Lucy's Journal

August 19, 2026

The Great Mylan Park Kite Adventure!

Well, today started out like any other day around here, which should have been our first warning that something was about to go completely sideways.

It was me, Lucy, the tan-and-white Shih Tzu, along with my usual troublemaking crew: Peanut, the gray tiger cat; Kiwi, the green cheek conure; and the Quackers, those two identical twin ducks who somehow manage to get into trouble even when they're standing still.

But today we also had some very special visitors!

Gracie, the black-and-white Shih Tzu, came to visit, and then—well, things got REALLY interesting.

Because that's when the Ghost of Maybelline showed up.

Maybelline was her usual brownish pit bull self, except now she's a ghost. She floated in through the yard like she owned the place and announced that she had heard about our newest project.

The KITE.

Apparently, Kiwi and Peanut had been working on this thing in the garage. And when I say "working," I mean Peanut did most of the construction while Kiwi sat on the kite's special perch giving instructions.

The kite was HUGE.

It had colorful panels, a complicated framework, enough string to wrap around Morgantown twice, and—most importantly—a special little perch for Kiwi to ride on while the kite was flying.

Kiwi was extremely proud of this feature.

"I call it the Kiwi Express!" he announced.

Peanut rolled her eyes.

I knew right then we were in trouble.

We needed somewhere BIG to fly this monster, so we decided that Mylan Park was the perfect place. It had one of the biggest open fields around, and there weren't nearly as many trees for the kite to get stuck in.

That sounded like a good plan.

Notice I said sounded.

We all piled into the adventure and headed over to Mylan Park. Once we got there, Peanut carefully carried the kite, Kiwi supervised from his perch, Gracie trotted alongside me, and the Quackers waddled behind us like two tiny security guards.

The Ghost of Maybelline floated along overhead.

Nobody questioned that.

We've gotten used to her.

Once we reached the big field, Peanut started assembling the kite.

The Quackers immediately grabbed the string.

"HEY!" Peanut yelled.

The twins waddled away as fast as two ducks can waddle while dragging several hundred feet of kite string behind them.

Kiwi took off after them.

I chased Kiwi.

Gracie chased me.

Maybelline floated after all of us laughing.

Within about five minutes, we had created what could only be described as a Mylan Park Kite String Disaster.

Eventually, we got everything untangled.

Peanut held the kite.

I held the main line.

Gracie stood ready to help.

The Quackers were ordered to stay away from the string.

Kiwi climbed onto his special perch.

And Maybelline floated behind us like a ghostly kite-flying coach.

"LET HER RIP!" Kiwi shouted.

Peanut released the kite.

WHOOSH!

Up it went!

Higher...

and higher...

and higher!

The giant kite climbed beautifully into the sky.

Kiwi was absolutely thrilled.

He was riding on his little perch, wings spread out, looking like the captain of an airborne pirate ship.

"LOOK AT ME!" he yelled.

"I'M FLYING!"

Then the wind picked up.

The kite pulled harder.

Peanut grabbed the line.

I grabbed Peanut.

Gracie grabbed me.

The Quackers grabbed Gracie.

And suddenly we were all being pulled across the field.

I have never seen two ducks move that fast in my entire life.

We went about twenty feet before Peanut managed to dig her claws into the ground.

The kite finally stabilized.

Everybody stopped.

We looked at each other.

Then Maybelline started laughing.

"Again!" Kiwi yelled.

NO.

Absolutely not.

But apparently nobody listens to me.

So we tried again.

This time, the kite flew perfectly.

It danced across the blue sky above Mylan Park while Kiwi rode proudly on his perch.

People walking through the park stopped to watch.

Some took pictures.

A couple of kids pointed at Kiwi.

And one little boy shouted:

"THERE'S A BIRD RIDING THAT KITE!"

Kiwi puffed out his chest.

"I AM NOT JUST A BIRD," he announced.

"I AM A PILOT!"

Peanut shook her head.

By late afternoon, we finally decided it was time to bring the kite down.

Of course, that's when the Quackers decided to grab the tail and run.

The kite started pulling again.

Peanut yelled.

Gracie barked.

I barked.

Kiwi yelled instructions.

Maybelline laughed so hard that she temporarily disappeared into a nearby tree.

Eventually, we got the kite down without breaking anything.

Well...

Almost anything.

Peanut's pride was slightly damaged.

The Quackers were covered in grass.

Gracie had a mouthful of kite ribbon.

Kiwi refused to get off his perch because he said he was "still flying."

And I had grass stuck in my fur.

But nobody cared.

Because it had been one heck of an adventure.

As the sun started getting lower over Morgantown, we packed everything up and headed home.

Kiwi kept talking about how he was going to build an even bigger kite next time.

Peanut said absolutely not.

The Quackers quacked.

Gracie laughed.

Maybelline floated alongside us.

And I just smiled.

Because sometimes the best days are the ones where absolutely nothing goes according to plan.

And today?

Today was definitely one of those days.

Until next time,

Lucy 🐾

P.S. Peanut says the next kite will have brakes. Kiwi says kites don't need brakes. I think we should probably listen to Peanut.

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over, now we are staring straight down at another Summertime Tuesday, and the students are back in full force and I hate this traffic. 

* It has been 22,873 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. Mom is at 30,522, which would make her 28 according to my new and improved calendar. 

* It has been 8,128 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I love what I do and am thankful to still be working in my field. Has it really been 22 years? 

* 6,721 days ago, Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,925 days ago, I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. I've been the luckiest guy since that fateful day. 

* It was 5,962 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. It was a great day with friends and family. 

* I have now lived 3,100 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong, slowing down but still going. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 1,754 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,287 days, I've now outlived him by 1,604 days, making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* Old roommate Gregg proposed to his fiancée 332 days ago, I'm happy for those two. I asked him a couple weeks ago if they set a date yet, he said we would be the first to know. 

* I have 2,032 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.

* There are only 353 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our 16th Wedding Anniversary.

* 189 more days until Phil steps to the center stage once again for Groundhog Day. I'm still mad at the damn rat

* 142 more days to go until my Goodbye 2026 Blog is posted. 

* There are 135 more shopping days left until Christmas 2026. 

* There are 120 days until I hit the age of 63. Yeah, I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* WVU Football opens the season in 11 more days as they play Host to Coastal Carolina. 

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

* I have written 8,456 blogs in what is now 21 11/12 years of Blogging.

* Still working 10's this week and probably next week as well. 

* They are taking out the turn at the top of Van Voorhis Road, they have it landscaped and a layer of asphalt down but it's not open yet. 

* Progress on my Selfie in Space, right here. We are ready for liftoff and holding. 

* Why does it take Charleston so long to wait until the WVU Students get back before they start the heavy road construction around Morgantown? 

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

All good things must come to an end—but if you’ve got to wrap up the weekend, today’s a pretty exciting way to do it. Now it’s time to take our collective noses and press them firmly back onto the grindstone of life. Back to work, back to the hustle, back to doing our part to make this spinning rock a better place.

Kiwi and Peanut have decided that they aren't going to work today, too much stress for them and they need a vacation day. I Guess building that Kite on Saturday was just too much for them and they decided to take a day trip to Coopers Rock. I think they Uber'd up there and plan on riding a skateboard back home since it is all downhill. 

Me, I'm still working 10-hour shifts; what else is new? Michelle has been working longer shifts as well to get their system properly up and running. Other than that it's just another week of the same routine for us, with a lot more residents in Morgantown. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Here I sit in a quiet household; Kiwi and Peanut are up in the garage once again, making some modifications to their Kite that they managed to build yesterday morning. I think they have plans to use it on their Wednesday adventure this week with the gang. 

So as they were working on their kite yesterday, I decided that it would be a good time for me to cut the grass. It was calling for rain yesterday afternoon and I didn't want to do it today, so I got a 7:00 AM start and got it all cut. I was talking to Ralphie yesterday; he started at 6:00 and got his done. Something about kids riding 4-wheelers from one neighbor to the other the night before, all night long. 

Erica had Ellie Mae's first birthday party yesterday that I went to. They have a really nice home right down the road from her Dad's and it is a home. Erica has done a great job with it for a home for her and Tim. 

One of the things that came up in conversation yesterday was Flock Cameras. If anyone is curious as to how many flock cameras are in the Morgantown area, it's 48 and counting. There is also a flock tracker to see if your plate has been captured. Also any queries the Mon County Sheriff's office has done. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Happy Birthday Moke McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my nephew George "Moke" McClain a very happy birthday today. If his and my math is right he is 37? years old today, or if you use my exclusive 1,000-day calendar that I prefer to use, he is probably still 12. 

I am very proud of what this young man has accomplished in his life, wrestler, war veteran, network professional, and business owner and someone whose career has no limitations. 

I did manage to talk to Moke briefly yesterday and wish him a very Happy Birthday. I'm not sure what his lovely wife Ang and the girls have anything planned for him today, but whatever it may be he has more than earned it. 

If you get the chance, make sure you reach out to Moke today and wish him a very Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday, Mr AI. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning; Kiwi and Peanut are checking the weather forecast because they want to run the lawn tractor and mow the grass. They have been a big help this week; they stepped in on Sunday when Dad forgot to write a Journal entry and tell you about themselves. They have been up in the garage all morning building a kite to fly when the weather permits. Kiwi has even engineered a perch for him to ride on, so I guess Peanut will be running ground control with the string, and Kiwi will be flying with the kite. 

Other than that, not much planned for the day. Michelle is going to be doing the early morning grocery shopping, and, weather permitting, the grass does in fact need to be mowed. 

I started playing Meowdoku on my iPhone; it's pretty thought-provoking and entertaining, and it sharpens up your cognitive thinking skills. It's a simple game, no stress, and it really makes you think and build upon what you have learned already in terms of reasoning. Give it a try. 

Anynoe noticed all the new faces and traffic around town as well as the school buses. Yeah Summer is officially over as WVU and the Mon County Schools both started this past Tuesday. Summer break is over with, easy drive times are over with. Peak traffic season is upon us. 

Have yoursleves 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!!!!

Are you looking for a little bit of Cheap Entertainment this evening, and by cheap, I mean free? Well, head on down to the Ruby Ampitheatre this evening and see Ashley Cooke this evening starting at 7:00. I have to be honest, I don't know who she is or anything about her, but that may be a reason for a pleasant surprise. This will be the next-to-last concert of the summer. 

No big plans for us this weekend, I might cut grass tomorrow as the grass cutting season is starting to draw to a close for 2026. There might be another month or so of time to cut it, but who knows. 

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 somewhere on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up, recalling or reliving the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task, and sometimes it's not that easy, but one thing it has always been a lot of fun.

This pic goes back 10 years to 2016 when I went to the Federal Users Conference in Washington DC. I stayed in Arlington, Virginia, and rode the subway over; it dropped me right off at the convention center. 

Funny thing about this pic: this was a really nice hotel, and I was looking for it this week on Google earth and couldn't find it. There is a reason for that, and the word is demolition. They knocked it down and are building some kind of conference center in its place. The road in the background leads to Arlington Cemetery, and on the other side of that, the Pentagon. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Hi ho hi ho