Monday

All good things must come to an end, but this is an exciting day to end the weekend on. Now we have to take our collective noses and stick them back onto that grindstone known as life and get back to doing what it is that we do for a living to make this a better rock to live on.

So what is going on this week? Looks like I will have a new boss this week at work, the project manager they hired a few weeks before me decided this was not what he wanted to do and moved on. He had given his courtesy two-week notice, but Friday was his last day. We'll keep chugging along until we hire a new one. Michelle asked me if it was a job I could do, and I explained if I had my Sister Kim's PMP Certification PMP Certification then absolutely, but I don't have that one. 

Michelle is back in the office today, they had an electrical power outage on Friday so they sent the entire office home for the day (with pay). She goes back to the office today and then is going to go and visit her Mom after work. That just means I'm on my own for dinner this evening. 

Have a great day. 

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, of course, my friend Kiwi is up. He's kind of dangerous this morning as he has a set of acetylene torches and a welder set up next to his case. He's actually got a building permit hanging on the outside of his cage as he is tearing down walls and expanding. Something about wanting additional space for a pool table. He's always got something up his sleeve. 

Oh what a busy day we had yesterday. I pushed the grass off until the weekend and hoped that the weather report was not going to be accurate, fortunately, it was not accurate and it was sun shining. I was in fact able to get the grass mowed yesterday afternoon. It was absolutely horrible as it had been three weeks since I last cut it and we have had a lot of rain in that time period. 

Michelle spent the day at Hayley's painting. Things have been pushed back a few weeks so they had to move in last week and are actually painting this weekend. She wanted to paint and everything before they moved in, but that was just not to be. It was a girl's day as it was Michelle and Hayley, Tyler was at work so that created the opportunity for them to have a little time together. 

Terri asked me for a favor, she wanted the scans of all the pictures in here totes that are upstairs. I just asked her if she would like a copy of all of my pictures and she said yes. It was like 220 Gigabytes of images, so I went to Best Buy and found a nice deal on a 250 GB jump drive and copied them over to that. I figured I would just give a copy of all of them, would you believe that took 5 hours to copy them to that little jump drive. I got them copied for her though. 

Anyone like Pampered Chef? Michelle is doing another party that started yesterday. We have a good bit of their products and we absolutely love them. They are hands down the best products on the market, they are an investment and you'll never regret buying anything from them. Heck, sign up to host your own party and get free gifts. Just do it from Michelle's link. =)

Have yourselves a great day. 

Saturday Morning Argument with the Beakhead

Here Kiwi and I sit in a semi-quiet household, we're up arguing about whether or not he can instill plumbing and a heater in his cage so he can have a fountain and have the water nice and warm for him on some chilly nights. He's basically wanting it climate-controlled, he's a demanding little beak-head. Anyone know a good plumber..lol

Michelle is going up to Hayley's today to assist her with painting. She finally got everything moved in last Sunday, now today she and Michelle are going to paint and decorate. Tyler is working so it will just be the two of them.

Me, my grass is getting higher and higher, so I am hoping that the weather holds out so that I can get it cut today. It's been three weeks, I was going to cut it last week, but it was a little damp so I put it off until this weekend. Not sure what else I will get into, we usually do our Aldi shopping on Saturday, so with Michelle up north that could also be on my agenda for the day. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

No big plans this weekend, might just wind down a little bit and stick around the house. We have a graduation party to attend next weekend, but that is next weekend. It'll be the first family gathering probably since Terri's Benefit dinner last fall, so that'll be nice. 

This is a tough time of the year for blog writing, there is really no local weekend sports that everyone is interested in, the Ruby Amphitheater at Hazel Ruby McQuain Park has a number of events this summer, but they don't start until the start of next month. I retired from Softball a couple of years ago so the content that would normally fill up this space at this time of the year is a little scarce. 

Have yourselves a great day and the start of a great weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

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+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a lot of fun.

This weeks is dedicated to arguably the most influential man in my life. It was on this day in 1977, 47 years ago, that Grandpa Hall had passed away. I always remember May 16th, first for Grandpa Hall Passing and second I graduated College 20 years ago today. 

Have a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is completed, let's face this tuesday like we own it. Time for a Tidbits. 

* It has been 22,048 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,045-day Calendar. 

* It has been 7,308 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I do love what I do and I can see me doing this into my retirement years. 

* 5,896 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Seems like it was just yesterday and it was the third best decision I ever made in my life. Horrible movie that I picked though. 

* 5,106 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. She knew it was coming, and it is still the best decision I ever made in my life. 

* It was 5,144 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, married by a chiropractor and feasted on food Jeanie made. 

* I have now lived 2,281 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong, slowing down but still going. I am recovering though. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 940 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 798 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* I have 2,806 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire.

* 264 more days until Phil steps to center stage once again for Groundhog Day. He and French Creek Freddie agreed on their predictions this year,  now lets just wait to see if they come true.  

* 239 more days to go until my Goodbye 2024 Blog is posted. Hopefully I can put some better content together this year. 

* There are 225 more shopping days left until Christmas 2024. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 209 days until I hit the age of 61. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 158 days until Brittany and Matt enter into the bounds of matrimony. 

* There are 127 more days until we go to Pittsburgh and beat the Panther's butts in their stadium. 

* There are 118 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 90 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 37 days to go until the start of summer, my second favorite season. We are in my Favorite Season. 

*  In 18 Days Michelle and I will be traveling to Pittsburgh to see Kenney Chesney and Zack Brown at Acrisure Stadium. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,552 blogs in the now over 19 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. Weather is getting nicer, what is my excuse.  

* Still playing Monopoly Go. Several family members are playing and I am back to 7th place overall Michelle's former partner in crime passed me and Ang is right on my heels. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? It was a very sad one if you were a Big Bang Theory or Young Sheldon fan. 

* There is a lot less traffic in town now =)

* Hi ho hi ho

Happy 79th Birthday Dad

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Dad a very Happy Birthday today. This would have been his 79th Birthday today, just seems strange since he will have been gone for 25 years this July. 

Dad was an honorable man who loved to cook. BBQ's were something that we always had and they were always memorable to say the least. The best way to describe it is you were handed two platters (these were your plates), one was for your steal which pretty much covered the entire platter (he always used Chinette). The second was for your Chicken, the Hot Dogs and Hamburgers, the Baked Beans, the Macaroni or Potato Salad that he always said he cut his finger three times making after he asked you how you liked it and you responded. Garlic Bread, Baked Potatoes and everything else. 

Enjoy memory lane in his memory today. 

Happy Mothers Day

Michelle, Mom and Me

Mothers Day is a world wide holiday that has it's very origins right here in North Central West Virginia. It started back in 1908 by a woman named Anna Jarvis and its origins are in Grafton West Virginia, a county adjacent on the southeast border of the county that I live in. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my own Mother a Happy Mother's Day today. She is a mother of three of my Dad's six children. So I would like to wish Sandra Irene Bell a Happy Mother's Day today. 

I have also been fortunate to have known my Grandmather Bonnie Hall, who had a big hand in raising me. 

Jean who was my Dad's second wife has also played that role. 

I can't forget my own wife Michelle, as she is a mother of two children. My sisters Kim, Terri and Pam. Nieces Val, Amy, Ang and Jeanetta have all earned the title of Mother. As well as my own daughter Hayley, who stepped into the role and has done a fabulous job with Luke. 

Mother's are the fabric of the family and I am lucky to be associated with all of them. 

Happy Mothers Day

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I am once again in a quiet household, Kiwi is up telling me we need to lose half of our cats today. We have been housesitting Hayley's two cats and dog all week, and if they closed and got their key yesterday, they will be sent home today. And Guess what, they closed. Hayley and Tyler are now homeowners. 

Michelle will be heading north to lend a hand and I'll be holding down the fort here. I'm hoping to be able to cut grass today, but the weather forecast has not been too favorable. It might be a little bit too wet to be honest. 

The Blue and Gold Mine Sale is today for all who may be interested. I think a couple family members are going, Kim said Brittany and Mom were planning on going, but I got that second hand so you never know if plans changed or anything. 

It is Commencement weekend here in Morgantown, if you are driving around town, make sure you give yourselves a little extra time as there will be a lot of families here this weekend visiting to watch Graduation ceremonies. After tomorrow it should be peace and quiet until August. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

There will be traffic around town this weekend as this is commencement weekend. West Virginia University will be handing out degrees to all who have earned them. We used to have featured speakers, when I graduated it was David Selby but I'm not seeing a list of Honorary Doctorates (usually one of them is the guest speaker). A few years later it was Bill Clinton (Michelle and I attended that one), and a few other notable speakers through the years. It should be a magical weekend where dreams will be fulfilled for many families. It's been 20 years since I graduated from WVU and 42 years since I Graduated High School. Just seems like yesterday. 

I am sure Michelle is going to be spending the weekend helping Hayley and Tyler get moved in and I'll be here running the errands for the house. We will lose our three house guests tomorrow, so Peanut can probably take her butt out of hiding. She does this every time a new animal pr person comes to visit for some reason. 

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

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+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a lot of fun.\

As many of you know, I used to love to play Softball. I played at BOPARC for the better part of 4 decades on a multitude of teams and different competition levels. I think the 2020 season was my last one, and that was playing for Whitetail Crossing on the Senior League team. I was on the roster for the 2021 season when they won it all, but I never made a game that year as I was always away working for RTI. 

I do have to say I have met a lot of people, made a number of lifelong friends and played a lot of softball through the years. It was always something I really enjoyed doing, and it has given me a lot of very good and some bad memories as well. Wouldn't trade them for the world. 

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

 * Monday is completed, let's face this tuesday like we own it. Time for a Tidbits. 

* It has been 22,041 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,045-day Calendar. 

* It has been 7,301 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I do love what I do and I can see me doing this into my retirement years. 

* 5,889 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Seems like it was just yesterday and it was the third best decision I ever made in my life. Horrible movie that I picked though. 

* 5,099 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. She knew it was coming, and it is still the best decision I ever made in my life. 

* It was 5,137 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, married by a chiropractor and feasted on food Jeanie made. 

* I have now lived 2,274 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong, slowing down but still going. I am recovering though. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 933 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 791 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* I have 2,813 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire.

* 271 more days until Phil steps to center stage once again for Groundhog Day. He and French Creek Freddie agreed on their predictions this year,  now lets just wait to see if they come true.  

* 246 more days to go until my Goodbye 2024 Blog is posted. Hopefully I can put some better content together this year. 

* There are 232 more shopping days left until Christmas 2024. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 216 days until I hit the age of 61. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 165 days until Brittany and Matt enter into the bounds of matrimony. 

* There are 134 more days until we go to Pittsburgh and beat the Panther's butts in their stadium. 

* There are 125 more days to go until the Mountaineers will try to get some revenge here in Morgantown for last weekend when Penn State comes to Morgantown. 

* There are 97 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 44 days to go until the start of summer, my second favorite season. We are in my Favorite Season. 

*  In 25 Days Michelle and I will be traveling to Pittsburgh to see Kenney Chesney and Zack Brown at Acrisure Stadium. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) several days that I have hated both Pitt and Penn State. 

* I have written 7,545 blogs in the now  over 19 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. Weather is getting nicer, what is my excuse. 

* There is a new Moon tonight that starts at 11:22 PM for you moon enthusiasts. 

* Anyone notice traffic is a lot easier to deal with around town? Commencement is this weekend, but the undergrads have already returned home and the dorms are emty. 

* Still playing Monopoly Go. Several family members are playing and I am back to 6th place overall and just topped 10,000 points this week. Yeah Me. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? Looking for an opportunity to make some on the side money, check out this week's Tiktok. 

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

All good things must come to an end, but this is an exciting day to end the weekend on. Now we have to take our collective noses and stick them back onto that grindstone known as life and get back to doing what it is that we do for a living to make this a better rock to live on.

So what is on my agenda this week, other than making sure Peanut is still alive and not in hiding, she is not happy that there are other cats here this week, but she'll have to get over it. She only likes two humans, one other cat and one bird and that is her comfort zone circle. She'll get over it though, but it may be after all the other animals leave and things return to normal. 

My sister Terri got some good news last week, all of the cancer has been removed after two surgeries. Now it is the final leg of the radiation therapy and she will be home free and a Breast Cancer Survivor. It's been a long battle, but she is a trooper and an amazing woman who inspires those around her.

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Kiwi is already up, he's in there playing some Mexican Music and singing about Cinco de Mayo as if he were Mexican. All I know is he is a happy bird and dancing half the night. He's too festive for the wee morning hours. 

So what is on today's agenda? Michelle is going up to Hayley's to help her pack and get things moved out of her apartment that they have to leave. Their place won't close until later this week, so they are temporarily transitioning into a hotel room before they move into their new place. I get three houseguests this week. 2 Cats and Gracie as Maybelline is in Ohio with Josh as they make this move. 

Michelle got the shopping done yesterday so she can get an early start up to Cannonsburg to assist. When I go shopping with her we end up spending more money on things that are not on the weeks menu so it saves me money (and time) when she goes and does it. 

I'll still be doing a few chores around the house today, the ones I would normally do on every Sunday and other than that not too much. I'm on my own for dinner this evening, so I could be out and about running around today. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here Kiwi and I sit once again in a quiet household. He's up in his little tent with his birdie iPad trying to research how to turn his bird bath into a jacuzzi without farting. He's innovative, I will give him that. 

Hayley and Tyler did not close on their new place yesterday, it's been delayed a few days. They are still moving out of their apartment and into a hotel for a couple of days until the closing. Not sure what the hold up is, I am pretty sure it is on the banks end. Kind of sucks as they informed their landlord they were leaving and he's rented it out already, so they need to be out. 

So what is on our agenda for the day? I'm probably going to put the Air Conditioner back into the bedroom window and hook it up. It's been warm this past week and I think we are past the point where we should have installed it for the summer. It'll cool the place down a little bit. It's not too bad, but it can get a little warm overnight. 

There is some good news, today is move out day at the WVU dorms. The last final for the Spring Semester was yesterday and commencement will be next weekend. We'll be seeing significantly less traffic this week and by next Monday they should all be gone with the exception of those taking summer classes which is really a small percentage of them. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward 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 again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday!

Hayley and Tyler should be closing on their place today, which means Michelle will probably be going up tomorrow to give them a hand in painting and such. My big slow butt would just be in the way so I'll stay out of their hair and let them get done what needs to get done. 

Other than that there is nothing really on our agenda for the weekend. As anyone who knows me, knows that can and has changed at the drop of a hat. If nothing else, I have a mancave (Garage) that is now set up that I can go up there and find myself something to do. 

Have a great day.

Let's get this hi ho hi ho started so we can commence with the weekend. 

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+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a lot of fun.

I'm posting this one from my days as a Metal Pourer at Helmick. Feeling a little nostalgic this week, I did a little bit of research on Helmick and found out that our President died a few years ago after retiring. They had completely retooled and changed their product line to roofing materials. They had been open since before West Virginia was even a state and I found out this past week that they have finally closed up shop permanently and are no longer in business. 

It was a somber moment for me as it was like closing a chapter of a book on my life, despite me leaving there 27 years ago. Where the plant was there is another company there now called Reclaimm who ironically were the same company that knocked down the big garage and removed it from here a few weeks ago. 

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Wednesday