Good Morning,
Something light please Chloe, just toast and a coffee I think. I get hungry but don't have a very big appetite since my surgery. Just as well as I'm not getting much exercise either.
Dave, my wife has back problems too. She had a herniated disc about 25 years ago and since then her back gives her major problems from time to time. She has done a lot of research and excess weight especially in the stomach area can really amplify any problems. She finds that even 5-10 lbs. too much can make a difference. By the way she is fairly tall at 5'10". We belong to a gym that specializes in medical rehabilitation and that really helps even just walking on the track. I will start a class next Monday for prostate cancer survivors. They have nurses on staff at all times and have 'crash carts' for any emergencies. Needless to say the cars we have bought since her problem have all been based on what she finds comfortable. So far that has only been a Volvo. They do have fabulous seats.
I got out one of the Red Caboose kits I thought I might put together but realize they are too involved to do at the breakfast counter. I need a space to put things aside where I can just leave them so I'll just have to wait until I can get down to my workbench. That should only be another couple of weeks.
Yesterday my wife went out shopping with a friend and afterwards they picked up some sushi for lunch. That sure was a nice treat. The last 2 times we got it from a place that is farther away but sure worth the extra drive as it is really fine sushi. The place has been there a long time but we just didn't go there.
Nothing planned for today. I'm starting to get cabin fever.
CN Charlie
Jello all !!
Train front - Trucking company stopped by yesterday to review access. He agrees with my estimate that I need approximately 15 loads of fill. I have requested Friday or Saturday haul in. Hope he can find fill material.
Work has evened out. Finall delivered the last house, New model is open, Preconstruction meeting out of the way, rest is on cruise control with some tweaking.
Garry - Glad to be home ? Here you can have my Oatmeal - YUCK - I think the two bravest people in the world was the first two guys to eat raw oysters or slimy Oatmeal - yuck !
Ulrich - What do you like about the the Japanese layouts ? They are very well done. Maybe if you get back into modeling that will help the panic attacks ? I am with you on the coffee and IV bag, Here lets have a and sit and talk about pleasant things like what we like about modeling. Congrats on passing teh 9000 mark : )
Dave - Ouch ! Where the screws are not run in all the way can you feel that ? Does it hurt ?
MoeLarry - When I get that sick I take EmergC 1000 and Cold Eze (SP?) . Knocks the flu/cold out in very short order.
Ken - Good price on the new to you door. Install is a bit high just for install. Does that include removal and haul off of old door ? What about the opener ?
Angel - I think many of us have that problem !
History qoute :
The best form of government is that which is most likely to prevent the greatest sum of evil.
The right of self-defense never ceases. It is among the most sacred, and alike necessary to nations and to individuals.
The liberties of a people depend on their own constant attention to its preservation.
Good morning ...
I'll have oatmeal and OJ please. (You guys reminded me I need to lose weight.)
I am still catching up on non-mrr stuff, but hope to be back to the model railroad this weekend.
Cheers.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
hon30critterI like good food and good liquor too much!
Leave out the liquor and I am with you - third time around!
Petra is just too good a cook for me not to enjoy eating - just as much as she likes cooking! I know I should also lose weight - to the tune of 50 pounds - to ease of the burden on my heart, literally speaking, but I doubt this is going to happen in my lifetime.
Just woke up from a nap on the sofa. I am not feeling refreshed - au contraire Isay (if I were French). Now I need coffee in an IV bag to get me going. And, Chloe, I don´t mind if you throw in a slice of that apple crumble pie, thank you!
And now, for some entertainment, the early afternoon Japanese N scale layout video:
I have to admit confess that I start to like those Japanese layouts. I should bring my mini-modular layout back into life ...
Ulrich:
Sir MadogI owe to my size and weight, 6´5" and 245 lbs. don´t do your spine a lot of good.
I'm 6' 2" (in the morning at least). I'm so used to looking straight at or more usually down at people that when I meet someone as tall as you are I find it a bit disconcerting. At 245 lbs. you are doing well. I'm a little over 310 lbs. and I am very heavy boned. When my spinal fusion was done the surgeons said my bones were so dense that they could barely drive the screws in. Even then, they didn't get them in all the way. The excess fat is mostly in my gut. My arms and legs are relatively fat free. My doctor has mentioned to me several times that my back would benefit if I were to lose weight, but alas I lack the resolve. I like good food and good liquor too much! My bad!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
hon30critterWhat scares me a bit now is that my back pain is slowly getting worse. It is now pretty much constant if I am standing or walking, and recently sitting in the car has caused problems too.
We share that as well, Dave! I owe to my size and weight, 6´5" and 245 lbs. don´t do your spine a lot of good. Add to that a nasty car accident some 40 years ago and you´ll understand the issue. I am not taking any pain killers - yet.
Sir MadogBeen there, done that! The best part were the withdrawal symptoms when they took me off that stuff. I spent my days on the sofa, covered with all the woolen blankets we could get hold on, trembling and shivering. That was no fun at all!
I was very lucky in that regard. Amazingly I only had a couple of days of the shakes and chills and feeling faint. Why that was after the length of time I had been on the painkillers I do not know, but I'm not complaining!
What scares me a bit now is that my back pain is slowly getting worse. It is now pretty much constant if I am standing or walking, and recently sitting in the car has caused problems too. Previously that was one of the few places where I was comfortable. I am resisting going back on the painkillers. I may see what medical marijuana can do for me at some point. A good friend has been using if for severe knee and foot pain and he says it works quite well. I may become a dope fiend!
Cheers Ulrich!
hon30critterI was on Hydromorphone (Morphine) for the entire time. Not fun for me or Dianne, but the hallucinations were interesting
Been there, done that! The best part were the withdrawal symptoms when they took me off that stuff. I spent my days on the sofa, covered with all the woolen blankets we could get hold on, trembling and shivering. That was no fun at all!
Giving up smoking was a walk in the park compared to that!
Sir MadogShe is doing fine - for the moment.
I'm glad to hear that she is not in pain. When my back went bad from an infection in my spine in 2008 I had to wait 10 months for the infection to subside before they could do the fusion. In fact, the infection did a lot more damage before it was brought under control. The pain was incredible. I was on Hydromorphone (Morphine) for the entire time. Not fun for me or Dianne, but the hallucinations were interesting .
Wish her well please! And you hang in there too!!
hon30critterHow is Petra doing? Does she have a date for her surgery?
Thanks for asking, Dave! She is doing fine - for the moment. She has a doctor´s appointment next week, at which we´ll probably find out the when and where of her surgery.
In any case, the timing of all what´s to come is not really good, with me being in the sick bay as well.
Sorry to hear about you having such a bad night. Not fun!
How is Petra doing? Does she have a date for her surgery?
Take care,
Good Morning, everybody!
The night was pretty bad for me. For whatever reason, I got all panicky and started to hyperventilate and fainted. Petra called the paramedics, who got me back somehow. Apparently there is no physical reason, just reacting to the threatening circumstances we live in. I hope today will be a better day.
The morning video is about a steam train in rural Japan - enjoy this short film of a well made video of an amazing N scale layout!
Good evening, everybody !
We returned from AZ, and we had a great visit with our youngest daughter and her husband. While we were there, they had maybe 1/2" of the 5" of annual rainfall they get there. So the weather was less than ideal. Each morning, a large flock of morning doves was loud.
Speaking of colds, several passengers on the plane obviously had colds, and I hope we don't get it.
Looks like you Diners were busy, and I have much to catch up on. I'll get back with you tomorrow.
Cheers
Moe I have that. I'm on day 5 and except for coughing, doing much better.
There is a guy on Youtube "Bad Lip Reading" that has a hysterical video on the Inauguration. Since it's all FAKE lip reading, I don't see it has a political side to it one way or the other so it shouldn't agitate Cousin Vinnie https://youtu.be/gneBUA39mnI
Got some primer on my tank kit. It's a dark primer, I may leave it at that and just add weathering
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Evening Diners
Flo, Ed and I will have a Crown Royal with a chaser.
In a better mood than I thought I would be in today. Did the math and with this check and what is left in the checking account I have $12.15 to live on for the week! I was thinking I would need to take around $200.00 out of savings to make the payment. So from my point a view it is a win.
New Garage Door. Well it will be new to me. One of the customers I had from work (that bought) install garage doors, his name is Big Mike. He has a used door I can buy for $100.00 and will install for $250.00. For $350.00 I can have a garage door that I can open again! My old wood door, well it has a few small holes in it and I cannot lift the dang thing anymore. Well, more afraid to! If it fell apart train layout would be junk! OK, it is junk but it works! Only thing I don't like is there are no windows. Big Mike is looking into the cost to have some installed.
YGW I have 2 plan B's.
1 I will take early retirment at 62. I will be 61 2-24-17 so I have about 18 months to go. Yes, I will still need to work but it will take a lot of pressuer off me.
2 Get the heck out of this Titanic of a company! I fell like Captain Smith and Gillgan is my first mate.
Rick If I cannot believe in what I am selling I won't show it.
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
I have spent the whole day in bed, I got some sort of resp crud. I think it is a flu. No stomach issues though.
I got up about lunch and up again now. Atleast I am hungry and can eat.
just lots of tissues and snorting.
I feel like I have a fever and when I check I do not......
blah..
I will have some chilli cheese fries.....
Evening Diners,
yougottawanta Angel - "think small, ideas huge" In my world that statement goes like this " Big plans small pocket book " or as some of my blue collar friends say "beer budget champagne taste "
Angel - "think small, ideas huge" In my world that statement goes like this " Big plans small pocket book " or as some of my blue collar friends say "beer budget champagne taste "
I have those same problems as well. Most of these ideas and plannings are just talk.
I have one or two that is actually working.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
This place looks deserted today!
Maybe I can lure a few folks to join me by showing a video of a drone flight over a breathtaking Japanese N scale layout?
For those who have been to Japan - it´s really amazing how the builder has captured the atmosphere of this country!
Well, I´ll be slowly making my way to the hay. I am not feeling well. My right side is acting up and shows some of the effects of that stroke I had some time ago. Best is to go to bed, try to catch some sleep and forget about it.
Edit: I just passed the 9,000 mark in my post count - gee whiz!
Good evening all !
Finally the sun has decided to shine in Virginia again. Usually I do not get depressed by dreary weather but the past week and half or rains and clouds was starting to get to me.
Train front - I think the company who has agreed to haul in the fill material is FINALLY moving in the right direction. They are making a site visit today. I have requested Friday and Saturday haul in. Say a prayer this happens if you are the praying type.
Ulrich - Shewww that was a close call ! I am gald it is working out. Lets hope the cooling pad doesnt go on the blink now. How is Petra doing ?
Ricky W - I would also suggest calling venders, former customers, Look at online sites that rate the company or their products, google there name and see what comes up.....
Ken - If and when this company fails what is plan B?
ROR - LOL !! That has happened to you too !!! I done that a time or two
B Bill - The guy hung upside down ??? How much height did he need to pick up ? I am glad some people want to be police offers. I for one never want to be one. Generally speaking you are having to deal with people who dont want you around, dont like you and or they are at a very low place in their lives. God bless you for doing that job and THANK YOU ! Phew not for me !
History qoute:
As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows.
Honor, justice, and humanity, call upon us to hold, and to transmit to our posterity, that liberty which we received from our ancestors. It is not our duty to leave wealth to our children, but it is our duty to leave liberty to them.
5pm and the sun is slowly setting, which means
I´ll invite everyone to his/her favorite poison!
The cooling pad seems to do the trick - so far no shut down to report. The notebook stays much cooler and appears to be faster as well. If that stays, those $$ were well invested.
I am still not up to much these days, as my back continues to hurt. I know it´s a pulled muscle, so the pain will eventually go away. Time will tell!
I am going to stay right here at the RC - anybody care to join me?
Morning diners,
Thanks Beach Bill. I was thinking of something small with two locomotives and less than 20 cars. The track plan I was thinking of using is Deer Mountain and change a few things.
Almost for the past week I have addictive to a Disney phone app. I know it will pass in several days. But it feels like a real problem.
Extra strong coffee TO GO, please. Much to do and miles to cover. Hope nobody minds if I borrow that pump car sitting next to the diner.
Have a terrific day everyone.
Cheers! Rob
angelob6660 I was researching the Chesapeake and Ohio yesterday. Figuring out what equipment would I buy to model it in 1941-1952.
I was researching the Chesapeake and Ohio yesterday. Figuring out what equipment would I buy to model it in 1941-1952.
To some extent, that makes it easier. Didn't the C&O have at least one of everything? I have that C&O Power book by Stauffer and it seems they had every steam wheel arrangement made. This may be connected to the variety of terrain covered, but they still seem to have more varieties of power than similar-sized railroads. Probably only the C&O fans would recognize the difl
hon30critter Ricky, Your new 'opportunity' smells fishy to me too. Apparently you will be selling crap.
Ricky,
Your new 'opportunity' smells fishy to me too.
Apparently you will be selling crap.
Im thinking the same.... And that is, I believe, one of the major reasons I dislike the "smell" of it.... The stated "salary" is another big issue...
hon30critter don't wish for 'Leo' to prevent your new District Manager from getting to the store.
don't wish for 'Leo' to prevent your new District Manager from getting to the store.
Actually, I'm hoping 'Leo' don't scare him away till a later date. I want the snow, but I would really like to meet the new DM first.
Off to w**k now, so I will check in later.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Sir MadogSee what the Better Business Bureau people know about the company.
Good suggestion!
Good Morning, Folks!
My new cooling pad has arrived - a day ahead of the scheduled delivery date! that makes it 36 hours from the order to the delivery. Not bad a service!
Installing it was just a matter of pluuging the double USB cable into the ports and switch it on. The 5 fans are surprisingly quiet, in fact, the fan of my notebook is so noisy, I can´t hear them at all!
Let´s no hope this will extend the service life of my notebook for a while!
hon30critterRicky, Your new 'opportunity' smells fishy to me too.
I can only second what Dave has said! If the salary is way above what is normally being paid, than there is either something fishy about the whole business or the stated figure includes boni, spiffs or whatever you are most likely not to get. See what the Better Business Bureau people know about the company.
Out for the moment - CUL!
Your new 'opportunity' smells fishy to me too. You sound like a decent person, not one who wants to make a career out of cheating people. Apparently you will be selling crap. Do you really want to have to deal with all those customers who will be returning to complain about how long their sofas didn't last? If you can brush that off, fine, but I think you set your standards higher than that.
My gut feeling is apparently the same as yours but that is pure speculation on my part. Ask more questions. Make your decision based on facts. If they don't give you clear answers up front before they offer you a job, then I suspect both our guts are right. Even if you decide to not take the job, the process of asking more questions will be very educational for you and will provide you with a lot of good experience and confidence building. Be brave!!!
Also, if I can suggest, don't wish for 'Leo' to prevent your new District Manager from getting to the store. Instead, make the decision to meet the new manager head on (politely of course). Spend some time the night before thinking about your personal successes and abilities and work ethic. You don't want to shove that stuff down the new manager's throat, but you do want to be prepared to talk to them positively and intelligently. Best not to go in with a hangover!
yougottawanta FRRYKid - Did you find your putty yet ? One time while working on my in laws house I put together a team of family members to help. My son was there that day and mid day I lost my carpenters pencil. While I was fuming and fussing turnover this and that looking for it I noticed my son looking amused at me. I stopped and inquired what he thought was so funny. He said "Dad your pencil is behind your ear!" hate it when that happens.
FRRYKid - Did you find your putty yet ? One time while working on my in laws house I put together a team of family members to help. My son was there that day and mid day I lost my carpenters pencil. While I was fuming and fussing turnover this and that looking for it I noticed my son looking amused at me. I stopped and inquired what he thought was so funny. He said "Dad your pencil is behind your ear!" hate it when that happens.
No, but this is the part of the week that railroad stuff doesn't get done due to work time.
ricktrains4824 Although, my cat is big, as far as cats go, I think he must be part Maine coon or something...
Although, my cat is big, as far as cats go, I think he must be part Maine coon or something...
My parents have what we think is a Coon Cat. He is 16#. He was a "show up" cat. We think he was an abandoned/abused cat. My parents first knew that they had gained another cat when, one evening, they heard a rustling in the kitchen and both cats were in the bedroom with them and they found that all the leftover cat food had been eaten! It took Mom a good year to get this cat calmed down enough to get him to the vet to get him checked out. When it came down to naming this cat, Mom & Dad had no ideas. Given that they had a Siamese (which they still have, 15 years old) named Angel and a gray cat (who has since passed away) named Charlie, someone at where Mom worked and I still do, suggested calling him Bosley, which they went with. Most of the time we just call him Boz. He is 10.
Got the new cable for the chill mat earlier today. The new cable wasn't that expensive and got it installed this evening. The mat works wonderfully and seems to be compensating for the malfunctioning system fan.
Good (late) evening all.
Chloe - Just a hot cocoa please. Thanks.
Ken - Well, it's not that I need more money than I am making, but I do need health insurance, which is not offerred where I am currently employed. The other place does offer it to full time employees, to go with the (still seems high, to my mind anyways) hourly rate. That would be the only reason I would even consider it.
Pros - In order of importance - Health insurance. Other employee benefits - Dental/vision/life insurance, 401k, paid vacations. More pay. (To pay for said benefits, if you make sales quota's to get said commission....)
Cons - In no particular order - Further from home. (This means more driving, more commute time, more gas expense, more car maintenance, more oil and tire use. This might cancel out any and all extra pay acquired.) I like where I work now - I have a nice boss who cares about people, and who is willing to work to make sure the schedule fit our needs. (Most of the time it works out without any hiccups. - Also unsure how this place would handle that one.) Commission based pay. (I see some problems here... Have a poor sales month, get a poor paycheck. I already get a slight taste of that now, though not as bad it seems.)
So, I am on the fence about the offer... And, really still, something is telling me to run... Although not to the offer, but away from it....
Maybe the fact that I have not had a good buying history with them, getting shystered once too many times... From poor products and poor handling of their product guarantees.... A sofa should last longer than 3 months before the cushions are pancake-style. (No one in my family is that big, as I myself am under 200lbs, being 5'6" and ~ 160lbs, also only 30 years old, and half the family is under the 200lbs mark, My dad, being the biggest, is still nowhere close to that big either, although he is 6'1". Dog and cat can't weigh that much either, so that's not the answer... Although, my cat is big, as far as cats go, I think he must be part Maine coon or something... Or part Lion. ) And, the replacement cushions (both sets of them!) should likewise last longer than 3 months... (1 year warranty on the sofa....)
And, maybe, because the last few times I was in there, they had no-one that I recognized from the times before...
(Of course, from the last buying experience, I have not returned much, so that could just be a coincidence... But, coincident's don't happen often in retail...)
They are not a large chain by any means, but have been in my area for many years now.
Just, something feels "off" about it.... No other discription fits.
(Now, I could be way off base here, they could very well be awesome employers. I have never worked for them after all...)
Really, just was looking for another opinion on it, from someone in the biz... Something tells me that commission will be a big part, but there might be other "strings" to find....
I know the final decision is up to me, just getting opinions to make a more informed choice.
YGW - Not nothing, per say, just not as much. I get a base pay, per hour, any "extra's", like commission and spiff money, is in addition to that pay. But, only if we hit goals in sales, credit share, maintainance agreements, etc... We are there on all of the areas, save sales, right now. (Actually, so high on the rest, that we are carrying ourselves on that, so long as we don't slip any further. We need so many "points" to hit our spiff and commission payouts, and we have just enough points as of Sunday, so far....)
Weather - Rain, changed to fog and sleet, changing to wet snow, then back to rain for tomorrow before "Leo" makes his presence felt here after that. As I mentioned, maybe I will sell some more snow throwers, to help catch our sales up!
Speaking of sales.....
W**k - Awesome sales day today, we totally crushed our daily goal!
Caveat #1 -
You all knew this was coming -
Our daily sales goal (Before adjustment for missed goals on prior days) was......
Drumroll please........
$74.94.......
After adjustment you say? Well, we did not exactly catch up entirely, but took a huge chunk back out of the deficit on sales goal for the month. We did finish first among area stores, by a large margin, so it was still a awesome sales day... For a Tuesday.
Maybe "Leo" will help us by getting all our remaining snow throwers sold, and push us over our adjusted sales goals the rest of the week.... And, therefore, the month.
(I know, I Am weird for wanting a lot of snow, but I have ulterior motives here... )
Trouble is, no, I didn't hit any extra spiff money today, (see caveat #2 below), or get much for points wise. (Credit share went up, percentage wise, but, maintainance agreements dropped percentage wise. I think they cancelled out each other. Caveat #2 - Only chance I have is if the credit share percentage bounced me to the next spiff level...)
My (new) district manager will be in on Thursday, so I guess I will be going in to meet him. (He's coming on my day off..... Of course!) Unless "Leo" keeps him away....
Owner will also be in on Thursday... Pending "Leo's" strength.
So, lots of "extra" cleaning of stuff that is not normally priority. (Pending down time between customers anyways.)
Well, that's enough for me tonight, as I best be off to bed, so as to not be while at w**k tomorrow... Err... Today now.
Good night all. (Should I? Ok, I am, sort of....)
"And Good-night Mrs. Ockmonic, wherever you are." - ALF.
Hope all are well, and all enjoy the day! (Err, night, and then day!)
(Edited Typo.... This is what happens when I am typing when I should be sleeping!)
Flo, Ed will have a Crown Royal and I will have a please.
Another Mixed Day, which is better than a Ash Pit Day I will add!
Work Front was Sloooow. But sort of turned out good. Sold off a old floor model Memorny Foam Mattress and made a extra $130.00 in spiff! Sort of down side was as I was walking up to the door at 7:59 to leave, had a customer pull up. Well I did the right thing and helped her and did a get a small sale of $155.00 and made a extra $5.00. With the O/T with me getting out late I guess it was worth it.
Rick, what have you decided to do? While I was driving to work today I saw a furniture store with a Sales Person wanted sighn. Think I will throw my hat into the ring wednesday.
YGW Biggest reason I have hung around the current company is it is easy. With my feet problem's I been told not to stand for more than 3 hours a day total.
Ed I swear it was not my fault your Mighty 235 derailed! Might be because I bought you a last night and not a , lack of Crown Royal may cause that!
Well the Bessemer's and CB&Q are running well on the A line. Y6b is stalled with a derail on the B line. Do not fell like dragging out the Big Hook tonight.
Later,Ken