Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, I'm up early and watching who knows what on the boob tube and collecting my thoughts for the day as I am waking up.

Michelle and I did make it to the Buckwheat Festival yesterday and I did manage to get my Buckwheat cakes. We stopped at the Methodist Church in Masontown to eat, as it seems like it is never crowded there when we go and they have some very good buckwheat cakes. After eating we headed into Kingwood to enjoy the festivities and see all the crafts. I do have to say I personally enjoy all of the livestock, I can walk through there and fart up a storm and no one blames me. It was my dust and go strategy and I pulled it off beautifully.

No real plans for the day, we might run back to Masontown and Streets Store to stock up some bacon and sausage. They really do have the best Bacon and Whole Hog Sausage in the area. Other than that this will be my last day off for a while with the exception of next Sunday, when we go to the Steelers vs Jaguars game, which could very well be my only day off in the Month of October from both jobs.

I think I hear the couch calling my name to come back and relax on it again.

Have yourselves a great day, make it memorable.

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 Friday.

Weather permitting this evening, I would like to go to Preston County this evening to eat Buckwheat Cakes. The Buckwheat Festival is in full swing and my experience with Buckwheat cakes last weekend was less than pleasurable. The best place and time to get Buckwheat cakes is in Preston County and during the Buckwheat Festival. Maybe it's a local thing, and I only crave them once a year and this is that time.

Other than that, if you are looking for a little High School Football action, University travels to St. Albans, Morgantown travels to Musselman and Clay Battelle is at home against Calhoun County. WVU is off this weekend so this is pretty much going to be a non-football weekend around the city of Morgantown.

I'm off tomorrow, but my next quarter starts with RTI on Sunday. It's been a nice little break and I have enjoyed it, but now it's time to get my butt back out in the field and bring the 2017 season to an end before I have to head back to St. Louis for re-certification.

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 and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

The things you see in other Countries. Michelle and I went to Niagara Falls a few years ago, we went up ans stayed in Canada as part of a package deal that I bought on Groupon, which is a really reasonable get away especially if you have your Passport and can go across the border and stay. There is so much more to do on the Canadian side than the US side.

We went to one of the gift shops in Canada by the falls, and this is what I saw when I went into the restroom. It was a Moose standing at the urinal doing his business. Not exactly something you expect to see when you walk into the restroom.

Have yourselves a great day, make the most of it and maybe you'll run into a Moose in the restroom, you never know.

Hi ho hi ho

5,001 a Blog Odyssey

And it begins. Since yesterday was the day I celebrated my first 5,000 posts, I am now working on my next 5,000 posts and it all starts with post number 5,001.

It's also hump day and the middle of the work week, so there is that as well...lol Let's just get up and over this noon time hump and it's all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend. I will be off Saturday, but Sunday it all begins again working for RTI on our final quarter for 2017.

The Preston County Buckwheat Festival begins tomorrow. I would like to make it up, I love Buckwheat cakes, so we shall see how that all turns out. I love buckwheat cakes and the ones I ate last week in Maryland were kind of Gnasty and with a capital G. I know Michelle likes looking at all the crafts, but she is not a Buckwheat Cake eater, so maybe we'll make a deal that is beneficial to both.

Have yourselves a great day, do something worthwhile.

Hi ho hi ho

5,000

Well I have reached a milestone as a blogger. What I began 13 years ago when I just wanted to see what Blogger was and what is was all about that I started doing this new thing called blogging.

I had seen others write daily journals and I think when I started to write this that was my initial intention. Just a place to put my thoughts and share them publicly. I thought it was a good idea, but who knew how long I would do it. Thirteen years and 5,000 posts later, I'm still doing it and pretty much doing it daily for over a decade now.

My Blog has seen a lot through the years, both highs and lows. From me going from one job to another, to me meeting the love of my life and the things that we do and places we go. It's seen me visit numerous countries and go to places I would never have dreamed of when I started writing it initially, as they were all just dreams in the clouds.

It's seen us welcome new members into the family, celebrate many birthdays and even give my thoughts when very special people have left us and the grief that has caused us.

I've documented events and shared pictures and videos, and just simply shared my sometimes redundant and brain dead thought process.

It has been my pleasure to write this, even though it becomes a pain in the butt at times, I don't know what I would do without being able to write it.

Thank you to each and every reader, I know my blog has been read in many countries and in places I will never have the chance to visit. Thank you for allowing me to share my life with you and thank you for reading. Not too many people can make the claim to have written 5,000 blog posts.

Here's to the next 5,000 posts, 10,000th blog should be posted around the year 2030...lol

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is once again in our rear view mirror, can't think of a better reason to replicate my Tuesday's Theme blog other than it is Tuesday.

* It has been 19,675 days since I first set foot on this planet, I'm thankful for each and every one of them. Using my unique and rotating 933 day Calendar, that makes me 21 years old. Layla and I talked about this this past weekend, I don't think she grasps the concept of a 933 day calendar.

* It has been 4,881 days since I graduated from West Virginia University, I have stayed the course and worked in my field of study since I graduated even though my job title is now Engineer.

* 3,482 days ago I asked Michelle out for dinner and to see the movie 10,000 BC, I could have went and seen Semi-Pro but I chose this stupid movie.

* 2,706 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle, about 4:00 in the morning, but she knew it was coming.

* It was 2,243 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,179 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days or so here or there and depending on how I feel.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,825 days away. Pitt is selling 50 yard line seats for less than the price of a Big Mac.

* There are 315 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

* We have 175 more days to go until Spring 2018. Yes everyone loves the fall or the winter, bah humbug give me the tropical climate.

* 130 more days until Phil takes center stage again and pretends that a Groundhog is the worlds most listened to Weatherman.

* 97 more days to go until my Goodbye 2017 Blog is posted where I recount 2017 based on what I have written in my blog. Should be an interesting one this year to say the least.

* There are 90 more shopping days left until Christmas. WalMart has their Christmas Trees up already. That's OK, we already started buying Christmas decorations a few weeks ago in Amish Country.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 66 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 33rd Anniversary of it.

* We are 11 days away from Michelle and I going to the Springs Festival, if we make it up for that. We were just there this past weekend and I will be out working for the Festival.

* I have written 4,999 blogs in what is now my 13 full years of being a Blogger. I'm just one away from a Milestone post.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search that has been going on for a couple of years, but we've hit brick walls everywhere.

* Nothing new on the Hall Family Tree, even though there are some updates and additions that do need to be made.

* Spoke with Gary over the weekend, he seems to be doing well. He's staying the course and is thinking about becoming a preacher.

* Spoke with Pam over the weekend, George is recovering. Still sore, but making progress. She said they all went to Fusion for Calvin's Birthday.

* WVU is off this coming week for Football. Should be a quiet weekend around town.

* We will be starting another quarter for RTI Sunday. I've got all my preparation done to start the quarter, just waiting for Sunday to officially start another quarter.

* With all the controversy this past weekend surrounding the NFL and the National Anthem and seeing so many people making empty claims of boycotting it while making multiple posts on the internet, I just want to point out we are going to the Steelers vs Jaguars game the weekend after this one. First time I will be going to a Steelers game without sideline passes...lol

* Mohigans lost, Steelers lost and WVU's defense was exposed despite winning. Not the greatest of sports weekends.

* I'm still converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I'm a slacker but I'll get them done. I'm about halfway there. When her dad made the tapes, he didn't waste any tape, he used up the whole two hours and did it at higher definition.

* I'm going to put this out there and not sure if I have ever mentioned it before. I Hate Snow. Not a little bit, a lot.

* Have yourselves a great day and do something to change the world.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

All good things must come to an end and that does include these fun filled times that we call weekends and look forward to. Fear not, it is the start of another work week but there is another weekend on the back side of it all.

Starting Sunday I will start another streak of consecutive days working as we start our final quarter with RTI. This is our fourth and final quarter of the year before I need to be re-certified in January, like I was earlier this year. It looks highly probable that I will once again be going to St. Louis this year as it is one of the sites that have been designated with Raleigh North Carolina and San Diego. Of course if they gave me a choice I would be going to the left coast and Sand Diego, but Michelle and I will most likely be heading back to St Louis this year.

No other plans for Michelle and I this week, nothing really coming up this week other than working and coming home and making sure Peanut the cat has had sufficient time frolicking out side and bring her butt back in. Days are getting shorter and colder, I'm not sure she is going to like what is coming up for her the next few months, her care free summertime days are coming to an end...lol

Have yourselves a great day, make it special and memorable.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit in a  quiet household, Michelle has already been awake 3 1/2 hours so she has me beat by a long shot as she is doing laundry (shades of Grandma Hall) and has been up drinking coffee and watching whatever is on the TV.

Yesterday turned out to be a pretty good day, we ended up taking Trish and Layla with us to Western Maryland for the day. We were trying to find a good fresh butcher, but we were not impressed so far with what we have found. Where we went, everything was frozen and pre-packaged, but I'm looking for fresh like we found out in the Ohio Amish Country.

I think Trish and Layla had a great time yesterday, we did visit a few places out there and treated them to lunch as Casselmans who changed ownership on August 1 and you could definitely tell there was something different the moment you walked into the door.

We stopped by Lynn's to visit her and say Happy birthday to Trent and watch the second half of the WVU game with them. We did surprise Layla by taking her to Hilltop Fruit Market and just seeing her eyes light up was more than worth the trip. Hilltop is also the home to Candy land BTW.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Happy Birthday Kaiden Dalton

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Great-Nephew Kaiden Dalton a very Happy Birthday today. He is a growing boy and is definitely starting to catch up to me in age, give it another 13 years and he'll pass me up in age.

Kaiden is a very good and well behaved young man and it is actually an honor to be around him.

Not sure what Kaiden is up to today, other than working towards his Doctorate in in Civil Engineering (yeah I know it's early), but if you happen to see Kaiden today, make sure you wish him the Happiest of Birthdays.

Happy Birthday Kaiden.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here I sit in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from that losing battle with the dreaded Sandman last night and I'm up early watching Orange County on HBO and collecting my thoughts for the day.

If you live in Morgantown and more specifically my side of town, travel might be a little difficult this morning as the Morgantown Marathon is taking place this morning. All three races cover Van Voorhis Road with the Marathon going into Sabraton and other areas around town. Be careful driving this morning, if you have to get somewhere plan accordingly.

For Michelle and I, we are heading out today for a mini road trip. We are going to Trent's birthday party today in Cumberland, but we are going to make a day of it by traveling around and checking out some local butcher shops. We want to find one at least semi-local that can compare to the one we visited in Amish Country. We have a few we would like to visit and check out before we head west.

The Mountaineers play today at noon, but they are in Kansas and I'll just set the game up to record and watch it later. It's on ESPNU here in Morgantown. Channel 174 here in Morgantown for those of you who don't know where the channel is located on your dial.

Have yourselves a great day today.

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 Friday.

Looking for some football? The Morgantown Mohigans travel to powerhouse Martinsburg (the Mohigans have not avoided anyone this year) to take on the Bulldogs, who have won 5 of the last 6 State Championships. #1 University High is at home to take on #2 AA Fairmont Sr and Clay Battelle travels to Tygarts Valley. University High has the only home game this weekend in Monongalia County.

In the College ranks, West Virginia is visiting the land of Dorothy as they travel to Kansas to take on the Jayhawks as we start Big XII Conference play. The Mountaineers will be seeking their third straight win as they are trying to get back into the top 25.

This will be my last full weekend off for a while, I'll start working for RTI next Sunday as that is when the new quarter starts. I'll be working locally during the week and traveling on weekends to work my assigned sections. Can't say where I am traveling to, but it's within an hour of where I live both ways.

Have yourselves a great day, change the world before you take the weekend off.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

I'll admit that I stole this weeks pic from my Sister in Law Chris. Michelle earlier this week asked me about a picture of her with Chad and Hayley from the picnics we did during the summers. I looked through all of my pictures and could not find what she was looking for, turns out it was a picture Chris had taken.

This weeks pic is of Hayley, Michelle and Chad and is probably one of the few (we need more) when these three are in the same picture and the only people in the picture. This one was taken at the 2015 picnic. What makes this rare, is Chad really doesn't like his picture taken.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Brain Fart Wednesday

Every once in a while I get writers block, or my creativity is lacking a little too much to make a meaningful Blog post. Yes here I am stuck in between a tidbits and a flashback in the middle of the work week and trying to come up with something to write about.

Not the first time I have suffered one of these brain farts, but there come times when you really don't have a whole lot to say. I started a Wisdom Wednesday a few years ago and I never really got into that too much. I've thought about other themes for Wednesdays, but it is bookended by theme posts.

Summer is winding down, Fall will actually be here this Friday, and my favorite seasons of the year are ending and my two least favorite are starting to begin. Yes it is football season, but I'm a spring time kind of guy. I think I have always been like this, or at least as far as I can remember.

One of the things I have been doing lately is looking back through some of my older blogs, once written over a decade ago and seeing what my thought process was back then. It's always nice to reflect on days gone by.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Another work week has been started and we are now looking down the barrel of a Tuesday morning, good reason to write another Tuesday's Tidbits.

* It has been 19,658 days since I first set foot on this planet, I'm thankful for each and every one of them. Using my unique and rotating 933 day Calendar, that makes me 21 years old.

* It has been 4,874 days since I graduated from West Virginia University, fulfilling one of my dreams as I grew up here in Morgantown.

* 3,475 days ago I asked Michelle out for dinner and to see the movie 10,000 BC.

* 2,699 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle, about 4:00 in the morning, but she knew it was coming.

* It was 2,236 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,186 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,832 days away. Pitt got destroyed by Oklahoma State this past weekend.

* There are 322 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

* We have 182 more days to go until Spring 2018. Summer is winding down and getting ready to end as we enter fall, but I'm a Spring and Summer kind of guy.

* 137 more days until Phil takes center stage again and pretends that a Groundhog is the worlds most listened to Weatherman.

* 103 more days to go until my Goodbye 2017 Blog is posted where I recount 2017 based on what I have written in my blog. Should be an interesting one this year to say the least.

* There are 97 more shopping days left until Christmas. Now we are within 100 days, time for people to really start planning.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 73 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 33rd Anniversary of it.

* We are 18 days away from Michelle and I going to the Springs Festival. Going to see if we can find a butcher up there as all the meat we bought from Amish Country in Ohio was great.

* I have written 4,991 blogs in what is now my 13 full years of being a Blogger and I'm also starting to close in on 5,000 blog posts. I've been reading through some of my older ones through the years, it's a nice reflection and something enjoyable. It's the payoff for 13 years of staying with it.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search that has been going on for a couple of years, but we've hit brick walls everywhere.

* Nothing new on the Hall Family Tree, even though there are some updates and additions that do need to be made.

* I had a good sports weekend this past weekend, the Mohigans, Mountaineers and the Steelers all won their respective games again.

* WVU will be on the road this week, so it should be quiet around Morgantown for the most part.

* We will be starting another quarter for RTI in a few weeks. I should be getting my specific materials in the very near future as to tell me specifically where I will be working. I've enjoyed the break, but I'm about to get busy once again for a month or so.

* Peanut has enjoyed her Summer, being able to roam around during the day before coming in of an evening to safely rest and eat. Days are getting shorter and colder, she may not like what is coming in the next few months. I don't either. I'm curious to see how she will do in the snow.

* I guess the riots in St Louis has hit the hotel we stayed at in January. They busted out the big glass windows where we would eat at in the Convention Center. We are planning on going back this January, maybe this time the arch will be open for us to ride to the top.

* I'm still converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I'm a slacker but I'll get them done.

* I'm going to put this out there and not sure if I have ever mentioned it before. I Hate Snow. =)

* Have yourselves a great day and do something to change the world.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

Yep it's that day that we all love so much. The weekend is now exhausted and it's time to head back into our places of work and change the world. Hopefully you are relaxed and recharged and ready to tackle it all and make a difference.

I have actually got a busy week ahead of me, a few meetings and working with an outside office trying to obtain some very detailed data. I've even got a get together luncheon at work where AECOM is going to buy us our lunch. I'm hearing a rumor it's going to be Dickie's BBQ, so I'm a little excited about that as I love their food.

Morgantown is getting a new indoor gun range that will be located in Sabraton. It's supposed to be a state of the art facility. I have been going to Fairmont and the ATR Performance Range which is really nice, but the one in Morgantown is supposed to be state of the art so we shall see. I like to go shooting every once in a while to keep my weapons in working condition and to practice with them. Yes Michelle is still a better shot than I am....lol

Have yourselves a great day today and let's change the world.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Calvin McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Nephew Calvin a very Happy Birthday today. Don't ask me how old he is all I know is that all of my Nephews and Nieces have passed me up in age and I'm still only 21 (he's 22)

Calvin is someone Michelle and I have watched grow up and mature more than any other family member since we have been together. He has matured into a fine young man and now has a beautiful wife to share his life with.

I'm not sure what Jeanetta or even my sister Pam have planned for him today, but I will say it'll be memorable no matter what it may be.

It has been a real honor watching this young man grown up into the man that he is today.

If you happen to see Calvin today, make sure that you wish him a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Calvin.

Sunday Morning Rambling

Here I sit once again, a slacker who is the last person in the household to wake up as Michelle has been up for a couple of hours already drinking coffee while I was still in lala land. I'm such a slacker on a Sunday morning...lol

There is something I wanted to talk about yesterday, but being it was a football Saturday I didn't think the subjects mixed very well so I hesitated and ended up not doing it due to the nature of the topic.

Years ago, it was the Spring of 1982, we moved into East Gate Manor. We had a number of great neighbors, it was a very close neighborhood and more specifically a great area of the neighborhood. Across the street there was a young family with a young Daughter named Valerie. Quiet and conservative, but a sweet young lady.

Years later when she got married she lived in the house with her first husband Jason and a couple of kids that they had.

When I was in college, Valerie had also started to attend and was actually a 4.0 student and a very amazing young lady. I remember speaking to her about an hour or so one day between classes catching up on things and Jason. That turned out to be the last time I had ever spoke to her.

About a year later there was a very tragic event in front of the Waterfront, Valerie was shot in the head by her new Husband (not Jason he was a great guy) who I guess she had married since the last time I had spoken to her.

Well earlier this week I was looking back through some of my blogs from years past (13 years and nearly 5,000 posts makes some interesting reading of your own life) and saw one that had an exceptional number of views compared to anything else I had written at that time. It was the blog post that I liked earlier in this post, so I thought I was inquisitive and decided to seek out if there was any news on Valerie. She was in a vegetative state and was blind after the shooting and there were a couple of fund raisers through the years for her.

I found my answer, Valerie had passed away about three years ago. My heart sunk, this was an inspiring young lady who had the world to capture in front of her. She lived nine years after the murder attempt, not sure how much of a quality of life that she had after the cowardly attempt on her life, but her suffering had finally ended.

It's amazing that in just a split second how someone with so many dreams, desire, vision and the get up and go to make it happen had their life forever changed.

Have yourselves a great day and appreciate it, you never know when it could change.

RIP Valerie.

It's Gameday

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, I'm the first one to recover from that losing battle with the Sandman last night and I'm up early collecting my thoughts for the day.

It's Football Saturday in Morgantown which means the "I Need Tickets" guys are probably already out and about as they have a short window to gather and resell tickets prior to the noon kickoff today. The Mountaineers are taking on Delaware State which that the Mountaineers should win handily as they are a rebuilding FCS program. Should be a good day for highlights for the Mountaineers.

Michelle and I will be watching the game from the comforts of our very own living room. No log bathroom lines and food is much more reasonable prices and parking is free. You know there were times that I would never miss a game, but it just seems like the price of attending a game had passed its feasibility threshold for me years ago. $60 for an FCS opponent that hasn't beaten anyone in a couple of years, $40 for parking where you still have a mile or so to walk to the game and that is before you even walk into the gate. Hence why I will be watching this game in the comfort of my living room.

Have yourselves a great day today.

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 Friday.

Looking for some football? We have football this weekend. Morgantown High hosts Brooke this evening at Pony Lewis, the Mohigans finally got their first win of the season last Friday after playing two out of state powerhouses. #1 ranked University High travels to Wheeling to take on Wheeling Park High School. Clay Battelle is at home against Valley Wetzel this evening in Blacksville.

College? WVU is at home this weekend to take on Delaware State at Milan Puskar Stadium at Mountaineer Field Saturday with another noon kickoff here in Morgantown. I'll be watching it once again at home with the HD TV, surround sound and a lot shorter lines to the bathroom...lol

Have yourselves a great day today and a the start of an even better weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

When Colasantes caught fire a couple of years ago, the first thing that ran through my mind was all the memorabilia that was on the walls and what may have been lost. For years I heard there was an image in the women's restroom that someone told me that I was in. This image is after the 1984 Penn State Victory, the goal posts were torn down and carried from the stadium to the old stadium loop in Sunnyside. This is a picture of that goal post in transit to the Stadium loop and I am NOT in this picture.

I am the person however the State Police Officer walked up to after the game and handed the hacksaw to. Yes, the West Virginia State Police provided the hacksaw to cut it up and it was handed to me in the stadium loop.

Sad story, I was completely drunk for that game, I was so far gone that I was in the sink puking at Mountaineer Field the majority of the game to be literally honest with everyone. I had two room mates at the time, one was a Penn State Graduate who was doing his Masters here at WVU named, Michael Jordan. He was about 5'8" and white, but his name was Michael Jordan. My other room mate was Greg Cutrone who was a member of that 1984 team that ended the streak. Our house was interesting that week and Greg and I made a banner to remind Mike who the Beats of the East was...lol

I saw this picture pop up on Facebook this week and knew that I had to make it my photo flashback even though I am not in this one, I met the goalpost not too far beyond this point and helped carry it into the stadium loop (yes I was still very drunk).

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Two days in, Check. Two more ahead of us, check. Now all we have to do is get our butts up and over that noon time hump and we will be able to see the dawn of another weekend off in the horizon for us all to enjoy.

I have to say that I have changed the way I write my blog a little bit. I used to do it every day the day before at work during down periods, but those times are behind me now as my days are quite busy, challenging and quick as I am busy. Now I write them the day before still, but usually in the wee hours before I go to work. So while this is posting Wednesday at 3:00 AM, I'm actually writing this at about 5:45 AM the day before.

It just seems my creative juices seem to flow a little more in the early morning as I have always been an early morning person. A trait I think I got from my Grandparents, who would always start their days in the middle of the night. I remember my Grandmother would do laundry on Saturdays, and she was up at 1:00 or 2:00 AM starting it. Sunday dinners, same thing she was up very early starting to make her delicious home made roles that she used to make.

Some people function best during the day, some late night like my brother Gary, me I'm early morning and I think I will be that way until I die. I figure it's been 21 years (how old I am) and I'm not going to change now.

Have yourselves a great day, make it a memorable one.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Another work week has been started and we are now looking down the barrel of a Tuesday morning, good reason to write another Tuesday's Tidbits.

* It has been 19,651 days since I first set foot on this planet, I'm thankful for each and every one of them. Using my unique and rotating 933 day Calendar, that makes me 21 years old.

* It has been 4,867 days since I graduated from West Virginia University, and I have worked primarily in the field that I studied.

* 3,468 days ago I asked Michelle out for dinner and a horrible horrible movie.

* 2,692 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle, about 4:00 in the morning, but she knew it was coming.

* It was 2,229 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,193 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there and depending on how I feel.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,839 days away, Penn State beat Pitt's (aka Akron) butt this weekend, now we want a shot at them.

* There are 329 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

* We have 189 more days to go until Spring 2018. Summer is not even over with quite yet and I'm counting down to Spring.

* 143 more days until Phil takes center stage again and pretends that a Groundhog is the worlds most listened to Weatherman.

* 110 more days to go until my Goodbye 2017 Blog is posted where I recount 2017 based on what I have written in my blog. Should be an interesting one this year to say the least.

* There are 104 more shopping days left until Christmas. It's September so some people start about now.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 80 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 33rd Anniversary of it.

* We are 25 days away from Michelle and I going to the Springs Festival. The other Amish Country we go to.

* I have written 4,983 blogs in what is now my 13 full years of being a Blogger and I'm also starting to close in on 5,000 posts written which to I think is amazing that I have stuck with it this long.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search that has been going on for a couple of years, but we've hit brick walls everywhere.

* Nothing new on the Hall Family Tree, even though there are some updates and additions that do need to be made.

* I had a good sports weekend this past weekend, the Mohigans, Mountaineers and the Steelers all won their respective games.

* We have been watching the weather channel the past couple of days tracking Irma and watching what it has done to the gulf coast of Florida.

* WVU is playing another home game this weekend, so we won't be venturing out and doing too much with all the anticipated game day traffic.

* Michelle and I may be moving in the near future, Patty has lost the properties down here (except for her house and her Dad's house) and a new landlord will be taking over in the near future. We'll just have to wait and see what happens.

* I'm still converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. She brought a bag of them over last Sunday and we went through and determined which ones she wants converted to DVD. I'm a procrastinator, I confess.

* I'm going to put this out there and not sure if I have ever mentioned it before. I Hate Snow. =)

* Have yourselves a great day and do something to change the world.

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

All good things must come to an end, and that does in fact include those fun filled fall football weekends that we all kind of enjoy. Now it's time to put those games behind us, head into the office so we can talk about those games and start another week of doing what it is we do for a living.

Would you believe that today is kind of an accomplishment for me as a blogger. While I am coming up on a milestone of 5,000 blogs written which should be coming up later this month, today actually marks the 13th Anniversary of my very first blog post. It was 13 years ago today that I heard someone say "I'm a grogger not a blogger", that I had to find out what a blogger was. I knew what a grog was, but I had never heard the term blogger so I investigated and the rest is a daily documented history pretty much of my life over the last 13 years.

I have to say that for me, someone who loses interest in things after a while, that 13 years of writing about things in my life is a pretty remarkable accomplishment for me. It's a great way to document times and events of things that have happened in my life. It's documented my time with Michelle, job changes that I have made, births, deaths, travel, purchases, what I am watching on TV, and things in my life and the lives of many people who have been around me for those 13 years.

I try to keep it simple with a few simple rules I have adopted over the years. Never air out any dirty laundry on my blog. I have a few times, but I have found it is better to remain neutral. Keep it PG rated, I have been known to cuss worse than a factory worker at times and I have tried not to carry it over to this format. I've made very few political posts and that has been by design. I do strongly hold my opinion, but putting it out there for the whole world to see while I am employed as a Government Contractor is probably not the smartest move so I just don't do it. I try not to angry post or say anything derogatory about anyone. I learned a long time ago expressing your emotions is one thing, expressing your emotions and documenting them on the internet or Social Media (which this blog also posts to via Twitter and Facebook) is something that you could very be more trouble than it was ever intended.

There are other rules, but they have all been pretty simple and easy to comply to. I have been threatened with lawsuits by lawyers for my blog a few times. Specifically the cash for gold scam whose attorney's sent me multiple letters to cease and desist, but they are lawyers and not a judge and I stood by first Amendment Rights.

I can been a wonderful 13 years, it's been fun documenting them and I take a little time out every once in a while to go back and review them. It's been tedious at times, but I don't regret becoming a blogger and it really has been a whole lot of fun for me.

Have yourselves a great day today and here is to another 13 years of Blogging.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Rambling

Here I sit in a quiet household once again, there is nothing on on the Boob Tube and I have my headphones on listening to some Don Williams Music who just recently passed away and collecting my thoughts for the day.

The Mountaineers bounced back from last weeks opening loss to beat East Carolina 56-20 yesterday here in Morgantown. WVU was up 49-3 at the half, son the score ended up being closer than the actual game so to speak. QB Will Grier threw for 5 TD's and former recruited QB David Sills (who was signed by USC when he was 13 years old to play QB) caught 7 passes for 153 yard and 3 of those touchdowns. RB Justin Crawford had another 100 yard effort as the Mountaineers looked very good yesterday.

Today is the day that we would have left on our Cruise, but obviously all those plans have changed as we canceled a couple of months ago and the Cruise itself had been changed due to Hurricane's Irma is about to hit landfall in Florida at a Cat 4 (downgraded from a Cat 5) and Jose, another Cat 4 is coming up right behind her and it would have been right in the cruises path of travel. Carnival has changed their itinerary and they are going to Halifax Nova Scotia and St. John even further north of that. If we had to cancel a year, this was probably the best year to do so as we will return to our normal cruising schedule next year!!!

Today will be filled with shopping, laundry and watching the Pittsburgh Steelers as their NFL season begins this afternoon.

Have yourselves a great day.

It's Gameday in Morgantown

It's finally here, yes it started last week with the 2017 Home Football Season. The Season started last Sunday with a 24-31 loss to heated Rival Virginia Tech as they retained the Black Diamond Trophy, bu the home season starts today.

I'm sure that even in these wee early hours in the morning, even before they open the lots up to tailgating, that there are people wandering around town with the "I Need Tickets" signs, even though they already have a stack of them in hand lol.

Today the Mountaineers take on East Carolina whom both teams are 0-1 on the season after ECU lost last week to Jeanettas Alma Mater James Madison University. Don't ever discount them though, you never know what ECU has have been known to give us a lot of trouble in the past, but I think we will be fine.

The game kicks off at noon here in Morgantown and I'm sure the Mountaineers will be playing in front of a full stadium as fans want their first home glimpse at new QB Will Grier who will most likely be a next level QB as he is the former Gatorade National Player of the Year and former starting QB at the University of Florida.

Should be a good game, I'll be watching it from my living room with the surround sound, and shorter bathroom lines than there would be at the stadium.

Let's Go Mountaineers.

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Pray for their Safe Return

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.

This is kind of a bittersweet BOHF, for the last five years this is the last day of work for Michelle and I before we started our vacations and prepared for our Cruise aboard the Carnival Pride. We actually had this years Cruise booked, but cancelled a couple of months ago due to the fact that both of us switched companies this year and while she has the time built up, I do not yet. It was a tough decision but one that had to be made.

Well come to find out that due to Hurricane Irma which is one of the strongest Hurricanes on record getting ready to inflict some major devastation where ever it hits, and now Hurricane Jose is rearing up right behind her and it's projected path would have been the direct path we took to Grand Turk. The Carnival Pride was scheduled to go to the same places this week as it was going next week, but all of those locations have been changed. Next week's cruise (the one we were scheduled on), is going to make a decision today as to whether they are going to cancel this weeks cruise on the Pride due to the Hurricane and Safety Concerns. I feel a heck of a lot better knowing that I cancelled on my own rather than anticipating going on our cruise now and having them cancel it.

We have family in Punta Cana right now on vacation, and Tom and Tommy Green and need your thoughts and prayers as they are hunkered down and preparing for this CAT 5 Hurricane to hit them. They have moved them more inland to a more secure location, but they are not out of danger and they and everyone else needs your thoughts and prayers for a safe return at this time.

UPDATE: We have heard from them and they are OK.

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 and look through some of the pictures that I have either taken, scanned or stolen off of the internet through the years and find one special picture that stands out. Little lost moments in time from yesterday caught with a Cameras lens and relived right here in my blog. Sometimes it's pretty easy to find that one special picture and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it consistently is however is a whole lot of fun.

This gem is from Christmas 1998, my Dad's last Christmas. It's a picture of me and my Brother in Law George in my Dad's kitchen. That was the year we decided we were having Christmas Eve at my Dad's whether he wanted to have it or not. He was pretty much dead set against it up until Christmas Eve Day. He had planned on working that night and didn't want no part of it, but he eventually changed his mind and was all in to make this happen. Good thing he did because that was his last one.

I think we invented the selfie long before the iPhones were even thought of. The again my Dad used to turn the camera around and take pictures of himself long before this picture was taken.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well it is kind of hump day, we have one day in this week as for as working, but we are at that mid point of the week so I think we can refer to it as hump day.

Hopefully everything is back to normal today, our furniture should have been delivered last night (I'm writing this the day before) and is all set up and ready to go. We or should I say my wonderful wife Michelle really busted her rear end making this transition happen. The old stuff was just falling apart and it was almost comical how bad of shape that it was in. It's nice to have a couch and a couple recliners that you are not embarrassed to have other people see.

Looking at the week ahead, there is a home football game fro WVU this weekend. What does that mean for us, that we will probably be at the house and not be doing too much running around on Saturday. it is slated for a Noon Kickoff, so plan accordingly if you are in the area of the stadium or plan on being anywhere close to it.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Relaxing (for the most part) three day weekend over with, time to get back to work. Can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* It has been 19,644 days since I first set foot on this planet, I'm thankful for each and every one of them. Using my unique and rotating 933 day Calendar, that makes me 21 years old.

* It has been 4,860 days since I graduated from West Virginia University.

* 3,461 days ago I asked Michelle out for Pizza and a movie, the movie was horrible but the date goes on forever.

* 2,685 days ago I got down on one knee and proposed marriage to Michelle, about 4:00 in the morning, but she knew it was coming.

* It was 2,222 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,200 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred here or there.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,839 days away.

* There are 336 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

* We have 196 more days to go until Spring 2018. Summer is not even over with and I'm counting down to Spring.

* 150 more days until Phil takes center stage again and pretends that a Groundhog is the worlds most listened to Weatherman. I have to remember to send him some booze this fall.

* 117 more days to go until my Goodbye 2017 Blog is posted where I recount 2017 based on what I have written in my blog. Should be an interesting one.

* There are 111 more shopping days left until Christmas. It's September so some people start about now.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 87 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 33rd Anniversary of it.

* We are 32 days away from Michelle and I going to the Springs Festival. The other Amish Country we go to.

* I have written 4,976 blogs in what will soon be my 13 full years of being a Blogger and I'm also starting to close in on 5,000 posts written.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search that has been going on for a couple of years, but we've hit brick walls everywhere.

* Nothing new on the Hall Family Tree, even though there are some updates and additions that do need to be made.

* Our new furniture that we ordered and is set to be delivered today. Yesterday we disposed of all the old stuff and shampooed all the carpets in anticipation of the new furniture arriving today.

* With the exception of my computer desk and the TV, our living room is a big empty space.

* Did get contracted about another job yesterday, part time and I can work it remotely meaning I might be interested in talking to them. I would obviously leave RTI if this came to fruition and was worth it financially. It's a part time job and I can do it at my time from home and it is a Long term thing. I'm not going to say anything about the specifics other than I would be tracking shit geospatially....literally, no joke.

* I like everyone else was a little disappointed in Sunday Night's WVU game, but I'm liking what I am seeing so far.

* I'm still converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. She brought a bag of them over last Sunday and we went through and determined which ones she wants converted to DVD. I've been slacking but with traveling and cleaning carpets I've been busy.

* I'm going to put this out there and not sure if I have ever mentioned it before. I Hate Snow. =)

* Have yourselves a great day, make a difference as we start a new work week.

* Hi ho hi ho

Labor Day

If you are one of those people who work for a living, people who do something every day to make this world a better place, take a bow and thank you.

If you are fortunate enough to have this as a paid Holiday, then you should consider yourself one of the lucky ones. Both Michelle and I enjoy that privilege where our employers tell us that we are going to pay you for today, but go ahead and take the day off.

On the other hand, I have new furniture scheduled to be delivered tomorrow and I have some preparation work to do. We've been purging a number of things as to keep us off the show hoarders and we are going to steam clean the carpets today in preparation of our new furniture being delivered tomorrow. Most of the thanks goes to Michelle as she bagged and boxed up a bunch of VHS tapes and movies that we will never play again (we stream everything now from my MyCloud) and had no use for anymore. We're going to simplify our living room and possibly move the Christmas tree to another location this season.

If you are lucky enough to have this day off, enjoy it and thank you for all you do.

Hi ho oh no not today.

We're Coming Home

I can't believe I slept in this morning, but after a nice hot Jacuzzi last night I slept like a rock and got a great nights sleep.

We had a great day yesterday here in Amish County, we did find a couple new places that we liked. Sugar Valley Meats was one of the nrebulltew places we found, a butcher that we purchased  a variety of fresh meats from to throw in our freezer (Yes we have a very good insulated cooler with us).

Another new place we found was this antiques shop that I absolutely fell in love with. They had an old time pop bottle dispenser that had the handle that you had to turn to get your soda out and a pop bo/ ttle opener on it. They also had a number of  rebuilt old gas pumps in the store as well as a number of refinished pedal cars and other toys from my youth.

Other than that we did have a little bit of excitement leaving Heinis. We were behind a horse and buggy at an intersection, some inconsiderate driver was coming the other way and went when he shouldn't have spooking the horse (not the one in picture) causing to unexpectedly and abruptly back up. I threw the car in reverse, and started backing up but the horse was too quick and the buggy hit off our front bumper. The young kind Amish man was very shaken up and wanted to pay for any damages, but we assured him everything was OK. A little touch up paint should cover any nicks.

Have yourselves a great day today, we'll be heading out later this morning and returning home.  BTW this hotel is amazing maybe the nicest one we have ever stayed in, I highly recommend it if your budget allows.

I'm comimmg home. sometime today....lol

Road Trip

Hershbergers

My wonderful wife and I are off for a Road Trip to Amish Country in Ohio later this morning. We're going to go out today and even spend the night out there staying in a Suite at the Berlin Resort.

We chose this place to stay for a couple of reasons, one it is pretty much centrally located to every place we may be going and the room itself has a Jacuzzi which is something Michelle really wanted and I'm not going to argue against it. I am looking forward to relaxing in it later tonight.

I have made a map of some of our favorite places that we like to visit in Amish Country. There are other places that we have visited, but these are are favorites that we have went to. The last time we went out there we were determined to find new places that we had never been to before and we were more than successful at that and found a few places we loved and added to this list.

We'll do a little more exploring today and see if there are any other places we can add to our map. Last time we were out there we ventured out and found a few places that we are wanting to go back and revisit.

Have yourselves a great day today, live it to its fullest and make some memories.

Big Ole Hairy Labor Day Weekend 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 Friday and the start of a three day Labor Day Weekend!!!

It's Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of Summer, although it will last another three weeks, and a time we traditionally start thinking about Fall and Fall activities. For some reason you are not supposed to wear white after Monday, but when have I ever really payed attention to fashion.

This weekend is also the start of College Football Season, when wives become Saturday football widows until Thanksgiving or so. My Alma Mater WVU takes on Virginia Tech Sunday evening at 7:30, the game is a national broadcast and is on ABC which gives me the chance to enjoy it.

We are heading out of town tomorrow, and will be back Sunday. Heading West to Amish Country to enjoy the day out there. I wrote about it in Wednesdays Blog and will probably talk more about it tomorrow morning before we leave. I know we we are planning on leaving very early tomorrow morning as Michelle wants to be there about the times the stores start to open.

Have yourselves a great day and the great start of a Labor Day Weekend, enjoy it America, you have earned it with all your hard work.

Hi ho hi ho