Hump Day

I guess you can call this hump day, even thought my Monday was a day at home and relaxing. It's also Ash Wednesday meaning last night was Fat Tuesday and I'm sure Morgantown was getting all Mardi Gras at all the bars.

So much for yesterday, on to today and concentrating on getting up over this hump and working towards another weekend.

Michelle might be going home this weekend, but that all depends on how she feels and if her Mother is working or not. If she's working she will probably postpone it until another weekend if not then she will probably go and I'll hold down the fort here.

I know in the next few weeks we do need to start all the paperwork to get our passports for our trip. They are good for ten years, but neither of us have ever or currently have one so it's something we should have just to have for no other reason. We'll probably get the book and the Card, if you do it you might as well do it right.

It's a lifting and a half cardio day, hopefully my shoulder can hold out until I get my reps in. I haven't done any heavy lifting since Friday, so we'll test it out today.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well my long weekend is over with, the rest of you who had to work yesterday are done with your Monday, can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* 1,439 days ago Michelle and I went out on our first date together.

* 662 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage.

* We were married 199 days ago.

* 308 more shopping days left until Christmas.

* And now for the important one, 200 more days until we set sail on a tropical cruise to Bermuda.

* Five guys finally opened in Morgantown, Michelle had to work late and I was going to surprise her with dinner from there, but the line was out the door and around the corner. We'll try them another day.

* Michelle got her new Kendle yesterday, the one I got her at Christmas time was worn out and called the mercy rule. Actually it just gave us an error message and said it was in need of repair. Amazon shipped a new one and it was supposed to be here today, but it showed up yesterday. Michelle is once again a happy camper and doesn't have to read from her iPhone.

* Well farmers Almanac called for us getting 12+" of snow between yesterday and tomorrow, this is one time I am glad it is incorrect.

* Hi ho hi ho

Presidents Day

I consider myself pretty lucky today, lucky that I am an American. I feel this is the greatest country on the planet and I am fortunate enough to be a citizen of it. Lucky enough to not only have a job, but a good job as a Federal Contractor and lucky enough to have to day as a Holiday.

Today is President's Day. It's a day when we celebrate the birthdays of two of our Greatest Presidents, the father of our Country George Washington and our sixteenth President Abraham Lincoln. If anyone needs a bit of a history lesson, the dude on the far left and the dud on the far right of my picture, but I would think all the US Citizen's would know this.

I have the day off, Michelle is not as fortunate as she has to work today.

Looks like it's going to be a guy type movie day.

Vacation 2012 Booked

We now officially have our Vacation 2012 booked for the year, now it's just a count down for the 202 days until we leave. We are officially booked for this September aboard the Carnival Pride and and will take a seven day cruise south to the Bahama's.

Our First stop will be Grand Turk Island after spending two days at seas to get there on Wednesday.

Our second port of call will come the next day and it will be Half Moon Cay where we will spend a day there on Thursday.

Friday we will be in Freeport Bahamas before heading back on Saturday and arriving back in Baltimore on early Sunday Morning.

Booking very early has its advantages, we were able to get a few discounts for early booking and upgraded to an exterior room with an not only a balcony , but an extended balcony with an unobstructed view on the top deck that balcony's are at. We'll be in the rear of the boat with a private unobstructed view of everything. If you click on the picture to the right it's a larger picture and I have actually went through and circled our room. (Edit: we are one room to the left, I circled the wrong room, so it is the balcony just to the left of what I circled.

When we went to Ocean City this past year the one thing both of us really enjoyed doing was getting up early and going to the beach to watch the sunrise. I looked back at all of the people who booked on the beach with an ocean view and balconies and noticed hardly anyone was out looking. I thought to myself what a waste to not be taking full advantage of this.

We're both excited and looking forward to this trip that is now officially booked.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household in the early AM collecting my thoughts. Everyone in the house is sleeping, I have a movie on in the background and the only real sound is the bread machine kneading a fresh loaf of bread that we intend on eating for breakfast.

Later it will be our normal routine of Sam's Club to do a little bit of shopping. Val has asked me to look there for any trampolines that they may have as she thinks this is what she wants to get the kids for their birthday this year.

If you are looking for something to do today, the WVU Women's basketball team that has beaten 3 ranked opponents in a row including #2 Notre Dame will be having a game at the coliseum this afternoon and tickets are free as part of their breast cancer awareness month, I'm all for saving the tata's.. They do this once a season and usually get a very good turnout, so if you're looking for a little cheap entertainment and want to see a very good basketball team, head on over the the coliseum this afternoon. Don't forget to wear your pink.

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, a three day one for me, and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Yes Monday is President's day and a Federal Holiday, which means I get to have the day off with pay and get to possibly relax a little bit. Once again it is another one of those holidays that I get and Michelle has to work, which to tell you the truth puts a little bit of a damper on it for me.

Once again we have nothing planned for this weekend as we're still waiting on spring time to come. WVU Baseball is right around the corner and I saw it today's paper that they are proposing building a baseball stadium beside Wal-Mart in Granville. With WVU entering Big 12 play, we'll have the worst baseball facilities in the conference and will need to improve them. They didn't mention anything about WVU, but why else would you build a baseball stadium right off the interstate with teams like Texas and a few other powerhouses visiting here in the next year.

Let's get this party started, it's a lifting then cardio day.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my pictures that I have stored on my computer. I like to select one photo and tell a little story about it. Some times it's easy to find something to talk about it, sometimes you rack your brains trying to find something to talk about.

This weeks picture takes us back a few years. If I remember correctly, Moke was coming home from basic training and had just flown into Pittsburgh. My sister Pam, his now wife Ang and myself drove to Pittsburgh to pick him up. I can't remember why I went, maybe it was just because Pam wasn't sure how to get to the Pittsburgh Airport and I had made a few trips up there at that time to pick up Farida and knew how to navigate in and out of the Airport.

Not long after this I remember taking them all out to dinner at Primanti Brother's in Pittsburgh. It was the first time any of them had ever eaten the legendary Primanti Brothers sandwich.

It was a good day. Take note that this happened five years ago yesterday, or today if you are me at the time I am writing this.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well that's two days down and if you look just over the noontime hump, you can see another weekend off in the distance and it's all downhill until we get there.

I hope everyone had a very happy Valentine's Day. Michelle and I did get to Puglioni's early and it was a good thing, that place filled up rather quickly and there was a line out the door and a 25 minute wait to even get a table. I would say we hit that just about perfect.

The big news fro yesterday was that WVU has cleared all hurdles and will officially leave the Big East June 30th and Join the Big 12 on July 1st after the University Officially announced that there has been a signed settlement in the lawsuit. The Big East also voted to terminate our membership because of accusations made by WVU in the lawsuit, in other words he didn't have a leg to stand on and we're gone much to the delight of the Mountaineer Nation.

The Conference started to fall apart years ago after the first round of defections, WVU held the conference's credibility with winning three BCS games in that span. The football members wanted to expand the conference last summer and the Big East played it as a joke presenting Villanova and there couple thousand seat soccer stadium as a football complex. Pitt and Syracuse jumped ship to the ACC, we're heading to the Big 12 with TCU this fall and Louisville isn't far behind us if everything works out from what I am hearing.

Enjoy your hump day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

*Monday is once again in our rear view mirrors and we are looking straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, can't think of a better reason than that to do a Valentines Day edition of a Tidbits.

* Michelle and I have plans this evening to go to Puglioni's for Valentine's Day. It's close and we can probably zip in and out with no problem. It's where we went last year and it's always a great place to go out and eat.

* I have a dozen roses hidden and I'm waking for Michelle to get up to surprise her with them if she hasn't found them by now. She's not expecting that, so I figured it's Tuesday, I don't really need any other reason to show the woman I love a little something special.

* Speaking of that woman that I love, we're still going strong after 1,432 days since our first date.

* It's been 655 days since our engagement.

* We are on day 192 of wedded bliss.

* There are also only 315 shopping days left until Christmas. Plan accordingly, you have about 7,530 hours to go until Santa Claus arrives.

* Word is Five Guys Burger and Fries will be opening this coming Monday the 20th, Columbus Day. It was supposed to be open well over a year ago if not two, but something delayed construction and the opening. I've never eaten there but the guys who work with me who used to live in DC love it.

* There was a nice follow up to the man who shot his daughters laptop last week and it went viral. 21 Million hits by Monday morning.

* Everyone in the family has decided my Niece Amy is going to have twins. She's denying it, but Michelle called it at Christmas time. Time will tell.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Morning

Well yet another fun filled weekend has come and gone, it's now time for us to stick our noses back on the grindstone and get back to doing what it is that gives us the opportunity to actually enjoy the weekend. It's once again another dreadful Monday morning and the start of another week of work.


We finally got a little bit of that ugly white stuff that is usually associated with winter this past weekend. Hopefully it clears up a bit before we get the big snowfall that we are due to get next week.

My weekend was actually quite relaxing, made some home made bread, spent some time at home with my sweetie and just relaxed most of the weekend. Now I pay for it as I'm getting ready to head to the gym, lifting and a cardio day.

Hi ho hi ho

Weekend Wrapup

It's early Sunday morning and once again I sit in a household that is not making a peep. The movie Titanic is playing in the background and I'm up and at em early to write my blog.

There was a bit of shocking news last night, on the eve of the Grammy's one of the greatest voices of not only my generation but all time has passed away. Legendary singer Whitney Houston died at the way too young age of 48 yesterday afternoon in Los Angeles. An article that turned out to be the last photo's ever taken of her alive from a couple of days ago is kind of shocking to read after the fact. Her great voice has been silenced. I was fortunate enough to see her at the WVU Coliseum at the height of her success.

As discussed yesterday Michelle and I finally decided on what to buy each other for our Valentine's Day Present to each other. A few things were tossed around like a new TV for the bedroom, a new Food Processor, even a canopy swing for the back patio that we will probably buy when the weather breaks. This year we did our research and decided on a very nice convection oven Breadmaker from Cuisinart. We spent the day yesterday researching them and pricing what we wanted and finally decided on this model. We also bought the electric carving knife pictured at the bottom of the page to go with it to make cutting the bread a much smoother process.

When we got home yesterday we tried out the new bread maker and I was extremely impressed with it. We made a two pound loaf of white bread and it turned out absolutely perfect and just the way we set it up to do. I was looking through the recipe booklet and see a lot of recipes that sound very interesting and I would love to try. I think we are going to love this machine, it will allow us to set it up before we leave for work and arrive home to a freshly baked loaf of bread.

Have a great day and stay warm.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household where everyone else is sleeping, with the exception of the cat Cloe who is sitting behind me wanting to rough house like we do on a daily basis. HBO is on in the background and the Tracey Ullman show is playing in the background and the rest of the house is silent.

Michelle and I watched a cute little movie last night I bought from Amazon, Fiends with Benefits was a cute little romantic comedy that we both enjoyed. I have a Roku and can access my Amazon account, so for a few $$$ more I buy the digital copy and Amazon stores it on the cloud for me.

Nothing special today, probably a trip to Sam's Club this morning will in all likelihood be the highlight of the day for us. Michelle is slowly working her foot back into health after wearing the cast for a month and having it broken last October. She wears a bone simulator ten hours a day, so hopefully this will speed up the recovery process.

The Mountaineers play today at noon against Louisville in Basketball for anyone who is interested on ESPN and ESPN 3.

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.

After a nice long week at work I am ready for another weekend. Once again we really have nothing on the agenda for this weekend, but with Valentines Day coming up very soon Michelle and I need to decide what we are going to do for each other this year. We usually go together and pay half for something around the house. Last year it was the food sealer, the year before was the surround system for the house and they year before that we bought our stainless steel grill. There are a coupe of things I have in mind, I just want to talk to Michelle and see which one is more practical.

Other than that, it looks to be a pretty boring weekend here at the Hall household. Routine things we do like shopping and laundry, maybe even catch a movie or two on the boob tube. Michelle's foot has been sore and we may just need to rest a little this weekend.

Interesting tidbit I found out yesterday from a co-worker, we will have an additional 51 minutes of daylight by the end of the month. Day's are starting to get longer now and spring should just be a few weeks away, provided we make it past the President's Day 12" of snow that the Farmer's Almanac is calling for us to get.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all my pictures, both the digital ones and the scanned ones and select just one picture to blog about. Sometimes it's easy to find a picture and sometimes it's not that easy.

This weeks picture is one that goes back quite a few years, back to a time of long ago in a place not so far away. I'm assuming that this is an old Christmas picture of me in Van Voorhis when I was a young lad.

I'm having trouble dating this picture, but my best guess is it's 1968 or 1969. I see what looks like my Grandmother's chair that she used to sit in all the time and a picture of my Dad off to the side. A picture that ironically is hanging in my hallway today and I am looking at it as I am writing this blog.

To tell you the truth, this is a picture of me that I honestly have no real recollection of. Yes it was me, but sadly there are no memories of me on this day from this picture. All I have is the memories of the objects and the stories around them.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

If you look just over the horizon that we refer to as lunch today, you can see the weekend just peering over in the distance. Down the hill we head towards that.

Well that flu bug has returned to Michelle, she made it all day yesterday at work but when she got home she was warm and running a bit of a fever. Hopefully she will be feeling better today. She laid down after dinner last night trying to get some rest.

There was a little bit of shock and sadness yesterday. Long time Morgantown DJ Loray Robinson passed away. She was the mid-day person on Magic 106. Seemed like every news source in Morgantown was talking about it, she will be missed as she has been a staple of Morgantown Radio for a long time.

Hi ho hi ho...

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is once again in our rear view mirrors and we are staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, I can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* It was 1,425 days ago that Michelle and I went on our first date together. We went out for Pizza at Pizza Hut (Like that's a big surprise) and went and saw an a god awful movie 10,000 BC.

* 648 days ago at 4:00 in the morning, I took Michelle into the back yard and sat her down on the bench and got down on one knee and proposed marriage.

* 185 days ago we partied and celebrated that blissful union with a couple hundred of our closest friends and family here in Morgantown.

* There are 322 shopping days left until Christmas.

* I finally got back to the gym yesterday, I hadn't worked out since last Monday and my heart rate on my cardio was a little elevated, but strength wise I didn't miss a beat and have once again started to increase the weights.

* Talked a little briefly with Carnival Cruise Lines yesterday, we're trying to decide on what excursions we want to go on. We'll probably be finalizing everything here in a couple of weeks.

* Well I have decided which Super Bowl Commercial this year was my favorite, it was the M&M one. The Dorito's Man's best friend came in second and probably the TaxAct one with the kid in the pool or the Acura one with Jerry Seinfield coming in third place for me.

* I'll leave you with an internet documentary from 1969, they weren't too far off.

* Hi ho hi ho

Back to Work

Well the Super Bowl and the weekend are now things in our memories and it's time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for a few days. I need to actually get back to the gym now that I am feeling better and it's just time to get this next week of work started.

Both Michelle and I are feeling a little better, me more so than her because I got sick first, maybe by this coming weekend we'll be back to 100%. It was a productive weekend and it was also a relaxing weekend as we got our taxes finished and filed.

We're starting to plan for a cruise that we want to take later this summer to the Caribbean. The cruise we are looking at has ports of call of Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport, Bahamas. We'll be meeting with our trip planner some time later this month to determine all the amenities we want. We want a room with our own balcony so we can watch the sun rise and or set every day.

If I want to pay for this I better get going, Hi ho hi ho

Super Bowl Sunday

It's Super Bowl Sunday, that time of the year when everyone has office pools, parties and game boards. They wager on about everything associated with the game and for advertisers this is their biggest day of the year too. Some of the highest watched Television Programs in history have been Super Bowls. If you look at the list of the top ten, most of them are Super Bowls.

Today the New England Patriots and the New York Giants once again line up for a rematch of the the game a few years ago when New England was undefeated and trying to go 19-0 before Eli Manning and the Giants put a stop to it.

If I have to pick a team I am cheering for tonight, I have to say I am cheering for the Giants to win. I think New England probably has the best chance to win and is probably favored, but the whole cheating incident with New England a few years ago and the fact that I just do not like Tom Brady lead me to cheer for the Giants today. The two teams met once this year with the Giants winning 24-20 the week after the Steelers manhandled them 25-17.

Enjoy the game, even though the Steelers aren't in it....LOL

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit in a quiet household, everyone here is sleeping except the dog Sadie who is doing a her dog thing over on the pillow. I'm watching a great movie in the background about West Virginia, Matewan, but it is a movie that I have had the pleasure of seeing numerous times. I've always really liked that movie and it was the best thing on the boob tune at this time in the morning.

When I was a kid my Saturday Mornings used to be filled with all kinds of entertainment, like HR Puffinstuff, Buggs Bunny or the Wacky Racers. It was a time when all the channels showed cartoons and kids stuff. Somewhere along the way Looney Tunes was replaced by long Saturday morning news casts.

Anyways on to the present day. Michelle is feeling better, but I still have my chest cold lingering a bit. It's not going to be enough to inhibit either of us from doing anything today. Too bad the weather is not going to be as warm as it was this past week when I was home sick or working.

The good news is I am starting to see some plants coming out of the ground at work. Daffodils are starting to push up through the ground and my favorite time of the year is just right around the corner. I'm anticipating the day when I can pull out my butt cushions and head on over ton Hawley Field and watch the Mountaineer Baseball team take on somebody as the sun beats down on me. Come on sunburn...LOL

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 actually did make it back to work yesterday after two days off fighting the flu bug, now I think Michelle might be coming down with it as she is not feeling at the top of her game and may need a little rest. I didn't go to the gym yesterday other than to see if I am still maxing out at the same weight or if I added any strength by adding 6.25 lbs. I couldn't quite get that weight up, but I am still bench pressing the entire stack on maxout even after being sick. I'll wait to see how I feel this morning before I give a thumbs up or a thumbs down as to todays workout.

I am probably guessing Michelle and I will get into nothing this weekend unless something comes up unexpectedly. It's sad especially with the weather being so nice this week and both of us battling a little bit of a cold.

So hi ho hi ho

Groundhog Stew

* Cut off the head, tail, and feet of the damn rat who saw his shadow this morning. Skin and remove the insides very pianfully. Make sure you remove the scent glands as he is screaming for mercy. You'll find them around the top of the groundhog's front legs and the lower back, in the small of it.


* Rinse the inside of the groundhog thoroughly with water and then the outside, and then cure groundhog three to four days or just nuke his ass alive.

* Cut the groundhog into sections. You decide how many, just keep remembering six more weeks with every chop.

* Fill a pot with enough cold water to cover the varmit, usually two quarts. Add ½ cup vinegar and 1 to 1½ tbs. salt. Add a slice of onion, if you'd like. Place the varmit in the vinegar and salt brine and cover. Leave it in the pot for 8 to 12 hours. Decide what recipe you'll use after the groundhog has soaked in the brine. I've decided for groundhog stew. Pour off brine, thoroughly rinse, and beat dry or until spring comes.

* Boil the groundhog in 2 quarts of water for 20 minutes. If foamy water rises to the top, skim it away. Afterwards slice into 1 to 1½ inch pieces.

* Chop 1 onion, 1 celery stalk, 2 garlic cloves, 6 to 8 carrots, and 4 to 6 potatoes. Lower the heat and simmer for 45 minutes or until fork tender and don't forget to add lots and lots of garlic.

* Mix ½ cup of cool water with 1 tbs. flour. Mix until the flour blends without lumps. Add to stew to thicken the broth. Once it's done, salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

If anyone is looking for fresh groundhog...

Groundhogs Day

OK my little buddy from Punxsutawney, Phil I am talking to you once again this year and even though this has to be the mildest winter that I think I can ever remember on record, I'm hoping that all the partying you did last night has you blinded and no shadows shall be seen on this day. It's time for Punxsutawney Phil to step up to center stage and tell us what the next six weeks worth of weather will consist of.

You can keep track of all of the days events HERE. One of these years I am going to have to go up for this event, I hear it is an all night party on Gobblers Knob.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my thousands of pictures that are either digital or that I have scanned through the years and select just one to write a blog about and tell a little story about. Sometimes it's pretty easy, and sometimes you have to take a while to find that one picture you want to talk about.

This weeks picture has two very important people in it. First of all the bald Troy Polamalu jersey wearing fat guy is none other than yours truly a few years ago at Steelers trivia. If you norice the center team, they were from Punxsutawney and had a furry little buddy/rat (depending on whether he sees his shadow today) along with them for the ride as good luck.

In case anyone forgot, this was the finals of the KDKA Trivia Challenge and we kind of smoked everyone that year and won the whole thing. I didn't have to do much as I was a replacement for Chris's Dad and they should have won it the year before after setting the single round record for points.

If anyone needs any highlights of that tournament:

Signing Day

This is a big day in all of college football, no no games are being played unless you try to keep some kind of a mythical score. Today is Letter of Intent Day in College Football. This is the day when the High School players who have verbally committed to schools sign the binding Letter of Intent.

I will be keeping an eye on it through Blue and Gold News to see if there are any signing day flips or if any of our recruits have changed their mind at the last minute. We have a number of kids from this class who graduated High School a Semester early and have already enrolled at WVU this January. They are: Karl Joseph, Sean Walters, Jordan Thompson, Ford Childress and Imarjaye Albury. All five of these players have already enrolled at WVU and taking classes this semester meaning we will be seeing them in the Spring Game this year.

Some of the players expected to ink with the Mountaineers today include son of former WVU running back Eugene Napolean in Brandon Napolean. It is the day that the payoff of all of our recruiting efforts start to pay off and come to fruition.

Hump Day

Well part of yesterdays BLOG was inaccurate. When I rite my BLOG, because I am to do so on a daily basis I like to get it out early in the AM. That way it posts usually at about 5:00 AM our time. Yesterday however I was a bit under the weather and did NOT make it to work or the gym. I've had a bit of a chest cold for a few days and it had me down yesterday.

Hopefully this morning when I actually do get up I am feeling better. In all likelihood I will still have this in my chest (I am writing this Tuesday Evening) and will try going to work today, but may take the rest of the week off from working out to allow this to clear my chest. We'll have to see though.

Michelle finally got her cast off of her foot yesterday, the top of her foot is still a little tender and she is still taking caltrate plus the bone simulator she is wearing for ten hours a day. She is happy to have that inhibiting thing off of her leg and being able to start to fuction normally again.

Hopefully it's hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is once again in our rear view mirrors and we are staring straight down the barrel of another Tuesday, I can't for the life of me think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* 1,418 days ago I went on my first date with a woman who would later be my wife.

* 641 days ago I got down one one knee in the back yard and popped out the engagement ring and asked her if she would Marry me.

* 178 days ago, we tied the bonds of matrimony in front of our closest friends and family.

* 329 Days left to get your Christmas shopping done for 2012.

* In two short days I determine of I am going to have Groundhog for dinner or take a groundhog out for dinner. Yeah Phil I'm talking to you ole buddy.

* I do have to say that when I woke up yesterday morning I was not feeling very well. I did manage to make it to the gym and work all day, as I'm sure I'll manage to do today.

* Speaking of the gym it's a 100% cardio day for me. I usually do 3.25-3.35 miles on the treadmill on Tuesday's and Thursdays with a small but significant incline. That's twice a week when I do better than the equivalent of a 5K run walk. The other days I only do 30 Minutes of cardio, I go the full 60 minutes today.

* We had fried cabbage and kielbasa for dinner last night. Ironically I ran across an article that talked about all the benefits of cabbage and sauerkraut. Me? I just love the taste and we do it about once a week.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Again????

If there is one day of the week that there is a general consensus on as to everyone's LEAST favorite day of the week, I think Monday would win with an overwhelming majority. It's the day we stick our noses back on the grindstone and get back to doing what it is we do so we can enjoy the weekend.

We did upgrade our bedroom humidifier yesterday, we had one for the past couple of years, but both of our sinuses have been killing us this winter, so we got a better one that puts out significantly more mist and is well worth it.

So much for the procrastinating, the gym is calling my name and needs to see me there ASAP. It is a lifting and cardio day, so rest assured I'll get a very good workout in today. I have been going to the gym pretty much every day since we got back from our honeymoon last August. I'm feeling great, feeling strong and fit at a level that I haven't felt in a number of years.

Not sure what my work schedule has in line for me, there is a meeting in Mexico for the Atlas that I have been working on for the past year this week. I would have loved to have had the opportunity to go down, it was initially offered last year, but never came to full fruition. All the people who are actually working on it, are not the ones going. Ironic isn't it? LOL. Now if we can just arrange for the Next NatCarb Atlas to have the official kickoff meeting in Hawaii....(yeah, don't we all wish)

Hi ho hi ho

Weekend Windown

Well we took a little road trip to JC Penney's and Tanger Outlets yesterday, to see if Penney's was running any sales and Michelle wanted to pick up a few things at Tanger.

JC Penney's has me wondering, I love their Van Heusen collection but I was under the impression they are either transitioning the store for a big sale in a few days or they are eliminating that collection which would really....well kinda suck since basically all my shirts are Van Heusen's. I guess we'll have to wait and see.

I missed it, but the Mountaineers were royally screwed while playing at 4th ranked Syracuse yesterday. It was a very controversial ending as the game tying basket was goal tended by Syracuse and the Big East refs did not make the call and we lost 63-61. When commentators are calling for the three refs to be suspended, and not our commentators but ESPN's Digger Phelps then you know something is wrong.

We did watch the Womens team put a 53-22 beating on Marquette last night on TV.

Normal chores and shopping today for Michelle and I.

Have a good one.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

I once again sit in a quiet household with everyone sleeping except me and the TV in the background. Lewis Black is doing a standup routine behind me on HBO and I'm sitting here trying to collect my thoughts for the new day.

Michelle finally got her bone stimulator yesterday. She broke her foot this past October, they finally put it into a cast earlier this year and they finally processed all the proper paperwork with my insurance that allows her to have one. We were told last month that many insurance companies will not allow for them, mine covers it at 100%. She has to wear it for ten hours a day until her cast comes off and then a few months after the cast comes off as well for ten hours a day. I'm just thankful she's on my insurance now, which I have to say is top of the line. I am very lucky in that regard.

Hayley is going to try to get a job at the Valley Mart, she had been working at Bed Bath and Beyond but was getting next to no hours there, so she is going to get something where getting there isn't an issue and she can get a few more hours under her belt. It's just right across the street, so that will be much easier for her for the time being as all she has to do is walk.

Yesterday was a hared day for Michelle and the kids, it was six years ago yesterday that her Husband and the kids father passed away in the middle of the night. It was an emotional time of remembered for all of them, I never had the opportunity to really meet the man other than seeing him once, so all I could do is offer my support and comfort in their time of remembering him.

Hi ho hi ho

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.

I have to say this was a pretty quick week for me, maybe it was just the nice spring time like weather for most of the week but this week did seem to fly on by. I'm hoping that this is a good thing and not the calm before the storm.

I don't know what the Mrs. and myself will be getting into this weekend, obviously we'll be doing our weekly shopping, laundry and weekend chores before Monday. Maybe we'll find something fun and entertaining to do this weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to spend a little bit of precious to go through my tens of thousand of digital pictures that I have and take a little time out to tell a little story about it. Some times it's an easy task, sometimes you have to look for a while to get that picture.

Today's picture takes us back to a time of of nations Bicentennial celebration year of 1976. A time when I actually not only had hair, but probably even had more hair than my sister Terri does here in this picture.

The more I look at this picture, I see her Granddaughter Erica Jean's eyes looking back at me. I never really noticed that until now, but wow is there a resemblance.

Anyways this was Terri's 1976 school picture that I had picked for this weeks flashback.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Yesterday was another beautiful day weather wise, I can't believe we have been blessed with such nice weather at the end of January. We're usually cold and snowy at this time of the year so I can't complain.

Unless Punxsutawney Phil and Mother Nature are conspiring to just tease me a little before he get blasted with winter. I have to remember to send Phil a bottle or two of Scotch and Mother nature a nice bottle of perfume or some some really good chocolates, maybe they are just going to be nice this winter. Phil is my buddy though, he wouldn't plan a Pearl Harbor attack on me....would he????

On another note, last month I set myself a goal to try to achieve in the weight room by the end of 2012 as far as bench press. I thought it would be a nice way to keep working on a goal that I could be proud of, well I made a lot of progress in the Month of December and planned on hitting a certain benchmark by mid-February and had hoped to reach my goal six month ahead of schedule by July.

Well hard work in the gym and I reached that benchmark today, about a month ahead of schedule. The rate things are going I'm going to be able to reach a goal that I would be very proud of by now maybe April. Even much more ahead of my goal I set for 2012. Maybe it's time to re-evaluate and set that goal much higher than I planned on doing for this entire year. It gives you a great feeling knowing that you are really achieving goals that I could be proud of at a much earlier time than I anticipated.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well that dreadful Monday is now behind us and we are looking at it in our rear view mirror and staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday, I can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* It's been 1,411 days since Michelle and I went on our first date a few years ago.

* 634 days ago I got down on one knee in the backyard and proposed marriage.

* We are entering our 171st day of wedded bliss.

* There are only 336 more shopping days left until Christmas, unless the Mayans were right and we have experienced our last Christmas. Plan accordingly.

* How do you like these uncharacteristically warm January days? It was actually in the 65° yesterday afternoon, I have to love this kind of Winter.

* I'll be in meetings half a day today running a WebX session with a couple other countries today concerning our Atlas that is due out in April.

* Michelle just informed me it's supposed to snow later this week, so much for my happy Springtime mood...LOL

* Hi ho hi ho

Back to Work

All good things must come to an end and that includes our fun filled weekends. Yes it is time for those of us who work every day to stick our noses back on the grindstone and get back to doing what it is that we do that allows us to enjoy the weekends.

A lot of sadness this weekend as I learned about the passing of long time Penn State football coach Joe Paterno early yesterday morning. JoePa as he was referred to by Penn State fans and fans of all fan bases alike, was a coach that despite the recent scandals in Happy Valley that I still had a great deal of respect for. He used to make his bi-annual trip to Morgantown with his Nittany Lions and of all the times he did, we only beat him twice and he showed an extreme level of class in both of those occasions. Eastern Football is now a thing of the past.

I hope everyone has a great Monday, it's off to the gym for me so...

Hi ho hi ho

Sterogram on Every Mans Mind

A little fun with a sterogram for those of us who can read them =)

Click on image for larger view

Optical Illusion

Shake Your Head

Sunday Morning

I guess it's never dull around here in the middle of the night. Yesterday they had the gunman downtown and just a few hours ago there were a couple of drunks fighting in the middle of the street up the road from our house. Chad was out there to break it up and I guess one of the guys actually was run over by a car. Chad said they were two brothers and of course the police were called. I was sleeping so I missed that b it of early morning excitement.

Nothing major on our agenda for today other than our grocery shopping that we do every Sunday morning. This weather I have to say is horrible and I feel like a hibernating bear on weekends. I guess Spring is on its way back as we have passed through the first third of winter already.

Maybe this would be a good time to start planning our back patio garden for 2012 as well as some of the projects we have been doing around here. Last year was our first go around with the backyard patio garden. We kind of entered into it not really knowing what we wanted to do with it. Our Mint is STILL going strong even today of you can believe that.

I don't think we are going try broccoli this year, they all flowered before they hit maturity. We did have a great deal of luck with our peppers and tomatoes and next to no luck with our Onions. Lettuce came in strong, but kind of over shadowed and screwed a few other things up. It was a leaf lettuce rather than a head lettuce and our cabbage never really grew to a point where we could harvest it. Something tells me this year will be more fresh spices, peppers and a tomato plant.

Stay warm and have a great day.

Auction Today

As many of you know my Brother in Law Jim is an Auctioneer. He is holding an auction today at Woodland United Methodist Church on the Mileground at 1:00 if anyone is interested.

There are a number of items they are Auctioning off today, if anyone is looking for furniture they have a nice amount of furniture. I know a couple of years ago my Brother in Law George was able to purchase a lot of old office furniture that he was able to use outside during the summer.

If you are looking to bargain hunt today and want to someplace centrally located as to avoid any bad roads, this might be for you.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Once again it is the weekend and I am up early, I'm not the only one up, Chad and Laiah are doing laundry and watching a movie in his room. I've got National Lampoon's Vacation playing in the background as Clark Griswald is trying to get his family to WallyWorld (or me every time I try to get to Idlewild Park LOL.

I guess there was a level of concern last night at WVU, the downtown area was put on lock-down as a gunman had been spotted. I guess this went on for a period of time until the gunman was subdued without any shots being fired (gotta love twitter). Turns out it was a kid who had a BB Gun. The Mountainlair went on lock-down, the dorms went on lock-down and I guess there was a lot of chaos. I'm glad it was something minor and did not turn out to be something like the Virginia tech incident a few years ago.

It was supposed to be cold with freezing rain and snow out this morning, so if you have to go anywhere be safe as travel may be a concern.

I did get a nice little iPhone Ap this week and the hardware to go with it. I installed and bought a couple card readers for SquareUp which allows me to accept credit cards with my iPhone. Not that I will ever need it, but you never know and it's always best to be prepared. I bought one reader, which Apple gave me my money back as a credit and then I ordered another free one from SquareUp.

Have a great day, stay warm and stay safe.

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.

First off a couple of Happy Birthdays. First to my Sister and Law Danni who is celebrating her birthday today. And to Chad's girlfiend Laiah who is also celebrating her birthday today. This has been the month of birthdays that's for sure. After eleven birthdays this month so far between family and friends, I think I am in the clear until March.

I think Michelle and I are going to just sit back and relax this weekend other than what we normally do with our shopping. I think we both fighting back against being sick and the rest will do us some good.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my thousands of digital pictures that I have either taken or scanned through the years and select one to reflect upon.

This weeks picture is comes from not only a time long ago but a place a long way away. This was a picture of today's Birthday boy when he was growing up as a child with his family in Zaire (or Tanzania depending on where the picture was take).

I know Farida and Abdul, I can use a little deductive reasoning and see that the little boy is Nick. Now we have three girls, Nasrin, Samira and someone else and someone else. My best guess is that Nas and Samira are wearing matching dresses and my next guess is Nasrin is in between Abdul and Farida with Samira on Abdul's right.

This is my best guess, I would need someone else to confirm if I am guessing correctly.

Enjoy the flashback of the birthday boy.

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 lucky to have some of the best Brother in Law's a man could ask for, and Nick is one of the best.

He's always a man who would give you the shirt off his back in times of need and always wants to help others and put a smile on everyones face who ever meets him.

If you see Nick today, make sure you wish him a very Happy Birthday.

Hump Day

Well the first part of the week is now behind us, now it's just a matter of getting up over this hump and coasting to another fun filled weekend.

It's this time of the year that I really don't like. The days are still kind of short, but they are getting longer by the day, and the weather is still a little cold for my taste. I think this is the time when I start to suffer a little bit from SAD, I leave for work and it's dark, I get home and it's starting to get dark and even though I have been working my butt off the past five months in the gym, I feel like I could use an energy drink to revitalize me and get me past being tired in the afternoon. I have a few Five Hour Energy's in my office, that I can always use in the afternoon if I have an important meeting, but I tend to avoid taking them.

Note to self, remember to send a couple female groundhogs and a case of Aftershock to Phil before Groundhogs Day. Hopefully I can get him celebrating too much and he'll be too verschnockered to see his shadow in a few weeks.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Layla Marie Rosiak

I would like to take this opportunity to wish a very special little girl a very Happy Birthday today. Layla Marie Rosiak entered the world four years ago today, and if you use my logic of taking 27 years away from her to make me 21, she is now 31 years old. =) OK She's only four, but I like my logic and you can't blame me for trying.

Anyways if you see Layla Marie today, make sure that you take a little bit of time out and wish her a very Happy Birthday today.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is once again behind us, much easier for some of us with the day off, but it's still now in the past. I can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* It was 1,404 days ago that I had the pleasure of having my first date with Michelle.

* 627 days ago we became engaged to be married.

* We're on day 164 of marital bliss and still going strong.

* You only have 343 more shopping days this year, unless the Mayans were right and the world will end in 339 days. My advice would be to plan for the contingency plan that the world will not end this year.

* I did have a nice relaxing day yesterday, watched a few movies and did a few chores around the house, but mainly just relaxed. Michelle had to work, so it would not have been any fun getting into anything without her.

* Spoke with Amy briefly over the weekend, she's working at H&R Block but working up front instead of doing taxes this season. She called it less stressful.

* I see my brother Gary bought himself a nice truck, a Dodge Ram 4 Wheel Drive with a lift kit appearing to already have been installed. The truck does sit rather high off of the ground.

* Is it springtime yet?

* Hi ho hi ho

One More Day

Today we celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's Birthday and is a Federal Holiday, allowing for me to stretch my weekend out one more day and make it three days. Michelle has to work, so I'm probably not going to get into too much of anything, except maybe going over finances and paying bills. Yes, that's a lot of fun =)

For Michelle's birthday yesterday we went and did a late lunch/early dinner at the Olive Garden. Talk about a busy place on a Sunday afternoon, this was definitely one of those types of places. We had about a 20 minute wait by the door that kept opening and closing and letting all the cold air before we even had the chance to be seated. Food was awesome however, so no complaints. Dinner was awesome with some awesome company.

Have a great day.

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Well first of all Happy Birthday to my wife Michelle, but I also need to extend a very heart felt Happy Birthday to Michelle's Sister Chris. It's not that often when siblings share a birthday, especially when they are not twins.

Just got up and caught pieces of the Movie Black Swan on HBO we recorded it last night because we want to see it sometime today. Natalie Portman won an Oscar for best actress for this role that she played. It was kind of a dark movie from the little bit of it I did see.

It's a cold one out there, stay warm today.

Happy Birthday to my Wife

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Wife Michelle the very happiest of Birthdays. I am a very lucky man to have such a woman be not only the love of my life, but my wife.

To my wife Michelle, may this be the happiest of birthdays today, I Love You with all of my heart and soul. I treasure the every minute we spend together and all that we do together. I don't think my life would be complete if I didn't make you that first cup of coffee in the morning so just simply annoy you asking you "How U Do?" multiple times a day.

We busted our butts yesterday, so this day is yours.

Happy Birthday

Saturday Morning Ramblings

I would say I am the only one up at this hour, but I am not for my Wife Michelle is also up at this hour so we can get a few things done today. We have the ability to get into Sam's before everyone else with the Advantage Plus Membership we bought a few weeks ago, we did the math and if we can save $5.00 a month (or $1.25 a week) with some of the advantage plus deals, then that alone covers the extra cost of the membership.

I think we are going to do all of our shopping today, so that Michelle can have tomorrow all to herself as it is her birthday.

Is it me or has it been too damn cold out? Forget the fact that I hate snow, it;s freaking cold outside and I'm ready for springtime.

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 Three Day Weekened Friday thirteenth.

Well if the weather man was right, and I have no looked outside yet, we should have 3"-5" of that crappy white stuff that I tend to hate laying all over the ground. I know we had a winter weather advisory, but I did not look outside yet. If there is any of that thing we call snow on the ground, I don't know if I have ever mentioned this before to anyone or in any of my blogs previously but I HATE SNOW!!!!

Let's get this three day weekend party started, hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my digital pictures that I have on my computer and select one to tell a little story about.

This weeks picture is actually one that I scanned from my Sister Terri's box of pictures a few years ago, it's one of my Uncle Junior, Aunt Lottie and my Maternal Grandfather Don.

Not sure of the year of the picture, but my Grandfather passed away around 1986 or 1987, so that could be some kind of an indicator as to the year this was taken.

Like I said, this is one of Terri's pictures that Mom and I scanned a few years ago, so my knowledge of this day is pretty limited.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Let's see, it is work for three days and then I will be off for three days. Today however, is my hump day as I work towards another fun filled weekend.

I think Moke is really liking his new iPhone, his has Sirri on it and mine doesn't, he is really starting to like the new feature that was introduced with the last release. He had to buy a Sociology Book, wow have the prices of textbooks when increased since I was last in school.

Just started working out again after a couple week holiday layoff when they were redoing our gym. I've blown the cob webs off and am back to where I was when I stopped, just a few pounds heavier due to the Holidays. =)

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Sandra Irene Bell aka Mom

I would like to take this opportunity to wish someone very important in my life a very Happy Birthday. Today is my Mom's Birthday, the woman who carried me for nine months and endured the pain of my breach birth is celebrating her Birthday today.

So if you see Sandra Irene today, make sure you take a little bit of time out and wish her a very Happy Birthday.

Mom from the bottom of my heart, I am thankful for all that you have done for me and I want to wish you the very happiest of Birthday's today.

Tuesday's Tidbits

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

* It's been 1,397 days since mine and Michelle's first date a few years back.

* 620 days since our engagement.

* 157 days ago we entered into marital bliss.

* There are only 350 more shopping days left until Christmas.

* Moke bought a new iPhone, he got the 4S and I gave him a call last night and showed him how to do a little bit of Facetime on it. I also got to speak to Ang for a few minutes.

* Moke has informed me he is enrolled in another semester at WVU. I have to say I am very proud of him.

* Speaking of college, Brittany started again at WVU (I would assume), Danielle is in the home stretch for the final semester at Wheeling Jesuit, Amanda (Michelle's neice) is finishing up at WVU this semester too. Kyle and Kayla Brown are also enrolled at WVU.

* It really is nice to see so many enrolled and finishing up college this semester.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

It's time to stop all that enjoyment and start to stick our noses back on the grindstone for a few days until we get to another weekend. I could use another weekend because I was sick all weekend, took numerous HOT showers to combat the cold chills that I get. I couldn't ever recall Michelle getting to a point where she has gotten sick and shivers like I do, when I get real sick I get the absolute shivers and I have been like that ever since I worked at Sterling. I remember a lot of the old timers talking about the brass chills.

I am feeling better today. Well as well as one can feel after seeing the Steeler's beaten at Denver last night in the playoffs, that was painful. The Steelers are hurt and beaten up and have been for a number of weeks.

Anyways back to the grindstone today after spending much of yesterday reorganizing our kitchen. Things were just getting too cluttered so we bought a couple sets of shelves and cleared out our big cabinets where we store all of our pans and cookware. It's actually neat and organized and very easy to find what you are looking for now. The bar in the kitchen where we used to stick everything, is all nice and cleaned off now and there is elbow room in the kitchen.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Well I am still a little bit under the weather, but last night was much better than the night before, I only had to wake up one time and take a hot shower as opposed top the three times the night before due to cold chills.

The Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) will be traveling to Denver today to play the wildcard playoff game against the Denver Broncos (8-8) and Tim Tebow. This will be the Steelers first chance in playing against Tebow, but I fully expect the Steelers to win this game quite easily.

Have a good day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet house with everyone sleeping but me. On the TV behind me is that Oscar winning movie "Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter is Dead" playing.

It was a rough night for me, the Gym finally re-opened at work yesterday and I jumped right on it so I can pick up where I was a few weeks ago. Usually with our Gym, you sanitize your equipment after you are done with it to prevent any flus or viruses that may be floating around. About a half hour after my workout I noticed my temperature raising and I was coming down with being sick.

Last night was horrible, I slept with two large comforters on me and was still shivering from being cold. I'm feeling alright at the moment, but I'll probably be back on the couch covered up and watching TV here in a couple of minutes.

Nothing planned outside of our normal routine today. Michelle is getting around much better in her cast, she was so uncomfortable last week I really felt sorry for her. She does have a pretty pink cast however.

Have a great day.

Happy Birthday Arron Hill

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Arron Jill a very Happy Birthday today. I Have had the pleasure of watching him grow up from being in diapers to the 6'whatever he is now, and that's been an awful lot of growing that I have had the pleasure of watching.

If you see Arron today, make sure that you take a little time out and wish him a very happy Birthday.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

Now that Mountaineer Football is over for the season and we are not quite yet at spring or summertime, I'm going to need to find something new to talk about on Fridays, other than waiting for Punxsutawney Phil to do me a heck of a favor again and party it up until he is drunk and blind from the evening before that he can't see his shadow again.

I'm still on cloud nine from the Orange Bowl, talk about the absolute perfect storm when anything and everything was working just right. It still hasn't set in that we not only won the Orange Bowl, but did so by putting 70 points on the ACC Champions.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and go through all of my pictures and find just one picture that I can select and tell a little story about.

This weeks picture takes us back about 25 or so years at Christmas time. I'm not sure if this picture is my niece Amy or Val, but this is a picture of them and a Christmas gift that my Dad and Jean had bought of a toy car.

As I look back at this picture, I look back to a time when the house was before all of the remodeling took place and the family room was added on, just on the other side of those white curtains.

Hi ho hi ho

WOW

I didn't want to jinx our Orange Bowl hopes, but never did I imagine us routing Clemson 70-33.

Congratulations to Coach Holgorson and the West Virginia Mountaineers. MAN Y Bowl records set in this game.

Orange Bowl

Tonight is the night, the West Virginia University Mountaineers will play the Clemson Tigers in the Orange Bowl. This will be our third BCS Bowl game since the inception of the BCS, but it is the first ever appearance in the Orange Bowl.

The Mountaineers will be facing a very tough Clemson team lead by a former WVU QB Commit in Tajh Boyd. Both Geno and Tajh are two of the nations best Quaterbacks, so hopefully we show up tonight ready to play. Otherwise, it could be a long night for the Mountaineers.

On a sad note, it is rumored our Defensive Coordinator Jeff Casteel will leave to take a position on Rich Rodrigeuz's staff at Arizona after the game. I hate to see him go, but he has big aspirations of being a Head Coach someday and word has it he has been passed over because they felt he would not leave West Virginia, we'll have to see how it all plays out. I would love to keep him, but I understand the man has goals in mind and I can respect that and would wish him the best.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well our Monday is behind us now, it was very productive as we got our Christmas Tree down and I bought some large shelves to help us organize a mess of a countertop. With all that considered and I have to return to work today, can't think of a better reason than that to do the first tidbits of 2012.

* 1,390 days since mine and Michelle's first date going on four years ago.

* It's been 613 days since we became engaged..at 4:00 in the morning in our backyard.

* 150 wonderful days of wedded bliss for us.

* 357 shopping days left until Christmas. Yeah I know I just got my tree down from 2011, but can't start counting too early.

* Michelle and I have been talking about our vacation plans for this year already, actually we have started pre-planning for about a month or so and we are going to make a cruise the the Bahamas a reality this year. Baltimore has a port and offer numerous cruises, and the Bahamas is some place we would both like to go.

* We tested Michelle's ability to drive with a cast on her left foot yesterday. It wouldn't matter, except that pearl is a 5 Speed and she is going to need to use the clutch. We rigged up one of her original walking shoes to be non slip and be able to put on over the cast to prevent any slipping of her foot, and it works fine.

* Have I ever mentioned that I hate snow?

* Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday to my Mother in Law Susie

I would like to take this opportunity out and wish my Mother in law Susie a very happy Birthday today.

She lives up in PA and we're down here, so we probably will not have the opportunity to see her today, but I would like to take this opportunity to wish her the very happiest of Birthday's today.

First Regular Blog of 2012

I hope everyone had a very Happy New Years, both Michelle and I slept through it and spent the day yesterday day hangover free.

Michelle spent the day yesterday getting used to the pretty purple cast on her leg, she broke it in October and it's been a very slow healing process so they casted it Friday. She had a tough time getting used to using crutches, so I got her a couple of high stools and a computer chair with wheels to get around the house. We need to try driving today, before we return to work tomorrow.

We'll probably break down the 2011 Christmas Tree as today's project. It was a good tree and we have yet to lose the first needle from it in over a month of putting a little color to our home.

For those of you working today, stay warm. Michelle and I have the day off.

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012

SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT,
AND NEVER BROUGHT TO MIND?
SHOULD AULD ACQUAINTANCE BE FORGOT,
AND AULD LANG SYNE!

CHORUS.-FOR AULD LANG SYNE, MY DEAR,
FOR AULD LANG SYNE.
WE'LL TAKE A CUP O' KINDNESS YET,
FOR AULD LANG SYNE.



HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!