COFFEE POT #2 February 2011 for all to take a drink and chat. 5+ years and going. Some chocolates in a heart shaped box. Plenty of coffee but also grits and sweet ice tea.

[cheapclassics]

Good morning all,

It is colder in SE Indiana, but warmer in St. Louis with the good news about Char!!!!   Brutus, that is truly good news!   We all realize the struggle is not over, but progress like that is welcome any time.   We found a caregiver for dad to help out at night.  She starts tonight and both wife and I have a "warm, fuzzy" about her.  Work was extremely busy this week and I hope to put in five days this week.  I had bran muffins on the dining car this morning before sending it to "Points East".  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

[dbaker48]

Brutus

Wife's biopsy showed 100 percent donor bone marrow and her liver and blood numbers were all good today - 2nd week of really GOOD news in a row

Don - Hubba Hubba, on the way!  We have butter pecan and choc chip cookie dough icecream, as well as Famous Banilla

WAHOOO!!!  PULL OUT THE STOPS, SPECIAL CELEBRATION IN HONOR OF CHAR !!

WE WILL HAVE EVERYTHING READY, INCLUDING THE ENTERTAINMENT !!!

GREAT NEWS !!!!!!!!!!!!!

[train doc]

Jim thats great news about your wives bone marrow being 100% donor cells I am an oncologist and teach at the leukemia and lymphoma clinic at the University. So many people are cured today with marrow transplant. I know how rough transplants are, and all my prayers for your wive. Again CONGRADULATIONS. I AM STILL STRUGGLING WITH BUILDING MY CIVIL WAR PIKE AND learning DCS but it is great fun. Great game yesterday but I was rooting for Pitt, but there is always next year unless there is a strike. Best wishes  Glen Train Doc    ps Hope everybody has a great day tomorrow.

[8ntruck]

Cooling off to single digit temps today and tomorrow.  Was above freezing most of the weekend, reducing the depth of the snow by 6 or 8 inches.

Not to worry, we are supposed to get some replacement snow tomorrow.

Brutus - great news about Char.

Condolances on the loss of your friend, Chief.

Chief - us Yankees are not complaining about the snow, we are bragging about how much fun it is and how interesting it makes out lifes.  Kinda feel sorry for y'all in the south who can only read about the kind of snow we have.

All for now.

 

[dougdagrump]

Jim,

Hip-hip-hooray ! for Char.

[AF53]

Jim - on the wifes news!

Ray

[Brutus]

Wife's biopsy showed 100 percent donor bone marrow and her liver and blood numbers were all good today - 2nd week of really GOOD news in a row

Don - Hubba Hubba, on the way!  We have butter pecan and choc chip cookie dough icecream, as well as Famous Banilla

[Demay]

Good evening all,

I ran trains tonight with the two boys for about 30 minutes - no pileups.  We would have run them longer but it was their bedtime.  After the kids went to sleep I watched most of Rocky on AMC.  I will always love that movie.

SP Ray/AF Ray - I agree, the National Anthem does not need to be jazzed up.  Just simply sing the words as they were written or have a great band, and it should fill everyone who hears it with pride and emotion.

Buckeye - I read about the train accident today.  It's supposed to burn for two days.

S.J. - The wife made French vanilla this past weekend.  I enjoyed a few scoops tonight.

Good night,

Joe

[AF53]

Don B - Are you feeling all right???? There's still snow on the ground!!

Actually, I'm ok with it! I still like the four seasons we get here in Jersey!

Ray

[AF53]

Good evening all!

Ray (SPMan)- The back pains are more than annoying! I've had Sciatica twice in the past 20 years and I think I know what you're going through. Hopefully a Chiropractor can help you (if I may suggest). It did help me. I remember it took some time and with the help of some anti-inflamitories and pain meds I felt relief in a month or two. Good luck.

With all the noise at my inlaws last night, I learned today what I missed last night! A flubbed national anthem and some good/not so good commercials. I wish people would stop trying to interpret this song and leave it alone! Maybe next year there will be a room for those not interested in the game. But being it isn't my place I kept quiet. Seeing the plays with the noise is ok but the rest requires silence. Unfortunately the only time it was quiet was for the half time show which we all felt was ! Sorry fifedog!  

Huson#685 - A small box is heading your way in a day or two!! It's an older cousin to our project we'll be working on soon.

Hoping all is well,

Ray

[dbaker48]

Hey you ALL !  I've been waiting, pool is clean, filters are done, lawn is mowed, Refig in train room is full, barbeque is ready.  OH and all the PACKER deorations are still up.

See you here.

NEIGHBOR IS IN FULL SPIRIT.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Ethanol Train blew up after it derailed in NW Ohio, just south of Toledo.  Train was from Chicago and was heading to the Carolinas. 

More snow today. 

 

[sir james I]

Bob all my recent Williams engines seem to have a sticky oil on the gears instead of grease, I would say yours came with their proper lube on the gears.

[sir james I]

Good Evening

32 today but we have so much snow on the ground there was no melting to be noticed. We did have to clean up the end of the driveway after snowplowman went by. Banilla, A & W rootbeer for the Tardis crew tonight. Brutus the Lionel beacon is humming.

[submmbob]

Another quiet day here at the 'scope. New trainee is doing fairly well. Probably be closed for most of tomorrow due to weather, and then head home late afternoon.

Greased and oiled the new Willaims NW-2 yesterday. The cluster gears came w/ almost nothing on them at all. I was really impressed w/ the quality of the construction though. The trucks and chassis are all metal construction. Will run her in some tonight.

Otherwise, not much going on.

Bob

[Anonymous]

Guys,

            Thanks for the encouragement on the job hunt.  The way I am looking at it, this setback just motivates me to try harder.  That, plus the fact that the dealer that had the 08 GT now has a 06 GT in Vista Blue for 2/3 the price, is all that I need.

Brent,

            Hope you feel better.  I was sitting here last night watching one 783 end and looking at another one with a BIN.  I decided to use that $430-$500 toward car payments instead.  783s have been around for 27 years, so I'll just get one at a better time.

I am going to take the suggestion that you made in my layout thread awhile back and round the corners of the upper level.  I want to get started on scenery asap, and rounding the corners will make things look better and be easier in the long run.

Fife,

          Ditto on #7.  I'll be good and just say that type of behavior and the way it was handled disgusts me.

[fifedog]

Evenin' boys.  Clouding up and 43 here in the Mid-Atlantic Region (can always tell a Petty fan ).

Super Bowl.  Glad #7 didn't win.  He's not a good guy.  I would have rooted for Pittsburgh otherwise.  Anthem - .  Half time - (actually thought the show was better than anything this past decade).  Commercials - DARTH   Pug -   Snickers -   Pepsi Max (cute blonde jogger) -   All others -

88 - The show was pretty good.  I did look for you.  Not a whole lot in 3-rail, but lots of knick-knacks.  Picked up a box of Arista Craft timber trestles, 3 sets of MicroScale B&O/C&O decals, 2 NOCH wall strips, 2 bags of homemade cedar trees, and a DEPT 56 mailbox and neat section of ornate fencing.  Noticed that all the smaller scale modular groups were haveing derailment gremlins....not so with the DC bunch.  Not sure I'll make YORK in Spring, as plans are for .

dwiemer - Think I saw that same show.  Isn't it funny how Ron Jr is trying to capitalize on his father's moment with a book...never did like the kids.  Loved the Dad. 

[SPMan]

Good morning all,  Nice weather again today so I took the first walk I have had in about a week.  I have been giving my bad back and pinched nerve in leg a rest.  It went OK.  I hope its getting better.

Jack, the dogs have been a lot quieter today for some reason.  My neighbor has either got them in the kennel in the rear of the house or has placed some of them in new homes already.  I haven't talked to him lately.

Regarding nephew's new baby boy, he gave them a scare a few days ago. while lying on his back, he spit up some stuff and then almost choked on it.  They had to take him to the hospital where they cleaned out his lungs.  He is doing a lot better now.

Chief, condolences on the loss of your friend.  The gun cabinet sounds real nice.  Any kind of hobby equipment, including trains looks better when displayed in a nice cabinet with lights.

Saw most of the super bowl game yesterday even though I had no dog in the fight.  After GB scored the second touchdown, I said game over.  I was right but Pittsburg made it interesting and a lot closer than I thought it would be.  I missed the national anthem but I thought the half time show sucked.  Don't remember the commercials much but did see something about someone knocking over a deceased person's ashes in the house somehow.  That was kind of off the wall.

As far as the national anthem goes, why do people always try to add notes to the music or noodle all over the place with them?  To me, if it is played correctly with a big brass band with cymbal crashes and drum rolls in the appropriate places, it sends goose bumps up my spine.

Have a good week y'all,

Ray

[Demay]

Good afternoon all,

I have a moment away from work so I figured I would catch up on the posts since yesterday.  We never made it to church since the wife and two older kids were not feeling well.  The wife and daughter recovered but our 7y/o son did not go to school today.  He should be fine by tomorrow.  However, he was somehow well enough to attend baseball practice last night.  Fortunately the team practices in an indoor facility for now.  I had to DVR most of the game due to his baseball practice.  This allowed me to fast-forward through most of the boring commercials and halftime show.  I was able to listen to the start of the game live and caught the National Anthem mistake.  I finished attaching some brick paper to my tunnel portals and airport wall - I am pleased with the results.

It is chilly today and we are expecting a nice helping of snow tomorrow and Wednesday - I cannot wait.

I'll check back tonight,

Joe

[laz 57]

RockIsland52

LAZ......you didn't mention, what is Minnie's brewsky of choice? 

Gotta run.

Jack

JACK,

  OL MIL of course!!!!

laz57

[wrmcclellan]

Good morning!

Sunny here today. Only a little ice left in the shadows. Should hit 50's? But, more snow predicted Wednesday.

Enjoyed the game last night, but overall it was the weakest group of SB commercials I recall.

Brutus - continued prayers for Char

Have a great day all!

[dwiemer]

Good morning everyone.  I watched the scoring plays and most significant plays in about 20 minutes, thanks to Yahoo sports.  We don't have network TV, so didn't watch the game live.  Sounds like the fans had a pretty good and exciting time of it.

Mike, regarding hating to admit needing the time away from your dad...in times of trouble, everyone needs to get away from times of extreme emotion and grief or it will consume you.  Everyone in such situations needs to acknowledge this and work some time to renew yourself.  It will make you better able to deal with matters concerning your dad.  It will also help in him not feeling as a burden to those who love him.  I will continue to pray for you and your family.

Roy, glad your daughter wasn't hurt.  At least this lesson only hurts in the wallet and not in the heart. 

We currently have a dreary day...rain and cold (50s).  I am back on call for the next week, so will be heading in soon.  Watching a news report on the new exhibit at the Ronald Reagan library.  I know we are not to get political here, but I do miss Reagan.

Chief, one of my friends had a gun room built into his house.  He also had it designed as a "Safe Room" should a tornado come through.  Sounds like a great idea.  SWMBO would never go for it though....I am lucky to have a train room.

Hope everyone has a blessed week ahead.
Dennis

[RockIsland52]

Good Mornin Ya'll from Sunny Seasonal Mid 20s Taxachussetts,

Glad everyone enjoyed SB Sunday festivities in your neck of the woods.  I had no dog in the fight so I could watch without angst.  Re the National Anthem.  Wish people who sing in front of massive crowds for a very lucrative living, have months to prepare, and know that 100-200 million plus will be watching including heads of state, could at the very least get the lyrics right to their own National Anthem.

Isn't it great to watch the game at someone elses' place?  We wound up at daughter and son-in-law's.  Very crowded, so getting around was tight.  Five minutes before kick-off I announced it was time for folks to beverage up and make a pit stop....to make sure the ones that suddenly realize they needed to reload and unload don't block the screen coming and going, or expect the hosts or anyone unfortunate enough to be in the the kitchen to serve them. 

DougDG.......chili is fantastic, even if it was in the 80s at your place for the game.  Yummy!

Been reading pot posts about issues with ice.  Roof collapses all over the place here with the weight of snow and ice.  Even some schools closed, some with damage already and some with an impending collapse.  Stuff has been piling up on the roofs for 6 weeks!  This is New England, preventative roof clearing comes with the territory.  NOW "they" act after the cow has left the barn. 

RaySP.......congratulations on your family addition.   Glad to hear your nephew and his wife's baby boy is doing well.  Re your neighbor's dogs and their over the top barking.  Dogs bark, it's what they do.  We get some folks up at dog training that come in with the issue.  Can be trained out of the dog to an acceptable level and mitigated on command.  "Voice altering" would not be my first choice.....training and bark collars would precede.  The bark collars normally work in very short order, then you have a needless $70 piece of equipment kicking around.  That being said, what your neighbor is going through now is what our trainer refers to as "life's corrections."  They are final and unforegiving.  What really matters is what is best for the dog, to keep him/her out of harm's way.

NavyJack.......sorry to hear about the deck collapse.  That's one large deck.  Lucky it didn't happen with folks on it as another pointed out.  Those suckers can hold an impressive amout of weight if constructed properly.  Did yours pull away from the house and then collapse?  Food for thought when you can get to the repair, and maybe how to avoid another one.

Brutus...... continued prayers for Char with the hope she is not too uncomfortable and the meds do their thing in short order.  Re your in-laws latest acquisition, with the right snowblower they might be pleasantly surprised at what one can move, like sleet, ice, the heavier near slushy stuff, and the compacted stuff left by the snowplow crews.

RoyMcC.......always defer doing it yourself and send up a son to mitigate those roof ice dams. That way management will be there to call 911.    Glad your daughter was not hurt when she slammed into that curb with the car.

Chief......prayers.  Sorry to hear about the passing of your friend.  Regarding your "snow complaints by the Nawtheners" comment.  I realize that secretly you envy us with the beauty of the snow, the varied seasons we enjoy here up North, and the White Christmas. 

Train_Doc and RaySP.......I wish I had some friends nearby who shared the joys of the toy train hobby, that I could get together with.

SJ.......congrats on scoring the notebook pc.  With a wireless connection you can now stay connected while hiding from the wifey or passing the time on the throne. 

JohnBakeer........was sorry to hear about your arthritis and space constraints with your floor layout that are causing you angst over whether you should keep your trains.  Ever consider mounting a modest board layout lengthwise on a wall, hinged, so it can be swung down when not in use and covered with a tapestry or wall hanging?  That way it would remain out of the way when not in use AND you wouldn't have to be crawling around on the floor.

LAZ......you didn't mention, what is Minnie's brewsky of choice? 

SubmBob...........temps at -17 F and the power outage at the scope?  Hope you brought your long underwear. 

JimmyT.......sorry to hear this one didn't work out.  As tough as it is emotionally to miss out on that job, there will be others.  Networking with family, friends, and acquaintances is a good way to get the inside track on jobs and target prospective employers with your resume.  Referrals always get a higher priority and a harder, more discerning look by employers.  As you know, over 75% of jobs are filled by folks using connections.

Rich you NJ Devil.....did you get heat going in your car yet?

RT.......I think I need to start using your "birthday gift to myself" train acquisition strategy.  My wifey remains oblivious to the hints.

Gotta run.

Jack

[traindood]

Hello: Great game!  here's my   NFL tried to over do it again. national anthem was bungled, either she didn't know it or just ignored the mistake. halftime was terrible, even my teen aged grandsons didn't  like it. most of commercials were mediocre. on a high note food was excellent. son -in-law won big on pool.  whole family had a great time. well, it's off to the cardiologist; not to smart scheduling appt. after super bowl party!       

[cnw1995]

Aloha all. Sunny and sloppy with ice and slush. Supposed to deep-freeze tonight all week. Got a few more inches of snow yesterday to pare away. Tried to clear the mailbox too. Spent much of the day unexpectedly with a buddy who found out his wife was stepping out on him. Then went to the play with my bride. Guys and Dolls is always fun. Made it home to see part of the fourth quarter.

Chief, my condolences on the loss of your friend. Sounds like quite the project.

NavyJack, sorry about the deck, We have at least four feet drifts on ours. I'm more concerned about the huge piles on the garage roof. I'll think that through this week.

Buckeye et al, anyone near that huge NS derailment and fire near Arcadia?

Jim, sorry to hear about the job news. Hang in there! Keep trying.

Fife, I'll try Volcano on my uke this week. The simpler the better for me.

Don, sounds like you had some nice train time. I'm with Jack, when can we leave to visit.

Ray, congrats on the new baby in the family - your nephew's baby would be what? your nephew once removed?

Roy, sorry about the daughter's little incident. Glad she didn't hit anything other than the curb.

John Baker, you can still admire your Lionels if they bring you pleasure! I wonder if Fasttrack would be easier to manage than the tubular track?

Jack, it's interesting to see all the different ways to connect these days. Hope Comcast works out. We've been with ATT for a while now and am happy with them, especially since they let us cut out the land-line - so we just have internet and their TV package. I'll get rid of the latter some day when Roku or Apple TV or Google TV 'grow up'

Church leadership mtg tonight. So no trains so far this week.

SJ, congrats on the new laptop.

[sir james I]

Good Morning

30 and cloudy

no plans for the day so have a safe one...S.J.

[Anonymous]

Mornin' Fellas.

Been sick as a dog that past week and missed going to the Train Show on Saturday with Fife. [tdown] Fife - did you go? Was it worth it?

Jim - If I were you I would pay off the big red mistake and the unload it. Once that money pit is off your hands you can get the Hudson - they're out there. As for the job. Same thing, they're out there, the right one just hasn't come across your desk yet. Stay positive! And at least you still have the other job to keep money in your pocket and not have a gap in employment (employers would rather see you have a minimum wage job than no job at all).

Due to being under the weather I didn't get anything done in the trainroom this past weekend.

Good game last night. Better team won.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is 36 degrees. Going up to 40 today with a chance of rain.

Today is a busy day. I have chores to do and a project to work on. Maybe a nap , later.

I Think they should find somebody to sing the National Anthem that knows the words right.

Dining car is here with the usual breakfast.

Y'all have a great Monday.

Chuck 

[laz 57]

Hi GUYZ,

  27 here and awaiting rain then snow tonite?

STILLERs LOOSE.

Good game though.

Stay frosty,

laz57

[Hudson#685]

Good Morning from Jersey,

  Watched the game at my Sister in Laws yesterday. As always, we had a great time. Nothing was missing because someone who is off Exit 77 was at his inlaws.(He knows who I am talking about. He is a couple of posts above) We all voted that this was the worst 1/2 time show ever. Best commercials: Bud Light Kitchen Remodel and the Chevy Silverado Lassie Parody.

Jim, Good luck with the job hunt.

Chief, prayers for your friend.

Brutus, prayers for Char

Roy, It may be more than an alignment.

Navy Jack, Good Luck with the deck issue.

SJ, Yes, we had banilla

John