Coffee Pot #1 January 2012 5+ years and going strong and its for all to chat. Plenty of coffee and sweet ice tea for all. Come and join us and chat. GRITS for the Yankees.

[SPMan]

Good evening all,  First time today I have had a chance to read the forum.  Lot of stuff since yesterday.

Took me a while to unwind all the talk between Kev and the Chief et al about horseplay/poking fun, North versus South games etc.

Kev, I hope you appreciate that it's all in fun by now.  I was a little stand offish at first on the forum and didn't quite know how to take these guys but I have come to enjoy and appreciate all of them now.  The Chief was very kind to me and made me feel welcome on here.  I don't always agree with him on everything but we have fun.  Anyone who likes Eastern North Carolina Bar-B-Que and grits can't be all bad!  As for the Civil War, I have read several books on it but the South always loses in the end on every one of them.  I thought if I read enough books we might win at least once.  If you haven't guessed by now, I am a transplanted Tar Heel myself but don't hold it against me.  Some of my best friends are Yankees too even if they don't know what they are missing.

Got my WBB Baldwin 10 wheeler steam engine yesterday.  Runs like a good watch.  I hope to have a friend of mine weather it a little and do some touching up on it.

Jeffrey, Hope your FD gives you some recognition on your retirement from same.  Your folks need you a lot more now than they do probably.  Anyway congratulations and thank you and all firefighters for your service.

Getting dark now and I need to get some things done here at home.

Chief,  spotting that mobile home sounds like the time we had to have a car pulled out of the woods by a tractor from a farm when we were on a hunting trip.  It was wet and we were stuck.  The guy with the tractor made a right hand turn about 90 degrees but the car didn't follow.  Result was, he ripped everything out from under that car dragging over stumps etc..  i.e. tailpipe, muffler, gas tank, whatever.  It was a mess.

later,

Ray

 

[dougdagrump]

He even made it as far as Southern California.

Just in case, he's the guy in the dark shirt. I'm the old graybeard.

[dwiemer]

Good evening guys, almost had an emergency case again.  Cardiologist was able to open the artery, so we didn't have to get involved.  Met the wife and kids at the local Japanese place(owned and operated by Koreans).  I guess it is like going to little Italy in Manhattan, the chefs are all Chinese.  Anyway, we all had Sushi, and the kids really enjoyed it too.  This could spell trouble as it doesn't come cheap!  My wife and I used to eat the Sushi while the kids enjoyed chicken.  Anyway, it was a sort of birthday dinner.  

Kevin, nothing wrong with the deer.  He probably either lost a fight, or perhaps it is just time.  May be a bit off time due to the mild winter.  Just watch your tires if there are any antlers lying on the ground...they will puncture one.  Have had a number of friends who have taken out a tire on their tractor because they hit an antler.

Don, thanks for the email.  I will look it over in the morning.  I plan to print it and keep it right along side the computer.

Jack, yeah, I am busy and we are biting nails around here in anticipation of the final paperwork letting us go get the kids, but I know I am so blessed.  My wife does a great job of doing most of the running around with the kids, and keeping the house.  Also, many days I can get home early and spend some great family time.  My biggest complaint about what I do is that I have no set schedule.  I may have two scheduled cases tomorrow only to find a completely different schedule when I arrive, or to get pages from outside facilities sending us an emergency heart, etc.  the best mindset is that we will do what we have to, when we have to.  I may have my plans cancelled, but the guy with chest pain laying on the operating table is having a much worse time than me.  People don't plan to get sick.

Chief, hope you get things moving on the box.  We have been having quite the cold front coming through and it has brought high winds and a cooling off.  Temps dropped to the sixties today, but they say we may hit freezing by the weekend.

Time for bed.  I pray that each of you has a blessed evening.

Dennis

[ChiefEagles]

Evening all.  What a day.  Chainlink fence down on one side of the very backyard.  Now temp back up.  The box is sitting at the end of Grady's [the neighbor I "support"] driveway.  Mobile home movers tractor stuck in Grady's garden.  He did not follow Grady's directions.  Came in and then did almost a 90% turn.  Well, he was dragging the back two of the three axles and the truck started spinning on wet soil.  KEV, must have been a Yankee driver.  [now you see the jest, all in fun, they pick on me and I pick back, I love everyone of them]  Tomorrow AM, buddy up the road will comewith his big diesel JD [a real tractor] and pull both in the backyard.

BTW: this is not my Coffee Pot.  It is everyone who types here has ownership.

Had to come and do something.  Wife is watching Housewives of LA or something like that.  She does not work tomorrow so she will stay up and watch that stuff.  Usually she goes to bed at 8:30 and I watch Sportsman Channel or The Outdoor Channel or DVR'd Trains and Locomotives, I Love Toy Trains or hunting shows.

Now from the archives of great REB victories.

Harrisburg PA 07

York PA 11 was hit with another grits raid but can't seem to find the photo.

Stored on a DVD, the Great Buckeye being presented a bag of grits under the water tower at Rogers Corner, OH.

Kev, use to work for a company that produces a product for Bass Pro Shops, Cabela's and Gander Mountain.  I am working the BPS Spring Event in Charlotte the last weekend in Feb.  They are also asking about the first two weekends in March.  Better watch out, I have been known to show up at "Coffee Potters" houses when doing an event [use to travel all over the USA].  Might hit IL and I will find you.

Later. 

[KRM]

A&Y Ry

South Carolina????? You need to study geography as well as tact.

Gues you missed the point.

 North, South, what the heck, just my point maybe it should just be Carolina. Tact? Is that something you have? Like a sickness?

 

[Buckeye Riveter]

ChiefEagles

 its always been a joke along with the grits and sweet ice tea thing. 

When did this start being a joke??????????  I have had grits poured on me in downtown Roger's Corners.  I have received packages in the mail that exploded sending grits all over Duesenburg and I haven't even complained about the lumps of coal I get every Christmas.  I'm really looking forward to the Great Raid. I'll probably get a medal like those Ohio boys did when they stole that train north of Atlanta.

[A&Y Ry]

South Carolina????? You need to study geography as well as tact.

[KRM]

Okay, okay I give up guys. Sorry I got bent yesterday. I did not intend to start a mess. I am glad that the chief has this pot and runs it for everybody to use.

I guess after 20 + years, twice a year, of diversity training at Cat I forgot they don’t know what diversity training is in South Carolina. Somebody please sign up the Chief and for that matter the whole town of Roseville for a class. Okay?

Winter has hit.

Two flakes of snow and the wife stays home. Guess I would too If I had 23 sick days to use and had to do her 46 mile each way drive.

We got about 5" so far and I have made two trips up the lane to the road. The lane is fair but drifting. Good thing the snow is light and easy to plow. Getting real cold.

Laz. Check out this buck. Is it normal for him to have half of his rack missing already? I thought I saw blood on the other side but he spooked. Could not get a good picture. Maybe he was in a fight?

Sorry again guys, I will try to be more diverse in understanding of others even if they can’t help themselves.

Got a big pot of beef stew calling for me.

Later

Kev.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Grits!! Double yuck, yuck!

[sir james I]

2003 K-line Club E/L TM. Found it in the catalog. $225.00

Plain Jane price $100.00

[laz 57]

KEV,

  This is all in fun.  When we get together in YORK, or even years prior to meeting at YORK we had the GREAT GRITS CAPER when da CHIEF was working for Bass Pro and was up here in Pa.  I think there were about 10 of us gathered and after we got our food the Mayor had the hired help bring out a round of, you guessed it, GRITS YUK!  I think FIFE or BRENT has a pic or 2 of it?  Thus the war began.

laz57

[MichRR714]

I am the good looking one in the middle   That's how we grow up Nawth here !

Who is Mitch? LOL  I know Mich, Mitch.. whatever that guys name is...

Charlie from Michigan

 

 

[dougdagrump]

Don.........my apologies!!!!  Then your attacker must have been that shady looking guy in the sunglasses to Mitch's right.  He DOES look evil and underhanded, don't you think?  He must be a Southerner. 

It's even worse than that, he's a politician !

       

[rtraincollector]

I probably will be post less for a while as my putor died last night so I can post from work here when I can get on the putor they now say only durning our breaks are we allowed on the putor.

Hope all having a good day talk to you all later

[RockIsland52]

dbaker48

RockIsland52:

Mitch........aren't you the good looking, skinnier one in the middle?  I look too much like the pregnant bookend guys.   Does that make me a Southerner or a Northener? 

Jack.

 

Hey, wait a minute!  I am not a "pregnant bookend", that was a direct result of being HELD DOWN AND 3 SPOONFULS OF GRITS being stuffed in my mouth 3 hours earlier!!  (I actually weigh 181) 

Don.........my apologies!!!!  Then your attacker must have been that shady looking guy in the sunglasses to Mitch's right.  He DOES look evil and underhanded, don't you think?  He must be a Southerner. 

KEV.......look what you started!!!! 

Jack

[sir james I]

Jefelectric, I have that K-Line TM, if I can find the box maybe something will be dated.

TCA/York you can go 1 time as a visitor. TCA members can bring family without them being members. However everyone must be registered. I believe this family part is correct but if not someone will tell us.

EDIT: Can't find the box.

[dbaker48]

RockIsland52

Mitch........aren't you the good looking, skinnier one in the middle?  I look too much like the pregnant bookend guys.   Does that make me a Southerner or a Northener? 

Jack.

Hey, wait a minute!  I am not a "pregnant bookend", that was a direct result of being HELD DOWN AND 3 SPOONFULS OF GRITS being stuffed in my mouth 3 hours earlier!!  (I actually weigh 181) 

[RockIsland52]

Mitch........aren't you the good looking, skinnier one in the middle?  I look too much like the pregnant bookend guys.   Does that make me a Southerner or a Northener? 

Jack.

[MichRR714]

Kev,  That kind of banter is just friendly here on the pot.  No disparagement was intended.

Here are some Yanks and Rebs in action last April :)

... and my badge of honor

 

 

[cheapclassics]

Good afternoon all,

It is Snohioing in SE Indiana with temps dropping into the 20s.  Last night was playing one of my best nights of soccer when I rolled my foot over the ball.   Ouch.  Before that, I was zipping passes on a rope and threading the needle on about 10 assists.  Guess I was having way too much fun.  Wife said despite the pain when I got home, I still looked like an 18 year old kid grinning from ear to ear.  I will catch up on the rest of the posts and comment later.   I got a bit busy with another thread here on Timplate trains.  Most interesting.  TBIL but I have to prop my right foot up tonight.  I hope eveyone has a good day.

Keep on training,

Mike C. from Indiana 

[Anonymous]

RockIsland52

Brent.........I had this nightmare that your entire layout progress got washed away in a basement flood during your planned replumbing project downstairs.   Susan wouldn't throw you a life jacket until Christine put in a good word for you.   Better consult with Brutus on the plumbing stuff  

Not to worry Jack - the layout is in another area of the basement and I'll be shutting off the main to the house prior to the plumbing work. I've gotten pretty darn good at PVC pipe jointery, and I don't need a power tool either!

RockIsland52

Kev........

for me a great deal of the fun here on the POT the past 4 years is the subtle, tongue-in-cheek back and forth.  Without it I would not have learned so much about moonshine, grits, and the proper way to BBQ roadkill.

Don't forget that Beaver Dams are NOT tourist attractions! And Beavers are very elusive creatures!

jonadel

Kev ......... Shhhhhh--don't tell the Chief that the Civil War is over and they lost.  Reliable resources tell me from the "home" that Chief's eye's brighten while he shuffles his Tar Heels, a small smile from the tobacco stained corners of his mouth appear and he's just appears to be in a blissful state of mind when he recollects stories of his time while losing to the Yanks.   Let's humor him and make him feel good, it's our duty

Whatever you do, NEVER take the Chief seriously or for that matter ..... anyone posting on the Pot

Jon - have you found the Southern translater for the phone?

[Banks]

Hello all,

Rainy mid 30's here, preditcted to turn to snow overnight, 20's tomorrow. Brrrrrrrrrrr.

Aw come on KEV, we'z just funnin .

Dennis belated

Jack   Great news

Jeffry, it is a hard decision but i suspect it's the right thing to do.

Should I join the TCA to attend York, does my Mrs have to join to accompany me? I'm seriously contemplating being there in April

Pat and Phish are missing??????????????

SS Fund calls.

Prayers for those in need

 

 

[jonadel]

Kev ......... Shhhhhh--don't tell the Chief that the Civil War is over and they lost.  Reliable resources tell me from the "home" that Chief's eye's brighten while he shuffles his Tar Heels, a small smile from the tobacco stained corners of his mouth appear and he's just appears to be in a blissful state of mind when he recollects stories of his time while losing to the Yanks.   Let's humor him and make him feel good, it's our duty

Whatever you do, NEVER take the Chief seriously or for that matter ..... anyone posting on the Pot

[RockIsland52]

High 30s and rain by the coast here but 5" of snow 60 miles further West and 20 miles further North of me.  Dodged a bullet.  Temps dropping later in the day so ice on the roads will become a factor..

Yesterday I bought/had installed 4 new tires on the SRX.  I had to special order them in advance because the exact required OEM sizes (MM width and profile) are very uncommon and the number of brands/models to choose from in the sizes I needed were very limited ((just 3 tire options total !).  In addition to the exact size issues, I had to consider the OEM-recommended speed and load ratings.  Lesson learned:  don't buy a vehicle that comes with, and is set up for, offset tire sizes front to rear. 

The tire dealers/installers are very reticent to install anything that differs from the OEM delivered specs they see in their computer for the vehicles we drive......for fear of screwing up vehicle dynamics (handling, ABS, traction control, stability control, speedo readings, etc.) and a lawsuit.  Yes, I've been stupidly putting off the new tires for a few weeks while reading customer and expert reviews and ratings.  In vain, I was trying to find more reasonably priced but acceptable functional alternatives.  There were none. 

I cleverly arrived at the tire dealer at the crack of dawn, 30 minutes before they opened, in order to be the first one in and avoid a half day process.  There were already 7 customers in front of me, standing at the locked front door of the tire dealership, like a bunch of Black Friday maniacs.

When they finally got to me and my vehicle, they could located only two of the four tires they had special ordered for me.   Two guys had seen all four tires the day before, were sure they were there someplace in the building, and were dispatched to go find the missing two.  Success delayed, but ultimately the mission was accomplished and the tires were located. 

My only complaint here was that the OEM replacement Michelins were one of only three brands and model of tires that were available nationally/semi-locally and compatible for my vehicle.  It appears Michelin and the tire dealers price the tires accordingly to the leverage they hold with folks with a small subset of special OEM requirement vehicles like me.  Much more $ than I wanted to spend.  Not even the national tire wholesalers (like Direct Tire and TireRack were of much help.   At least I am ready for whatever Winter can throw at me and we will be safe.     

8N.........continued prayers  for your Mom as she settles in on her rehabilitation.  That was a scary incident.  As you pointed out, the road at times will be longer than she has the amount of patience she may have to deal with it.  Keep her eye on the prize.    

Dennis......between the waiting on the Chinese bureaucracy to move forward on the adoption front, the surgery on one of your soon-to-be childtren, the 24/7 demands of your profession, and the the delay in your birthday celebration, your plate sounds overfull.  Continued prayers that the logjams and delays are put behind you shortly.

Rich, JimmyT, and DonB........continued prayers for your job searches.  You will prevail.

V8........prayers you are improving on the flu front since your last post.  My buddy, the subject of my recent posts, self diagnosed, thought he had bronchitis, and self medicated with OTC meds..  Weeks later he learned he didn't have bronchitis all along.  He had far worse things going on.  Now he is paying the lasting price for putting off a simple visit to his Doc.

DougDG........been reading about your hectic train schedule.  Slow and steady, buddy..  Your mere presence is enough to make sure someone else picks up the slack.  If not, it is what it is.

Jeffrey.........I understand your deep disappointment with the way things unfolded at the FD.  Your service for others has been, in a word, invaluable and appreciated by all whom you know and all whom you have helped.  This is a new chapter.  It seems to me that your folks are fully capable of filling in any schedule gaps you have and can keep you overly busy.  They need you, a healthy you.  Keep on punching, Rock. 

Brent.........I had this nightmare that your entire layout progress got washed away in a basement flood during your planned replumbing project downstairs.   Susan wouldn't throw you a life jacket until Christine put in a good word for you.   Better consult with Brutus on the plumbing stuff  

Kev........for me a great deal of the fun here on the POT the past 4 years is the subtle, tongue-in-cheek back and forth.  Without it I would not have learned so much about moonshine, grits, and the proper way to BBQ roadkill.

JoeyD........thanks for the photos of the shelving pictures in your son's new room with both the trains and the planes.  They bring back some pretty good memories of what my Dad did with my miniscule bedroom back in the day.  On one set of shelving we had the US Navy ships like the USS Missouri mixed in with a Viking ship, a PT boat, a nuclear sub, and a Mississippi River paddleboat.  We had a mixture of WWI, II, Korean, and mid/late 50s aircraft hanging from the ceiling by wire (inadequate wallspace), set up in a humorous dogfight patterns where you had a Baron von Richtofen-piloted WWI Fokker Triplane right on the tail of a P38 Lockheed Lightening and a Convair B58 Hustler.  Another wall contained a brass HO engine (Civil War era), tender, and passenger car set.  An aquaruim was plunked down on my dresser top.  And for some weird reason my Mom insisted there be a desk in there so I could do my schoolwork (got a combo shelving/desk unit).  Could barely fit a bed in there. 

Regarding my buddy ........keep the prayers coming, they are working!  And I can't understate how much your encouraginging words have meant to me, keeping me on point and focused at the immediate tasks at hand that I "inherited" from others.   My buddy continues to improve, still shocking the medical staff.  He's light years ahead of this past weekend when he was in a coma.  Not out of the woods but rapidly moving in the right direction on all fronts.  They finally could do an MRI on him late yesterday and I am waiting to hear the results.  He's still not out of the woods but may be approaching the edge of the forest so to speak.

It is time for me to harass my buddy's first cousin (attorney) who was supposed to have arranged for some Powers of Attorney earlier this week (Monday) and hasn't.  Time to nudge his employer who was supposed to have gotten to me a bevy of necessary info and documents via email (Tuesday) and hasn't.  Then off to visit him and see how he is coming along (med staff version, not his ).  Yesterday the improvements (day 6) had the medical staff more positive (he can swallow, eat mush, and talk; first sips of water carefully monitored and then taken away).   Medical staff slowly turning their focus on next steps rather than just life support.  He is still a mass of tubes, IVs, and monitors.  

Later gang.

Jack

[jefelectric]

Good morning,

Back from taking Jean's car in for service & breakfast.  Real nasty morning for a drive, dark and raining hard the whole way down to Lancaster.  Just put a few purchases from last year on the computer inventory.  One was a K-line Lackawanna Trainmaster with TMCC, it was a K-Line club item when produced.  Trying to research when it was produced, can anyone help?  The spell checker picked up Lackawanna as incorrect and suggested Blacksnake as a substitute???? 

Prayers for Charlene and 8n's Mom, also anyone else I missed.

Spent the last two days at the Toy Train Museum, got caught up on entering photos on the computer and have started a new project.  Putting the periodical inventory on a spreadsheet instead of the typed forms in three ring binders.  Looks like I might spend a year or so of part time on this.   Not just copying what is in binders buy actually checking the files to make sure the records are correct.  The other problem is that I find this stuff so interesting that at times I get sidetracked.  I have now completed two magazines, Live Steam & Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette.

Jeffrey, I know that was a tough decision but I feel you made the correct one.  It's a little bit like retiring from a job.  Better a little early than hanging on to long.

Enjoy the upcoming weekend.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning. It's 41° and sunny. The high will be 49°. We're looking at a low tonight of 27°.

Today layout work goes on the back burner. I'll be inventorying all my fire fighting gear and getting it packed up for turn in. I didn't get a wink of sleep all night. Part of it was due to thinking about the seriousness of my decision to leave the department but most of it is due my digestive system is acting up again. As my nerve damage progresses things like that will get worse. I already don't have much feeling in my lower arms and lower legs and one side of my face and neck is numb. As far as the fire department goes I feel my decision is the right one. Much of my knowledge is based on vehicles and equipment we no longer have or use. I know nothing about the operations of our new pumper truck and the new brush truck coming in and I won't be able to learn much about them if I can't get up on them. Many of our newer people have professional training and qualifications whereas I have none and I'm certainly in no shape to take the training courses. All my fire fighter training came from watching professionals and learning from them. I have not a single official qualification. I'm one of the few remaining 'old school' volunteers. Many of the people I worked with have retired or passed on and there's little use for the few dinosaurs that are left.

[ChiefEagles]

Kev, its always been a joke along with the grits and sweet ice tea thing.  If you feel offended, I apologize.  Its like me ribbiing Sir James about the snow and MI.  Then he gets me right back.  All in fun.

Back from meeting.  Box mover is coming by to see if too wet.  He is 3 hours late getting started.  Since I have done most of his work getting ready. he still could get it here today if not too wet.

Going into the 60's today.  Cooler tomorrow.

Later

[sir james I]

Good Morning

it's 37 and lite rain.

Feels like a March morning, wish it was. I got both hairs trimmed this morning so that's done for awhile. I smell bacon, breakfast is coming...S.J.

[Demay]

Konbanwa,

Thursday came and went quickly.  Work was fine but a few of us went out for sushi and it was delicious.  The restaurant had a sushi conveyor belt going around it.  All we had to do was simply take what we thought looked good.  I probably ate about 15 pieces of sushi and had some soup as well, and it only cost about $15.  One of the guys with us reads and speaks Japanese so for the most part we knew what we were eating.  I had some very tasty salmon and tuna.  Not to mention scallops; those were actually seared first.  However, I did back down from trying the "baby anchovies."  I like anchovies and actually use them in sauces but this stuff looked like creamy entrails.  I did not want to try it today because everything else was so good and I did not want to risk ruining the experience.  I will try it in the future.

I'll pray for 8N's mom's rehab; Char's appointment; and Frank; as well as general intentions.

Sayonara,

Joe

[Anonymous]

Kev - the whole North/South thing is just good fun ribbing... we all know The North is where it is at (They even hold THE GREATEST train meet in The North)!

8N - Murphy is not permitted any where near this project! And yes the plumbing will be a cake walk. I have to cut the cold water supply to the hot water heater and make the run straight, same with the hot water return. The current run is about 10 feet for each and the new runs will be about 5 feet. All the plumbing in the house is PVC so it makes it 1,000x easier than sweating copper! The problem is going to be determining how wide to make the pocket door (really considering 2 convergant 30inch panels) and how wide to make the under-the-stairs-closet door (was leaning toward 36inch door, but I have a 32inch door that I will be removing and could just reuse so leaning more that way at this moment) and then determining how wide to make the passage between the existing finished basement and the new area (36inches is code, but I'm considering 40inches because the closet and furnace room will be across from each other and I think the additional 4inches would be welcome when trying to get things into and out of the closet and when replacing the hot water heater or furnace).

Doug - I was making GREAT progress till the abutement debacle last night! I have to get this side done before I can get the other side finished, so hopefully I'll get it all figured out soon! I also cut the abutements too short, so I'll have to cut new ones (but I already have enough 1x3 stock to make that happen).