Elliot's Trackside Diner, Mark XIX

[Cederstrand]

Chamomile Tea, please. 

***Jeffrey, glad you made it from under the knife again but do take it easy and please follow your Doc's instructions. Fingers crossed for your recovery. I'd cross my toes but think they would cramp up on me. 

***Keith, that is going to be some layout. Best not let my wife see how much you accomplished in that amount of time or she might accuse me of being lazy. Keep the pics coming & Welcome Aboard.

***Sue, how about posting some new pics of the layout progress?

Good night all.

Rob

[AmanaMedic]

Good evenin', I'll take a cup of coffee, unless KEITH has drank it all... Speaking of, KEITH! Great moogly googly! I still haven't even got one "L" bracket screwed into the wall...after 4 years of living in this house...and you've built....something so incredible I can't even begin to describe it.

My little fuzzy buddy, Rerun, was hearing all the "cat talk" in here earlier...he's most disgruntled by it. Rerun HATES cats. He can just barely abide the Wife's cat. He thinks there should be more dogs in here. He also acts as "supervisor." I think though, he really wants to help with stuff. I keep telling him once he masters the concept of opposable thumbs, I'll put him to w**k. Then again, I keep telling the Wife that all the RR stuff "...is for Rerun and his future layout." It's not MY "wish list" of RR stuff that gets conveniently placed where she can't help but see it...especially around Christmas time...it's Rerun's wish list. Yep...that's my story, and we're stickin' to it!

Speaking of the Wife...she says she's feeling better...and she "thinks" whatever it is/was has "finally broken." Great...'cause now I'm feeling it more and more! Then again, 3 hours along the sidelines tonight didn't help me any.

I ended up getting three stories for THAT editor however: the game itself (lots of pictures), it was homecoming (pic of King and Queen), and some lady was inducted into the school's hall of fame...BONUS! THAT editor will be most-pleased. As it is, she has 3 weeks of game articles she hasn't even had room to run yet. Apparently, I'm too prolific...I'm cranking out more content than she can use. Funny, I didn't think I was w**king THAT hard... I guess it's a good problem to have though 'eh?

 THAT reminds me, thanks JIM! Honestly though, if'n I had my druthers, I'd take a raise in pay. Yeah, I can stick a plaque on the wall, it may be a resume' enhancer...right now though, I'll take more cash in the take-home. My "award" is when people (readers) tell me they liked a photo, or an article. I guess that's all my ego needs... Now THAT editor on the other hand, she NEEDS the plaques (1st place) abhores the certificates (2nd and 3rd place) and feels slighted if she gets nothing in a catagory. Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks...

*yawn* Time for bed, but I think Rerun has another idea...

Chris

[blownout cylinder]

Good Morning!!

I'm all awake and piculous first thing this morning because I found 2 light bulbs---CFL's right--decided to pop first thing this morn---and I had to replace them right off the bat. I am not usually coordinated without at LEAST ONE single cup of coffee in me but there I was replacing those bulbs---

We are getting some more 30% showers---after that all day rain--this morning---some of those showers are here 30%ing on us as I write. It will clear to a mix of sun/cloud later this afternoon then will be sunny tomorrow---but the highs will only be 9C or so----

I'm off to the university to do those weekend seminar things----but I'll be finished with these things a little sooner than I usually am ---- not a lot of stuff---heeheehee

JimRC: That pic with the VIA was done with the telephoto inadvertantly out--I was not that close ---thank goodness But that effect has got a few people!!

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and a toast with wild blueberry jam please-----I'll be at the RC for now

[howmus]

Mornin' everyone!

Zoe I'm gonna need that IV setup for coffee that Philip uses from time to time.....  That and a couple of glazed dougnuts to get me going.

I'm on my way out to Boy Scout Camp for the annual Fall w**k day out there.  I'm going to see if I can find out what somebody did to unplug the main speakers in the dining hall among other things......

I'll catch you all later.

73

[Anonymous]

 Hi everyone,

it is past lunchtime  over here and a wet and gray day - time to stay in bed and pull the duvet over the head...

I am not feeling well, maybe a coffee and a slice of that apple strudel, topped with vanilla ice cream  will cheer me up.

This is getting to be a busy place - have you noticed that the time span until we reach 50 pages gets shorter all the time? Difficult to catch up on all what is going on - at least for a non-native speaker like me...  The most important for me is that Jeffrey is back home and on the way of recovery...

Blessings to all of you!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Thanks for the well wishes everyone. This latest surgery hasn't dampened my enthusiasm for the hobby in the least though it has seriously curtailed my activities. I have to go back and see the doc on Monday so he can check to see that the foot is healing properly. I also have an appointment to see my primary care provider on Wednesday. No rest for the wicked eh? The temp here is around 60 and the high will reach about 70. There is of course a chance of rain. The joys of being in a state that averages 60+ inches of rainfall a year.

[Robby P.]

 Gooooooooooood morning.  I believe the rain is over for a few days, and that means I need to cut grass again .

 The plan today is..........see about changing banks (maybe), visit a LHS, maybe do some window shopping.

 Ulrich.....Hope you get to felling better.

 Jeff......I'm sure the layout is wondering where you have been.  60+ inches??   Thats way to much for me to handle.  I'm not much of a rain person.  Plus last night West Virginia was under a tornado warning.   So we got a lot of rain last night.

 Jim......I think everybody enjoys Railboxs at any era they model.   Its just a neat looking car.  Myself...Well I enjoy the ones with the BIG logo.   Here's a close up for some good weathering ideas.  Not not big on graffiti (just can't draw it), but I like the rust!!

 

[Cox 47]

Good morning..We have sun for the first time in a few days..sure looks good..Its 41 posta drop to 32 tonite...I'll have order of biscuits and gravey,fried taters and coffee please..Thank You..glat to hear Jeff is getting along OK..Gonna watch the Card-dodgers game this evening..cards gotta win this one but they are back in St. Louis...Gonna start in a chain link fence today...You all have a good one..Jerry

[Packer]

Jim, nah it wasn't the diner's food. It's seems to be my mother's spagehtti or enchaladas that I get them. I ate some more from the same batch of enchaladas that may have made me sick a few days ago and didn't get sick. Maybe it's something else?

Robby, I like them as much as the next guy, but I haven't quite figured out which logo is approriate for the 1975-1985 timeframe. As a result I have a mix-up.

Jeffery, good to see you back and here's to a quick recovery!!

I've made some really good progress on the MR front yesterday. Got a decoder into GP35 2521 and got it to be a little bit quieter (It's an athearn RTR, probably needs run time to get it to quiet up some more), Made some pilots out of styrene for my GP20 (I'll probably attach it with tacky glue since it's one of the older runs of P2K geeps that had the seperate pilot), and got my 2 Alcos together:

IMG]http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj301/PackerPhan66/ALCOS001.jpg[/IMG]

These are the newer atlas shells on the Kato drives. A little bit of cutting and filling and the shell fits just right. I used some styrene superglued to the frame to make the pad for mounting kadees, then drilled the holes for some screws I had in my parts drawer.

NCE-DASR decoders and LED lighting were also added.

[Paul W. Beverung]

Morning Everyone: Well I see that the place has been moved again. Progress I guess.

There is a train show today in Ft. Worth so guess where I'm going to be around 1 O'clock? I really don't need anything since I just placed a large order with Walthers but one can always look. I'll meet my buddy there who I used to work with at Six Flags. We don't get together as much as I'd like so it will be a chance to get caught up. He's side lined his MRing. I'm trying to get him hooked again.

Not much else happening here. We have still got our fields to bale but with the rain it will have to wait. We have baled after the hay has been killed by a freeze but it is harder to cut and we have to wait for a couple of weeks.

Our live steam meet is coming up in a couple of weeks and I haven't even been over to the track to help with the getting ready. I'll try and get over there this coming week.

Well It's time for me to go and get Mary Ann. She's doing fine.

See you all later. 

[Anonymous]

 Just found a picture of one of my dream locos. I will start to save up for it, so by 2018 I will be able to buy it...

Here it is:

 

When I started to take pictures of railroads, I never took even one of this loco. There were just everywhere - now they are all gone!

[TMarsh]

Mornin all, coffee and coffee, a sweet roll and some more coffee please. Well, I knew it was bound to happen and now it has. Took the dog out for morning potties and slipped on something that was laying on the back porch. It's happened. If we had pumpkins there'd be frost on them. Missy looked back over her shoulder as if to say, "you OK? You need a couple more of those feet things like me." I'm not ready for winter. Yuck.Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind between 8 and 11 mph. Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 28. North northwest wind between 8 and 10 mph. Right now it's about 34F As you can see it's going to be cold here tonight.

Instead of fixing the switch on the sump pump, I decided to retire the old girl. She's about 16 now but still works like a new one. I have, er I gues had, two new ones sitting incase it burnt up (but I don't think it will) and the future project of a second pump as a backup for those times when one is scaringly close to not keeping up. Anyway, I just dropped a new one in there and walked away. Maybe I'll go through the old one and keep it. After all I did find enough room under the layout for it.... 
Ray_ Thanks for moving us with that RS-1. Bet it felt good to get her legs stretched. Now do you guys (the museum) own and operate the bulldozers, hoes and such? Oh and I meant to tell you, when I was around 17, I had a rubber chicken. Had him for several years. His name was Stanley. Great friend and loads of laughs. Even if most were by me. He even has a couple of honorable mentions in my High School year book. Too bad you couldn‘t find one. I know YOU would have had a blast with it . If you ever do, may I suggest the name Stanley in honor of my dear friend who was left in the sun draped over the rear view mirror to long and alas, dried up and passed. (sniff)

Garry- I agree with you about Jeff. Here I complain when I get a bit of a headache and he's out doing all this stuff everyday with Diabetes, the no feeling pain thing, bad feet and I can't remember what all else. Sorta makes me feel like a whiner. He was one of the reasons I decided to get involved in the forum. (Other than the fact that you guys, as well as many out in the forum proper, seemed a whole lot nicer than most others. Not necessarily all posters, but the forums as a whole.) He didn't need to buy all the really expensive rolling stock or have all the exact details. He bought what he wanted and worked with that and seemed to enjoy as much as anyone. He shows you that you don't have to have a boat load of money or all $50 cars and $500 locos to have a model railroad and have it turn out looking great.

OH! Hi Jeff, ahem, just talking about you. Oh nothing. Didn't expect you back so soon, but glad you are. Anyway, glad the surgery went well, I bet the bleeding incident had it happened at home would have put the old ticker into overdrive. Glad it turned out to be nothing.

Keith- Wow! You've got quite the thing going. I'll be keeping my eye on that thread so don't give up.

Joe- Congrats on the award! And those scores look great to me.

Robby- Yeah, after 3 inches of rain I need to mow again also. Harumph.

Well it's taken me most of the morning to get caught up here, view the pictures, videos, get side tracked over at the YouTube. (bet that never happens to anyone else huh.) Sooooo, best be getting on with my day.

Have a Great Day !!!

[gear-jammer]

Chloe,  Looks like Rob is at the top of the page.  I will have a Chamomile Tea, too, please.  With my headaches and whatever, I run out of steam quickly.  Maybe I will get some photos this afternoon.

Philip,  Do you have all of your benchwork and track down?

Ulrich,  You should check in with MrB.  He has a subway system on his layout.

Well, I am off to town to get some errands done.

Later,

Sue

[ns3010]

Afternoon all. Just stoppin in for a bacon cheeseburger

W**king on my english crap, ya know, that normal stuff.

Sorry I can't stay, gotta keep working. I'll be back in later.

[pcarrell]

Keith, I'm one of the old timers around this place.  Shoot, I think I've been through 4 or 5 software changes, and countless dining car moves.  You see, these days we have to move the diner every 50 pages or it lags up the forum.  A few software changes ago, we had a forum that went something like 1200 pages without lagging the forum.  That was quite the thread, let me tell you!

gear-jammer

Philip,  Do you have all of your benchwork and track down?

Benchwork, yes...trackwork, I'm getting there.  I got held up when I decided to redo my staging yard some.  It's coming along though.

[ns3010]

Ok, I guess I can take a break from the English to chat now...

Thanks Keith! I have no clue why people would even think of doing things like these...
Robby- With all of your excellent work, I'd think your graffiti would be pretty good. Got any photos of anything you've done?
Jeff- Glad you're back in here, and in the hobby!
Thanks Todd! They're better than some of my friends' grades, which I will not comment on...

EDIT: Looks like I got TOP. Eat up and Enjoy!!!

[GMTRacing]

Good Afternoon All,

   Been in the shop all morning tidying up the trailer so we can leave Monday. I'm about 2/3 of the way throuygh that but stopped for lunch. Just a chicken Ceasar and some unsweetened ice tea and I'll get back to it.

    Cats are really resiliant aren't they? We found ours two days after the fire hiding in the basement. She's since adopted the couple next door as we couldn't move both her and Rupert (the dog) to the rental house. Seems much happier next door as well as there are no dogs underfoot there.

Keith - that's some layout you've started (just to see how it looks). You may have forgotten to mention you're a master wood worker as well. You and BobGP40 should find plenty in common when he drops back in.

    Well the salad hit the spot and it's back out to the trailer for me.  CUL, J.R.

[Robby P.]

Joe.......Here's a few shots.

prototype:

model:

 

prototype:

model:

[ns3010]

Robby, stop duplicating those prototype shots and adding a different background, so that it looks like a model!
Seriously, what are you talking about! That's much better than I could do!

[AmanaMedic]

Packer

I like them as much as the next guy, but I haven't quite figured out which logo is approriate for the 1975-1985 timeframe.

VINCENT: The "large" logo is the one you want for '75 to '85. I don't think they made the switch to the itty-bitty little logo until...around '95-'96. Somewhere around here, I've got an old Kodak 110 (film size) print of a line of RBOX cars sitting in storage on an old siding in Cedar Rapids. This would've been in '84, I believe. That's when I realized there were mutliple builders for the cars: PS, FMC, Berwick, one or two others. I saw the RBOX Railbox, and some ABOX cars with the plug and slider combo. Somewhat surprising to me, is that with 200+ freight cars rostered, I don't have a single Railbox!?!?!?!?!

I shall have to rectify THAT.

Good chilly afternoon. Ladies? Coffee...lots and lots of coffee to warm my bones/cut the chill of the early onset of winter.

JEFF: Hope the foot is getting better, no complications, AND you're being "compliant" with the doc's directions...well, at least some-what!

ULRICH: Sorry I missed ya in here Pal... good to see you back in here, continued "good vibes" going your direction.

ROBBY P: The graffitti looks good to me...well, "good" in that you replicated it very well. Unfortunately, it's a necessary item for those modeling "today." That's one good thing about the '87-'93 era: a lot less "tagging." I keep hoping/wishing/dreaming the CNW Historical Society will come up with a sheet of decals of "CNW" graffitti, the scriblings I saw the most on CNW rolling stock: "Iowa Blackie," "ZZ Proviso," and a few others. Iowa Blackie is/was(?) a true hobo. I met him once, definitely a mentally-challenged individual. But, a true hobo, journeying back and forth across Iowa on the freights. He'd mark a car he rode with "Iowa Blackie was here" along with the date and a drawing of the state of Iowa. "ZZ Proviso" was a CNW employee marking cars for some reason...boredom, maybe. All in all, a far more innocent form of "tagging" from the gang wannabees and "artists" of today.

Dagnabit! I can't find the Iowa Blackie was here photo....

I'll have a seat at the RC, yield the floor, see who else comes in out of the cold today...

Chris

[Packers#1]

 Hey Joe, gotta love English class. I still have 2 quizzes and a test to make up since I was out. Also have a quiz in geometry and a quiz and test in world geo. Hopefully I can get that done after school monday and tuesday, might have to stay after wednesday. If it wasn't for make-up work, i'd love staying home from school; but it sucks having to make up what you missed...

[Blazzin]

  Hey all .. Thanks for the kind words about the layout.  I want you all to know how exciting it is for me to be around other ppl that love to talk about trains. Imagine if couldn't ..  Yoouu want to talk about trains.. they dont'! ...   I'm still doing alot of planning.. and re-enforcing all the needed areas.  I know this now, after I work on a certain area, clean it up.  Stay on having a clean layout and have a small trash bag / bin close by.  Have the dust buster ready as well as paper towels. 

  Now..~  Joe and Barry.. what happened to you two last night.. you left me talking to myself.. I found myself asleep with my head on the table.  You two must have went to that link that had thousands of pics.  I know I spent hours there..studying.. and looking with a mag view.. for better detail and idea's.  I was stoked .. really punched my ticket~

  Yeah, cats are pretty tough, my sister had just gotten this Siamese kitten,, her husband had installed a washer .. and noticed.. it was wobbling.. just couldn't level it.. lifts it up.. a kitten smashed on all fours.. and neck straight out.  Oh greeeat~  Rushes it off to the Vet, the vet says.. if he makes it through the night.. he should be OK.  The kitten lived a long life.. although.. it no longer could 'Meow`'  when it tried.. it squeaked.. lol.. so they named it 'Squeak'

[howmus]

Evenin' folks!

Got home from Scout Camp a couple hours ago and did a bit of flat car w**k in the layout room.  I have forgotten just how bad the dining hall food is these days.....  usually when we go out for "Beaver Days" ot OA weekends the noon meal is roast beef with gravey mashed potatoes and some vegetable.  Today we got the remaining Chicken patties (I think the chicken ran through with stilts on....) and something they said was supposed to be Swiss Steak.  It may have come from there, but I can swear there were tire tracks on it.  Along with the questionable somewhat meat, were some soggy oven warmed up frozen french fries, and frozen peas.......  The only palatable part of the meal was the pie which was actually edible. 

I spent all morning replugging in and getting all the inside parts of the sound system back working after the Rotarians annual screwing everything up on me out there.  (no offense to anyone who is a Rotarian as the problem is with some people that come out when they are in camp and start rewiring the sound system, unplugging speakers, etc.)  We also pulled all the outside speakers off the roof, disassembled them, cleaned out an unbelievable mess of mud daubers and wasp nests (complete with wasps), washed them out good, reassembled them and put them back up on the roof.  Luckily it was cold enough that the wasps were moving very s  l  o  w........  today.

Chloe how 'bout a nice cup of hot chocolate to warm me up.  I'll go sit at the Rivet Counter for a while.

Todd, all the dozers, graders, and other earth moving equipment are antiques owned and operated by the museum.  We are lucky to have people from just about walk of life that come out and help.  We have people who were civil engineers, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, locomotive engineers, etc.  And that's just the engineers.........  One of the real strokes of luck is that we have several people who have worked on diesel engines during their careers.  They also are very happy to train others on how to maintain and run the equipment we have. Oh and the chicken I have has been christened Stanley!

Chris I think I will be lighting the wood stove tonight as it is going down to 40°F tonight and 33°F tomorrow night.  Time to glean the garden!

Kieth you are off to a great start on that layout of yours.  Hope you are having fun with it!

OK I have some more glue to apply....  catch you all later.

73

[GMTRacing]

Keith if you are gonna fall asleep on the table late at night watch out Der doesn't sneak up on you with a bucket of warm water to put your hand in.

Well now Ray at least now you know why the PA had a buzz in it all summer. And now that it's serviced you can put it back in Rotation too.

Sorry too much time in the trailer causes you to get silly. Time to head out catch y'all tomorrow. J.R.

[blownout cylinder]

Hello---

Got back from all dese and dose t'ings called seminars---My schedule, such as one could call this, was kind of hacked up today by people coming in/out----losing their classes and room numbers---people bashing into one another---just great old stuff for slap stick comedy

Keith: Excuse pliss---is not knowing the prozeeedure for leavink this vine establisment How do you like that for hacked up accents? BTW---I would like to know what you are going to use for the 'skin' of the mountains---that still has my eyeballs here

Ray: Where does the museum get the donations(?) from usually? Do they have enough space?

Jeff:---60+ inches of rain?----I'm surprised that therwe isn't giant bamboo be flappin' around there!!Take care of the ol' joints there---

Chloe, I'll have a coffee and a slice o' Pumpkin Pie please---I'll go sit by the RC and see who else shows up

[howmus]

blownout cylinder

Ray: Where does the museum get the donations(?) from usually? Do they have enough space?

 

LOL....  We get donations of equipment from all over, but most of our running equipment was used at one time in the Rochester, NY area.  Some was purchased by groups of members to add to the collection (such as LV #211 that was purchased from the scrap line by a group of the volunteers.  Space....  never have enough space!  In order to put down track that will house the Empire State Express when she is reconditioned, we scrapped many tons of basically worn out junk that we had acquired over the years.  Still some people not happy that some hunk of iron that will never run again was finally disposed of to make room for some equipment that both is usable, and should be part of the collection.  Take a look at the junk yard to the left on this photo.  Most of this is now gone:

73

[jeffrey-wimberly]

blownout cylinder

Jeff:---60+ inches of rain?----I'm surprised that therwe isn't giant bamboo be flappin' around there!!Take care of the ol' joints there---

Bamboo grows like crazy here, just not out in the open. It grows up in wet ground beneath the trees and just goes totally ape.

 

Hello to all those in the place. I just happen to be up getting dinner together and decided to pop in and say hi. Foot seems to be healing nicely but since I can't see it I can't really tell. The doc said not to unwrap it unless it's totally necessary  until he can look at it again on Monday. I'm following his instructions to the letter and I'm also keeping up the home iv program of antibiotics. Fortunately that's only once a day. You guys have a great day.

[ns3010]

Evenin' all. Janie, I'll take a RBF, thanks.

Chris, that's really interesting about the 'Iowa Blackie.' Cool that you got to meet him too.
Sawyer, yeah, makeup stuff really does suck. I never seems to go away either...
Sorry Keith! Nice job on the layout tho!

Janie, can I please get a refill?

[AmanaMedic]

ns3010

Chris, that's really interesting about the 'Iowa Blackie.' Cool that you got to meet him too.

Yeah, it was interesting allright. He was at Railroad Day at Usher's Ferry (imagineered) Historical Village in Cedar Rapids. I'm not sure how he got there... he had a certain "air" about him...pretty much every bodily "fragrance" you can imagine combined. He was selling little books of his poetry. It seems he had a very troubled youth and started hopping freights at an early age. It became his life. I have zero interest in poems, but bought one anyways seeing it for what it was: a fundraiser. Instead of begging/asking for money, he sold his little books. He also was passing out flyers asking everybody to vote for him for "Hobo King" at the annual hobo gathering in Britt, Iowa.

RAY: We're holding off on the furnace just yet... I've been tempted to get a wood burner put in to supplement the old oil burning furnace.

JEFF: Glad to hear you're following doctor's "suggestions." I've got a hunch "orders" and you don't get along too well

Ladies? A double cheeseburger basket please 'n thankya...and keep the coffee going. Yep, I'll just keep holdin' down this here stool at the RC for awhile yet...

Chris

[JimRCGMO]

Good Evening, Janie, I'll have some of Petra's struedel if you have some left, or a cinnamon roll, if you don't, and a D&RGW mug of coffee. Keith hasn't completely drained the coffee pot yet today, has he? Oh? And you started another pot for the rest of us? Thanks! 

AmanaMedic

THAT reminds me, thanks JIM! Honestly though, if'n I had my druthers, I'd take a raise in pay. Yeah, I can stick a plaque on the wall, it may be a resume' enhancer...right now though, I'll take more cash in the take-home. My "award" is when people (readers) tell me they liked a photo, or an article. I guess that's all my ego needs...

Chris, I have another idea - can you sell reprints of your photos to those happy people and make a little for your wallet? Or does THAT editor require you to give up all rights to the paper? Just an idea...

Barry, if those were CFL's that popped, did you get out your HazMat suit and disposal trailer? Or haven't you ever written all those cautions they put on the boxes for those things? Hey, that is NOT good, having to do anything involving dexterity of hands (let alone using two hands) before having had your morning breakfast or at least a cup or two of coffee. Huh? Oh, sorry, must've not had enough caffeine in me yet today. And good to hear that you keep a goodly distance between yourself and the tracks!

Robby, I guess my equivalent in my RR's era would be the 50' AAR boxcars. I'm not that into graffiti myself (other than the basic kind of 'Kilroy was here' that hobos would do back in the 30's/40's/50's). But a nice touch of rust never hurt the good looks of any boxcar (or other cars) in my opinion... By the way, I like your ConRail covered hopper model better than the prototype.

Jerry, are you making your own chain link fence, or using a kit for that (and if a kit, whose are you using)? I know what you mean about the Cardinals - I will not be a happy camper if they blow the playoffs. How's Sallie been lately, by the way?

Paul, hope you have a good visit with your buddy at the train show (and re-hook him). That business about the problems of hay baling and the weather is one I've heard from a lot of folks who farm. And sometimes it's about like Mr. Murphy has a special sweet spot in his heart for hay baling... Hope you get the baling (and putting away) done before the next rains come through your neck o'the woods.

Ulrich, you could look at it this way - keeping up with the Diner posts gives you a LOT of practice with your English, right? Nice photo of that (future) loco - who makes that model?

Todd - you got frost already? , you people start early up your way. We're only in the mid-40's by mornings down here this week (after the cold front went through). At first, I though you meant that Missy has 'oopsed' on the porch and you didn't see it in time... As for those two extra legs, I've seen some four-legged critters slip 'n' slide when it gets a bit icy out, so Missy may even be wobbly if your colder weather keeps up. Oh, and happy mowing, from this apartment-dweller...

Phillip - PICTURES! Pictures! PICTURES! Come to think of it, it has been a while since I recall seeing photos of your layout (though not so long for other photos, like of bikes)...Couldja please, purty please, give us an update? (Yes, I know, I'll need to do some myself - will post tomorrow afternoon...)

JR, I'm betting that your (former) cat will still stop by for a snack at your place every once in a while once you get things settled down and the container out. That's about how one psychologist I used to w**k for, got his cat 'Bobbi' (tail to match the name) - he just showed up one afternoon/evening and sort of stayed with the doctor...)

Jeff, thanks for dropping by, and good to hear that you're following your doctor's orders. I'm suprised that you and your folks don't have webbed feet, with all that rainfall there. I mean, that's way too much rain for one place!

Ray, good to hear you got the electronics for the camp cleaned up (for a while). If it'd been me clearing the wasps out, they'd be flat wasps... (hope the ASPCW - American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Wasps - isn't monitoring the DIner posts).

On the 'cold' front (pun intended), I've had the baseboard heat in my apartment on for the past couple of nights, but not up where I have it around February or so. Also changed over from my summer (short) jammies to the flannel winter ones. Haven't broken out the blanket just yet, however.

This morning after laundry, I went by the storage shed and crammed that monitor into the back seat, then got around to taking it by the dropoff point. They had it set up where everybody filled out a form saying what you brought (and that you lived in the city and were NOT bringing your e-trash by from parts unknown), then you went down the middle of the 4-H shed (poles on the outside, cars driving up the middle of the inside) where the people pulled your stuff out of the car or trunk for you. Didn't even have to get out of the car!) Kinda neat! Next year, I have an original iMac that I may send, after I wipe the drive totally clean to DES standards...

After that, I drove up to Chuck's Depot to get some turnouts (Atlas Custom-Line, code 100), and some Blair Line signs for my downtown businesses. Chuck was trying (I think) to persuade me to get Peco's instead, but I know the Atlas turnouts well enough to make a manual linkage for the ones that'll be at the back of the layout (not as sure on the Peco ones - they're on the front part of the layout so I can just 'turn' them with my finger). I wanted to get some more Walthers ('cast iron') street lamps like the ones I got a few weeks back, but he was out. He had the DPM/W-S 'Pre-Fab' structures, and I was able to see how those are - unpainted, four walls glued together, add the paint, roof, details, etc. Got done inside of an hour and a half from when I got there.

It was also a good day to go to Chuck's, because it's Homecoming weekend at the university here. "Can you say, 'obnoxious, drunken frat guys along the parade route, littering the town,' children?" So, definitely a road trip day!

And with that, I will retire to my abode and get ready for bedtime (after backing up the laptop's hard drive)... Prayer list is ready to go, for all those of us in need of them (i.e., all of us)...

 

Blessings and prayers,

Jim in (Halfway sunny today) Cape Girardeau