Wild & Wonderful West Virginia

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving


May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Have a great long Thanksgiving Weekend!

Monday, November 17, 2008

Deja Blue!

The Hockey game was AWESOME!! We had so much fun. The Penguins wore their "throw back" baby blue jerseys from the 70's and the game was the 75th straight sold out game in Pittsburgh.



I was amazed at how quiet it is at a hockey game. (Until the Penguins score that is)You can actually hear the skates and the puck on the ice. Three 20 minute periods separated by a 17 minute break. Most of the action takes place in the last five minutes!
The Penguins won 5 - 2 and scored the last few points in the last five minutes of the game. A must for a hockey game - scarfs and gloves, it was cold in there. Also - COW BELLS!! They ring cowbells instead of clapping. Another cool thing they do is fly a big blimp around the inside of the arena. As it flies around it drops little paper flyers over the top of the crowd. These flyers include free items from the vendors - like free cup of coffee, free piece of pizza, etc. McDonalds flashed up a video on the jumbro tron stating that if the Penguins scored in the next two minutes everyone could use their game tickets as a voucher for a free Big Mac from McDonalds starting the next day. Guess what? THEY SCORED!!
Big Macs all around compliments of the Penguins! LOTS OF FUN! (I decided we need to scrapbook the tickets, so there will be no McDonald's celebration for the Richeys!) I can't wait to go back to another game. Sure would be nice to see them play the Atlanta Thrashers, unfortunately that game is this Thursday night - in Atlanta! GO PENS!!

Don is TDY to Robins AFB this week - lucky him! It snowed all day yesterday and is snowing again this morning. We are suppose to get about an inch or so accumulation today. I can't wait to get back to some warmer weather.

Have a great week!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Colder Weather, and PENGUINS!!


I am very excited to tell you that tomorrow night is date night and Don is taking me to a Pittsburgh Penguin v. Buffalo Sabres NHL Hockey game!! I have never been to an NHL game ever and have always wanted to go. Can't wait to post about my experience and let you know how much fun I had.


We are expecting much colder weather this weekend and some snow as well. I will be so glad to get to Alabama for Thanksgiving to see my family and to enjoy the warmer humid weather!!

Monday, November 10, 2008

Being Silly!

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The Art Institute, Mamma Mia! & Bahama Breeze.....



What a great weekend I had! Jacob is here visiting colleges and I was so impressed by all his drawings. He really enjoys art and certainly has the drive and the creativity needed to study art. People think you are born knowing art. Art is a skill that is learned, just like math. Some people do better in math because they like it, some people are more artistic - because they like it! He is so passionate about his characters, and his imagination is HUGE! Jacob needs structured instruction to channel his artistic abilities and the Art Institute will be able to provide that for him. Guess we will see if he gets accepted and if he decides to attend the Art Institute. I am delighted that Don and I are able to provide him the opportunity.



Yesterday I saw the Broadway play "Mamma Mia!" in Pittsburgh with two friends, Anna & Christine. What a great musical. It was full of energy, excitement, gogo boots and spandex. We had a blast. I can't wait for the movie to come out on dvd next month.

After the play Anna and I went to Bahama Breeze for dinner. We had great mojitos, jerk chicken pasta and flatbread. I had a great girls day out.











Today Jacob has an appointment to tour West Virginia Northern Community College here in Weirton. It is cold today and we had a lite dusting of snow on the ground this morning. Don and I both took the day off work to spend with Jacob. Touring the Art Institute inspired me to draw...which I havent done since High School! I got out my sketch pad and charcoal pencils and started drawing the human body to scale to give Jacob something to study by! Good luck Jacob - I hope you get to follow your dream! I love you!

Sunday, November 2, 2008

New York City, John McCain, Halloween Fun......and a some BIG NEWS....

I have had so many fun things going on since my last blog. I simply cannot spend the time needed to keep this blog updated with everything I am fortunate to experience. Just in the last week I have been to New York City, attended a John McCain "Whistle Stop" in Ohio, and dressed up and attended a Halloween Party! Life moves quickly.......

Last weekend I went with three friends on a "Redeye" motorcoach tour to New York City. We left Weirton, WV at 11:00 p.m. on Friday night and arrived in Manhattan at 7:00 a.m. We had a one hour driving tour of the city and then we were dropped off at Macy's on 34th and Broadway. We did some purse shopping that was quite an experience. Got some "good deals" on merchandise if you know what I mean. Love my new Gucci, Coach and Dolce & Gabanna handbags which I picked up at a fraction of the retail price. We had a great breakfast at "Ellen's Stardust Diner" at 51st and Broadway - home of the singing wait staff! The staff are all kids trying to make it on broadway and they sing and dance while waiting tables. Much fun, great food and I highly recommend the experience. We did some shopping, visited Rockefeller Plaza (the ice rink is much smaller in person!) and experienced the subway!


The tour guide Ronnie, and my friends Patti, Jeannie and Debbie all in front of Macy's just after he dropped us off. 8:00 a.m. on Saturday October 25th. 56 degrees!




This is a picture of Jeannie, Debbie and Me in front of Rockafeller Plaza at the ice skating rink. We also toured Ground Zero, St. Paul's cathedral, saw the Statue of Liberty from across the water and had so much fun just being together and walking around Manhattan for 12 hours! We arrived back in Weirton at 3:15 a.m. on Sunday morning. Very exhausted and tired, but we were all committed to going back and doing it all again in the Spring. I just kept thinking about how much my neice Andrea loves New York City, and how much I would love to take my daughter Alex - she would love it too!

On Thursday I got an email at work from the office manager telling us that John McCain was holding a rally at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Steubenville, Ohio, on Friday at noon, and anybody that wanted to attend was free to take off work with pay to go! How much fun I had! I went with two girls from work (one was Jeannie from the New York trip) and after standing and waiting for 2 1/2 hours for John to get there (he was an hour late) we realized it was worth it. We were dead center and five rows back.


He looks much different in person and you can really feel his sincerity when you are face to face with him more so than on television. I am glad I was able to attend. My first political rally and I am such a McCain/Palin supporter!

That afternoon my friend Anna invited me to attend a Halloween Party with her. Don had to work so I agreed to go. Had to come up with a costume at the last minute and after looking through my closet I remembered my labcoat and scrubs that I was going to use to paint in. I put them on, grabbed a witch's hat and went as a "Witch Doctor".


The theme for the party was Caveman/Cavewoman. It was lots of fun. Thank you to my friends Mike & Karen for holding a great party in their beautiful historical home! Don is sad he had to miss it.

Next weekend will be lots of fun too! We are so excited to have Jacob coming for a visit from Alaska!!! He has applied to attend college at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh and is flying down for a campus tour and personal interview with admissions.


NOW...for my BIG NEWS.....

I am going to be a GRANDMOTHER! I know, I know, I can't believe it either!! Congratulations to Heidi & Michael.


They are expecting their first child, a baby boy on April 1st, and have chosen the name "Tristan Michael". We are excited and hope and pray for a healthy pregnancy.

I told you, Life moves fast!!!