Hump Day

Well that is not one, but two days under our belts, now all we have to do is get up and over this dreaded Noontime Hump and it will be all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend.

Do you believe we are already at the end of January, Phil is warming up to take center stage Friday Morning and Spring time is just that much closer. Actually I think Groundhog day is about right in the mid point of winter, so it's a good reason to have some kind of celebration.

Still waiting one one more document before I file my taxes for the year. I'm going to be writing a sizable check to the State of West Virginia, it's just a matter of how big that check will be. It's already a nice paycheck for someone at this point and I'm not done adding all my documents together yet. Fun fun fun.

I'm still trying to shake this damn flu, or at least get the rest of the mucus out of my chest. This thing has been lingering long enough, it's time for it to be evicted from my body and let me get my life back to normal.

I hope everyone has a great day today, make the very most of it and change the world.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday, check. Now it's a Tuesday and that means it's time for me to do a tidbits.

* It has been 19,784 days since my reported birth, by my calculation and using my patented 938 day calendar, that should make me 21 years old by my calculations.

* It has been 5,007 days since I graduated from West Virginia University with a Degree in Geography. I still work specifically in my chosen field even though my title is an Engineer.

* 3,608 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, out ten year anniversary of that date will be coming up soon and we're thinking about doing something to celebrate. She's put up with me for an entire decade.

* 2,832 days ago I  got down on one knee at 4:00 in the morning and proposed to Michelle.

* It was 2,369 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I made it official and were married. We did feast that day as well.

* I have 5,053 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, or at least start doing something else with my life other than working.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,691 days away. Here kitty kitty kitty.

* 335 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, my favorite blog of the year to write where I get to take a little time out and reflect.

* There are 329 more shopping days left until Christmas 2018, can't ever start planning too quickly...lol

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 305 more days.

* There are 188 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our magical Seventh Magical Wedding Anniversary. I have been blessed for each and every day I spend with her.

* There are 177 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending.

* We have 49 more days to go until Spring, I've sent my buddy Phil all kinds of bribes, hopefully he is my friend later this week rather than my dinner.

* In 6 more days, I will be the exact same age as my Dad was when he passed away. I've been paying attention to the date the past few months ever since I did the first calculation.

* 3 more days until Phil either causes me to celebrate or look for a good Groundhog Stew Recipe on the internet.

* I have written 5,135 blogs in what is now my 13 plus full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,865 more t go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. I've done DNA tests and nothing has been returned. If he did one, I would know it pretty quickly.

* Still undecided on the Friends and Family Picnic this year.

* I did get my first recorded drone flight out this weekend, I put the video in yesterdays blog. It kind of crashed at the end thinking I may have to have the insurance replace it, turns out I just broke the tip off of one of the propellers (comes with 2 sets), so I just ordered another two sets. Good to go.

* .Michelle still has a broken hand, Ace ran outside and jerked her arm into the door a couple weeks ago, just an over rambunctious puppy.

* Still fighting off this chest cold, it got pretty bad last week. I just want this thing to finish its course and be done with.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator. Jackie has a few more she wants me to convert as well. Slacker I am.

* Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow? Take notice Phil.

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Back to it Monday

I did have a weekend off and that was from both jobs, now it is time to stick our noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is we do for a living.

This is going to good week despite the cold temperatures that are forecast for the week. Friday will be international Phil Day and he is going to hear my pleas and not see his shadow this year and ensure us that Spring is right around the corner. I've got faith in you Phil (wink wink).

We did get a start on our taxes for the year this weekend, but we are waiting on one more document before we can file this year, we have a total of six W-2's entered so far for the year and are now just waiting one documentation from the state for my Unemployment that I had to file earlier this year. I do use H&R Block Software and I create copies of everything before I file, one of their new features this year is you can upload a .pdf of your W-2 and it reads it and fills everything in for you, which I thought was a pretty amazing thing considering what all we have had to enter plus my 1098 and any other documentation.

Well new week and a new streak, let's do this.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Here I sit in a quiet household, still battling the remnants of this flu but finally starting to feel a little bit better after battling this for the last week. I'm up early with some noise on on the TV in the background and I'm collecting my thoughts for the day.

Well I finally did get a chance to get the drone up and fly it with the camera on this time. My landing didn't go too well and I may have to either make some adjustments to it to calibrate it or use the first incidence of the insurance replacement as things didn't go to smooth despite being on the trainer mode still (very limited as to what it can do).

It does take some beautiful 4K video footage and was able to grab it as I flew up and over the house. I didn't want to go too far until we feel comfortable enough with it to test its range and capabilities. We're still rookies at this so all we are going to do is get better.

I took the recording of the first recorded flight and through it up on Youtube and have attached it to the end of this blog.

Have yourselves a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again, in a quiet household awake in the early AM surfing the web and collecting my thoughts for the day. I'm up early watching who knows what (you can tell my TV is on more for noise than anything else) and contemplating what to do today.

I did finally make it back into the office yesterday, the congestion is still in my chest, I have no voice and am still recovering from this nasty flu. I'm not doing any field work this weekend for client safety concerns as I'm trying to recover, that and I just simply need a little bit of a break.

Big day here in Morgantown, Gameday will be broadcasting from the WVU Coliseum starting this morning at 11:00. Morgantown will be the center of the college basketball world as we host the University of Kentucky this evening.

My plans for the weekend, rest and relax and maybe start putting together our taxes for the year. This is going to be a long one as I think I have four W-2's to report and Michelle will have three. I've got to gather up documents and update software, so it's could be a busy weekend anyways.

Michelle and I did talk about running to Harry's this morning to stock up on some meat and maybe even get a chance to take the drone up later today if weather permits.

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 and the start of another Weekend.

Well maybe I'll make it back into the office today, I was diagnosed with Influenza A and they wanted me to work from home yesterday as to not infect anyone with this highly contagious flu that has hit the area as of late. This has been a Gnasty (with a G) one to say the very least. Hopefully it will run its course by Monday for me and be completely out of my system.

It has not been pleasurable for me to say the very least, fevers, sore throat, congestion, restlessness, diarrhea, aches and pains and about anything and everything associated with this Gnasty thing. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy and I hope Michelle has stayed far enough away from me to avoid it.

No plans for the weekend other than working if I am able to, I can't visit anyone when I'm sick and put their health at risk.

Have yourselves a great day, find something new, research it and follow up on it.

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 weeks pic came from our last cruise aboard the Carnival Pride a couple of years ago. Carnival does a thing called "Hasbro the Game Show" where they replicate what it is like to be on a TV game show full of Commercials and everything else.

I managed to get up on stage once again (as I did the year before) and even win the first couple of rounds. The final round is you select a card and insert it into the slot and it throws money (fake) out at you and the person who selects the most valuable card wins the grand prize of an assortment of Hasbro Games, for the rest of us we get the "Parting Gift" which was some miniature game. I did make it to the final 2 that year, but did not win the show.

I think Michelle has a video of it somewhere.

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well that is two days down, only one for me as my streak of consecutive days I had worked has come to an end. Even though I had the flu shot this year, I came down with influenza pretty bad yesterday and stayed home from both jobs.

Hopefully today will be a better day for me, I was struggling Monday all day and everything in my body ached, so much so I came home from work and went straight to bed. I just was not feeling very well at all. I'm going to try to go back into the office today, got a report do early this morning and I've got to get it out.

Michelle has been an absolute trooper during this down time, I don't know what I would have done without her, she is my rock.

Have a great day today, make the most of it and change the world.

Hi ho hi ho

Edit Update: Off today as well, I went to WVU Urgent care and I tested positive for influenza. Hopefully I can make it back in tomorrow.

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday, check. Now it's a Tuesday and that means it's time for me to do a tidbits.

* It has been 19,777 days since my reported birth, by my calculation and using my patented 938 day calendar, that should make me 21 years old by my calculations.

* It has been 5,000 days since I graduated from West Virginia University. That was a quick 5,000 days to say the very least.

* 3,601 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, out ten year anniversary of that date will be coming up soon.

* 2,825 days ago I decided to ask Michelle to Marry Me. She had her chance to run, now she is stuck with me...Bwahahahahahaha

* It was 2,362 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I made it official got ourselves hitched by a Chiropractor.

* I have 5,060 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, or at least start doing something else with my life other than working.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,698 days away. Panther meat will be on sale the day after at Heinz Field.

* 342 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted where I recount 2018 based on what I have written in my blog. It's a time where I reflect upon my previous 365 days and summarize them all right here.

* There are 336 more shopping days left until Christmas 2018.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 312 more days. I've lost count as to how many Anniversaries I've had. Hell I think I will be celebrating the 13th year of my 21st Anniversary of my 21st Birthday.

* There are 195 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our magical Seventh Magical Wedding Anniversary. I have been blessed for each and every day I spend with her.

* There are 184 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Hopefully the weather is more cooperative this year. It rained last year and we missed George Thorogood.

* We have 56 more days to go until Spring, I've sent my buddy Phil a nice assortment of chocolates with heavy sugar. I'll have the little bastard too tired to do anything.

* In 13 more days, I will be the exact same age as my Dad was when he passed away. Then it's time to start counting the other way. =)

* 10 more days until Phil takes center stage and and the Groundhog predicts the weather. Hopefully he gets it right.

* I have written 5,128 blogs in what is now my 13 plus full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,872 more t go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. I've done DNA tests and nothing has been returned. If he did one, I would know it pretty quickly.

* Still undecided on the Friends and Family Picnic this year. Maybe it has run its course or needs to be altered towards the people who actually appreciate it and come to it. Maybe we'll look to doing something out of state.

* As the weather is starting to warm up, I'm itching to go out and start flying my drone.

* Big basketball game here in Morgantown, Kentucky is coming to town and so is college game day. Not that I watch College Gameday...lol

* .Michelle has a broken hand now, Ace ran outside and jerked her arm into the door Saturday Morning. She went to Urgent Care on Sunday and that was the diagnosis.

* I'm starting to come back down with a chest cold. I noticed it Sunday morning when I started coughing.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator. Jackie has a few more she wants me to convert as well. Slacker I am.

* Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow?

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Monday

Well it is that time of the week again, time to start another fun filled week of doing what it is that we do for a living and throw our noses back onto the grindstone for a few more days.

Looking at the week ahead, it shouldn't be too bad as I just have a couple of meetings this week and nothing major on my plate that has to be addressed this week. Could be a nice relaxing regular work week, which I would invite after all of the things we all experienced last week with the weather plus having my Cable out at home.

Doesn't look like we are going to have any arctic temperatures this week and the weather will be above freezing for the most part. I'm ready for shorts and sandals and retiring the winter jacket for the season, but I'm going to need a little assistance from my friend up north in Punxatawney, you listening Phil?

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, I'm up early watching Best of Times and collecting my thoughts for the day.

I'm going out working once again today, so my streak will continue now to the 20th Consecutive Day of working and I've submitted my schedule that and will be working at least next Saturday, after that my beginning of the quarter streak may come to an end and I can start to wind down.

Went over to Frank and Pat's yesterday to celebrate Layla's 10th Birthday Party. Had a great time sitting around and talking to everyone, Layla had a great day as well and was very appreciative of everything she received.

Today it's going to be our typical Sunday, out this morning to do grocery shopping and then over to the bakery and finally I will be heading back out into the field to see if I can further close up my larger section and try to get a little bit of a break.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit in a quiet household, I'm up early but am in fact going back to bed as it is too early. I am up watching whatever is on HBO and am thankful to have my Television and Internet back after the fiasco of last weekend.

Working this morning for RTI, it's still pretty early in the quarter and I'm working on my larger section today. I did find out last night that even though I just do this part time and this was a bad week, I lead the state in Interviews this week as of yesterday and that was kind of a funny fact. I do this part time and most field interviewers do this as their primary form of employment, which means we haven't had a great week as a team, but weather has played a lot into that.

Going to Layla's Birthday Party this evening, haven't seen her or Trish in a few months and she invited us over to her Mom's this evening to celebrate her birthday. I's also my Sister in Law Dani's birthday today as well so Happy Birthday to her as well.

It was strange not having full internet here this past week. I did tether off of my phone, but that was limited in where I could go do to most websites being heavy on system resources and pages were delayed openings or not at all.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

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 and the start of another Weekend.

Well this has been one heck of a Week, I finally got my cable and internet back yesterday afternoon, I guess that big snow storm delayed everything not one, but two days.

Speaking of Tuesday, any guesses how long my commute home took? I live a mile from NETL, and Michelle and I did meet at Eat N Park for dinner, but my commute took nearly 4, yes that is 4 hours. Cars were all over the place on Van Voorhis Road and it took me an hour and a half to get from Eat N Park to basically the Hampton In.

People who do not know how to drive in this weather, and by know how to drive in this weather I mean experienced with not only the weather but the terrain as well, should just stay home and enjoy the scenery because you idiots are ruining it for those of us who do know how to drive in this area in the winter.

Rant over, 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 weeks picture goes back to 2005, back to a time and a party when my cousin Bill was retiring as a Fireman from the city of Morgantown after years of service. It was a party held at Krepps Park. I snapped this picture of this young and care free couple playing with a new fangled flip phone of the day.

Long before smart phones, Moke's deployment or even their daughter, this is just an innocent moment captured of two young and carefree kids.

Have a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Well a couple of days are in, now just a couple more ahead of us and we will be looking at another fun filled weekend away from the normal hustle and bustle of what it is we do for a living.

Well it was good to actually get back to the office and see a little bit of normalcy yesterday, my cable was restored yesterday and life is semi-back to normal so to speak. It can cause some stress when you can't do what you need to do for an extended period of time. It's kind of ridiculous that I had to wait so long for something to be restored in bed weather because it was a Holiday weekend. They want to get paid for providing me the service, they need to have support available at all times.

Enough with Comcast and their lack of satisfactory response me losing service to my house that was outside of anything I could have done.

The weather looks like it might be nice this weekend, which means they are going to want me out doing field work again. Yikes.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Well I am still without Internet and Cable at the House, but I can still manage to get this written. Hopefully it will be restored today. Tidbit time

* It has been 19,770 days since my reported birth, by my calculation and using my patented 938 day calendar, that should make me 21 years old by my calculations.

* It has been 4,993 days since I graduated from West Virginia University with a Degree in Geography, I have been fortunate to work in my field of study for 16 years.

* 3,594 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, dinner and a movie. I picked a horrible movie, but I guess that didn't matter.

* 2,818 days ago I proposed to Michelle, I figured making her wait until I proposed had to come to an end. She has been by my side ever since and it was I who got lucky that she waited for me.

* It was 2,355 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I made it official and became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,067 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, or at least start doing something else with my life other than working.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,705 days away. I'm ready for the game already. This ad to be adjusted fro accuracy.

* 349 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted where I recount 2018 based on what I have written in my blog. My favorite blog to write every year.

* There are 343 more shopping days left until Christmas 2018. I see one little girl who is reminding everyone on a daily basis of this as well on Facebook.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 319 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 34th Anniversary of it.

* There are 202 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our magical Seventh Magical Wedding Anniversary. I have been blessed for each and every day I spend with her.

* There are 191 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Hopefully the weather is more cooperative this year.

* We have 63 more days to go until Spring with the frigid temperatures of the past week, this can not come quick enough.

* In 20 more days, I will be the exact same age as my Dad was when he passed away. He was definitely too young to go. Yes this messes with you a little.

* 17 more days until Phil takes center stage and and the Groundhog predicts the weather. Come on Phil, I'm already tired of these frigid temperatures.

* I have written 5,121 blogs in what is now my 13 plus full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,879 to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. I've done DNA tests and nothing has been returned. If he did one, I would know it pretty quickly.

* Still undecided on the Friends and Family Picnic this year. Maybe it has run its course or needs to be altered towards the people who actually appreciate it and come to it. Maybe we'll look to doing something out of state.

* It's hard to work a second job especially when a service that I pay a high price for has not been available for three days now. This is pretty pathetic.

* I just had a three day weekend supposedly, lost power, lost internet, lost Cable TV and worked every day out in frigid temperatures and going to some pretty challenging places to maneuver a car in in these conditions. Not a relaxing weekend at all.

* Hopefully when I get home from work today, may cable will be back on and life will start to return to normal. Good thing Jim dropped off a load of firewood this past week, we needed it Saturday as our power was out.

* I hate New Jersey Drivers. Yes the guy who hit the poll across from our house that caused all of our issues had Jersey Plates.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator. Jackie has a few more she wants me to convert as well. Slacker I am.

* Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow? It's not something that I think I have mentioned on my blog, but I thought I would just put that out there in case anyone cared.

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

MLK Day

Today as we celebrate both my Wife and Sister in Law's Birthday, we also get to celebrate the life of Martin Luther King Jr and his birthday. I usually think we celebrate it much later than this, but come to find out today is actually his birthday and he shares it with a couple very special ladies in my life.

For me, I'm off today as it is a Federal Holiday, but I'm out trying to open the rest of the lines for RTI from my two segments for this quarter. I was going to take the day off, but figured I'd see what I can get knocked off today and hopefully dwindle my roster down a little further to make it more manageable for the rest of the quarter.

Some idiot ran into a poll across from my House Saturday Night and took out the electric to the house. He also took out the cable and the internet. As of the time of my writing this, it was NOT back on yet and I was making these posts by tethering from my phone the past couple of days. Good thing I have a lot of movies saved to a Hard Drive for entertainment.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Michelle Dawn Hall

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my wonderful Wife Michelle a very Happy Birthday today. She is the absolute completion of me, even though I give her a hard time at times.

She is one of the most remarkable women that I have ever met in my life, and I have the distinct honor of being able to call this very special lady my wife.

I am thankful for my Michelle (and her sister Chris's Birthday), as I get to celebrate it with a holiday from NETL, but fret not, I'm still out working as she is today.

I have traveled the world, been to some pretty memorable places with this woman and got to share in the joy of not only being there, but seeing the look on her face as well. St. Louis was just not St. Louis without her, as she is my heart and soul.

Happy Birthday Michelle, I love you from the bottom of my heart.

Sunday Morning Rambling

Here I sit in a quiet house, literally this time as some moron took out the power poll across from our house and knocked out the power to the house yesterday and also knocked out my cable and internet access. Fortunately I can tether off my phone, but it is limited due to our package and not selecting a package for that purpose.

Our cable is going to be out until about Tuesday, and it took hours to fix the electric because it is a Holiday weekend and we are just one customer and the only one affected by the New Jerseyite (yes he is from New Jersey) not knowing how to drive on hills in the winter and totaled his car into the poll right across the street.

I'm out doing field work again today as I will be tomorrow, how is that for a three day holiday weekend, I just hope I am able to transmit my work this evening just using my phone, this could get interesting.

Have yourselves a great day.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, Big Fat Liar i splaying in the background and I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day and surfing the World Wide Web.

I'm up for a day of working out in this wonderful weather that mother nature decided to bestow upon us this morning. It was nearly 60° a couple of days ago and today's forecast are for them to drop down to the single digits. I've got a three day Holiday weekend from NETL, but I still work for RTI and this is the start of the quarter, so that three day weekend is instead an extension of my 12th, 13th and 14th days in a row of working one job or the other.

The things we do and sacrifice to make this a better world and try to make this a better community. I do believe in the study and I don't really mind knocking on doors and meeting people, so I can't complain too much. I just wish the weather would be a little more cooperative today.

Have yourselves a great day and try to stay safe and warm.

Hi ho hi ho

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 and the start of another three day Holiday Weekend.

For some of you it's a three day holiday weekend, for me it's just a weekend where I work another job instead of going into the office on Monday. They originally wanted me to travel to Paw Pawand work this weekend being that it is an extended three day one, but I'm trying to stay around town working this weekend as Michelle may possibly be going back home for a Memorial.

I hope everyone has had a great week, maybe if the weather breaks a little this weekend I may, and that is a big MAY be able to fly my drone Friday evening, that is if the temperatures of the last couple of days stay around. I have a funny feeling however that they are going to drop and I'm not going to be able to get that opportunity unfortunately, but we'll have to wait and see.

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 weeks pic is was taken a few years ago, Michelle and I took a trip to Amish Country and we took today's birthday girl (My Mother) along with us for the day.

This picture was taken at the large flea market that you come across as you first enter Amish Country from the East. We stopped and grabbed a triple selfie pic as the day was winding down and right before we started to head back home. Mom had taught us a few new places when we were out there, places that we still visit to this day.

Have yourselves a great day

Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Sandra Irene Bell

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Mother, Sandra Irene Bell a very Happy Birthday today.

If my math is correct, I'm 21 so that would make her about 39 or so, and my math has been known to be exceptionally accurate. Of course I don't use that antiquated 365 day calendar and use my own more accurate way of measuring ones age.

I'm not sure if Gerald has anything specifically planned for today, but there will be a breakfast for her at the Golden Coral Restaurant Sunday morning hosted by my Sisters.

If you happen to see or talk to my Mom today, make sure that you take the opportunity to wish her a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Mom.

Hump Day

Well that is two down, two more ahead of us and once we get up and over this noon time hump it will be all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend. Or should I say for most of you, I'll be working this weekend and the next few that follow.

Well West Virginia Basketball moved up to #2 in both the Coaches and the AP Poll, being only second to Villanova. It's the first time we have achieved that high of a ranking since December 30, 1959 and Jerry West was a Senior. Yes we have been ranked higher previously, but this is our highest ranking since 1959. Personally, I thought we should have gotten the #1 ranking, we deserve it much more than Villanova as we have actually played and beaten teams with a pulse including the #3 ranked team in Virginia.

I worked both jobs yesterday, so I am going to take it easy and work one job today. Yesterday and tomorrow are going to be my worst and longest days of the quarter, since the segment I'm working is not close to my house. My other segment that I will start working next week, is much closer and just a couple minute drive.

It's nice to see the temperatures are warming up a little, I am not a big fan of the frigid cold weather, much less all that white stuff that falls to the ground when my lovely wife does her snow dance.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* We missed the Tidbits last week, can't let this count down and up go two weeks without presenting our numbers. Time for a Tidbits. Some adjustments needed to be made for accuracy.

* It has been 19,763 days since my reported birth, by my calculation and using my patented 938 day calendar, that should make me 21 years old by my calculations. (Had to adjust)

* It has been 4,986 days since I graduated from West Virginia University with a Degree in Geography, one of my proudest moments in my life.

* 3,587 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, dinner and a movie. Pizza Hut and 10,000 BC.

* 2,811 days ago I proposed to Michelle, I figured making her wait until I proposed had to come to an end. She has been by my side ever since and it was I who got lucky that she waited for me.

* It was 2,348 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, we partied like rock stars and feasted like Kings as Michelle and I became Husband and Wife.

* I have 5,074 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, or at least start doing something else with my life other than working.

* The next Backyard brawl where we beat Pitt's ass is only 1,712 days away. I'm ready for the game already. This ad to be adjusted fro accuracy.

* 356 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted where I recount 2018 based on what I have written in my blog. My favorite blog to write every year.

* There are 350 more shopping days left until Christmas 2018. Never too early to start planning.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 326 more days. If you use that antiquated 365 day calendar, this will be the 34th Anniversary of it.

* There are 209 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our magical Seventh Wedding Anniversary.

* There are 198 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. They finally announced the Friday Night headliner, it's Bret Michaels who will join Saturday Night's headliner of Alabama and Thursday Night's of Montgomery Gentry.

* We have 70 more days to go until Spring with the frigid temperatures of the past week, this can not come quick enough.

* In 27 more days, I will be the exact same age as my Dad was when he passed away. He was definitely too young to go. Yes this messes with you a little.

* 24 more days until Phil takes center stage and and the Groundhog predicts the weather. I've sent him some liquor, fine chocolates and an assortment of fine nuts to enjoy, hopefully my bribery will work.

* I have written 5,112 blogs in what is now my 13 full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,888 to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. I've done DNA tests and nothing has been returned. If he did one, I would know it pretty quickly.

* I'm starting to contemplate on whether or not I am going to do the picnic again this summer. Half of me thinks it has run its course, and the other half of me says change the venue, date and location. It may just take a hiatus this year, but we'll see.

* I did drive by my Dad's old house this past weekend as I was working in the area, someone has purchased it and is living in the home now. I'm sure they had a whole lot of remodeling to do.

* As the news announced last week, Mepco which is Michelle's employer is shutting their last remaining coal mine down next month. Michelle will be retained until the end of June and is being offered a nice retention bonus, there is a plan of action for her post Mepco, but we'll have to wait and see what happens on that one. She's pretty confident.

* Hopefully when the weather breaks, I can give my drone another flight. I've only put it in the air one time and that was briefly. I need some flight time to hone my skills a little more.

* It's nice to be back home with Michelle, St Louis was fun but my enjoyment came last year in watching the look on her face in the bright new city. They sign two year contracts on locations, this was the second year of the contract and next years location is up for bid. We all told the director that we would all like next years training to be in Honolulu or someplace much warmer. We'll see how that goes. This years cities were Raleigh (won't change as it is the home location), St. Louis and San Diego. I would like to see New Orleans or Dallas as our next stop.

* I'm STILL converting some old VHS tapes to Digital Format for Trish. I really need to get back on this as I am such a procrastinator. Jackie has a few more she wants me to convert as well. Slacker I am.

* Have I ever mentioned that I Hate Snow? It's not something that I think I have mentioned on my blog, but I thought I would just put that out there in case anyone cared.

* Have yourselves a great day

* Hi ho hi ho

Happy Birthday Ryleigh Mae McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish Ryleigh Mae McClain a very Happy Second Birthday today.

It was a surprise two years ago as Michelle and I were at the hospital to visit our Brother in Law Jim, as we were getting off the elevator there was Pam, George and Calvin all sitting in the waiting room just by the elevators. We all gave each other that "what are you doing here" look, when I found out Ang was delivering this little bundle of joy.

Moke and Ang held a big Birthday Party this past Saturday for Ryleigh in Blacksville and seemed to be very well attended.

It was my honor in seeing her open her gifts and being dressed as Minnie House in doing so.

If you happen to see Ryleigh today, make sure you take the opportunity to wish her a very Happy Second Birthday.

Back to my Regular Job

Well it's been over a week since I last worked at NETL and my regular job, I was out all last week as I traveled to St. Louis for my certifications. Now it's time to stick all of our collective noses back on the grindstone for another fun filled week of doing what it is that we do for a living.

It's going to warm up this week and give us a break from these frigid sub zero, "Colder than a Warlock's Wanker" type of cold and actually be above freezing and may actually get into the 50's this week. That's good news for me as I am out in some remote areas later this week (I'm not working this evening) and hopefully that will be enough to melt all the snow and ice that was left on the road from the recent arctic conditions.

Today however it is back in my office and back to my regular daily grind. I did find out this week I am the new Fire Warden for my floor. I volunteered to do it as they were looking for volunteers, just gives me something a little different to do to break up the daily monotony that can become a little tedious.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho.

Sunday

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, I'm the first one to recover from getting knocked out by that dreaded Sandman last night and I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day and surfing the web.

The quarter started yesterday for me with RTI and continues today as I go out and do some more screenings and work through this first section before I address the next one. I did get off to a pretty decent start, but that is how I like to start every quarter.

I did manage to be able to make it to Ryleigh's birthday party yesterday, I went out early enough that I was able to get everything done before heading to Blacksville for the party.

Ang had her dressed up as Minnie Mouse and she had a great time opening all of her presents. She was having a ball opening them all and I'm sure she felt like a loved little girl with the very nice turnout this year. I got there late, so parking wasn't so abundant when I first arrived, but my sister Terri had to go to work and I managed to sneak into her spot as she pulled out.

West Virginia played and beat #7 Oklahoma last night here in Morgantown 89-76 last night. A few teams ranked ahead of us this past week, so my guess is the Mountaineers may be ranked as high as #3 when the new polls come out mid-week.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Back Home

Here I sit in a quiet household rather than a hotel room half way across the country. I'm up early collecting my thoughts for the day and trying to stay warm on this frigid morning.

I did have a few adventures this past week, I found out Tuesday morning that one of my flights was delayed and I would have missed my connecting flights in Charlotte, so they re-routed me to Philadelphia and then to St. Louis. A bunch of co-workers chose to fly out of Clarksburg and were supposed to leave at the same time I did and arrived roughly about 8 hours after I did.

Didn't do too much in St. Louis, Michelle wasn't with me this year so I didn't venture out too far, didn't go to the arch and basically stayed at the hotel due to the sub zero temperatures we were dealing with all week.

I came home yesterday with few problems, although my flight from Philadelphia was delayed about a half an hour or so after we boarded. I arrived in Pittsburgh about half an hour after we were scheduled to arrive.

Now that my 2018 certification is over with, it's time to get out and start working. I'm going to be busy for the next few weeks and don't anticipate any time off until possibly the end of the month at the earliest. I have been asked to travel to Paw Paw to work that area again since I opened all the lines up last year there and have a pretty good relationship with the President of an area we have a lot of units.

It is very nice to be home, now my life just got busy though with a new quarter starting.

I'm Coming Home

As I am off for the next few days traveling to St. Louis, I am pre-writing s number of my blogs to keep it active and going and to let people know what I am doing.

Well training and certification are over with, now it is time for me to return home to see my lovely wife and spend a little bit of time with her.

I will be flying out of St. Louis this morning at 7:00 their time on American Airlines 4733 and I will be heading to a city that I have never been in yet, the city of brotherly love and the home of Rocky Balboa, Philadelphia Pennsylvania and arrive at 10:17 local time. I don't get too much time to enjoy the place as I will be flying out of there at 11:15 on American Airlines 788 and arrive back in Pittsburgh at 12:33 PM. Then it is a matter of getting my luggage and heading down South in Interstate 79 to see my Baby who I am truly missing.

I would say my training mission is about finished, now it's time to get to work once I get home, which means I am probably not going to have much if any time off at all for the month of January,.

Let's get this party started.

Training Day 2

As I am off for the next few days traveling to St. Louis, I am pre-writing s number of my blogs to keep it active and going and to let people know what I am doing.

Well with yesterdays certification over with (hopefully as that is when I put in for it) today is going to be a day of fun and finalizing the training. Last year this was a day more about having fun, especially when it comes to the afternoon and the next training group follows as we are leaving.

Many will be leaving this evening, but because I would not get back into Pittsburgh until the wee hours of the morning, they are turning me loose in St Louis tonight once again where I can enjoy the city. I do leave early tomorrow morning, so it's not going to be too late of a night for me.

I can see Imo Pizza in my plans for dinner this evening. We had it last year and it is a different kind of Pizza, but the people of St. Louis love it, kind of like a Pepperoni Roll to someone from West Virginia. Their Pizza's are topped with Provel Cheese which is very unique and I really like it.

Have yourselves a great day, I'm going to make it an early night tonight as I have an early day tomorrow.

Training Day and Certification

As I am off for the next few days traveling to St. Louis, I am pre-writing s number of my blogs to keep it active and going and to let people know what I am doing.

Well the first travel day is done, now I have to concentrate on what it what was that I was brought here for. It's the education of any and all changes that are coming forth and me having to go through the certification process this evening.

This is going to be my long day, and the most intense day with the least amount of fun and games and more business.

I signed up to do my certification this evening, as opposed to doing it tomorrow morning. It's nothing I am going to stress over, I just want to get it over and done with so I can relax. I was nervous the first time I did this in Raleigh a few years ago, but I've done probably hundred or better interviews so this is just doing what I have done a number of times before. I'm sure there will be  a curve ball or two, but nothing any worse than I have already seen out in the field.

Have yoursleves a great day.

Travel Day

As I am off for the next few days traveling to St. Louis, I am pre-writing s number of my blogs to keep it active and going and to let people know what I am doing.

I will be flying out of Pittsburgh this morning on American Airlines Flight 2032 at 8:30 this morning actually heading down South to Charlotte North Carolina where I will have a few hour layover. I've been to the Raleigh Airport, but never out of the Charlotte one. I'll fly out of Charlotte on American Airlines 5178 to St. Louis at 11:20 and am due to arrive in St Louis at 12:24 (St Louis Time, 1:24 our time).

I'll check into the Hotel this afternoon and the rest of the day will be mine. Last year Michelle and I went to the Arch but it was shut down, this year it is open and I will probably ride to the top of the arch and get a few pictures.

This evening a group of us are talking about going out to dinner at SugarFire which is one of the best smokehouses I have ever eaten. These guys are phenomenal and world have beaten Bobby Flay in a Smoke off. Since we are staying downtown, we'll be eating at the downtown one like last year.

Have yourselves a great day, It's going to be a day where I end up on the other side of the Mississippi River tonight.

Happy New Year

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and never brought to mind?

Should old acquaintance be forgot,

and old lang syne?

CHORUS:

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne,

we'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

And surely you’ll buy your pint cup!

and surely I’ll buy mine!

And we'll take a cup o’ kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have run about the slopes,

and picked the daisies fine;

But we’ve wandered many a weary foot,

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

We two have paddled in the stream,

from morning sun till dine†;

But seas between us broad have roared

since auld lang syne.

CHORUS

And there’s a hand my trusty friend!

And give me a hand o’ thine!

And we’ll take a right good-will draught,

for auld lang syne.

CHORUS