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 actually came up on my Facebook timeline yesterday and I thought it would make a great Flashback pic. This is from a backyard cookout we had in 2011, Trish, Arron and Layla had came over and we sat in the back yard having a good ole time.

If you know me, you know I don't really drink but I did write my name on a couple of beer bottles on this day. We used to have so much fun with the backyard cookouts. We still have that monstrosity of a grill on the back patio, but it hasn't been fired up in years. We now either use the Webber Kettle Grill or the smoker primarily.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day?

Well that is two days down, kind of as Monday was a Holiday, today is Wednesday so I guess that makes it Hump Day. Now if the back half of the week goes as fast as the front part, we'll be set.

Now to come up with some kind of meaningful content to keep people interested, this is going to be my objective for today, either that or just type a bunch of words and hope they make a coherent sentence as I really have nothing to say. Another one of those not inspired to write, brain dead type of blogs where all I manage to do is just incessantly ramble on about nothing. This is a good tactic to keep the reader reading, wondering if there is some kind of story or conclusion to this nonsense.

I will say one thing though, when you go to Blackwater Falls, as we did this weekend, watch out for the Turkey Vultures. We had one almost fly into the car Saturday, not to be confused with the last time we visited when we almost had one fly into the car on the passenger side. It would be on thing if these were small birds, they however are quite large and could do some damage to my windshield if we hit one.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

*  Three day holiday weekend is over with, time to get back to doing what it is we do for a living. I'll do another one of my most read blog posts of the week, my Tidbits.

* It has been 19,904 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 or 54 by these old antiquated calendar's.

* It has been 5,126 days since I graduated from WVU, and with the students gone I realize I like it better when they are not here even though I am an Alum.

* 3,734 days ago Michelle and I went out for dinner and a movie, it was our first date together and the starting point for the rest of our lives.

* 2,951 days ago I proposed to Michelle, I figured I made her wait long enough.

* It was 2,488 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I said our I Do's, poured some sand into a vase and feasted as we became hitched.

* I have now lived 113 days longer than my Dad did, I appreciate each and every one of them.

* I have 4,934 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 in Football is only 1,572 days away. It's getting closer.

* 249 more days until Groundhog Day, this is when Phil will tell us about an Early Spring in 2019.

* 216 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, the blog that is my last blog of the year and recaps the previous year.

* There are 210 more shopping days left until Christmas, not quite time to start preparing your lists, but it never hurts.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 186 more days. I think this will be the 34th anniversary of that birthday using the antiquated calendar that most people use.

* There are 76 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 59 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Alabama, Brett Michaels and Montgomery Gentry will be the featured acts throughout the weekend. Ticket's are now $50 each for the weekend, we bought ours just before Christmas for $40 each for the entire weekend and before all acts were named.

* There are 38 more days until we go and see Jimmy Buffett again in Burgettstown. First time ever on a Saturday Night for me, this should be good.

* There are 23 more days to go until the start of Summer, Peanut likes the warmer weather. She told me.

* I have written 5,262 blogs in what is now my 13 2/3 years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,738 more to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. It's been kind of dormant for a couple of years now after the brick wall was reached.

* No Drone flights this weekend, although I did take it with me when we went to Blackwater Falls.

* We were off this week for Senior League Softball, we are even off again next week and won't return to action until June 11th. We're 2-0 on the season and I don't think we have put our best team on the field just yet.

* Michelle is working a part time job at Morgantown Veterinary Care, she think's she is going to keep the job when she starts her full time job June 18th with Elite Coal Services. 

* Peanut the Cat is loving this weather, she's been coming and going as she pleases. Yes she is fixed, we made sure that we took care of that a long time ago. Sophie, she's getting old and doesn't venture too far anymore.

* Michelle is going to head back home this weekend and next. She has a funeral she is going to attend later this week and a Graduation Party for Hannah on Saturday. Then next Saturday she is going up for Emily's Graduation Party.

* This weeks Riddle: Mr Smith had four Daughters, each Daughter had a brother. How many Children does Mr. Smith have?

* 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.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

* OK, answer to riddle...Five. Four girls and one boy.

Memorial Day

As we take an extra day to our weekends, enjoy our backyard BBQ's and smoking meats (Like I am going to do today), make sure that you take a little bit of time out and remember why this is a Holiday.

Yes it is the unofficial start of Summer, kids are Graduating or Graduated and the school year for the rest of them is winding down. While reasons to enjoy and celebrate, let's not forget those who allowed us to have our freedoms that we have and the sacrifices that they made.

Yesterday Michelle and I spent the day visiting three graveyards around the area. The First Was Arnetttesville Graveyard to visit my Grandpa Newbraugh and leave a flag by his grave. Next was my Dad's Cemetary to leave a flag by his grave and finally East Oak Grove to leave a couple presents (see picture) for Grandma and Grandpa Hall.

All three of these men served our Country, between my two Grandfathers they fought in WWI, WWII and Korea. If I only make it out once a year, this is the weekend that I do visit all three.

Enjoy your day, but take a moment and remember why we have this day, they have earned it.

Had a Great Day Yesterday

Here I sit at about the midpoint of my three day weekend, I'm up early treating heartburn and recalling our day yesterday.

It was a road-trip kind of day, after spending all winter and all week stuck in a cubicle at work, I needed a road trip to relax the mind a little. We decided that we were going to take a trip to Blackwater Falls.

On our way, we stopped at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas. It's owned and operated by a good friend of mine from High School, Johnny Bright, and it was more than worth the stop for lunch. He always has top notch talent come into the establishment from all over dare I say the world. This however was my first visit inside the establishment.

After that is was a trip to the Falls and down all of those stairs to the bottom. The weather turned out to be nice and we ignored weather reports and were able to enjoy the day. We took an alternative route home from the way we usually go and found that going through Terra Alta is so much quicker than the way we usually go on Route 50 with all those hairpin turns that leaves you passing your own stomach on a few of them.

Today, just our normal chores. I may end up going to the grave yards and placing flags either today or tomorrow, it's something I traditionally do this weekend.

Have a great day.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Alright, here I sit once again on a quiet Saturday Morning, it's still too early for me to stay up for the day, but not too early to sit down and collect my thoughts for the day and write them into a BLOG. The Television behind me is blank as nothing is on it (I was streaming Movies last night) and I'm up trying to decide what to do today.

A Couple of things, now that Michelle has found a new job, now it's time to start thinking about our next cruise. We've been discussing it over the past couple of days, and  I think we would like to go somewhere new on our next cruise. It's just a matter of deciding what we want to do, the time frame to do it and where we would like to go. We love the cruise we usually take, but maybe looking for something new and not dismissing the possibility of a longer cruise to reach some different ports.

That's the future, how about today. We are talking about taking a day trip somewhere, packing up the little grill and just going someplace for the day. Michelle has mentioned going to Blackwater Falls, but I think we will decide later this morning where we are heading to. Weather may play a part in our decision making, all I know is it is a Holiday Weekend and I know I would like to do something and get away for a little while. We did buy season passes to Hovatters last time we were there, so that could even be on the weekends agenda.

I hope everyone has a great day today, and please be careful today. There will be a lot of vehicles on the road and more traffic of people just simply traveling. Have a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day Saturday.

Big Ole Hairy Memorial Day Weekend

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 unofficial start to Summer!!!!!

This has to be my favorite weekend of the year, it's still Springtime (my favorite season), the WVU Students are gone for the Summer (less traffic), it's the unofficial start of Summer and it is a Holiday weekend meaning I am off on Monday. On top of all of that, I get a two hour early release today so it's going to be a short day!!

Not sure of our plans for the weekend, I guess that all depends on what the weather will be like. I would kind of like to get away to some park and have a little cookout one day, I'll have to talk with Michelle as to if she is game for it and in which direction we may potentially head. If it is someplace exciting, I might even have the drone all charged up and ready to go.

May and Gracie are gone from the household, Hayley and Tyler were in Alabama's Gulf Coast last week for a big music festival and we watched the puppies for close to a week. They are both safe and sound back with Hayley now and I don't have to fight Gracie for my chair...lol

Have yourselves a great day and a greater weekend. If you get a chance this weekend, go visit some deceased family members who have served to give you the freedoms you have this weekend.

Hi ho hi ho

Congratulations Michelle

It was just a few short weeks ago that Michelle's time at MEPCO had come to an end. They closed down their last coal mine and capped everything off earlier this year, and she was retained until May 4th which ended up being her last day working for MEPCO.

Zoom ahead to yesterday, she was contacted by the former HR Director at MEPCO who was now the HR Manager of the Fairmont Office for Elite Coal Services in Fairmont. They just recently opened up the Fairmont Location and he called her to come in for an interview yesterday. She left the interview feeling pretty good about it.

 I would like to congratulate Michelle as she has been officially offered Michelle the position of Office Manager beginning June 18th and she has formally accepted the offer.

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 actually comes from last Fall, Michelle had gotten a couple of free Steelers tickets from where she works and she decided to take a three time Steelers Trivia Champion to a ballgame.


The Game was the regular season against Jacksonville, a team that just had our number last year and we didn't match up well against. They beat us this day and they beat us in the playoffs as well, so of all games we could have went to, we went to the worst performance of the year.


Have yourselves a great day.


Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Two days down, two more ahead of us and now all we have to do is get up and over this dreaded Noontime hump and it will be all downhill working towards a three day holiday weekend.

Wish Michelle luck, say a prayer or whatever anyone has to do, today is potentially a big day for Michelle. I'm not going to say anything until we have our definitive answers that we need, but her stress level has been significantly diminished over the past week.

We're still undefeated in Softball. Yep, we played another undefeated team on Monday Night that we had never beaten and low and behold, they went down to defeat. That runs our record to 2-0 in the old farts league and this has been my funnest year of Senior League Softball since I returned three years ago. I'm getting the chance to play again with so many players from yesteryear, players that were on some of my best teams through the years and when I loved the game. Add that in with the guys we started with and picked up the last couple of years and I think we finally have something pretty special. We shall see as the season plays out.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

*  Monday is once again over with. Staring straight down at a Tuesday, remember to take next Monday off and tell them I said so. This calls for a Tidbits

* It has been 19,897 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 or 54 by these old antiquated calendar's.

* It has been 5,119 days since I graduated from WVU, a decision that changed my for the better.

* 3,727 days ago I took Michelle to see a horrible movie, she must have liked me as she and I are still together.

* 2,944 days ago I proposed to Michelle, I figured I made her wait long enough.

* It was 2,481 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, we feasted and became hitched.

* I have now lived 106 days longer than my Dad did, I appreciate each and every one of them.

* I have 4,941 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 in Football is only 1,579 days away. It's getting closer.

* 256 more days until Groundhog Day, Phil gets to take center stage and tell everyone he knows what he is doing when we all know he's just full of shit.

* 223 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, the blog that is my last blog of the year and recaps the previous year.

* There are 217 more shopping days left until Christmas, not quite time to start preparing your lists, but it never hurts.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 193 more days. I think this will be the 34th anniversary of that birthday using the antiquated calendar that most people use.

* There are 83 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 65 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Alabama, Brett Michaels and Montgomery Gentry will be the featured acts throughout the weekend. Ticket's are now $50 each for the weekend, we bought ours just before Christmas for $40 each for the entire weekend and before all acts were named.

* There are 45 more days until we go and see Jimmy Buffett again in Pittsburgh. I'm getting ready by listening to Margaritaville Radio.

* There are 30 more days to go until the start of Summer, Peanut likes the warmer weather. She told me.

* I have written 5,254 blogs in what is now my 13 2/3 years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,746 more to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. It's been kind of dormant for a couple of years now after the brick wall was reached.

* No Drone flights this weekend, hopefully the weather will be nice and we can go and fly this coming weekend.

* Well with starting my job last August, having to go to St Louis in January and then getting sick to a point where I had to blow all of my vacation time, I have finally built it back up to over 40 hours (1 week) of PTO time. I went from having 6 weeks with Sextant to having 3 weeks with AECOM, which means it accumulates much slower. I'm just happy to have a great job.

* I'm predicting next year will be a banner year for WVU Sports. WVU QB Will Grier is an early favorite for the Heisman and the WVU Basketball team just had a killer recruiting year with guys who really git Huggs' System. Women's Basketball could have as many as 3 Parade All-Americans next year, depending if one wants to go pro this year.

* I have to confess, I did not watch nor did I care about the Royal Wedding.

* This weeks Riddle: You will always find me in the past. I can be created in the present, but the future can never taint me. What Am I?

* 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.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

* OK, answer to riddle...Memories.

Happy Birthday Pam McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Sister Pam a very Happy Birthday today.

Pam is a sister than any brother would be very proud to have. She is the most genuine of the genuine and it is an honor to call her my Baby Sister. She would do anything for anyone and is one of the most innocent souls anyone would ever want to meet.

I'm not sure what George has planned for her today, as his is in a couple of days and they may celebrate it together.

If you happen to see or talk to Pam today, take a little bit of time out of your busy day and wish this special lady a very Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Pam

Monday

All good things must once again come to an end, but since I am working this Monday I have decided to just take next Monday off. Heck, we'll make it a National Holiday even. Now I just need to get through today..lol

Michelle is going to start a part time job today, she has been going nuts not working and just needed something to keep mind straight. She has found a part time job working for a local Veterinarian and doing their books, but there may very well be a bigger announcement later this week, keep your fingers crossed.

It's a softball night weather permitting, we play tonight at 7:00 on Ogden Field and will take on Lee Supply. Not sure who Lee Supply is, but the team that won it two years ago split into two teams and the team that won it last year (one of the two split teams) split into two again, this is one of those three teams. Hopefully we will be full strength tonight and have a little surprise waiting for them.

Have yourselves a great Monday.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Well here I sit once again in a quiet household, I'm the only one up and everyone else seems to have been KO'd by the dreaded Sandman. I'm up early collecting my thoughts for the day and watching something or another on the TV.

Great news, Peanut the little gallivanting Hoe Bag cat of ours has finally returned home. My guess is she has stayed away because we have two Pit Bulls here (Ace and May) and they have been roughhousing a little bit. Peanut screw that, I'm out of here until things calm down. I have to be honest, I was starting to get a little worried that I would see my little foot lover again. She is home safe.

Grocery shopping and just relaxing around the house today, Michelle is still eaten up with the poison ivy and is very uncomfortable. I think last night was her first good nights sleep in a couple of days, as she has just been uncomfortable and miserable. We'll have to see when she does finally wake up though, I have been wrong before.

Have yourselves a great day.

Saturday Morning Rambling

Here I sit on a quiet Saturday Morning, I have no idea what is playing on the TV and Michelle for the most part has been up most of the night itching with Poison Ivy. I'm up early collecting my thoughts and seeing what I missed with my early bed time last evening.

We have a couple of house guests the last couple of days, as Hayley is at the Alabama Gulf Shores for some concert festival, we have been dog sitting Gracie and Maybelline and will into next week.

Our cat Peanut who comes and goes as she pleases, has decided to take off and we have not seen her for a couple of days. This is the longest she has stayed away from home and we are starting to get a little worried. I don't think she has even been home to eat which is a little worrisome for us. I'm hoping all is well as she is my baby.

No plans for the day so far, and with Michelle being up most of the night itching with poison ivy, something tells me we're not going to get into too much today. I have heard Jewelweed (Thanks Jack) is the best cure.

If you happen to see our friend Trish today, make sure that you tell her Happy Birthday.

Have yourselves a great day.

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.

As of Blog time, Michelle is back home in PA where she is attending little Jonny Paugh's graduation from Pre-School and into Kindergarten next year. So there is a strong possibility that she stayed up there last night and will be coming back home this morning. It all depends on what she decided last night.

I do have to say that I am ready for a weekend, it's been a long week at work and I need a morning to sleep in which just may be tomorrow morning. We'll be going out to dinner this evening, but other than that no big plans as of yet. It's calling for rain and thunderstorms all weekend, but we'll have to see how that goes.

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 goes all the way back to the Summer of 2009. Michelle, Hayley and I decided to take a little bit of a road trip and have a picnic at Ohiopyle State Park in Pennsylvania. Something Michelle and I have done numerous times through the years.

I'm thinking this pic was taken near one of the overlooks or approaching the big bridge that crosses the canyon just up the road. I know we had picnic'd where we usually picnic when we go there, but at the bottom of the picnic area as opposed to driving up the hill between the two streams.

My how time flies by.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

41 Years Ago

May 16th has been a very significant date in my life, and today is once again May 16th.

It was 41 years ago today, and 14 years ago today that two very significant events happened in my life.

The first was May 16, 1977, a day that my Grandfather Ellis Hall, a man who raised me for the first 13 years of my life had passes away at age 84.

One of his dreams for me was for me to go to college. Something I waited until later in life to actually do, and I did do it and I graduated from West Virginia University.

The second significant date was May 16, 2004, the 27th Anniversary of his passing, I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography and an Emphasis in Geospatial Sciences. A field I still work in until this very day.

May 16th is very significant for me for two reasons, they have helped establish who I am and helped give me the tools I needed to accomplish what I have accomplished.

Have yourselves a Great Day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

*  Monday is over with. Staring straight down at a Tuesday, can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits.

* It has been 19,890 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 or 54 by these old antiquated calendar's.

* It has been 5,112 days since I graduated from WVU, speaking of WVU they are all gone. Gone for the Summer!!!!!!

* 3,720 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, I would say I should have let her pick the movie.

* 2,937 days ago I proposed to Michelle, right in the back yard.

* It was 2,474 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I became Husband and wife.

* I have now lived 99 days longer than my Dad did, he would have turned 73 this past weekend.

* I have 4,948 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 in Football is only 1,586 days away.

* 263 more days until Groundhog Day, I saw Phil running around in the backyard this past weekend.

* 230 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, the blog that is my last blog of the year and recaps the previous year.

* There are 224 more shopping days left until Christmas, it's a little early to start on a wish list.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 200 more days. I think this will be the 34th anniversary of that birthday using the antiquated calendar that most people use.

* There are 90 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 72 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Alabama, Brett Michaels and Montgomery Gentry will be the featured acts throughout the weekend. Ticket's are now $50 each for the weekend, we bought ours just before Christmas for $40 each for the entire weekend and before all acts were named.

* There are 52 more days until we go and see Jimmy Buffett again in Pittsburgh, Fins Up!!!

* There are 37 more days to go until the start of Summer, I wouldn't mind if Mother Nature would throw us a little Summertime Weather.

* I have written 5,246 blogs in what is now my 13 2/3 years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,764 more to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. It's been kind of dormant for a couple of years now after the brick wall was reached.

* Did make one drone flight this past weekend, I put the video up yesterday. I now have 1 Hour and 28 Minutes of flight time in 23 flights. It's traveled 14,664 ft so far.

* Michelle is thinking about returning home Thursday for Jonny Paugh's Graduation from Preschool, I think she is going to run up for the day.

* No Softball games this week, we are off until next Monday

* This weeks Riddle: Every Night and every morning I am told what to do and I do it, yet everyone is still mad at me. What am I?

* 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.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

* OK, answer to riddle....An alarm clock.

Monday

Van Voorhis

All good things must unfortunately come to an end, and that includes those fun filled (or work filled based on the perspective) things we call weekends. I did have a pretty good weekend and Michelle was up visiting all weekend. I managed to get all the shopping done as well as started to mow the over due grass that just grew too high.

I did manage to get one drone flight in this weekend, I went and flew Saturday afternoon at a place with some real significance in my life, down in Van Voorhis. In the picture you see a green (color) house, that is my Grandparents old home before they sold it. The white house was actually their garage and I think I had an Aunt live in it for a while. The little garage on the top was one that I got to watch Pumpkin Wade build his garage, I was probably about 4 years old when he poured the cement and it was something we spoke about each and every time we saw each other up until the last time. I've posted the video at the end of the blog for everyone to enjoy, I was hesitant in going too far, since I did not have a spotter and that makes it a little rough especially when you are trying to orient something over a football field in the air and you can barely see.

I hope everyone has a great day today, live it to the fullest and make the very most of it. Accept new challenges and learn just one new thing, you'll be a better person if you do.

Hi ho hi ho


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Happy Mothers Day

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Mother, my Wife and and every other person who is called Mom by someone a very Happy Mothers Day today.

Mothers Day is an Internationally recognized Holiday that has origins right here in North Central West Virginia, Grafton more specifically and it was all started by Anna Jarvis over 100  years ago to honor her own Mother. If you ever are in Grafton, the Mother's Day Shrine is downtown, and the Anna Jarvis House is just to the East heading towards Phillipi.

Michelle is up visiting her Mother and her two Grandmothers this weekend and should return sometime later this afternoon. She was planning on going to church with her Mother and Grandmother (GiGi) this morning and then a Mother's Day Brunch with them this afternoon.

Have yourselves a great day today, live it to the fullest.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, Michelle is up north visiting family and I'm here watching Shallow Hal and collecting my thoughts for the day while trying to wake up and surf the internet.

Michelle posted a picture yesterday (see left) of the flag of her Uncle Terry hanging up in East Liverpool. They honor their veterans with flags that hand throughout the city I guess, and this was her Uncle Terry's.

What to do this weekend, so many things I could do especially since the weather will be nice. One of the things I need to do is take this Cable Modem Comcast just sent me back to Comcast. I ordered an upgrade this past week as mine was getting old and they wanted to retire mine, but before the new one arrived my old one crapped out and we had to replace it. The new one we exchanged for was much newer than the one that they sent me, so I'll take the one they sent me back and use their latest one that that are issuing.

It seems like it is going to be  a nice day, or at least this morning for the most part, maybe I should charge up the drone and take it out for a spin later this morning. Get a little drone time in and maybe try out a set of the new propellers.

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.

Michelle is going back home this weekend for Mother's Day. She's going to her Grandmother's and spending the weekend with her Mother (who is taking care of her Grandmother) and Grandmother and also plans on going and visiting her other Grandmother this weekend as well. I will be here holding down the fort and seeing what kind of trouble I can get myself into...lol

I did get a pleasant surprise this week, the Folk Music Director from KZSC in Santa Cruz California had contacted me in search of some of Grandpa Hall's Music. I guess a friend of his teaches a strings class and he tried to teach Foggy Valley (at end of blog) to some of his students. He was looking for an original recording that he could use, and I have his entire collection which I gave him access to. Considering Wednesday will mark the 41st Anniversary of his passing and people on the other side of the country are interested in his art, that gives me one heck of a special feeling down deep inside.

Have yourselves one heck of a day, maybe I might get a drone flight in this 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.

This weeks pic came up on my timeline a couple of days ago on Facebook for memories and it's time to remember Sadie. Sadie was Michelle's dog before we moved in together, and was a pretty good dog, she used to love to go down to the trails and walk with me when I used to go. As soon as I started to change clothes, she just knew we were going to the trail.

This picture is from a part of her life where she was in fact full of life. She would run around the yard and was much quicker than I ever anticipated her being, but a couple of years later father time had caught up to her and her quality of life was gone, we had to do the unbearable and put her down.

She was a good dog and a faithful companion to Michelle and the kids up until the end.

Have yourselves a good day.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Two days down, two more ahead of us so that means all we have to do is get up and over the noon time hump and we will be looking downhill towards another fun filled weekend.

Well lets go back to Monday night since yesterday was a tidbits, we started the softball season out with a bang. We won our opening game of the season 12-1 and started the Senior Season out on a pretty good note, considering we were missing a few guys. I did go 2 for 3, so I can't complain about my own performance considering spring training for me has went from month before the season to swinging the bat just before I bat for the first time since last Summer. Streamlining my training so to speak...lol

With yesterday being election day, I hope everyone went out and did their civic duty and voted. I vote every election and yesterday was no exception for me, I went out before work and cast my vote for my candidates I supported.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* The 2018 Softball season has now officially started, time for a tidbits. It's also election day so get out and vote.

* It has been 19,883 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 or 54 by these old antiquated calender's.

* It has been 5,105 days since I graduated from WVU, we are about to accept a number of others into the Alumni in the next week or so.

* 3,706 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, she let me pick the movie and it was horrible.

* 2,930 days ago I proposed to Michelle. I'm a lucky man as this wonderful woman said yes.

* It was 2,467 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, Michelle and I poured a little sand, said our I do's and feasted with everyone as we became husband and wife.

* I have now lived 92 days longer than my Dad did, and I'm still playing Softball.

* I have 4,955 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 in Football is only 1,593 days away.

* 270 more days until Groundhog's Day, that is is they can ever find Phil. I hear he has sought Government protection with so many threats on his rats ass.

* 237 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, the blog that is my last blog of the year and recaps the previous year.

* There are 237 more shopping days left until Christmas, it's a little early to start on a wish list.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 207 more days. I think this will be the 34th anniversary of that birthday using the antiquated calendar that most people use.

* There are 97 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary together.

* There are 79 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Alabama, Brett Michaels and Montgomery Gentry will be the featured acts throughout the weekend. Ticket's are now $50 each for the weekend, we bought ours just before Christmas for $40 each for the entire weekend and before all acts were named.

* There are 59 more days until we go and see Jimmy Buffett again in Pittsburgh, Fins Up!!!

* There are 44 more days to go until the start of Summer, I wouldn't mind if Mother Nature would throw us a little Summertime Weather.

* I have written 5,239 blogs in what is now my 13 plus full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,771 more to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. It's been kind of dormant for a couple of years now after the brick wall was reached.

* Drone flights were non-existent this past weekend due to the weather being not so cooperative.

* Michelle is thinking about returning home this weekend, with Mother's day coming up she wants to visit and see everyone. Plus her Uncle Terry who passed away a couple of years ago has a flag of honor flying in East Liverpool now.

* I actually had to throw my softball gear in my car for the year. I guess Winter is now over with in my world.

* This weeks Riddle: When you need me you throw me away, and when you are done with me you bring me back. What Am I?

* 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.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

* OK, answer to riddle....An Anchor.

It's Softball

2016

Let the 2018 Old Farts League Officially begin. Yes the 2018 version of the Whitetail Crossing Men's Senior League Softball Season officially begins tonight.

Coach Smitty has sent to word to me from the beach, where is is still negotiating his contract and is holding out for beer, that our season starts tonight and I'm somehow running things this evening.

This will be our third season playing the Senior League, one that I tend to enjoy as I'm no where near the player I was ten years ago and am just there to have fun the past few years.

This years team is picking up three new players that I used to be team mates with through the years. Todd Greg, Scott "Scooter" Bartlett and Mike Hainze, all of which it will be an honor to hit the field with once again this season. Add that to the team we had last year and a few great guys we picked up last year, and we're going to have a pretty decent team once again this year.

Hi ho hi ho

Sunday

Here I actually do sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, the end of Semi-Pro is playing in the background and I'm up collecting my thoughts for the day. This is my only live blog this week ironically, so it really is the wee hours of the morning.

Well we had a pretty good day yesterday, we ended up going to Hovatter's Zoo yesterday. It was the first time that we have been there this season, and we go every season. I did take a gamble and ended up buying a couple of season passes for the zoo for this year, hopefully we'll make a few more trips up there this season to make the investment worth it. I know Michelle really likes going and has wanted to go up for some time now.

I do have to give the zoo props, they always seem to be making it better and improving the park. Last year they added the aviary section which has been a really big hit, Michelle absolutely loves going in with the birds and they go nuts for the bird seed on a Popsicle stick you can buy at the office.

Today it's going to be a day of shopping and preparing for the week. There are a few things Michelle and I will have to go over today with the recent changes in her employment, but that is to be expected as we are switching Insurance Policies and a few other things.

Have yourselves a great day.

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit last night writing this, we can just pretend that this is a live blog this morning, everything is quiet and truth be told I am probably sleeping in this morning.

A couple announcements, I'm pretty much done for the quarter with RTI, we entered clean up mode and my cases and refusals have been transferred to someone else to get final codes on. So I got the weekend off.

Next, yesterday was Michelle's last day at MEPCO. We knew late last fall that the mine was going to be shut down due to all the roof collapses and it was going to be done earlier this year and it was. The original plan was for Michelle to shut down MEPCO and then transfer over to  Longview, but Longview decided to not pick up anyone other than one or two people, so Michelle's time was limited after finding this out. We first thought end of June, then end of May was her official date, then it was moved to May 18th and Thursday she found out yesterday was her last day.

She has had a couple of interviews, one with EQT and one with AECOM, but both companies chose other candidates even though I thought she had the AECOM job to be honest with you. Now it's back to square one for her on the job searches, she's a talent and very marketable and wants to keep working. I have the utmost confidence in her that she will be a huge asset to someone.

I haven't said anything basically die to a lot of uncertainty, but now that her time is completed with MEPCO, a company she loved working for, it's time to close that happy chapter of her life and take on new challenges.

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.

Well I think for the last few days, Mother Nature has decided to let Spring hit Morgantown as the weather has been phenomenal, spring like conditions that my cats are absolutely loving. They get to run in and out as they please, or when they need to run away from the Ace the Pitbull, but they are loving the Meoutside time.

In other good news, today is the last day of finals at WVU. You might notice traffic being real busy this evening, but don't fret that is just people leaving town for the Summer and giving us a chance to enjoy our town a little bit without all the excess traffic that is associated with a school year.

Have yourselves a great day today.

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 goes back almost a year ago, back to when Amanda and Joey got married and Michelle and I traveled to New Stanton PA and our first of two weddings that we attended last spring and summer.

This picture was taken just outside of where they were married, just after the ceremony and just before wen went in and were treated to an open bar and an absolute catered feast that we enjoyed. I told Michelle we needed to get a picture taken before things got real busy and we did, and this is that magical moment.

Have yourselves a great day today.

Hi ho hi ho

Hump Day

Two days down, two more ahead of us after today, that means all we have to do is get up and over today's noon time hump and it will be all downhill as we work towards another fun filled weekend.

Well it's going to be a double job for me today as I'm going out working for RTI this evening, unless of course I went last night then disregard this as I'm writing this ahead of time.

I did have to order a couple more sets of propellers for the drone, I kind of crashed it again on Sunday chasing Michelle around the yard. She took of running and I chased it after her kind of low altitude, and didn't have my propeller guards on as I was just flying it around the yard and ended up running into a tree. This is my second crash, both have been screwing around on the yard, so maybe I should taken it out where it is more of a challenge and I pay better attention to what I am actually doing.

Have yourselves a great day.

Hi ho hi ho

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is once again behind us, Tuesday is straight ahead as we are working towards another fun filled weekend. Time for a Tidbits.

* It has been 19,876 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 or 54 by these old antiquated calender's.

* It has been 5,098 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography, loved every minute of it and still love what I do.

* 3,699 days ago Michelle and I went out for our very first date, she let me pick the movie and it was horrible.

* 2,923 days ago I asked Michelle to be my wife, she said no then I had to kidnap her and speak for her and make her say yes. =)

* It was 2,460 days ago Michelle was bound to her captivity for life as we exchanged our vows in front of our closest friends and family.

* I have now lived 85 days longer than my Dad did,  it puts the he was way too young into a whole different perspective.

* I have 4,962 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 in Football is only 1,600 days away. With the NFL Draft this past weekend, I was reminded that I want to beat Pitt while they are playing Sweet Caroline.

* 277 more days until Phil Conners suffers from a bad case of Deja Vu.

* 244 more days to go until my Goodbye 2018 Blog is posted, the blog that is my last blog of the year and recaps the previous year.

* There are 237 more shopping days left until Christmas, it's a little early to start on a wish list.

* My next Anniversary of my 21st Birthday will be in 214 more days. I think this will be the 34th anniversary of that birthday using the antiquated calendar that most people use.

* There are 104 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Seventh Wedding Anniversary together. I am so happy that she came into my life.

* There are 86 days to go until MountainFest Starts, we already have our tickets and this will be our second year of attending. Alabama, Brett Michaels and Montgomery Gentry will be the featured acts throughout the weekend. Ticket's are now $50 each for the weekend, we bought ours just before Christmas for $40 each for the entire weekend and before all acts were named.

* There are 67 more days until we go and see Jimmy Buffett again in Pittsburgh, Fins Up!!!

* There are 51 more days to go until the start of Summer, I wouldn't mind if Mother Nature would throw us a little Summertime Weather.

* I have written 5,232 blogs in what is now my 13 plus full years of being a Blogger and working towards 10,000. Only 4,775 more to go until I reach that Milestone.

* Nothing new on the Brother Search, but what else is new. It's been kind of dormant for a couple of years now after the brick wall was reached.

* Drone flights, just around the yard this weekend while we were smoking.

* You should start seeing the population of Morgantown starting to slowly shrink this week. The last classes were last Friday and this is Final's week, meaning many of the students will be returning home during the Summer break for 3 months of peace and quiet in this town.

* Softball season should be starting in the very near future, I haven't heard anything as far as when any games are scheduled. The regular league has already started, us old guys start next Monday.

* This weeks Riddle: I'm the son of water, but when I return to water I die. What am I?

* 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.

* Have yourselves a great day.

* Hi ho hi ho

* OK, answer to riddle....Ice