Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from some place on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture did not have to go back very far, it was just a few months ago around Christmas Time. My lovely and wonderful wife bought me a WallyWorld Mug that was used in the movie Christmas Vacation. I love that movie and Michelle saw the mug and bought it for me at Christmas time.

About the picture, well I have to be honest, that is not eggnog in the mug. One would think I would use eggnog to recreate the scene, but on that day Chocolate Milk was the very best we could do and that is what is in my mug...lol

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well now that is two days that we have done in this workweek, now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it will be all down hill working towards another fun filled weekend for everyone (except me). I'll just start on another job and won't have a planned day off until probably next weekend.

This week however is going by pretty quickly, but we did learn WVU Basketball Player Devin Williams is bypassing his senior year to enter into the NBA Draft. I can recall two other players under Huggins who successfully did this, Joe Alexander and Devin Ebanks, Williams should have the same level of success or better as he is a big strong bodied NBA type player. I wish him the bast and thank him for the time he spent here in Morgantown.

Other than that not a whole lot going on, Michelle is as busy as ever at work. The girl works just too many hours but I understand her commitment to get the job done despite being short handed for some time now. Relief does appear to be just on the horizon for her and hopefully in the next couple of weeks everything can return to normal or just regular chaos instead of extreme chaos...lol

Don't think we have any plans this weekend as the new quarter starts and I'll be hitting the field pretty frequently during the first week of this quarter working on the NSDUH. This is what I spent a week in North Carolina for last week to prepare and get certified for.

I hope everyone has a great day today

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well we have started that long stretch for me for working, this is just the beginning and I still can;t think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* There have been 19,112 days that have passed since my birth, using my 905 day calendar that makes me about 21 years old by my calculations.

* It has been 4,335 days since I graduated from West Virginia University.

* It was 2,936 days ago that Michelle and I went out on our first ever date.

* That first date went so well that 2,159 days ago I proposed marriage to this wonderful woman.

* She must have said yes, because 1,697 days ago in front of our closest family and friends we had ourselves a little wedding and a feast.

* I have about 5,725 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there of course.

* There are only 2,363 days to go until WVU vs Pitt, the Backyard Brawl, will once again be played in Football. I ready to kick some Panther tail.

* There are only 310 more days to go until my friend Phil pops his head up again for another Ground Hogs Day.

* I have around 277 more days of blogging to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is finally posted, that is my recollection of the previous year based on what I write right here.

* There are only 271 more shopping days left to go until Christmas, you still have plenty of time to start preparing.

* There are 247 more days to go until yet anther Anniversary of my 21st Birthday passes.

* There are only 193 more days until Michelle and I go to the Springs Festival, we missed it last year.

* In 166 more days we will set out on our 2016 Cruise.

* Parrot Heads will once again unite in Pittsburgh in 147 more days to see Jimmy Buffett once again, we will once again be in the crowd and tailgating.

* There are but 130 days to go until Michelle and my Fifth Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are only a mere 96 more days to go until the Third Annual Friends and Family Picnic will take place at Krepps Park once again. There could be some travelers coming from Alaska and Florida as well, so we'll have to wait and see.

* There are only 84 more days to go until my second favorite season of the year, Summer. Spring has and always will be my favorite.

* I have written a grand total of 4,412 blogs for George's Journal in the 11 1/2 years that I have been writing this.

* Nothing new on the Brother search, of course that's also nothing new as we have hit that solid brick wall and dead end.

* No work on the Hall Family Tree, there are still 343 names in the database.

* I did get some news while I was in North Carolina, McDonalds has ended their sponsorship with the Steelers Trivia Show. The show has aired it's final time and we were the last winners. We were also the only team to win it back to back, the only team that won it three times and the only team to win it under two different names. Our overall totals were 12 shows, 9 wins, 3 Championships and 3 times we did not win, 2 of those advancing as the wildcard and once finishing 3rd in the Finals to be VIP's at Steelers Training Camp. It was a good run, but it is over.

* I think it is getting close to the time that we dig up last years garden and start the 2016 one. =)

* I've signed up for another GIS Conference, only thing is this one is right here in Morgantown this May for the WVAGP.

* Have yourselves a great day today.

* Hi ho hi ho

And So it Begins

It's time to stick our collective noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living. For me I return to the DOE after being off all last week and away at training.

This is going to be the start of a long stretch for me, between my career and the next quarter getting ready to start for NSDUH where everything is going to be go go go for the next week or so. Yesterday will probably be my last "Day Off" for a while and I'll be working both jobs on many days in the upcoming weeks. To say my life just got very busy is going to be an understatement...lol

I'm just curious what I'm going to walk into today to have to address after being off all last week. I went into the office briefly Friday just to look at my e-mail and start to organize it for this morning. I am going to have a busy couple of days and that is an understatement..lol

I hope everyone had a great weekend and a Great Easter. Our dinner was awesome, but my wife is a wonderful cook so you knew that was going to happen. I helped of course, I like helping Michelle out in the kitchen.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Easter

Here I sit on an early Easter Morning, Phin and I are up early watching Beerfest and surfing around the internet catching our thoughts for the day.

Yesterday's Easter Egg Hunt turned out pretty well, I think the kids had an absolute blast running around looking for eggs, probably about as much fun as we had hiding them and watching the kids find them. Nick and Terri hosted and prepared BBQ chicken, burgers and dogs on the grill for everyone.

This is Easter Morning and our plans are simple. We're going to cook our little Easter Dinner here today. Michelle's niece is hosting an Easter in Monaca, but with Michelle working 65-70 hours a week and with me traveling all last week, I think we both just need a little bit of relaxation at home. This will be my last day off for a while, so we are just going to spend this Easter Sunday at home and relaxing. We managed to get all of our chores done yesterday son that we could relax today other than making Easter Dinner.

I hope everyone has a wonderful day today, a day that is about family and faith and in my favorite season of the year, Springtime. I hope the Easter Bunny stopped by each and every child's home and left them treats and I hope everyone remembers why we have this day.

Happy Easter.

Blogging Vacation Over

Well here I site once again in  a semi-quiet household, Phin has made sure I don't sleep too much as she is up and in her normal playful mood. I'm up early watching Play It To the Bone on HBO and collecting my thoughts for the day.

This is actually my first live blog in some time as everyone might have noticed. I was away all week in some pretty intense training for a part time job as a field interviewer. I did receive my certification and have all my equipment and am ready to hit the field when the next quarter starts on next Friday. I have to admit I was getting burned out by last Sunday Night and had to tone it down a bit as we were just taking in so much information in a very short time period and needed to to get our certifications. It's all over with now and I am in fact back home where I belong.

Well last Saturday when I was a away in Durham, North Carolina I posted that the family was having a get together and Easter Egg Hunt for the kids. I was obviously mistaken and wasn't aware at the time that I wrote that that they time had been changed till today. So, we are gathering all the kiddies up this afternoon and going to my Sister Terri's and having an Easter Egg Hunt and a little cookout for everyone. This is our March get together, now we need to find something to do for April. Nothing wrong with Bowling again, a kickball game, a get together shoot or just an old fashioned cookout at some local park or something where the kids have a playground. It's also Baseball season here in Morgantown and maybe a baseball game at Mountaineer Ballpark could be in order.

Yesterday I spent most of the time organizing our old bedroom and converting it into an office for the new job, I got all my supplies and got them all organized for field work and am ready to go. Today I am ready just to wind down and relax a little bit as it has been a pretty intense couple of weeks for me.

For those of you who love Thirty-One, my sister Kim is now a consultant. I know we have bought a number of their items in the past and use them pretty regularly, so if you are looking for a Thirty-One item and need a consultant, Here is Kim's page. 

Have yourselves a great day today, I plan on it.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

Yes I am home and its now time for me to get back to my normal blogging, although this one was written some time ago I have to confess...lol

I do have to say it is always nice to travel, especially to places you have never been before (I've been to NC, but not Durham), but it is so much nicer when you get to return home from the trip. Especially when you haven't been able to see your wife for a while.

Not sure of todays plans other than unpacking. I'm heading back to the office on Monday and I'm not sure if I need to start my field work yet, but it will be in full swing by next week.

I hope everyone had a great week and you all have great days today. I'm unpacking and propping myn feet up for a while...lol

Training Day 7

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Well today is my last day of training, I will be leaving the Durham, North Carolina area this evening and heading to Raleigh to the airport to fly to Dulles. I will leave at 7:50 tonight on  United Airlines 6203 to Dulles. The at 10:05 PM I'll leave Dulles to fly to Morgantown on United Airlines 3142 arriving in Morgantown at 11:11 tonight. You can track my flights if you want on United Airline's Flight Tracker.

I will be home late late tonight and will be very happy to see my lovely wife and spend some time with her. I have missed her that is for sure.

Training Day 6

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Well I can see the finish line for all this training from here. Today we will probably be finishing up our individual certifications and getting ready to wind up this weeks worth of training tomorrow.

I have to admit, I'm ready to get on the plane tomorrow evening and return home to see my lovely wife. Today and tomorrow should just be the culmination of the past weeks worth of training before they send us out in the field to start working.

I know when I worked for the Census, I had to go through these trainings all the time, but I had to travel for this one as they are all nation wide trainings are done here at this one facility.

Alright, Let's get this training started again.

Training Day 5

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

OK, of all my regularly scheduled blogs that I write, my Tuesday's tidbits which is not happening today, is the one blog of the week that takes up the most of my time. Tracking down all the dates and websites is a lot of fun, but  it is also by far the most time consuming blog that I write during the week. I'm almost kind of glad that I have the opportunity to take a little break from blogging in general and especially the Tuesday's Tidbits.

We're still churning away at the training and we should have our HSPD-12 badges before we leave. This will actually be my second one that I have, I have one for the Department of Energy that I use for my regular job, and now I will have this one as well. It's nothing new for me, it's just another one...lol

I hope everyone has a great day.

Training Day 4

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Well everyone else gets to stick your collective noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of work. I'm obviously still down here hitting the books and getting the necessary tools and stuff that I will need to do this job when I get home. Job expansion and developing into new fields is always a good thing.

I hope everyone has a great day today and make the most of it.

Training Day 3

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Sunday morning and a couple of days training under our belts. There is no break for the weary as training continues once again today all the way up until the time I depart on Thursday evening.

I'll be on vacation this week from my regular job plus I'm getting paid for this one, so I'll be making a lot of extra money this week and that's always a good thing. Maybe I'll do something real nice for my lovely wife when I get back home.

Have a great day.

Training Day 2

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Well one day down and a weeks worth ahead of us. It's Saturday here in North Carolina, I hope everyone back home is having a great weekend.

My day will once again be filled with classroom training and labs this evening. Graet way to spend a weekend wouldn't you agree? LOL

I'm thinking today is the day of the kids Easter Egg Hunt back home, I'm not sure asd I put Can't attend and lost the event from my Calendar. If it is make sure everyone takes lots of pictures and puts them up, if it's tomorrow make sure you do the same =)

Let's get this training started.

Happy Birthday Amy Dalton

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my wonderful niece Amy a very Happy Birthday today. I think she will be turning 21 today, but my math could be a little bit off on this one.

I'm in North Carolina and have limited access to what I can do on our portable computer and it's really a challenge for me to do anything on this, so no picture associated with todays blog as I would normally do.

Not sure what Amy and Ralph's plans are for there day, but I know he will treat her good.

If you happen to see Amy today, make sure that you wish her a very happy birthday today.

Happy Birthday Amy.

Training Day 1

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Let me once again say that I am not leaving my job at NETL with Sextant, I love my job there and have the best boss anyone could ever ask for, I'm just here as a secondary income just to clear everything up and clarify everything.

Our schedule during training is going to be starting at 8:15 and we'll run to 5:00, then we will have labs every evening up until the time that we depart next week. This is just the start of my training after a long interview and examination process.

Well today is Friday and you are used to seeing Big Ole Hairy Fridays from me, but this week my blogs will be altered due to my absence and I'm not sure how much internet access I am going to have during the upcoming week.

Let's get this training started!

Travel day

As I am out of the area on business travel for the next week or so, I will be writing a series of absentee blogs like I do when we take our cruises. I may attempt to write a live blog or two, but no promises as I am going to be swamped the next seven days training for the new job.

Today is the day that I travel to North Carolina. I'll be leaving at 6:32 this morning and heading out on  SILVER AIRWAYS 139 to Dulles and then have a few hour layover in DC before I hop on another plane at 12:49 on  United Airlines 299 and head to Raleigh North Carolina. You can track my UA flight right here and I'll probably already be at Dulles by the time most of you are reading this.

I'll be staying at the Milleneum Hotel  during my stay and I would imagine our training will there as well, but I'm not sure as RTI is located in that area as well.

Anyways, I'll be in class or labs all day and evening the next seven days, I'll see everyone when I get back.

Wednesday

It's hump day for everyone else, for me it's still the beginning of a long stretch. I'll have to finish up my packing this evening to be ready to head out tomorrow morning.

So this is actually the last regular blog that I will be writing until Saturday Morning March 26th, everything up until then is going to be just plain vanilla place holders to fill up the dates. So this is kind of like a small vacation from blogging for me to say.

I am mostly packed, it's just a matter of me finishing up the suitcases and my carry on and having them ready to take up and put in the car tomorrow morning. Tonight will be the last evening I get to spend with my wife for a while, I'm sure Michelle and the Cats are both going to miss me.

Speaking of Cat's, anyone want to borrow a loud kitten than has not been fixed yet and is in heat? You can borrow her until she stops the constant meowing and then we'll take her back...lol

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Daylight Savings time is here and we have all now adjusted to going into work an hour earlier than we have been used to. It's still Tuesday and it's time for a tidbits.

* If case anyone has been counting, it has been 19,098 days since my birth. Of course using the 905 day Calendar that figures my age to be 21.

* There have been 4,321 days since I graduated from West Virginian University.

* 2,922 days ago my life pretty much changed forever as I took a very special lady out for a night on the town on our very first date. That was exactly 8 years ago today, Happy 8th Anniversary of our first date to my wonderful wife.

* In the early morning hours 2,146 days ago, I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle.

* 1,683 days ago we all gathered at the Marilla Center as Michelle and I had our wedding.

* I have around 5,739 or so days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there one way or the other of course.

* In 2,377 more days the Backyard Brawl of  WVU vs Pitt in Football is renewed. If both schools win a couple of basketball games in the NCAA Tournament then we may play this year in basketball.

* There are 324 more days until Phil once again takes center stage on Ground Hogs Day.

* There are but 291 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog is posted for this year, reliving a few bullet points each month from my blog.

* If you have not started Christmas Shopping yet, there are still 285 more days to go until Christmas. You still have plenty of time to start making plans and arrangements.

* In 261 more days I will celebrate yet another anniversary of my 21st Birthday.

* Something we missed last year but would like to go to this year is in 207 more days and that is the Springs Festival.

* OK, we are less than half a year away from our next cruise which is in just another 180 more days.

* In 161 more days the Parrot Head Nation will assemble in Pittsburgh once again to see Jimmy Buffett perform once again.

* In 144 more days my wonderful wife Michelle and I will celebrate our Fifth Wedding Anniversary together. By far the happiest five years of my life.

* The 2016 version of the Friends and Family Picnic is but a mere 110 more days. We grilled out for the first time of the year Sunday, so now I'm starting to get ready.

* There are only 5 more days until my favorite season of the year, Springtime!!!!!!!!!

* I have written a total of 4,397 blogs for George's Journal in the 11 1/2 years since I started doing this.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, that's getting to be a pretty regular status.

* There are still 334 members in the Hall Family Tree, the weather is getting warmer, the days are getting longer and I'm probably done updating this for a few months.

* There will be no Tuesday's Tidbits next week as I will be in North Carolina and all of my pre-written blogs for the trip will start posting.

* Surprisingly this Thursday will be the first time I will have ever flown commercially. I have been up in a small three seated plane once, but that was a long time ago so this is going to be a pretty much new experience for me.

* We finally finished this season of House of Cards Sunday, them ending this season as they have leaves a lot of options for next season.

* Orange is the New Black Season 4 will be coming out this Summer of Netflix. I've already got the shows intro stuck in my head. The Season 4 Teaser is already available to view.

* With me traveling this week, it will give me the opportunity to add a couple States to my Geocaching Log. So far I have 3 Countries and 6 states, this can give me two more states.

* Have yourselves a great day today and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

And So It begins

Today is the day that we all stick out collective noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of work. For me however I'll be pulling double duty and won't have any real time to collect my breath until after I come back from North Carolina late next week.

This week I'll be putting in long days at NETL to get my billable hours in by Wednesday Evening and then I'll be flying out of Morgantown early Thursday Morning to head to North Carolina for 7 days of intense training with RTI / Headway to get certified, get my HSPD-12 Badge through them and pick up all of my equipment and supplies. First, I need to make my very last appearance for TNG this morning and then I am officially finished with them. So I am going to have a very busy stretch to say the least.

Starting Thursday and for the next week, my regularly scheduled blogs will not be posting and I have posted a series of blogs while I am away. I may live blog once or twice while I'm down there, but I'm making sure that something goes up each day.

Have yourselves a Great Day today and make the very most of it.

Hi ho hi ho

Spring Foreward

Well here I sit, I was up at 1:59 AM and the next thing I know is the clock said 3:00. I think we have even tricked the animals as they are not up yet.

Anyways, if you did not set your non automatic clocks ahead an hour last night before going to bed, you're probably realizing the time just jumped ahead and hour and we lost an hour of sleep.

It is the start of Daylight Savings time which means all of our internal clocks are going to be screwed up for a few days as we adjust to the time change. It also means it is going to start getting dark later and later in the evening and the sun will come up a little bit later in the morning as our days will continue to get longer for the next three months. IOW it's starting to turn into my favorite time of the year.

No big plans for Michelle and I today, grocery shopping, probably mix in a nap as our bodies adjust and probably watching the NCAA March Madness selection show and preparing to fill out our brackets for the office pools.

We are through 11 of the 13 episodes this season of House of Cards and will probably finish up the season with the final two of the year today.

Have yourselves a great day and take a nap today.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again, only me and Phin are up and we are watching Super Troopers on HBO and collecting our thoughts for the day. I haven't fed her yet, but she'll let me know when she is getting hungry.

Michelle, Laiah and Hayley are all heading to Monaca for the day for her Niece Laura's Baby Sprinkle. They were going to stop by the airport to pick up Jon, but he drove home from New Jersey a couple of nights ago so there is no need to do that.

My plans for the day are pretty much WVU Sports related. The WVU Baseball team will play Old Dominion at the Mountaineer Ballpark. I'm thinking about heading over and catching that game. Yesterday's game was pretty much won on a suicide squeeze play and was a very exciting game.

Last night the WVU Men's Basketball team won one of the most exciting games in a long time. The Mountaineers beat #6 Oklahoma 69-67 in one of the most exciting finishes ever to advance to this evening's Big XII Championship game against #1 Kansas.

Last night the Mountaineers held Buddy Hield, the NCAA Player of the year about 20 points below his average in beating the Sooners, but Hield made it exciting as he hit a half court 3 point shot at what appeared to be the end of the game. However referees reviewed the shot and determined that when the clock officially hit 0:00.0 the ball was still in his hand and the shot was too late and did not count. If the clock was started a fraction of a second an 1/10th of 1 second would have been more than ample time, the shot would have been good.

Have yourselves a great day, Phin is telling me something now...lol

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.

Oh what to do what to do. Michelle is leaving early tomorrow morning to head back to Monaca for a Baby Sprinkle. She's taking Laiah and Hayley with her and even picking up Jon (her nephew) at the Airport on her way up. Hopefully she has a good day, as for me I will be staying around Morgantown for the day to get a few chores done and to start preparing for this upcoming weeks trip to North Carolina.

If you are looking for something to do this weekend, the Mountaineer Baseball team opens their home slate for the season against Old Dominion. ODU has some pretty good pitching, so we are going to have our hands full the entire weekend. I'm thinking about going to tomorrows game and cheering on the home town Mountaineers.

Today is my next to last day working for TNG, it's my last long day with them if I can make it up there as I have a couple meeting scheduled today at NETL and one this morning with RTI about next weeks training. I do have to go in one more time on Monday for TNG, but that will end my employment with them as I move on from that job. This could be a very long day for me, but it will be the last one like this.

I hope everyone has a great day today and makes the absolute most of it.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out to look through my 30,000+ images that I have either taken with a camera, scanned or just stolen from someplace on the internet. Little lost moments of time that I like to post up and briefly relive here. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes you do in fact struggle, but it's always a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture is going to be one that I am going to have a little bit of difficulty placing an actual time frame on, my guess is either the late 1970's or the early 1980's judging by everyone's age and the background. My brother Gary and sister Pam are sitting with our cousin Sherry who is on Pam's lap. I can see Gary is trying to be the comedian in the back by giving Sherry Bunny ears...lol

Not very sure of the background of this picture because it doesn't seem like I am around. I don't know if it was a special event or a holiday or just a visit from Mickey, Patty and Sherry.

This was an image that I had scanned a few years ago, when Jean gave me all of her pictures to convert into digital format.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well a couple of days behind us, a couple of days ahead of us, that means we are at the mid point of the traditional workweek and just need to get up and over this noon time hump to be heading downhill towards another fun filled weekend.

Looking ahead toward this weekend, Michelle, Laiah and Hayley are all headed up north this Saturday for a Baby Sprinkle as they call it now. They will be heading out early Saturday Morning and heading to Monaca, PA. I guess after the first child it is no longer a baby shower and they call it a sprinkle. Michelle's niece Laura is due to have her second child here in the very near future and this is her shower to prepare for the baby.

With Michelle gone, I'll be at the home front preparing for next weeks trip and training and probably writing a number of blogs to cover the time that I will be gone. Probably starting to pack and reviewing some of the material that we will be going over during the week of training that I will be in North Carolina.

One thing I think everyone needs to do right now is get out and enjoy this beautiful weather. They are calling for the temps to be in the 80's, that is awesome outdoor weather. I think it's about time for Michelle and I to head to Ohiopyle in the very near future...lol

Have yourselves a great day today and make the most of it.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well that dreaded thing called Monday is now behind us and we are staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, still can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* There have been 19,091 days since my birth, using my 909 calendar that makes me about 21 years old by my calculations.

* There have been 4,314 days since I graduated from West Virginia University, a lifelong dream of mine that I did complete after a late start in life.

* It was 2,915 days ago, or 8 years ago from next Tuesday, that Michelle and I had our very first date. 10,000 BC and Pizza Hut.

* It was 2,139 days ago that Michelle and I became engaged. The second best decision that I have ever made in my life.

* 1,676 days ago in front of our closest friends and family Michelle and I got hitched then we all feasted. THIS is the best decision that I have ever made in my life.

* I have around 5,746 days or so to go until retirement, give or take a few hundred here or there.

* There are 2,385 days until the Backyard Brawl of WVU vs Pitt in football is renewed, we're kicking some Panther ass too.

* Phil takes center stage once again in 331 more days when we once again celebrate Ground Hogs Day. I need to send him a bottle of wine or something so that he doesn't think I don't appreciate this years nice weather.

* I have 298 more days of content to write this year before my Goodbye 2016 blog will be posted.

* There are still 292 shopping days left to go until Christmas, if you haven't started you still have plenty of time. WalMart hasn't put their Christmas stuff out for display just yet.

* I have 268 more days to go until the next anniversary of my 21st Birthday

* The Springs Festival is where Michelle and I will be in 214 days from now.

* We will set sail on our 2016 cruise in just another 187 more days. We will once again be leaving out of Baltimore.

* The Parrot Heads will all be reuniting in Pittsburgh in 168  more days as we will all party in preparation of seeing Jimmy Buffett once again in concert.

* There are only 151 more days to go until mine and Michelle's Fifth Wedding Anniversary.

* There are only 117 more days to go until the Third Annual Friends and Family Picnic at Krepps Park. I'm very happy that we can once again make this event happen again, hopefully we will be blessed with better weather than last summer.

* There are only 12 more days to go until my favorite season of the year, Spring begins.

* I have written 4,390 blogs since I started writing George's Journal clear back in September of 2004.

* Nothing new on the Hall Family Tree this week, still 334 members in the database and with nice weather coming up it looks like I am done with this until the fall.

* Still a dead end on the brother search, nothing new to report. Something tells me that this is going to be a standing status unless some miracle happens.

* Wishes to my brother in law George as he recovers from gall bladder surgery yesterday. Hoping he has a speedy recovery.

* I really need to start writing blogs for when I travel next week. I'll be in the classroom or the lab all day long and won't have time to write anything.

* Just a clarification for everyone, I am NOT leaving my current position at the Department of Energy, this new job will be a supplemental income as I prepare to get my own business off the ground and running. I am still a GIS Analyst for Sextant and have no plans of leaving there unless something happens with the next site support contract and we are not teamed with the winning team. Then I would just most likely just switch companies. 

* As I just typed that I got a call from a head hunter about a job in Canonsburg, talk about irony. For the record, I get a lot of contact from Head Hunters about jobs in my field. This month alone that was my 9th contact from a Head Hunter about some geospatial job, I just thought it was funny that I was typing the above point as I got the call.

* This season of House of Cards is phenomenal, very captivating to say the very least.

* Have yourselves a great day and make the most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho

Back to the Grindstone Monday

Well that thing we love to refer to as the weekend is now over with, now it;s time to stick our collective noses back on the Grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living.

Our country lost a great former First Lady yesterday when it was announced that Nancy Reagan had passed away at the young age of 94. I was a big fan of her husbands Presidency and her efforts as First Lady of the United States. Historically speaking she will go down in my honest opinion as one of our nations greatest first ladies.

On to the week ahead, it's just going to be a normal week for both Michelle and I. Nothing really planned outside of our normal week of working. She will be traveling home this coming Saturday for a Baby Sprinkle as they call it after the first child. I'll have to find something to get myself into next weekend...lol

One thing I could do is start planning for my next trip coming up next week by pre-writing about 8 or 9 blogs to cover the time period I will be away. I'll basically either be in class or labs for the entire time, so there is not going to be much time to put much effort into writing blogs. It's going to be an intense week from the time I land until the time I get on a plane to come home.

Have yourselves a great day and week.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Here I sit in a much quieter household, Rocky and Lilly have returned home and Fin and Sophie are once again ruling the pet household. I'm the first one to recover from that losing battle with that dreaded Sandman last night and I'm up watching Superbad and collecting my thoughts for the day.

One thing that I have been thinking about this weekend is that we are not too far from being invaded by the Cicadas. They were here in during the summer of 1982 and then again in the summer of 1999, they have 17 year cycles and the eggs that were laid in 1999 are about to come up out of the ground, take wings and be a sheer annoyance to anyone and everyone for a month or two. I remember the last time they were here I was driving a potato chip route for Mister Bee, when I would drive around the area all I would here was ping, ping, PING, PING, ping, PING, PING, PING, ping, ping which was the constant sounds of the cicadas bouncing off my bulkhead as I drove down the road.

Normal routine today of grocery shopping and the household chores before returning to work for the week. Nothing too heavy on the schedule for the week other than a couple of meetings for 2 of my 3 jobs that I currently hold. That list will diminish next week as I complete my employment with TNG and move forward.

A couple of things I am throwing out there for family get togethers is getting pretty good receptions. One was a good old fashioned kick ball game and the other is a gun shoot. Where everyone brings their guns and we have a family shooting day where the more experienced firearm owners can assist others in understanding everything from safety, to properly handling of the firearm to cleaning and maintenance of the firearms. Cicadas would make nice targets...lol

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, I would say I'm the only one up but Rocky is running around here somewhere and I'm sure the Cats are conspiring to do a full frontal attack on the canines sometime today, I just don't trust those sneaky girls.

No plans for us today, I would like to get over to the Funeral Home briefly this morning to pay my final respects to Andy Tennant, who passed away earlier this week after a courageous 4 year battle with Cancer. I have many fond memories of the Ish-Man as those of us who knew him from an old online chat room, little did I know he and my dad were great friends and worked together. Your charm and wit will be missed Ish.

Other than that the Mountaineer Men's Basketball team finishes out the regular season this afternoon at Baylor. Baylor has had our number the past couple of years, but we managed to beat them earlier this year in Morgantown. We'll have to wait and see how it all turns out today.

If you are looking for something to do today, there is the WV Hunting, Fishing and Outdoor Sports show at Mylan Park. Admission is $7.00 for anyone wanting to attend.

Have yourselves a superfantabulous Saturday!!!

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 immediate plans for this weekend, we are still puppy sitting and Michelle is not quite yet 100% back to her old self, so we are probably going to take it easy this weekend around the house and not cause her to over exert herself. She has been carrying a big load at work the past few months and could use the extra rest.

House of Cards Season 4 stars today on Netflix so something tells me there will be a little binge watching over the next week or so. It's one of the few Netflix series that we both love and enjoy, Orange is the New Black is the other one that we binge watch and really enjoy.

I'll be heading out to my part time job today as all my billable hours are exhausted this week at my regular job. Next Friday will be my last week to work for TNG as a merchandiser and the following monday will be my last survey to fill out. I got all of my materials and passed the open book test for RTI/Headway and my flight is booked already for the middle of the month to go to training for that job.

Have yourselves 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 back through all the pictures that I have either captured with a lens, scanned or just stolen from some place on the internet. Little lost moments in time to post up and reflect upon right here. Sometimes this is a pretty trying task and sometimes the right picture just comes naturally, one thing it always is however is a whole lot of fun.

This weeks picture is quiet special to me, it was one of the earliest pictures (not the first) ever taken of my future wife and myself. Michelle and I had only been going out a little over a month at this point. Michelle, Hayley and I all decided to get into my Rodeo and head up to Ohiopyle, as this Michelle had never been there before.

This is a picture that Hayley actually took of Michelle and I on the top deck by the large waterfall at Ohiopyle. We were just about getting ready to go look for a Geocache way back in the woods, but first we took a little bit of time out to enjoy the scenery of the day and the beauty that is Ohiopyle. I showed them a number of places there including the natural water slide (see picture at end of blog). It was a great day, a very memorable one to say the least.

As we were leaving I remember treating them to dinner at Pizza Hut on rt 40.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

RIP Ish-Man

I received some very sad news this afternoon, one of my Dad's best friends has passed away.

Andy Tennant, Ish-Man for those of us who know him online as well as in person, decided that he and my Dad needed to drink a few beers today so he has joined him on the other side.

Andy was an avid Mountaineer fan, I always used to see him at games and tailgates and I will never forget watching the 1998 Insight.com Bowl when we lost to Missouri. My dad was hilarious and to a point that I can't use the language he was using then here...lol

One thing Andy told me that I will never forget. It was at a tailgate when I was in college and working at Recourse. He told me "If I knew I would have lasted this long I would have taken better care of myself." Of course that was 15 years ago and no disrespect to him or anyone who may be reading this, it's just something I have repeated a number of times and always attributed that statement to Andy.

RIP Andy, have a few beers with my Dad.

Hump Day

Well that is two days down, now all we have to do is get up and over this noon time hump and it will be all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend coming up.

I just realized we are about a week and a half away from Daylight Savings time, when we will have more sunlight in the evenings and the days will be getting not only longer, but warmer as well. I think we really are on the back end of Winter and getting ready to enter my favorite time of the year.

The WVU Baseball team lost a 7-4 exhibition game against the Major League Arizona Diamondbacks this past weekend. I'm sure that they are not going to let that bother them as they are on their way for a 4 game series against the University of Hawaii this weekend. The Mountaineers are 5-1 on the season so far and actually open up their home slate next weekend against Old Dominion.

The WVU Men's Basketball teams have re-entered the top 10 in both the AP (10) and the Coaches Poll (9). They have spent more time in the top 10 this season than they have spent out of it. Being that we are now getting into March, it's about to get very exciting here in the next month or so as everyone will by vying for tournament position to try to advance to Houston to the Final 4. I've got a real good feeling about his years team.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well we made it through a Leap Day Monday and are either at February 30th or March 1st, depending on what calendar you like to pay attention to. It's Tuesday, that means a tidbits.

* It was just 19,084 days ago that I was born, using my 908 day calendar that puts me at officially 21 years old.

* 4,307 days ago I fulfilled a lifetime dream as I graduated from West Virginia University. My niece Brittany took the same walk last May, now the question is going to be who will be the next family member to take that walk.

* My life changed for the better forever 2,908 days ago as I took a wonderful woman out for a our first date.

* It was 2,132 days ago that I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle.

* She obviously said yes as 1,669 days ago in front of our closest friends and family we had our wedding at the Marilla Center.

* I have around 5,753 days or so to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there.

* There are but a mere 2,391 more days until the Backyard Brawl is once again played and we get to kick Pitt's butt in Football yet once again.

* There are only 338 more days to go until Ground Hogs Day, when Phil will once again promise an early spring.

* There are only 305 more days to go until my Goodbye 2016 blog, reflecting my past year through what was written in my blog will appear.

* There are only 299 more shopping days left to go until Christmas, you still have plenty of time. Easter on the other hand is just right around the corner.

* There are just 275 more days to go until the next anniversary of my 21st Birthday.

* We missed it last year, but plan on going to the Springs Festival in just another 221 more days.

* There are 194 more days to go until we set sail on our 2016 Cruise.

* There are but 175 more days to go until we gather in Pittsburgh to once again see Jimmy Buffett in concert.

* There are only 158 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Fifth Wedding Anniversary together.

* 124 Third Annual Friends and Family Picnic.

* There are only 19 more days to go of my least favorite season of the year and only 19 days to go until my favorite season of the year, Spring!!!!!!!!

* This is my 4,382nd blog that I have written in the 11 1/2 years that I have been writing my daily journal. I wonder if I can convince Google to pay me a couple bucks for every keystroke...lol

* Nothing new on the brother search.

* The Hall Family Tree is still at 334 members in the database and I did not do any work on it this past week. Something tells me other than a few obvious finds and with Spring coming upn I am done with it until the fall.

* I think everyone had a great time bowling this weekend, it was nice to see so many people show up and have a great time. I know Amy wants to do an Easter Egg Hunt for the kids in March, some other ideas for get togethers are things like the 5K Run Walk, a kickball game, with so many firearm owners in the family, maybe a get together and day of shooting somewhere. Allow some of the experts to work with some of the novices and give everyone a chance to play with a wide array of hand guns.

* I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned this here before, but I Hate Snow.

* I have officially given my two weeks notice to stop working for TNG. March 14th will be my last day as a representative for them. I will fly out for training for RTI/Headway so I can contract out on a Government contract through the NSDUH just after that date.

* Michelle was off work yesterday still recovering from her surgery, she is getting better day by day.

* Have yourselves a great day today, and make the very most of it.

* Hi ho hi ho