Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

Are you looking for a little bit of High School Football? This will be the last time in 2025 that I will be referring to it, because it is the State Championship Weekend and it's all over after tomorrow. Four State Champions will be crowned and the season will officially be over with. All I have now is the NFL and the College Bowl Season. Morgantown High punched their ticket and will be playing Martinsburg, who I honestly don't know if we can beat after they beat UHS last week. Clay Battelle last week avended an earlier season loss to advance to the State Championship against Wheeling Central. Good luck to both Monongalia County teams tryiong to bring home a  state Champinship and congratulations to University High for making it to the semi-finals against a juggernaught. 

So what is on our agenda? Tomorrow is going to be a cookie baking weekend for Michelle and her sisters. I don't have any details asd of yet, we just know that this is the only time that they will all be available to do it before Christmas due to Dani, Chris and Amanda all having to travel for work over the next few weeks. 

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 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 somewhere on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up, recalling or reliving the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task, and sometimes it's not that easy, but one thing it has always been a lot of fun.

This picture was taken this past summer at Hovatters. Michelle loves giraffes and I thought she would be the one getting her picture taken, but alas it was none other than Hayley who was feeding her new long necked friend. 

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Kim Sanjulian

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Sister Kim SanJulian a very Happy Birthday today. We started out in life where I was one year older than her, but since I am only 21 years old, she has passed me up by a couple of years by now.

Kim is an amazing sister, one that I have had numerous arguments through the years, but there has always been a great deal of respect for her and her viewpoint even though I would never let her know that. She has made selfless sacrifices for others and that is a characteristic that is to be commended.

Not sure what Kim and Robert have planned for the day, but I'm sure it will either be a nice dinner or something along those lines that will be memorable. I know she really likes Minards in Fairmont, but who knows. 

If you see Kim today, take a little bit of time out and wish her a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Kim, make it a great one.

Lucy's Journal

 Lucy’s Journal — December 3, 2025

Well, mercy me… today was supposed to be a nice, calm Wednesday. A simple “let’s get some chores done” kind of day. But of course that’s not how it went. Not in this house. Not with Kiwi, Peanut, and those feathered menaces known as the Quackers.

It all started when I decided to reorganize the pantry. Apparently, the moment I opened that door, my entire household heard a mystical chime that translated to: “Adventure awaits—charge forth!”

Kiwi was the first to dive in, wings fluttering like he was Indiana Jones entering a forbidden temple. He found the bag of dried mango right away (of course), ripped it open, and immediately started celebrating like he’d just discovered ancient treasure. Mango dust everywhere. The Quackers saw this, honked in excitement, and stampeded in after him.

Meanwhile Peanut, who I thought was sleeping on the couch, suddenly came barreling down the hallway with the single-minded focus of a raccoon who’s just heard someone open a can of tuna. She dove into the pantry like a furry torpedo, skidded across the floor, knocked over a stack of green beans, and then popped up with a proud “Mrrraaap!” like she’d saved us from something.

Chaos erupted instantly.

Kiwi was perched on the cereal shelf, screaming “WHEEP!” every time Peanut got too close. Peanut was standing guard over a box of spaghetti like it was sacred. The Quackers started tugging at a loaf of bread in a three-way duck tug-of-war. And me? I was in the corner wondering why I ever clean anything at all.

Things only escalated when Kiwi discovered the box of instant oatmeal packets. He grabbed one, flew out of the pantry, and began circling the kitchen like a crop-duster, flinging oatmeal dust behind him in a blizzard of whole grains.

Peanut saw the raining oats and decided it was her moment to leap. She launched herself off the counter (where she did NOT have permission to be), swatted at Kiwi mid-air, missed entirely, landed on the dish towel rack, and pulled the whole thing down with her.

The Quackers, seeing towels fall, assumed it was a victory flag and began honking triumphantly.

By the time the commotion died down, my kitchen looked like someone had blended a farm, a bakery, and a demolition site.

Kiwi ended up proudly sitting in a mixing bowl like it was his new throne.

Peanut strutted away with a single spaghetti noodle draped over her shoulder like a fashion accessory.

And the Quackers waddled off happily, each carrying a stolen cracker in their bills, as if they’d just completed a well-coordinated heist.

I guess I’ll clean tomorrow. Or next week. Or… never.
Living with this crew, the pantry may just have to remain a wild, lawless frontier.

— Lucy, exhausted but still laughing.

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is yet once again in our rear view mirrors, we are chugging along with another week of work and aiming towards the weekend. 

* It has been 22,623 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. 

* It has been 7,875 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I love what I do and am thankful to still be working in my field. 

* 6,469 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,673  days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. I've been the luckiest guy since that fateful day. 

* It was 5,710 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, it was a great day with friends and family. 

* I have now lived 2,848 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong, slowing down but still going. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 1,502 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 1,365 days, making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* Old roommate Gregg proposed to his fiancée 80 days ago, I'm happy for those two. 

* I have 2,262 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows, though, doing what I do I may never retire.

* There are 364 days until I hit the age of 63. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are only 248 more days to go until Michelle and I will celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary......maybe

* There are 107 days until my favorite season begins, a lot of people love different seasons, I am a Spring person who loves the Springtime. 

* 69 more days until Phil steps to center stage once again for Groundhog Day.    

* 43 more days to go until my Goodbye 2025 Blog is posted. Hopefully, I can put some better content together this year.

* There are 22 more shopping days left until Christmas 2025. We're down to double digits, quick everyone panic. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State.

* I have written 8,164 blogs in what is now 21 years of Blogging. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* Are you looking to buy some Girl Scout Goodies? Well Releigh has started her campaign to sell chocolates, candles, stationary and other things. This is her store. 

* Are you looking to buy some Girl Scout Goodies? Well Bella has started her campaign to sell chocolates, candles, stationary and other things. This is her store. 

* They both have their own stores, their own campaigns and their own goals to meet. 

* Let's keep it in the same household, go give Crown of Scars a listen. It's my Nephew Moke and he tells his life story through song, so listen to the lyrics, it's pretty deep. 

* Still playing Monopoly Go, but not as often, as a matter of a fact I haven't touched it in a while. 

* This is my favorite TikTok, Kiwi can already say Alexa and he does like the Bee Gees.

* Progress on my Selfie in Space, right here. We are ready for liftoff and holding. 

* I think my AI skills are really expanding, I'm using a number of them doing all kinds of different tasks (other than drawing pictures). 

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

All good things must come to an end—but if you’ve got to wrap up the weekend, today’s a pretty exciting way to do it. Now it’s time to take our collective noses and press them firmly back onto the grindstone of life. Back to work, back to the hustle, back to doing our part to make this spinning rock a better place.

Would you believe I get to go back to an 8 hour shift for a couple of weeks. I've been working 10's the last three weeks to make up for three Holidays that Hope had in November. I can enjoy this for about two weeks and I have to do it again for Christmas and New Years, but I get a couple of weeks where I can just enjoy a normal workday so I will take full advantage of that. 

As I was leaving this morning Kiwi and Peanut were celebrating, I guess four days of me being at home kind of spoils their no Mom and Dad time where they can plan out their mischief for the week. They had some Bee Gees playing and they were a dancing as Michelle and I were walking out the door. 

Have yoursleves a great day today, make it a special one...or treat it as any other. Your choice. 

Hi ho hi ho