Coffee Pot #12 December 2011 5+ years and going strong and its for all to chat. Plenty of coffee and ice tea for all. Come and join us and chat.

[cnw1995]

 Aloha from a grey and cold Chicago. Looks like I feel. Ugh. Just a cold / flu bug I think / hope. Boy, the Bears looked terrible, Laz and Kev.  8n, PE layout looks grand.

I decided last night to tackle the traction tires on James - what a comedy of errors ! --- I successfully found the right socket connection; got the hex nut off, but worked on the wrong size tire; then tried other tires, other wheels - some lifted James high enough that his front wheels derailed, others made him wobble. Some were too big, some too small.  Finally put him back the way he was / is. And he runs fine. Serves me right.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 60° and wet with plenty of rain. The high will be lower at 57° and there will be plenty of rain. Chance of rain is at 70%.

I'm sitting here listening to the rain falling on my steel over roof. The sound is quite relaxing. Today I'll see if I can finish the cleanup on the layout. I couldn't do it yesterday as my back was screaming at me for some reason, probably those big packs of paper towels I brought in. I almost fell backward out the door when I was bringing them in. I only just saved myself from a nasty fall by locking my arms out to the sides so my elbows caught the door frame then fell to my left knee putting me over on my left side against the fridge. It still hurt but I prefer it to falling out the door and falling an additional two feet down the steps onto my back on that hard ground. I still had some bad twinges in my back last night but I feel better this morning. I just have a cut on my left elbow from the metal edge of the doorway. Today looks like a good day to get some rest as the weather makes any weathering work nearly impossible. I hope everyone else has a good day.

[Demay]

Konbanwa,

I had a nice 4-mile run this morning and I ventured off-base for about 2.5 miles of it.  It was a little cold when I started but it felt nice.  Since I started the run early there weren't too many people on the sidewalks.  The roads were crowded but fortunately the Japanese sidewalks on the main roads are wide enough to accommodate runners and cyclists.  I had a somewhat busy day at the office but nothing overwhelming.  The wife made sweet and sour chicken for dinner tonight and then we relaxed.  I just finished some schoolwork and it's time for bed.

Jack - The van we bought a few weeks ago is working out very well.  I am still searching for a car for me to use to get back and forth to work.  I'm not looking for anything too fancy.  Most people buy used cars here and drive the wheels off them.  We cannot take them back to the States with us so there isn't much use buying really nice cars.  I am only planning to spend a grand and I have two cars in mind now.

Dennis - It's a test from God.

Doug M. - I'm glad James is back on track, literally. 

Sayonara,

Joe

[rtraincollector]

Hey all

Doug M. Some have tried the bullfrog snott in place of the rubber tires. I know what you mean about different sizes as I have collection of the tires in about 3 different sizes I think there all mixed in my part boxes so when it comes time it will be fun finding the correct ones lol.

Jack shortly after getting married ( we were living in a mobile home) wife went out to do some yard work and while she did that I did a layout around the whole livingroom and down the hall to the far end and back again. She came in and our cats were chasing the train all she could do was laugh although she wasn't happy about the layout going down and back in the hall. it was funny as they woud chase it down the hall till the bend then it would chase them up the hall.

8N that is a nice layout.

Dennis I agree another train or 2 she won't know lol you could always ship them to chief or me and we send them to you later not saying how much later either of us would send them

Kev the other option to not having the kids move back in is the one my wife and I have taken never had kids lol

[RockIsland52]

fifedog

RockIsland -  Did you mean this surveilence pic...?

"dang it, you never leave a GG1 behind...!"

Fife..........somehow you and Brent look better in this photo than what I remember.

KEV.....let me first say I am adamantly opposed to letting my grandchildren play out on the highway.   

But the problem around my house today with my grandchildren is overkill with overprotection and over-childproofing.  Like putting those plastic outlet covers on the electrical outlets.  Putting the foam padding on the sharper edges of the furniture and on the edge of the fireplace hearth brick. 

Now I can understand we don't want the kiddies taking a tumble down a flight of stairs, getting into some chemicals under a sink or in a low lying cabinet, pulling an entertainment center down on themselves, letting themselvles out of the house undetected, leaving them unsupervised with a dog, jumping into the fireplace and becoming toast, or burning themselves on a stove burner. 

But at some point the child has to learn from what they are told and from experience, the hard way.  Otherwise, they just tune out everything Mom and Dad (or the grandparents) advise, and every warning or admonition takes on the same level of meaning or importance for them.  I think a parent or a grandparent has to pick their poisons, the less lethal ones.

A long time ago my sister and her husband left me in charge of my 7 year old nephew for a weekend while they went out of town.  I was a bachelor and had no experience with children..  

There was a 5' X 5' X 2.5 foot deep excavation hole behind my property for the installation of a drinking fountain in the park.  The hole and the pile of dirt and rocks was left unattended with some saw horses around them.  I was about 30 feet away cleaning up some weeds and garbage on the edge of my property and told my nephew he was NOT to play in the hole or with the dirt/rocks. 

I turned my back, and the next thing I know he comes a runnin', screaming with blood dripping from his hand.  

Inside my head I was understandably upset since I didn't know the extent of the injury, and this happened on my watch.  But on the outside I acted like it was no big deal.  Yup, he had smashed his fingers on some of the rocks doing exactly what I had told him not to do.  Trip to the emergency room. 

My Dad went with us and was non-plussed about the incident   Broken finger and a lost fingernail.  "Great learning experience for Nick." he observed.  Then it was time for my learning experience, and my Dad said to me  "Son, at some point children have to be given enough rope to be uncomfortable but not enough to hang themselves.  Don't lecture the kid.  He learned his lesson, and you have established some credibility with him."   

My nephew today has very young children of his own but fondly recalls that story to this day at family get-togethers, over three decades later.  But from that day forward he LISTENED to the things I warned him about.

Letting go is so difficult, letting our children or grandchildren make their own way and their own mistakes......letting them learn without getting too harmed in the process.  We have to pick our poisons when they are young, the non-lethal ones.  Getting concensus with this approach with my wife?  Not so easy.

Jack

[ChiefEagles]

Morning.  Took VA. buddy to the Perry's Gun store.  He was amazed.  AT THE HIGH PRICES.  Yet there was a constant stream of idoits coming in and out all the time.

Now for County Commissioners.  Then Town Board and get re-sworn in.  On the way to the lake house late tonight. 

Neighbor who had bone marrow transplant drove home yesterday.  Went back but says he will be home Wednesday or Thursday [he hopes and I hope].   

8N, did that dinning room table thing the first year the Polar Express came out.  Had just gotten home from by-passes.  Wifey felt sorry for me.  Now when I mention it, she throws the frying pan at me.

Jack, now they are talking about taking floride out of the water.  Suppose to be harmful.

Later.

[Sturgeon-Phish]

Afternoon all,

The blank post over the weekend was a blunder with my internet connection.  After posting whwat I thought was a reply and I could not get back in to edit.

We will see if this one goes through.

Kids having fun with the layout under the tree.  The Marx 666 started to stall, I believe there is a binding somewhere.  Maybe try and fix it tonight.

Dennis - I agree, the best buys are when I have depleted the train fund, already recently got ripped for another train, or the promise.  Saying it is for the kids only works some of the time.

Hope are are doing well

May God bless

Jim

[Stourbridge Lion]

Good Morning!

Nearly finish putting up our X-Mas decorations this weekend but with the recent Snow/Cold weather I decided not to get the ladder out and do the gutter lights yet and risk falling.  Going with a simple N Scale X-Mas tree setup inside and using our two small trees with RR and Firetruck ornaments so it's a RR X-Mas this year!  Maybe next year we will get the large tree up again and put the O Scale around it again

[rtraincollector]

Just checked and FedEx has it on truck out for delivery today it was reading since sent for tomorrow I'll take it a day early Well the saga with the 1033 goes on but think I got it finally figured out.

Made pancakes and bacon this am didn't use a mix did the pancakes from scratch came out good. Been along time since I've done them that way normally use bisquick or something like that.

[Banks]

Hello all.

Quick post at lunch

 

KRM

 

 

Nobody sells coal out here so that is not an option.

As far as the work goes you are right, it is a lot of work but good work at that. Keeps me moving and is at least some form of exercise.

Everyone, have a good day,

Kev

 

With all the coal in southern Illinois I'm surprised no on sells house coal there

Busy weekend is over. Spent all day Saturday hunting. Managed to get a small doe near home.

Sunday went to Train Show near Johnstown. It was a nice small show packed with dealers and customers. Picked up several small scenery items.

Never did get to decorating. Guess I'll do it when it gets cold this weekend. (as usual)

SS Fund calls Can't wait till I can start collecting. At least six years

Prayers for those in need

[SPMan]

S.J. and Doug Da, didn't catch the original post about the Stattler Brothers but I liked them too.  I have a couple of their albums that I sitll enjoy playing now and then.  "Do you remember these" was one of my favorites on the album.  Just seems to fit people who are in my age group.  That song "The Class of 57" is another special one for me.

later,

Ray

[Anonymous]

Dennis,

                 That's how it goes with everything.  If I don't have any money or just sunk $2K+ into a 21 year old money pit, that's when the better deals appear.

JimSP,

               back.

Fife,

           I should probably charge my Christmas present too since it's been sitting unrun since new.

RT,

          If you strip that 1033, I am interested in a good original cord.

 

Need to get started on the Christmas layout asap.  I spent time on the aforementioned money pit trying to remove the fuel pump/sender.  I found a working unit from a 90LX partout, and I just had one last screw to remove when the head stripped out.

[Anonymous]

Afternoon Fellas

Fife - LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jack - Reading your post about your nephew made me think back to when my niece was younger (she is 16 almost 17 now). I have always had a great relationship with her and she asks for my advice more and more. I would tell her to or not to do something and let it go. 9 times out of 10 she would do as instructed, now with other family members it was closer to 1 out of 10 times. Christina has had a couple close calls and I do try to keep a VERY close eye on her, but at some point she will learn to walk, talk, and question. I will do my very best to raise her to THINK, not be a robot. With proper guidance I think she'll do just fine.

[KRM]

RockIsland52

 KEV.....let me first say I am adamantly opposed to letting my grandchildren play out on the highway.   

But the problem around my house today with my grandchildren is overkill with overprotection and over-childproofing.  Like putting those plastic outlet covers on the electrical outlets.  Putting the foam padding on the sharper edges of the furniture and on the edge of the fireplace hearth brick. 

Now I can understand we don't want the kiddies taking a tumble down a flight of stairs, getting into some chemicals under a sink or in a low lying cabinet, pulling an entertainment center down on themselves, letting themselvles out of the house undetected, leaving them unsupervised with a dog, jumping into the fireplace and becoming toast, or burning themselves on a stove burner. 

But at some point the child has to learn from what they are told and from experience, the hard way.  Otherwise, they just tune out everything Mom and Dad (or the grandparents) advise, and every warning or admonition takes on the same level of meaning or importance for them.  I think a parent or a grandparent has to pick their poisons, the less lethal ones.

 Letting go is so difficult, letting our children or grandchildren make their own way and their own mistakes......letting them learn without getting too harmed in the process.  We have to pick our poisons when they are young, the non-lethal ones.  Getting concensus with this approach with my wife?  Not so easy.

 

 

Jack,

 

 

You are so right;

the problem is the overprotection at times. The incident where my granddaughter got burnt on the fireplace doors was bad but she learned the lesson. My son and his wife on the other hand went into a rage with me because I seemed not to care.     Well it was not that I did not care, it was because the damage was done. Move on all ready!. Anyway they did not talk to me for six months after that. Go figure!.  

 So just last month my other granddaughter the one that is now 15 months old burnt her hand on the wood burning stove at her dad’s folks, not bad but made her scream some and cooked the fingertips a little.      Well my daughter got all torqued off at her dad and his parents for letting it happen. Well I set her down and kind of told her the same thing you wrote in the post…..    Long story short the granddaughter got over it before her mother but her mother has a little better understanding now to.

Sometimes no matter how hard it is you just have to let them go.

Oh yeah I don’t let my grandchildren play on I80 at lease that I know of. 

Kev.

 

 

 

[rtraincollector]

green97probe

RT,

          If you strip that 1033, I am interested in a good original cord.

Actually worst scenario I will keep it to run some accessories if I can't sell it for what I have listed. As  I have finally figured it out and it seems to be okay now that I understand the Pulmor engine probably pulls more from the transformer than the can motor type do so it takes a little more than this is willing to give up lol. I did get the horn working in conventional mode and the bell all depending which way I have it wire either A-U or U-A I'm sure you understand that Jim.

Waiting for Fedex yeah impatient as have nothing else to really do already opened up putor and got 3 years of dust out of it and for some strange reason it seems to work better guess all that dust off the micro switches let them work better

talk to you all later

[dougdagrump]

Afternoon All.

Back from runnin' around picking up stuff for the BetterHalf's soiree tonite.Still need to go get some good cheddar for the Bacon Cheddar Deviled Eggs, thank goodness they are wine drinkers and not beer drinkers.

Pat, Here's a good way to keep your herd together: http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/lXKDu6cdXLI?rel=0 .

Gotta get back to da kitchen.

Will be by later.

Dennis watch out for Temptation .

[rtraincollector]

Train set arrived safe and sound and it is a great set even if it don't have TMCC or RAILSOUNDS. Oh well now on to my next adventures lol time to see what other mischief I can cause here at the house already in dog house as told wife we really should wait till after Christmas to get anything as it will be so much cheaper and she agreed and about 1 1/2 hrs later ding dong its FedEx with a giant box for me and yes she knows what comes in big boxes. Oh well I tried

[anjdevil2]

Good Evening, guys, a quick post.

Was admitted to Princeton Medical Thursday after drill...thought I had started the flu, turns out I had a prostate infection.  Gee, no fun.....  Meds, IV's and such, I'm ok, just have more meds to take a drink MORE fluids....like the stones were bad enough....Got out yesterday afternoon, been in and out of bed and bathroom since.

Thanks for the thoughts and prayers guys....should be back on track during the week.  Just real tired.

 

Catchya later....

[rtraincollector]

Glad your back just take it easy and get better first.

[Buckeye Riveter]

Attended the Springfield, Ohio train show yesterday.  It is a great show and always has Marx and S-Scale.  People from Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Toledo and Dayton all seem to show up to buy or sell.  The place was a bee hive of activitity.   

The kidney stones have either passed or calmed down.  I haven't burned inside since last Thursday.

Loved the photo of Fife and Brent.  They get better looking all the time.

I wonder what the Chief is getting me for Christmas. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

rtraincollector

time to see what other mischief I can cause here at the house already in dog house as told wife we really should wait till after Christmas to get anything as it will be so much cheaper and she agreed and about 1 1/2 hrs later ding dong its FedEx with a giant box for me and yes she knows what comes in big boxes. Oh well I tried

So are you relegated to the dog house or will the wife let you have the couch?

[sir james I]

Good Evening

34 degrees now, we had lite rain mixed with a few snow flakes this afternoon. Grounds too warm for snow to stick. That's the way it should be. I got a hair(s) cut this morning, picked up a script for granny. and that's my day. banilla is waiting..S.J.

[rtraincollector]

jeffrey-wimberly

rtraincollector:

time to see what other mischief I can cause here at the house already in dog house as told wife we really should wait till after Christmas to get anything as it will be so much cheaper and she agreed and about 1 1/2 hrs later ding dong its FedEx with a giant box for me and yes she knows what comes in big boxes. Oh well I tried

 

So are you relegated to the dog house or will the wife let you have the couch?

I was trying for the dog house real bad a little while ago but figured better cool it while I'm ahead. I was looking at 2 engines by atlas O that had tmcc in them for like $140 each but figured better put the ropes on it while I was ahead. Man they were pretty looking in LV paintings and all oh well I can't buy it all although at times I sure do try lol

[jeffrey-wimberly]

It's 46 here with still a shower coming through now and then. The low is looking like 40 so it's likely the heater will be on low tonight. I'm having eyesight problems again and it's getting hard to focus, even with my glasses on. That seems to happen every three or four months. Looks like I'll have to call a halt to the extensive reading for a while. That's a shame as I like reading the posts here and on other forums. I'm using the MS text to speech program to listen to posts but it's not the same. This is generally as bad as it gets so it should start clearing in a few days, maybe a week or two. I'll still be here, just won't be posting quite as much.

[dwiemer]

Good evening everyone.  Did my morning case, came home for lunch with my bride and then had to go in for a meeting.  Got home to do my homework for tomorrow morning's bible study.  Then, it will be a long day of operating.  Regarding train purchases, my bride pays the bills, I rarely ever have money on me.  She would certainly see the receipt if she wasn't home for the delivery.  Besides, we don't hide anything from each other.  Many times, she has gotten me far more than I would spend on myself.  I do think that if I goto York again with the Chief, she would come along to supervise!

Jeff, I love a tin roof when it is raining out...makes for a great sleep!  

Rich, glad you are out.  Take care of yourself!  

Joe, read a story on some major accidents involving eight Ferrari sport cars in Japan.  Hope you were not in one of them.  They say the accident was over a million dollars in damage.

Well, better hit the sheets, four am comes early.

God bless,

Dennis

[RockIsland52]

Watching the end of The Polar Express on the ABC Family Channel.

Jack

[jeffrey-wimberly]

dwiemer

Jeff, I love a tin roof when it is raining out...makes for a great sleep!

Yeah, the sound is very relaxing when it's raining, but when hail is coming down it's like being in a steel drum being pelted with a hail of BB's.

 

Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.

[KRM]

dwiemer:

   Kevin, I was going to post about the Plymouth switcher, but seems everything is OK now.  I have three or four sets, can't remember how many.  I also picked up some of the box car sets that came with scale couplers.  I think I may even have a set of Skelton log cars that will go with them too.  Fun sets to be sure.

  Dennis,

If you can see if you can get me the part number of the Skelton log cars that will go with them. That would be a great match for my logging site.

 Hey Dennis thought you may of missed this .........man the Pot is Running over!!!

Tks,

 Kev

[8ntruck]

Cloudy, windy and didn't make above freezing today.  Guess winter is almost here.

Working on tunnel portals tonight.  Catching up on the Pot and watching Riverdance on public TV while waiting for glue to dry.

All for now.

[Brutus]

Rich and Fife - hope you guys are doing a lot better soon!

Char had a pretty good doctor appointment today, but they did give her some medicine for a little bug she picked up on the trip.

8NT - great layout man, very neat

Got a new CTT and also a new Trains to read, if I can make some time.

Doug - can you call up Lionel and get that right size traction tires?

TARDIS is ready, so let's get moving guys!