Dreary Monday

Well our weekend of travel is now over with, now we're getting ready for the home stretch leading up to Christmas. However that is all next week and this is this week.

Time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for the week, and get back to doing what we do that allows us to live like we live. It's time to get back to work for the week.

We should be having our new Atlas being released today, so it may be a little bit busy around the office as there will probably be a few requests for information. Usually after we release an Atlas, we get an increased number of requests for information and maps.

Hi ho hi ho

Good Job Phil

You have to love it when someone from your old softball team makes the front page of the paper. Phil Caskey, brother Phil as many of us refer to him, was someone was the Assistant SID for WVU Athletics. he had a very nice cushy job but wanted something different.

Not many people at mid life and even being accomplished as he was, he was has a published text book that he authored, decide to go back to school and completely change their direction in life.

On the front page of todays Dominion Post, is a very nice article about Phil's teaching in a history class at South Middle School. When your students are excited about going to your history class, you know you're doing something right and changing influencing a few young lives.

Great Job Phil.

Off to East Liverpool Ohio

Today is going to be another long day, we'll be heading out of here this morning in route to East Liverpool Ohio to Michelle's Grandmothers to enjoy their Christmas.

Gigi as she is called, is one of the two ladies who walked Michelle down the isle when we got married. We go up every year around this time and enjoy a nice dinner, watch her hand out presents, and we play a game of Prize Bingo. Everyone brings a little novelty prize and we play bingo. You win at Bingo and you get to choose a prize.

After that we'll be heading to her Dad's to spend a little Christmas time when them in Calcutta Ohio, which is just a few miles up the road. Her dad lives there and that is where he used to have his Golf Pro Shop, but he has re-located to a country club rent free because of his name and craftsmanship.

It should be a good day, we have about 99% of of Christmas shopping done now thanks to yesterday. I still have to pick a few things up for Michelle, but we have even gotten our Chinese Gift Exchange gifts for Christmas Eve already. When it comes down to the final play, I have a strong feeling that both of these gifts will be given strong consideration.

Have a great day.

Shopping Day

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, collecting my thoughts as everyone is fighting a losing battle with the sandman. I have some unnamed movie on in the background and starting to plan out my day.

We had a our Company Christmas party last night at Oliverios. I was actually quite impressed this year as last years steak was kind of subpar for my taste. We received our fourth ornament from my Boss (we have all four in the series) and we once again have added it to the tree.

Today we are going to try to knock out pretty much the rest of our Christmas shopping. There will be a trip to Wal-Mart I'm suire as well as a trip up north to the Tanger Outlets and a trip to Wheeling this evening to grab a DeCarlos Pizza. It has changed since my father first found it some years ago, I think it's actually much better.

It's going to be a long day, but we're just preparing for out traveling tomorrow when we go to East Liverpool Ohio to visit Michelle's family and spend some Christmas Time with them. The Steelers play the Cowboys and I have a brother in law who is a Dallas fan. To say he will be outnumbered is an understatement.

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 yesterday was actually Michelle's Friday as she started her three day weekend last night. She is off today and will be doing a little bit of Christmas shopping. I'm up in the air about what I'm going to do, I may take the day off and have my own extended weekend or I may go in and work a few hours.

My company Christmas Dinner is this evening at Oliverios. We've had it there every year since I have been at Sextant. Dale treats us to a nice dinner and every year we all get the things remembered Make a Wish Christmas Ornament. They have been doing them for three years and this year we'll get our fourth. We have all of them and they are a nice addition to the tree every year, especially since we're starting to personalize our tree more and more now.

Tomorrow will be a shopping day. We'll probably head up to Tanger Outlets, as we both really like the place. I know we're both craving some DeCarlos Pizza, so a run to Wheeling may even be in the works before we head to Ohio Sunday for Miche;;e's Grandmother's yearly Christmas Dinner.

It's going to be a busy weekend that's for sure.

Tear Jerker

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my pictures. I like to find just one captured moment in time to reflect upon and relive briefly in my blog. Sometimes it's a pretty easy task, sometimes it's not so easy. It is however always a lot of fun.

The gentleman you see in this picture is a man who I never had the pleasure of meeting. He was my Great-Great-Grandfather on my Mother's side. He was Westover's one man police force for a number of years, "Chiefy" Newbraugh as he was known was the police chief, or should I say the entire police force for the City of Westover years ago.

He's a man I never met, but have heard and read numerous stories about him on Facebook in the Growing up in Morgantown Page. There is even a picture or two of him over there other than this one.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

If you look over that noon time hump, on the other side of a photo flashback, you can start to see the dawn of another weekend. I guess it's all downhill from here.

The picture that you see is from a story that happened in West Virginia yesterday. A Gas Pipeline Exploded down around Sissonville yesterday afternoon. early reports were that the flames were so hot that it melted the asphalt on I-77 causing it to be shut down yesterday. I imagineit would have been something to see, I grabbed this picture off of Facebook yesterday as it was happening.

Early indications are that no one was hurt, although that could always change between the time of me writing this and the time of this posting.

Anyone ready for the weekend yet? I know that I am and it'll be a busy one for me. Christmas shopping and traveling are on our agenda this weekend. Michelle is going to be off on Friday, I was going to take off but that is up in the air right now. There'll be some Christmas shopping and traveling to east Liverpool Ohio for her Grandmothers Christmas.

Lifting and cardio day

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Once again we have monday 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's been 1,733 days since Michelle and I had our first date. Movie was lousy, the company was keepable.

* 956 days ago we got engaged.

* We have enjoyed a wonderful wedded bliss for 493 days now.

* There are only a mere 14 shopping days left until Christmas. It's starting to get down to the wire, we'll do much of our shopping this weekend.

* I am really thankful to Google for keeping track of these numbers for me, makes my job much easier.

* According to the Mayans, we have 10 days left. I think they were wrong.

* Talked to Pam briefly this weekend. She informed me that Calvin was sick last week. They determined by accident that he has an allergic reaction to Aleve.

* I have to say, butterscotch cookies assist in writing a blog. They don;t do much for creativity, but they do tickle the taste buds.

* I bought tickets last week for the June 22, 2013 Kenny Chesney tour when it stops off at Heinz Field this summer. Now we just have to see when Jimmy tickets go on sale. * Cardio day, I did lift yesterday.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday Dreary Monday

There is one day of the week that I really don't care for, it's the day that our weend ends and the workweek begins on. It's the least popular day of the week, it's Monday.

Michelle managed to get all of our baking done this weekend. She was suffering for it last night, she pushed herself to a point that she was in pain all over. I advised her to take a nice hot bath with some relaxing bath salts, they always seem to relax her and make her feel better. Hopefully today she'll be feeling better and will be ready for the week.

We did get a visit from Arron yesterday, we bribed him with some Christmas cookies and some banana bread. If there is one person who respects Michelle's butterscotch cookies other than me, it's Arron.

I might change up my workouts, it's a normal lifting and cardio day.

Hi ho hi ho

Cookie Day Part II

Yes back by popular demand, the sequel to Cookie day will take place today. I lost count on how many Christmas Cookies Michelle made yesterday, but now we're going to get into our chocolate chip and our banana nut breads today.

To say our oven got a good workout yesterday would be an understatement, I think we went a little overboard on the butterscotch cookies that I love so much. I had to run out yesterday to get more flour and butter.

We have a tray of butterscotch for Arron who also loves them, but he was busy in Fairmont yesterday as University High beat Fairmont Senior 82-67. I would imagine he'll find his way over here today.

Time to finish up our Christmas baking today. Next weekend we have traveling, Company dinner and shopping on the agenda so we'll be pretty busy.

It's a Cookie Day

I love this time of the year, I think it is a day that I actually look forwards to once the last Christmas cookie from the previous year is eaten. Today is Christmas Cookie Day 2012.

I remember our first one that we had here, we went wild and bought all kinds of stuff to make them. Hayley was still here, and she will be coming today to assist, and we had a huge snowstorm in Morgantown that day. That was the year we had not one but two pretty bad storms, and cookie day was the first one.

There will be no gingerbread houses this year, unless the kids want to do one, I did one that first year and it really wan't that appealing to look at. My decoration skills are a little bit to be desired, I just lack a whole lot of creativity that some people have. It's a gift, either you have it or you do not and I am one of those people wjho do not have it.

I do get a little treat for breakfast this morning, a co-worker brought me in a little bit of deer hot sausage, I'll be frying it up this morning for breakfast with my eggs. Michelle hates deer meat, that just means there is more of it for me.

Have a great day, and stand by with the insulin. =)

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 plans changed last weekend and we will be doing our Christmas baking this weekend. We're all ready for it with the exception of buying some bulk eggs and butter, which we will purchase this evening. My favorites are the butterscotch cookies that we tried a couple of years ago, Michelle substituted Butterscotch for chocolate chips and everyone fell in love with them.

Next weekend we are going to be very busy with my company Christmas party, our Christmas shopping and traveling to Ohio for Michelle's family Christmas. That means that the baking needs to get done this weekend as the weekend after next will be final couple of days before Christmas, and I'm sure there will be a lot of running around that weekend as well.

Lifting (if my shoulder holds out) and cardio today.

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. It's a way to reflect on moments in time captured in a still image that we can keep forever. I like to select one photo each week and just write a little blog about it. Sometimes it's a pretty easy task, sometimes it's not so easy. It is however, always a lot of fun.

This weeks picture goes back a few years, back to when the KDKA Pittsburgh Steelers Trivia Challenge. We were not supposed to tell anyone about the results as the show was taped in June and aired later on, but we did get the trophy about the time the show started to air.

This was my opportunity to possess the trophy for a while, I think Chris still has it, but those were the two that earned it, I was just the fill in and scorekeeper.

Watch our winning run below.

Hi ho hi hO

Hump Day

Well we're looking at that midweek hump, get over that noon time hump and we'll be able to see another weekend on the other side of a photo flashback.

For the past couple of weeks, my brother in law Nick has been asking about Blogging. he's getting ready to start another business venture, or should I say resume one from a few years ago, and he was asking me about doing a web site or a blog to promote his product.

Both Nick and I, him with much more success than I ever had at it, used to sell a product called Melaluca. It's a multi level marketing business that if you apply yourself, you can honestly make money doing this.

I'm probably going to head down to his house tonight to give him a once around with Blogger. Show him how to set up his account, how to name it, play with the templates and add widgets to his blog.

Lifting and cardio day for me so

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.

* 1,726 days ago I had the pleasure of going out on my first date with a woman I would later marry.

* 949 days ago I asked that special woman to marry me.

* We have enjoyed 486 days of wedded bliss and we enjoyed a big feast in front of our friends and family.

* Only 21 more shopping days left until Santa Claus makes his yearly journey around the world. NORAD will once again be tracking Jolly old St Nick as he makes his way around the world visiting all the boys and girls who were on the nice list.

* The West Virginia Mountaineer Football team accepted their bowl bid yesterday, it will be in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium and the opponent will be the all so familiar Syracuse Orangemen. the game will be played on December 29th against a long time foe. Should be a good as this is one team Geno Smith has struggled against the past two years.

* It's a cardio day today. I have to admit I wasn't up to working out yesterday morning, I got ready and went in, I was just very blah and didn't hit the gym. Both Michelle and I have been fighting off a touch of the flu. * Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are! * Hi ho hi ho

I Hate Mondays

All good things must come to an end, unfortunately that includes the weekends as well. Yes it's time to stop the enjoyment and time to stick our noses back to the grindstone for another five days so we can continue to enjoy the lives we live.

Both Michelle and I fought through a little bit of illness yesterday, neither one of us were actually sick, but on the verge of getting the flu is how we both felt pretty much all day long.

As the days are getting shorter, it seems like I am going to bed earlier and earlier. We're still about three weeks away from the shortest day of the year, and we're at the time of the tear when I think more people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). I'm starting to long for the days of spring and cookouts and longer days.

Reality is it is not the spring time, the days are getting shorter and I did not win the lottery last week, meaning I do have to go to work today.

Lifting and cardio day

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again up earlier than everyone else, this is a normal occurring thing in this household with the exception of a few work days. I'm sitting here with the movie the change up playing in the background and collecting my thoughts for the day.

I would like to thank everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday yesterday and put the blanket Thank You out there in case I missed anyone. I was really active yesterday on Facebook with a whole lot of Thank You's to everyone who wished me a Happy Birthday. 130 was my last count of people I had to respond to and that does not even cover the automated ones. I guess you could say that I am pretty lucky in the cyber world. I even got an unexpected Thank You on the scoreboard at Mountaineer Field yesterday even though I was not at the game. I guess it helps to be good friends with the right people, thank you Chris.

Michelle made me a home made pizza, I love her pizzas and a special birthday bread that may not be the healthiest thing in the world to eat, but OMG it's awesome.

Have a great day.

Ed's Birthday

Today I would like to wish my hubby a very Happy 28th Anniversary of his 21st Birthday. He is wanting pizza for his Birthday dinner, so I will make my homemade dough and get his favorite topping and if he is lucky maybe I will put a candle on it. Make sure that if you see or talk to Ed today wish him a very Happy Birthday. I love you honey

EDIT By Ed. Thank You Michelle, I love you very much. Next time you write a blog, schedule it and publish it, this one was in draft form...lol

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I am up early once again collecting my thoughts for the day. Everyone else has fought a losing battle with the sandman and I'm the first to recover for the day. In the background the movie Major League II is on, one of my favorites, and it does bring back a lot of memories for me that I used to spend with my boys of summer.

We had planned on this being our Christmas Cookie day, but Michelle said she would just rather wait until next week to do anything. I think we're just going to relax at home and watch the Mountaineers today.

Today is Sr Day, this will be the last time that this group of Seniors will ever play a game at home. The Kansas Jayhawks are in town, hopefully Geno and Tavon can give us all something to remember them by. Rumblings are the Stedman Bailey who is only a Junior, will be declaring for the NFL draft after this season but that is just a rumor and only speculation at this point.

Have a great day and Let's Go Mountaineers.