Back to Work

All good things must come to an end, and that includes those fun filled weekends that we enjoy so much. It's time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for another week of work so we can enjoy the luxuries we enjoy so much.

For me this will be the first week since the beginning of the year that I'll have full coverage for the week. One of us in the Geospatial group has moved on to bigger and better things leaving the other two of us full funding from this point on out. IOW my years worth of 30 hour work weeks is over. It was nice and enjoyable while it lasted, but I enjoy the security much more.

Not sure what the week ahead carries for me, but I think we are going to go to the Springs Festival once again with Smitty and Steph. We went up last year and I I bought a bushel of great red peppers that I loved. We head up early so Steph can get her doughnut holes from the Springs store. There are a couple of other places we like to stop at up there other than the festival.

Hi ho hi ho

The Morning After

Well so much for watching the shopping channel, I found something that kept my interest on ESPN yesterday afternoon as the West Virginia Mountaineers showed up as they beat the #11 Ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys 30-21 yesterday.

To say that I was surprised is an understatement, the Defense played like the defense of years ago. Smack you in the mouth and swarming tackling. That unit deserves a standing ovation. The Offense and more importantly clock management has been the problem, however Clint Trickett, someone who grew up in Morgantown watching Pat White took the reins and showed leadership skills that this team has been lacking on Offense.

I'm curious to see if there was any excessive celebrating going on last night downtown. This was a huge win for the program that played maybe one of the worst games I can ever remember last week.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again early in the AM, I am the only one here who has recovered from the butt kicking I suffered from the Sandman last night and I'm up collecting my thoughts. I've got HBO on and have no idea what was just on or what is coming on.

Well Martinsburg got the better of the Mohigans last night 28-21. I always said if you want to be the man you have to beat the man, I thought Morgantown would this year but that was not in the cards last night. These two teams will probably meet again this season in the State playoffs at some poin, if not in Wheeling.

The Mountaineers play today here in Morgantown. I'll probably watch it but after last weeks fiasco I have less faith than I had at the beginning of the year, and that wasn't that high. It's what most people would call a rebuilding year, but all I am seeing is regression from this inept team. The defense is playing great, but this Offensive Guru that we have as a head coach has managed a single 80 yard broken play touchdown as the only score this season against BCS level competition.

Probably staying home doing some chores and watching the game from my couch today, that way I can always change the channel to something more exciting like the shopping channel.

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.

Yes it is that time in Northern West Virginia. The smell of buckwheat emanates from the east and the Preston County Buckwheat Festival is under way in Kingwood. I personally love buckwheat cakes, Michelle not so much. Hayley and Jared went last night, and that was her introduction to the Preston County delicacy.

Looking for some football? We got football tonight. The 4-0 Morgantown Mohigans travel to three time defending State Champions Martinsburg in what could very well be round 1 of who will win this years title. I'll go as far as to say today that the winner of this game will be the state champion for this season. Parkersburg South visits Morgantown to take on the University High Hawks and Clay Battelle travels to St. Johns, OH to play.

Have a great weekend.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all my stored images, little lost moments of time that I have taken or collected through the years and select one and write a little about it. I try to either relive or recall what the significance of that picture is and relive it briefly. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task because I may know beforehand what I want to use and sometimes it's not so easy, it is however always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks pic goes back a few years, back when Miss Layla Marie was a young one and we took her and Trish up to Jean's for Halloween and Trick or Treating. She has grown up a bit since then, but she was just as much as a little cutie back then as she is today.

No particular reason I chose this pic, it just kind of stood out to me for this weeks Flashback.

Hump Day

Guess what day it is!!!! Woot Woot.

Yes it is hump day, the day of the week that when we go over the noon time hump, just on the other side of a photo flashback you can see the dawn of another fun filled weekend off in the distance.

Well I can't jinx the playoff run now, but the Pittsburgh Pirates are now OFFICIALLY in the 2013 Post season and have a winning record for the first time since Barry Bonds was skinny some 21 years ago. I almost forgot what it was like to get excited for October with the playoffs and the potential for the World Series. I'm just glad the Pirates have made it to the post season after 21 years of losing seasons.

Speaking of Baseball, my favorite HBO series East Bound and Down  which was supposed to end with the third season is now going to have a fourth and final season starting this Sunday. I'm kind of excited about it, but I'll probably have to record them all since they are all on too late for this old fart, although I have been under the weather the past few days and have went to bed even before the chickens.

Anyone notice the days are really starting to get shorter and the weather is getting colder? (sigh) I miss the spring time and summer, but I still like the fall. I just don't care for what comes after that.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well that dreaded Monday is once again behind us, we've left it in our dust and we are looking straight towards a Tuesday. Can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* It has been 2,020 wonderful days since my first date with my beautiful wife Michelle. I was blessed with the opportunity to pay her back for standing me up months earlier by taking her to a lousy movie.

* 1,243 days ago she must have forgave me for that lousy movie choice as she said yes when I proposed.

* 780 days ago in front of some of the best people to ever enter either of our lives we entered into the world of Holy Matrimony. It was a memorable day.

* I'm 316 days away from my third wedding anniversary with this wonderful woman.

* We are just a mere 98 days away from my end of the year blog for 2013, one of my favorite blogs of the year to write. It gives me a chance to look back month by month and reflect upon the things that have taken place in my life over the previous year.

* There are but 92 more shopping days left until Christmas. If you haven't started yet I have to ask why not, Wal-Mart already has their Christmas Cookie stuff out for the year.

* In 73 days we'll be traveling up north to see Jeff Dunham, Walter, Peanut and Achmed.

* In 68 days I'll be turning 21 once again (don't I wish).

* I talked to Mom yesterday afternoon briefly, as of the time of this blog she had not been released from the hospital yet.

* We bought Hayley a new Pink (Salmon) iPhone 5C this past weekend. She was way overdue an upgrade and we got her one. I think she was more interested in the color more than all the new functionality she just gained from the 3S. It is pink (Salmon) though.

* Speaking of the iPhone, we're all running IOS 7 now. It was a little tricky or different to get used to, but I like it.

* Jared and Hayley spent most of the weekend in Pittsburgh running some kids to the Zoo for Jared's Aunt. His truck broke down up in Cranberry so they stayed up there Sunday night as well.

* I have an old softball team mate who lives in Alaska, they got snow yesterday. Yikes.

* This is my 3,387th blog post since I first became a blogger.

* Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Kaiden Dalton

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Great-Nephew Kaiden Dalton a very Happy Birthday today. He is a growing boy and is starting to catch up to me in age, give it another 17 years and he'll pass me.

Amy had his and Kynlea's birthday party together on August 9th, because it's a lot less hassle on the parents to throw just one combined party with two cakes rather than two separate parties.

This is a picture of Kaiden at that party with the present he got from his Uncle Bubby, you can see his eyes lit up on that one.

Not sure what Kaiden is up to today, other than working towards his Doctorate in Nuclear Physics (yeah I know it's early), but if you happen to see Kaiden today, make sure you wish him the Happiest of Birthdays.

Happy Birthday Kaiden.

Weekend Wrapup

All good things have to come to an end and that includes the fun filled weekends. This one however really wasn't that fun filled, but it was still a weekend none the less.

My Mom is out of step down and in a regular room as of yesterday afternoon. They are going to do a stress test today and if all comes out OK they will be sending her home sometime today which I think they will. Everything seems to be testing good and the problem now has an identified culprit.

Other than that the Pirates have been losing, the Mountaineers should have forfeited and it hasn't been the best of sports weekends for me. Hopefully next weekend things will get a little better, but that's hard to say with the way that teams have been performing.

Should be the only one in the office today, I think everyone else is heading out to play a little bit of golf up in Preston County today leaving me to hold down the fort.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, Hayley and Jared are in Pittsburgh and Michelle is still sound asleep.

First off an update on my Mom, they admitted her to the hospital yesterday evening for observation after suffering from some chest pains. She had open heart surgery a few years ago so they want to pay extra close attention to her condition to make sure everything is alright before they release her.

Did get to watch about half of the WVU game yesterday. I just wonder of our fan base is still star struck with Oliver Luck or are they realizing the man needs to go along with his secret Head Coach in waiting project of a few years ago. I don;t think I have seen this program as low as it is right now in a long time. Who cares if you're making more money if you can't win, aren't competitive and the fans are slowly just backing away. I think WVU Athletics under Oliver Luck have sunk to an all time low, but hey he got us into a conference that is a geographical nightmare and we're making more money. Too bad we managed just 6 first downs with this Offensive Guru we have as a head coach and 0 points. 9 wins was unacceptable under a very credible and caring Bill Stewart who took a huge pay cut compared to Rich Rod. We're paying this meathead more than Rich Rod and Stew combined. Good Job Oliver Luck, now kindly leave.

Rant over.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the only one who has recovered from a losing battle with the Sandman from last night and I'm up watching the Johnny Depp movie Blow on Amazon.

Well December 6th is the date, Michelle and I along with Pam, Moke and Ang will be traveling to Piottsburgh to see Jeff Dunham, Walter, Peanut, Achmed and all the rest of the puppets when Jeff Dunham makes a stop at the Consol Center in Pittsburgh.

Today I think Hayley wants to upgrade her iPhone, she has been eligible since the first of the year and her iPhone 3GS is a lot outdated. Apple released the new version of the iPhone yesterday with the 5C and the 5S.

The Mountaineers travel to Baltimore today to take on the University of Maryland, I have little to no confidence today for winning, I just think that Maryland is past due. Dana Holgorsen made another statement about how he hopes they blitz, seems like every time he makes that dumb statement they do and we get plastered. I hope I'm wrong, don't think I am.

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.

Anyone seen the moon the past couple of nights, it has been a Harvest Moon and something to see that you don't normally see. 

Looking for a little High School Football? McKinley DC comes to Morgantown tonight to take on the undefeated Mohigans. University High takes their unbeaten record to Wheeling Park for a battle of the unbeatens and Clay Battelle has cancelled their game with Hundred because Hundred can't field enough players to play the game this week.

Some good news on the local college football front, WVU and Penn State will play a two game series in 2023 and 2024. The series was last played in 1992 and many long time eager WVU fans have wanted to see them back on the schedule ever since the last game was played.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my pictures that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments of time that I like to write and reflect about and spend a little bit of time reliving. Sometimes it's a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not so easy, it is however always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture goes back a number of years, back to when Gary was living in Masontown and was training for the US Olympic Cigarette Smoking team. He was going for the advanced division of smoking multiple ones at once through multiple entrances.

We had a cookout that day and everyone showed up and had a good time. Gary was the grillmaster and did one heck of a job training and cooking.

Hi ho hi ho

Guess What Day it is.

Well Monday we were off and now we have Tuesday in, now if you just peek up over that noon time hump, just on the other side of a Photo Flashback, you can see the dawn of another weekend off in the distance.

However we're not there yet and yesterday was my first day back to work from Vacation. It wasn't too bad for me, the guys took care of everything and had just a few things to do once I got back into the office, mainly exchanging changing a few things.

Michelle on  the other hand was S W A M P E D, so I had it much easier than she did returning, but she survived and still has a good deal of work to complete.

I do see that Sheila Eddy has plead not guilty  to kidnapping and first degree murder of Skylar Neese. Not to sure if I believe her, there is a blogger who has really stayed real close to the situation. Eddy was the unnamed minor that had her case moved to adult status a few weeks ago.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy 18th Birthday Calvin Michael McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my nephew a very Happy 18th Birthday today.

I have had the honor of watching him grow up and become a very tall man over the past few years, which is honestly making me feel older and older as now all of my nephews and nieces are now all officially adults.

If you happen to see Calvin today, make sure that you take a little bit of time out of your schedule and wish him a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Calvin.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday and my long vacation have now come to an end, it was a whole lot of fun and I really enjoyed myself, however I still can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* 2,013 days ago Michelle granted my the privilege of going on my first date with her.

* 1,236 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage.

* 773 days of wedded bliss and still going strong. I am a very lucky man.

* 324 days until my third wedding anniversary.

* 105 days until New Years Eve and the final blog of 2013.

* Only 99 more shopping days left until Christmas. If you haven't started yet, you still have time but it's a good time to start your planning.

* 75 days to go until I turn the big 5-Oh no I can't be half a century.

* I stopped up to see Mom and Gerald's new place yesterday. I really like the place and even told Michelle I could live there. Very nice place. I took her a spare router I had and worked on her computer a little bit, so now she is all ready to surf through her world of Midget Porn.

* Stopped by to see Terri after that, talk about a slow day, other than me and Mom and Gerald who stopped by later, we were the only ones there.

* I think we are a three weeks away from going to the Springs Festival  and two weeks away from BUCKWHEAT CAKES!!! Michelle doesn't care for them but I love them.

* I have to go back to work today....

* Hi ho hi ho

We're Back

All good things have to end and that includes awesome vacations in far away places. Still not back to work yet today as Michelle is having surgery on her foot this morning.

The vacation was awesome, I think my highlight was actually swimming with a school of Tuna and looking down below my feet and seeing a four foot barracuda right below me. I snapped a couple of pictures and  grabbed some pretty good video that I haven't done anything with yet. I have put almost all of the pictures up on Facebook for anyone who wants to see where we traveled. We had a wonderful time and we're starting to plan our 2014 cruise now already, I think we're going to change it up a little and head to a few different places.

A special Thanks to my brother in law Nick who got my Mom moved yesterday while we were away on travel. Kudo's to him for the assistance that he provided and to everyone who stepped in and lent a hand.

Back in Baltimore

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Well as this posts we are probably getting ready to head back under the Cheasapeake Bay Bridge once again as we head back to the Port of Baltimore and get ready for disembarkation.

Last year it took us a while to get off the boat, but we learned if you are driving and park at the terminal, you will be the first to be let off the boat and go back through customs one final time before returning to our car Pearl.

It has hopefully been a great vacation and you may see a live blog from me this morning after this one posts to discuss how our trip really did go. I can tether my phone, something I could not do at this time last year with AT&T, so I'll have internet available to me once we hit the bay.

We will be returning to Morgantown today and spending the day getting unpacked.

I'm already looking forward to next years cruise, but we're talking about flying to Miami and departing from there to find some new and different ports to visit.

We're back.

A Day at Sea: The Return

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Today is our final day at sea of our vacation. We have made visits to three wonderful ports and I hope we have had the opportunity to get some great pictures that I will be able to upload and share with everyone when we get home. 

The deals will be a plenty aboard the ship today, everything is state and duty free which means we will probably be doing some shopping on the boat and probably spend a little bit of time in the Casino sometime today. 

As I recall last year I struggled to find some WVU footballs scores, and being we are playing Georgia State today, I probably am not going to know very much about the game until we get back inside the bay tonight or early tomorrow morning. 

Tonight will probably be a formal dinner and a special send off like they did last year. At Dinner the staff and crew always perform a dance number that is usually very memorable. Tonight's will be the goodbye dance as this will be our final dinner on the boat. 

We should be going through the ever turbulent Cape Hatteras once again, hopefully I'll already have my seas legs and won't be affected at all. 

  

Freeport Bahamas

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Well today we will visit our third and final port when we dock in Freeport  Bahamas. Last year we didn't venture very far from the boat as there are a bunch of local shops around the dock. So when we visited last year it was raining and you have to travel to the local town to really do anything.

Last year we enjoyed the little shops, but this year as of the time of me writing this blog, I'm exploring options on things to do for this port. I'm still exploring excursions for this port, knowing we were planning on snorkeling at the previous two ports, we'll have to see what we can fins here to spice it up a little.

Tomorrow is a day at seas as we start to head back to our home Port in Baltimore.

Half Moon Cay

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Today will be the highlight of our cruise, we'll once again be at Carnival's private island Half Moon Cay. This is where the snorkeling was the best for us last year and we fully intend on snorkeling once again in this tropical island paradise.

Carnival goes all out here, they actually provide a cookout lunch on the island. They own the island, so they have a number of things they can do here that they really can't do anywhere else.

It is absolutely beautiful here and this has to be my favorite place I have ever been, if not on the whole earth. I wish everyone could be with me, but I'll do the next best thing and provide a video for all to enjoy. This was someone elses video from another cruise ship, but you'll get an understanding of what thisn wonderful place is like.



Tomorrow we head to our third and final Port, Freeport Bahamas.

Grand Turk

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Well we are visiting our first of three ports today, we are in Grand Turk and guess where we will be eating lunch at today? You guessed it, Margaritaville where you can find the worlds best calamari. This will be our lunch today, the rest of the day will be filled with snorkeling in the Ocean.

The water there is crystal clear and there is little to no vegetation in the water due to the high salinity content and the higher temperatures. This makes snorkeling optimal in my opinion and this will be what we will be most of the day.

Last year we did one video log, and it was after we visited Grand Turk. I'll try to do one for every day during the vacation, but I tried to do that last year as well.




Half Moon Cay, Carnival's private Island and our favorite port to snorkel is where we will be tomorrow.

Day 2 at Sea

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Well it is day number 2 at sea, we're still heading to our first destination of Grand Turk which we will be at tomorrow, but that is tomorrow.

If you are curious where we are at, you can track us with THIS, but don't try calling. They have not made it to putting cell phone towers in the middle of the Atlantic Just yet.

The picture that you see is my dessert that I have been eagerly awaiting since we got off the ship last year. That is the infamous Chocolate Melting Cake that everyone raves about. You can guarantee that I have had it every night at dinner thus far because it is nothing short of amazing.

Today we will be taking in the festivities on the boat and taking in a show or two most likely. As I recall the couples show is this afternoon and that was a lot of fun last year.

Talk to you tomorrow.

A Day at Sea

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Today will be our first day at Sea, last year this was the one time I got a little bit seasick as we were rounding Cape Hatteras and as we started to get out into the smooth ocean where it was crystal clear blue and something I just could not get enough of.

The picture of Michelle was taken from our room last year, but I learned quickly last year that you want to be port side so that you can witness the magnificent sun rises over the Atlantic Ocean. Last year in the back of the boat, we did not have the angle to see the sunrise or sunset, this time we are ready after our learning experience.

We will be partaking on a lot of the boats activities today or just relaxing on our deck. I will have already had my fill of Chocolate Melting Cake last night, so tonight's dinner will probably be the first of two formal dinners. My dinner tonight and I am going to be Hungry, Lobster. Yummmm.

We will be having our second day at sea tomorrow before we start pulling into ports later this week.

Bon Voyage

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Today is embarkation day. This is the day when we have all of our paperwork, boarding passes, luggage tags, passports and everything else we are taking and head to the terminal to get processed. This is a couple hour process and involves a good deal of waiting as they restock the boat that just returned.

We'll be leaving port at 4:30 PM and traveling through the Chesapeake Bay as we make our way out to the Ocean. It'll be tomorrow morning before we actually get out into the ocean, so tonight will be our first dining experience  of the trip when we meet our new table mates. Last year we had a wonderful couple we sat with, I just wish we could have both done it again at the same time.

It'll be a day of getting on the boat and getting situated. Maybe take in a show or the Bon Voyage show which is always a whole lot of fun. I promise that there are no boring times on a cruise ship, we'll have plenty to do. Since we already know this boat, less time trying to figure out where everything is. There is a Lido Deck Ice Cream machine that is calling my name.

Bon Voyage

Baltimore

I will be writing a series of absentee BLOGS while Michelle and I are on vacation. I'll be letting everyone know where we are and what we will be doing each day.

Today's Blog, we're heading to Baltimore, cause our cruise ship pulls out tomorrow afternoon. We went down and stayed in Baltimore last year, so we decided to do it again this year, we'll be staying just a couple of blocks away from the Inner Harbor, but this time we'll be within walking distance and in a much nicer part of town.

The image you see is the Mt Vernon Monument, our hotel is right beside this, these are all located in the inner harbor. Last year we visited the National Aquarium, but  we're going down a  little later this year and will probably try to do dinner at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company.

We will be right across the street from Camden Yards and also from the Convention Center. Last year they were having a comic book convention and there were hundreds of people dressed up in costume.

Wish us a safe journey.

Last Live Blog for a While

Well that day is here, it's time to pack up the car and head out. I have a series of blogs pre-written that will post every day including today about where we are and what we are doing. Today's blog should start about the time we are on the road.

How's this for planning, the cruise was paid for in February. Don't have to pay anymore. Because we paid so early we got the price protection and my wonderful wife was on top of it this year. We bought a $100.00 Coupon last year that could be used with the deposit and an equal amount used for onboard credit. Cruise Paid for, $100 of on board credit PLUS a price adjustment of $388 of additional on board credit for $488 of onboard credit. Staying at the Inner Harbor using credit card points, so that cost will be $0.00 plus the $25.00 that the hotel charges for parking. We're right in the middle of where everything happens in Baltimore, last year we stayed in a hotel that really wasn't in a nice part of town. Breakfast this morning will be at IHOP where I bought a 50% Friday coupon a couple weeks ago on WVAQ's 50% Fridays, so breakfast is paid this morning. Let's just say we planned VERY well this year.

Hope everyone has a great day.

BON VOYAGE!!!!!!!

Big Ole Hairy Firday

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 and the start of my VACATION!!!!!!

Starting later tomorrow morning, I left the early slot open in case I feel like writing tomorrow morning, I have a series of pre-written blogs that will post. Each one will discuss where we are at that day and what we will be doing that day. Make sure that you check the geographic links at the end of each blog post for any mapping information as to where we're at. These were all written last week in preparation of us leaving tomorrow and being gone for a while.

This will be my second extended break as a blogger (cruise last year was the first time) where I will not be writing a daily blog due to the fact that I'll be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean and the internet will be the last thing on my mind. In nine years, this will be my second opportunity to step away from my blog for a while and just relax. I WILL NOT be available once we leave port.

I would talk about some High School Football action tonight, but I think I'm starting my vacation just about...

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and reflect on all of the digital images that I have stored on my computer and around the net. I like to select just one of those lost moments in time and write a little something about it. Sometimes this is a pretty easy thing to do, and sometimes it's not so easy, it is however always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks photo is one that goes back all the way to the Summer of 1978, back when I was much thinner and actually had follicles growing out from my head. This is the first picture that was ever taken of all of my siblings together at the same time. It was done a second time in 1988 when my sister Pam got married, once again in 1999 when my Father passed away and a final time on Christmas Eve in 2007.

I always tell everyone I used to be tall, skinny and have hair and my brother Gary used to be short, fat and bald (although his hair has grown out in this picture). We just changed places and positions. I'm still the Oldest and he's still the youngest, but I think our attributes of height, hair and girth have switched places.

The picture was taken at my Grandmother's (my as in I lived with her) when we had a summer cookout from yesteryear. I remember that my Dad had a Suzuki 750 at that time, but a friend of his borrowed it and died on it later that summer.

This was the summer after my Grandfather had passed (hence we wearing the Elvis shirt) and Van Voorhis Road was still a two lane road at this time, I have a Geocache hidden close to the location of where this was taken and where My Little Home in West Virginia (name of my Geocache) was played numerous times.

Have a great day.

Hump Day!!!!!!!!!!!

Guess what day it is? Go ahead you can say it, you know you want to. It's Hump Daaaaaaaay!!!!!!

I'm sorry, but that to me is Geico's best ever commercial and it'll never get old. That was pure advertising gold and a stroke of genius. I guess you just never know where that inspiration comes from.

I don't know about anyone else, but I find myself thinking of what I am going to be doing or where I will be at in exactly one week as opposed to being in the now. This long awaited and anticipated vacation is just a few days away, I can even count the days now on one hand. Heck, it's only 107 hours until we are pulling out of port on the boat.

There is a call for help this weekend, my Mom and Gerald will be moving on Sunday the 15th to their new home up off of Scott Avenue and will need all the help that they can muster. I'll be returning from vacation and since Michelle is having surgery on Monday, will have a lot of shopping and laundry to do that day once we get back. I'm sure that Nick can use anyone and everyone's assistance to make this move. The timing of this and me booking our vacation 7 months ago didn't work out for the best, so anyone who can assist it will be appreciated.

Hi ho hi ho

2,000 Days Ago

This picture wasn't taken 2,000 days ago, it was just 2,000 days ago that my life forever changed for the better. I was going to do this as a Photo Flashback, but thought that 2,000 days since mine and Michelle's first date warranted it's own blog.

To my wonderful wife, Thank You.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well that dread Monday that I didn't have to work is now over with and we're getting ready to start another week of work. Can't think of any better seasoning than that do do a tidbits.

* It's been 1,999 days since I was blessed to go out on my first date with the woman who would forever change my life.

* 1,222 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage ton this wonderful woman.

* 759 days ago in front of our closest friends and family we exchanged our marital vows and were wedded as Husband and Wife.

* I have 337 days to go to think of something for our third Anniversary.

* 119 more days to go until New Years Eve.

* 113 more shopping days left before Santa Claus rears his head down in this region once again.

*  I've got 89 days to go until I turn the big 5-0.

* This is the final countdown that will appear in 2013, we have 5 days to go until we go cruising once again. I've already pre-written all the blogs for the days that I will be away and on vacation.

* We bought another underwater camera this year, even after last years fiasco, this year we purchased the Nikon Coolpix S31. Theone we purchased last year crapped out on us and got water in it, we were forced to buy a disposable 35 MM camera, but we were forced to have the pictures developed. We're trying another underwater digital camera again this year with a 2 year warranty that includes water damage.

* I've been doing my research on DSLR cameras to upgrade my point and shoot. I'm wanting something a little more professional with interchangeable lenses, I think I'm leaning towards the Nikon D3100 as my choice. It out performs the Canon i5, which is a couple classes above it.

* We did some of our final shopping yesterday before the cruise, Michelle picked up three bathing suits from Elder Beerman with a $335 price tag for $63 total. I guess going on vacation at the end of summer has it's financial advantages.

* If you would like to follow along with us next week on our cruise, this website should let you know where we are at usually within a couple of hours of reporting.

* This is blog # 3,362

* Have a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Labor Day

Happy Labor Day. No pre-written blog this morning and no early early blog as I have slept in this morning.

Went to Pam and George's yesterday for a cookout and had a great time. They once again put on a big cookout and prepared lots and lots of food for everyone as they usually do.

I got a chance to sit down and talk to George for a while, something I really haven't done for a while and just catch up on a little bit of everything. From family feuds to firerarms to work, I think we covered quite a few subjects. He even talked Moke into getting a couple of his handguns so we could fire them.

The weather did hold up for the pic nic, not too hot and it didn't rain while we were there surprisingly, so that made for a very pleasant day weatherwise. No sunshine, but this time next week I'll be on a boat heading to the sunshine. =)

Happy Labor Day.

It's a Pic Nic Kind of Day

Well here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from a losing battle with the sandman and am up collecting my thoughts for the day. I think the sequel to Christmas Story is playing on the TV, and I'm surfing the net.

I think we're going to my sister Pam's for a picnic today, Michelle's foot is starting to feel a little better, but that is the cortisone kicking in. I just looked at the weather and it seems to be calling for Thunderstorms today (like that is a surprise from the wettest summer in history), so this might actually put a little damper on the days plans. We're planing on going, weather permitting, there is a flu bug going around and we don't want to jeopardize our vacation that we have been preparing since February for.

Anyone watch the Mountaineers yesterday? It's going to be a loooong season.

Have a great day