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Elliot's Trackside Diner V, at the diamonds Locked

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  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
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Posted by twhite on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 2:14 PM

Morning all--

Well, guess what--I GET TO TAKE THE BRACE OFF TODAY!!  WHOOPIE!!  That means I don't have to walk around like Boris Karloff in "Frankenstein" any more.  Surgeon phoned this morning and said he wanted me to start exercising the knee.  I asked him about the walker, he asked me if I could get by without it, I said yes, he said fold it up and put it in a closet somewhere.  Use a cane for a while.  He wants me up and running.  I've got an appointment with my own doctor to get the dressing changed today, so maybe--just MAYBE--I can start getting back to something approaching normal.

Hey, I just might make that Old Fart's Olympics after all, LOL!

Well, the tamale pie wasn't half-bad yesterday, and I could taste it without Da Bomb, so things are looking up. 

Lee:  Thanks for the lead on the flatcars, but those I already have.  Just waiting for my four Sherman Tanks to get in from Walthers.  It's not going to be a long Military train, just seven troop sleepers, four tanks, some howitzers, Jeeps and supply trucks.  Maybe about a 15-car total.  But it just seems a little silly of me to model the WWII era and not have a troop train waltz by every now and then.  The tanks should be here sometime next week, Walthers had them all in stock.  Have NO idea what I'm going to do with those 1/72 scale beasties I accidentally bought, though. 

Jeff:  Take care of yourself, you've been through a lot, lately. 

Well, got to get ready for the Dr.'s appointment.  Take a sponge bath so I don't knock him out of the examination room.  Boy, if there's one thing I miss with all of this, it's a SHOWER! 

Lowell's doing pretty well, still eating me out of house and home on the Gerber's.  Spooky's still running the house and everyone in it, so things are pretty close to normal around here.  At least as close as they ever get. 

Best to all, prayers to those in need. 

Tom Big Smile [:D]

 

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Posted by Geared Steam on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 2:42 PM

Wow, this diner makes me hungry!!!!!

Big Smile [:D] Big Smile [:D]Big Smile [:D]

"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein

http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/

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Posted by LSWrr on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 5:12 PM

Jerry, Do you have AT&T service?  I get the DSL service for $19.95/month unlimited access.  I also bought a GSM device for my (and Dorothy's) lap top for $60/month while we are on the road.

Hey wait, maybe PC can get us a group discount???? (we would all have to move to IN I imagine).

Rob, that sounds like 6 months worth of inconvenience.   I hope they finish up before Thanksgiving.  I predict an early winter out here snow cover by Thanksgiving week.

Twhite, send the 1/72 to the bay for reassignment.  Someone somewhere needs those. Glad to hear the cats are doing ok.  Mine like to take naps on the undeveloped areas of the layout.  No brace? Wow that's a neat B-day gift indeed.

Anybody have a good way to get rid of water bugs?  Every now and then my challenger clips one on the mainline down in the basement train room.  The areas that have scenery are bug free, but the plain areas seem to attract them.

Jim, I thought Garry was 29!?!

A couple years ago I asked my Insurance Agent why his office didn't give out gifts for my birthday like all the other locations I've lived in.  He thought that was a great idea and sent the suggestion to the main office here in Ohio.  3 weeks went by and I got a big envelope in the mail; inside a birthday card was my new policy: FREE LAVA FLOW AND VALCANO coverage for my home and they renew it every year on my birthday for free.

Lee

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

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Posted by pcarrell on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 5:18 PM

 

 

Tom, thats great news!  I've been praying for your recovery.  Guess you won't be needing this after all.....

Gerry,

Lee, sorry, but I only do business service.  Residential is too many headaches!

Philip
  • Member since
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  • From: East central Illinois
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Posted by Cox 47 on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 6:10 PM

Evening All..We got some rain this afternoon with more thru friday its tail end of Gustov...Lift chair guy came says the wooden frame will have to be replaced Good News is they will replace it at no cost to me but the bad news is its gonna take 7 to 9 days..cross your fingers for me it holds together that long..Got Circus STock car painted  red,white and blue with silver roof and under frame..May start on a passenger car latter..Lee ask about my internet service I have my cable,phone and internet in a package deal thru Medicom..I dropped the TV in the bedroom and went with a slower internet with my old slow computer I can't tell that its any slower than before...You all have a good evening...Jerry

Jim...Is it storming over in your area?

ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
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Posted by ModelTrainLover on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 6:28 PM

hye guys I got some more night shots

Gary: enjoy your birthday photos from me.



Maine Central rules! Lewiston High School Swimteam nickname: Loco Colby
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Posted by Flashwave on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 6:53 PM
Evening. I see Tom is ignoring my suggestion to spend more money for the railgun...

-Morgan

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    February 2008
  • From: Memphis, TN
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Posted by Packers#1 on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:15 PM

GARRY: HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Well, here's a report on the football jamboree: We played the first and third quarters, and I got one tackle and did good at Defensive end, where i started. Also did good as a replacement offensive-lineman.

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by NittanyLion on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:22 PM
I want to complain about whatever super-paint MDC used on their cars around 13 years ago.  I got part of the sides of my little ore car to nice and clean with 91% iso but nothing else touched it.  I go to do my first model work in ten years and six hours of soaking with the occasional scrub has been unuseful.  Sure got that Athearn SW1000 shell mostly clean.  Still a lot of goopy paint in small places, give that a few more hours.  Hopefully I can get that done by midnight, so I can prime them in the morning.
  • Member since
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  • From: Carmichael, CA
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Posted by twhite on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:30 PM

Garry:  Happy B-Day [bday]  Have a great one.  If I could do it, I'd make you a cake that looked like #4960!

Jim:  Prayers must have worked, I just got home from the doctor with the brace off and a little-bitty bandage around my knee.  Odd, the stitches on the knee look like two big SMILES!  (I won't tell you what the rest of the knee looks like, because this is a Diner, LOL!)  And I can BEND it.  I'm actually SITTING at the computer, instead of kind of lying on my side.  The Dr. was amazed that I'm healing so fast.  Still have to wobble around with a cane for a while, and I'm still on antibiotics, but things are looking a LOT faster than the original 4-6 week recovery time.  He wants me up and walking for about an hour at a time to get used to it, which means if I'm a good Old Fart I can get back out into the garage maybe by the end of the week.  But thanks for the prayers--they really helped, obviously! Big Smile [:D]  PS:  Copied that sign--I'm KEEPING it!  Gonna have it enlarged to poster size.  It'll come in handy when I get back to school, LOL! 

Flash: That rail-gun needs parallel tracks, and even though the Yuba River Sub is kinda/sorta double-tracked, it's non-parallel.  Which would make for a really INTERESTING time getting that big Mother over the rails, LOL!   Actually, seems to me that Model Power or someone, way back when (when I had hair) offered an HO rail gun--I remember seeing one, and it looked really ferocious.  Of course, me, since I tend to think BIG would be more prone to that monster that the Germans used during WWI--the "Paris" gun that they set some 25 miles away from the city to bombard it and was about as big as an airplane hangar. 

Hope Jeff's feeling better and soon.  Man, what he went through, and what he COULD have gone through, if Gus had roared in there at full strength--

Best to all, prayers to those in need. 

Tom (Old Fart Olympics, watch out, I'll be READY! Tongue [:P])

 

  • Member since
    June 2007
  • From: Indiana
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Posted by Flashwave on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:41 PM

Oh. OOOHHHH I din't realize it was one of those zany German's twenty foot gauge trains. I thought you just meant the barrel.

This could still be fun though

 

-Morgan

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    April 2007
  • From: Ontario
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Posted by da_kraut on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:44 PM

Hello everybody,

Happy birthday and very glad to see that the forum members made it through the storm Gustav without too many difficulties.

Frank 

"If you need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm."

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Carmichael, CA
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Posted by twhite on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:46 PM

Flash: 

I told you, I think BIG! Tongue [:P]

Tom

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 8:47 PM

Thanks so much for the b'day wishes. means a lot to me. Wow my own night pix from Colby. THANKS................. answering the nosey ones on how old............. I'm exactly one year older than on this date in 2007.......Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

Happy MRR'ing!

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by TrainsRMe1 on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:27 PM

 Zoe, A ice tea please??

    I'm glad to hear from you guys down in Gustav's way, Glad that things didn't get to rough, is there any B-day cake left?? If there isn't I like what Ryan got cookin' upDinner [dinner]

  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:36 PM
I'm feeling a little better now but still a bit tired. I've been under a lot of stress the last couple of days.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by pcarrell on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:51 PM

 twhite wrote:
PS:  Copied that sign--I'm KEEPING it!  Gonna have it enlarged to poster size.  It'll come in handy when I get back to school, LOL!

Maybe you should shrink it and put it on the layout somewhere!

Philip
  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 10:51 PM

Evening Gang:

Garry a very Happy Birthday to you Happy B-Day [bday] and many more.

Rob I wish that ballast was the only thing that I tried to grind up. I've come across pieces of rail up to 132lb and 6 ft long, ties, pieces of cross arms, and telephone poles. I saw the rolls of wire before I hit them. That would have been fun getting all that copper wire untangled.

Tom good to hear that you are getting better.

Jeff you take care of yourself.

We went out for our son's birthday tonight. I had a good steak and the bill for the 9 of us. Tomorrow it's back to the eye doctor for a check up. Everything is looking good from my side. My son in law left his cell phone on the desk next to the computer last night. Now that in itself isn't a problem but the desk is next to my bed and the phone's alarm was set for 4am. I told him tonight that pay backs are H. Since I usually wake up between 2 and 3am he could get a phone call sometime soon. Would I do something like that? He, He, He.

Well it's off to bed.

Good Night All

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
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  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
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Posted by Cederstrand on Wednesday, September 3, 2008 11:46 PM

Tall glass of lemon water, please. 

***Jim, haven't talked to any highfi folks, but have done some research online. Already have the wire & boxes ready to sneak into the build when the time comes. I will wire for 7.1 even though I'll only have 5.1 surround. Will also run two wires to the train room, even if it may be a long time before I have extra speakers for it. At least there will be room for expansion, even if I never take advantage of it my lifetime.

***Tom, that is excellent progress. Continued healing!

***Jerry, please do take some pics to share of your circus cars. My wife will want to see them, too. Hers is a small mixmaster of cars thus far, all in need of some sort of work, (painting or coupler upgrades), but it's a start. I have been considering picking up some stock cars and trying to custon paint them in circus colors for here. (probably a project for next year)

***Paul, that wire can make one heck of a serious tangled mess. I didn't realise how much hidden stuff you were having to keep an eye out for. Brings excitement to the job, eh! Hey, do you think your son inlaw will notice that 3 hour call you made to my brother in HongKong to chat about trains? (that would teach em)Laugh [(-D]

Have a good night all. Healing thoughts to those in need.

Cowboy [C):-)] Rob

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: IN/USA
  • 2,495 posts
09-04-2008
Posted by wetidlerjr on Thursday, September 4, 2008 4:02 AM

Good Morning from Tipton IN !  Big Smile [:D]

Clown [:o)]

Bill Tidler Jr.

Near a cornfield in Indiana...

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    October 2006
  • From: Texas
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Posted by C&O Fan on Thursday, September 4, 2008 5:48 AM

Morning All !

Hey Who ate all the birthday cake ? Oh well Happy Birthday  Gary !!!

Glad you made it through the storm Jeff !!

Houston stayed dry since we were on the clean side of the storm

Good to hear you are continuing to heal Tom !!

Would love to see some pictures of the circus cars Jerry !

Just a cup of tea then its back to work on my new project

The C&O station at Cotton Hill

You can see progress photos here

 http://cs.trains.com/forums/1522969/ShowPost.aspx

 

TerryinTexas

See my Web Site Here

http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/

 

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, September 4, 2008 6:14 AM
Good morning.

It's 71 and mostly clear. The high will be in the mid 80's and it will be partly cloudy.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA  71446-6114      9/4/2008


Heat Index:  76°F
Humidity:  82%
Dew Point:  66°F

So Far Today
High:  75°F
Low:  71°F
Rain:  0.00"
Rain Rate:  0.00"/h
Gust:  6mph W

Today  High: 85    Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 80s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tonight  Low: 68    Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 60s. North winds around 5 mph.


Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
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  • From: Euclid, Ohio
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Posted by LSWrr on Thursday, September 4, 2008 6:37 AM

Good morning all.

Looks like IKE will be heading right up the middle of Florida with Josephine going up the east coast.

Meanwhile on the North Coast:

Today: Partly sunny, with a high near 85. East wind between 8 and 11 mph.

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. East wind 10 to 13 mph becoming south. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 84. South wind between 15 and 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Lee

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

  • Member since
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  • From: Cape Girardeau, MO
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Posted by JimRCGMO on Thursday, September 4, 2008 8:43 AM

Morning, Zoe - I'll have a glass of Ed's OJ, cup of coffee, scrambled eggs and toast please (Yep, with blackberry jam). Thanks!

Tom, great news on your knees (well, maybe not the looks of that other knee you wouldn't describe, I dunno...)Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg] I'd agree with both you and PC - make a big version of the sign for school, and an HO scale one for the layout!Laugh [(-D] And wasn't that huge German gun called something like Big Bertha or such?

 jeffrey-wimberly wrote:
I'm feeling a little better now but still a bit tired. I've been under a lot of stress the last couple of days.

Uh... a bit of an understatement there...Wink [;)] Get rested up, Jeff - we'll be here, keeping your spot warm for ya. Thumbs Up [tup]

Terry, looked at your new building topic, and you're going great guns on that! Bow [bow] You might think about writing an article for MR - even the basics of scratchbuilding is something a lot of us could learn more about.Yeah!! [yeah]

Gustav's leftovers are north and slightly west of us today, and I heard that across the river in Randolph Count, Illinois (kind of north of Cape) they got 4 or 5 inches of rain so far. We have rain here today, and slight winds (20-25mph). S'pposed to reach upper 70's F today, so it won't be that warm.

Rob, for the MRR room, you could put a speaker plate in the ceiling or wall, and have the wires  run to that. Then later you could get a good speaker and put it in behind the plate. One possible idea for you. (or two plates, if you want stereo..)

Paul, how quickly did you find the 'off' switch for your son's cellphone? I'd be finding that really quick. Shock [:O] That wakeup call back to him about 2 a.m. sounds ...uh.. appropriate enough. Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg] What do they do in your train route area there - use it for their personal trashpile? That's a bunch of junk to have to watch out for when you're trying to run trains.

Hmm, I wonder - with that copper wire you found along the tracks - maybe there are copper thieves in the area and they tried to hide their stuff until they could get to a scrap dealer with it? Several weeks back, in our area some of the more rural areas were having reports of someone stealing copper (anything) from old buildings, because the price of copper had gone up.

Jerry, hope they get your chair redone quicker than they think. Yeah!! [yeah] That's a long time, seems like (and I'm not the one who has to hope my chair holds together that long)! Your circus train cars sound neat - when you get a chance, post some pics as you get those done.

Sawyer, sounds like a good game for you (and no injuries, right?). Thumbs Up [tup]

Colby,  enjoyed the night pics you posted for Garry's birthday. Thumbs Up [tup]

I'll be at the window booth, working on breakfast and seeing who comes by.

 

Blessings,

Jim in Cape Girardeau 

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: North Central Texas
  • 2,370 posts
Posted by Paul W. Beverung on Thursday, September 4, 2008 10:06 AM

Hi Gang:

Jim: No copper thiefs just contractors doing a job of removing the lines for the UP. I talked to the crew when they were working down there and asked them to not leave the stuff in the grass because I'd be mowing it. Some folks just don't respect others. Anyway since they seem to have thrown it away I hauled it off. Tough for them.

I the railroad folks are much better but when a crew comes through doing alot of track work like replacing ties they tend to loose stuff. Actually if I can keep the grass and weeds down it will make it easyer for them to find stuff and myself also. Usually if I find something like a new barrel of spikes ore something else that can be used I'll set it up by the crossing and call the foreman so they can pick it up when someone comes by. The junk I pile up and load in the next batch of scrap going to the scrap dealer. Of course any old cross ties wind up as fence posts.

Well I don't have enough time untill the doctors appointment so I guess I'll head for the shop and tidy up a bit.

See you all later.

Paul The Duluth, Superior, & Southeastern " The Superior Route " WETSU
  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Euclid, Ohio
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Posted by LSWrr on Thursday, September 4, 2008 11:24 AM

Jim, The copper thieves up here are so bad they steel the copper out of houses people are living in. Not uncommon for people to come home to flooded basements, missing the furnace, hot water tank, and all the copper pipes. To fight this the city has police checking vehicles as they come into the scrap yards.

Rob, will you be running some CAT5 wire for future computer lines along with speaker wire? 

Lee

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Western transplant to the Deep South
  • 4,256 posts
Posted by Cederstrand on Thursday, September 4, 2008 11:46 AM

in a UNION PACIFIC mug, please & thank you.

***Lee, yes, although I'm not sure where to run it to. The main area where the TV & stereo goes will be above one of those fake fireplaces (electric w/ fake flames....wife's idea, not mine). So, still decisions to make. Thought about running one phone line to the "Diner" part of the screend porch to put in an old fashioned wall phone or perhaps a payphone.Laugh [(-D] Not sure on that one yet.

Have a great day all.

Cowboy [C):-)] Rob

  • Member since
    December 2003
  • From: East central Illinois
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Posted by Cox 47 on Thursday, September 4, 2008 1:01 PM
Afternoon All...We got a rainy day here posta keep it up till friday..Not a hard rain just nice and easy..I'll have a Cheese burger,onion Rings and a Root beer Float please..Thank You..I tried to get a photo of Circus car this morning but batteries were flat so I'll have to wait till I get some more..You all have a good day...Jerry
ILLinois and Southern...Serving the Coal belt of southern Illinois with a Smile...
  • Member since
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  • From: Orig: Tyler Texas. Lived in seven countries, now live in Sundown, Louisiana
  • 25,640 posts
Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Thursday, September 4, 2008 2:08 PM
Jerry: Get a set of rechargeable batteries and a quick charger. You pay more initially but you save a ton over time.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Euclid, Ohio
  • 2,822 posts
Posted by LSWrr on Thursday, September 4, 2008 2:57 PM

I agree with Jeff! Rechargable battries are the way to go!

Rob, I would put a computer jack-phone jack-cable jack combination in every room if it were me.

Lee

BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret)
 L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes

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