SKYWARN®

As a professional geographer/GIS Analyst you are always looking to expand your capabilities and be able to add something new to a Resume that may help you out down the road.

A few weeks ago while watching the news, I saw a call for people to be weather spotters. It was from an outfit called SKYWARN® which is a group of trained severe weather spotters that report directly to the National Weather Service. I was thinking to myself it could be something to add to my resume and it looks like it might even be a lot of fun.

So this evening I will be going and taking the basic SKYWARN® class that is a prerequisite to be able to take the advanced class later down the road and certifications are good for a period of five years. I'm really interested in seeing what this is all about.

Learn Chinese in 5 Minutes

Hump Day

Well we have made it through two days this week, now it's just a trip over the hump and cruise on down to another weekend.

Jean called me yesterday afternoon all excited that she is now a geocacher. She found the Johnny Cash Cache that I had told her about previously. She seemed to remember right where it was at and managed to find it and sign the log sheet. I'm thinking that this was also my first find as well as Michelle's a year or so later.

One of our softball players is out for the year, and he is an avid photographer. Skip is the teams photographer this year and has put up a number of pics from our first game this year on his website.

Happy Cinco De Mayo everyone.

Tuesdays' Tidbits

* Well it is Tuesday, I guess it is time for a tidbits.

* We started our softball season last night on a winning note with an 11-5 victory for our first game of the season. After the hard fought season opening victory, many of the team traveled to our sponsors and had a nice dinner out on the deck with the guys.

* For you people keeping track of the Christmas Shopping season, there are 235 shopping days left until Christmas.

* We, as in the team, are talking about taking the Limousine and a bus to the game in two weeks. It will be a late game and we just want to have a little fun with it. Should be interesting.

* I haven't gotten a chance to stop in and see Mom since she as sent home, I'll have to make it a point to check up on her this week sometime.

Let's Try This Again

Well last week we wee supposed to have our first softball game of the 2010 season. However Mother nature did not cooperate with us and with a good bit of rainfall our first game of the season was rained out and postponed until a later date. That was last week.

Tonight we will once again attempt to start our 2010 softball season with our first game of the season this evening. It rained basically all day yesterday and there is rain in todays forecast, so it may be guess as to whether or not Mother Nature will cooperate.

I'm ready to head to the ball park and enjoy all the fun that is associated with a good softball game.

A Big Thank You

Yesterday evening Michelle and I were invited over for dinner to my old Buddy Smitty and his wife Stephanie's house. It had been a while since I really got a chance to spend much if any time with John, and I guess he took the initiative to say it had been too long.

We were treated to a seafood dinner that included shrimp, scallops and mussels. I've always thought John was a very good cook, and once again he has come through with a very nice dinner.

From Michelle and myself, I would like to thank John and Steph for a great evening, we need to get together again sometime soon.

Our Day

P and P Family auctions will be having their monthly auction today at the Blue Horizon Flea Market.

A lot of big heavy equipment, trucks, campers and other such items appear to be on the agenda for the auction today.

This evening we are going over to my buddy Smitty's for dinner. I'll give me a chance to sit down and do a little BS'ing with him, which we are long overdue for a good BS session.

Should be 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.

Hey football fans, the Blue and Gold Spring game is finally here. Tonight at 7:00 at Mountaineer Field the final WVU Football practice of the 2009-10 school year will take place with the annual spring football game. Price of admission is just $5.00 and that money is donated to WVU Children's Hospital.

Hopefully the weather will be cooperative with us today for this evening's game. I remember going a few years back when it was snowing for the spring game, let;s let this be a magical night under the lights.

777 Days

It has been that magical number of 777 days since my first date with Michelle. 777 is a number that has always been very lucky for me, it's the number I always play in the lottery and have hit.

Well, I played 777 one more time and gambled on the biggest decision one makes on their lifetime on that number. I wanted it to have meaning and I wanted it to be special.

This morning, in our back yard by the stream and on the bench, I proposed marriage to the love of my life. My gamble of 777 paid off, she said yes.

Headed DawnTawn

How is that for a little bit of Pittsburgeeze? Yes I am traveling on business today and headed to the land of the yinzers, DawnTawn Pittsburgh, Home of the Gum band.

I'm actually heading up for ESRI's "Better Ways to Design and Share Maps" to brush up on some skills and see what will be coming with the new upcoming release of the software.

Everyone from my office is going up, plus a former co-worker is will also be attending the event with us. We are going to go to South Hills and catch the subway in to avoid all of the morning rush hour traffic associated with Pittsburgh.

It'll be nice to get out of the office for the day.

Hump Day

It's humpday, which means we are on the downhill part of the week awaiting on another weekend. I have to say that this week is moving along quite quickly.

Yesterday was a bit of a treat, it was the first time in a couple weeks that Michelle and I were able to come straight home after work and didn't have to go anywhere or do anything after work. So it was home and we made chicken salads for dinner and a trip to the rails to trails with Sadie for a nice evening ending walk.

I did manage to order my birth certificate yesterday, I haven't seen it in a number of years and wouldn't even know where to begin to look to find the paper copy. So a quick phone call to Mom and a quick google search to VitalChek and I have the process started to get an official copy of mine. You never know when you may need a copy of one, so I ordered one.

Oh well, can't get to the weekend without getting this day over with, so hi ho hi ho...

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Hey, life is back to normal and it is Tuesday, I can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits section.

* First the good news. Mom is Home and out of Mountainview Regional. I noticed a very big upswing in her health each day this weekend and didn't think she would be in there the one to two weeks that they were suggesting. She progressed quickly and was released yesterday to return home to a modified normal life.

* We were supposed to start the 2010 Softball season last night with our first game of the year. Mother nature however was not compliant and dropped a whole bunch of the wet stuff on us yesterday to a point where they cancelled the games. Next game is next week.

* I see Val and Bobby got a new truck, a lifted up Dodge that looks like it could go about anywhere one would like to go.

* Nick had a little bit of a scary episode this weekend. A poison Ivy infection that was starting to get into his eyes. He took a trip to the emergency room and they did a few things to pretty much kill it all off plus some meds to help recover, so he is recovering.

* Michelle and I will be going over for Dinner with one of my oldest friends this weekend when we go and visit Smitty and Steph. Been a while since I've seen him, so a visit is in fact long overdue.

* Michelle and I are probably going to have dinner.

* I spoke with Michelle's Golf Pro dad yesterday, he informed me he is kicking his arch rivals butt all over the golf course so far this spring.

* have a great Tuesday, Hi ho hi ho

PLAY BALL!!!!!!

Well it is finally here, the time that I anticipate after the last game of the season, the first softball game of the year. The season is officially upon us as we are the team kicking off the season in the first game at the main field of the 2010 season.

Once again we will be MiHaley's for the second straight year. Mike is once again going to sponsor the softball team as well as being a player once again.

I had some absences last week to deal with some health issues for my mother, but she is getting twice as well as the day before with each and every passing day. I'm taking the night off and going and spending it with the boys of summer and having some fun.

Hopefully the weather will allow us to play tonight.

Avatar

A few nights ago after leaving the hospital, I went our and bought the movie Avatar. Well last night we finally got a chance to sit down and actually watch it. WE have an HD TV and we have a Dolby surround sound system, but I think last night watching Avatar that for the first time we were able to fully bring out and experience just exactly what our home entertainment system could do at it's full potential.

It was a pleasurable experience to say the least, the colors were vivid and the sounds were like nothing I have ever experienced sitting at home and watching a movie before.

The movie was awesome for anyone who has yet to see it.

Move Finally Made

Well Mom is finally out of the hospital, the one thing they were waiting on before they released her happened yesterday morning meaning that things were all go for moving her to Healthsouth for a week or two to help her get acclimated back to a normal life of doing every day things.

Michelle and I walked around the facility yesterday and were actually quite impressed. We spoke to the aquatics instructor and viewed where they do all the rehabilitation exercises for the patients.

It's nice to finally be able to step back from the very long days at Ruby for once, worrying about her hour to hour condition and be able to relax a little bit.

Gerald will be able to bring her dog Gabbie in for a visit this weekend, so you know the both of them will be very happy to see each other after a lengthy absence.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

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

Actually for me it seems like all of my days are just running together anymore, but we are at Friday and this workweek is just about over with. It's time to actually sit back and relax a little bit, it has been a very trying week and a half to say the very least.

The NFL Draft started last night with the First round, this evening they are going to do rounds 2 and 3 and Saturday 4-7. This is the first time that they have used such a format for the draft, but I think I like what I am seeing so far.

Hi Ho Hi Ho....let's get this day over with!!!!

Early Evening Yesterday

After so many consecutive, long and trying days over the past week or so, Michelle and I made it an early night yesterday and left the hospital at about 6:30. Mom had a couple of her friends visiting wand was actually in pretty good spirits, so we decided to slip out and have a little time at home.

I ordered a couple of pairs of crocs while Mom was in surgery last week, and as we got home there was a box on my desk that had out new crocs in them. They are the funniest looking shoes, but I swear they have to be the most comfortable pair of leisure shoes I may have ever had on my feet.

It was nice to finally sit at home and relax a little bit for the first time in a while. I even got to bed early last night.

Hump Day

Well we are are the middle part of the week, even thought my last 7 days all seem to be long and running together it is still Hump Day for the rest of the world.

Visited Mom in the hospital last night, she had to have a CT scan because they thought she may have a blocked bowel, however everything came back OK and they are going to feed her with a tube for a 24 hour time period and give her some laxatives before they put her back on a normal diet.

We thought she would be transferred to Mountaineer Regional Rehabilitation Hospital today, but that doesn't seem very likely to be happening today. It could still happen, but not likely today.

It was just a week ago that this entire episode started.

Mom possibly moving

Another day and more progress was made with Mom on her recovery. She was up walking a few times yesterday and is starting to rebuild her endurance with the newly repaired ticker.

If there is a bed available today, she will be being transported from Ruby Memorial Hospital to HealthSouth Mountain view Regional Rehabilitation Hospital on Van Voorhis Road. Providing there is space available and she will be there for one to two weeks doing rehabilitation.

I stopped by to see Nana in the hospital yesterday afternoon, however she had already been discharged and was at home resting.

A weeks worth of chaos is finally coming to a conclusion, maybe we can get back to normal now.

Back to Work

After a five day time period from hell, where Jack Bauer would have even said that's enough, It's time for me and everyone else to start to get back to work.

Let me recap. Mom goes in for a Cardiac catheterization on Wednesday Morning. If they found a problem a stent or a balloon would have been inserted to fix any problems with Mom's ticker. She comes back from surgery and we are told that surgery was needed and that they were admitting her.

All while Mom is in surgery, I get a call from a hysterical Michelle that the house next to her sisters, a friend of hers had blown up and that a friend of hers died in the house fire, all while screaming for help that her children could hear. Upsetting to say the least.

Thursday Mom goes in for surgery that we were hoping could be done with a robot, but her asthma caused it to lead to opening up her chest and doing a double bypass open heart surgery. She was placed in ICU after the surgery until Friday evening.

Friday evening they moved her back up to the 10th floor as the recovery process had started...or so we thought.

Saturday when I first arrived she was very confused. Had trouble trusting people and for the most part of the day seemed to have maybe taken a step back.

Saturday evening was the day from absolute hell. It started off with Mom attempting to walk for the first time since her open heart surgery. She was so excited to actually be walking again that she just took off down the hallway as free as one could be. When she got to the end of the hallway she was very out of breath, starting to panic and frantically crying that she could not breath. A small dose of pain medication was administered and she calmed down.

A little time passed and she was calling out names and phrases much like my Dad did when he was in ICU before he passed away. One or two word phrases that they continually say over and over again.

Doctors walk in and start to examine her, the word stroke is mentioned and as of yet has not been ruled out. During all the chaos and frantic times, I get a call that Jean is bringing Nana into the emergency room as she has just had a stroke. However when I met Jean in the Emergency Room doorway she told me that she thought Nana had a TIA and it appears that may be what had happened. They have admitted Nana, she is doing great, but they are still running a series of tests on her.

Back upstairs and Mom is now being moved to a step down unit (more monitored) and starts having paranoid illusions. Let's just say it was not a pretty night and it was a long night.

Sunday they had moved Mom back to her "Normal" room and the paranoid illusions were still very prevalent, but milder as there was not a room full of people causing her to panic. We did finally get her relaxed and to sleep yesterday evening (she had been going since the night before) and when I called to get an update status on her this morning they said she had rested well throughout the night and was starting to trust and recognize people a little more.

Today I am back at work, then back to the hospital as Michelle is returning to work for the first time since last Wed, she will be going with me to the hospital initially then is going to attend the funeral for her friend who died in the house explosion last week this evening.

It's back to work this morning. So how was everyone else's weekend?