Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a whole lot of fun.

I didn't go back too far for this picture, it was last Saturday Night at the Johnny Koon event. I grabbed a pic of Gerald, Kim, Michelle, and Mom originally then Michelle Koon jumped into the picture and I couldn't pass up this very special moment. It would have been sad to have missed this lost moment in time. 

Have yourselves a great day, make some memories and maybe do something special with someone special. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #4

 Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

#5  Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

#4  Turn the Page - Bob Seger 

I have always been a big Bob Seger fan, I first started to get into hinm with my old buddy Smitty when he was a huge Bob Seger fan. He was always listening to his against the wind album.

It was a couple of years later, I remember stopping by my Sister Terri's and hearing the sone Turn the Page on the radio. I stayed in the car and listened and sang it, it was one of the first times a song actually captivated me like that. It has the ability to pick you up and put you into his life as if you were the one living it. You knew what it was like being an early 70's rock star and some of the troubles you may run into. 

Funny story, back in the 90's I used to play softball for Judies Lounge here in Morgantown. Well Sunday - Thursday Night Judies was a strip bar then would bring in bands on Friday and Saturday Night. Of course you have a bunch of guys with a great softball sponsor giving us free entry, free beer and so many pitchers of mixed drinks and they had naked girls running around, so I may have stopped by a few times after games. I remember one night one of the strippers put this song on the JukeBox. Big mistake, instead of guys sitting by the stage tipping her, we were all in the front of the bar all singing this song un unison. She was just sitting on the stage just shaking her head. I think that was the last time she selected that music to strip to....lol

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with, College Football just kicked off this past weekend and the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley this weekend, can't think of a better reason to do a tidbits. 

* It has been 21,789 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I start to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,049 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. 

* 5,637 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,840 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,385 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,021 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 679 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 546 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,051 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. \

* There are 342 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 204 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 165 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. It's hilarious to see him running his fat little butt around thee yard. 

* 130 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 118 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 95 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 11 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* There are 4 more days to go until the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley and get another shot at an old-time Rival, Penn State. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both of those two schools. 

* I have written 7,291 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, It's been over a month since I have had a soda or anything with aspartame in it. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #5 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. We're getting down to the nitty gritty. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeks Tic Tok, what it's like living in Morgantown. 

* Is it really Late August?  Wait, that means FOOTBALL SEASON!!!! 

* What's a Nittany? A common question that many may ask since we are Playing the Penn State Nittany Lions on Saturday. It's a Mountain on or near the Penn State campus. 

* Have a great day

Monday

All good things must come to an end, and that includes those fun filled things you working stiffs refer to as weekends. Now it is time to take your collective noses and stick them back onto the grindstone of life and get back to doing what it is that you do for a living. 

I have not heard how the Lantern and Butterfly went Saturday Night, but they sold out of both items and sold out early and at full price, this was the first time that they have ever done that and they have had some pretty productive years. This may turn out to be the biggest donation yet for this event. It was a beautiful evening. Pam and George made it as well as Michelle's sister Chris, Amanda and Joey and four of Chris's Grandchildren. Brittany brought Matt and his sister Lauren so we had a number of first timers show up for this event. Thank You to all. 

Yesterday Michelle and I traveled to Cassville to once again to meet up with a number of family members to celebrate Arabella's Birthday. 

Today would have been Michelle's Grandmother Ruth (Gigi as she is referred to) 102nd birthday. She missed making to 100 but we still celebrated the 100th Birthday. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Sunday

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday morning with my old buddy Kiwi, we are up talking about the start of College Football and the simple fact that I missed an entire week of High School Football on my Friday Blog. 

Yesterday was a productive day, we did a little bit of shopping in the early afternoon. We stopped by Lucky Duck, Morgantown's new Bin Store located where Rite Aide used to be in Sellaro Plaza. They fill the bins up on Friday and everything is $10 and every day the price drops for the items remaining in the bins. On Thursday the remaining items are all $1.00 and on Friday they refill all the bins and and the price goes back to $10.00. It was our first time going there, and it's just stuff people buy on pallets at a deal and they fill the bins with them. 

Last night we went to the Johnny Koon Butterfly and Lantern Release. It was once again at Westwood Middle School this year and they had a nice turnout, hopefully they raised a significant amount of money for the cause. 

Today, Grocery Shopping and regular chores. We have a birthday Party this afternoon that we are attending. 

Have yourselves a great day. Make it memorable and spend it with some special people. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here Kiwi and I once again sit in a quiet household, he's up wanting to discuss stock tips to me and wanting to invest in Edsel Motors, he thinks it's going to make a big comeback then he'll drop the stock and sell it. I'm telling you that bird has an active imagination.

If you are not doing anything tonight or would just like to find a really good cause to donate money towards, the Johnny Koon Light up the Night and Buttefly release is this evening at Westwood Middle School.  Lanterns and Butterfly's are just $5.00 was and make for a very photographic situation, so bring your cameras. Come on out, take a chance on winning some door prizes and raise some money for a very good cause. Weather permitting we will be there, so come on out. 

Hayley and Tyler stopped by last night, they made a trip to Morgantown so Michelle ordered a couple of Pizza's from Pizza Al's as they came in for a visit. It was nice to see them, we haven't seen them for a couple of months due to busy schedules. I kept Peanut inside all day, knowing that if Hayley arrived when she was outside she would have taken off and hidden. So to avoid the headache, yesterday was an inside day for Peanut. 

Have yourselves a great day, hope to see everyone this evening. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Looking for a little bit of cheap entertainment, and by cheap I mean free? Smashmouth  who also sang this who most people will be most familiar with will be performing this evening at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Ampitheater this evening. This will be the last concert of the summer season. Starting next week that they are going to do movie nights down on the Mon finishing up with the Rocky Horror Picture show around Halloween. 

WVU starts next weekend, but tomorrow is the first two games of the College Football Season. I'm excited to see what this team has to offer. Navy vs Notre Dame to kick it all off tomorrow. 

Have a great day. 

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a whole lot of fun.

This week is an easy one for me, one that Michelle took last Friday evening. My old Roommate and I had buried a hatchet that never needed stuck there in the first place. Funny thing is, most of my family have either never met Gregg Cutrone or have just heard stories of him. Funny story, other than Grandma Hall and my wife Michelle, Gregg and I lived together longer than I have with anyone else. Gregg was a brother to me and I'm glad to have reconnected with him. 

Gregg lives in Clevelnad now and is a Brown's fan and former season ticket holder, which is kind of funny because he grew up a Steelers fan, living in Greentree which if you are going downtown Pittsburgh and see the WDVE Building, Gregg grew up on the other side of the Parkway. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #5

Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

#5  Pour Some Sugar on Me - Def Leppard

Def Leppard is a band that I fell in love with the first time I heard them. I first noticed them around 1982 when they published their third album, Pyromania. The first song I remember hearing was Photograph and I thought these guys kind of had a led zepplinesque about them Heavy Guitar Riffs and Vocals they just invited you to scream out. 

Their fourth album, Hysteria took them being an awesome rock band to the leaders of the industry. A lot of good music came on that album including my favorite Def Leppard song Pur Some Sugar on Me. It was almost an anthem to my generation sung by a band with a one-armed drummer named Rick Allen who lost an arm in a car wreck between Pyromania and Hysteria. The band could have easily replaced him, but they didn't they waited on him to re-perfect his craft minus an appendage. 

I still love listening to their music all these years later. 

Happy Birthday George "Moke" McClain

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my nephew George "Moke" McClain a very happy birthday today. If his and my math is right he is 35 years old today, or if you use my exclusive 1,000-day calendar that I prefer to use, he is 12. 

I am very proud of what this young man has accomplished in his life, wrestler, war veteran, network professional and someone whose career has no limitations. 

I did manage to talk to Moke briefly yesterday and wish him a very Happy Birthday. I'm not sure what his lovely wife Ang and the girls have anything planned for him today, but whatever it may be he has more than earned it. 

If you get the chance make sure you reach out to Moke today and wish him a very Happy Birthday.

Happy Birthday Moke.  

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with, once again resetting goals and addressing a Tuesday, great reason for tidbits. 

* It has been 21,782 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I start to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,042 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. 

* 5,630 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,833 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,378 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,014 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 672 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 539 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,058 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. \

* There are 349 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 211 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 172 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. 

* 137 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 125 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 102 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 25 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* There are 18 more days to go until the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley and get another shot at an old-time Rival, Penn State. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both of those two schools. 

* I have written 7,283 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, It's going on a month since I have had a soda. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #6 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeks Tic Tok,Got to love these two. They are from Parkersburg. 

* Is it really Late August?  Wait, that means FOOTBALL SEASON!!!! 

* Have a great day

Monday

All good things must come to an end, and that does include those fun filled things we refer to as weekends. Now it is time to take our collective noses and stick them back upon the grindstone one more time and get back to doing what it is that we do to make this a better rock to live on. 

For me it was a good and productive weekend, met up with Gregg on Friday, did some things Saturday to help Michelle and her animal friends in the back yard and did all of our shopping. Not to mention I got both cars inspected late last week. 

That was last week, this is this week. A week of new goals and things to accomplish. Nothing really planned for me this week, I know Michelle will be visiting her Mom tonight and one day this week her and her sisters are getting together for a spa day for their Mom. Something they do every once in a while. 

I may tackle some yard work today,. the grass is getting a little bit long and it's time to fire up the ole lawn tractor and behead all of that overgrown grass to spruce up the yard. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Sunday Morning Ramblings

Here Kiwi and I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, we're up discussing on whether or not either one of us actually watches TV or if it is just on for background noise. He says I just have it on for noise and I say I watch it, don't ask me what is on it other than a football game, but I watch it....sometimes.

Had a good day yesterday, Michelle made a couple trips to goodwill around town to look for a few things since she is losing so much weight, we ended up getting a toilet paper holder and a shaker bottle for the Overnight Oats that she eats every morning. She really likes these things and they do not mess with her sugar. 

We did go to Rural King to buy some more corn and bird seed. Michelle really gets a kick out of feeding the deer and the birds. I can count no fewer than 7 deer, at least 4 of them bucks, that stop by pretty much on a daily basis. As well as Turkey's, Phil the Groundhog, and a wide array of all kind of bird species. I'm just waiting to see a bear one day, and there have been a couple known to be in the area. 

Today would have been my stepmother Jean Hall's 74th Birthday. She was born on this day in 1949 and touched so many lives. 

Typical Sunday for us.

Have yourselves a great day. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Me and Gregg Cutrone

Here I sit once again in a quiet household, I tried to get Kiwi to write my blog today but he's being hard-headed and wants to re-renegotiate his contract for more millet again. I'm holding firm on my negotiations, so he's not speaking to me this morning. 

It was an eventful week this past week. I did get both cars inspected. Michelle's car needed rear breaks and there was a wire showing on the inside passenger side drive tire, somehow getting worn down or something not right. So I put 4 new tires on her car (I was going to do it last fall but didn't) and she is taking it in to get it aligned Tuesday Morning. There is a shop close to her work and they will take her to work and deliver the car to her. Michelle has known the owner of the Sube Shop for years, he was one of Chad's friends and he has always been a big help to her. Two cars were inspected for another year. Check. 

Earlier this week and it started last weekend, I was communicating with my old roommate Gregg about him being on the WVU Fans page. Gregg played football for WVU back when we were roommates, but we really had not spoken in 35 years. Monday he messaged me and invited me to go meet him at Keglers last night. His Football Recruiting class was having a get together and he invited me. We exchanged phone numbers on Monday and had a nice two-hour phone conversation earlier this week. Gregg and I roomed together for 3 1/2 years while he was playing here. It was great to meet some of his team mates as well, Michelle wanted to get a picture of her and Freddie Boom Smalls but that never came to fruition. These are the guys who beat Penn State and Boston College with Heisman Trophy Winner Doug Flutie in back-to-back weeks. Gregg was heading back to Cleveland last night, but we'll keep talking. It's like we picked up like we were still living together. 

No plans for the day coming up, I never got around to cutting grass last week due to getting cars inspected and having them serviced. The weather wasn't completely cooperative last week, so I will either cut the grass this weekend or early next week. 

Have yourselves a great day 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

Looking for a little bit of cheap entertainment, and by cheap I mean free? Sam Bush will be performing this evening at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Ampitheater this evening. This will be the next to the last concert for the season with Smashmouth closing out the season next Friday. After that I hear they are going to do movie nights down on the Mon finishing up with the Rocky Horror Picture show around Halloween. 

I do believe as of press time that Michelle and I will be agendaless this weekend. Nothing on our schedule, but that doesn't mean anything, things can change very quickly on that front. Football is getting ready to start here in a few weeks, so that will be where my Saturday's attention will be. 

Have a great day. 

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a whole lot of fun.

Since yesterday was Jimmy Buffett week on my personal top 12 for Music, I thought I would grab a pic from our last concert of his we actually made it to and use one of those pictures.

This was thre year Michelle and I rode up in a Limo and didn't have our own tailgate. So we decided to walk around a little bit and you'll never guess who I ran into having his own tailgate. I think this was Smitty's first Buffett Concert, so Michelle had to grab a picture of the two of us that day. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #6

Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

#6 Fins -  Jimmy Buffett

Anyone who knows me knows I love me some Jimmy Buffett. I think I have seen him 12 times and Michelle I think is at 11. The artist I have seen more than any other artist. Michelle and I actually themed our wedding around his lifestyle. 

The first time I had ever heard fins it was live at PNC Park. 50,000 people in Unison waving their hands in the air and I was hooked. It was a tough choice to make a favorite Jimmy Song, there are so many that he does that I absolutely love, but I think Fins has to take the top spot for Jimmy in my rankings...this week. 

Some of Jimmy's band are outright legends in their own right. Mac McAnally is a 10 time Country Music Association Musician of the Year. Nadirah Shakoor has the absolute voice of an Angel. Morgantown's own Ellie Mannette, the inventor of the Steel Drum even played the Steel Drum for Jimmy at PNC Park. How many of you knew that the best Steel Drums in the world were made in Osage? 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with, once again resetting goals and addressing a Tuesday, great reason for tidbits. 

* It has been 21,775 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I start to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,035 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. Next group has just arrived in town. 

* 5,623 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,826 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,371 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,007 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 665 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 532 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,065 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. \

* There are 356 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 218 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 179 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. 

* 146 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 132 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 109 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 32 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* There are 25 more days to go until the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley and get another shot at an old-time Rival, Penn State. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both of those two schools. 

* I have written 7,276 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* Michelle had a favorable yearly review this week, they gave her an extra week of vacation plus a raise. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, would you believe that I have not had the first soda since I started drinking brewed unsweetened iced tea. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #7 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeks Tic Tok, brings aging into a whole different perspective. 

* Is it really August? I have two cars I need to get inspected this week now and the damned students are back. 

* Have a great day

Monday

It is once again that time of the week when we put the weekend behind us and look forward to what the week has to offer us. It's time to take our collective noses and stick them back onto that grindstone of life and get back to doing what it is that week do that makes this world a better world to live in.

I did see something kind of funny on Facebook over the weekend, I was scrolling and on one of the groups that I frequent, the WVU Mountaineer Fan Page and I scroll down and see this image. For those of you didn't know him or ever get the chance to meet him, Gregg Cutrone was my room mate from 1984-1987 when he Graduated. We had roomed together at three different locations, two on Brockway across from the Bakery then the last two years at Barrington North. Gregg is not a member of that group, so I messaged him the night before his birthday and pointed out that post and added him to the group. It was a nice pleasant surprise for him. 

So what is on this weeks agenda? I'll be heading to Hartsells twice this week to get both of the cars inspected. I'm putting Ice (Michelle's Car) in on Thursday and Pearl (my Car) in on Friday for inspections. I'll have to drop a car off in the early morning and then uber over to pick it up as Michelle goes to work with the other car. Speaking of Ice, we paid it off yesterday so now we own both cars outright after purchasing them new. 

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

 

Sunday

Here I sit on a quiet Sunday Morning, refreshed from Kiwi taking over my responsibilities writing yesterdays BLOG and ready to start writing. 

In case you have not taken notice and I swear they they just left, the students are back to moving into the dorms. I would say the vast majority of them are already here with a few stragglers coming in between now and the start of classes on Wednesday. Allow yourselves a little bit of extra time when traveling around town due to not only all the additional traffic, but a bunch of people dropping off their kids and not knowing how to drive in Morgantown. Patience is a virtue. 

Last night I wanted some ice cream, Michelle and I drove to Mountaineer Country Ice Cream with the thought of getting some, that place was more packed than I have ever seen it. We walked into the store and it was packed, so it was on to plan B which was Dairy Queen and my Butterfinger Blizzard fallback. 

Our plans for the day, well we didn't do anything yesterday mainly based on the Thunderstorms in the forecast. Today's forecast also has Thunderstorms, but I'm not sure of I believe them. Grocery shopping and chores. 

Have a great day. 

Kiwi's Korner

Hey everyone it's me Kiwi. Dad is sleeping still and I've opened my cage up and come over to his computer and am writing this to give you a superior species (that's aviary) point of view. My Humans can't hang so I'm stepping in and stepping up. 

I'm going to have both of my humans home today, Mom leaves for work every morning and Dad answers to our every calling, you can refer to him as the bird slave. 

Mom's pretty nice, I have a number of cousins dropping by every evening, but they always stay outside because my cage just isn't big enough. Mom the sweetheart that she is feeds them every day. Now it's not the premier stuff that I get of choice nuts and seeds, but since there are so many of my cousins dropping in Mom feeds than the wild bird food. That's fine as long as I am still treated as special as I am. 

I overheard them talking last night, I was pretending like I was busy so they wouldn't think I was sticking my beak into their business, they are undecided for any plans this weekend. I know Dad said the grass isn't high enough and he'll take care of it next week and Mom is just enjoying a couple of days off. 

I usually grind her coffee beans for her every day, but today and tomorrow she usually drinks out of that Keurig thing. I'm not sure why, I am the world aviary champion bean grinder, and I could charge top dollar for my services. 

I'll make everyone a deal, you have fun today and I'll fly around town and poop on on the students making the traffic horrible. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

If you are looking for a little big of entertainment tonight, a band called Home Free is playing tonight at the Hazel Ruby McQuainAmphitheater downtown tonight at 8:00. I'm not really familiar with them but tonight's show is a free show as they are kicking off their world tour. They are playing in Connecticut tomorrow night and tickets are selling for between $75 and $185, so this might be someone to catch. 

No immediate plans for this weekend for us, but we are right in the middle of Move in Days for the WVU Students into the dorms. Classes start on Wednesday so town is going to have a big influx of residents this weekend. In other words, they are back. No more quick trips with little traffic around town, get ready for the headaches and traffic jams. 

Have yourselves a great day and the start of a great weekend. 

Photo Flashback Thursday

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a whole lot of fun.

This weeks pic goes all the way back to the year 2006. These two young kids were just dating in High School and decided to attend the prom together. Moke and Ang were very young with their lives just beginning together. 

We had started the day off at the WVU Coliseum taking pictures and after I grabbed a number of them from there, we went back to Jeans (who is in the picture) and grabbed a few more fun pics from the day. 

You just knew these two were going to end up together, now they are married with two wonderful daughters. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #7

 Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

#7 Paper in Fire - John Mellencamp

I have always been a John Mellencamp fan. Even back when he started out as Johny Cougar to when he was John Cougar Mellencamp to his real name which is John Mellencamp. 

He's always had a soulful rhythm about him and what he sings and records. I always find myself listening to his greatest hits album Words and Music, it's just one of those albums you can listen and relisten to and every song puts you into a different kind of mood and euphoria. His music just has that kind of Magic. 

Paper in Fire is probably my favorite song that he has done, and there were so many that I could have chose from, it's always touched me from the first time I ever heard it. 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with, once again resetting goals and addressing a Tuesday, great reason for tidbits. 

* It has been 21,768 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I start to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,028 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I love my field and have been fortunate to make a career in it. 

* 5,616 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,819 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,364 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 2,000 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. It's two years exactly according to my birthday age calendar. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 658 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 525 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,072 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. \

* There are 363 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Thirteenth Wedding Anniversary together. 

* There are only 225 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 186 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. 

* 153 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 139 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready.

* There are 116 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 39 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* There are 32 more days to go until the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley and get another shot at an old-time Rival, Penn State. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both of those two schools. 

* I have written 7,268 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* Weather is nice and I have time now, maybe I should go out and fly. 

* I am still loving my ice tea maker, freshly brewed from tea bags and unsweetened Iced Tea has replaced soda for me and I am actually starting to feel it. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #7 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeks Tic Tok, this actually looks like it would have been a lot of fun. 

* Is it really August? I have two cars I need to get inspected this month now and the damned students are about ready to return. 

* Have a great day

Monday

All good things must come to an end, and that does include those fun-filled things that many of you refer to as weekends. Now it is a new week, with new goals and accomplishments to work towards, let's stick our noses back onto the grindstone of life once again and get to making this a better rock to live on. 

So what is it that we did on our Anniversary? We started it out with a trip to Tygart Lake. Michelle had only been to the lodge once and never around the entire lake. I started her off at the dam and we drove around to the swimming area (that has greatly increased the number of floating toys in the swimming area exponentially). We picked up some literature and are looking into one of their Sunday Afternoon Cruises in the near future. From there we headed to Fairmont for Dinner at Wasabi Fusion.  First let me say if you have not been to the Middletown Commons (the old Middletown Mall) in a Couple of years, you are going to be shocked as that entire facility is revitalized, busy and absolutely amazing and worth the trip. Now Wasabi Fusion I'll say this much about, if you like Fusian Steakhouses this might be worth a try. Dinners were amazingly cheaper but the quality of the food was the same. They have I think it was 8 or 10 grills set up, so there would never be a problem getting a seat. It was a great day, other than the cat I accidentally run over going from Grafton to Fairmont, but that is another story. 

I attempted to get my cars scheduled to be inspected this week, absolutely no luck in doing that and it'll be late next week before I can get either one of them in at Hartsells. Brian is really booked up all this week. 

No other plans for me this particular week, I really do need to get my drone all charged up to take out to fly. I have been a slacker all summer and basically all year in doing this, I just need to get it out and ready and do it. 

Have yourselves a great day, and make it memorable. 

Happy Birthday Randy Lee Hamrick

I would like to take this opportunity to wish my Nephew Randy Lee Hamrick a very Happy Birthday today. 

If my math is correct, and I know that it is because I use an abacus, Randy should be celebrating his 35th Birthday today. 35 really? That's how old I was when I started college, time goes by way too quickly. 

Randy is a multi-talented handiman and has been working with his Dad nick for a number of years as well as some of his own stuff. I'm very proud of him and who he has become. 

I'm not sure what Randy has planned for the day or if there is even anything planned for him, but he is loved by his entire family and has taken the title of worlds greatest uncle from me from what I understand. 

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

Happy Birthday Randy. 

12 Years Ago Today

It was 12 magical years ago today that my life of bachelorhood became something of the past and I entered the world of matrimony with my lovely wife Michelle. 

12 Years ago at the Marilla Center in front of friends and family, we said our I Do's and became Husband and Wife. We were married by a co-worker of Michelle's that performed the wedding ceremony as it was something that he wanted to get off of his bucket list, so he got his license and we did it. 

We did it on a limited budget, but pulled it off and made it memorable. With the help of Jean and the ladies at the church, people at the wedding were treated to a feast of some really good homemade food and a mingle with some very special people in both of our lives. 

The family had gotten together the night before and the traditional rehearsal dinner was everyone being treated to cheap pizza and blowing up air-filled decorations to decorate the center. After the wedding we had just as much help breaking everything down and returning the center to how we had received it a couple of days earlier. 

Today completes 12 marvelous years with a very special lady. We're planning on going out to dinner somewhere to celebrate. 

To my lovely wife Michelle, I love you with all of my heart and the last 12 years (really 15) have been the happiest years of my life. They were Happy because I spent them with you. Here is to the next 12 + years. I Love You, Happy Anniversary. 

Saturday Morning Ramblings

Here I sit yet once again in a quiet household, Kiwi and I are up discussing the fact that he wants some powertools in his cage. That one 5/8" perch that we replaced last weekend he already managed to bite in half by Tuesday evening believe it or not. He wants some power tools to design his own perches. 

Planning on this being a busy day. What we usually do on Sunday Mornings (grocery Shop), we are going to do this morning. A number of the electronic coupons that we have from Krogers expire after today and are no good tomorrow, so we are going to take full advantage of it and go shopping today. 

I did make a nice chewy order for Kiwi yesterday, there are only certain treats that he likes, so I get him what he does like and what he will eat. I have put all kinds of other things in the cage like dried fruits or even fresh fruits and he is just a no go on that. 

Still doing good with me not drinking any soda and pretty much exclusively drinking brewed and unsweetened Iced Tea. My ice tea maker has gotten itself a nice workout over the last week and a half. My glucose numbers are coming down closer to normal as I am not eating as much as I was before. I was a grazer, someone who could sit at the computer and constantly eat. 

No grass to mow today, I mowed it and did my weed eating on Thursday, so all of that is done. I did powerwash my old tool box that I have used for like 30 years. It was a craftsman set that I had bought in the early 90's, I had a Chevy Spectrum and George changed my clutch for me. I bought a nice set of tools for that time and they have just been basically sitting. I bought a new bigger toolbox a couple weeks ago, but the old one was still functional just dirty. So I power washed it and will probably keep a few things in it. I have a real nice set my wife bought me from Lowes years ago for Christmas in the back of my car, but needed something for the mancave. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

Big Ole Hairy Friday

Yes, it is once again that time of the week that we all look forward to when we can take time to cease the labors for the week and take a little bit of needed time out to enjoy the fruits of those labors. It is again the dawn of another weekend and a Big Ole Hairy Friday.

If you are looking for a little bit of cheap, and by cheap I mean free music have I got an event for you. Tonight at the Hazel Ruby McQuain Amphitheater down on the waterfront, legendary band Los Lobos will be taking the stage at 8:00. They hit their peak of popularity back in the 80's when they were the band that did all of Richie Valens music for the biopic Labamba. Lou Diamond Phillips was the actor that portrayed him, but it was Los Lobo's Music rocking your movie screen. 

The Monongalia County Fair has been going on all week, it has been going on all week and closes out tomorrow night. I haven't been to the fair in years, In My Opinion, I think it is just too commercialized here. Not a knock on it, but some of the other ones around and into Pennsylvania are much larger and enjoyable, more livestock, more crafts and baked goods and more unique vendors to the community. Mannington puts on a real good fair that is not too far away. 

Have yourselves a great day and the start of a great weekend. 

Photo Flashback Thursdaay

Once a week I like to take a little bit of time out, time to look at some of the 30,000+ photos that I have stored on my computer. Little lost moments in time that I either captured with a lens, scanned or just stole from someplace on the internet. I like to find just one and post it up and recall or relive the picture to the best of my ability. Sometimes this is a pretty easy task and sometimes it's not that easy, one thing it has always been a whole lot of fun.

This picture is from this Spring, at Erica's Graduation Party. It's a Four Generation pic with Mom, my sister Terri, my niece Val and my great-niece Eridca. We did a similar one this past winter with the same four people. 

I want to get another picture when the opportunity presents itself with Amy and her kids or at least one of them. We tried to do it a couple of times but we have never managed to get that shot yet.

These are moments in time and they all need to be captured, some day someone else might be looking back at all of these photos reflecting upon their lives. 

Have yourselves a great day. 

My Personal Music Top 12, #8

Looking for something different to do on Wednesdays, so I thought I would come up with a series of My personal Top 10 (it's going to be 12 in this case) of my favorite music growing up through the years. I decided I did not want to repeat any artists to allow for a variety, so I had to come up with 12 unique songs by 12 unique artists that I personally have enjoyed the most through the years. I'll do one song/artist every Wednesday from my own personal preference. How well do you know me? Do you think you know my top 12 and in order? 

#12 If you Don't Know me by Now - Simply Red

#11 I Believe in You - Don Williams

#10 Still They Ride - Journey

#9 Rough Boy - ZZ Top

#8 Immigrant Song -  Led Zepplin

Led Zepplin is arguably one of the best rock bands in history, they have an endless catalog of great music to choose from and there are a dozen or better songs that I could have selected. Stairway to Heaven is probably their most notable piece of work that everyone identifies with, hell I could probably do a top 10 Led Zepplin blog and have a lot of fun doing it. 

Robert Plant in my mind is one of the best vocalists in rock Music, Rainbow is a song that just shows his vocal range as a solo artist. Plant along with Steve Perry and Paul Rogers (Free, Bad Company, the Firm), Freddie Mercury are arguably in my opinion 4 of the best vocalists in the genre. 

However for this week the Immagrant Song and it's hard-charging riffs that causes it's listeners to have an eargasm of excitement and really inspires you to be the best at what you are doing, the I can't be defeated mentality that this song delivers is riveting. 

Tuesday's Tidbits

* Monday is over with, once again resetting goals and addressing a Tuesday, great reason for a tidbits. 

* It has been 21,761 days since I was born, that is 21 years using my new,  new, and improved 1,000-day Calender. I do have to say I start to feel my age or older than 21.  

* It has been 7,021 days since I graduated from WVU with a Degree in Geography. I love my field and have been fortunate to make a career in it. 

* 5,609 days ago Michelle and I had our first date together, the pizza hut is gone, the movie was 10,000 BC and it sucked to high heaven. 

* 4,812 days ago I proposed to Michelle in the backyard at 4:00 in the morning. Second best decision I ever made. 

* It was 4,357 days ago in front of our closest friends and family, for the most part, Michelle and I became husband and wife at the Marilla Center, we poured sand into a vase and said our I do's and we were hitched. 

* I have now lived 1,993 days longer than my Dad did and I'm still going strong. It's almost two years according to my birthday age calendar. 

* Michelle has been living a clean and productive life and beat that alcohol demon 651 days ago today. I am very proud of her, despite everything she has gone through she has come through this like the Champion that she is. One foot in front of the other. 

* My older Brother Jonathan lived 21,266 days, I've now outlived him by 517 days making me Senior Supreme Sibling once again! To my younger siblings, bow down to my age seniority. =)

* I have 3,079 days to go until I retire, give or take a few hundred days here or there, but I love doing what I do. Who knows though, doing what I do I may never retire. 

* There are only 232 days to go until the next start of my favorite Season. Spring 2024. 

* 193 more days until Phil steps to center stage again for Groundhogs Day, Phil is spending his summer hanging out in my backyard with all of his other animal friends. 

* 160 more days to go until my Goodbye 2023 Blog is posted, I'm just now getting started on content for that one. 

* There are 146 more shopping days left until Christmas 2023. You still have plenty of time to prepare and get ready. I did see a couple big Halloween blowups at Lowes over the weekend. 

* There are 123 days until I hit the age of 60. Yeah I know, I'm really older than 21. 

* There are 46 more days until the Pitt Panthers bring their butts to Morgantown so we can get some revenge on our game this year. 

* There are 39 more days to go until the Mountaineers travel to Happy Valley and get another shot at an old-time Rival, Penn State. 

* It has been ∞ (infinity symbol) a number of days that I have hated both of those two schools. 

* There are 5 more days to go until Michelle and I celebrate our Twelfth Wedding Anniversary together. That'll be this  coming Sunday

* I have written 7,259 blogs in the now 18 1/2 years plus a couple of days of being a blogger. 

* Older Drone still needs to be sent out for repairs, not a big priority at this time. My little drone is awesome and I really like it....when I take time out to fly it.  

* I think I know where I want to do my next drone flight, out by the old county graveyard whenever I get to it. 

* Weather is nice and I have time now, maybe I should go out and fly. 

* I am loving my ice tea maker, freshly brewed from tea bags and unsweetened Iced Tea has replaced soda for me and I am actually starting to feel it. When I say feel it, I mean for the better now that I am getting away from Aspartame. 

* How do you like my new Wednesday Blog format? Top 12 and last week was #9 and tomorrow we continue the countdown. 

* How about I start doing my favorite Tic Tok of the week? This is this weeks Tic Tok, A little history on how we became West Virginia. 

* Is it really August 1st? I have two cars I need to get inspected this month now. 

* Have a great day