WARNING!!!!

Boring Blog Coming!
Well, if you don't like football or the Vikings that is! Today, they decided to reward this long time Viking fan with their FIRST NFC North title! They didn't choke, they didn't back in- they went out and won on the field, against the defending Super Bowl champs and I couldn't be happier! First, to my future sister-in-law, sorry about the Pats! They played very good football after Brady got hurt and they kind of got robbed by going 11-5 and not making the playoffs! A little tweaking in the off season and Brady back next year and you guys will be back where you belong. Karl, looks like Favre is finally done! He didn't have anything left down the stretch and they kind of tanked after beating the Titans! To my brother- who will never read this, the Cowboys looked horrible the last two games! Maybe Wade needs to go and they need some tweaking! OK, I don't think this means the Vikings win the Super Bowl. They aren't stacked or as talented as say the Giants or Titans but I think the Steelers and Giants both showed anything can happen once you get to the playoffs! Step one, CHECK!
VIKINGS ARE NFC NORTH CHAMPS AND PLAYOFF BOUND! WOO HOO!

Merry Christmas

OK, Maybe I Am Jumping...
The gun a little since it is Christmas Eve but it is like my FAVORITE night of the year! I get to be Santa and get presents and stuff set up from Santa and tomorrow is the real deal! I can't wait to see the look on my kid's faces tomorrow morning! I hope everyone has a great Christmas and gets everything they want! I am off to go spread joy and cheer throughout my house! Good night and Merry Christmas!

Felt Like Monday!

What A Day!
We got HAMMERED by a storm Sunday night- as most of you know full well! Well, I got up at 530 AM to make sure I could get out of the driveway and get to work on time. That worked about as good as a pyramid of hobos! I got stuck- and I mean STUCK! I was an hour and forty-five minutes late for work and I had to have my Dad come get me to get there. So, Colleen calls me after I have been to work for a little bit and tells me that the basement is flooded. Work then went on to be a normal storm day at work. We were swamped and half the guys were plowing snow. Add in the morons who got stuck all over the place and I was more than ready to go home. I only have 2 1/2 days this week then we get a day off for Christmas. So, Colleen picked me up at work and we came home. It took me two hours to get the car unstuck but I finally got it. I cut the pipe outside for the sump pump because it had frozen like I thought. I had a little something to eat and now I am doing something I never thought I would do- rout for the Packers to win a football game and get my Vikings into the playoffs! I am pretty much wiped out and I should go to bed but I don't think tomorrow can top today. I sure hope it can't! Night

Too Much Fun

Last Night As Most Know...
Was our Christmas party! I had a blast as always and if you want to see some pictures of the festivities, go check out Colleen's blog or Jerry's blog! It might have been the best Christmas party yet! Everyone seemed to have fun and the food and gifts were awesome as usual! Nicole, Ingrid, Jerry and Julie all spent the night and I got up around 8 AM and went and got some stuff for breakfast and drinks for everyone and made breakfast and then we went to my family Christmas party and came home and had a nap and now I am listening to the Vikings play Atlanta! Three days of work and it is Christmas! I am excited to see the kids get their presents and go to my parents and for Janice to get here! Well, back to Vikings football! Later

Christmas and A Party!

OK, It Is Monday...
Which TOTALLY sucks but there is ten more days until Christmas and my kids are chomping at the bit for Christmas to hurry up and get here! I have a better than good chance to win the football pool tonight which is pretty cool. The Vikings are playing the best football I have seen them play in years and our Christmas party is Saturday night! I can survive five more days of work for a little get together and good food, great gag gifts and some great people! I love our parties! They are fun and exciting and eventful and full of surprises! I am in the Christmas spirit now thank to a little gift wrapping with my wife and some presents under the tree that got everyone's anxiety levels up a bit! Looking forward to everyone coming over for the party and I can't wait to hang out with all my friends. Everyone be safe and have a great Christmas and I will see you all on Saturday. Night

Bored and Tired

It Has Been A Long Week...
At Hartt! Yes, I left early and went to Jessi's game on Monday just like I planned! I had a good time messing around with Sean and watching Jessi cheer! We had fun driving home and making up little rhymes or Jessi's cheers, too! I came home tonight and had Rice 'A Roni and hamburg for supper! It is one of my favorites! I am very excited for the Christmas party! I decided to post some summer pictures since winter definitely seems to be here! Cold, snow and almost 60 degrees and rain? Weird weather so far this winter! I have some buddies who want to come over and play Madden Saturday night but I suppose I should run it by my wife before I decide to commit to that! I have the pager this weekend so I don't have it for the Christmas party. I do have the pager for Christmas week but nothing happens with it on Christmas- I know because I think I have had it every Christmas since I got in the rotation! Well, this is a very boring blog so I will quit now before people start dropping like flies from this boring, boredom boredorama of a blog! Night

Feeling Crappy

OK, This Has Been Bugging Me...
For a day now and my wife's wonderful blog pushed me over the edge and I really need to vent about how I feel! First, I am not upset at anyone but myself! I have dropped the ball SO often and SO badly and it never really hit me in the face until yesterday! I was sitting at work, working like I always do and I talked to Colleen on her way home from work and she told me tonight(Thursday) was Jessi's first cheering at the first game! I hung up the phone and got to thinking about that! She didn't ask me if I could get out early, she didn't ask me if I could make the last part of the game. She KNEW that I would be doing what I always do- which is put work first and NOT be there. People on this blog tell me what a great father I am! Let me tell you that yesterday, I felt like I am NOT a good father. I realized that work comes first and my children come second! My wife's work schedule revolves around the kids! Mine takes me to work before they wake up and I get home a whole two hours before they go to bed! I work six days a week- over 60 hours a week so that they can have a nice house, cars, food and things that make them happy. Maybe that isn't what it is all about! What if when my daughter graduates college- which is not all that far away by the way, turns to me and says, "I love you, Dad and you always provided for us but you missed out on A LOT of the things that were important to me!" That KILLS me! I don't want to be that person! Honestly, I don't know what to do about it. They expect me to be there at work on Mondays! Things go friggin haywire when I am not there on Monday. I know the solution- it is actually quite easy! Stop being a slave to Hartt Transportation, take my mondays off like I am supposed to have and lobby my ass off to get my on call down from two weeks to one week! That is hard for me- I am a workaholic and I really hate letting people down! We also can use the money- I am not going to lie! I'm not a young man anymore! I will be 40 next year and my life is more than likely more than half over. Do I want my memories of my children to be that Dad was always working? This is NOT an easy thing for me to talk about! Colleen doesn't even know how I am feeling right now- well, until she reads this! I need to start NOW- this isn't something I can keep putting off and think that work is finally going to say, "OK, you need to go home at 5 PM and take your Mondays off again." That would be nice but with our company monitoring everyone's hours at work and them to not say anything to me about the hours I work! I am respected and people know how hard I work. I need to be there for her next game- I WILL be there! I guess that will be a start!

X-Mas Party, Slacking & Work

So, I Think Everyone...
Knows that our Christmas Party is Dec. 20! Ingrid and Karen, you are invited as always! I am looking forward to it because I think it is the most fun party we have! Good food, fun people and lots of NAKED BOOBIES! OK, maybe not the last part! I might have made that last part up! LOL
So, I have been blog slacking lately! I hadn't posted since the last day of deer season which was 5 days ago! Speaking of deer season, since the season ended, I have seen four deer on the way to work! I saw eight all deer season and all four of those deer were shootable! I am starting to think that the deer don't actually want to die! That they don't worship me and bow down to me when I walk into the woods! Well, I have some new tricks planned for next year and I will have a blast preparing and hunting next year! I am going full out! Bow, rifle, black powder! I WILL kill a deer next year- maybe more than one!
Work has been pretty blah this week! Nothing spectacular or eventful and I have to do yard check for the rest of the week so I have to be at work at 630 AM. Yuck! Oh well, I am off to watch two episodes of The Shield and go to bed! Night

SKUNKED

One Word Describes My...
Deer season! I saw a whopping eight deer all year! I was actually relieved when 426 came and the season was FINALLY over! This season did make me want to start bow hunting again though which is good! I miss bow hunting! We are getting ready to run over to Jerry and Julie's house for a get together tonight and then I have to work seven days in a row! I took today off for the last day and now I get to pay for it! I am on call until Monday and then I have a much needed two weeks off from the pager! I do get it back just in time for Christmas and the Christmas party though so don't worry! I think I just had a vacation but I could truly use another one! Scott and I got a big jump on the bathroom today! He says another hour or two and we will be done! We plan on finishing it next Sunday so we have that to look forward to! Well, off to play! Night

Happy Thanksgiving

I Heart Thanksgiving!
Food, family, football, fun and hunting! The food was EXCELLENT as always! I ate WAY too much and hunted too hard and watched way too much football. I have to work tomorrow and then I have the last day of deer season of then I work Sunday. My brother and I looked at the plumbing and we will tackle the rest of our last bathroom on Saturday! Dad and I hunted hard this morning and still saw no deer! It is looking more and more like I will not get a deer again this year. I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a great long weekend and I hope everyone ate enough or too much! Well, I am off to watch Survivor with my woman and then CSI! Have a good night!

Someone Has G 'N R

OK, So Today Marks the First...
Time in like 5 years that I actually paid cash for a CD! Jewels called me from Best Buy and asked me if I wanted her to get me the new GNR CD and I said you bet I do! OK, I have waited 14 years for this CD to come out! No- it does NOT have Slash or Duff or Izzy or even a heroin addicted Steven Adler on it! Yes, it has Axl and a guy who wears a KFC bucket on his head and a bunch of guys I wouldn't know if I was pissing next to them in a urinal! They are my all time favorite- no other group comes close! Dyan was talking about seeing Garth Brooks at our last get together and how she would love to see him live! My first thought when she said that was, "that is how I am for GNR." I have still owned every GNR CD that there has ever been! OK, lets get to a review since I have now listened to pretty much the whole thing! Axl doesn't have the range he had when GNR was THE thing. This is actually pretty easy to pick up from the start! He can still sing like no other though! His range and distinctive voice is what makes him who he is! Overall, the vocals are better than I thought they'd be after seeing them on the MTV awards. As good as Appetite? No! Better than I thought and still powerful and soulfull? ABSOLUTELY! Songwriting? This is where I thought GNR would really suffer missing Izzy! Honestly, the jury is still out! I think the songwriting is pretty good throughout the album and seems to have a GNR tone to it! Guitars? This guy with the bucket on his head is really very good! Is he Slash? Absolutely, 100%, without a doubt in the world- NO! Slash's riffs made GNR Guns 'N Roses! He is missed! Buckethead can play, he gets Axl's style and they fit pretty good and the music and melodies mesh pretty well together! To pick a favorite song, I'd have to say 'Street of Dreams'! I have listened to it like ten times and it absolutely vintage Axl! Slash absolutely ripping something up and rising from the ocean would have been cool, too but that is old and kind of 'been there, done that'! OK, am I happy I shelled out $12 for the new GNR CD? Without a doubt! I really like the CD and will have plenty of rides to and from work wearing it out like I did Appetite, Lies and Illusions! Hey, if nothing else, I spent 12 bucks to feel like I was 19 again and feel cool for having the latest GNR CD! Hokey- probably. Do I care? Nope- not a little bit! LOL- well, off to listen to a little more GNR, take a shower and settle in for the night! Later

Bad Dogs!

I Was Checking My...
Game camera pictures and caught these pics of a couple of bad dogs out past where they are supposed to be! I get a kick out of the fact that they always head out there around the same time both days! I am LOVING this week! I have two more days of work, then it is Thanksgiving and then I work Friday and have Saturday off for the last day of deer hunting! I finally saw another deer today! Actually, it was tonight on my way home from work- on the road I work on! Which is in Bangor and in a no hunting zone! I am thinking I will walk out back in the morning for like 20 minutes then go to work! I have NOT given up hope on a deer yet! I still have two full days off to hunt and stranger things have happened! I have almost shot a deer out back with a grand total of 25 minutes to hunt! I absolutely love Thanksgiving as I have made perfectly clear! Well, the Vikings won a game yesterday that wasn't close! They are tied for first in the division and playing a VERY big game against the Bears Sunday night! Go Saints! I want New Orleans to win tonight so the Vikes will only be tied with the Bears for first! Well, I am sure this is a very long and boring blog to most people who read this! Sorry- I didn't have a lot to say! Night

Blog Slacking

I Have Been A...
Blog slacker lately! OK, maybe not as bad as SOME people but definitely slacking as far as my normal blogging goes! I have been back to work for three days now and don't really have much to say about it! It is still busy and they saved a lot of paperwork for me to do so I have plenty to do! I am firmly convinced that there is a serious shortage in deer! I saw a grand total of TWO my entire week off and have seen a whopping ZERO this week- going every day before work! I decided to post a before and after pic of Sean's broken arm! He was pretty bummed out that he couldn't play video games but I am happy to report that he has solved that riddle! He is playing away with his broken arm, kicking butt in all his favorite games! He really hasn't skipped a beat even with an arm in a cast! I am sorry, Nicole- I would have posted pics of his camo cast but they aren'y on my computer! My wife got her new little, tiny laptop today but I don't think she is crazy about it! I will let her talk about that since it is her laptop and that wouldn't be fair to her! I am extremely tired this week! I had a blast at Nicole's dip party but I have this stupid cold that is really wearing me down and I was totally dragging ass at her house! Sorry if I wasn't my normal self- I felt like crap and was tired! Thanksgiving is coming up next week which means a day to hunt, eat and watch football! What more does a man need? Throw in some presents and a little sex and I think I would be in paradise! Well, I think that is all I have to say for know! I will throw up a new poll when I think of something interesting to ask! Night

Down to the Wire

Tomorrow Is My Last...
Day of vacation for hunting! I still have Sunday off but you can't hunt in Maine on Sunday so I guess I probably better not! LOL. I might have had my chance on Thursday and I think I blew it! We saw a nice fat six pointer but I saw the deer's antlers right off the bat and Dad doesn't have a doe permit so I tried to make sure he got a crack at the deer and it slipped by us! I had a good shot at him but Dad saw the deer first and he has to shoot a buck! I still have all day tomorrow and Monday morning before I go back to work but my vacation is quickly wrapping up and it is starting to look bleak for getting one! There doesn't seem to be many deer out back! I have seen one lamb on opening day and even that deer was on the other side of the road! There is sign out back but no buck sign! For all the deer I caught on my game camera, I thought this may be easy but it hasn't turned out that way! It is like the deer moved off or aren't moving! I still have a couple of days left before the season is a complete failure! I can hunt on Thansgiving and I will take the last day off if need be! I have a half hour before work every day and I will probably hunt with Dad on those days and let out back settle down! Jessi made the cheerleading team! That is great news! And all her friends are on the saem team with her so that should be fun! I am SUPER excited about the dip party tomorrow night! I love a good dip! I am going to be double dippin' all over Nicole's joint! LOL. Well, I need to go mix myself and my wife a drink and wait for miss cheerleader to come home! See everyone tomorrow night and hopefully, I will have a full tag! I went and got some rattling antlers today at Dick's and I plan on hunting my ass off tomorrow to see if we can put a wrap on this hunting season! I don't quit easy- as a matter of fact, I don't quit at all! So I am off to mix up a cold one and congratulate my daughter on making the team! Later

Mowing the Pipeline

OK, I Thought I Would...
Post a few hunting pictures and another picture of that fox! I hunted hard today again and didn't see a deer! Dad and I got back from hunting around 11 and I decided I was going to mow the pipeline! The pipeline is all grown up bushes, grass and small trees and I am having a hard time seeing any deer with it all grown up! Well, I made sure my lawn mower would start then filled it with gas and wheeled it all the way down to the pipeline then I began mowing! It was HARD! The stuff was thick and hard on the blade and made bad sounds while I was doing it! I told Colleen I did it and she doesn't believe me! Dad doesn't believe me either! Dad was like, "you mean you mowed one strip down." NO, I mowed it like 15 yards wide from the top of the hill to the swale hole! Probably 150 yards worth! Colleen- you need to drive that way on your way to work and see! Maybe I will take some pics of it tomorrow even though I don't have a before and after pic! Well, off to go eat some supper! Later

Vacation

As You May Already Know...
I am on vacation this week! The hunting has been really slow! I just saw my first deer of the week about 45 minutes ago and we couldn't get close enough for a good, clean shot! My wife is taking a shower and then we are all going out to Olive Garden for lunch! The kids and Colleen are both off today so I am probably done hunting until the evening sit! Colleen did her lamp all by herself last night and today and it looks really good! I am relaxing while stressing out about hunting but I love the week I take off to hunt! I am in no real hurry and hopefully I can get some of Colleen's projects done this week! Well, off to put my game camera disc back in and get ready to go to lunch! Later and happy Veteran's Day!

VACATION

Today Was Oficially...
My last day of work before vacation! The day wasn't that bad at work, the time went by much faster then I thought it would and I am away from that place for a full week! I NEED to find me a deer! I will NOT be picky because there seems to be a serious shortage in deer this year and everyone I talk to says they aren't seeing deer! I have seen three this week which isn't bad but I am not seeing deer out back and that worries me! I am also not catching deer on my camera- as seen by the photos here! There isn't any buck sign out back which means my two bucks have gone off somewhere- hopefully to return back here when the rut starts- which should be this week! I need to get some goodies for hunting tomorrow and my brother wants me to come out and watch Vikings-Packers part 2 out to his house! He also has the new Guitar Hero and he is hankering for an ass kicking so I might have to give him that, too! I am growing a beard since it is deer season and my wife hasn't said anything yet but I am sure she will- she hates it when I grow a beard and she is usually the driving force behind me shaving it off! I do it as a tribute to the deer and because it keeps your face warm when it is cold outside! I am tired even though it is only 9 PM and I think I am heading upstairs to bed! I have to take one of Jessi's friends home before 8 AM so I guess I don't get to sleep in even though it is the ONE day I actually could sleep in! Well, off to bed! Night!

Hunting and Upcoming Vacation

I Am SO Excited!
I am SO ready for my vacation! Eight days off, six days of hunting! Sounds like a pretty good deal to me! I finally saw my first deer this morning- a lamb at like 300 yards but that is a start. I really miss my night spot. They didn't hay it so it is like four feet hay and my pipeline isn't cut and it is really hard to see deer back there, too. My night spot was THE spot! Last year, I saw 15 deer in that spot. It is a long way from the road and people don't like to work like that so I always had it to myself and the setup was as good as it can be! I have shot two deer there and should have shot more! Hopefully, the rut will pick things up and I can see one of the two bucks out back! I need to see some promise for the season! I also need to buy a farm tractor and hay my night spot and the pipeline! I keep getting pictures of this fox! They are pretty cool animals! Well, 430 AM comes early! Hope everyone got out and voted today! Night

PARTY and Hunting

Game Camera Pics!
We had our first Halloween party on Saturday and it was a HUGE success! Everyone dressed up and the costumes absolutely kicked butt! We drank, talked and played Guitar Hero and baseball and basically had a great time! THAT needs to be a tradition! I haven't solved the whole bear in the woods mystery yet but I have proof that a fox most definitely shits in the woods! Hunting has been very slow so far this year! I just got back from sitting and freezing my ass off and I still haven't seen a deer yet! I need to go pick my Dad up in a couple minutes and then go back out hunting. I took today off to hunt and take Jessi to a dentist appointment and that is what I plan to do! Well, off to see if I can finally see a deer! Later

How Soon We Forget!

So, We Like To Talk...
About building shelves and no one building shelves for people! I think I rest my case with these three pictures! LOL! I had to post something to defend myself! I am SO excited for the big Halloween party following Christmas Day! Yes, Saturdau is opening day of deer season! I have Saturday off, then I have to work Sunday and then I have Monday off- not to hunt but to take my daughter to her dentist appointment! OK, to hunt, too! Then I work up until Saturday and then I am on vacation! I can't wait for vacation! I love deer hunting and a week full of deer hunting is just what the doctor ordered! Wish me luck and we will be feasting on venison sometime during the second week! See everyone on Saturday! Ingrid, can you break away for awhile? Kristie- can you and Karen and Tim make it out for Saturday night?

13?

Yes, It Is True!
I have a teenager as a daughter! This week has been crazy, hectic busy! I am totally wiped out with work, being on call and all the birthday stuff going on! Colleen is up taking a nap and everyone is looking forward to a nice, easy, normal week! Well, Saturday is deer season so it will be normal until then and then I am on vacation the week after that! I need to get a deer this year! My best place is all messed up though and the pipeline out back is just about impossible to shoot one! I am looking forward to it though- and I really need the week off! Well, off to finish laundry and watch some football! Later

Happy Birthday

OK, Not This Bad...
But our house is packed with girls tonight for Jessi's birthday! Actually, all the girls have gone bowling and it is just Sean and I watching 10000 BC while they are gone! Happy Birthday, Peanut! I love you very much and STILL can't believe you are 13 years old! It seemed like just the other day, you came home from the hospital a little baby and now you are a teenager! I hope you have a GREAT birthday, Jessi and know that your family loves you very much and thinks you are a pretty special girl! This week has been very long and tiring and I am definitely ready for a day off, deer hunting next Saturday and a week's vacation in two weeks! Well, off to watch the movie with Sean! Night