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Tuesday, December 17, 2019

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is now behind us and we are looking at a Tuesday, time for a tidbits.

* It has been 20,467 days since my birth, each and everyone of them is very precious.

* It has been 5,693 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography, minors in History and Communications.

* 4,294 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, she still loves me all these years later.

* 3,518 days ago I proposed to Michelle, 4:00 in the morning in the back yard. She knew it was coming, I just made her wait.

* It was 3,060 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife. Seems like just yesterday.

* I have now lived 681 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going. It brings how short life is into perspective, especially with all that has been happening around us lately, that brings it all into perspective.

* I have 4,382 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, like I said I love what I do and who knows when I would retire.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass in Football is only 989 days away, we are under 1,000 days until we kick some Panther butt.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 350  more days. I've lost count as to how many anniversaries this is.

* There are 224 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Ninth Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 100 days until Michelle and I head to Pittsburgh to see Reba in concert.

* There are only 94 days until the start Spring 2020, the time of the year that I love so much.

* 47 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day. Come on Phil, I'm counting on you.

* 14 more days to go until my Goodbye 2019 Blog is posted, something tells me this one is going to be difficult to write this year.

* There are 10 more shopping days left until Christmas 2019.  Our house even looks like Christmas Now.

* I have written 5,861 blogs in the now 15 years since I started blogging. I wonder if Blogger would pay me by the word...lol

* No drone flights this weekend, but that has pretty much been my recurring theme this year with that.Come to think of it, I haven't made any real drone flights this year. WTF???

* I'm still looking for a cheap riding lawn mower, something tells me prices are going to be dropping soon.

*  Contemplating doing a goodbye 2010's blog

* I have pretty much completed my Christmas Shopping.

* Michelle and I will be heading to St Louis after the first of the year, I'll be done Saturday afternoon and fly back Sunday around noonish. We'll have Saturday Night in St Louis to ourselves.

* Have I ever mentioned I hate snow? Even with all the heat, I still hate snow.

* They STILL have not found Mountie Python, the 15' snake that escaped in Sabraton this summer.. He even has his own twitter account.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday, December 16, 2019

Monday

My long looked forward to weekend is now over with, just like my Christmas Shopping. Now it's time to stick our collective noses back onto the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living.

Looking at my week ahead, a number of meetings are on the agenda for this week. This week will also be my last full week for the year of 2019. Next week is Christmas and the following week is New Years and then I'm off to St. Louis for a few days.

I will say I loved having a weekend off, both Michelle and I managed to get a lot done from baking to banking to going to the butchers. Productive weekend to say the least.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday, December 15, 2019

Sunday

Here I sit, just me and Sammy as my co-author Peanut is all comfortable sitting in the recliner and watching some movie on the TV. I'm up having a deep conversation with Sammy about Giraffes farting and if that specific flatulent odor could be a replacement fuel that would save the world. Sammy really is a pretty deep thinker.

Yesterday was a very productive day. Michelle got Christmas Cookies made and I have all but finished my Christmas shopping, need to pick up a few more things for Michelle, but other than that I'm done shopping. Went to Harry's, the liquor store, the bank and did a good bit of shopping. It was so nice to have a day off yesterday (although we were both busy) that we're going to do it again today. I get a two day weekend and look forward to some more in depth conversations with Sammy.

I have formatted my Goodbye 2019 Blog and started writing it. One thing I realized is a I worked a lot for RTI this past year and I mentioned it quite often. I'm also going to do a Goobye 2010's blog looking back at the entire decade that will have seen me blog every day of it. I have it formatted, but I haven't started writing it yet. I've got some writing to do today.

Have yourselves a great day, make the most of it and do something memorable.

Saturday, December 14, 2019

WEEKEND!!!!

Here I sit on a semi-quiet Sunday Morning, me and my co-author Peanut are up and collecting our thoughts for the day and trying to determine what we want to watch on the TV.

Would you believe that I have the whole weekend off? Yep I have today and tomorrow off and we are done for the year with RTI. First whole weekend off since September and I could not be happier.

No fears though, both Michelle and I will be busy today. At the home front today Michelle will be baking our Christmas Cookies. We have all the ingredients sitting out and and the butter is softening, she making some cookies today.

Me? I'm running to the Laundry Mat early this morning and then running a few errands this morning. I'll be starting off with a trip to Harry's to buy Hot Sausage for Christmas Eve. Michelle used to get it from a vendor when she worked for BFS, but some complained it was a little too hot. So I am going to my favorite butcher today and purchasing it. We buy it for the house and it's not as hot as the commercial stuff we used to buy, but it's much fresher and awesome if I do have to say so myself. After Harry's a quick trip to the bank and then my errands are done for the day.

After that however, it's time to Christmas Shop. I know I'm a slacker, but this is the time I set aside for Christmas shopping for the little ones in the family. Yes I am going to be dealing with that commercialized hell today, so please have me in your thoughts for a safe return today. There will be cookies when I get home.

Have yourselves a great day

Ho ho ho ho

Friday, December 13, 2019

Big Ole Hairy Friday the 13th

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 the 13th.

I'm not superstitious in the slightest, I'm just pointing out that is is Friday the 13th just to point it out.

I actually get a weekend off this weekend. I can't remember the last time I had a Saturday off, much less a Saturday and a Sunday. Yes I do, it was at the end of September, so I am going to cherish the next few weekends as it gets busy again after the first of the year for me.

As of press time, there are no real plans for the weekend, but that could be from either me not knowing or something was planned within the last week.

I know Michelle and I will be taking a trip to Harry's pretty soon to get the Hot Sausage for Christmas Eve, that might even be this weekend.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Thursday, December 12, 2019

Photo Flashback Thursday



Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ images that I have either captured with a Camera, Scanned or just simply stolen off the internet. Little lost moments in time that I post up and relive tight here for everyone while I try to recall the moments around that image. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that image and sometimes it's a challenge, although one thing it always is is a whole lot of fun for me.

This weeks pic is from last October. I was invited to another national lab to speak about 3M marker Balls. This is from my hotel room in Las Vegas, I was right across the Interstate from Mandalay Bay, right before I left to go to the lab and give my presentation.

I dressed up in a tie and took my picture just before I left to go and do it. It was my first ever time in Vegas, and hopefully not my last. it was nice going out on someone elses dime the first time to learn where a lot of things are located.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is now behind us and we are looking at a Tuesday, time for a tidbits.

* It has been 20,460 days since my birth, each and everyone of them is very precious.

* It has been 5,686 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography, minors in History and Communications.

* 4,287 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, she still loves me all these years later.

* 3,511 days ago I proposed to Michelle, 4:00 in the morning in the back yard. She knew it was coming, I just made her wait.

* It was 3,053 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife. Seems like just yesterday.

* I have now lived 674 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going. It brings how short life is into perspective, especially with all that has been happening around us lately, that brings it all into perspective.

* I have 4,389 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, like I said I love what I do and who knows when I would retire.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass in Football is only 996 days away, we are under 1,000

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 357  more days. I've lost count as to how many anniversaries this is.

* There are 239 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Ninth Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 107 days until Michelle and I head to Pittsburgh to see Reba in concert.

* There are only 101 days until the start Spring 2020, the time of the year that I love so much.

* 54 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day. Come on Phil, I'm counting on you.

* 21 more days to go until my Goodbye 2019 Blog is posted, something tells me this one is going to be difficult to write this year.

* There are 17 more shopping days left until Christmas 2019.  Our house even looks like Christmas Now.

* I have written 5,854 blogs in the now 15 years since I started blogging. I wonder if Blogger would pay me by the word...lol

* No drone flights this weekend, but that has pretty much been my recurring theme this year with that.Come to think of it, I haven't made any real drone flights this year. WTF???

* I'm still looking for a cheap riding lawn mower, something tells me prices are going to be dropping soon.

*  The Mountaineer Men's basketball team fell from the ranks of the unbeatens this past weekend. That;s 1 loss.

* I really haven't started Christmas Shopping yet.

* Michelle and I will be heading to St Louis after the first of the year, I'll be done Saturday afternoon and fly back Sunday around noonish. We'll have Saturday Night in St Louis to ourselves.

* Have I ever mentioned I hate snow? Even with all the heat, I still hate snow.

* They STILL have not found Mountie Python, the 15' snake that escaped in Sabraton this summer.. He even has his own twitter account.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday, December 09, 2019

Monday

I've had another weekend and it is all over, I'll have a few more coming up so I'm a little excited to say the least. Now it's time to stick our collective noses back onto the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living.

Looking at my week ahead, I have not one but two Christmas Parties this coming week and I've already had one. One is for the prime who has our contract and the other is for the ES&H (Environmental, Safety and Health) group in which I am a part of. Then next week they are talking about having Michelle's Company Christmas Party, so that could be the 3rd in two weeks and 4th (NETL already had one) in three weeks. Party, Party, Party!!!!

Other than that, I need to start setting up and formatting for my Goodbye 2019 BLOG. I might even have to do one for the decade as well (from 2010-2019) describing my past decade by one or two points per year. Either way I'm going to have some writing and reflecting to do in the next few weeks. Good thing my quarter for RTI is complete, now I may have some time to write those...lol

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday, December 08, 2019

Sunday

Here I sit once again on a quiet Sunday Morning, and it's going to be a day off for me. I'm up early watching the movie Longshot and collecting my thoughts for the day. My co-author Peanut just woke up and doing a few cat sneezes, I'm sure she will be here to assist any time now.

Topher
We did find out some very sad news this past week. Michelle and I have taken a number of cruises in our life, planning on another one this year, and one of the places we like to go is Grand Turk. To be more specific we like to go to Jack's Shack and visit everyone's favorite dog Topher. The dog that is arguably the most famous dog in the world and lead the best life of any dog, anywhere at any time. Word got around Topher hasn't been feeling well lately and came home from the vet this week appearing fine, but was found under the deck on his way to the Rainbow Bridge. That dog lived 12 years and lived the life each and every single day. RIP Topher.

On a happier note, my year with RTI is done as far as field work, it's time to sit back and relax. I actually get a two day weekend next weekend and I'm a little bit stoked about that, although I kind of knew that it would be about this time before I got a weekend off at the start of the quarter.

Michelle worked the Auction last night and said that they had a really good turnout. I stayed home and watched football yesterday after I got back from Grafton.

College Football season has been played and the Championship games have been played, now it is time to pick the top 4 for the playoffs. My prediction? 1.) LSU takes back over the top spot. 2.) Ohio State moves back from there. 3.) Clemson should be #2, but I don't think that they will move Ohio State back 2 positions. 4.) Oklahoma gets in after winning the Big XII Championship. Those are my 4, lets see how accurate I am.

Have yourselves a great day.


Saturday, December 07, 2019

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Sammy the Christmas Elf
Here I sit in a quiet household, I have no Co-Author this morning as she is fast asleep on my recliner with Sophie. I'm up watching Fast Times at Ridgemont High and collecting my thoughts for the day. I just have some sneaking suspicion that I'm being watched. Has anyone seen Sammy the Christmas Elf?

Jim and Chris are holding their Christmas Action this evening at the Woodland United Methodist Church on the Mileground here in Morgantown. There are a lot of items up for sale this evening and my lovely wife will be at the Church working the Auction this evening. Stop in and say hello to her and see if you can find yourself a deal or two while you are at it. If you are feeling charitable, they take donations from the auction for toys for the Westover Santa

I'll be heading out into the field one last time for 2019 today to do field work for RTI. I just have to head out this morning to the same place I was last weekend and finish doing the clean up work for that segment and I'll be done for the year doing field work. All of my segments have been completed and have either been cleaned up or are set for cleanup by another Field Interviewer this weekend. I'm hoping to get at least one more interview today to close out the season. I will be heading to St Louis in a few weeks to re-certify and exchange my equipment for new the new equipment we have purchased. I'm ready for this quarter to be over with, ready for a little rest and relaxation before all the chaos begins over again in 2020.

Have yourselves a great day today. Stop by the auction and make a donation if you've got nothing to do.

Hi ho hi ho

Friday, December 06, 2019

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 Black Friday.

This is probably going to be my last weekend working for RTI this year. The quarter is winding down and I'm just ready to shut it down for 2019 and enjoy some time off. I know I'll be out Saturday, sunday I could either be off or head back to an area I was working before I started doing some clean up work.

Michelle will be working Jim and Chris's auction tomorrow so I won;t get much of a chance to see her until Sunday. This will probably be the last one of 2019 and if they do one after the first of the year, Michelle and I will be in St Louis from the 2nd - 5th.

Have yourselves a great weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

Thursday, December 05, 2019

Photo Flashback Thursday



Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ images that I have either captured with a Camera, Scanned or just simply stolen off the internet. Little lost moments in time that I post up and relive tight here for everyone while I try to recall the moments around that image. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that image and sometimes it's a challenge, although one thing it always is is a whole lot of fun for me.

This weeks pic goes back to the day Erica Jean Nicholson joined the family. Val had already had her, but my brother Gary and Brother in Law Nick were entertaining themselves out in the hallway. Gary was sitting in some kind of rolling chair with some kind of stuffed animal on him and Nick was obliged to push him around and up and down the hallway.

That was 15 1/2 years ago, my how time just flies by in the blink of an eye and you don't even realize it.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Wednesday, December 04, 2019

Happy Birthday Kim Sanjulian

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

It was exactly 21+ the number of years she is older than me years ago at the very time that this blog is posting that Kimberly Joann braced up with her presence.

Not sure what Kim and Robert have planned for the day, but I'm sure it will either be a nice dinner or something from Menards which is her favorite restaurant.

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

Happy Birthday Kim

Wednesday Funnies

Tuesday, December 03, 2019

Tuesday's Tidbits

* We have lost a co-worker at NETL, so now it's time to do a Post Ron Tuesday's Tidbits.

* It has been 20,453 days since my birth, each and everyone of them is very precious.

* It has been 5,679 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography, minors in History and Communications.

* 4,280 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, she still loves me all these years later.

* 3,504 days ago I proposed to Michelle, 4:00 in the morning in the back yard. She knew it was coming, I just made her wait.

* It was 3,046 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife. Seems like just yesterday.

* I have now lived 667 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going. It brings how short life is into perspective, especially with all that has been happening around us lately, that brings it all into perspective.

* Ron is on Day 1 of his retirement.

* I have 4,396 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, like I said I love what I do and who knows when I would retire. Ron's already beat me to it as today is his first day of retirement.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass in Football is only 1,003 days away.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 364  more days. I've lost count as to how many anniversaries this is.

* There are 246 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Ninth Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 114 days until Michelle and I head to Pittsburgh to see Reba in concert.

* There are only 108 days until the start Spring 2020, the time of the year that I love so much.

* 61 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day. Come on Phil, I'm counting on you.

* 28 more days to go until my Goodbye 2019 Blog is posted, something tells me this one is going to be difficult to write this year.

* There are 24 more shopping days left until Christmas 2019.  Our house even looks like Christmas Now.

* I have written 5,846 blogs in the now 15 years since I started blogging. I wonder if Blogger would pay me by the word...lol

* No drone flights this weekend, but that has pretty much been my recurring theme this year with that.Come to think of it, I haven't made any real drone flights this year. WTF???

* I'm still looking for a cheap riding lawn mower, something tells me prices are going to be dropping soon.

*  The Mountaineer Football team has concluded their 2019 season and they managed to do so on a high note.

* Jim and Chris will have an auction coming up this weekend. Details to follow later in the week since at Press Time they have not had a chance to set it up on auction zip.

* Have I ever mentioned I hate snow? Even with all the heat, I still hate snow.

* They STILL have not found Mountie Python, the 15' snake that escaped in Sabraton this summer.. He even has his own twitter account.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday, December 02, 2019

A Sad Goodbye

Today at NETL we lose one of our co-workers to the big R and I mean R as in Retirement.

Ron has been at NETL in excess of 30 years and he and his wife will be retiring to Fort Meyers Florida in a few weeks. He's ready to hang them up, and we are going to be very sad to see our friend go.

Ron is also a little more than just a co-worker, he is also family. Ron is an Evanto and is actually Jean's cousin and grew together with all of them. Jean had a brother named Gary (and eventually named her son that) that was killed at a very young age attempting to cross the road in front of what is now Texas Roadhouse. Ron and Gary were of similar age and they were also best friends.

I'm going to miss Ron, he's one of my favorite guys to discuss WVU sports with as he is as passionate as a fan that there is.

The Group from Engineering (my group) is the longest surviving group at NETL, there are some of them including Ron who have worked side by side for 30+ years together, I was just fortunate enough to be able to join and work with this great group.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday, December 01, 2019

Happy Birthday to my Hubby

I want to take this moment to wish my husband and best friend a very Happy 56th Birthday. Nothing really planned for the day just our normal Sunday routine. I love you honey and I am glad you are off today so we can spend it together.

Sunday

Here I sit yet once again on a quiet Sunday Morning, my co-author Peanut is once again snuggled up someplace warm. I've got Me myself and Irene playing in the background and I'm still waking up.

Michelle deserves all of the credit, she has done everything for our 2019 Christmas Tree. She dug out all the decorations last weekend as I was working. She went Friday while I was at the office and picked out a tree and set it up. Yesterday she put an additional three strands of lights on it (now has six strands) while I was working out of town. I have an amazing wife just in case people didn't know that.

Today is the day that I start my 57th year around our Sun. It is the 36th Anniversary of my 21st Birthday. I will take some time to celebrate it by....taking the day off and not going out and doing any field work. I'm going grocery shopping and then staying home for the evening. No big plans for the day, maybe watch the Mountaineer Basketball team or the Steelers Game.

Update, I hear Sammy the Elf is loose and making his rounds around the house. If you see an elf in a red suite named Sammy, let me know.

Have yourselves a great day.