RE:COFFEE POT #11 November 2011 for all to take a drink and chat. 6+ years and going. Plenty of coffee and sweet ice tea to drink. Plenty of GRITS, oatmeal and Cheerios for the heart.

[Blueberryhill RR]

Good Morning from Blueberryhill....

It is still raining. 58 degrees. Going up to 62 today with more rain. Snow down south.

Today is a busy day. Chores to do and some paperwork. Not much else new.

Dining car is here with Cheerios for breakfast.

Y'all have a great Tuesday.

Chuck 

[RockIsland52]

lionroar88

Evenin' Fellas

Been a while since I've posted, life's a bit more hectic now-a-days. Received a surprise, and much needed, call from Fife on Saturday. Always good to hear a familiar voice. Didn't know all that has been going on... prayers for all in need.

Christina is growing like a weed! Her teacher at daycare is changing her goals and learning plan because she is advancing so quickly. She is now connecting her 'needs' with what fulfills those 'needs', for example when she crys and you bring her a bottle she stops crying when she sees the bottle... she will be 4 months on 12/1... she is almost able to sit by herself, she can't situp or pull herself up, but if you sit her down and get her stable she can hold the position for a few seconds... she dislikes being on her tummy so it could be a while before she crawls, but she may not even get to that stage because she is wanting to stand when you hold her!

Here is her Thanksgiving picture:


.................Before I sign off, I wanted to say hello to all the new Pot Members.

Brent/88..........don't worry.  In your absence we have been taking POT shots at you.  Good thing you put away the ladder and all of your power tools because from the sounds of things Christina will be looking for them in a couple of months.   I couldn't help myself.  

Our first granddaughter Victoria was pretty much the same as Christina.  She didn't like being placed on her back, would struggle mightily to flip herself over on her tummy.  But when on her tummy, she would struggle mightily to sit.  She didn't ever embrace crawling and in fact never got the forward crawl down, usually just backwards, and not more than a few feet.  Like Christina, she gravitated to the stand (with help), seemed to like that position better, so she started taking steps early.  When she was strong enough, she would use the coffee table and the sofa or love seat and start taking unassisted steps. 

Language wise, our granddaughter didn't start talking until 14 months which had the grownups somewhat concerned.........but the Doc said no worries.  "She is learning two languages simultaneously."  My SIL's folks speak Portuguese exclusively in their home and were providing the daycare.  At 14 months, it was like someone flipped a switch in Victoria and she began speaking both languages, has been fluent in both ever since.  It was quite amusing to be in a room with her at a family gathering.  She would look at the "English only" folks and speak only English.  And without missing a beat, she would speak only Portuguese to those that spoke only that language.  She knew the difference!!!!!  For those who were bilingual, she would speak to them in the language she heard them use the most.  By the age of 5 she would translate for both factions!!!!!

Christina is beautiful.  You and Susan are truly blessed.  Hope Santa leaves Christina something with flanged wheels under the Christmas tree for this, her first Christmas. 

Jack

[fifedog]

Mornin' boys.  Mornin' Miss Christina.  As wifey just said, "gonna be a fun Christmas at Brent's house!"

Got the last of the yardwork done yesterday before shift (which was really busy for a Monday).

Greenberg show @ Timonium this coming weekend.

As for the price of gas; I predict it will dip down to $2.50...next November.  That's how you really know our politicians are "looking after" us

[Demay]

Konbanwa,

I had a busy day at work today but it went by fast.  When I picked up the mail today I discovered one of the Christmas presents my wife purchased for me arrived.  She did not want me to know, but she was not expecting the Lionel shipping carton to have the description on it.  She bought me The Nutcracker Route set and since I already knew what it was I was able to open it up.  However, I may have an issue with the 50 Hz out here causing the whistle and bell to continuously sound.  I was not able to get any of my other trains out of the closet today to do some troubleshooting.  The CW-80 in this set has a 50 Hz sticker on it so I’m not sure if the tender is bad or if the transformer is bad.  I will know more this weekend when I have time to pull out all the trains for some test runs.  Either way, the set looks great and it will look very nice under the Christmas tree. 

Brent – Christina is adorable.  Nice work on the layout.  Didn’t you used to have FasTrack on it?  The new loco is awesome. 

I posted some of the photos I promised a few weeks ago.  The first two are the McKBQ at McDonald's.  The third is at a store that sells everything.  The last two are the octopus balls I had.  The tough part about eating those was the dried, salted, shaved fish on top.

Sayonara,

Joe

[Anonymous]

Mornin' Fellas

Hudson - Yes she is an attention getter. When she meets someone new she is all smiles and giggles.

Jack - No laddders for Christina for a long, long time! She simply loves going to daycare. I think it is doing wonders for her learning and social interaction skills (maybe she can teach me some day).

Fife - Trainshow in Timonium this weekend? How about we hook up at the show on Saturday, then head back to your place for some train time? I think Susan has to proctor an exam for ASQ this Saturday so it may work out.

Demay - Thanks for the comments on the layout. I had FasTrack years ago, but not on this layout... but I do wish I had stuck with it. I may never get the switches wired on this layout because buying the SC2 and ASC controllers will be expensive and the new FasTrack switches have the TMCC built into them.

[cnw1995]

Aloha from a grey, cold and windy Chicago. Konbanawa, Joe. I love the odd things fast food chains offer overseas.  Banks, the ethanol is supposed to be worse for gas mileage, but I don't see a difference in the van and it's a lot cheaper per gal.  Kev, glad you're here! Your layout makeover sounds interesting. Nice photos, Brent.

[fifedog]

88 - Sounds lika plan.  I'll give ya a ringy-dingy.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 36° and sunny. The high will be 61° and it will be mostly sunny.

Yesterday I received a box with ten freight cars in it. Six Bachmann, three Tyco and one Life-Like. All had truck mounted couplers. This morning eight of them have Kadee couplers. Two of the Bachmann cars (Two 4 bay hoppers) proved very difficult to mount coupler boxes to so on those cars I mounted the couplers to the trucks using Kadee gear box covers and 1/16" brass screws and cut off the excess length of the screws. The three Tyco cars were very easy to convert to body mounted couplers. Two Bachmann Middletown & New Jersey boxcars and a Life-Like Weyerhaeuser boxcar were easy conversions. All that's left is a Bachmann UP gondola and a Bachmann SF stock car. The stock car is a toss-up as I have no use for it.

Now I must get ready to go to my parents place to have breakfast with my father. He probably has something up his sleeve.

[sir james I]

Good morning

30s and raining, Rained all night, lots of downpours. Wish it would rain like this once in a while during the summer. Brent, the baby's growing fast, she will keep you busy. Joe while many like adventure I grew up on beef and potatoes, so I might have to eat on base..lol..Fife a lot of things besides gas will be for the voting folk till November, then watch out after the election. A very wet day here, guess I'll stay in..S.J.

[Anonymous]

Brent,

            I was starting to think that you forgot about us here.  Christina has really grown since the last picture you posted.  Are you working on a Christmas layout?

 

I've been busy getting ready for Christmas.  The tree went up this weekend, which is way ahead of schedule.  It isn't decorated yet, but that didn't stop me from grabbing a box of Flyer track.

All this talk of ladders is making me glad that isn't part of my day any longer.  I am still upset at a certain MI-based glass company and the lazy, protected dirtballs that control the plant and try to control the salary people, but at least I don't have to worry any more about killing myself doing someone else's job.  End of rant.

Off to Brady's to check out their MTH inventory, then maybe Best Buy.

[KRM]

Same here as with DougM

Grey, cold and windy just north of Marseilles.

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I enjoy reading the pot each day. Sometimes since we moved out here I get a little down. I did not think moving 44 miles away would feel like 400 miles. Kind of have lost that network of friends and family we had in Plainfield after 55 years there. Sure you hear from them now and then but it is not the same as it used to be. But getting older, moving and retiring do change your life. Some days it feels like my best friend is George the cat but the truth to that is he just wants the milk from my Cheerios.  

Enough of that.

Brent: that is one amazing layout and some woodwork. My layout is just flat. I am not too good with wood but can hold my own with wrenches. 

Joe: I don’t know how you eat that.       I spent some time in China (very little, 8 days for work) but stuck to American food as much as it was.  I did try their Tiger Beer.      

I was not there as long as you will be in Japan so can’t say I would not of given in on their food.  

Buckeye: How is the stone battle going? Hope you better by now. 

Well I have finished my Cheerios and George has finished the milk So I guess I will head to Morris Menards to get the trim for the outside edge of the layout so I can put it back up against the walls.

Not too impressed with the ReadyGrass product but too late now. If I put enough other stuff on it things will improve. 

You all have a great day!!

 Kev.

[ChiefEagles]

WHAT A BEAUTY. Susie is doing a good job. Know Dad has nothing to do with it. ;-) Miss poking fun at yuz giz. Cell not the best to type from. Got get ready to take apart layout. Hope to get mobile home im the back around Jan. Up here till Christmas and want to xedr hunt too. One I get the box set up, will completely strip out except for two interior walls. Yhat will give me three major rooms. One, swit hing yard. Big room more plains and other room, mountains and mine. Then bury power to building. Well, concrete guys should be here soon. Tains have stopped and temps dropping. Not like MI where they are getting out dog slefd. :-) Later

[Anonymous]

SJ & Probe - yes she is growing like a weed on Miracle Grow! There are times I swear I look away from her and look back and she has grown again!

Probe - no work on a Christmas layout this year. Simply not enough time. I do plan to at least put a loop under one of the trees.

[ChiefEagles]

BTW: Laz, I give up more shots than deer you see. ;-) For a fee, I will get you a deer.

[SPMan]

Good morning all,

V8 Dennis, good luck on the dental work.  I have had a lot myself.  I know the feeling when the law approaches non combatant subjects like us as opposed to the wild bunch.  I am very careful about driving around our town.  If you get stopped here, you are guaranteed a ticket.  All the cities need more revenue due to our broke state.

Brent, thanks for the pictures of the pretty baby.  She's a charmer!

Chief, sounds like you have a big project going on with the mobile home for train layout.  Happy deer hunting this season.

Wife just informed me that we have two Christmas parties to attend.  Only problem is that they are both on the same night.  Trouble is, I would like to go to both.  Decisions, decisions!  Also looking forward to local community college's production of "Christmas Is", an annual Christmas themed musical extravaganza.  It is always good and professionally done.

Planning on putting our tree in a different room this year  with more space for train around it.  It will be in our front window too which will add to the outdoor lights.

Have a good day y'all,

Ray

 

 

 

[anjdevil2]

Happy Monday!

SPRay - Belated Happy 52nd!

Spittin' rain and in the 60's today.  Over the weekend got all 301 Christmas Trees off loaded and on the ground.  ANY TREE $50 ... no, I don't ship....  But if yer CLOSE BY......

Train layout was a hit again.  Was told it's gonna be an annual thing/tradition.  Yeah, we'll see where that goes......  Assembled and disassembled in one weekend.  I was hit with something yesterday which made the dis assembly much harder.  Feel better today, just tired.  I'll post pictures on Sunday.  As soon as I can figure out how to do it, I'll YouTube the videos...

2 main lines and 1 trolley.  The riser I built cost $35 and worth every penny.  I got the inspiration from Skip Natoli and another layout in the last CTT.  Looked really good.

88 - Nice lookin' kid ya got there!  That engine is spectacular! Layout ain't bad, either!

I missed Cyber Monday....and was feeling bad then found out that RMT is running their 2 for 1 until NEXT Sunday!  NOW I have more time....

Other than that the job search continues...Princess is doing OK in college....and pretty happy about it!

Shut the Giants game off during the 3rd quarter....no effort there at all.

Buckeye - Our Chief (Fire Dept.) was hunting near the coast and got an attack of stones..painful...um, yeah.... drove himself to the hospital.  Hope you are recovering!

Missed the Greenburg show here and I am disappointed, no doubt.  I really wanted to go, but I had FD responsibilities here.  Also missed out a few good riding days to boot.

That's all from here, will check in again when I can

[Hudson#685]

Lunch Time,

In the 60's and getting ready to rain here in Central Jersey.

Things have calmed down here. All is quiet. So Far.

Good News, all three co workers that were in the burn unit the last few months are doing a lot better. Thanks for the prayers and concern.

2 1/2 weeks and I am off for the rest of the year. TRAIN TIME!!!

Right before Hurricane Irene, I was a bit concerned that we may flood, so I pulled all of the trains from the basement and brought them to the living room, the side of the house that is not used much. MISTAKE!!!!  Between the hurricane restoration work and than the "October Snowstorm" restoration which meant mega OT the trains sat there. Wifey started looking and could not believe how much was there. I tried told her that it is not all mine but some is her Brother's (AF53). Well, one piece was. She then asked why do I need more. Just so happened she saw 3, 2055's. I told her I got a good deal. She just shook her head. I told her the same reason why you have all of that Cricut and Sizzix for scrapbooking. She said I guess that we are even. As luck would have it he forgot about what I have in the attic. That was before I went to the Greenberg Show on Sunday.  The funny part is that she never asked about the box that came Monday.

Everybody have a Great Day,

John

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

It is soggy in SE Indiana with a dose of Shohio headed our way.  Basically miserable weather.  Work not going well either. Too long a story to explain.  "Sacuy Wench" did lower my ears last nigt, and that was the highlight of the evening.  Regular fare on the dining car.  TBIL.  I hope everyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana

PS Brent, in the kid lottery of life, you got yourself a winner!!!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Here are two early release (likely mid 80's according according to the HO Scale Trains Resource) 51' plug door boxcars that I recently converted from truck mounted horn hook couplers to body mounted Kadee couplers, The conversion was easy and required only very minor modification of the cars. Each car took about twenty minutes and that does include the time required to change from an abrasive disk to a drill bit on the Dremel. I thought about removing the roof walks from them but they're  molded in and would require quite a bit of work to remove. I tried it on another car some years ago and totally botched the job.

[anjdevil2]

I'm liking those box cars, Jeff.....

[jeffrey-wimberly]

anjdevil2

I'm liking those box cars, Jeff.....

Thanks. They're in line for the weathering shop.

[RockIsland52]

Jeff........I'll bet you could make money with your talent.  Whenever I look at one of your pieces I think about what trains look like in real life.    Hope you are feeling better.

Fife.........re your hooking up with Brent, are you sure that's a good idea. He is a danger even to himself! 

Jack.

[Anonymous]

Jack,

           Had I worked for the company that I did longer, I probably would have outinjured Brent given time.  I am not saying that with any humor intended, but that was a dangerous job by it's nature.  There was more than one time where I came close to losing to a ladder or piece of machinery.  In that respect, I don't feel bad about what transpired.

I made the trip to Brady's in Greensburg today, and the place was packed.  I never thought that there would be so many people there on a Wednesday afternoon, and I didn't think I'd get a parking spot.  I spent several hours there and came out with an MTH Pennsy 2-10-0 Decapod with PS2 (30-1503-1) for Christmas, and three dozen 042 tubular curves since John had a good price on them.  I am planning on changing out the 031 curves on the layout for 042 as $$ permits.  I still need 48 more sections, but it is a start.

Now, I just need some cars to put behind the Decapod.

[LawsonFarmsRR]

Kev: Once upon a time I thought the Coffee Pot was a "Club". I was so wrong. The Chief, RT and others soon straitened me out. Not a club and all are welcome (including northerners and Ohions).

Pat

[LawsonFarmsRR]

Kev: Once upon a time I thought the Coffee Pot was a "Club". I was so wrong. The Chief, RT and others soon straitened me out. Not a club and all are welcome (including northerners and Ohions).

Pat

[sir james I]

Good Evening

37 degrees and rain all day, lot's of flooding. We are not in a flood plain but a dry basement depends on a sump pump. Some of lower Michigan will get snow tonight they are not expecting much if any here. I read some CTT today, took a nap, and watched TV, I'm exhausted..lol

Me thinks I'm going to get into the banilla early but there's plenty for all so belly up to the bar...s.J.

[Buckeye Riveter]

RockIsland52

Buckeye........those stones are no joke.  My wife's doctor asked her how bad her pain was on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the worst.  She didn't hesitate in her response: "Worse than childbirth."  Prayers that these too shall pass.      

Jack

Jack....So far they are just burning and have not been moving.  When they start moving the high cost meds (the ones they like to steal from the drug store) will come to my rescue.  I have only had two attacks this year.  In 2010 I passed six stones.  Two of them were on vacation after I had a couple drinks with Jon in Adel, Iowa.  Now I'm wondering what he put in those drinks.

Thanks to everyone for thinking of me.  The stones are not fun and it was just by accident that they discovered them in 2002.  I have had them blasted at least six times since discovered. 

Chuck, The snow is on its way to Buckeyeland.  We can start loading the SnowOhio gun for shots at points south and east.  BTW, the big raid plans are coming together.

[rtraincollector]

LawsonFarmsRR

Kev: Once upon a time I thought the Coffee Pot was a "Club". I was so wrong. The Chief, RT and others soon straitened me out. Not a club and all are welcome (including northerners and Ohions).

Pat

We even let pat double post from time to time . Okay /Haven't done this in a while so to all that have recently joined us Welcome ( with in the last 3 months I guess maybe 6 months since I've done that) getting old does that to you. anyway we are glad to have all that come. we sometimes not meaning to will over look someones post and they feel unwanted but its not on purpose please keep posting we will sooner or later realize your here. I haven't been posting like I use to ( use to do 2 or 3 times a day now its lucky if I do once a day period) and thats between all post on here not just the coffee pot.

Well not a lot going on here. Suppose to get a NS train set in sometime this week from Choochoo haven't gotten the email yet that it has been sent thou so maybe it won't come till Friday when I'm off so the wife doesn't have to drag it in the house those train sets sometimes get on the large size for her to drag.

Have a new Bundt pan coming tomorrow one that isn't that common anymore but do believe still made most are one piece now days well this one is a 2 piece where the middle comes away from the sides makes it so much easier to get out and you end up with a flat bottom this way also plan on making my coffee cake I like so much it has cinnamon and chopped nuts running thru the center of it and on the top.

Well thats about it for tonight will talk to you all later

[Anonymous]

Jack - when Fife and I get together he hides the power tools and ladders.

Probe - missed what happened. shoot me an email.

[KRM]

Hi everyone. Hope you all had a good day.

My day was good!!! Brian my neighbor and I went to Menards and got the supplies for the table trim then got to work on it. Even with a plain flat layout I think it is vastly improved. I knew I could go no farther without it and I wanted to get something on before Christmas. We did not finish till about 1:30 so I took Brian out to lunch for all of his help. I have posted a layout update thread on the forum but I will post one picture here for you guys. Tomorrow I will start installing some of my structures, trees and lights I have been slowly collecting.

Buckeye. WOW Six stones last year! You must be a champ at passing them by now. And what is in those drinks from Jon?

Thanks Pat. I feel better about things today. A lot of encouragement has helped.

SJ. Keep an eye on that pump. Is it one of those with battery back up?

Green 97 probe Jim, Sounds like you god some nice self given Christmas gifts. I need to do the same.

V8 Dennis, good luck on the dental work I have had a ton but since the Ins. pays for two cleanings a year I have had little for the last 20 years. I am a believer in getting them cleaned.

Hey RT, Thanks and what engine is in that NS set you have coming? 6-18207?

Have a good night everyone.

Here is the picture. Ahh make that two pictures.