Good Morning!!!
Janie, coffee in my LKAB mug, hot cakes and bacon n´ eggs, please! I´ll be in the corner booth and watch the yard crew fiddlin´ arount with that switcher...
So Christmas is over - the first one without a tree and any presents. Still a strange feeling...
Today, I will take Christian and Stephanie (or Steffi) to the train station. It was good to have the young ones with us, but it is now the time for us to get some rest. Petra spent most of the time in the kitchen, preparing goodies, and I did the clean-up job later on...
Tomorrow morning, I have to report back to the hospital - makes me nervous
Jeff - that diner looks exactly the way I picture this place!
You all have a good day!
Good Evening, Flo, and a Happy Feast of St. Stephen to you! I'll have a CAW mug of coffee, and an oatmeal raisin cookie, please. Trying to cut back (after the requisite holiday over-doing...). Thanks.
LSWrr I was shocked the animal lover would give me a scene of 4 wolves ready to kill Bambi. I will find a place for this, somewhere.
LSWrrFriend of mine has decided to upgrade his radio Digitrax throttles to the duplex radio version and offered me his old throttles for $75 each. This guy owns a LHS and uses them in his store.
Definitely a good score there, Lee, from what I've seen for the Digitrax radio throttles in the sale flyer! So, what's supposed to be the additional feature in the duplex throttles, anyway? I hadn't heard yet.
Jeff - that diner has an awesome drool factor going for it! Kudos to whoever built that thing, and I have saved the photos for reference, since the one I had started already was a Harriman-type coach body, also. That is one heckuva neat diner, all right! - you lucky guy! I see you have a Rio Grande Cookie Box - don't we all have one of those?
Ray, you don't have me fooled for a minute! There's method to your madness - giving your little sweetie Thomas train stuff that she has to bring to your house to play with (so more fun time visiting with her). You crafty ol' man, you!
Todd, I'm guessing that you (no doubt, yes?) prepped Brenda by telling her how much electricity you all would save with an LCD TV, right? I mean, conserving energy, as well as saving money on utilities bills...
Chris, glad to hear that Kit enjoyed the Bugs, and that I additionally contributed to her 'stress reduction' collection of bubble wrap. If you have a Hobby Lobby near you (about that soda machine), you could use the 40 percent off coupon on the J-L Innovative soda machines (H-L carries them). But your way sounds even more thrifty... ... Excuse me, I had a delayed reaction to your 'See Der Rabbits' - thought for a bit that you were talking about something DerJohn had said...(chortle, guffaw...)
Rob, sounds like your tree is a bigger version of what I have for one. I'll be waiting until Twelfth Night (of the 12 Days of...) - Jan. 6th (AKA Epiphany) - to take mine down. I just like the lights and ornaments, too. Had them on last night, plus about four candles lit (all on fireproof glass supports, of course...), and some Christmas music and carols playing, and a cup of eggnog. How have your critters been taking to the weather lately there?
DerJohn, that's an impressive bunch of ballasting there (even allowing for it being in iNvisible scale). That's a good idea on the yard area around the enginehouse - I may do that, since the less I leave unballasted, the less scenicking and ground cover I may need to bother with! Hey, nothing wrong with sleeping through the night when you can get that, right?
Nothing falling out of the sky today in Cape Girardeau, which is good, since the winds are blowing 30 mph again, dropping the windchill about 10 degrees (F) from the air temp. I think we might've made it to 36 F/ 1 C or so today (not counting the windchill). Kinda nasty cold - 'but it's a dry cold, y'know...' I did get my first batch of CAW logos and stripes printed out:
The bigger 'butte' logos will be for boxcars or the side of Geeps, where there's more space, while the smaller ones are for the side of a switcher cab, like this one:
and the two-stripe sets are for the side of the locos. I'm debating about having a two-stripe set on my RDC's or just going with one 'turquoise' stripe on the side somewhere.
Also today, I went to get a can of gloss spray lacquer at H-L (along with some 'skin tone' paint for some unpainted Preiser figures I need to finish for our MRR club's diner). They didn't have that, but they did have gloss spray polyurethane, which is called 'indoor-outdoor' on the can. Will that w**k for sealing the decals before I soak them in water to put them on cars or locos? Anybody know if the polyurethane will seal it okay, or should I take the can back?
Well, I guess Ulrich and all our other Diners are still enjoying the holiday with family. I'll be at the RC a while, doodling with ideas for where to stick that stripe on the CAW RDC's... (and 'where the moon don't shine is NOT an option!)(Harrrumph!)
Oh, you know where Scrooge goes for his w**kouts?.... Spa Humbug! As I said, I'll be at the RC....
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape Girardeau
Sup everyone. Janie, I'll take a RBF, thanks.
Went and got fitted for my skates today. Turns out the ones I was given were too big, so I traded them in for other ones. They didn't have the same model (Bauer One55) in my size, so I got Easton Stealth S9s instead, since they're pretty similar. And then they put them in the oven, and then I had to sit and do nothing for 15 minutes while they were heat molded to my feet. And then I needed to wait another 15 minutes while they were sharpened... It seemed like forever in there...
Other than that, not much else going on. I'll be over at the RC catching up.Janie, a refill, please?
My Model Railroad: Tri State RailMy Photos on Flickr: FlickrMy Videos on Youtube: YoutubeMy Photos on RRPA: RR Picture Archives
Good Boxing Day evening to one and all. Kris is watching the Star Trek marathon, while I'm catching up from a marathon of my own. At just before tea time this afternoon I had finished all the laying of ballast and prep work ready for the wet down and glue. So, as I didn't want to have to stop and start, I worked through from 3:00 pm to 5:15 misting on wet water (with India ink to "weather" the ballast) and eyedroppering on the dilute white glue. There was a point at which it looked as if I would run out of glue. Fortunately Kris had a bottle in her office, so that was an averted crisis. So it's all done, even the repairs to spots that washed out too thin in the initial gluing. Everything was washed up and put aside by 5:15. After dinner I tested the turnouts, and they are all freed up (of course it's too early to really tell as the glue is far from dry - but part of the prep is to put clipper oil on the points and work the turnout a few strokes to spread that around a bit. Part of the prep for this yard is to provide for the engine house and interlock tower. The blue patch at the engine house site is a blank area inside for an un-loading dock. I've left masking tape at those sites. In the case of the engine house it's mostly thin strips of tape where the walls go, as the floor of the structure is all ballast except for that dock. Hopefully I can remove the tape in a while - before the ballast is completely dry, leaving a clear area for the tower, and "trenches" for the walls of the engine house. That's the theory; time will tell.
I've just remembered, I never got back to who-ever it was replied to my clotted cream thing. Yes, that is indeed the stuff. Thick cream in a shallow pan over low heat for hours, skim off the cream that forms as a crust. My mother used to do this in Australia before the war, so she said. Used a baking tray IIRC.
CapeJim:
DerJohn - while I'd love being able to just 'sack' the tree away for easy of setup the next year, I have some personally made ornaments, some small Hallmark ones, and a crocheted/starched angel that goes on the top of the tree, and I'd be afraid that the small stuff might get lost and the fragile stuff might get damaged.
Todd:
Out of curiosity does N.S. have government funded health care or are you self supportive, other than insurance and Medicare/cade type systems?
Jeff: Glad you had a good Christmas, after the last week. Great "haul" of cars there!
Time to go wiggle the turnouts again. I'll do that at least once through the night. (If I wake up. Last night I slept through my usual 3:00 wake-up-to-pee routine, and the next thing I knew it was a few minutes before 7! Haven't slept so well since I can't remember when.
Goodnight all, and God Bless. Prayers continuing for all in need of Healing, Comfort, Prosperity and Peace.
"There are always alternatives, Captain" - Spock.
I went to the LHS today and picked up a B&O 50' boxcar.
Two of these flatcars were in the mailbox.
And this was left on my doorstep by the local rivet counter.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Turkey dinner with extra veggies on a brightly painted SANTA FE dinner plate, please & thanks.
Have enjoyed all the pics being posted.
***Jim, the tree will be folded up and stored in a big box. Some ornaments are fragile, so all will come off and be packed separately. I'm just thrilled that after so many years without a tree (other than a tiny one a couple years ago), my wife actually went out and bought this one. Turns out the bulbs are cool LEDs.
Going to work on something train relate tonight while listening to old Radio Mystery Theater online. Have a nice evening y'all.
Rob
jeffrey-wimberlyOn the ladders on the boxcar, I'm not too worried about them.
'Taint nothing wrong with THAT, in fact, you really don't even have to worry about the brake wheel:
November '96, "the drag" running from Beverly Yard up the former "passenger main" to Cedar Rapids North Yard. Wonder if I captured an OSHA violation????
TODD: Rerun is the same way, he loves being outside as long as Daddy and Mommy (in THAT order) are close by. Can't wait to see the trailer interior, and how did you make a recliner? Might be a neat little addition to the roundhouse, especially since it's under the ownership of Feder and Sons (junkyard). I could justify it as some enterprising w**kers grabbed it out of a truckload of junk, and appropriated it for a "break area."
Oh, and THAT white stuff which falls from the sky has stopped here...and the sun even came out. We may be done with this storm, the birds are back out and singing...haven't seen/heard THAT for several days!
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
AmanaMedicJEFF: Neat little Diner you got there. I second the notion, IF you can, it would be interesting to see what you could do with representing at least a few of the charecters around here... On the KCS boxcar, you said you were gonna lose the roofwalk and lower the brake wheel. Are you going to tackle the ladders too? I always have a terrible time trying to match paint, and so have to rely on weathering to "hide" the surgery.
Hot Chocolate please. Dag nab if it ain't snowing again.
AmanaMedicMaybe have Ghostbusters Day in your Wild West Village....
BRILLIANT!! Now if I could just deal with the size. Seriously,I kinda like the sitting in the weeds idea. Not really sure just how big it is in relation or if it will stretch even my non prototypicalness, but I'll find out sometime.
Nope-ers. Missy didn't run off. I don't think she knew she was loose. She just stood right about at the usual stopping point, except had her front paws on the back steps. Usually she can't get even that far. Followed the old broken one to, as I suspected, the tree she gets wrapped around. Probably didn't take much to break the cable and she thought she was free from the snag but not the tether. came up dragging about 6 or 8 feet of it. She has got loose twice before (mis-connectionsbut has never left the backyard. She knew she was loose then because she was up on the porch and sitting at the backdoor. I don't think she'd run off,unless of course she chased a rabbit or grabbed the scent of an intruder and would take off in mind locked tracking mode. She's an outdoor retriever, who prefers the indoors and doesn't retrieve. She also doesn't like to be out of Mommy and Daddy's sight very long. (big baby)
Worked for four hours on the trailer. My how time flies when you're having fun. ( did you catch that Philip? Fun.) I got the skirting and steps attached, dirtied up, and a recliner made. Also attached the back part of the roof. I'll get some pictures of the so far progress maybe tomorrow. Give you's a chance to assist me in some things I may not see.
Time for me to get the deep fryer fired up, (indoor kitchen type) and cook up a bunch of stuff that should really get me going. Ooo! I hope we have some Poppers.
Todd
Central Illinoyz
In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.
I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk.
Good afternoon,
Holy bat snot! Did I ever get a surprise a little while ago. Loving Wife took Rerun out for his (late) morning "chores," and to get the mail; an assignment Rerun takes VERY seriously. I notice the bundled-up pair bringing a box back toward the house with them. Once inside, Loving Wife hands me the box. At first, I'm quite puzzled...all purchases from "theBay" had arrived and been accounted for.
Then I looked at the return address, and suddenly it hit me.
Rush Limbaugh's family (Cape Girardeu, MO) was sending me a Christmas present.
As I opened the box, I handed her the note. She giggled a bit at the "Perfect Wife" part, but was also puzzled. As I removed the bubble wrap (which she also enjoys...some people, they just can't look at bubble wrap without popping every last inch!), and picked up the VW BUGS her eyes grew as wide as the target on a searchlight signal! She gasped! She even let out a little squeal of delight more befitting of a four year old rather than a for.............something adult!
In short, JIM: THANK YOU! You really made her day, and mine!!!!
Also JIM, thanks for the idea of putting a soda machine in the roundhouse. As luck would have it, I grabbed shots of an older one up for auction recently. Sometimes, in a weak moment, I check out the website of the auction house I used to slave away at. Occassionally, I'll find good pics of something I can use in my reference files. An older Pepsi machine was on there a few weeks back, good shots of the front and sides. With a little help from the Graphics Goddess, AKA: Loving Wife, I "should" be able to reduce those pics to pretty dang close to HO. She then can print them as stickers during a lunch break at her w**k... I can find/make/scab together something the right size/shape... bada boom, bada bing, instant soda machine in the background of a background building!!!
As the guy on The A-Team used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together..."
JEFF: Neat little Diner you got there. I second the notion, IF you can, it would be interesting to see what you could do with representing at least a few of the charecters around here... On the KCS boxcar, you said you were gonna lose the roofwalk and lower the brake wheel. Are you going to tackle the ladders too? I always have a terrible time trying to match paint, and so have to rely on weathering to "hide" the surgery.
TODD: I'm guessing Missy just stayed put and didn't lead you on a wild chase??? Rerun escaped once as a pup, dashed out the door and took off across the yard and adjoining fields (we were living out in the countryside at the time). I think he went to go see the neighbor's cows, got up close and realized "Holy BAT SNOT! These things are HUGE!" I suspect one probably lowered it's head and gave him "the evil eye" before he hauled ashes for home. But, he had to pass by an electric fence wire. He might've gotten a bit of a "tingle" on the outbound trip and remembered it on his way back. This was at night, and I finally saw two glowing eyes sitting still near where the wire would be.
He hasn't run off since. He did get momentary freedom one other time while we were living out there. He realized he was off his leash, and ran as fast as he could around the house. He'd stop, look at Loving Wife with a crazy-dog look, then launch for another supersonic fly-by around the house. HOW can a dog run so crazy-fast????
About the Matchbox bambolance... it just figures don't it? They make a nicer unit than the HO one Busch had a few years back...and it's some goofy scale. An Oldsmobile chassis ambulance has been sitting in a lot in CR for the past year. Like the caddie, it's a "rocket car" ambulance with the massive fins, rocket lights, etc. It's a restorer's dream. I'm easily picturing the Caddie sitting, like you said, in the weeds, rusted a bit, just waiting for some nut to come along and buy it/drag it home/restore it (says the guy with antique fire engines in his yard). Or....on the other hand, you could turn it into "Ecto One" from the GHOSTBUSTERS movie.. Maybe have Ghostbusters Day in your Wild West Village....
Welp, I'd best get a move-on. I have to see which issues of THAT's Solon newspaper I held onto (issues I had content in), and which ones I sent to recycling (no content of mine). THAT is looking to do a down-and-dirty, el-quicko issue for the first one of 2010. Which means "The Year in Review." A headline or two from each week of the past year, along with recycled photos. So, my afternoon will involve a box of newspapers and a calandar as I make a list, and check it twice; to see which back issues I need to pick up Monday morning on our way to See Der Rabbits for the new glasses. If/WHEN it stops sn**ing, I'll be a-shoveling too. Tomorrow, weather and roads permitting, it'll be Christmas with my parents in See Der Rabbits. Hopefully my annoying cousin from Wisconsin will STAY PUT this year. If she shows up, I may well have to pick her up, carry her outside, and deposit her into a snow bank.
JIM: Thanks again, I really appreciate what you did, and Kit (Loving Wife) does too!!
Have a good, safe rest of the day everybody...
Ooooooooafffff! (staggers into diner and sits down at Rivet Counter....) Zoe I need a RBF! I am officially out of energy, totally exhausted........
Olivia and her dad came over to try out the new Thomas the Train stuff she got for Christmas from some old guy with a big beard. No not that Santa guy, I mean Grandpa! She helped me put together the track and we re arranged it several times over the next hour or so. I got her a Switch (turnout) and the engine house. She had a ball with it (so did Dad and Grandpa!). Then we fired up Grandpa's layout and ran some trains for a while down cellar. Then had lunch and back to Thomas. She finally decided that Grandpa would make a good "Horsey" so.......
Now Grandpa is officially worn out for the day. They just moved on to going to Grandma's House for a while. Olivia didn't want to go and had to be "caught" by Grandpa to put on her coat......... Granddaughters are wonderful!
Hope each of you are having as much fun today as I have been having!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good morning!!! I'm alive. Unfortunately I have already been in to Springfield this morning. Yesterday Missy's tether broke and she was standing there at the back porch steps in the usual location that would have been the limit of her tether had it been in one piece. She is not a puller but she does get wrapped around the tree and when that happens she gets stopped abruptly. This time that probably was all it took to snap a rusted spot. The thing was in need of replacement, the plastic coating was cracked in many places and the cable was rusting. It is always outside and usually lasts about a year, it was overdue and I just put off getting one. Anyway, the Wal-Mart wasn't bad, but boy the Big R was packed. Whew! But I'm home and don't plan on leaving until the Christmas party for the restaurant tonight at about 9 ish.
Jeff- I loooove the diner. Just remember when you place it, put it where you won't have to move it every (let's see, 50 pages times about 15 posts per page equals...) 750 comments! I noticed it's a bit more permanent than this one. If you can get in the top without any damage, it would be an excellent view of a couple of folks at the Rivet Counter.
DerJohn- Yes I agree. It's a bad situation no matter what the reason. Unfortunately THAT is not a reflection of the kind of financed health care as it happens a lot in the States too. Out of curiosity does N.S. have government funded health care or are you self supportive, other than insurance and Medicare/cade type systems?
Vincent- I wish my mistakes and accidents looked that good. I can't tell you had any incidents at all.
Ray- Looks like Grandpa had as much, if not more, fun on Christmas as anyone. I can also tell you are not looking forward to dealing with trains today!!! I hope you muddle through it somehow!!
I myself enjoyed the day, though it just didn't seem like Christmas. I received two cowboy figurines for the bar area in the basement and the boy got me two cras for the "trainset". Matchbox. He asked if they would work, and of course I said yes. He meant well and he should spend his money on his family. Surpise though, as we were backing away Brenda said "those cars are too big aren't they.". I said yes, but it's the thought that counts. I might be able to use the ambulance somewhere that is obstructed and might not be so noticeable. It's an old Cadillac ambulance and is too old for my era so it might set somewhere in the weeds or out back. Who knows. Brenda and I did decide at what our gift to each other will be, an LCD TV. I was hoping that‘s what she wanted. So we will be shopping for that in a few days.
Welp, I promised myself if I made it home alive or before 9 pm, I would give myself some train time and that is what I'm gonna do. I'm still working on the interior of the red mobile home so I think I'll continue for a bit.
WHICH reminds me, Monday's a comin' PC.
Have a Great Day!!!
Mornin' everyone!
Must have gotten myself all tired out yesterday, I didn't even roll over until 10:30 this morning. Got up, put the coffee on, turned on the computer and the phone rings. Seems that my #1 granddaughter wants to come over to Grandpa's house to try out her new Thomas switch she got from said grandpa for Christmas....... So very soon She will be arriving for a bit see how we can rearrange Sodor to suit the new track.
Zoe just a big cup of dark roast coffee please!
Chris, remember it is said, "To give is more blessed than to receive." And I always add, "And a heck of a lot more fun!"
Jim, but of course! Grandpa made it clear form day one. Trains are the sole property of this Grandpa to give.........
I best get moving as a certain little girl who is the love of my life should be arriving with a new switch in her hand very soon!
Later!
It was a hectic, but wonderful Christmas at our house yesterday. As has been done for many, many years, we hosted Christmas dinner at our house. Eight adults, one great neice and four great nephews. I must admit, after everyone went home around nine o'clock, we were exhausted, but exceedingly happy.
This afternoon we will al go to my nephews house and the adults will exchange their Secret Santa gifts, while the little ones reap another harvest from us, their grand parents, aunts and uncles. The nice thing is that this allows the wife and I the pleasures of seeing the little one's faces when they get a second round of gifts. That's the very best part of the Holidays.
Then in the middle of the coming week, my oldest nephew and our other two great neices will come up from South Carolina and we will have another Christmas with them. As you can see, our family milks the Holiday for all it's worth.
We hope that your Christmas has been filled with the many blessings that we have enjoyed this Holiday Season.
Tom
Pittsburgh, PA
Postal tracking shows that my new Bachmann flatcars arrived at the Leesville post office this morning. Maybe they'll make it to my mail box today.
Good morning...Its sunny and 26 here with alittle snow on the ground...I'll have coffee and a swet roll please..Thank You...We had a great Christmas..my Son came yesterday but none of the girls we will have Christmas with them latter...Sallie is heading out to dailysis this morning since She had yesterday off...I'll have the place to myself probaly get some train time in,watch some TV and nap...You all have a good one...Jerry
Good morning.
Not much going on MRR front today. Going to do some after Christmas sale shopping. BUT I am going to go by a LHS . That kinda breaks up the mall, sams club.......
Well I hope everybody has a good Saturday.
Lee....sounds like you go some good stuff. Poor Bambi
Jeff......Nice looking diner, and boxcar. Seems like the boxcar might need some "faded" done.
"Rust, whats not to love?"
Good Morning--
We had enough snow fall that we now have a little coating on the ground---of course it is of the heavy wet type--so everything be all slippery out there
I've got the little 'Spring' all cuddled up here with me so I'm doing the chicken wing typing style--
Jeff: What sorta repairs are you looking at with that diner? In one of our roadtrips north of here we came across a diner that had a look somewhat similar to that one----even to the corrugated 'back room' addition
Ulrich: Good to see the family was together over Christmas!!
Today's agenda involves me doing some work on the layout--namely repairing a turnout that 'Spring' started picking at the points therefrom---I think he found the one weakness in that ding turnout--and had to pick at it Audrey is going out with the sister to see about Boxing Day sales---( I thankfully saved up some $$$$ for that)
Chloe, I'll have a Bavarian Chocolate flavoured coffee and a toasted bagel with cream cheese please--I'll be at the RC
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...
http://modeltrainswithmusic.blogspot.ca/
Good morning. It's 29 and a little cloudy. The weather guesser is saying it will be 60 and sunny today.Had a good day yesterday and enjoyed being with the rest of the family. I've been going over the two MR related items I got. The boxcar will be losing it's roofwalk and the brake wheel will have to be moved down. The diner will require some minor repair work. The Home Health nurse will be coming out this afternoon to check my foot and change the vacuum dressing. That's all that is going on in my world today.Here's a shot of the boxcar:And some additional shots of the diner:
Happy day after Christmas!
I see from the comments and pictures everyone was on Santa’s good list this year. We had a huge wind storm all day yesterday and it looks like today I’ll be fixing aluminum siding parts and some flashing around the house. I drove 300 miles Christmas day visiting relatives and my kids. I did score some train stuff; My girlfriend bought me: Walther’s Medusa Cement plant, The BUSCH CD-ROM to make my own port backdrops, and believe it or not a WS deer being harassed by four wolves, I was shocked the animal lover would give me a scene of 4 wolves ready to kill Bambi. I will find a place for this, somewhere.
Friend of mine has decided to upgrade his radio Digitrax throttles to the duplex radio version and offered me his old throttles for $75 each. This guy owns a LHS and uses them in his store.
So not only did I get to visit with family I got train stuff! Wahoo!
Lee
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Evening, Janie - I see you got the holiday duty; glad you have the place open. I'll have some Christmas cookies and an ATSF mug of eggnog, please. Thanks!
Sorry I missed everybody who was in last night, didn't have a good connection at home, and went to the 11 p.m. service last night. We didn't get any of that white stuff last night OR today (that I saw - maybe it melted too quickly?).
PC, I was thinking flint sharpened iron, but I see you were quoting from a different 'proverb'...
Chris - thanks for posting the pics of the roundhouse interior. On the second photo, if you put an upright soda machine back of the silver w**kbench, it'll block even more of the back of that stall. Looking good! And thanks for reminding us about those who serve others, even on the holidays. One church locally was mentioned (again) on the news tonight - they make up meals and take them to a lot of places where people are w**king on Christmas Day (airport controllers, med-chopper crew, ambulance company, people w**king at the gas places that are open, etc. They started out with about 315 the first year and now are a little upwards of 1100 meals being delivered today. (It helps that a local restaurant is owned/run by a church member, and that they aren't open officially on this day...)
blownout cylinderCan we use barge poles?
JR, sounds like a good plan with the cousins (for this year?).
Rob, that tree of yours looks great - do you store it with the ornaments on, or do you have to put those on/take them off each year? That's a full size tree, while mine is only about four feet tall. We had a lot of windyness last night and today here, I think up to 30-35 mph or above. I could hear it blowing against the windows this morning when I woke up (late).
NS Joe, sounds like you had a fun time of opening your presents this morning! Maybe if you're lucky, Walthers will say just to keep the broken car and you'll be able to fix it and have an extra...?
Ulrich - great to see that Christian and Stephanie have arrived for their visit with you and Petra.
DerJohn - while I'd love being able to just 'sack' the tree away for easy of setup the next year, I have some personally made ornaments, some small Hallmark ones, and a crocheted/starched angel that goes on the top of the tree, and I'd be afraid that the small stuff might get lost and the fragile stuff might get damaged. Besides, the tree and ornaments in their boxes take up less space for me to store, and I can keep them all on one corner/side of the bedroom closet. Couldn't do that with a fully-standing/assembled one. But thanks for the idea!
Vincent, that's a very nice Geep there - I'd say you did fine on that project.
Ray, looks like you are keeping the grandkids 'on track'.... (Or did their parents know enough to get those presents for them? Looks like being on your list for Christmas is a good thing, based on the expressions.
I got up about 9:45 this morning (hey, I didn't get back from church and to bed until about 12:40 this morning!), and once I got going, put the roast in the crockpot. I decided to get our the china (from Mom & Dad - it's many years old) and dishes.
Here's the menu: round roast, herb mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce (jellied), both kinds of olives, salad, roll, milk and a Christmas mug of coffee. (Got the blue 4-cup Mr. Coffee fired up). And I restricted myself to one helping. Of course, I did go get a 'Drumstick' (the ice cream kind) and a Mr. Pibb for dessert before I came into the Diner. Might have a Christmas cookie or two also.
I started on the pine trees (WS #24, the taller ones with metal trunks) tonight. Takes a bit of doing to get the trunks twisted into sorta spiral fashion, put some variation in the branches spacing, and have it look irregular (like tree branches do in 1:1 scale). I also moved the stuff for the church I'm scratchbuilding together. Will see about more on that and the trees tomorrow after laundry. Oh yeah, need to get those gift certificates for daughter and SIL tomorrow - two stops. And get the e-certificate off to my brother (may get that off tonight...). But hey! I'm on vacation, so no major time pressures. I will probably not go by my usual haunt for lunch, as they're near the mall, and that will be enough of a madhouse tomorrow...
Hope everyone had a great holiday, spent with loved ones (two and/or four-legged ones) and family, and may you have got enough hugs.
Christmas blessings and prayers,
Good Even'nin... a RBF please 'n thankya...
RAY: It goes without saying, but I'm gonna say it anyways. yer a good man!
PACKER: THAT's a sweet lookin' Geep! It sounds to me like the unintended fade might be a good thing, make it a little easier to BN patch/weather. Looking at it makes me ponder "what-if" I'd gone with an alternate idea of modeling a CB&Q/BN branch in SW Iowa...around the merger time. I'd have red and gray Burlington units of course, but post-merger, and sure could have a fine looking GN unit like THAT prowling up and down the branch as well. But, then I look at all the late 80s/early 90s CNW stuff sitting around...and back to the reality of, well, reality.
TODD and Der JOHN: Thanks guys, for the kind words on the roundhouse interior. The interior walls are just notebook cover cardboard with more-or-less 12" planks also made from the same cardstock. I hit it with the greatly thinned light gray I'm using for mortar, then hit it with a completely uncontrolled, un-scientific ink wash blotted back off here and there. The first wall went better than expected. The second, WORSE than expected!
I've found THAT when it comes to the Atlas roundhouse, I would NOT recommend it as a "first project." The least bit of warpage (of which there is a fair amount), coupled with a little less-than exact alignment on some parts, despite almost fanatical care; leads to a bit of a "challenge" getting some things to have a nice "fit and finish." So far, I'm finding I have to do a lot more "custom fitting" than I thought I would. I don't know if its an issue with me, the Chinese molders, or maybe the dies are just getting worn-out. I'm guessing this kit has been around for a few decades???? Its coming out fine, just taking a bit more w**k than I thought it would even factoring in its monstorous size.
I'll soon be to a stopping point. I can't install the front walls until some parts/materials are obtained. THAT may be another month or two down the road. Gotta take care of the fiscal responsibilities before I can look at the fiscal irresponsibilities. "Fiscally responsible fiscal irresponsibility."
So far, a very Q-word day around here... Here's hoping it stays THAT way.
A good evening to all, and to all a good night!
Merry Christmas to everyone! Here's a youtube update vid. I've since added a LOT more scenery though, so pics tomorrow or whenever the scenery dries.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXqLNvMlHcg
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
Evening all. Chloe, I'll take some hot chocolate and a piece of pie, thanks.
Hope everyone had a great day, and got what they asked "Santa" for!
Here's what train stuffI got:
And a broken centerbeam, which I'll return to Walthers next week...
I also got some paints, but Walthers forgot to ship the decal paper (DOH!). The observation is too long for my curves (I'll be starting on a new layout soon), and I don't want to take the centerbeam out of the box, just to make sure Walthers will take it back (but I'm SOOOO tempted to run it, just once!), so currently only the tanker is operational.
For non train stuff, I got a new stick and a pair of skates (both of which I needed REALLY badly. I have practice on Saturday, and might go to an open skate tomorrow. If I do go, I need to go to the pro shop (where my aunt and grandma got them, which is at the rink) and get them heat molded to my feet... and sharpened, since they're about as sharp as an apple... lol
I'll be hanging for a bit catching up.
Evenin folks!
Just a cup of decafe Zoe. I'll be sitting in the back booth keeping warm by the fire.
Looks like most everyone had a great Christmas Day 1 today. I know I sure did! Got up bright and early and went to my son's house for breakfast. Had a nice breakfast Quiche with eggs, ham and cheese along with a couple of cups of excellent coffee. I tried to be a bit neater than Emily though:
Emily got to ride on her brand new Thomas The Train toy.....
When she looked the other way, older sister tried it out herself:
Olivia got some blocks with the Tidmouth Station she got:
And some more track from Grandpa as well:
She was not happy that we couldn't imediately drive over to Grandpa's house to use it! The rest of the set stays at my house.
I then drove to Canandaigua to feed the kitties. Monet Marie actually let me pet her again.....
Drove back home just in time to go over to My Son's MIL house for a wonderful Christmas Dinner. Frankly i am ready for a "Long Winter's Nap!"
High point of the day???
Emily slept on my belly for about an hour until she was woken up by Olivia who wanted Grandpa to play with her......
Second best high point of the day. I tried to play a Nickolas Bishop of Smyrna with this, but they had to know who gave it to them. Just a little "Gift Certificate". Since they are buying a house and moving in just a a couple weeks, they now have a major deposit on some new furniture as well. My son knew about it, but had no idea how much. Lets just say..... Substantial. Karen didn't know how to react and had gone from double take to disbelief and had just put on her total shock face as I snapped the photo. Yep this kind a thing can be fun....
What did I get for Christmas? I just showed you!
The temperature got up into the lower 60's today and there wasn't a cloud to be seen. It's down in the low 40's now heading for a low in the upper 20's. I'll be having the heat on tonight.
Good Christmas day evening---
Everyone be quiet as the weather sorta made everyone say---go to Windsor?--Neh--wait until tomorrow
So today is all cuddled up---
Merry Chirstmas Ya'll
This is my main train-related christmas present, that ended up turning into a project.
When I was painting the end rails and step edges white, I aciddentaly got some paint on the blue. I tried a bit of rubbing alcohol to get it off. It worked, but the whole unit faded a lot. I managed to get it mostly back to normal by scrubbing with an old toothbrush and cold water.
Then my bro knocked it over when I went upstairs for a snack. I had to re-install (it was backwars anyways, the 2 horns are supposed to face the long hood, since the long hood is the fron on this one) the horn and add Cal-scale lift rings since a majority of them broke off. The pics are after all of that. Not too bad IMO, just have to be care with BSB things from walthers P2K to avoid spontanious insta-fade.
I also got 5 athearn RTR cars (40 for 5 random ones at trainworld)- L&N single door boxcar- DVS FMC box- GRN ACF box- MKT 50' express reffer- MP 40' AAR box
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
or what about the person who needs the specialist.
Chris- I was told by an electric company worker dude, there are three backups ( I took it to mean like fused circuits) in the system. So if your power goes out momentarily once, twice, the third time it comes on, start looking for candles and get the generator going. You're out of backups. It's been a number of years so my exactness of terms and exactly what he said is a bit fuzzy but you get the idea
Silver Pilot: I was interested in your Username, and wondered how it was derived. Has it anything to do with this kind of thing?
"unfold it, plug it in" unit is just easier...
Loving Wife noted last night THAT I need a bigger w**k area up here...
Now caroling someone at 4 a.m. might be hazardous to a caroler's health in some areas.
Chris, I'm gonna have to agree with you there. Especially around here where you have the locals, the guys from Alabama, and a bunch of northerners and Canucks around here. Neither group seems to be able to drive really well
I used to help out in that but owing to certain circumstances I'm not allowed to do anything but sit by and watch
Hey Jeff- Is that the one I sent tuesday? Wow! One of Santas elves must have goosed the postman. Hope you like it.
Best wishes as always,
Flip