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.

Michelle's right rear tire for some reason always loses air, we had 4 new tires put on a few years ago because the same wheel did the same thing. I half wonder if there is a problem with the rim. Kiwi and Peanut said they don't want to go to work with us today, but they would put in in Michelle's tire. They are such thoughtful pets, good thing I have an air compressor and a tire nozzle to fill tires with. 

Still planning on working 10 hour shifts this week, I'll have to do it next week as well to make up for the Holiday, but I have my routine and I'm used to it, so it's really no big deal. 

Michelle is only working four days this week, she is off Friday and next monday to make it a 4 day weekend. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Hi ho hi ho

Oh I almost forgot

As Michelle and I were driving to DiCarlo's yesterday on the trip up, I had noticed that the old Washington Mall had basically been demolished, as in gone. So we go to DiCarlos then to Hayley's and as we were coming back through on I-70 I decided I was going to screw with Hayley a little bit. 

So I called her and played the what did you do to the mall game, pretty much blaming her that this huge structure was gone. 

She informed me that they are tearing the Mall down (It's basically gone) and they are going to build a COSTCO in that location and it is due to open up some time next year. We are already Sam's Club Plus Members, meaning our Membership pretty much pays for itself in rewards, but I can see picking up a COSTCO membership as well. 

Michelle said their is a BJ's up in Bridgeville as well that she would like to check out. I think all three are pretty much the same, membership clubs and same deals and incentives pretty much. We do take our weekly trip to Sam's Club. 

I'm so glad I was able to cut Grass yesterday morning, it's supposed to be warmer today, but everything is still wet and my grass was three weeks grown. I even put the mower blade on 6 and ran across where the big industrial garage used to be, ad least in the flat areas. I'm going to have to get that ground flattened out  first, still a number of big divots. 

Sunday Morning Rambling

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, Kiwi and Peanut are both chowing down on the remaining DiCarlo's Pizza that was left over. They both love it and declared cold cheese on top of a hot pizza is amazing. 

So yesterday was pretty amazing, Michelle did the shopping as I cut the grass, and it has been three weeks since I last cut it. It definitely needed cut and I wanted to cut it before the rains came. Mission accomplished.

When all the chores were done, we headed to Wheeling West Virginia to get a DiCarlos Pizza. Michelle ordered a big tray and we had a couple pieces there and then delivered the tray to Hayley and Tyler at their home. They have an Osso's right down the road, but they are just a DiCarlos knockoff. DiCarlos is the original and the best tasting of everyone who tries to imitate them. Hayley, Tyler and Luke were all very appreciative of having us bring them a pizza. 

When we got home eventually is was raining pretty heavily, so that was pretty much it for us and the day and evening. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Saturday

Here I sit in a semi-quiet household, Kiwi and Peanut are up and working some kind of  Jigsaw puzzle of a moose. These two are always innovative and I just never know what they are getting into. I'm just thankful it doesn't concern hammers, torches or construction materials and it's not something competitive. Peanut ordered this puzzle and was a little upset when she figured out she spelled mouse wrong. 

So what is on today's agenda? With any luck and if the weather holds up I am going to try to cut grass. It has been three weeks and it's due to be cut. I would have cut it last weekend but we had other priorities that needed to be attended to. Michelle is going to be doing our grocery shopping for the week and that will be it for chores on this day. 

She has talked about running to Wheeling because she wants some DiCarlo's Pizza. The one we used to go to all the time is gone, but there is one at the Cabela's exit back there in the plaza and one in Glen Dale that I have been known to frequent. There is also one in Wheeling, but I've never been to that particular one. 

Today is the 22nd Anniversary of me Graduating from WVU and it was 49 years ago today that Grandpa Hall had passed away, so May 16th is always a date I tend to remember. 

Have yourselves a great day, go make some memories. 

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!!!

Life can finally slow down a little bit after today, the past week and a half have been kind of hectic and to be honest with you I'm glad we are on the back side of that block of time. 

We had a great time last night, Layla Graduated from the MedEd Program and Michelle and I attended. This is the one where she spoke at and was most important to her. It has been an honor watching this young woman grow up to say the vey least. She was Michelle's Flower Girl for our wedding. 

No plans for the weekend yet, just coming back to reality. 

Have yoursleves 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 is one that I saw on Facebook last week and it was the essence of Nick, especially since he did so many encouraging and uplifting tictok videos building his business. I knew this had to be my photo flashback the moment I saw it. 

Have yoursleves a great day. 

Hi ho hi ho

Lucy's Journal

 Lucy’s Journal — May 13, 2026

The evening air felt soft tonight, the kind that settles over the hills after a long spring day and makes folks slow down a little. Lucy and the crew had gathered out back by the old picnic table with lanterns glowing low and coffee cups steaming beside slices of pie nobody was quite hungry enough to finish.

Nobody had planned it exactly, but before long the conversation drifted to Nick Rehmani.

Funny how that happens. Some people leave behind stories so big that all it takes is one quiet evening for them to come walking back into the middle of things.

“You remember that laugh?” The Quackers said first, leaning back in his chair. “Man could fill up a whole room before he ever told the joke.”

Everybody smiled at that.

Lucy wrote that the thing about Nick was he never made people feel small. Didn’t matter if you were family, neighbor, stranger, or somebody who just wandered into the gathering because you smelled food from down the road — Nick always made room for one more chair.

Peanut laughed remembering how he used to insist everybody eat second helpings whether they wanted to or not.

“He acted offended if you didn’t,” she said. “‘What’s wrong with my cooking?’ he’d ask, even though everybody knew it was the best food in three counties.”

That brought the stories rolling.

Fishing trips that turned into all-night campfire talks.

Birthday parties where half the town somehow ended up invited.

Summers filled with kids running through the yard while Nick stood at the grill like some kind of backyard king holding court with an apron tied around his waist.

And then, of course, they talked about the prime rib.

Lucy said you could practically smell it just thinking about it.

Perfect every single time. Seasoned like magic, cooked slow and careful, tender enough to cut with the side of a fork. Folks said restaurants spent years trying to make prime rib that tasted half as good, but they never could. Maybe because Nick put more than seasoning into it. He put joy into it. Family into it. The feeling that supper mattered because the people around the table mattered.

“Wasn’t just food,” Kiwi said quietly. “It was being together.”

That hung in the air for a moment.

Lucy looked around the table and realized every single person there had been changed by Nick in some way. Some through friendship. Some through kindness. Some simply because he took the time to notice them when nobody else did.

That was his gift.

He made ordinary days feel important.

Before everybody headed home, Lucy wrote that they raised their coffee cups toward the darkening sky.

Not in sadness exactly.

More in gratitude.

Because some people leave behind enough warmth that even after they’re gone, folks still gather around it years later.

Wednesday Wisdom

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over, now we are staring straight down at another spring time Tuesday, time for a tidbits

* It has been 22,782 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. Mom is at 30,438, which would make her 28 according to my new and improved calendar. 

* It has been 8,036 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. 

* 6,630 days ago, Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,834 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 5,871 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 3,009 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 1,663 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,280 days, I've now outlived him by 1,519 days, making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* Old roommate Gregg proposed to his fiancée 241 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 2,108 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.

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

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

* There are 226 more shopping days left until Christmas 2026. 

* There are 211 days until I hit the age of 63. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are only 94 more days to go until Michelle and I will celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary......maybe

* There are 41 days until my second favorite season begins, Summertime!!!!!!

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

* I have written 8,349 blogs in what is now 21 1/2 years of Blogging. 

* The students are Gone!!! Less traffic...or more road construction take your pick.  

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

* Looking for Girl Scout Cookies? Ryleigh's Page

* Looking for Girl Scout Cookies still? Arabellas Page

* There was a nice tribute to Nick in the paper this weekend. 

* This is my favorite Ticktok, Jason Williams talking about NBA vs WNBA. 

* Hi ho hi ho