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 a picture of me actually outside of my office at Frostburg State nearly 20 years ago. By this time I was working remotely from home pretty much exclusively, but still went to my office (about an hour drive) every once in a while. I rarely put myself a the center of these images that often, it was due for an exclusive. 

I was acually looking at the Campus on Google Maps and I have seen a lot of changes that have occured to that campus since I last worked there. The Washington Redskins used to do their training camp here, like the Steelers do St Vincent's College. 

Have yoursleves a great day, make your own memories. 

Hi ho hi ho

Lucy's Journal

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February 11th

Today we made the executive decision—by “we,” I mean Kiwi stood on the back of a chair, puffed up like a tiny green foreman, and screamed until everyone agreed—that it was time to get serious about the backyard waterfall. Fall may feel far away, but according to Kiwi, planning season waits for no one.

So off we went to Rural King, the one place where you can buy chicken feed, fencing, and a tractor part you didn’t know existed—all in the same aisle.

Kiwi rode in like royalty, perched high and scanning shelves like he was pricing materials in his head. Gravel? Approved. Pond liner? Questionable. Solar pump? He stared at it for a full thirty seconds, which I’ve learned means yes but later.

The Quackers, however, did not make it past the livestock section with their dignity intact.

That’s where they saw them.

The ducklings.

Tiny. Yellow. Peeping like squeaky toys possessed by joy.

The Quackers froze.

All four of them.

One whispered, “Haven’t we… been here before?”
Another swore they remembered choosing ducklings once.
The third looked deeply unsettled and muttered something about “the timeline repeating itself.”
The fourth tried to adopt one before I could blink.

Full-blown déjà vu hit them like a feed-bin to the soul. For a moment, I genuinely thought we were about to relive history in aisle seven.

Peanut, observing from the cart like a judgmental gargoyle, seemed disappointed we weren’t bringing home chaos in a cardboard box.

Eventually, we regrouped in the lumber aisle. Kiwi began outlining the waterfall design by knocking small boards onto the floor in what I assume was a very advanced engineering language. The Quackers recovered enough to debate whether the waterfall should have vibes or mystical energy. Peanut voted for “something fish-adjacent.”

We left with pond stones, tubing, and a suspicious amount of zip ties—because every project requires faith and zip ties.

No ducklings followed us home.
The timeline remains intact.
For now.

Kiwi spent the evening staring out the back window, already imagining the waterfall. I swear I heard him whisper, “Fall is coming.”

I believe him.

Wednesday

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with good reason to do a tidbits. 

* It has been 22,693 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, new, and improved 1,069-day Calendar. mom is at 30,347 which would make her 28 according to my new and improved calendar. 

* It has been 7,945 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. 

* 6,539 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together. Life has been much better since then. 

* 5,743 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 5,780 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 2,918 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 1,572 days ago today. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,273 days, I've now outlived him by 1,435 days, making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! 

* Old roommate Gregg proposed to his fiancée 150 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 2,199 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.

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

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

* There are 317 more shopping days left until Christmas 2026. 

* There are 294 days until I hit the age of 63. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are only 178 more days to go until Michelle and I will celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary......maybe

* There are 37 days until my favorite season begins, a lot of people love different seasons, I am a Spring person who loves the Springtime. 

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

* I have written 8,244 blogs in what is now 21 years of Blogging. 

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

* I need to get some new bullet points. I like to keep a certain number that are regular, I need some more count downs or count ups. 

* This is my favorite TikTok, I love prank phone calls and this one is hilarious. 

* Have yourselves a great day

* 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 could be heard giggling as Michelle and I prepare to walk out the door, getting ready to go to work. No idea what they are up to, something about a poker game and toilet papering some of the neighbors' cars. Maybe I need to invest in an indoor camera to keep an eye on these two during the day. 

It's not official yet (no start date) but Michelle got her offer letter from Swanson Industries and will officially transition to them officially after the typical pre-employment stuff. Drug screen, background search, paperwork filled out and submitted and a sample of her world famous butterscotch cookies. She will be an Administrative Assistant, they were really impressed with her during her temporary assignment with Express Employment who she worked a contract through for Swanson. I am very proud of her I'll let everyone know when she officially transitions. She has been looking at the Swanson-branded gear the past few days that she is now eligable to buy at their price. 

Have yourselves a great day, hope the animals don't wreck the place. 

Hi ho hi ho

Superbowl Sunday

Here I sit in a less than quiet Household, Kiwi and Peanut have been up all night partying and getting ready for Super Bowl LX this evening. Chicken wings (Peanuts' idea) and Popcorn (Kiwi's idea) are what is on the menu for the day. I can't say how disappointed I am that a cat of mine is wearing Patriots gear, but Tom Brady has retired and moved on so I don't cheer against them as much. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Steelers for most Super Bowl Victories at 6 each. 

Have a few weekly chores to do today, Michelle already bought the chicken wings to beat the rush on everyone rushing out to buy them. I think we have done wings every Superbowl that we have been together, it's almost like the Hot Sausage on Christmas Morning or Pork and Sourkraut on New Years. It's just the time of the year that you eat chicken wings and finger foods. 

Other than that, we have nothing planned for the day other than sitting around and relaxing and waiting for the game,  other than maybe watching the Winter Olympics. My favorite Winter Olympic Sport? I like to watch Curling. 

Have yourself a great day, make it memorable. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit in a semi-quiet household, Kiwi and Peanut are not liking the weather and have tried to make some extra money by making Phil available for Groundhog Rides. They had both bet a bunch of money in Vegas saying he would not see his shadow after some insider information they thought they would clean up. They lost and now they are trying to recoup their lost wagers at Phil's expense. I do have to say for a little fat guy he can scamper around pretty quickly. 

Nothing big planned today out of the ordinary, a little shopping and preparing for tomorrows Superbowl. Peanut thinks we should do chicken wings and Kiwi, he things we should do groundhog stew. I think they are both still upset that because of Phil we have six more weeks of this cold weather and snow crap. They are both tired of it all. 

It's due to be cold this weekend (like what else is new), so be sure to stay warm. If you are looking for something entertaining to do, the WVU Women's team plays at the Coliseum today at 2:00. 

Over the past few days, Raising Canes finally opened here in Morgantown. We already have a Huey Magoos and a Laynes Chicken Fingers downtown, three restaurants with basically the exact same menus with different names. So for the life of me I can't figure out why 200 people were waiting to get into a restaurant that opened up this week. 

Have yourselves a great day and stay warm

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!!!

Kiwi and Peanut are having a debate about who is going to win the Superbowl. Kiwi is staying with his bird brothers and will be cheering for the Seattle Seahawks. Last yeat he was an Eagles fan, you know the whole Bird theme and all. Peanut, she is a New England Patriot fan (or she just wants to be different than her brother) and will be cheering for the New England Patriots. Me? I'm cheering for the commercials this year. Budweiser has a really good and Patriotic one this year involving the Clydesdales and a surprise bird that I have seen and it a tear jerker. 

First though both Michelle and I have to get todays work over with so we can start our weekend. So it is one again back to the offices today and driving this work week home. 

Have yourself a great day

Hi ho hi ho