Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from that daily loss to the Sandman and am up collecting my thoughts and surfing the WWW. TV is not on and I noticed it is only 10° outside, so I might head back to bed and my electric blanket in the very near future.

Michelle got all of the W-2's done yesterday so she may be off for the weekend instead of having to go in. She thought she was going to have to work, but it looks like she may not have to now.

I ordered a book from Amazon this week and it arrived last night. Probably a skill I am going to need to brush up on a little to stay ahead of the game. I've also been looking at other avenues to export and present information. I just got a copy of Office 2013 installed here at home, it has the capabilities of doing dynamic heat maps that previous versions of office does not. It's pretty simplistic, but the end user has to have Office 2013 for it to work properly and all of my clients have Office 2010 installed. I'm ready for them when they do a system wide upgrade to Office although I'm hearing we are going to Office 365.

No plans for the day yet, I have done a lot of work on the Hall Family Tree this week. I currently have 124 people in the database and it is growing. I've been adding pictures and information about people as I come across it. A few trips to a graveyard or two with my camera will probably help solve a few of the mysteries and help me fill it in a little bit better. I've got a request from Alaska to get a picture of a certain tombstone, so I guess I can add that to my list of things to do. I've added her entry to Find a Grave and have even started to update a few entries there.

Have a great day and stay warm.

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.

Well with the coming storm being one contributing factor and the fact that it's getting towards the end of the month and Michelle works in accounting for a good sized corporation, her time is probably going to be very limited due to getting W-2's and Quarterly Taxes done on time. So this may be a weekend at home for me doing probably not very much. With the snow storms that are due to come and the Super Bowl this weekend, it may be just a good weekend for me to stay home and watch sports.

The Mountaineer Men's Basketball team will take their 17-3 record and try to get number 18 tomorrow at noon against Texas Tech. Hopefully we can pick up the win as we have already beaten them 78-67 on their home court earlier this season. If they win this one we will have topped last seasons win total and it's still only January.

Other than that not a whole lot going on around Morgantown this weekend. Something tells me the weather will dictate what I do this weekend more than anything. If Michelle doesn't work this weekend, there will probably be a trip or two to a clothing place so she can get some new clothes. She's down about 45 pound since surgery and needs some new duds.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look through all of my pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years. Little lost moments in time of days gone by, relived here briefly in my blog. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not so easy, it is and always has been a whole lot of fun.

This weeks pic is actually one I stole. My cousin Lynne actually had taken the picture and it was one that I had never seen before until recently. It was a picture from I am going to Guess Christmas Eve 1982, but it could be 1983 judging by Gary's height at that time.  The image was taken at Dad's and had my sister Terri, brother Gary and sister Pam all posing for this shot.

After looking at one of my previous photo flashback's and the fact that I am wearing that exact same sweater the next morning, I'm guessing that this was Christmas Eve 1983.

It seems like it was only yesterday, we were all young and innocent with our lives fully ahead of us. Heck even the house hadn't had the second addition (previous owners built the first) added on as of yet.

I'm guessing that we all had Hot Sausage that night and we all fought for leftovers the next morning.

Hi ho hi ho

Wednesday Wisdom

* The more you like yourself, the less you are like anyone else, which makes you unique.-- Walt Disney

* Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment. -- Jim Rohn

* If you're trying to achieve, there will be roadblocks. I've had them; everybody has had them. But obstacles don't have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don't turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it, or work around it. -- Michael Jordan

* By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest. -- Confucius

* A day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work. -- John Lubbock

* Experience is not what happens to you; it's what you do with what happens to you. -- Aldous Huxley

* You've got to go out on a limb sometimes because that's where the fruit is. -- Will Rogers

* Wisdom begins in wonder. -- Socrates

* Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal. -- Henry Ford

* Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise. -- Sigmund Freud

* We are made wise not by the recollection of our past, but by the responsibility for our future. -- George Bernard Shaw

* I'd rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven't done. -- Lucille Ball

* Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just sit there. -- Will Rogers

* Honesty is the best policy. -- Benjamin Franklin

* The young man knows the rules, but the old man knows the exceptions. -- Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

* The greater our knowledge increases the more our ignorance unfolds. -- John F. Kennedy

* The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention. -- John Burroughs

* Don't taunt the alligator until after you've crossed the creek. -- Dan Rather

* Nine-tenths of wisdom is being wise in time. -- Theodore Roosevelt

* The doors of wisdom are never shut. -- Benjamin Franklin

* I Hate Snow -- George Hall

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well once again the week has started and Monday is behind us and we are once again staring down the barrel of a Tuesday. Still can't think of a better reason to do a Tidbits.

* 18,685 days ago I was born. Down in Georgia at an Army Base that my father was stationed at.

* 3,908 days ago I fulfilled a lifetime dream and graduated from West Virginia University. I took the better late than never attitude approach.

* 2,509 days ago Michelle and I went out on our first date. Pizza at Pizza Hut and out to watch the movie 10,000 BC.

* 1,733 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle.

* 1,270 days ago in front of our closest friends and family we exchanged our marital vows and became Husband and Wife.

* I have 6,152 days to go until retirement, give or take a few hundred here or there.

* I have 338 more days of content to write before my Goodbye 2015 Blog is written and posted.

* There are still 332 more shopping days left to go until Christmas. If you haven't started yet, don't feel bad as I'm sure most people haven't even began yet.

* 308 days to go until I add another year to my anniversary of my 21st Birthday. This will be my 31st Anniversary in case anyone is counting.

* In 110 more days my niece Brittany will be Graduating from West Virginia University.

* There are only 52 more days to go until Springtime.

* This is my 3,937th Blog post that I have written in the little over a decade that I have been writing George's Journal. I wouldn't even want to guess a word count that to that total or even a picture count that have appeared here.

* Next Monday is Groundhog Day. I've sent Phil some fine cigars, some liquor and a midget female groundhog prostitute with another one on the way. I'm going to try to have him so out of his mind he won't see his shadow.

* Big snow storm we were supposed to get here, somehow didn't make it here. Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow?

* Still working on the Hall Family Heritage site. I have a long way to go on this, but I'm getting there.

* No plans this upcoming week for us, Michelle has been putting in long hours and will probably be working this weekend to help get all of their W-2's out on time. It is tax season.

* I did see and talk to my Sister Pam last Friday, I forgot to ask her how Calvin is liking Fairmont State. I know he has classes on Saturdays, but that is about all I remember from the conversation.

* Michelle is doing great on her weight loss, I think the last she told me is it is 67 lbs overall and 40 since surgery. I've put on 10 or 12 pounds since Thanksgiving, come on Springtime.

* I realize that during this time of the year, when it's cold outside and the days are short. That I don't have a very exciting life. My life is much more exciting in the Summertime when I can get out and around.

* Have a Great Day

* Hi ho hi ho

Dreary Monday

Well all good things must come to an end, and that includes those fun filled and relaxing things that we like to refer to as weekends. Now it's time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living and that pays our bills. It's Monday and time to get back to work.

I'm not sure what it is looking like outside yet, but I did put both Mine and Michelle's windshield wipers up yesterday in anticipation of all the snow we are scheduled to get. Hopefully I can get out of here this morning before everyone starts to commute and people get stuck in my driveway like what happened a few weeks ago. Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow?

Yesterday was a pretty relaxing day, took a couple of naps as we did our shopping early and had most of the laundry done from the day before. Since there wasn't really any football yesterday (next weekend is the Super Bowl) other than the Pro-Bowl last night that I did not watch, it was a day of not much to do as we had everything pretty much done early in the day.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from that losing battle with that dreaded Sandman last night and I'm up early collecting my thoughts. Not watching TV yet as I will probably go back to bed sometime in the very near future.

Yesterday was a pretty good day, Mom had been in the hospital for a couple of days for observation so I stopped by yesterday morning to see her. They released her yesterday and are going to schedule and endoscopy with her on Monday. The procedure won't necessarily be on Monday, but they can't schedule it until Monday so that gave her two options, stay there and wait for them to schedule it or go home. She chose to go home and I can't say that I blame her.

Michelle and I finally made it out to see American Sniper  yesterday. We realized that it had been 2 1/12 years since we had been to the Theater, last seeing Ted in July of 2012. It was a great movie and my suggestion is for everyone to see it if they get a chance. Surprisingly tickets at noon were only $8.00 each and a soda and a popcorn with my AARP card were a $3.00 discount.

We are in for a big snow storm starting this afternoon, calling for as much as 8" of snowfall over the next couple of days. Not sure if I have ever mentioned this before, but I Hate Snow. I'm more than ready for Springtime. Maybe it's time to get a female groundhog prostitute and a case of cheap liquor and send it to Phil, but I still need to bribe Mother Nature. Now what to get her.,..

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to awaken from a losing battle with the dreaded Sandman last night and I'm up watching the last episode of Orange is the New Black on Netflix as there is really nothing else on the boob tube this morning. I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day and surfing the net as usual.

Michelle must have been doing her dancing yesterday because I look outside and see this white stuff laying all over the ground. Not sure if I've ever mentioned it before, but I Hate Snow. We're only a few days away from Phil's Day, maybe now would be a good time to get the rat drunk so he's too blind to see his shadow. Of course that strategy didn't work at all last year.

Our plans for the day will probably depend upon Michelle's health. She has been coming down with that same flu bug I battled a few weeks ago. We would like to go to the theater to see America Sniper, but I guess that will depend upon Michelle's health if we go anywhere. It's just that time of the year when we don;t make a whole lot of plans as it's not a whole lot of fun to be outside.

Come on Springtime.

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.

Not sure what plans we may have this weekend, I know Michelle is starting to get a touch of the flu bug that I had last week. It all started with a sore throat and then got into my sinuses, so she could be coming down with the same thing that I had. It might just be a stay at home weekend since it is that time of the year when we really don't make any plans to do anything.

One thing that we may do this weekend is actually go and see a movie that we wanted to see last weekend but never got around to it. American Sniper is a movie that has garnered both of our interests in seeing it, and this just may be the magical weekend in which we do make it to the theater. I think the last movie we saw in the theater together was Ted when it was released.

I know there is one thing that I would like to do sometime in the near future. I want to take a trip to Wise Library and visit the West Virginia and Regional History Center. It's part of the WVU Library but separate, I've talked about taking Michelle there for years, I just haven't gotten around to it.

I hope everyone has a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look through all of the pictures and images that I have either taken, scanned or stolen from the internet through the years and select one. One little lost moment in time to relive here and tell a little story about. Sometimes this is pretty easy, and sometimes its not that easy, but it is always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture goes back at least 21 years, that is my Mom and my Dad and that cute and adorable little one is none other than your truly in what may be one of the earliest pictures ever taken of me.

My guess is that this picture was taken at the Fort Gordon, where my dad was stationed and where I was born. I'm assuming that because my Dad is still in his Military Uniform and this appears to have been a professional picture, so I'm making a few assumptions here.

Now as far as my math this is 2015, I was born in 1963 so 2015-1963=21 give or take a few decades lol.

Have a great day,

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well I now have my dreaded work week started, of course I didn't work on Monday, but it is still Wednesday and I can see the dawn of another weekend off in the distance. It's time to start planning what we are going to do the next time we have a couple of days off and I think a movie is in store.

First off Congratulations to my Nephew Calvin, yesterday was his first day of classes at Fairmont State as he starts his journey to further his academic career. He only took one semester off since graduating High School, so I am glad to see him getting back into the classroom so early. To say that I am proud of him is an understatement at the very least.

My advice for Calvin as he starts his academic journey is the same advice I give everyone for college. Show up every day, sit up front and listen to the lectures and take notes, if you have a question or there is something you don't understand simply ask and finally let your professor know who you are. Visit them in their office hours or just say hello to them occasionally. When the semester is over with and they are filling out grades and you need a favor so to speak, it's more likely going to be given to a student that they seen every day as opposed to the ones who never came to class. Saw that too many times.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well my wonderful four day weekend has come to a conclusion and it is time for me to head back to work. I can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* 18,678 days ago I entered this world, I am thankful for each and every day that I get to add to that total.

* 3,901 days ago I graduated from West Virginia University. It was something that I had always wanted to do, but waited until later in life to actually begin that journey.

* 2,502 days ago I went out for a pizza and a movie with a pretty special young lady who would change my life forever.

* 1,726 days ago I proposed marriage to that very special young lady, I was lucky enough for her to say yes.

* 1,263 days ago, in front of our closest friends and family at the Marilla Center, Michelle and I exchanged our vows and became Husband and Wife.

* I have about 6,159 days or so to go, give or take a few hundred here or there, until I retire.

* There are only 345 more days left until my Goodbye 2015 BLOG is written.

* There are only 339 more shopping days left to go until Christmas, if you haven't started your 2015 Christmas shopping yet there is no worry, you still have plenty of time.

* I have 315 more days to go until my next birthday.

* In 198 more days Michelle and I will celebrate our fourth wedding anniversary.

* In 117 more days my niece Brittany will graduate with her Bachelors Degree from West Virginia University.

* There are only 59 more days to go until Springtime!!!!

* This is my 3,930th blog post that I have written for the decade old George's Journal. It has been a long time in development and I try to make subtle changes when I make any changes at all. Still the same basic look and feel that it had when I started.

* My wonderful wife is down 37 lbs since surgery and 64 lbs since May. Me on the other hand has gained a few pounds back since the Holidays. Time to set up another goal and work towards it.

*  Michelle and I have both determined we want to see the movie American Sniper, I've seen some great reviews on it.

* I made a few of DVD's this past weekend of Jean, I think Val's is the only one that was requested that I have not made yet.

* Still waiting to see what happens with our contract at work before we make any vacation plans for 2015.

* One thing we all do need to do is start planning now for the 2015 Family Picnic. I think last years went pretty well, considering it had a secret agenda of Christmas in July as we referred to it knowing Jean's health condition. One thing we did not anticipate was Mick's condition.

* We did get our tax software last week, I have everything filled out and we are just waiting on the "official" paperwork for everything before I finalize and file.

* Starting to do some research for mine and Michelle's Spring trip that we have been taking the past few years. The last two we have went to Washington DC and have pretty much covered the entire National Mall, but there are places we have not seen like Arlington Cemetery. Also starting to look into someplace like Niagara Falls as neither of us has been there yet.

* Looking at the year ahead, we might actually start doing 5K Run/Walks this year. My sister in law Chris and daughter Amanda have done a number of them, maybe it's time to start joining them as a motivation.

* Do I really have to start the work week?

* Oh well, Hi ho hi ho

Extend that Weekend

Today I am fortunate, I am one of the lucky Americans who get to extend their weekends yet another day as we take a little time out as a nation and celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr as we ceremoniously celebrate his birthday, although his actual birthday is shared by my wife and sister in law on January 15th.

I am fortunate to be off today, Michelle on the other hand unfortunately has to work today so I'll be home alone. Probably watching a movie or two unless I can find something creative to get myself into like photo or video editing. I do want to go back through all of the family VHS tapes and make sure that I got everything off of them and converted. I think I have, but before I give all the tapes back I want to make sure that there is not some extra footage somewhere else on the tapes that I may have missed. That would be a tragedy to miss out on that so I just want to be sure.

I managed to make a couple more DVD's from the life of Jean Hall for my nephew Moke and my Sister Pam. I gave them to her last night as she stopped by after work. I've made one for Jerry and I know Val wants a copy of one made as well.

Have a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Nihat "Nick" Rehmani

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Brother in law Nick, a very Happy Birthday today. I'm not sure what number this is, but I know he is at least 21 years of age..lol

Nick spends a lot of his time working as a contractor and getting his business of marketing up and running. I know he does spend countless hours working his butt off trying to get this thing going strong, he has that inspirational drive that will be the key to his success. 

I'm not sure what Nick or Terri have planned for today to celebrate his birthday, however if you happen to run into or see Nick today, make sure that you take a little bit of time out and wish him a very Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Nick.  

Sunday Morning

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from that losing battle with the Sandman last night and I'm up early as usual collecting my thoughts for the day and surfing around the net. At this point I honestly do not even have the TV on yet and and just sitting here with the only sounds being my fingers running over the keyboard as my creativity presents itself.

Michelle and I had a great day yesterday, the weather was nice and we were able to get out and around the town and do some shopping. She needed some new clothes so we hit up a few places for her to shop.

Yesterday evening we did make it to the P and P Family Auction in Cassville. The only thing we bought was an antique potato ricer as it reminded Michelle of times growing up with her Grandparents, more of a nostalgia thing than a practicality thing but it was in fact something that she wanted, so she won the auction.

Typical chores for us today, finishing up laundry and doing our weekly grocery shopping later this morning. Other than that no special plans for the day. I'm off tomorrow for Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday, but Michelle has to work, so I don't imagine we will get into too much of anything today other than our typical Sunday stuff.

Have a great day.

Happy Birthday Layla Rosiak

I would like to take this opportunity out to wish a very special little girl a very Happy Birthday today.

It was seven years ago today that the world was blessed with this awesome young lady, she is someone who has touched and warmed the hearts of everyone she has met. She is a very special little lady that Michelle and I just love to death.

Not sure what Joe and Trish have planned for Layla today, but if you happen to see this little girl today, make sure that you take a little bit of time out and wish her the happiest of birthdays today.

Happy Birthday Layla.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the first to recover from a losing battle with that dreaded Sandman yesterday evening and am up watching something or another on HBO and collecting my thoughts for the day.

I'm starting to feel better after being down the past 36 or so hours. I was burning up Thursday evening and as sick as I had been in years. I felt better yesterday, but still a little under the weather and feel much better this morning.

Brad Paisley was in concert here last night and will be in concert for the second of his two shows this evening. Judging by the posts on Facebook that I have seen it was an awesome concert and others are anticipating another great show this evening. They say Country Roads was amazing.

An old softball rival or team mate (depending on what decade you are talking about) passed away this week. A viewing will be this Tuesday for Terry Lake prior to cremation. I'm going to try to make it down Tuesday as a show of respect and support. Terry was a great guy and I enjoyed our conversations every 4th of July.

For those of us not going to the Brad Paisley this evening, and you are looking for something to do, my Brother in Law Jim is having an Auction at the Cassville Firehall this evening at 6:00. If you are not doing anything and are looking for a great deal, this is the place to be.

Have a great day.

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 an even further extended weekend for me.

Yes I am off once again today and I will also be off Monday due to Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday which is a Federal Holiday, meaning I will be enjoying a nice four days off. Woo Hoo

I did get a little bit of bad news yesterday Morning, Terry Lake a guy who I played softball with for a number of years and always had a great time with him at the Rosiak Family 4th of July Picnic's passed away this week. Terry was a great guy and we remained friends well past the days when we would first compete against each other and were later team mates on some of those great Recourse teams that we had. Terry was part of the reason that I went on my lifestyle change, Terry was also Diabetic and had lost the lower half of his right leg a couple years ago and to me that was an absolute eye opener. I'll miss my Summer Water Battles with Terry in the summer and the reminiscing of our years of playing softball that we would always spend an hour or so talking about every 4th of July. He will be missed and not forgotten. Rest In Peace Terry.

Have a great day.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years. Little lost moments in time that were captured with a camera lens and are stored on a couple hard drives at my home. I like to find just one special picture and tell a little story about it for my Blog. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task, and sometimes it's not so easy. It is however always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture was pretty much the start of our weight loss journeys. It was Memorial Day Weekend and we took a day trip to Black Water Falls for the day. This weekend was symbolic because this is right after we had met with our dietitian for the first time and was what we will both call the starting point of our weight loss together.

We are going to have to take another trip there again this year to do a "one year after" picture just to show how much weight the two of us have lost since we traveled there last spring. It was the start of a lifestyle change and the start of a new life.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Michelle Dawn Hall

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the my beautiful wife Michelle and her sister Chris (on the right) a very Happy Birthday today. I am so very fortunate to have had this amazing woman come into my life, that I can not even begin ton express my thanks and gratitude. I love her with all of my heart.

We have no plans today, we're both in the middle of a work week and we're both battling a little bit  of the flu as she even came home from work yesterday sick. Hopefully we both feel better today.

If you happen to see either my wonderful, amazing and beautiful wife Michelle or her lovely sister Chris, make sure that you take a little bit of time out and wish these two a very Happy Birthday today.

I Love You with all my heart Michelle, and I wish you the happiest of birthdays today.

Hump Day

Two days down, now all we have to do is get up over the noon time hump today and everything will be all downhill after that. It's Hump Day!!!

I have to admit that I had my flu shot this season, but I have been battling that nasty thing I will refer to as the crud the past few days. I would characterize it more as a sinus infection with a slight fever more than anything else. No complaints though if this is as bad is it gets, I guess I can consider myself pretty lucky to have avoided anything like this the past couple of years.

Anyone reading about all the crime that is going on around Morgantown lately? There was a robbery at a residence close to where I live, and armed robbery down the road from where I live and not to mention stabbings across town earlier this week. When did Morgantown become such a crime infested place to live? What has happened to my city that has caused stuff like this to happen with this frequency anymore. It's a little disturbing to say the very least. Not as bad as the idiot who tried to rob the gun store down the road last month, hand that guy a Darwin Award.

I have finally made some additions to the Hall Family Tree this past week. I made a few edits and added quite a few people as well as updated a few pictures. If you have not received an invite e-mail from me, please get in touch with me and I'll set you up for full access to the site if it pertains to you. It sat idle all Summer, so now I am updating it.

Have a Great Day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well that dreaded thing we refer to as Monday is now once again behind us, other than having a pet monkey named Mr. Squibbles to party with the sloth can I think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* I have been around for 18,670 days so far. That's a little over 51 years for those of you wondering, that I have been here on earth trying to make it a better place.

* It was 3,894 days ago that I graduated from West Virginia University. I started late, but better late than never is what I say.

* 2,495 days ago on a cold spring Saturday evening, I took a woman out on a date for the first time. I had known her for years, even got stood up by her once the first time I asked her out, but I finally got her out for a night on the town.

* It was 1,719 days ago that I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle.

* 1,256 days ago, in front of our closest friends and family at the Marilla Center Michelle and I became Husband and Wife, exchanging our marital vows before feasting on a wonderful dinner.

* There are only 66 more days to go until Springtime!!! I'm ready already.

* In 124 more days my niece Brittany will graduate from West Virginia University.

* I'm 205 days away from my fourth Wedding Anniversary.

* It's only 322 more days to go until my birthday.

* If you haven't started your Christmas Shopping yet, you still have plenty of time as there are still 346 shopping days left still.

* I have 352 more days of content to add to the blog before I publish my Goodbye 2015 Blog.

* This is my 3,920th Blog that I have written for George's Journal, it's been over a decade to get to that number of posts but we are still going strong.

* I have about 6,166 days or so, give or take a few hundred here or there until I retire. I'm already a member of AARP and have been since I turned 50.

* Have I ever mentioned before that I Hate Snow?

* The new Baseball Park's construction is still moving along, I'm getting excited to see a few games there this spring and summer.

* I have a Doctors Appointment with my regular physician this morning. Just a routine checkup/followup from last fall.

* In case you haven't noticed, and I'm quite sure that you have, the peace and quiet that was the Christmas break around Morgantown is now over as all the students are back and classes started up again yesterday. Traffic will be bad now until Spring Break and then until the end of the Semester in May.

* The Mountaineer Men's basketball team tries to rebound from Saturday's loss to #17 Iowa State Saturday Night by taking on #16 Oklahoma tonight at the Coliseum.

* I am now officially 0 for 3 in the College Football Playoff Predictions for the year, Ohio State beat Oregon 42-20 to win it all last night. Good thing I don't gamble..lol

* Michelle and I were talking this past weekend about the Farmers Market in Morgantown, saying she couldn't wait for it to open up again. Well from 11:00 to 1:00 on Saturday at the Wesley United Methodist Church it is open this Saturday. CLICK Here  for their schedule on what is in season.

* I've changed a few subtle things around with the layout, there is now a search feature that allows the user to search anything that I have written about or linked to from this blog. It is located on the sidebar.

* I updated the blogs that I link to, deleting old blogs that no longer exist and updating current links.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Morning

All good things must come to an end, and unfortunately that also includes those fun filled things that we love so much and call weekends. Now it is time to stop all of the enjoyment and get back to doing what it is that we do for a living for the next few days until we can find another weekend.

Today is a pretty exciting day around college football, this season was the first season where there was actually a playoff to get to the College Football National Championship Game. Ohio State and Oregon, winners of the semi-final games will battle tonight for the first Championship Trophy. My guess is that this will be a very watched game being that it is the first one and a large fan based like Ohio State is playing in it. I'm horrible at making predictions, but since I am not emotionally tied to this game here it goes. Even though I was 0-2 in the semi-final games for predictions, lets see if I can go 1-2 or 0-3. I'm picking Oregon to win tonight's game. Ohio State is playing their 3rd String QB and Oregon is just a perfectly working machine of an offense that I think will win the first title. Morgantown native Rob Mullens is Oregon's Athletic Director.

Looking at the week ahead, it appears that we are going to get a break this week from last weeks blistering cold weather that we experienced. Looking at the week ahead, I have a return visit with my regular Doctor tomorrow morning at the POC and my wonderful wife and her sister share a birthday later on in the week.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Sandra Bell

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a very special lady a very Happy Birthday today. Special in as if it were not for her, neither I nor two of my sisters would be in the picture to the left. Today is my Mom's day of the year that we get to tack on another number. By last count, I believe this is number 72 for this wonderful young lady.

Not sure what her and Gerald's plans are for the day, and judging by the weather I would imagine it's not much, but I would like to extend this heart felt Happy Birthday Wish to my wonderful Mother.

If you happen to see Sandra Irene Bell (aka Mom) today, make sure that you take a little bit of time out and wish her a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Mom.

Sunday

Here I sit once again, in a quiet household being the first one ton awaken from that losing battle with the dreaded Sandman last night. I'm up early watching Wedding Crashers on HBO and collecting my thoughts for the day.

Well yesterday was a less than stellar day for Sports Teams I cheer for. The Mountaineer Men's Basketball team dropped a game here at home to Iowa State 72-74 to drop their record to 14-2. The WVU Women's Basketball Team lost 62-66 to 5th Ranked Baylor. Long Time Pittsburgh Steelers Defensive Coordinator and member of the NFL Hall of Fame Dick LeBeau resigned from the Pittsburgh Steelers and intends to pursue coaching somewhere else, this was not a retirement. It was a less than stellar day for my favorite sports teams to say the least.

I did get a few videos posted to Youtube yesterday, all of the old VHS tapes have been converted, now it is just a matter of going through and editing the significant parts and publishing them for everyone. I have some older tapes as well that I already had converted years ago with my Brother in Law, maybe I can put some of those out. They were done years earlier and the tapes were not as diminished as they appear to be now.

Normal Sunday for us, grocery shopping this morning and one last load of laundry to do and we are pretty much done for the day. Michelle ended up going into work yesterday to get a lot of the payroll straightened out since there were so many rates of pay during this pay cycle for their corporation. I stayed home and stayed warm and didn't go anywhere. Sometimes we really do lead a pretty boring lifestyle..lol

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here I sit once again in the early early morning, I am once again the first one to recover from getting knocked out by the Sandman last night. I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day and watching the Hangover Part III on HBO.

As I look at the temperature outside it is a blistering 3° F outside with a sweltering wind chill of -11° F. I'm a shorts and sandals kind of guy, so to say this is not my kind of weather would be a bit of an understatement.

If you are looking for for something to watch this evening, the #14th WVU Men's Basketball team hosts the #17th ranked Iowa State Cyclones this evening at 8:00 at he WVU Coliseum. This should be one of our toughest tests of the year so far as Iowa State has a darn good basketball team.

As for Michelle and I, it's just that time of the year when there are no plans and nothing we really have to do so we are probably going to stay in and stay as warm as possible today. Maybe it's a good day to watch a few movies or something good on Netflix. Call it a couch potato kind of day with nothing on the days agenda with the exception of maybe a mid day nap. =)

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.

Actually I'm off today, so it will be an extended weekend for me. I'll be heading out a little later this morning to do our weekly Sam's Club shopping and a few things around the house or town.

No plans this weekend other than just simply staying warm. Wind Chill yesterday morning got to -15° F and it was a bit uncomfortable to say the least. I'm not a big fan of cold weather, snow or even winter once it gets passed the holidays.

We learned yesterday that former Governor Arch Moore  has passed away. I was never a big fan of the man, his politics or anything about him, but my condolences go out to the entire Moore family during this time of mourning.

Have a great day and stay warm.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look through the tens of thousands of pictures that I have stored. Little lost moments in time that I have either captured with my camera lens, scanned or just stolen off of the internet. I like to find just one special image and post it up and share it on my blog. Sometimes this is really easy and sometimes I struggle to find that one special picture, but one thing that it always is is a whole lot of fun.

This picture goes back a little over seven years, my favorite childhood comedian was making a stop in Morgantown and my Sister Pam and the immortal Gallagher stop and take a picture with us right before he went on stage.

Notice that Pam and I both had our rain suits on, as Gallagher is pretty famous for smashing watermelons and and just getting the crowd as messy as he possibly can when he does his sledge-o-matic routine that I think I can still recite word for word today...lol

Have a great day.

I Hate Snow Wednesday

Not sure if I have ever mentioned this here before, but I Hate Snow. Not just a little bit, but I REALLY Hate snow and all of the treacherous travel that goes along with it.

Van Voorhis Road yesterday morning was an absolute joke. Michelle got out early and went to work, she must have just left in the nick of time because that is when everything around the house started getting bad. Cars in ditches, trapped on hills and even people with chains on not being able to make it up around the turn. I have an all-wheel drive Legacy and I couldn't even get out of the driveway most of the day because of all of the gridlock due to the ice and snow around the hill.

Where was the State Road Crew and the Salt Trucks? This was absolutely ridiculous as I can usually wait an hour or so later and get out after they treat the roads. I have to wonder if the state even has any drivers left as I don't think I saw a state road truck all yesterday morning to open things up around the hill where I live.

I've seen road conditions bad before, but I can't say that I have ever seen the state road so un-prepared in my life. Budgets need to be upped or they need to start chopping heads from the top down as this is completely unacceptable.

Have a Great day and try to stay warm.

Tuesday's Tidbit

* Well the work week is off to another start and we have Monday in our rear view mirrors now, now it's time to turn our attention to Tuesday and I still can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* It was 18,664 days ago, at about the time this blog posts, that yours truly entered the world.

*  3,887 days ago I fulfilled a lifetime dream and graduated from West Virginia University. I seen it as better late than never.

* 2,488 days ago on a chilly night, I took a special lady out for dinner and a movie. 10,000 BC was probably the worst movie ever made, but the night was a total success as I met my soul mate.

* 1,712 days ago, right in our back yard, I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle. See next bullet for her answer.

* 1,249 days ago in front of our closest friends and family and the Marilla Center, we exchanged our marital vows.

* There are only 73 more days to go until Springtime. Considering what the weather looks like outside, it can't get here soon enough.

* Have I ever mentioned here before that I Hate Snow?

* Brittany Graduates in 131 more days, she is getting ready to start her last Semester at WVU.

* Michelle and I are 212 days away from our fourth wedding anniversary.

* We are 329 days away from my Birthday.

* If you are planning on your Christmas Shopping this year, you have 353 more days of shopping to get it done.

* In  359 more days, my Goodbye 2015 Blog post will post. I have plenty of time to add content.

* In about 6,170 days or so, give or take a few hundred here or there, I will finally enter the world of retirement.

* This is my 3,912th blog that I have written for George's Journal.

* Now that the holidays are over with and days are still pretty short, this has to be my least favorite time of the year. Although my most favorite time of the year (Spring) is slowly approaching.

* I'm not sure if I have ever even mentioned it before here, but I Hate Snow (A Lot). Give me springtime with birds a singing and flowers a blooming.

* I have converted all of the old family VHS tapes to digital (found another one Sunday Evening), now it's just editing and putting them out on Youtube. I'm trying to get some creative ideas now that I have so much footage AND a great Camcorder that someone very special bought me for Christmas this year.

* After take the Family Medical Leave Act a few weeks ago to take care of Jean, my Sister Pam has finally returned to work.

* It's time to start planning events for 2015, namely the 2015 Picnic.

* WVU has a new Athletic Director to replace Oliver Luck, Shane Lyons was named yesterday as the new Athletic Director.

* The Baseball Park is really progressing, it's really starting to look like it will be ready for play in the very near future, I can't wait to attend a few games this year for both WVU and the West Virginia Blackbears. 

* Not sure if I have ever mentioned this here before or not, but I HATE SNOW!!

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Morning Blues

All good things must come to an end, and that also includes those fun filled things we love so much called weekends. Now it's time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for another week of doing what it is we do so we can enjoy our weekends so much. That dreaded Monday is back and it's time to get life back to normal.

This was a productive weekend as I did manage to get all of Dad and Jeans VHS tapes converted to a digital so that I can put them up and share them on places like Youtube. Some of them I have to go through and edit out what I would call undesirable or offensive to some family members portions of the tapes before I publish them. I've got a few people who have contacted me about converting some of their tapes, which I gladly assist and do it for them. These are magical lost moments in time that are captured in both video and audio, these are must save files so that future generations can see what we did. All of my videos are on my channel here.

Looking at the week ahead, it's time to get back to normal after the shortened weeks due to the Holidays and get back to normal. The Thanksgiving to New Years "Eat what you want" Holiday season is now over with and I've actually put on a few pounds, now it's time to get back to doing what I have been doing since May and continue my weight loss journey.

What can I say about the temperatures, yesterday morning it was 60° F here in Morgantown and looking at the forecast ahead they are calling for it to drop to 6° F here on Wednesday and are calling for snow storms tomorrow. Time for everyone to rush to the store for Beer, Milk, Bread, Eggs and Toilet Paper.

The students will start coming back into town this week with classes beginning again here in Morgantown next Monday.

Hi ho hi ho.

Sunday Morning

Here I sit, yet once again going on just a couple of hours of sleep. I was the last one to lose my battle with the dreaded Sandman last night and the first one to recover from that losing battle last night. I'm up early once again and I'm getting an early start converting old family VHS tapes to digital format.

Me and Gary found all of the old family VHS tapes last night and I bought a converter last night and am converting many of the old tapes to digital format, including my Brother Gary and his band winning the Preston County Buckwheat Festival Battle of the Bands, which I have attached at the end of this post. So far I have 4 tapes converted, the one posted, an hour and a half tape (not all of interest) of Christmas 1988, Brittany's first Birthday party at Dad's, Valarie's Little Miss Pageant from 1989 Val and Her best friend Heather were back to back contestants.

I've still got some more converting to do today, hence why I am up bright and early. I'm quite excited to be able to capture, convert, store and share so many old family memories from over 30 years ago that my Dad captured with his VHS camera.

The Better Late than Never Christmas Eve Video

Sorry that this took so long to do, I had it started then a double death in the family on Christmas Eve warranted my video making attention elsewhere.

Here it is, our Christmas Eve 2014 Video

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from a losing battle with that dreaded Sandman last evening and I'm up early collecting my thoughts for the day. The TV isn't even on yet, but I'm contemplating turning it on and watching something. I've been up for about an hour sitting here in the peaceful quietness that is our living room.

Our plans for today are simple. It's past the New Year and Christmas is now behind us, it's time to take the tree and all of the decorations down and prepare them for another year as we say goodbye to Christmas 2014 in this household. I will still have my Mom's tree to break down, but I know they tend to like theirs up a little longer so I'll wait until she is ready to pack it away before we actually do pack it away.

This evening the Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Playoffs in Pittsburgh. Michelle bought us new Jersey's for Christmas, I got Antonio Brown and she got Heath Miller so something tells me we will be breaking those two new Jersey's out for their initial wearing. Terrible Towels will be waving and we will be cheering on the Steelers.

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.

Well I guess you can call this my third work week this week alone, as I was in for a for a few hours on Monday, I was off Tuesday, worked a few hours Wednesday, off yesterday but today is a full day before I get to start the weekend.

No immediate plans for us this weekend, other than our normal weekend chores and the things that we normally do. It was a trying week, so relaxation may be whats in store for us most of the weekend, that and watching the Steelers play the Ravens.

Have a great day.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Today's Photo comes as a live blog for the first time. So it's going to serve a double purpose to help answer a question that my sister Pam asked me yesterday.

She asked me if her and Gary were ever Baptized. I told her that they were both Baptized as young children, although I can't remember if there were two different Baptism's or if they were both Baptized at the same time. I do remember being there and being at the front of the Church with Dad and Jean at Drummond Chapel (Now Suncrest United Methodist) Church in the early 70's. The Reverend who performed the ceremony for both of the was Harper Callison (picture to the right here in a tie with my Grandfather) who passed away a little over 20 years ago.

I was Baptized by Reverend High, who proceeded Reverend Callison, but Pam's question to me was about hers and Gary's situations. If they need to find their records, this is where they need to start as I was in regular church (as opposed the Children's Church with Mrs Willard) that day(s) and that was a big treat for me as I got to go with the grown ups.

Now that is Baptism, confirmation if the Methodist Churches do it are a completely different story.

First Live Blog of 2015

Well we are now here on the other side, it's now 2015 and the start of a whole new year. A new set of goals, dreams and hopes and a time that we now look ahead not back on the previous year.

Michelle and I went to the Brookhaven Firehall last night to celebrate New Years with Sharon, Lynne and that portion of the family. Unfortunately Michelle had a tough time eating some pizza toppings making it an early evening for us as we headed back home and to bed prior to midnight. They planned to play games and have a great time, but we missed out on the fun this year. Sharon messaged me and said it was the craziest game of charades ever.

Looking at the day ahead, I've got my pork roast and my sauerkraut ready to go into the cRock pot (not making that mistake two days in a row)  and I'll probably watch a football game or two in the back bedroom. I won't torture Michelle with that much College Football..lol

I hope everyone had a very safe and Happy New Year.

Happy New Year

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!

and surely I’ll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine†;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS