Aloha all. Spectacular day here in Chicago. If it only could be this sunny and warm, it'd be paradise Nice train ride home with the boys last night. Appreciate the wiring instructions from Sir J! Brutus, a how-to video would be a great idea. Hopefully will get to figure it out tonight. NavyJack, I think the IRM also has free admission on Fathers Day. Hope to go then. I wonder if the Frisco steamer is running this year. I browse their website - webcams - regularly - http://irm.org Jack, it sure is interesting to muse about those issues. Being a bit on the other end of life, your reaching out, building relationships and being empathetic is so important.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
fifedogMornin' boys. Mornin' English. Still grey and 55 here in the Mid-Atlnaitc region. Gotta get up and clean those downspouts soon. Anyone interested in some maple sapplings Banks - Perhaps you should switch to sailing to save a few bucks... Chief - "jaw locked up" YOU MWAHAHAHA!!!
Mornin' boys. Mornin' English. Still grey and 55 here in the Mid-Atlnaitc region. Gotta get up and clean those downspouts soon. Anyone interested in some maple sapplings
Banks - Perhaps you should switch to sailing to save a few bucks...
Chief - "jaw locked up" YOU MWAHAHAHA!!!
Have the same problem. Had mesh type gutter guards installed last week. We will see how they work on maple seeds.
Pat
RFD-TV --- Rural America's most important network!
Good Morning from Blueberryhill....
It is a cloudy 56 degrees. Going up to 74 today with a chance of more rain. Getting tired of rain. Need sunshine.
Today is a busy day. I have a few chores to do, and then a project to work on. Maybe, this afternoon, I will spend some time in the train room. A little achy in the legs today. PT went well yesterday.
Dining car is here and we have the usual Cheerios breakfast.
Y'all have a great Wednesday.
Chuck
I'm aware of Lionel cancelling the CAB-1 but when we went to order ZW's for inventory we were told by the wholesaler that Lionel has discontinued the ZW. Sure enough, went into the 2010 catalogue and no ZW, only the ZW-L. What genius cancells an active product before the replacement is available? Also it was bad enough paying $500+ for the ZW but now you'll be payint close to $900 for the ZW-L. Looks like the MTH-4000 will become the transformer of choice.
So much for my rant.
Hi GUYZ,
55 and cool here to get to 68. 14 dayz o school left.
Stay frosty,
laz57
Good morning all,
It may stop raining in SE Indiana today. There was some track action yesterday, but nothing significant. I did go to the YMCA last night. Work incredibly busy. Watched "Glee". Another odd one. I had the regular fare on the dining car for breakfast before sending it on to "Points East". "Ditto" to RockIsland52 comments. TBIL and I can drive. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Jack,
I think your post sets 2 record for the "Pot",
1st - Longest Post - Word Count 1,837, Character Count 7,934, Gunning Fog Index 9.57
2nd - Along with Papa's post THE MOST SIGNIFICANT AND IMPORTANT POSTS
Don
Town Board ended early. Watched movie on cable with wifey.
Tummy has been queezy since late yesterday. Suddenly got sick this afternoon. Can eat but then its "gone". Can't figure it out. Wonder if I am reacting to the Hepatitis A and B shots I got yesterday? Some of you medical experts know? Sent Dr. an email [yes, she gave me her email address] May be up all night. Even ate a bag of popcorn and away I ran about 30 minutes later. With all the tick bites I have, could be related. That happened several years ago after tick bites. My immune system shut down. Joints were swolen and could not walk, use arms or talk [jaws were locked up and really hurt to try to open my mouth]. Took two days to be able to eat and two weeks to walk good. Not fun. Made it through Town Board with tummy rumbling.
We'll see if I get sleep.
Later
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
SPMAN .... no I have'nt gone for quite awhile to york ... used to with my bro in law a couple times ... found alot lower prices at the smaller ones and ebay .... many of the sellers pull out their price books there ... price$$$$ were a bit high ... I'm only looking for bargains . A couple buddies here want me to go maybe in the spring ... if they do I probably will then .... just to meet them .
NAVYJACK ..... no i never saw a large set like that . They probably sell them individually now to make more money . That musem sounds GREAT !
Full boat on the tardis last night .... we all rode home with Doug on the train ...
BRUTUS ... those zombies will be breeding like flies and outnumber you if you don't keep killing them ....
Sunny and 80's today for a change.
Jack - spot on about kids.
Brutus - tape? youtube? You seem to be unusually savy in technology for an old codger!
Mowed the lawn, caught the last 10 minutes of Dancing With the Stars, Lost and V. That Anna on V sure is a devious creature.
All for now.
SJ - have Charlie come over and "tape" you wiring one and put it up on youtube - you can use Charlie's account. I think that would help a lot
Worked today and then mowed the front, sides, and top part of the back yard. Still too wet farther down. No time for zombies tonight and probably tomorrow night either. Oh well, can talk trains with da guys!
Tardis is ready - Ray, you can drive if you want? Pat and Mike usually take turns, but probably won't mind Need banilla!
RIP Chewy - best dog I ever had.
Good Evening
An overcast cool day, 70s tomorrow.
I think I just goofed away another day, still trying to finish OGR, getting close. Banilla is ready so I plan to jump aboard the thingy for tonites ride. Emailed wire instructions to Doug M that should fix up his new toys. Have agreat evening...S.J.
Papadiesel: I will be at Troy Beaumont next thursday, maybe try to make some inquires as to finding a good neurologist
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
JACK,
You hit the nail on the head there with your synopsus of the gadget world of these kids. I see it every day before school they are texting their friends that are sitting across the table from them. In my wood classes they can't even read a ruler. This drives me nuts.
Sir James, I'm on the East side and all of my medical contacts are @ Wm Beaumont Hosp. I know some folks who go to doctors @ St. Mary's in Lovina. Will see if they can recommend a "NON QUACK".
Jack, Thanks, you expounded on the subject better than I could.
Doug, Thanks for the RMT url. I am going to call our local Memorial Day parade comittee and have them remind the bands to stick with the patriotic music.
Prayers for all in need. Especially for those " IN HARMS WAY "
If you haven't been by the RMT site yet please drop in. Their annual Memorial Day Tribute is up.
http://www.readymadetoys.com/
Oh, by the way if you're an ol' softy at heart be sure to have a snot rag handy, or at least a long sleeve shirt. You may need it.
Remember the Veterans. Past, present and future.
www.sd3r.org
Proud New Member Of The NRA
god jack i really enjoyed you telling the story about how you try to reach your kids. you are well spoken and i thought i was there. reminds me of our kids. makes us feel bad that they cant learn from our mistakes instead of their own. ray, we live about 20 miles from union illinois and when i could get around i used to take the kids to the museum there. they have some great trolleys and engines. some big articulated steam, and probably because they have a working steeple cab, electric engine. anybody would enjoy it there. they also have a gg-1 and a little joe, probably south shore line, and many more. navyjack
Morning all,
Brutus, thanks for stopping by with the Tardis. Been a long time since I took a ride. Too bad Don and Doug missed it.
Navyjack, did not know you lived close to the Illinois Railway Museum. I have heard a lot about the place from a friend of mine who grew up in Chicago. He has lots of pictures he took at the museum. He is a big trolley fan as well as railfan.
Chief, garden sounds like it is taking off real good. Glad your physical went well. Now I know why you got a female doctor.
Old Timer, love that part of the country where you are. Spent about a week around Gettysburg one year and toured all the Civil War sites. Went to DC as well on the same trip. You probably go to the big train show at York every year. It would be an easy drive from there.
More drizzle this morning and cool but it helps water the lawn. Got one of those reports yesterday saying I used a little more water this month than I did in the same period last year. We are trying to conserve. I have all low flow toilets, take sea showers, don't flush after every tinkle and only water the lawn 15 minutes a day. The pool needs a little water now and then too. Don't know what else we can do. We use bottle water for drinking. Even though we had some rain this past winter, it was far from enough. We will have to conserve all summer.
Train meet this week end at TCA.
Later, Ray
SPMan
Hello all,
quick stop for lunch,
Jack, on kids I agree. My daughter is a stay at home mom, as was her mother. Her finances suffer for it but she realizes the importance of being there. We try to help when we can.
On dad's house, we're being held up by weather. Need to pour a 6" wall against the existing one to help it out. Water proof it and the new block wall. Then back fill.
The expensive part of my farming hobby has reared its head again. Going to have about $500 wrapped up in getting the tractor back in one piece. That's all parts Now need a week or two of nice weather to get the rest of the corn planted and Hay made. Hay is way ahead this year. Middle of may and it's in head all ready. Feed value goes down from here.
The Lionel Diner I won hasn't arrived yet. Haven't even looked at my trains in a week or more
Best get back to work.
Prayers for all who may need them
Banks, Proud member of the OTTS TCA 12-67310
Papadiesel Hi All, I was not complaining about spending time with family and the grandchildren. I wouldn't have it any other way. Eventually the lawn gets mowed. I just say to myself "For all that I have done wrong, I must have done something right. Also, I see all of the children looking at their parents saying: THANK YOU FOR LIFE"
Hi All,
I was not complaining about spending time with family and the grandchildren. I wouldn't have it any other way. Eventually the lawn gets mowed. I just say to myself "For all that I have done wrong, I must have done something right. Also, I see all of the children looking at their parents saying: THANK YOU FOR LIFE"
Papa....we KNOW you were not complaining! You have hit the nail on the head. There is much wisdom in your words, born of experience. You were sharing my sentiments exactly. For me, I use similar family escapades as pure teasing of my kids. But it is also the truth, teasing with a purpose. I hope every person on this forum--parent, grandparent, or otherwise--prints out your words (above in red) and tapes them to their refrigerator.
Words about spending time with the kids and grandkids. They struck a chord and got me to thinking: this running around to our kids'/grandkids' sports events and involvement with other activities are life-altering for them, and for ourselves. The kids see the support and the love, even if they don't understand it all, yet.
When my adult kids start to sag under the pressures of family, job, and relationships, just like we did and our parents before us, relaying funny (but factual) stories of their childhood, with my wife and I as the parents, is one way to let my kids know they are still not alone in their struggles. They can and will survive, just as we did.
My daughter and son-in-law, for example, have two little ones and jobs with an uncertain futures. At the end of the work day it is difficult to take ones' physically and emotionally-drained body and mind away from the day's challenges and take on the even more important task of spending quality and productive time with the family. Picture Rocky Balboa getting back up off the canvas after a terrific beating for one more round. LIFE IS TOUGH! But does it have to be so tough, or do we make it so?
Is it me, or do parents today spend far more time invested in the children's daily schoolwork? Or projects that seem weekly instead of monthly? Would the educational time at school be better spent hammering home the basics so that the children can spell, read, write, articulate, and do simple math? My choice? Teach my kids the basics. The rest is to a great extent window dressing. The schools cannot be expected to do it all. When we signed up to be parents, we signed up to reinforce our educators and to fill out the mosaic. Just my opinion.
And the after-school and outside extracurriculars can get over the top. Our kids and grandkids have far too much of their life structured and scheduled for them. There is precious little time if any left over for a child to dream, to imagine, to play, to experiment, to relax, to pray....which are the foundation blocks of critical thinking so vital in today's world. However, it seems to me both the parents' and the educational system's mindsets seem have lost sight of this, or give it lip service.
My take? We have placed our children and ourselves on a treadmill with no "off" button. Where is the balance? There is no balance.
We as parents then and now as grandparents know all of this.....been there, done that. Comparitively, there is so much more scheduled stuff my kids have with their kids......stuff we didn't have to contend with as parents, or at least not to this current, frenetic, and insane degree. This treadmill also puts tremendous pressure on the parents: you either keep up or go to bed each night with a tinge of guilt, a feeling a failure, hopelessly behind in a self-imposed race that cannot be won.
And today's world..... "I don't think we are in Kansas any more, Toto." Our kids try to sink or swim against a tidal wave of complexity that has replaced the level of simplicity we knew growing up. And with that complexity has come a burden that my kids have to manage and balance with the grandkids.
The burden includes an environment outside that front door that seems to demand parental oversight/protection 24/7/365. Where did all of this violence, child molestation, asthma, allergies, learning disabilities, and autism come from? Was it always there to this degree and we just didn't know it? Or has instantaneous global instantaneous communication simply thrust it all to the front and center, along with an ocean of interesting but mostly useless, half-truth, sensationalized information?
When my kids come over with the grandkids every Saturday afternoon/evening, I can see the effects of these worries and burdens in their faces and in their moods. I can see the stress and a degree of exhaustion in what they say, how they say it, or how they move. They often seem to be running on empty, physically and emotionally.
So my wife and I try as best we can to make these weekly Saturday nights at our place a respite, a haven, an evening of nothing to do and all evening to do it with the kids and the grandkids. With the grandparents picking up the slack and carrying part of the load as best we can.
But it seems to drive my kids wild when I ask them lose their Blackberries, forever super-glued to the palm of their hand. I always muse about what they would do if their thumbs got amputated. When I turn off my phones after they show up, they sound the alarm: "What if......!!!!!!" They protest: "I just need to..." To make matters worse (in their minds), I turn off/down the TV. I declare that the world can and will do without me/us for an afternoon/evening per week, that the world can and will wait. I won't let the distractions of the outside world steal my time with my family. Granted, there are "other" family and work-related exceptions to this. But at the end of the day (Saturday for us), the world always seems to do just fine without us. Imagine that.
Back to the travelling to the kids/grandkids' sports and other activities.
To my son......."Son....when you and your wife work a full week, then, when dead tired, jump into a car and drive 450 miles (one way!) in a blizzarrd, then sit through your kid's football game in the driving rain and sleet and 25mph winds at 36 degrees, THEN you can talk to your mother and I how tough you have it with your own kids, our grandkids, and their activities." "Oh yeah, I remember that!"
How quickly or conveniently our kids forget sometimes.
The funny but true stories my wife and I retell about our kids' childhoods, and the sacrifices Pam and I (and each of us) have made for them, are our way of grounding them, of teaching them.....by teasing them about their own challenges and pressures, decompressing them so to speak, as if to say "Lighten up. Join the club. Get some perspective. Your Mom and I have been there, with you as the kid. This too shall pass."
There was a time when families like ours sat around the kitchen table every single night for dinner, with no interruption, with an open forum to talk, to listen, to share, to connect, to feel safe. If Grammy and Grampy's "shut the world off" Saturday dinner is all my kids have now for this respite from the din and the seeming chaos out there, so be it. It may be a bold new concept for them to restart within their own homes, on a daily basis when possible. Tradition and foundation should extend beyond a few holidays marked on a calendar and a couple other special occasions thrown in each year. These are not enough, at least not for me; and I think the same can be said for my kids.
Our Saturday family conversation free-for-alls invariably turn to amusing stories of our kids' childhood, stories that they can relate to and transfer to their own immediate situation. Sometimes this transference can make them laugh at their own dilemmas and challenges and come to the conclusion they are on the right path; but they have to suck it up for one more day. Hopefully this transference makes them realize that most of life's frustrations are relatively trivial, often self imposed, and fleeting. They'll forget 99% of them within 5 years.
Just as important, I want my kids to realize the need to move some things off their plate, things that detract from the truly important matters at hand. And the need to construct an environment that leaves them private time.......because when things are right with each of us, and we have taken care of ourselves, we have more time and energy for our kids, our grandkids, and for each other.
My kids, as my wife and I before them, feel compelled to do it all, chasing a futile and hopeless pipe dream that we are somehow super human. We are not..
But how do I get our kids to accept that time is a limited resource, that some things can't or won't get done now, maybe ever? I want my kids to know that's ok, as long as they can take satisfaction in the more important things they did get done. The meaningless, time-and-energy-wasters have to go. When my wife and I "make quality time" on each Saturday with my kids and grandkids, are we not setting the table of quality time together for them as well?
Texting. Facebook. Yahoo groups. Browsing. Forums. Fantasy sports (pick one). I'm guilty as charged. But my kids make me look like a lightweight, are far too connected and invested in stuff that in the grand scheme of things will never bring them happiness or contentment. How much of this stuff is necessary? Is it more necessary than sitting down with an uninterrupted, uncluttered mind and spending that time with the kids? Or unwinding? That is a personal decision I must make, and so too do my kids.
And "gadgets": my kids spend way too much time buying and farting around with "stuff' like the latest 'phone,' GPS, XM, TIVO.... Well, the fact of the matter is while all of the technology is great and can be a significant convenience or source of enjoyment, there is a point beyond which it all becomes counterproductive, burning up more time, energy, and even money we simply don't have. Could not that time, energy, and money be better spent, or saved (what a unique concept)?
So Papa, you were able to say in few words what has taken me a volume to express. Like you, I am trying to right my wrongs and to help my kids in any way I can. And that includes sharing self-deprecating stories of my follies to do so. The funny thing is that we seldom get a glimpse of how much our kids appreciate what they have been given until decades later. And what they seem to treasure and to remember above all else was the time my wife and I shared with them.
Jack
IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.
Mornin' Boyz & Girlz.
Yesterday went great, sat down passed out woke up and two teeth gone. A little woozy, even more so I think after wife drove me home , slept a good bit off/on. Feelin good this morning, got some pain killers if needed but only as a last resort because they make me way to sleepy. Good place to go for oral surgery, the doc even called about 8pm last nite as a follow up to check on how things were going.
Worst part was no coffee yesterday !
Morning all. Slept late. Seemed good. Forecasters screwed up again. "A few more showers with maybe and inch in accumulation." Well, thanks to the Lord they were wrong. We have 3 inches of rain. Constant steady rain that soaked in. Squash plants are waist high and loaded, tomato plants growing out of the top of the baskets and cucumber plants turned real green and started running. New watermellon plants and pepper plants that were set out Sunday afternoon are "set". Now I can mow grass [some had dried up] and spray fruit trees and grape vines.
Hope to run train engines and also the new/used one coming by Fedex [which you can never tell when it will arrive, UPS, you can almost set your clock by delivery].
Have a good one.
Good morning
A nice lite rain overnite, good for the new plants. Rainy all day but 70s tomorrow.
I emailed Doug M. with wiring instructions for his watchman, a very simple open and closed circuit I think he can do it. Then we will do the 153 the right way. Baby steps here, one thing at a time. Not doing so good here got the shakes in my hands and now my jaw, mild but noticable. Need to see a doctor but there are so many send you all over for test and tell you to take an asprin. I want someone good but how do i find one.again i apologize to Dennis but i'm sure he knows. Have a great day...S.J.
Aloha all. Sunny and cool today. As Pappy said, nice chatting last night with him, Charlie, Brutus, RT and Sir J. Got my long day today - hope to meet the gang on the late train ride home tonight. Bride comes back from her retreat today too.
Hooked up the 151 semaphore to Thomas' track. It works differently from the 151 repro by MTH. That one snaps on and off as James runs over the 153c. This one is 'always' on, and the semaphore flag drops when I turn up the power. That can't be right, but it works.I tried out the Gateman too by experimenting with where to connect its two wires to a 153c. It might need more current.
hey wes, a few years back someone made a kit for the buildings along a whole siding, also they had a kit for a logging camp. as i recall there was a decrepit warehouse and general store and board fence etc. ever see it? navyjack
navyjack wes, it sounds like heaven where you live. when we bought this house it was very rural. we have two fireplaces and a propane space heater, but it has built up. you wouldnt know it to see our property though. still lots of critters. did you receive those buildings already made? they look realistic as all getout. there is a rr museum near here called the illinois railway museum. and they have free admission on june 20 for all fathers. navyjack
wes, it sounds like heaven where you live. when we bought this house it was very rural. we have two fireplaces and a propane space heater, but it has built up. you wouldnt know it to see our property though. still lots of critters. did you receive those buildings already made? they look realistic as all getout. there is a rr museum near here called the illinois railway museum. and they have free admission on june 20 for all fathers. navyjack
No they're kits .... assembled price is way out the roof ! Same here on the area built up .. when i first built here there were fields and woods all over ... now every owner sold and they've built developments and houses .... .... no it's completely modern here .... but with just a short ride you're in heaven . Plus we have the Antietam and Gettysburg battlefields right around us . A 1 1/2 hour drive and you're in D.C or Baltimore and the Skyline Drive is only 45 minutes away with Harpers Ferry . Go north - south or west and it's beautiful mountains and scenery .... pure country and mountain folks ... or beautiful Amish country .
More heavy rain all night and more today .... yuck .... we had a full house on the chat last night ... everyone was there ! Kickin some butt at the ranch here .... seems they want to drag their feet on getting things done .... ...
Rain and 58 degrees. Going up to 68 today with more rain on the way. We need some sunshine.
Today is a busy day. I missed PT yesterday. Have a session today. I need to keep up with the 3 sessions a week. Doing more exercises at home. Walking up and down the basement steps is a good one.
Diniing car has rolled in from "Points West". Usual breakfast.
Y'all have a great Tuesday.
HI GUYZ,
50 here and rainy. To get rain next 24 hrs. 15 more days o school.
It is another rainy day in SE Indiana. Busy day at work (makes time go fast). Tired last night. Did dishes and got trash ready. I was glad to drive last night on the Tardis, tho. I had bran muffins on the dining car for breakfast before sending it on to "Points East". TBIL after "Glee". I hope everyone has a good day.
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