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.

For this weekends excitement, we're probably taking down the 2012 Christmas Tree. It was a great tree and I think we have the hand of this live tree thing now, I could probably replant this tree if it had roots. Unlike our first years tree that lost the majority of it's needles and was losing even more as we were carrying it outside.

The NFL Playoffs start this weekend, but without the Pittsburgh Steelers competing in them this year my interest will probably be minimal. The only good news that I have heard this week is Baltimore Ravens Linebacker Ray Lewis is calling it quits after this season. If you're not a football fan, this is the players locker that Michelle would most like to pee in. She hates him, but with all due respect he;ll be in Canton in a few years.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out to look through all of my pictures that I have on my computer. I like to look through and find one lost moment in time to put up and reflect upon. Sometimes it's pretty easy, and some times it's not that easy of a task, it is however always a lot of fun.

Let's have some fun and turn the clock back over 30 years. To a time when I think I was a sophomore in High School and one of the few times that I actually spent the night at my Mom's and visiting my Sister Terri. It was a time when I was not so folically impaired and actually had a good deal of hair on top of my head.

It was also a time where my waistline was much smaller and I was much thinner than I am in my current state.

If memory serves me correct, this was 1980. I know this because I also know this was a Monday night. The Oakland Raiders played this night, and it was when Jim Plunkett was their Quarterback. It was a year that they won the Super Bowl and that killed me, because this was the first time that the super Steelers of the 70's were insignificant after a nice six year run that brought to Pittsburgh Four Super Bowl Trophies.

A time long ago.

Hi ho hi ho

Vacation is Over

Well I enjoyed it once again, an eleven day break from work, also known as a vacation and now unfortunately I have to stick my nose back on the grindstone and get back to work.

I can't say I did not enjoy myself, we had our traditional Pork Sauerkraut yesterday for dinner. I was never bug on Sauerkraut, but Michelle does it in away that I absolutely love. We've had it on New Years every year we have been together.

We really did not get into anything yesterday other than vegging out all day. I didn't even watch any football other than catching a score on the ESPN Website to see what the results were after the games were played.

We were talking yesterday about the things we would like to do this year, places we want to go, things we want to do and things we want to see. I think we have come up with a few new things we would like to do and see.

I can't believe I have to go out in this cold, but too many Christmas Cookies need to be worked off so

Hi ho hi ho

Happy New Year!!!!!

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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodbye 2012

January

*  2012 started out great, the Mountaineers walloped Clemson in the Orange Bowl 70-33. WVU set the record for the most points scored in a bowl game, much less a BCS Bowl Game.

* Michelle spent the New Year sporting a pink cast on her foot which she had broken.

* Long time Penn State Football Coach Joe Paterno passed away

February

* Punxatawny Phil saw his shadow promising siz more weeks of winter, but that had to be the mildest winter that I have ever witnessed in my lifetime.

* We officially booked our vacation for 2012 in February.

* We bought a new food processor and a bread maker as our dual Valentines Day gifts to each other.

March

* In March Michelle and I officially obtained our passports. We needed them for our cruise, if something goes wrong and you have to fly back, you had to have them. They are both good for ten years.

* Steve Judy bowled back to back 300 perfect games.

* Just for the heck of it, Michelle and I ran to Parkersburg, WV to do a little bit og Geocaching.

* Michelle's friend Holly released her book, "My Daughter, My Hero".

April

* My 2012 April Fools joke was that I was being transferred to Albany Oregon. Always a possibility, not much of a probability.

* We had our family easter Egg Hunt at Amy's.

* Michelle and I visited the Flight 93 memorial.

May

* Michelle's dad finally entered the 21st Century, he bought a cell phone. An iPhone specifically.

* Michelle and I took a nice day trip to Wheeling to visit Wheeling Downs.

* We attended the WVU Graduation where Michelle's niece Amanda graduated.

* My brother and sister in law, Jim and Chris Paugh, went to Hawaii so all of the kids got together and re-organized their thrift store downtown.

* We took a day trip to Ohiopyle for a cookout.

* We attended Danielle's graduation party. She had finished up her college career at Wheeling Jesuit.

June

* Michelle's Dad Dave came in to play golf at Lakeview, we hosted a nice cookout in the back yard. We made some great steaks.

* An Atlas I had previously worked on won a very prestigious award.

* My niece Amy had a baby shower.

* Chad was hospitalized and had to have surgery.

* With Jean and Gary, Michelle and I attended our our fifth Jimmy Buffet concert together. It was my sixth and Jean and Gary's first.

July

* West Virginia University "Officially" entered the Big XII.

* We took a hot summer day day trip to Idlewild Park and the Soak Zone.

* The Pittsburgh Pirates were actually playing very good baseball.

* I found out that I tore my Labrum.

* The family welcomed the birth of Kylea Rae Dalton.

* We took a trip to the burgh to celebrate a couple of Birthdays. Chris O was surprised with his 40th birthday party and we stopped in on Michelle's niece Abby's party.

* We had a big Pamperd Chef Party.

August

* Michelle and I celebrated our first Wedding Anniversary. I guess we got promoted from rookies to veterans.

* We traveled to Cleveland Ohio for Michelle's cousins wedding. It was the first time I had ever seen any of the great lakes.

* I attended my 30th High School Reunion. It was a two day event starting Friday Night and ending up Saturday night.

* Michelle had surgery.

* Chad and Johnny took over Scales and Tails in Westover.

* We took a trip to Amish Country in Ohio and attended a Family reunion in the same area.

September

* At the start of our vacation, we visited the national Aquarium in Baltimore.

* We set sail on our week long cruise to Grand Turk, Half Moon Cay and Freeport Bahamas. It was the first time either of us had ever left the country.

* The Mountaineers started off the 2012 College Football season with a real bang,

October

* We took a day trip with my old buddy Smitty and his wife Steph to Springs PA for the Springs Festival.

* Arron Hill played his Senior Homecoming game for University High School.  I were there to cheer him on and grab a few pictures.

* Michelle and I both upgraded our iPhones to the iPhone 5. She was not eligible when they first came out, so I waited until she was eligible before we bought the new ones.

* Hayley took over as manager of the Transit Center BFS/Gloria Jeans store.

* I celebrated my 3,000th blog post.

* Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast. Dumping a significant amount of snow in the area and causing many to be without power for an extended period of time.

November 

* East Gate Manor finally had their Trick or Treating, I told everyone it would be hit or miss and it was an absolute hit. We had nearly 1,000 pieces of candy and were out of candy within the first hour.

* We celebrated Thanksgiving with Michelle's family as we have done every year at the Cassville Fire Hall.

* Michelle headed out for some Black Friday shopping as I stayed at home and avoided that mess.

* We attended Michelle's 25th High School class reunion

* We got an early start and put up our 2012 Christmas Tree.

December

* We took out a weekend and did all of our Christmas baking. I love Cookie day =)

* A Gas Pipeline exploded in Southern West Virginia.

* We attended my Company Christmas party at Oliverios and received our fourth Make A Wish Christmas ornament.

* We traveled to East Liverpool, Ohio to spend Christmas with Michelle's family.

* We did outlast the Mayan Calender and survived the Apocalypse.

* We spent Christmas Eve with my family at My sister Terri's home. I did my first Christmas Eve video in a few years.

* I have posted including this one, 421 Blog posts for 2012.

* See you on the other side of New Years. 

Last regular Blog of 2012

This will be my last regular blog post for the 2012 posting season, later this morning my Goodbye 2012 blog, where I go back through the year month by month according to my blog and relive the year as was told by my blog. This is one of the funnest Blogs that I do every year, it makes me take a little bit of time out and reflect upon the previous year in my blog.

I think I will extend my vacation another day, tomorrow is a Holiday and no need to go back for just a day to take another day off. This will be the longest break of my professional life and it feels pretty good, even though it did occur in the middle of the cold season.

No plans for Michelle and I tonight, Smitty invited us over but we are probably going to stay home. Too many crazy drivers out on the road and I would rather stay safe and sound in my home.

Speaking of moronic drivers, I saw a guy yesterday morning traveling across the star city bridge and tailgating another driver try to pass him and lose control of his car. He almost hit us, but I was prepared and the moron spun the car around just missing the guy he was tailgating and hit into the bank on the other side of the Star city bridge. Slow down moron.

Be safe tonight, don't dink and drive and remember that you might be alright, but the other morons on the road that you need to pay attention to. Have a safe and Happy new years.

Enjoy my final blog of the year later this morning.

Late Blog

Michelle just asked if if I wrote a blog today, I then just realized no I did not. So, here I sit writing this blog.

Did anyone watch the WVU Bowl game yesterday against Syracuse? That had to have been the most unprepared, uninspired, cocky and arrogant but no idea what you are doing team I have ever seen the Mountaineers field. The defense looked much better, but couldn't manage to get off the field. The offense was 0-10 on third down conversions. Really? Don't we have a multi-million $$$ a year offensive Guru for a head coach? O for 10 on third down. If you don;t understand this simple basic of football you are not going to win. "Move the sticks". This team was too worried about the big play or their statistics, running east and west rather than north and south and they embarrassed this University on National television. Coach Holgorsen, the honeymoon is over, you better figure something out quick or your time in Morgantown is going to be very limited.

Let's turn our focus to basketball when the Bob Huggins lead Mountaineers will be battling a team that is lead by my old softball left-center fielder. No Joke, Jeff Neubauer was our left center fielder and was a great guy, he was unexpectedly had his last season with us shortened when he was offered the Eastern Kentucky job.

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, only I have recovered from a losing battle with the despicable sandman who attacks us all on a daily basis. I have just got done watching the Perfect Game on Netflix and I'm sitting on Facebook playing a crime drama game that everyone is starting to play.

It's time for the Pinstripe Bowl today at 3:30 as the Mountaineers and long time former conference rival Syracuse battle for the Pinstripe Trophy in Yankee Stadium in New York. I have to say this is one team Head Coach Dana Holgorsen and Sr QB Geno Smith has struggled with over the course of their careers here in Morgantown. We actually took a very bad butt kicking last season in Syracuse.

I have to say that I am a little pessimistic about this game. Doug Marrone has basically schooled Dana Holgorsen the last two seasons and we just do not match up well against them at all. Although we are the favorite, I look for us to struggle as we have the past two times against the Orange, and that kills me to admit that, but I just have a bad feeling about his game. I hope I am wrong

Have a great day

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 its the last day of my weeks vacation, I've been off all week this week and haven't went in to work. Michelle has had to work, but I have been lazy taking naps and just watching movies the past couple of days.

Not sure if anything is up this weekend, the Mountaineers play their bowl game tomorrow against Syracuse and the basketball team plays Sunday afternoon. Ironically the basketball team we are playing is coached by my former softball teams left fielder. Jeff Neubauer who is EKU's coach was out left fielder until they offered him the job there. He was one of John Beilein's assistants here and a heck of a coach.

Have a great day.

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through all of my pictures, seeking that one lost moment in time to post up and write a blog about. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that picture and sometimes it's not so easy. Then there is times like this week when you pull your hair out trying to find one specific picture and can't. However it is always a lot of fun.

This weeks picture is one that I thought I had done before, but could not find. I thought I had it on my computer, and spent about an hour looking through about every folder imaginable to find this one particular picture.

My sister Terri has it at her home, and me and Pam were talking about this picture last night. I told her I would make it today's Photo Flashback.

I remember my Grandmother telling me the story of this picture. The man behind them was their long time friend Emmitt Lynch, the picture was taken at Forbes Field. I can even put a date on this picture of May 25, 1935. It was the day Babe Ruth played his only time at Forbes Field and they went up to watch the game.

Have a great day.

The Day After

I just love my sister in law's tree topper, she uses it every year and it's just the one you look forward to seeing every year.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas, I am pretty sure everyone here did. Hayley came over yesterday morning and we all opened up our gifts and Michelle fixed a big breakfast for everyone. It was a Christmas morning feast to say the least and yes I did have a traditional Hot Sausage Hoagie early in the AM. I talked to Pam yesterday and she didn't make it Christmas Eve because she had to work, but she said she went out and made sure that she could have one Christmas morning.

The Hot Sausage on Christmas I think all started when we were all kids. If you knew my dad, he would always cook in overabundance and he always seemed to have Hot Sausage every Christmas Eve. There was always some left over the next morning so we all used to eat a Hot Sausage Hoagie as we were opening our gifts and that tradition just carried over for decades. I know for me it would not be Christmas without one.

I'm on vacation the rest of the week and Michelle just got up as she has to work today. They are calling for a winter snow advisory today, I'm just thankful we have an awesome all wheel drive Forester named Pearl and not very far for her to travel.

I think I will start setting up the formatting for my year end blog today.

Christmas Video 2012

Merry Christmas

It's that special time of the year, a time when families get together and spend time together creating memories and, having a feast and just enjoying being around the people that you love and that love you the most.

It's the one time when this world shuts down and all the hatred is forgotten for one short day. It's why people tale vacation and travel home and it is a time for family.

Last night we went to my Sister Terri's house and I have to say that was one of the better Christmas Eve's that I have had outside of the monstrous extravaganza my dad used to put on and Jean kept it going for a few years after he passed.

The evening included a Chinese Gift Exchange that turned out to be a lot of fun, a visit from Santa Claus himself and plenty of great food including out Hot Sausage and Nick's remarkable Prime Rib. A very big thank you to Terri for not only hosting, but making this an exciting Christmas Eve. I want to do another video of the pictures I have taken, I'm still debating on the music to use.

I'm sitting here watching 24 hours of a Christmas Story, hoping Ralphie doesn't shoot his eye out. I love this Christmas classic, I DVR'd it once again since our last DVR went kaput so I can have it all year. I'll probably end up watching it 3-4 times today.

Today the individual family units come into play for everyone. Michelle and I as well as the kids will be heading over to Michelle's sisters for the Morgantown version of the family Christmas. Chris and Jim, Michelle's sister and Brother in Law, are great hosts and it is always very memorable. Her Mom makes the trip down from Pittsburgh and we once again are fortunate to spend Christmas with a house full of people that we love so much.

As I noted, I want to do another Christmas video for last night, it's been a number of years since I have done one. I used to use the default Windows Movie maker, but since I've done my last one there has been all kinds of better software to do them with, but I'm not familiar with them and I don't care to try to assemble something on Chad's iPad.

From my family to yours, have a safe and Merry Christmas.

Christmas Eve 2012

This video is from 2005 and I have not done any videos for a few years, so it has me thinking tonight if there is any way I could get enough pictures and put together another one of these videos.



One I did from 2004.



I debated putting this one up, but since it was the last one that I did I'll still stick it it up.



One I did for my Dad's last Christmas in 1999.



Here is a quick video from Christmas eve 2009 from mine and Michelle's home.

I also have the 2007 Christmas which was one of my favorite, with the 2005 video, however Youtube didn't like the song I used.

I would like to do another video this season.

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, everyone has fought a losing battle with the sandman except me where I have recovered from his attack. I just put on the movie Step Brothers on Crackle.

We got a lot of napping in yesterday, as we really didn't do anything. This morning we're going to have to do our shopping and the rest of our Christmas wrapping. The kids all requested Gift cards to certain places, so they were actually pretty easy.

Thanks to President Obama I'm not on vacation tomorrow, but will enjoy a holiday. Tuesday is Christmas so I'll only use three days of vacation for the week.

Watched the Mountaineer Basketball team yesterday afternoon. We won, but we are going to be in a long season it appears. Coach Huggins has his work cut out for him to say the least.

Have a great day and stay warm and safe.

Worst Apocalypse Ever

Well We're still here, the end of all the earth as we know it failed to happen and I guess the Mayans were wrong. Not that anyone was taking them seriously, but it was a lot of fun to play up to. There were no zombies, no fire and brimstone and no end to anything other than the Fall season and the welcome to winter.

We did in fact welcome winter with a nice little bit of snowfall. Nothing too much here but the roads were hazardous last night and as we were coming home, Van Voorhis Road was shut down. We noticed as we were coming this way that there were multiple cars in the road with their 4 way hazards on coming up the front side of the hill, so we came home the back way coming down eastern avenue and out West Run.

Nothing planned today, except maybe some wrapping of some gifts to get ready for Christmas. We have the Hot Sausage in hand and about 99% of the Christmas shopping done, so since I have been a little under the weather the past couple of days, this is probably going to be a do nothing type of day.

Big Ole Hairy End of the World

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 the end of all existence according to the Mayans.

Well we have made it, it is probably reining down fire and brimstone as you are reading this, so don't forget to duck if one comes directly at you. It's the apocalypse so make sure you have a little fun today before we are all blown into non-existence.

Ok I was having a little fun with the moronic people who actually believe this crap. I'm on vacation next week, so I anticipate the world being here after I get off work later today.

With that being said, there will be a blog tomorrow morning.

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 find one picture and relive that moment in time on my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find it, sometimes it's not so easy, it is however always a lot of fun.

This weeks pic I think I will call "Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow". I appeared to have a little bit of hair at this time, as well as the old mustache that I supported for a number of years. My brother Gary was also sporting a lot of hair back in those days, although I think he is letting it grow out again.

I'm thinking this picture was taken many years ago and taken at the Little Village in Star City. A group of us were going to see Lynard Skynard and Bad Company at the WVU Coliseum.

I'm thinking the year was 1992. I remember when we left the bar that night that Gary peeled his tires going out of the bar JUST as a Star City cop was getting into his car across the street. Knowing he was going to chase Gary I got in front of him to run block, but Gary was waiting for me at the bottom of the Star City hill with the cop trying to get around me.

Long story short, because we were all going to the concert and we were all together, he let Gary go or else he was going to be a little more stern.

It was a great night and a great concert.

Hump Day

That's two days down, now if you look up over that noon time hump, off in the distance you'll see the dawn of another weekend on the other side of a Photo Flashback. Hopefully the Mayan Forecast is off and it's a little cooler than 1250°. That could be a little bit uncomfortable and would cause me to have to turn my Air Conditioning on all day.

WVU Wide Receiver Stedman Bailey made it official earlier this week. The First Team All-American checked his draft status and he is predicted to be a third round pick, so he has officially announced that he will forgo his final season and declare for the NFL draft. I think he will have a nice NFL Career, he's ready to join team mates Tavon Austin and Geno Smith in grabbing sizable paychecks to play the game they love so much.

At work we officially pushed out the NATCARB Atlas IV earlier this week. This will be my thirs completed Atlas that I have worked on in the last three years. Two have been NATCARB ans one has been NACAP Hopefully the NACAP effort picks up again for 2013.

It's a lifting and a cardio day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well Monday is once again behind us, as dreary as it was and now we are staring straight down the barrel of a Tuesday. Can't think of a better reason than that to do a tidbits.

* It's been 1,740 days since mine and Michelle's first date.

* 963 days ago I got down on one knee at 4:00 in the morning and asked her to marry me.

* 500 days now we have enjoyed marital bliss. That's a nice round number.

* There are only 7 more days left until Christmas, it's crunch time if you haven't done your shopping yet.

* If the Mayans are right, the world will end after I post my blog on Friday.

* If they are not right, and I can strongly say they are wrong then...

* There are 186 days left until the Kenny Chesney No Shoes nation tour, this summer.

* There are 372 days until NEXT Christmas, I know, too early for that yet.

* Hayley's boyfriend Manny is flying to Puerto Rico either last night or today. His parents live in DC, but they are all from Puerto Rico and he is going home for the Christmas break. He is in his Junior Year of Engineering at WVU and they have been together around a year now.

* We are almost at the point where the days will start getting longer, the Winter Solstice is Friday and that is the shortest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. Let's get New Years over with and start looking forward to days getting longer, me cussing Phil and anticipating Spring time.

* Cardio day

* Hi ho hi ho