Morning. Back from the hunt. Went below freezing finally. Well, its November.
Vet day thingy tomorrow as folks cried Church at 11 today.
Have a good one.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Thanks to our Veterans here and everywhere
Banks, Proud member of the OTTS TCA 12-67310
Never got above freezing yesterday but the sun was out so it got rid of the snow it could shine on. 33 now and they say 40 later. Today is my brother's and sister's birthdays. Different mothers, 11 years apart and on Veterans day to boot.
Things are pretty slow here otherwise.
Please don't forget the Vets!
Joined 1-21-2011 TCA 13-68614
Kev, From The North Bluff Above Marseilles IL.
Good afternoon all!
Gray and 52 right now. Possible rain tonight. Temps Mon and Tues night will hit the 20's!
Slow day. Watching the snoozer NASCAR race in Phoenix. Other than determining who is the champ for 2018, the race in Miami will also be a snoozer....they said Phienix race was sold out but grandstands don't support that statement.
Headed with the kids to an event at a movie theater across town this afternoon.
A salute to the vets and my uncles, great-uncle, and a cousin that served in WWI, WWII, and Korea. They all passed years ago.
Regards, Roy
Good evening all,
Better weather day. Spent 2.5 hours mulching today, much longer than I planned but did more area than originally thought. Should have to make one more pass in a much smaller section of the yard. Watched Man City defeat Man U 3-1 on Telemundo. I hope everyone has a good day.
Keep on training,
Mike C. from Indiana
Mornin' Fellas8n - My wife and I are having a house built in a small community about 40 minutes south of our current house. While we aren't meeting with an architect and designing something from scratch, this has been a very eye-opening experience. We have discussed purchasing a plot of land in Deep Creek, MD and building a vacation home but that won't happen for a few years now. We've seen a few properties with existing buildings that show potential - and will give us a place to stay while our house would be built... just not sure the properties can support two buildings at the same time... lol. I've always wanted a log home, and TheVPQ likes them as well (for her vacation home it would be OK), so maybe I'll get to finally design one and get it built... then maybe look into renting it out when we aren't using it.Fife is making it harder and harder for me to avoid a trip... Found out I have to make another trip to Pittsburgh to remove the old garden fence and trim back the neighbor's tree... seriously... why can't/don't people maintain their properties??? It isn't just your house you have to keep up with, but the trees, yard, retaining walls, drive way... there is more to home ownership than just the house itself!!!! This software really blows....
https://brentsandsusanspicutures.shutterfly.com/
Morning. Cloudy and rain later.
Off to Veterans' Memorial. 11:00 thing.
Brent, two places to keep up is not my style. Why we got rid of lake house. Either you hire someone to do it for you or run back and forth. Waste of time. If you do it while you are there on weekends, end up spending most of your time on that.
Hey Brent, check out the Alpine Lake homes, near TerraAlta (just inside WV near Deep Creek).
Thanks to all of this nation's Veterans. It was fun recognizing the Vets on our train yesterday. Free dogs and drinks as well.
Aloha. Thank you Veterans! Sunny and cold - as Kev knows - continuing a week of late Dec. temps. At least our snow melted by Saturday. Although I appreciated how it covered the leaves I won't get to ... Fife, does your RR run all year? The Illinois Railway Museum is essentially Spring-Summer only - with special events - like a Halloween or Christmas train in the corner seasons. Brent, I sure enjoyed being the first ones to live in a house we built - even though it was just a model in a new sub-division 20 years ago, I knew it so well having clambered over it during construction. Then my wife wanted to move...
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Met my nephew and his family at the train show about an hour away yesterday. One of the modular HO clubs had a pretty good layout set up in the foyer of the building the show was in. My grand nephew (4 years old) appropiated one of the step stools that were around the layout to inspect/watch the layout. When he was done in one spot, he would get off of the stool, move it about 4 feet and climb back on to take alook at the next section of the layout. He did this just about all of the way around the layout. Was about 1/2 hour or 45 minutes before we got into the show proper. My wife and I shopped while my nephew and his family enjoyed the other layouts at the show. They had a couple of Z layouts, a Large modular N, a second HO, a G layout,a Lego train, and a S layout. No O gage layouts. The grand nephew's favorite was the Lego The S gage layout had one of the LionChief locomotives running on it - looked pretty good.
I picked up some 4 1/2" Fastrack sections to hack up for my trolley project and a newer release of one of the red, white, and blue Maine boxcars. Also picked up a retired Department 56 house for an early Christmas present for my wife. Was shopping for a Pennsylvania turbine locomotive, but didn't see any that I considered a good deal - the folks at this show knew what they had. I did see one in a junk box for $65. Didn't bite on it 'cause I really don't need another project at the moment - besides, I'd need to find the proper tender for it and who knows what parts to get it running again.
Raked and burned some leaves after we got home yestarday. Spent all afternoon raking and burning the rest today. Not all of the oak leaves are down yet. Those that aren't will wait until springtime to be taken care of.
We've got appointments Tuesday and Wednesday, then will head back to KY to take another look at the property we are interested in - hope to walk the property lines this visit. We are starting to visualize potential buildings on the property now, the second visit will help that process.
About all for now.
Did absolutely nothing today besides binge watch some Hill Street Blues episodes on Youtube from their second season. The story arc where Captain Freedom shows up. Forgotten how good that show was. Weather cold but clear so far. I hope everyone has a good day.
Evening all!
20's for next two nights. Oaks still have green leaves, so the freeze may produce some autumn color here, a very rare event!
The event last night was a surprise proposal to my daughter from her boyfriend. We really like this young man. Wife is on cloud 9! Wife and I have known this was going to happen since August. how this secret was kept that long and not accidentally revealed by my daughters and family friends is a miracle in today's social media world.
Brent - I own a log home. trust me you do not want one. Kev has one where the logs are actually half logs on normal stick frame construction. This is OK, but exterior logs and chinking need constant annual maintenance. Tedious, and sometimes pricey (You have to use special interior/exterior coatings/stains - you cannot paint logs or they cannot breathe). Interior, logs provide lots of crevices/ hiding places for bugs (spider control is constant, ongoing). The interior logs hold a lot of dust. And the icing, logs are horizontal structural members, one starts to rot and the ones above and below also rot...it is an average $75 per foot (not counting travel expense - and you will wait 6 months to a year for one of the 3 or 4 companies that replace logs to come out) to replace a log and the new ones will not match...it is easy to replace a few rotted or wood-boring insect infested studs, Sheetrock/siding, etc., sill plates, but an 8" dia log that weighs a couple hundred lbs....and is in the middle of the wall....Pm me if you would like to discuss.
The fire news here has been all bad in Northern California and down South around Malibu. Several people burned to death in their cars up North trying to escape the blaze. In some places coroner says all the remains they can find is ashes and bones.
Thank the Lord that we are safe where I live (Glendora) in Socal. The foothills above me burned about three years ago and not much left to burn there.
Have heard of bad air quaility but stay indoors as much as possible. My son was over yesterday and said my breathing sounded bad when I was nodding in a chair so I put on my oxygen concentrator for awhile. I didn't realize my blood oxygen was low but it got down to around 90. After I put on the 02 it went right back up to 98 which is about normal. Normally I only need oxygen when I sleep but maybe I need it more while we are having all this air pollution. The trouble is that you can not always see it but it's there.
Had a nice dinner of prime rib with my son at a restaurant last night. The guy I eat with sometimes is a tightwad. Specializes in fast food joints and places that take coupons. I have to get something good once in a while in self defense.
Some people I know have been on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land for the last two weeks and have sent back lots of photos on FB. I hope they are'nt being endangered by the trouble going on lately in the region. They are leaving there today or tomorrow I think.
Have a good week,
Ray
SPMan
Morning folks. Looks like winter has arrived here in Western PA. Not much has been going on since York. Went to the Lionel Warehouse sale and came home with just a few things but had a good time with some friends on the trip.
Got some parts to work on some stuff over the winter. Looking like a cold week ahead...it is becoming winter after all. Stay warm, dry, and safe.
Trying to update my avatar since 2020
MartyE and Kodi the Husky Dog! ( 3/31/90-9/28/04 ) www.MartyE.com My O Gauge Web Page and Home of Kodiak Junction!
Mornin' FellasRoy - Awesome news for your daughter! Congrats!
wrmcclellan Brent - I own a log home. trust me you do not want one. Kev has one where the logs are actually half logs on normal stick frame construction. This is OK, but exterior logs and chinking need constant annual maintenance. Tedious, and sometimes pricey (You have to use special interior/exterior coatings/stains - you cannot paint logs or they cannot breathe). Interior, logs provide lots of crevices/ hiding places for bugs (spider control is constant, ongoing). The interior logs hold a lot of dust. And the icing, logs are horizontal structural members, one starts to rot and the ones above and below also rot...it is an average $75 per foot (not counting travel expense - and you will wait 6 months to a year for one of the 3 or 4 companies that replace logs to come out) to replace a log and the new ones will not match...it is easy to replace a few rotted or wood-boring insect infested studs, Sheetrock/siding, etc., sill plates, but an 8" dia log that weighs a couple hundred lbs....and is in the middle of the wall....Pm me if you would like to discuss.
Congrats Roy to the daughter!!!!
Prayers for those out west in the path of the fires!
Brent, Roy has good advice there. Even with our house where the logs are actually half logs on normal stick frame construction we have had rot issues already at just 12 years old. We have had to replace logs on the chimney surround and sill plates at the southern facing window. Some of the entails also need replacement and none of it is cheap or easy to get. As much as we wanted real log home for the same reasons as Roy points out and COST, we went this way. In hind site I would build with concrete board siding and a steel roof.
Here is a cabin I helped my friend build up north made with concrete board siding.
Here is what we did.
And here is the other style.
SIL Dan's folks have been having a lot of problems with coyotes. I told him to take my old Savage Stevens 987 22 LR yesterday and take some out. So as soon as he got there he did good. He got one of many more. But after he got it he found out it was a three legged thing... But still a good shot with my good old rifle. He thinks he hit at least one other. 100+ yards.
Mornin' boys. Damp and 39 along the Potomac Highlands. Need to take the Dodge for it's annual inspection.
Roy - Congrats to the daughter. Best wishes on the loan....
cnw1995 - We run periodically between New Years to Easter. This year will all depend on 1309 (feast or famine stuff).
88 - Go modular for your cabin.
Thoughts are with our left-coasties.
fifedog 88 - Go modular for your cabin.
I agree with Fife, Our home is a modular that was made by Wausau Homes in Wi. A good way to go. They even let us re-design a standard floor plan to meet our needs. Log siding, front porch, vaulted rooms and the den. Came on three trucks and was standing and under roof the same day.
https://www.wausauhomes.com/
Cloudy 34 with wet snow overnight. Only morning I needed the car early and it was covered with snow. Roads stayed clear though.
S.J.
"IT's GOOD TO BE THE KING",by Mel Brooks
Charter Member- Tardis Train Crew (TTC) - Detroit3railers- Detroit Historical society Glancy Modular trains- Charter member BTTS
KRM ....we have had rot issues already at just 12 years old. Our logs that have rotted have larger growth rings, i.e. A faster growing tree. Some logs are thus 'softer' and more susceptible to water absorption. And then rot. In hind site I would build with concrete board siding and a steel roof. Here is a cabin I helped my friend build up north made with concrete board siding. Definitely the way to build today, particularly for a vacation place. Hmmm, Kev as I recall from our past conversations this was your house 12 years ago... And today.... (just like mine)
....we have had rot issues already at just 12 years old.
Our logs that have rotted have larger growth rings, i.e. A faster growing tree. Some logs are thus 'softer' and more susceptible to water absorption. And then rot.
In hind site I would build with concrete board siding and a steel roof.
Definitely the way to build today, particularly for a vacation place.
Hmmm, Kev as I recall from our past conversations this was your house 12 years ago...
And today....
(just like mine)
A cold day starting in the 20's, made it to 42 and some sun, and mid-low 20's tonight!
60 by the weekend!
Brent - sorry to dash the dream but you will thank us someday!!!
Roy, congrats on the daughter's engagement! Kevin and Roy, thanks for the log cabin comments. Always thought it would be nice someday to have a place off the grid, but I can see where at least a log cabin would not be the best idea. Semi busy day at work, but got a lot done. Cold for the walk at noon. Will have to do long johns tomorrow. I hope everyone has a good day.
Another busy day. Later.
You got it Roy, but at least the wife is still smiling!!!
wrmcclellan KRM ....we have had rot issues already at just 12 years old. Our logs that have rotted have larger growth rings, i.e. A faster growing tree. Some logs are thus 'softer' and more susceptible to water absorption. And then rot. In hind site I would build with concrete board siding and a steel roof. Here is a cabin I helped my friend build up north made with concrete board siding. Definitely the way to build today, particularly for a vacation place. Hmmm, Kev as I recall from our past conversations this was your house 12 years ago... And today.... (just like mine) A cold day starting in the 20's, made it to 42 and some sun, and mid-low 20's tonight! 60 by the weekend! Brent - sorry to dash the dream but you will thank us someday!!!
This is the siding product we went with, came pre-stained and gift wraped in bunks. Cost around 22K just for the material if I recall. At that time it was called Lake States Lumber now changed to this. Even as much as it cost it was way cheaper than going real log. We also used it on the inside walls of the living room.
https://northcentral.bluelinxco.com/products/exteriors/natural-wood-siding/norway-and-country-hewn/
Quiet day at work. May stay home due to weather tomorrow. I hope everyone has a good day.
Just a quick stop.
A nice cold crisp sunny day. Another freeze tonight, high 50's tomorrow.
Mornin' boys. "Avery" is upon us. Spent yesterday storing all of the deck furniture in the shed, and blowing leaves away from house. I don't care what it dumps, just don't want any power outages. Wifey has a plumbing fix she wants tended to, since I'm hunkered in the bunker.
Chief - pace yourself, your Honor.
Well that is odd... I posted yesterday and this software decided to chuck it... nice. Mornin' FellasThe 'vacation' property is many years off... lots to do with the new house once we are in and settled (need to finish two areas in the basement, one for my home office, one for the train room [:], but before those I have to finish the powder room in the basement). TheVPQ has talked about having a inground pool installed - if one of our neighbors doesn't do it first - and we have to install a patio space since the builders aren't doing that (they want too much $$$ for what they are offering to do).Kids are off school today... put their snow suits on them and sent them outside to clear the snow off the yard! Fun times!
Good afternoon,
Dr visit went as expected, drink less and give blood more. Power went out just before I got there but he went ahead and did me anyhow. Glad he did.
Came home to no power here Fife!!!
We got less than 2" of snow and of coarse some dumb a$$ had to hit a power line pole and snap it off. So I got to test out the gen set set up. Worked as planned. Power is back on and Dan and I cleaned guns and he got ready for tomorrow, first day of shotgun season. I had to do a bit of stock repair glueing for the old 22LR since about three years ago it fell off the wall and cracked the stock. Just watching the snow melt now.
43 and raining. Dropped a degree in 30 minutes. Better than ice some are getting.
Had early out this AM. Another thingy tonight.
Later.
Evening All,
Getting a good layer of the white stuff. Hovering around 30ish. Not much on the go. Probably see if my Packers can pull one off in Seattle.
Roy - Congrats on your daughters engagement!
Kev- Nice looking house, even if the maintenance is a pain. I always liked that look. (The first photo a little more than the second! )
Continued thoughts and prayers for California.
Have a good one and prayers.
Rob
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