Welcome to the September Diner! This month we are in New Mexico!

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Good morning .

Flo .... I'll have coffee and a Belgian waffle, please. ...... Huh? You say "No". .... Oh, Ed ate all of them. ...Hmmmmm..... I'll have a donut, please. 

Kevin ..... I bet all of your home improvemnt work precludes time for model railroading, but I'm glad you take time to contribute here.

I did not get much done on my next freight car last night. I hope I have more time for it today.

Lion ..... The shirt picture you posted yesterday looked cool.

Everybody ...... Have a good day. 

[SeeYou190]

Good morning everyone. I am just having a coffee ths morning before I start the day.

Going to start grout in the bathroom. This "never seal & mildew proof" grout is a pain to work with. It needs to come off the tile surfaces right away or it will stick.

This requires a constant flow of grouting and sponging. Only a small area can be done at once.

I hope it is not a frustrating day.

-Kevin

[howmus]

BroadwayLion

13.Them lumberjacks are not vegitables!

LIONS *know* real food when they see it.

Yep! 13... Humans are animals too.  Dangerous ones at times, I've heard!

73

[Lastspikemike]

hon30critter

 

 

Heartland Division CB&Q

Dave .... It is unfortunate your back gives you so much trouble. I wonder if back surgery could be considered. 

 

 

Hi Garry,

Everything has been considered and nothing has worked. The back surgeons say that operating won't help. Physio causes excrutiating pain. Accupuncture (intramuscular stimulation) worked for one session and then it started to make things worse. The list goes on......

Ed,

The problem with a Rollator is that they still force me to stand and/or walk some of the time, and they are not comfortable to sit in for long periods. If you are sitting in one while someone pushes you, your feet are dangling in mid air and you are going backwards. Not my cup of tea.

Dave

 

"The Back Doctor" by Dr Hamilton Hall. Very handy book to read for ideas on living with a "bad back". Apparently, he's just written a new version.  Google gets you the reviews and places to buy either book. The most valuable part is the explanation of why this is such a common problem and how understanding how your particular back problem causes the pain can help you avoid it.

My ortho discouraged me from risking surgery at the age of 27 when my back trouble started. A good friend of mine nearly died after back surgery went wrong.

It is now not recommended except for certain types of situations.

Although physiotherapy can be painful it is possible it may help. Nearly 40 years ago I was given a series of mild exercises by a physiotherapist that I perform each morning without fail.  Well, in the distant past I occasionally failed until my back wreaked its revenge for that. Now I just never forget, no matter where I am, even while on a long distance flight. 

It is important to consult with a physiotherapist about which types of exercise are appropriate for your particular back problem (there are three general types). I recommend you not try to decide this for yourself.

For my congenital defect I use the lie on the floor series which can be excruciating for the other two types of problem. But there are simple exercises for each type which can alleviate and in my case completely eliminate the pain. 

It is worth exploring these. If you decide to use exercise it is really important not to ever stop.

[BroadwayLion]

13.Them lumberjacks are not vegitables!

 

LIONS *know* real food when they see it!

[gmpullman]

3

Aah, good eye, mate! You spotted the mascot way off to the left 

Free cuppa Joe for you 

Cheers, Ed

["JaBear"]

gmpullman

How many animals do you see?

3

[gmpullman]

'Mornin

Things were kind of slow so I popped outside for a photo while Flo was making my Belgian Waffles:

UP_Diner by Edmund, on Flickr

This is on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. I seem to recall an article somewhere about hauling this diner out of here not too long ago?

Today's a good day for a hearty breakfast! 

 

Cheers, Ed

[SeeYou190]

Heartland Division CB&Q

MLC and Kevin, I recall Dan was with us on the day you visited here. Perhaps you remember meeting him. 

Yes I do, and that makes the news even more sad.

You are very much in my thoughts today.

-Kevin

[hon30critter]

Post hog!!

Dianne and I have a new baby!! No, no, no, not that kind of baby. This one doesn't poop!

We had our dead mountain ash tree replaced on Friday with a young serviceberry tree. The mountain ash was attacked by fire blight. At the end there was only one limb with any green leaves on it.

The serviceberry is native to central Canada and the northern USA. We chose it because the breed is pretty hardy and diseases are rare. We also chose it because it produces a blueberry like fruit that the birds love. It also flowers beautifully in the spring, and the fall colours are pretty as well.

People like the berries too. The Cree used the berries as a significant part of their diet. Unfortunately picking the berries is very tedious because you can only do it one berry at a time. They grow on individual stems, not in clusters. We will likely leave the berries for the birds. They are much more suited to the job!

I was surprised at how short a time it took the arborists to replace the tree. Two people had the old 40' tree down, stump removed and the mess totally cleaned up in less than hour, and the planting only took about 30 minutes.

Now we can sit on the deck and watch it grow! As a bonus, we won't have to start saving for university for the new baby!!

Dave

[hon30critter]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Dave:  ... My back situation as I have mentioned here in the past began when a drunk driver hit me at 50 mph . I had some broken vertebrae with pinched nerves  as a result. Surgery was performed and metal pieces were added to my spine. The repairs corrected enough so my back is about 80% of normal. Sometimes, it still bothers me a lot, but I'm glad I had the surgery. ... I realize each situation is unique and what was good in my case may not be right for another person. ... Dave, I wish you the best. 

Thanks for the well wishes Garry. I'm glad to hear that your back doesn't hurt all the time. My back has been partially fused too. I got an infection in it in 2008 which destroyed parts of two vertebra and did a lot of nerve damage. It was fine for a few years and then things started to go downhill.

Dave

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Howdy..

Henry : ... Sounds like bad results from some surgeries.

Dave:  ... My back situation as I have mentioned here in the past began when a drunk driver hit me at 50 mph . I had some broken vertebrae with pinched nerves  as a result. Surgery was performed and metal pieces were added to my spine. The repairs corrected enough so my back is about 80% of normal. Sometimes, it still bothers me a lot, but I'm glad I had the surgery. ... I realize each situation is unique and what was good in my case may not be right for another person. ... Dave, I wish you the best. 

Brent ... Thanks for your thoughtful remarks about my friend passing away. 

Ricky ... Nice eagle photo. 

 

 

[hon30critter]

Hey, time for more of New Mexico. It's fall in New Mexico, and guess who comes out to mate?

I'd rather see one in a terrarium!

Ok, sorry for the bug video! Here are more videos of New Mexican trains (some footage may be a repeat from posts earlier in the month):

Dave

[hon30critter]

ricktrains4824

Hopefully it plays....

Hi Ricky,

The video plays properly.

That was one smokey engine! Were they on a grade? Maybe they were just trying to fill the empties with fresh carbon.

Cheers!!

Dave

[ricktrains4824]

Well, post hog time.

Let's see if I can get this right....

Hopefully it plays....

[ricktrains4824]

Good evening all.

Chloe - Let's do a Coke float tonight please. Thanks.

Spacemouse - Hopefully the fire is small and is quickly contained and eliminated. For a while, those of us on the east coast had the smoke as well.

Here is a very hazy (smokey) sun picture I got that week, with no added filters on the camera.

Sun through Wildfire Smoke by Richard Woodworth, on Flickr" alt="Smokey sun" />

Dave - Hope you enjoy the trip.

Birders - I had mentioned that I had caught an eagle while railfanning the other day. Below is the pic I snagged of him soaring way up there above me.

Eagle Soar by Richard Woodworth, on Flickr" alt="Eagle" />

Trains - Will put a few pics in the photo thread, but this one I got the same day as the eagle above. Caught the entire train (NS C62) in the frame. 

NS Local by Richard Woodworth, on Flickr" alt="NS C62" />

Caught a few others today, but will post in the photo thread. (Alco lovers head there!)

Got the shell for the AC6000 primered, and the plastic paint (RC car flexible style) for the handrails, hoses, MU cables, and the sideframes arrived today. That will be this weekend's project.

Weather - Back to summertime here. Hit 82­°F today, forecasters say that will be all weekend long now.

Hope all are well, and all enjoy the night!

[BigDaddy]

Dave I am sorry you are in pain but surgery is not a panacea.  I have seen surgeons rush people to surgery, before they got better. 

I have seen patients who really needed surgery because they couldn't walk, or eliminate, get better, but mostly I have seen patients who have had multiple surgeries, some who have gotten addicted to narcotics and all ultimately labeled "bad back syndrome" as if it was their fault that surgery didn't work.

I also had one patient paralyzed after neck surgery.  It was not pretty when he woke up and discovered he could not move.

As one of my former colleagues said, "There isn't an operation we do that can't make you worse."

[SpaceMouse]

Took my son to work. Took all of 12 minutes on the I-17 south. Coming back one exit (3.5 miles) took an hour and 20 mnutes. A fire broke out near the freeway and they routed all traffic to get off at my exit. 

As I was leaaving my house the first thing I saw was a large shaddow pass over me. A modified Boeing jet was circling, landing gear down, around my community. Then I saw the smoke. Helicopters with buckets were making runs to a nearby pond and flying back to the fire in formation. 

On the way back I couldn't see the smoke, but the helicopters kept cycling. 

Several neighborhoods were evacuated, but I hear all homes were saved. 

[hon30critter]

Heartland Division CB&Q

Dave .... It is unfortunate your back gives you so much trouble. I wonder if back surgery could be considered. 

Hi Garry,

Everything has been considered and nothing has worked. The back surgeons say that operating won't help. Physio causes excrutiating pain. Accupuncture (intramuscular stimulation) worked for one session and then it started to make things worse. The list goes on......

Ed,

The problem with a Rollator is that they still force me to stand and/or walk some of the time, and they are not comfortable to sit in for long periods. If you are sitting in one while someone pushes you, your feet are dangling in mid air and you are going backwards. Not my cup of tea.

Dave

[cudaken]

 Eveing Diners

 Flo, give the gang and I a and Robbie and Dirk a dog treat.

 Another do nothing day, did not leave the yard.

 Later, Ken and Dirk says Woof, Woof.

[BATMAN]

Post hog!

This morning we had a rip-roaring blow, lots of trees down and the rain was in sheets. Now it is warm and sunny and should be that way all next week with temps in the mid 20s/80f.

Had an easy day today, went to two banks to deal with Estate finances, my work is really winding down on that monster and I'll be glad to see the end of it. Hit Home Depot for a new toilet flange and some CA and a new battery for my calliper.

I got to the trainroom and ran the new Rapido RDC 1/PH2, man it is nice, I wish we had these 60 years ago.

I have ordered the RDC 3 and it should be here next month. Rapido did not make an RDC 2 for the Pacific Great Eastern and I found out they only ever had 1 of them and not for very long. If you want to see what happened to it go to the 4:00 mark of this video.

Garry, I am sorry to hear of the loss of your friend. I lost a couple of friends when I was much younger but none for a long time. I am getting to that age where some of my close friends worry me as they are in poor health. I know I would be asked to do a eulogy for them and find myself thinking about what I would say as there is so much good in them. 

Lion, I often will order a sleeve of beer but never had a shirt of beer, I'll ask next time I'm out at a restaurant, whenever that will be.

Kevin, the mirror looks good.

I think it is game 4 of the Stanley cup tonight, I missed the last one and I don't even know who won. The kid bought me a bottle of Captain Morgan and gave it to me along with a kiss, on the top of my head, two days ago, so I'll crack that open and watch the game. I am allowed to be a deadbeat sometimes. 

Have a good what's left of Friday all.

 

 

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Hello everybody ..

Mike, John York 1, MLC, and all others who previously commented: ... Thanks for your kind thoughts. 

The funeral was very good. Dan was a vet, and he was laid to rest with a military funeral in Hopkinsville. So, the funeral procession had a 40 miles trip from the funeral home here in this town to Hopkinsville. It was emotional as rifles were fired, the bugle sounded, and the flag was folded for his widow. 

MLC and Kevin, I recall Dan was with us on the day you visited here. Perhaps you remember meeting him. 

Life goes on for the rest of us. I'll be with my model railroad this evening. I have another freight car kit to work on. A P2K stock car. 

Have a good evening. 

[BATMAN]

You're slowing down in your old age Ed! I was able to get a cup of coffee while I waited for your answer.

By the way that is 307.78 miles of track. I will need to check the layout to see if Walthers short changed me, the tie spacing just looks a little off.

[gmpullman]

BATMAN

How many ties in a mile? Ed?

Wouldn't ya' know — Just happen to have this chart handy:

NYC_Data_1948 by Edmund, on Flickr

Now go to your layout and start counting 

Hey! Careful with that peavey, Junior!

Stacked by Edmund, on Flickr

How many animals do you see?

Cheers, Ed

[BATMAN]

1,000,000 ties cut by 60 men in 1890. Sir your order is ready. 

How many ties in a mile? Ed?

[SeeYou190]

And just that quick, the mirror has been installed.

-Kevin

[SeeYou190]

Nice shirt Lion!

The bathroom mirror just showed up, and five days early!

I now have everything I need to finish the bathroom... full steam ahead.

-Kevin

[BroadwayLion]

LION on the TOP! Wildebeest and Brews for all!

[SeeYou190]

Living in an area with so many retirees, and being a model railroader, I have lost many friends through the years. I guess that should be expected when you hang out with so many septuagenarians when you are young.

It has only been in the past couple of years when I lose a friend that I really have an emotional reaction. I have also started losing wargaming buddies now.

I think maybe as the differences in our ages become less and less, my own mortality is becoming real.

I will be thinking of you today Garry. Pleased take care.

-Kevin

[moelarrycurly4]

Garry, I will be keeping you in my thoughts today.