Elliott's Trackside Diner XXIII: Moving on...

[jeffrey-wimberly]

fec153

JEFF- Deb's totem is the Wolf, next brother is the Owl and youngest bro is the Bear. Heritage is Southern Cheyenne and Cherokee.

Mine is the hawk, my mother's is the eagle, oldest sister's is the bear and my younger sister's is the panther. Heritage is Chickamauga.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Cederstrand

Seems I have bradycardia, which could mean a pace-maker ahead. Here I get the blood pressure under control and then this dang sarc decides to mess with my heart. I want to start the MP treatment which can stop heart disease and heal the heart, but now the wife thinks I should see a cardiologist first. Hope I live long enough to at least try the treatment.

Rob, I can identify with your problem. I've never had a heart attack myself but being a severe diabetic I run the same risk of having one as someone who's already had one or two. I have to keep my blood pressure under control and keep my stress levels down as well. It's hard sometimes but it can be done.

[2 foot Jim]

 Good morning all.  Just coffee and bowl of oatmeal for me please.  Need to loose the holiday over eating.  It's warmed up all the way to 10 F.  They are talking bout highs above freezing by mid week.  Still to cold to work on the layout in the garage.

 We got the tree out and decorations put away last weekend so now there is space in the living room for model building on the craft table.  My dear wife does not mind if its left out as long as it's some what contained.  Both of us are comfortable with a house that looks like somebody actually lives there.  (not as bad as the hoarders on TV, but not like a model home.) 

 Jeff, I admire your attitude.  I know lots of folks with problems that aren't ever close to as bad as yours who just whine "poor me, poor me", then I hear people like you with real problems who just find a way to go on with their lives.  Hang in there.

Prayers for all who have needs, and thanks for our blessings.

 Jim

 

 

 

[Anonymous]

 Good Afternoon,

Zoe, as it is deep n´ dark over here, may I order a sundowner, please - you make the choice!

I seem to have a mental block. Spend the whole afternoon in front of a piece of paper, armed with a ruler and a pencil, to draw up a first idea on that shelf layout. Nothing, just nothing - the piece of paper is still white n´ clean.

Ideas, ideas - a kingdom for ideas?

Rob - I am sorry to hear about your hear issue - my  for you!

I guess we need to attach the chapel car again - for all those in need of healing prayers!

Well, I have finished my drink, paid my bill - will be back tomorrow!

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

 Chocolate chip pancakes? I still remember Ma Kettle's popcorn loaded self flipping flapjacks.

 

Good morning. It's a balmy 18 degrees and it's sunny. The high today will be 47 or so the weather guesser says. He hasn't been right yet but there's always the possibility of a miracle.

The major items on my schedule today are nothing, nothing and nothing. While I'm getting all that accomplished I may have time to clear off part of the layout and do some general house cleaning. There's a small pile of boxes and paper that have to go out in the trash plus the kitchen garbage has to go out as well. Since I can't make repeated trips out to the cans the cans will have to be brought inside then taken back out. Packing it up in trash bags is inadvisable because the door is too narrow (been there and done that) and will easily rip the bag. That will eliminate a lot of trips. I only have to set the cans at the rear of the trailer, my neighbor will collect them and take them out to the road as that is slightly beyond my ability at this point. I can do it if need be but my feet would be VERY sore afterward. I talked to my father yesterday about the car problem and he's making agreeable noises about having it fixed. To him that's much easier than keeping one of his ready for use at a moments notice plus mine is set up for me to drive easily.

[Packer]

Morning ya'll, stack of chocolate chip pancakes for me.

It's 20 outside, and I've been spray-painting the chassis of a few BB cars PS hoppers I got. For some odd reason, the krylon stuff seems to work better when it's cold than when it's warm (remember the metal wheels?) So far got the EW hopper done, and going to go out at do the SCL/L&N one. While I'm doing the latter, I'll see if there is something for the N&W one.

Lee, as much as I doubt that fire could have caused something with all that snow, one can never be too careful. I don't even let space heaters go unattended.

Ulrich, dunno if there is a used market out there, but I tend to buy used stuff or kits alot. It's cheaper, and can usually give me something to do (actually, lots of the RTR has stuff to do to it, but it'll break before that happens).

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

 Good morning diners.

Rob .... That does not sound good sat all regarding your heart. Sorry to hear about it.=

Cal Tom .... Were you close enough to feel that quake? I think you are far enough away so your yellowstones are not disturbed. 

Last night I saw a guy for the first time in as few years. I had not heard about his motorcycle accident of 3 or 4 years ago. I was surprised to see he no longer has his entire left arm. He has a hook for a hand. Fortunately, he has recovered emotionally and can now joke about it. His sweatshirt says: "Winner of second place in chainsaw juggling contest." Seriously, you motorcycle fans need to remember how dangerous your machines can be. Be extremely careful. This guy was in a coma for a week after the wreck and nearly died. He's not a young guy at all.

Hpefully, the weather guessers are correct about the frigid temps leaving in about 2 days. 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

LSWrr

Went over to my Aunt’s former house with my cousin and replaced a downspout yesterday. Boy that was fun in 20F weather.  I left there and went to the LHS then did some errands, got home right around 5pm.  The new neighbor behind me (we have 50 x 100 foot lots) decided to remodel his house and burn the waste material in a 55 gallon drum behind his house.  Now I don’t mind if people sit around a small fire in one of those small patio pit things with the screen on it.  But to stick 10ft lumber (old) and trash and burn it, then leave for the day I get concerned.  Ok I know the snow on the roof was extinguishing the sparks and embers that were landing on my house and I over reacted by calling the police non-emergency number. The dispatcher asked if it was a small patio burner with a screen cover, I said no it’s a 55 gallon drum with 10ft boards sticking out of the top and the crisp winter air smells like hot garbage. She set the phone down and dispatched the ladder company.  Fire was put out with a few shovel full’s of snow and everything was fine.  2 hours later the neighbors re-started the fire.  I called the police, 3 police cars and 2 fire trucks arrived, the fire department dumped the 55 gallon drum into the guys yard and smashed it, police I think gave the guy a ticket this time.

We get that kind of thing down here quite a bit. One guy had stripped his roof and dumped the old asphalt shingles into a shallow depression and set fire to them. To say that the fire was very hot is an understatement. The heat melted the siding on the neighbors house and set fire to several trees. Our fire dept and several other depts responded and after a three hour battle put the blazes out. After everyone left the stupid idiot went out and set it off again. By then the wind direction had changed and the heat set fire to some trees on the other side of the fire and ultimately set fire to his house. The house was saved with the exception of the new roof which was a total loss. The guy was issued several citations and to top it off his insurance company refused to pay for the damage. Would you believe he set the fire off again two days later. This time we put the fire out and filled the depression with Class B foam. That stuff soaks into everything it touches and basically inhibits any combustion. To my knowledge he was never able to get it to relight and had the depression filled in.

[fec153]

Barry- Does that mean your brain is thawing?

Flip

 

[blownout cylinder]

fec153

Morning Lee- As it has been stated, Stupid is as Stupid does  To make it worse, it ain't curable . Wonder if he is still in the gene pool?   lol.

I've read that and I'm still wondering---Lee? That guy---what was he thinking? Oh wait---that would mean he had a brain----

----------------------------------------------------

Good Morning

-16C with a windchill of -23C. mmmmm---I think that is a little on the COOL side don't you? And sunny---heeheehee

Welp---I got some stuff to put together for the little HO diorama that I'll be using to do some compression work from---and see whether that might help my fuzziness issue---I DID discover the MACRO button on my camera---my learning curve increaseth somewhat!!

'Spring' did me a favour--he pawed at and created a little streambed on the Pink foam for me. See? Sometimes where a cat does his paw exercises creates opportunities-------heeheehee-- Actually he did just that--he spent a bit of that energy on a piece of pink foam that now sports two small gully sized gouges in just the way that you'd get a gully to look--so now---I've got another diorama to play with

 

[fec153]

Morning Lee- As it has been stated, Stupid is as Stupid does  To make it worse, it ain't curable . Wonder if he is still in the gene pool?   lol.

Coffee and danish or whatever you desire[ food-wise] on me.

Flip

p.s. going to bakery for fresh bagels and lox.  c u l

 

[Robby P.]

 Good morning. Its 2 degrees, and the windchill is -12.  So its pretty cold.

 Didn't do much at all yesterday.  Mainly watched football.   Today probably the same thing, 

 Hope everybody has a good Sunday.

[LSWrr]

Went over to my Aunt’s former house with my cousin and replaced a downspout yesterday. Boy that was fun in 20F weather.  I left there and went to the LHS then did some errands, got home right around 5pm.  The new neighbor behind me (we have 50 x 100 foot lots) decided to remodel his house and burn the waste material in a 55 gallon drum behind his house.  Now I don’t mind if people sit around a small fire in one of those small patio pit things with the screen on it.  But to stick 10ft lumber (old) and trash and burn it, then leave for the day I get concerned.  Ok I know the snow on the roof was extinguishing the sparks and embers that were landing on my house and I over reacted by calling the police non-emergency number. The dispatcher asked if it was a small patio burner with a screen cover, I said no it’s a 55 gallon drum with 10ft boards sticking out of the top and the crisp winter air smells like hot garbage. She set the phone down and dispatched the ladder company.  Fire was put out with a few shovel full’s of snow and everything was fine.  2 hours later the neighbors re-started the fire.  I called the police, 3 police cars and 2 fire trucks arrived, the fire department dumped the 55 gallon drum into the guys yard and smashed it, police I think gave the guy a ticket this time.

[fec153]

Ulrich- Good morning! I would guess there are flooring companies near you. See if they have left overs.  When we put in new wood flooring we had about five long pieces [ about 8 feet long]. I have used them to make a second story for my layout and used bridge piers to get to the second level. Best of luck to you and Petra.

Wish you enough.

Flip                                  p.s. don't give Vinny my address-please.

 

[Anonymous]

 Hi - it´s me again!

Chloe, may I have some of that hot chocolate Flip asked to be ready? Need to warm up a little. I had to go to my old house and clear the sn*w off the sidewalk. Took me 2 hours to do it, as there was a lot of wind drift, piling the sn*w up to 2 feet high. It still hurts quite a lot to see my old place - makes me feel really depressed. I am glad to be "home" now. Petra is preparing lunch and there is a nice smell coming from the kitchen. I am sorry, Chloe, shouldn´t have said that. No, please don´t tell Vinnie - I like his greaseburgers very much, in fact, I may have one right now, it is still time ´till lunch.

Pheeewey - that was a close one !

I am still pondering over my layout plans. Take a shoestring budget and cut in in half - that´s about as much I can spend on MRR. Does not really leave me with much choice, but armchairing is not enough to keep my sanity. I saw a track plan for a long and narrow shelf layout in another thread, I will check on this one as food for thought. The intriguing thing is the simplicity of the benchwork the builder is employing. Lumber is really expensive over here and the shelf brackets also cost a fortune. Heck - I still have to learn how to boil down my druthers...

 Tomorrow will be a fun day - the GULAG is invited to a sports studio, as it was decided that we need exercise. Wonder whether that beautiful blonde will be with us?

CUL

[fec153]

Morning all. Just noticed that due to something being deleted, I got T O P yesterday. That being the case, I'll catch it today. Girls, keep the coffee and the hot chocolate ready.

JEFF- Deb's totem is the Wolf, next brother is the Owl and youngest bro is the Bear. Heritage is Southern Cheyenne and Cherokee.

Yes, it COLD. Water in bird bath was frozen by 10:30 last night. Its in the 20's now.Hope all stay well and warm enough.

Prayers for all,

Flip

 

[Anonymous]

 Good Morning,

well, we did get some of that predicted white stuff, but not as much as we thought we would. It is still sn*wing lightly. Quite a few people had to spend the night on the highways - not a nice way. All of Germany is now covered with sn*w, which is most unusual. I have not yet heard of any train problems this morning, but as Deutsche Bahn ran down on maintaining their sn*w fighting equipment, this is most likely to happen.

Flo, it´ll be just coffee for me this morning!

Yesterday was not really a good day for me in this forum - I had a bit of a row with another member that got off the right track. This chap has a certain provoking way, I just could not hold back (which I should have done).

Mark - see what happens when you don´t order your heating oil in time!  Great pic though!

Jeff - all I say is 

Have a great day!

[Cederstrand]

Tall glass of cool lemon water, please. 

***Ray, enjoyed the link to the pics. Put the farm house & barn pic as the desktop background for the wife to see tomorrow.

***JR, what is your time frame for building the shelf?

Seems I have bradycardia, which could mean a pace-maker ahead. Here I get the blood pressure under control and then this dang sarc decides to mess with my heart. I want to start the MP treatment which can stop heart disease and heal the heart, but now the wife thinks I should see a cardiologist first. Hope I live long enough to at least try the treatment.

Have a good night y'all.

 Rob

[GMTRacing]

Good Evening All,

    It's 14 here on the way to 6. Long day again in  the shop then off to HD for a pile of press treated 2x4 and untreated 2x3 for the basement walls. I'll put the 2x4's on the floor and use the inner edge to space the 2x3's out so I can make a layer of spray foam between the studs and stone/concrete wall. When we're done we'll put pegboard up in the woodw..k area and paneling in the exercise room.

Jeff - I was on this morning and saw what transpired. I just want to say how much I admired your well reasoned response and restraint. I suppose when someone drops in and doesn't know the whole story it should be forgiven, but I just see no excuse for the attitude that goes with the ignorance of your situation. I know you do a fraction of what you used to and I think you behave responsibly. Dark as things seem they can always be worse and all you can do is carry on as best you can.

   With the go ahead from the CFO, I've started daydreaming about the shelf layout but I think I'll keep the sketches in my head until I have the actual shelf to build on. I still favor the concept of the yard and turntable but the specifics will remain in limbo for now.

I did catch bits of the Jets game earlier and I guess Dallas is on their way as well. I's good to see the Jets pull it out at the end of the season and stop the 4th quarter fades. If I can't root for the Giants, I guess the Jets will do for now.

  Time to sit for a bit at the RC and have a nightcap. Best wishes and prayers for those in need.  Catch y'all later, J.R.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

TMarsh

My hats off to you Jeff, you do the best, and the most you can within the limits that you and no one else knows. Funny how there are so many people with no ailments doing less for the community and to be self sufficient.

Todd, there were a great many things I did in my youth that I wish I could do again. Among them are rock climbing, long distance hiking and stock car racing. Those were good times to be sure but now they're just memories that are the treasures of an old man no longer able to do such things. Still, once in a while I see a group of rock climbers on the TV and I get this urge to go climb El Capitan, again. I know full well I can't do it but for that moment I feel that anything is possible. Sure. there was a time when I felt I'd never be able to do anything again but over the years I learned my limits and for the most part there's nothing within those limits that I can't do if I put my mind to it. That included learning to walk again after the doctors told me I'd never be able to walk again. Sure, I couldn't walk far at first but I got to the point that I could do two or three miles at a stretch. That was a major accomplishment for me. Unfortunately I never could run again. The nerve damage was just too bad. Now, once again, I'm at a point where I can't walk very far but that's not going to keep me from doing so again. After my foot is healed I'll be building my muscles up again and try to get back to that two to three mile point. One thing my grandfather taught me was to let nothing stand in the way of your goal. There's always a way to overcome an obstacle. He died of cancer at the age of 61 but he didn't stop living every day to the full until the very last one. He spent the last two years of his life going to see all the places he'd wanted to visit during his lifetime. And as my father remarked about him once, that was one very determined Indian. My father can see the same determination in everything I do and he does what he can to help me achieve my goals.

[fec153]

One last thought for all here and for those in our Armed Forces

WE, Deb and I, wish all  Enough!

Flip

 

[Packers#1]

JimRCGMO

Sawyer, make sure your insurance is paid up at least through a couple of weeks after today (just in case...). Think you might've hurt you back because you held back in tackling your coach? Maybe you should have just tackled him like anyone else?

 

I tackled him hard as I could actually Jim, didn't hold anything back.

Well, we won the basketball game. I've discovered though that I love rugby and jsut have that mentality; don't like palying basketball anymore b/c there is ZERO physicallity in it.

Also, my back felt fine after I got warm in the game, so it's probably just a strained muscle.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

It's 27 at the moment heading for 18. Spent part of the afternoon down at my parents place waiting on the Home Health nurse. She finally showed up and changed out my wound vacuum dressing then I used my mother's car since mine is down to go to the pharmacy then to Wal-Mart to get some some things I needed. Man, I love those electric carts. I never could have gotten what I needed without one. Came back home and unloaded the stuff then after a rest took my mother's car back to her. We spent the early part of the evening watching TV in the west wing. About 7:30 my parents retired to the east wing and my neighbor and I remained for a while watching the Cowboys and the Eagles whip up on each other on a little while. Neither of us are big football fans so we locked up and he brought me home. Other than that it's been an uneventful day.

[fec153]

Todd-  Thankyou!

Flip

 

 

[howmus]

Evenin' again folks!

Zoe I'm ready for THAT cup of decafe now if you please.  Yes in a FGLK mug, thanks you.

For those of you who might be interested, I have put some photos of the layout I visited today. MMR Brian Curry's "n" scale layout.  He is a master of scenery and hand lays a lot of his track......  He is in the process of redoing some of his narrow guage track......  Has to seen to be believed!  Anyway here is the link: http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h259/slow_rr/Other%20Layouts/  Photos are done with a boot flash attachment on my Digital Rebel.  better than the built in flash, but still a flash photo.....

Wish I had been able to get some of the other layouts on display, but they were only open until 3PM and I didn't make it back to Auburn untill a few minutes before 3....

Later!

73

[BamaCSX83]

No, I don't think you will have to worry about that.

Jim, thanks for the package, just got it today!!!, and I'm already putting them to use on my GP40-2 chassis.  I really do appreciate it.

Well y'all, I'm currently watching Sleeping Beauty, eating homeade beans and weenies, and getting ready to throw Heather into the tub.  Tomorrow comes church and then going to my parent's house to get my train stuff and hang out with them for a while.  I'm also going to be testing my GP40-2 and make sure that there aren't any downsides to only running it with the rear truck actually pulling (or pushing as the case may be).  It also seems that I'm going to be needing some 2-56 screws so that I can make all my coupler conversions.  Anyone have an good suggestions of where I could get them? (going to try local hardware stores, Lowes and Radio Shack on Monday), but if all else fails, I need to know where to get them.

That's about it from my neck of the woods, so I guess I'll check back in here later, who knows I might even get some track dropped on Monday and pull some cars round and round. 

[markpierce]

All drink orders are "straight up" -- no ice.

[AmanaMedic]

G'.....Good Evening, ahh Flo? What is MARK doing with all of those ice blocks there behind the Diner???

Sounds like it was an interesting day for the Diner patrons... we start-out with a visit from the Grinch who tried to steal our Christmas, move into tu-tu's and ballerina slippers at Wallyworld (THAT website is the first thing I though of...scary!), idiots blasting through grade crossings (I'll bet the crew got a few numbers and a "near-miss" report on-file), and icy roads leading to a train show.

Yeah...........whattaday.

I decided to take a break from it all, settled in on the couch for a wonderful winter's day nap. I was awoken a few hours later by "the pitter-patter of little feet." Actually, it was the "clomp clomp clomp" of Loving Wife in her boots preparing to take Rerun outside. Upon seeing movement under the blanket on the couch, Rerun launched like a rocket, landing on my legs and merrily bounding up to my partially-buried head. A COLD nose and hot dog tongue soon followed. "Daddy Daddy Daddy!" He said, "Mommy is taking me outside, you should come with us!"

Whowouldathunk "toidy time" for the dog would turn into a "family event???"

So, we turn now to the weather report from Clarence...where it is unbelievably cold, but...with NO WIND! Thank Heaven for small miracles.

Didn't get any RR stuff done today, didn't even make it THAT far. Maybe yet this evening.

Think I'll settle into a corner booth this time...might need another.........*yawn* nap....

Chris

 

[TMarsh]

Well I guess you don't have to worry about your drink getting warm.

[markpierce]

Is it cold where you are?  "Cheers" from an ice bar in Iceland.

 

Mark