The pot of coffee is always on [even after 2 years have passed]. Come on in. Sweet ice tea too.

[FJ and G]

John,

The train only makes about 1 run a day on the windy, poorly maintained track. It goes about 60 mph, I think. The crew are crazy.

Along the ROW are freight cars that have turned over going thru curves. I've walked the line.

Saw plenty of snakes; even a cotton mouth crossing the tracks. Scared the pee out of me.

[ChiefEagles]

Morning gang. Glad Dr. John is back. Tough listening to David all day. [;)] Glad everyone is well. Rainy here as storm is off the coast. Send it up to David for a few days. [:D] Glad I got grass mowed yesterday just before the big down pour [1.6 inches]. Things to do. Should get my shipment of Lionel ttux cars today. Take veggies to train lady too. Have a good day and God bless all.

[jonadel]

Good Morning,

It happened again! I just had a service tech here doing some work for us, he stops here 3 times a year and he has witnessed the progress (or lack of progress) on our layout and as I was writing out the check he commented on the layout and I asked him if he'd like to see it run, he made one phone call and postponed his next appt. and we sat there and ran trains! He was just in train heaven, I think I made his day and he wants to bring out his elderly father and I said sure. It's the same scenario with the UPS driver, he doesn't come in every time but when he has a moment he does stay for a few minutes, I always follow the tracking #'s on product and I can tell you within 5 minutes of when he'll be here. I have it fired up so he can see what's new. This is a fun hobby and certainly fun to share progress[:)]

Jon

[ChiefEagles]

Jon, be glad when I can get that far along. Something keeps me from getting that room cleaned out. Did get a bunch moved last week before leaving for the Classic.

[Dr. John]

My wife and I celebrate our 20th anniversary today. Seems like we just got married a short time ago. Time flies, etc. etc.

We are starting the process of "emptying the nest" as our oldest daughter moves to Birmingham in another three weeks. Yeah, she'll be home from college from time to time, but it will be strange without her around. Our other two kids will be around for a while though, so it's not going to get TOO quiet at the Johnston household.

I'm looking forward to cooler weather. Maybe that will put me back in the mood to work on the layout. Even though the room has AC and is comfortable in the summer, there just seem to be too many other things to do right now. I haven't touched the layout since May and there's a lot of work to do!

[ChiefEagles]

Congrats Dr. John[wow][yeah] Now take here out to dinner. [dinner]

[Anonymous]

First of all, congratulations John on your anniversary!

I've just come back now after spending the weekend in Calgary for my cousin's wedding. Had a good time. An interesting thing to note is that my cousin's new husband's name is Bub (O.K., it's actually Gary, but everyone calls him Bub). For those of you who don't know, Bub was a German company that manufacturered tinplate trains from the 1890's until the 1960's. I own quite a few of their trains. Anybody who shares their name with a toy train manufacturer has to be a good guy in my book.

I did find time to stop in at Trains and Such while at Calgary. It's probably one of the best train stores in Canada. I picked up a Lionel 227 CN Alco plus some HO stuff.

It's good to be back, though and now I've got to catch up with what's been happening on here.

[ChiefEagles]

Get up and get going here. [:D] Personally, I'm going back to bed for a snooze. Thought I'd get you guys going this AM. Suppose to be a hot one here. Suppose to be only 78 for high Friday. What a difference. Have a good one and God bless.

[FJ and G]

Gather round you hobos, I've got another story to tell.

My graphic artist related it to tell me the other day at work. BTW, he is an avid collector of British cars, the real ones. Has a Sprite, Austin and another one & goes to shows here and in England. Anyway, here are the details of the story, hopefully I'm telling it right.

His grandfather or great grandfather owned a cattle ranch in Ohio. Every year he shipped his herd to Pennsylvania to get slaughtered or sold. He rode in one of the cattle car with the herd; not a very comfortable way to travel if you tell me. This went on for a number of years without incident.

One year, the boys in the PRR cabin car invited him to ride with them. He accepted the invitation. Somewhere in Pennsylvania, the train stopped either for a signal or for coal and water, as it was a steam train.

While they were stopped, another train came round the bend at full speed and plowed into the back of the train, where the cabin car and grandaddy and crew were riding. The whole car disintigrated in splinters, as well as several other cars. I don't know the cause of the crash.

Had grandpops been riding further up with the cattle, he might have survived. But on that fateful day, he was in the cabin car. It was his time to go to the great cattle ranch in the sky.

Dave Vergun

[Anonymous]

Dave,
That story illustrates that concept so well.

You can be as careful as you want but sometimes it's just THAT time.

[cnw1995]

Congratulations Dr. John! We celebrated 15 years this year but I won't be emptying any nests for decades (have kids:13, 10 and 2 year). Boy, did it teem last night with lightening flashing like a strobe light - no thunder though - it sure was soggy getting off Metra late last evening after class. It continued to rain this morning - we need it. But now it's just cool and gray - more typical Chicago....

[Dr. John]

Good afternoon, all!

Drinking my last cup of coffee for the day. I've spent most of the day visiting folks in the various hospitals of Mobile and I'm enjoying a few minutes of downtime befor preparing for this evening's worship service.

School starts back next week down here in Lower Alabama. It seems like it starts a bit earlier with each passing year. When I was a kid, school didn't start until after Labor Day. Of course, we didn't have AC in those days either. (And no, I didn't walk five miles to school each day, uphill both ways!) [;)]

Cloudy and threatening rain at the moment. I hope it rains to break the heat.

'Til next time . . .

[ChiefEagles]

Dr. John, you are right about schools starting later. When I was a kid, School did not start until after Labor Day or even later. School would be delayed if the tobacco crops were late. All the kids had to help with tobacco.

[Roger Bielen]

Here in Oconee Cty., GA the kids go back Friday, in Athens some are already back. Where I grew up in north Jersey we didn't go back till the Monday after labor day. It seems that the summers are getting shorter and shorter for the young ones. The goal in GA is year round school with a few short vacations during the year, this raises heck with child care for working parents.

As to the weather, it's been in the 90's each day so far this week.

With college kids heading back staff at the store has thinned and I've been asked to work more hours. Not too bad other than taking away from my train time in the afternoons while I'd be home alone.

[dougdagrump]

When our daughter was in school she was on a year round system and we really enjoyed it. It gave us oppourtunities for vacations during the winter when you didn't have to contend with big crowds. We would go to Park City for ski time and you would pretty much have the entire mountain to youself and no lines at the restaurants. She is now 36, that seems so long ago. But what wonderful memories. [^]

[ChiefEagles]

Hey Doug, how is everything on the left bank? [;)] Here, we have both. Conventional year and year around. They are trying to shorten the summer vacation of conventional. General Assembly passed a bill that made them stop. Now Gov is talking veto as the teachers are mad because they lost a lot of teacher's work days [goof off days]. NC teachers are a bunch of whinny a--es. They got raises when the rest of the state employee did not. They are still whinning all the time.

[spankybird]

Good Morning all,

We have a big cool down today and tomorrow in NE Ohio, temp high today is 72 and Friday is 68 to70. It will be good to use Mother Natures A/C. And so far we still have Blue Clear Sky .

It’s surprising how many of you have kids going back to school already. Most of the places around here are going back the last week of August. The county where I used to live is very rural with a lot of working farms. Their county fair is labor day weekend, so school always start after the fair. One year they tried it before the fair and all the 4-H kids took off because they had to care for their animals at the fair. It didn’t take long for them to learn to start school after the fair.

All be safe today



tom

[FJ and G]

My BB exhibited some unusual language skills never before seen in any animal (I think?). But first, our adventures last night. Promise to make it short. Running through a section of woods in which the Broad Run River overflowed its banks. BB again didn't want to come home and I'm convinced she would have run all night with her boundless energy and hunting enthusiasm.

So I ended up having to wade thru the muck to retrieve her. And she knows what I'm up to because when she sees me coming, she darts quickly away. Finally, after getting cuts from thorns and bug bites on top of bug bites, I managed to capture the slimey creature--covered with gooey mud and about as slippery as a greased pig. I had to make a tackle to get her and ended up covered as thickly with mud as she.

I have to admit that there are times when a curse or two is in order but I've never been able to--no matter how much I try--get angry with her; and invariably end up laughing my butt off.

OK, on to the unusual language behavior...

Dog owners know that their pooches have feelings and emotions indicated by ears and facial expressions. But did you know that the tail also is an indicator? BB the Beagle has a very special tale sign that I've never seen on another dog. Besides rotating the tail up in the air during a rabbit hunt or when happily playing; besides tucking tail under legs when chased by a large mutt; besides tail hanging down limply when bored; besides tail straight up and alert as seen several pages prior on this post, she has an additional tail sign and speaks tales.

Whenever BB is confused or puzzled she crooks her tail into a Question Mark. Yes, that's right folks. The beginning of the tail loops up into a half circle and the end goes straight. Of course there's no dot on the end, unless she leaves behind a Scooby paddy.

Dave Vergun

[ChiefEagles]

David, try carrying a hot dog chopped up into small peices. When you catch her, or she come back when you call. Give here some bites. Old beagle training trick. Cool here tomorrow too. Fall weather perdicted. Hot today though. Tom, agriculture is ignored today. Folks do not care for the farmer and look down on them. Folks do like to eat though. All have a good one and God bless.

[FJ and G]

THx for advice, Chief.

I'm looking at land near Watertown, S.D. BNSF runs close to there. Anyone near there pls email me. Nice fishing, cross-country skiing, and cool or cold most of year, just the way I like it. May call realtor today.

I'm looking at buying land and house while still currently employed as my salary would be much higher here than there. Many lakefront properties avail. In fact there are dozens and dozens of lakes. Nice beagle country. Any advice appreciated.

Dave Vergun

[Dr. John]

Dave,
As with any waterfront property, find out where the high water mark is from any past flooding. Then make sure you buy or build a house above that level! I would look for a nice, shady lot on a sheltered inlet if possible. It cuts down on noise from boats, jet skis, etc. My brother in law has a house on Lake Martin in central Alabama and they love it!

When I was a kid I had a Beagle that loved to run rabbits in the woods. He would literally run until he dropped from exhaustion. On a couple of occassions I had to carry him home. Beagles are nothing if not obsessive about rabbits!

[FJ and G]

Dr. J.

Was laughing when read last graph. How true!

Thx for advice about water mark. These are, btw, glacial lakes and they are everywhere. Would be nice to open the bedroom window and cast a fishing line. Also, love trees.

[cnw1995]

Wow, school starts early in some places - here it is about Aug. 23 - and I thought that was early. We'll start after Labor Day - we (or rather my wife) has been home-schooling our three for the past few years - nothing wrong with the local schools - just nothing beats one-on-one tutoring. V. cool today for Aug - high about 72...Spank, hope your cold is better - summer colds stink. I like to take a herbal supplement: echinechia (sp) or zinc... I've seen studies that purport they doesn't work to lessen a cold but it seems to work for me...Think of me, everyone, as I drive to the far, far north for a father-son camp experience this weekend (through next Wed.) We're driving 10-11 hours north to a camp run by our church north of Newberry Michigan - it looks rather cold up there but I don't mind if it keeps down the flies- which are large enough to carry me off - I'm going with a bug-hating boy...The best thing for me is running alongside the former C&NW and MILW which ran everywhere in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There's a large ex-WC (now CN) yard I think in Escanaba with a huge Soo steamer under a roadside shed. There's also oodles of ancient ore cars and other archeological phenomena up there that I've stumbled across. Anyway, I'm always sure I'll screw up this father-son experience. wish me luck.

[FJ and G]

Doug,

The only way to screw it up is by not being there for him. You'll do just fine. The archaeological thing sounds exciting.

[Roger Bielen]

Just noticed something I haven't seen in a long time, a magazine ad touting an full scale engine. The September issue of "Discover" has a GE Transportation ad for its new "Evolution Series Locomotive". The ad shows the engine captioned "Run this for 18 months" and a tank car with "Save this much fuel". .. "To learn more visit getransportation.com".

I'll probably take a look tomorrow when I have the time.

[Buckeye Riveter]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cnw1995

.Think of me, everyone, as I drive to the far, far north for a father-son camp experience this weekend (through next Wed.) We're driving 10-11 hours north to a camp run by our church north of Newberry Michigan - it looks rather cold up there but I don't mind if it keeps down the flies- which are large enough to carry me off - I'm going with a bug-hating boy...The best thing for me is running alongside the former C&NW and MILW which ran everywhere in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. There's a large ex-WC (now CN) yard I think in Escanaba with a huge Soo steamer under a roadside shed. There's also oodles of ancient ore cars and other archeological phenomena up there that I've stumbled across.

Doug, you won't believe this but I have been to Escanaba and Newberry, Michigan. Ore cars used to off load at North of Escanaba. The old Wisconsin Central Line used to be active north of town.

I was sent up there to work on a project at the Esccanaba Fuel Depot for the Airforce. Take your longjohns. [:D]

[ChiefEagles]

Got to rush. Got two County task force meetings [Air Quality and Environmental Services Comm.] in Raleigh this AM. Messed up my sleeping late. Cool here so might go fishing this PM. Did not get bad storms but some south of us got lots of water. We got enough to make the grass GROW. God bless all.

[cnw1995]

Buckeye, that just makes my day. Those lines still criss-cross the Upper Penisula. Yep, it looks to be cold up there - better than warm I guess that brings out the bugs. Roger, I saw that ad in Kiplinger's magazine as well.

[ChiefEagles]

Great news. My son-in-law came and got his piece of junk boat out of my back yard. Been storing it here for two years. Uses it only once in a while. Now the grass can grow back and I can get my farm equipment out from under the shed without moving the junk. [:D] Back from my environmental county task force meetings. Now mow and then fish. Cool but windy. [:D]

[Anonymous]

Rather nice day here in NJ, Going to take the little lady out to dinner, gotta keep them happy as well!