Elliot's Trackside Diner, DECEMBER, 2012!

[BroadwayLion]

Home Health Nurses can arrange for housekeeping if that is what is needed to keep someone in their home. I resonate with pops, nobody will clean up after me either. Oh well, yesterday I could not find my camera, today I can see it behind the yellow toolbox. Good thin my head is attached or I could be in big trouble.

ROAR

[chochowillie]

TMarsh

But there is a limit to lived in and piled on. There's no excuses this time. No kids to blame, no issues with the death of parents and the sudden infux of stuff to go through before you can decide what to do with it, nothing. Just pure come in, drop it and leave it.I don’t get it. I give up.

Sounds like you have an ongoing issue . It would drive me right round the bend if it were my home but what can I say. My Daughter and her Husband are so bad about drop and run that I finally made up a sign that said "This is NOT a Landfill even though it looks like it" and posted it on their front door.

A week later, where was the sign..... all scrunched up and tossed on the living room floor among all the rest of the stuff. So help me, I'm going to call that HOARDERS show on tv and tell them they have a great location for another episode.

[Blazzin]

  Well its nice to see a Californian here in the Diner.  I myself am an Angelino born in Downtown L.A.  and now live in Huntington beach.  Rain.. it never rains here.. but when it does.. it is news.  A big storm is even better.  I tell ppl some call in 'sick' at work .. just because they want to stay home and enjoy the rain.  Hard concept for some to imagine.  Not to natives.  Now I am more than likely older than you,  but when I was a young lad.. (50 years ago)  San Fernando Valley.. was simply called the Valley.  Everyone knew it was the San Fernando Valley.. no biggie I guess.  Although, I can still remember the Street Cars of Downtown.  Going to a show to see a couple of movies.. was one treat us kids loved.  Truly a lifestyle that can't be repeated.

[JeremyB]

Hi Guys,

Keith - good to see you around again, haven't heard from you in a while.

It was a cool and rainy weekend for us. I go back to work today after being off for 4 days last week after a reaction I had to a medication. I have a doctors appointment first at 2;15 so I hope I make it to work on time at 3pm. If I don't I will probably only be a few minutes later. I'm sure my employer will give some grief, but what can you do when have a reaction to medication?? I also have a handful of resumes out there and maybe will get a bite on one of them. I dont know what to tell them if they try to give me the business?

Well I'm off to grab something to eat and get ready. I might pop on later tonight or in the morning to let you guys know how things went

[galaxy]

Well

The furnace BOY was here...did look old enough to drive, but not old enough to vote?! He adjusted the pressure switch and didn't charge a thing since they just installed the pressure switch a month ago....so he was a good boy and made me/us happy!!!

MOH got the room clenaed up only one box was MOh's the rest of the stuff, as I said, was FILs. The njurse who helped siad she is now getting a clear picture of how things go at Inlaws house! GOod thing as we were thinking we were the only ones and maybe we were the ones who were off...

Well, now it is nap time. MOH nad the puddy are waiting for me in bed...for nappy-poo.

Later

 

[narrow gauge nuclear]

Monday blues set in.  Back at work.

Went to a gun show this weekend and spent way too much!  Came away happy, of course, but looking back, I coulda' bought two Blackstone k-27's with Tsunami sound in 'em and the new Blackstone Chili line passenger car set  for what I spent there.

Oh well, ya' can't take it with ya.....Got nobody to leave it to, either.  The wife complains what is she going to do with all my toys and  stuff when I die.  I tell her I don't much care as I'll be gone.  Give it away, sell it, whatever.  I'm just gonna' enjoy it all while it lasts though.  Yipee!

Only 1.5 years 'til total retirement at 69.

Richard

[Blazzin]

  Jeremy I thank you for the warm welcome.  Although, as I read it .. I was wondering if you remembered how much I can talk and ramble on.  lol.. but in any case nothing to fear until... I learn how to post a pic.  Then the flood of pics and writing should begin.  Consider this post my 2nd attempt at posting a pic.  At least I can write a post.

[Blazzin]

  Here's what I've been up to the past couple of days.

[chochowillie]

Now that is what I call a building! Are you and Rod Stewart in competition to see who has the tallest skyscraper?

[cudaken]

 Evening Dinners!

 Flo, Beer Pleases!

 Aquarium's I love Aquarium's! I have a 70 gallon talk sitting here right next to me in the Train / Snake / Garage room. Got the 70 gallon tank when I was 14, so this sucker is old. I all so have a 55 gallon tank in  the family room. At one time I had around 400 gallons of water and breed Angel Fish and Fancy Guppies. One of theses days I want a 125 gallon tank or larger.

 I all so know why so many Fish People like Trains! It is all most the same hobby! If you can sit there and watch fish and you know where they are going to go for hours, you will like trains!

 Work Front The Saint Charles Store Is A Train Wreck!

 

 When I say Wreck, I mean Wreck! When I showed up Saturday the store had had 2 Wheel Offs! That means 2 customers cars wheels came off while they where driving! Luckily no one was hurt Thank God! Both cars where in the shop Thursday and I was not there again Thank God! But heads will roll!  My self, I would blame ridge safety equipment! But they need a Scapegoat so more than likely the Tire Tech and Acting Services will get the AX.   

 See you all later.

 Ken

 

[Blazzin]

chochowillie

Now that is what I call a building! Are you and Rod Stewart in competition to see who has the tallest skyscraper?

  Thank you thank you.  No Rod and I are not in compettion, but if I go to his Christmas party .. you wanna come?

  Hey.. its a fun model to put together and an easy one too.  Great instructions.  Each part just stacks upon the next one.  I haven't glued them together mainly because of the windows I still have to do. NO No.. not the windows.  So anyways I thought you might want to see the pieces I'm talking about.

[Curt Webb]

Evening All,

Finally got the internet up and running. The TV is still out. This is the second issue with Century Link prism in one week (when it was installed). I am so glad MOH insisted we change to it. Ran errands today, decorated  the tree and laid cork in the areas I had cleared on Sunday. I still need to shim the track coming out of the tunnel but  looking at it the new radius it will be about 4 inches wider. Tomorrow I go back to w**k for 3 days. Nothing planned for Friday but layout work

Saturday the club is having a holiday lunch/supper. MOH will be out of town Wednesday-Sunday for a series of quilting seminar that Mary Fons will be at. Sue may know of her since she quilts also.

Blazzin- Very nice looking building. Is it by chance a kit from CMR?

Jeff- I continue to say prayers for your Mother. I meant to tell you earlier that I like the Marlo Brando billboard.

Galaxy- I hope your situation improves for you.

 

 

 

 

Hope everyone has a good night and prayers for those in need.

 

[chochowillie]

Blazzin

No Rod and I are not in compettion, but if I go to his Christmas party .. you wanna come?

Darn tooten I go with you if only to get to see Rod's fabulous layout.

Thanks for the dis assembled view. That is real neat. I was going to ask if it was a kit but you already answered that.

A fellow I have known for years here where I live does custom buildings for people who wish them. He has quite a little business going and his work is outstanding scratch work. He was a sign painter for all of his working life.

We used to be on the Canadian Ski Patrol together. Neither one of us ski anymore.... too old and it hurts too much when we fall down is the story  

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well today I was waiting on the mail to run. I got the new decoder for one of my Bachmann GP7's. The old decoder still works but the headlight is stuck on full time. No matter what the CV settings are it's on steady all the time and won't turn off until the track power is turned off. As soon as the track power comes on the light comes on no matter what loco is selected. I'll use the old one in a loco that doesn't require a light like a slug or a trailing unit. I should be able to change it out sometime this week. I have to take my father to the dentist Thursday so that gives me three days.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Evening

From the city of Fogville....wherein we are having either rain or fog...we have a choice here...more for comparative purposes mind.......it has been mild though...high got to 59F this afternoon..

Speaking of falling down and going boom....my heel is now in a plaster cast...I went and fell off the ladder...dang thing...and landed...THUD...on my left heel...and cracked a couple of bones......I think I am accident prone....

Keith:  HEY!!! Long time no see!! I used to enjoy your posts...keep posting!!

Ken:  Megh...I think there was a surfeit of popped wheels around here...3 in one afternoon?

[kbkchooch]

Beeeeeeuuttiiffull Day today!!

December 3rd and 68 degrees outside today!!

 I did have an appointment in downtown Baltimore this morning, so we took the Metro (subway) down, from its western terminus at Owings Mills to Charles Center. Sooo much easier than driving,,cheaper than parking and no aggravation of other drivers.
Came back, put some paint and ground cover on the grandkids layout, and used my now repaired airbrush to paint a body shell!!

Oh,,and while I did all that, SWMBO washed and detailed my car.

I wonder what THAT is gonna cost me!!

[howmus]

Evenin' Folks,

Janie, I'll just have a decaf for the moment.  Thank you Ma'am!

What a day around here.  Spent all morning checking out what my old truck is worth for junk.  Got told They would give me $200 a ton for it (meaning the truck would be worth about $350) at one local place.  The guy said I would do a bit better at one of the junk yards where they sell off used parts (his place just crushes and recycles). Filled out an application for a car loan at the credit union just in case....  Did some checking of odds and ends, had a quick lunch and headed out to my sisters house to give her printed forms she needed for her upcoming trip in January, and to put away the lawn mower and shut down her outside water for the season. 

Got to my sisters house and she had a sign on the door to just come in and make myself at home as she had to run downtown to get her Visa photo taken...  I went back to the car got out her papers, and the wreath I give her every year and figured I could go to the Toyota Dealer and get back before she would ever make it back...  No sooner got out the wreath than she walks out of the house.  She, of course left the screen door wide open.  That was followed by her new cat who has now escaped 5 times.  The cat was a good boy and went right back in the house faced with the prospect of playing with both my sister and the stranger that was visiting...  Anyway she wanted me to hang out while she left for a couple hours, but I figured I would be able to tak to the slaesman at the dealer and get back to her place before she got back...

The salesman i used the last time I bought a car there (my Yaris) was not at his desk, and another employee asked if he could help me.  I asked for Ron, and he said he will be back in about 5 minutes, to make myself at home.  An hour later a different salesman asked if he could help me, I said I was waiting for Ron, and he went back to work.  Half hour later a 3rd. salesman said that if Ron didn't get back in a few more minutes he would get things started for me.  He took down what I was looking for and made arrangements for them to unbury the Prius I wanted...  They are doing some massive adding on to the dealership and everything is clogged up.  He and I were just going out so I could test drive the Prius Plug In and Ron shows up.  He took me out for the test drive.  All I can say is it is sweet car...

In the mean time they checked out the Yaris for trading value.  Came back with about $3,000 more than I thought they would give me for it, then gave me $800 for the Dakota sight unseen and then added on the $500 bonus coupon I got in the mail (they NEED 5 MORE YARISES For IMMEDIATE SALE!!!)  Talk about flagrant come-ons.  Then we talked about financing.  I wanted to go through my Credit Union as I know and trust them.  However...  Toyotathon has a 0% financing with $4,000 cash back...  Seems Toyota has to get a certain # of them on the road by the end of the year to meet the # California says they have to sell to give the Plug In the Fast Lane OK in the state of Clownifornia.  Who am I to argue.  So...  I got the $33,000 car for $21,000  (well with all the trad-in stuff).  I will be spending tomorrow cleaning out and removing all personal effects from both vehicles.  Need to find someone to follow me to Canandaigua and give me a ride back home for one trip (that will be the truck.  Hope I can get it there in one piece!).  Pick up the Prius on Wednesday.

Oh, it was after 6 when I left the Toyota Dealer...  Stopped my sister's house (did call her around 5) and turned off the water for her.  Got back in Geneva and over to the Scout Service center by 7 PM.  I was supposed to be there helping at 5:30.  Lucky it was slow so they didn't need me.  Came home, fed cats, and then fed me!

Janie, more decaf please!

Later!

73

[kbkchooch]

Ray

I see the plan now. New solar panels on the roof,,plug in rechargeable car, very smart!

Putting a ramp up the side of the garage so you can get the Prius up to the panels to plug it in directly?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Guess I'll be calling it a night early. With all the running around this morning then the work I've been doing since, well I'm just wiped. See y'all tomorrow.

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Chloe - I'll have a RBF tonight, please. Oh, just because, no reason. Thanks.

Keith, good to see you again in the Diner. Nice model/sections there - who makes those? Hardest part (I suspect) might be deciding, "How do I want to arrange this building?..."   I hadn't seen on our weather lately, but is SoCal getting much of that rain that further north is *definitely* getting?

Ulrich, best wishes on your run for the Bundestag representative. Have you prepped Petra for how to be a "loyal party frau? (only kidding there - I figure if anyone picked on her, they might have more of a handful than they'd bargained for(!).

And Ray, I see you're going (almost, except for your wood stove...) all-electric around your place? If Toyota would quit sticking the price on them (Priuses/Prii?) so high, they might sell a bunch more (IMO). Enjoy that new pretty and shiny! Oh, on your financing, does your CU do like ours here does, and offer to help you transfer over your car financing to them? Might be worth a check on that. (I'm considering doing that with my Taurus)

Hey, Ken - are you still with the same auto parts/repair place as before? I wasn't sure if I had that right or not. Hopefully, you got your $60 in sales commissions back.

Jeff, did you get your nephew "paid back" yet? (Heh, heh, heh...)  for you and your family in figuring out options for your mother's care arrangements.

Karl, I'd bet that your SWMBO's detailing your car may just be prepping you to get some really NICE present for her...("Y'think?" - as Gibbs might say...)

Some were talking about SoCal, but the closest to there that I've been was the Tempe/Phoenix area in Arizona. Wouldn't mind getting to see Yosemite Park, though.

Got in an order from MB Klein today - some more detail parts. Scrap yard pieces, including one fairly large scrap pile (about 18' by 34' scale size in HO), smaller set of car scrap parts (one pre-painted), and some movie billboards. Had earlier picked up two undecorated Kadee 40' PS-1 boxcars (which will have data markings, CAW logos and road numbers added to them, and one other Kadee boxcar I had bought earlier). Also still w**king on the DPM townhouse buildings.

I'll be at the (finely polished...) Rivet Counter, making my list (and checking it twice...). Oh, just my list of who I need to get presents for. (Not sure what I'll be getting my daughter...maybe a lump of coal for her stocking stuffer, lately)

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in Cape G.

[GMTRacing]

Good Evening All,

   Yeah, I was in a hurry this morning ( I really must be going cos I'm late, I'm late, I'm late). The coffee was good tho.

  Keith - welcome back. I'm glad you returned and kudos to G(I think) who tied us up close enough for you to find us.Nice building too.  

   Jeff - I love the way you frame your shots. With all the photographic stuff I have access to, I can't come close. Must be that vision thing. Are you getting another trailer for the stuff you're clearing off or have you enlisted Todds' missus and Galaxies FIL to help you dispurse it all?

   When I grew up the valley was the San Jouquin Valley not some namby pamby hollows pretending to be valleys. We always thought the Imperial Valley was a ditch putting on airs

   No progress tonight on the layout, but I did get the next batch of 12ga solid for the next buss line. Besides the Giants are playing the Redskins (always a good game for those of us into American football) and the Uconn women were playing basketball earlier as well. 

   Anyone have an idea if I can make a regular Baldwin Babyface locomotive out of a centipede?  The big B looks like a great mantle piece, but the babyface could be useful.....   Oh well, another day perhaps, J.R.

  

[Hoople]

Evening all!

I've been plotting more world domination recently.

I came to the realization that attempting to just re-use my 4x8 in the 9x10 room makes absolutely no sense, so I gave planning for the room a go.

Minimum radius is 24" in staging, 26" on the main. Minimum turnouts are #7 curved; #8 straight (a couple #4s for switching purposes). Maximum grade is 2.5%. The dotted tracks are the staging yard which is at the lowest point of the layout, from there until the switches for the passing siding at the summit, the main line increases in height a total of 4". I like this plan- mainline run is long because it goes around twice, there are some hills to conquer, and there are two towns and staging for operations.

[james saunders]

Gday folks. It’s an early season stinker here. We’re sitting just below 39c (102F) here In Brisbane, very unseasonal to have a December day this hot. Normally our really hot days occur in January or February. The saving grace is that the humidity is only 30% so the wind is very dry, but that means it’s great conditions for fires to start. I’m lucky to be sitting in AC all day, but had to go out to get lunch about half an hour ago. The ambient temperature was 140F!! NOW THAT is HOT. Out in the warehouse it’s about 115F.

Not much else going on, just hope all the people don’t melt who have to work outdoors. Our power demand is Extreme at the moment, pushing the record usage of 4670MW in the day.

Talk to you later… once I’ve stopped melting. OzJim

["JaBear"]

Gidday All, certainly no where near as warm as OzJim, 82 F yesterday, and only 70 F today but had warm dry winds, which on top of the driest November in 50 years, has already got the Fire Warning signs at "Very High", though there is currently a severe rain warning for the area, a forecast 3 to 5 inches. Hope we get it as we have two machines down, only two available for fire fighting. Hopefully we'll have one back in the air tomorrow, the second Thursday, touch wood, (firmly touching head with both hands).

Only 2145 hours but I whacked and with a couple of long days to come, its off to bed for me.

Thoughts and Best Wishes to All Those who need them.

Cheers, the Bear.

[wetidlerjr]

Good Morning! from Tipton IN.

It's Tuesday December 4, 2012

TIPTON

[Anonymous]

Good Morning!

It´s cold and windy outside. Yesterday evening saw some snow, but it started to rain during the night, so all is gone by now. We are "enjoying  a spell of "warmer" weather the next days - daytime temperatures hovering at 38 F. That spell will be over by coming Friday - right in time for our trip to my parent´s place. My father will be turning 86, so we want to be with him that day.

The post woman (mail woman somehow does not sound right) not only brought my January copy of MR, but also that table saw I ordered. Now I have all the tools I need to build those buildings, but no materials for it. Somehow that does not sound right either.

Still no word from our son, whether or when he will join us for the holidays. We have a few little (vey little, indeed) presents for him and his GF waiting for them.

Have a nice day & blessings to all!

[galaxy]

Morning Coffee in the Diner with friends...

GOOD MORNING!!!

Today is Tuesday, December 4th, 2012!!!

We certainly do live in "Interesting Times", SO:

Meaning:

May you experience much disorder and trouble in your life

Origin:

While purporting to be a blessing, this is in fact a curse. The expression is always used ironically, with the clear implication  that 'uninteresting times', of peace and tranquillity, are more life-enhancing than interesting ones.

'May you live in interesting times'  is  widely reported as being of ancient Chinese origin but  is neither Chinese nor ancient, being recent  and western. It certainly seems to  have been intended to sound oriental, in the faux-Chinese 'Confucius he    say' style, but that's as near to China as it actually gets. Confucius's actual sayings are as elusive as those of his western counterpart Aesop- we have no written records from either of them.

The phrase was  introduced in the 20th century in the form 'interesting age' rather than 'interesting times' and appears that way in  the opening remarks made by Frederic R. Coudert at the Proceedings of the Academy of Political Science, 1939:

Some years ago, in 1936, I had to write to a very dear and honored friend of mine, who has since died, Sir Austen Chamberlain, brother of the present Prime Minister, and I concluded my letter with a rather banal remark, "that we were living in an interesting age." Evidently he read the whole letter, because by return mail he wrote to me and concluded as follows: "Many years ago, I learned from one of our diplomats in China that one of the principal Chinese curses heaped upon an enemy is, 'May you live in an interesting age.'" "Surely", he said, "no age has been more fraught with insecurity than our own present time." That was three years ago.

This citation has to be treated with caution as Chamberlain didn't speak Chinese and never visited China, although he was in contact with diplomats stationed there  during his time as British Foreign Secretary, that is, 1924-1929. We have the 1939 citation in print, so the 'interesting age' form must be at least that old. If we are to believe Coulson's assertion, the phrase dates from before 1936 and, if we trust in Chamberlain's recollection,  we can push the origin back to pre-1929.

As to the currently used 'interesting times' version, we can only date that to post WWII. No one is sure who introduced the term but the person who did most to bring it to the public's attention was Robert Kennedy. In  a speech in Cape Town in June 1966, Kennedy said:

There is a Chinese curse which says 'May he live in interesting times.' Like it or not we live in interesting times. They are times of danger and uncertainty; but they are also more open to the creative energy of men than any other time in history.

As those who lived through the 1960s (and can remember) will recall, they were nothing if not interesting.

 

JOKE OF THE DAY:

A Wise old  grandmother is giving directions to her grown grandson who is coming to visit with his new wife.
"You come to the front door of the apartment. I am in apartment 301 . There is a big panel at the front door.
With your elbow, push button 301 and I will buzz you in. Come inside, the elevator is on the right.
Get in, and with your elbow push 3. When you get out, I'm on the left. With your elbow, hit my doorbell."
"Grandma, that sounds easy, but, why am I hitting all these buttons with my elbow?
"What ... You coming empty handed?"

 

The prayer candles will be lit most of the day for those in need of thoughts and prayers this day.

Make today A GREAT DAY!

[GMTRacing]

Good morning All,

    39F and sprinkles this morning with a high in the 50's. I'll have a regular and a toasted blueberry muffin please Zoe. Don't let me stay up to watch the Giants agin please. Lost they did....

   Lots to do in the shop today and I'd better get after it. Hope our friends in Oz make out ok too. The heat was ok, but the threat of wildfires is a real concern. Hopeyou get your rainfall Bear.   CUL, J.R.

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning

Wet is the word for today...showers and mild..temperatures going down this afternoon to 48F ...freezing tonight...

Getting some prescrips done this afternoon and then some runnin' 'roun' doin' stuff....yay...namely paint for the house reno stuff after the new years...sigh...

[TMarsh]

Good Morning!!!

Coffee and waffle with strawberries and whipped cream please. Thank you.

New mouse!!! Works great. Happy world, happy world. Supposed to w**k on any surface cause of some blue light thing and it does w**k well. I can once again use my pant leg as a surface. Of course the one before this last one did too.Hmmm and that was before they invented this new w**ks on any surface blue light thing. What did they do, make all the others NOT w**k on surfaces to sell these? Wouldn't doubt it. Shoot this last one wouldn't w**k well on a mouse pad or any surface.

Keith!! Glad to see you. Thought you dropped off the edge of the country.

Didn’t get anything done in the office yesterday due to bookwork for the Church and my trip to town. But I did get a few more things to Habitat for Humanities Re-Store and 2 pair boots to the shoe repair for new soles and heels (got lost for 15 20 minutes. I always pick the wrong road. Only go there once a year so.....), my new mousey and a chicken sandwich and fries that I paid as much for as I would have for a gut buster at the Chinese Buffet. AND no chance the lady behind the counter would have brought me a bowl of peaches either. Fast food is just fast. Well, fast-er. Not cheap. Oh yes there’s the dollar menu for a snack or light lunch, but by the time you get enough of those, you’re right back up there. Depends on how you eat of course.

Gotta few bills in the mail yesterday so I’ll pay them this morn and then spin my chair around and get cracking on this room before grocery put away at 10.

Ooo! Piece of candy!

Ya’ll have a good day, ya hear!!!!