular Season) stint in the Majors.

Enjoy it Josh.

Rosiak Party

It's once again that time of the year when I break out my water cannon for an annual mega water battle that is the Rosiak 4th of July Party. My cannon and I will be attending our 14th annual water battle this year ans we are looking to soak a few people.

Yes it is the Frank and Pat Rosiak annual 4th of July Pic Nic today. An annual event that I have attended a number of years and Michelle will be making her fourth appearance at today.

There are a few days that I use for a benchmark during the summer time, one is obviously the Jimmy Buffett concert in Pittsburgh. The other is this Pic Nic that has become such a big part of my life and summer. Frank and Pat have opened their home to a slew of guests over the years and have always opened everyone with open arms.

I'll be taking my camera and my faithful water cannon to today's festivities.

Big Ole Hairy Three Day Weekend 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 Three Day Weekend Hairy Friday!!!!

I hope everyone has plans for a great holiday weekend, I have a couple of cookouts we are planning on attending. The annual Rosiak 4th of July Pic Nic is tomorrow and Pam and George are going to have a cookout on Monday. Hopefully the weather holds up for the entire weekend.

Have a great day and a better weekend. Hi ho hi ho let's get this holiday party started.