'Morning everyone!
I'll have a coffee and short stack of pancakes this morning ... oh, and bacon -- just keep that coming with the coffee .
Pretty dreary here today. It's been a LONG time since I've seen the fog in the Cuyahoga Valley as thick as it was this morning ... going to have to plan on taking a drive through the park once things start changing colour. It's always a beautiful drive ... maybe I'll just hop on the railway and enjoy the scenery that way... (too bad the locomotives are diesels -- we really need to get 4070 running again).
Looking forward to this weekend ... it's the open house for the museum/roundhouse (where we store/work on the 4070, and our other stuff). So it's always fun taking people around and showing off our work (though I absolutely hate it when they get uppity when I'm telling them to *not* walk between the cars).
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Good Morning!!!
Coffee and fried bologna and eggs please with some hashbrowns and whole grain wheat toast with apple jelly thank you.
Mostly sunny, with a high near 71.
If I had the space and the money…..say, why didn’t the U.S. put those bumper things on our trains like the Europeans do? Or should I say why do they. Anyway, I’d change to a steam era. Not nitpicking, but the smoke doesn’t make for a good representation of steam to me, but it still looks cool.
Well Jeff, you know me and colors, I think we’ve had that discussion before, so take this for what it’s worth. I prefer the stone gray, but a bit paler. Mainly because it says “Gray” in the name. I kinda like the test one, but don’t know if it has silver or some such. Name says silver you see, but I can't tell if it does. Like I said, me and colors don’t get along especially in pictures. Hard to explain how I see all the colors others do, but can’t tell what some are. I can see the difference, but can’t tell why. Don’t know. Anyway, most concrete silos around here are flat white. But a rather dirty and dingy white after a while of course. Maybe a mixing of some colors would work. Something to fade out the gray a bit. Just my opinion of course. Aaaaaand I see the polls have closed anyway so….why I didn’t erase this is anybody’s guess.
Ray- Hopewell is and has been, my favorite MR town to look at. You really captured a feeling with that one. Many have very nice towns and look very realistic, but with Hopewell when I look at it, it gives me a “feeling”. Like…..oh I don’t know warm, relaxed, homey. Like you can just picture yourself sitting in the park, hear the dog bark…smell the fresh cut park grass, hear the sounds of a small town, lean back on the bench and put your arm up on the back and realize you put it in a bird quite possibly the size of a Pterodactyl’s deposit. Ah yes is that the noon whistle? But seriously, for me, you really captured it with that town. A comforting feeling I guess.
Galaxy- None of that is under warranty? Shoot my new outside unit is warrantied for ten years, the A-coil for five and the furnace was for 5 years when it was put in way back in ’94. Even if it was only two years, didn’t you get it just last year? Less than a year ago? Or has time really flown by.
Now see, to me the last photos Jeff posted of the silos, looks like a completely different color than the ones where he asked what color. Still inside and using the same light bulbs. Much lighter and, IMHO, looks better. Not that the other looked bad, cause any silo can be painted whatever color the owner chooses.
Ya’ll have a good day!!!!
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.
TMarsh Galaxy- None of that is under warranty? Shoot my new outside unit is warrantied for ten years, the A-coil for five and the furnace was for 5 years when it was put in way back in ’94. Even if it was only two years, didn’t you get it just last year? Less than a year ago? Or has time really flown by.
Negative on the warrantee....the new furnace was installed Augst 31st, 2011. It is now past the one year warrantee on parts and one year warrantee on labor. Miller furnaces used to be known as good furnaces..and are specifically designed for mobile homes as well. But now, I have my doubts! The Old MIller furnace was installed when the trailer was built in 1983. It lasted 28 years and was even converted from oil to nat gas! But alas, when the parts started to fail, they were no longer avaiable! I am also supposing we will have to replace the whole thing in about 9 years as funraces today have a "life expectancy" of 10 years...I hope we are not in here in 10 years! If nothing else, I think we buy a new trailer to grow old in...I'd rather have a house, but they too have their maitenance issues!
Oh, and we need a new roof-over as the existing roof is needing help too...we will se about at next year..another $3600.00 which will probably go UP to $4k you watch and see!
Our budget is tight already and we want to save save save what we can for the roof but who knows..
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
Galaxy: Our furnace gave out on us last year also, pretty much around this time. We had to get a new one also so I feel your pain. We also had to get a new roof put on last November also.
They only warrantied the parts and labor for a year? With ours we got 10 years parts on the furnace and 5 years labor.
TMarsh If I had the space and the money…..say, why didn’t the U.S. put those bumper things on our trains like the Europeans do? Or should I say why do they. Anyway, I’d change to a steam era. Not nitpicking, but the smoke doesn’t make for a good representation of steam to me, but it still looks cool.
because we did away with Link and Pin couplers and hand brakes on the cars in favour of automatic knuckle couplers and the Westinghouse air brakes.
If you look at mid-late 19th century equipment, you'll see the buffers on those cars. Though the Euro (well, UK) version was a little different than the US. Instead of a single link with pins, cars would be coupled with a short length of chain; then effectively a come along was used to pull the cars together until the buffers touched (or nearly touched). Chain was to keep them coupled when pulling, and the buffers are there to keep everything from crashing together.
Note that (for the most part), the only brakes on a UK train were the locomotive and the caboose (aka "Brake Van"), rather than on every car as with in the states (well, every car has them, though in operation it'd be the locomotive/caboose where they were set, rather than on all cars as with the states). Suppose it helps that UK trains are a lot shorter (lighter) than here...
*disclaimer -- this is from memory, and I'm probably glossing over bits or leaving other bits out... as I'm not home with my reference books atm (ugh, w**k).
Here's a fast and sure trick I use for making a straight line around a piece of pipe.Here I have a piece of two inch PVC pipe and a two and a quarter inch hose clamp.I put the clamp on the pipe and tighten it until the clamp can just be pushed up or down without tilting to either side.By placing my thumbs under both sides of the clamp I push it to the location I want to mark and use my marking pen to carefully trace a line around it.When I remove the clamp there's a nice straight line all the way around. If you tightened the clamp enough that it couldn't tilt to either side the line will be at ninety degrees in relation the edge of the pipe.
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
Good Afternoon, Gang!
The pain killer I bought yesterday did a good job. I did get some sleep last night. Unfortunately, I have to wait just about a month before I can see the dentist - I hope my teeth stay quiet that long.
Today is one of those days. As we are nearing end of the month, today´s supper will be somewhat minimal and frugal. As you know, at the end of the money, there is still a lot of month left...
Galaxy - that furnace of yours is just one month out of warranty - get on the phone and give that manufacturer a call! It sucks a lot having to spend $$$ on a furnace you bought anew just a little over a year ago.
Dan - trains in Europe (and that includes the UK) have long been equipped with air brakes on every car. The brake van was used later as a guard´s van, similar to the caboose.
Have a happy day!
Edit:
I just found this little video on Youtube.com to give you a view on European model railroading practices:
watch?feature=playerdetailpage&v=nMjjFIz9Z6E
Did you see the bicyclist?
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have the #2 special, over easy eggs, sausage, homefries, and a doub;e order of sourdough toast this morning. Oh and bring me my R&GV RR mug and just leave the pot of dark roast coffee on the table! It's cold in here so I will be in the back booth away from Barry but next to the wood stove I see is lit....
My indoor thermometer said 63°F inside the house... Outside a chilly 50°F and precipitating a bit. Lots of dark clouds out there, but the weather people say it will clear and we may (notice I say may) get some sunshine later today.
Todd, thank you sir! I rather like how the town came out myself. Only thing I would change if I was doing it over would be to add awnings to the store fronts. I still may do that at some point, but have way too much other stuff to do first.
Lee, some of the new LEDs are giving out some good rendering of color. They are improving all the time. I have a few around my house including 3 that light up my workbench. Their color isn't the best, but they can last for a long time and are about the same efficiency as the CFLs. BTW, people worried about the mercury in the CFLs should realize that if they eat tuna fish, a single tuna sandwich may contain 60 times more mercury than in a CFL, and it is in a form that can be readily absorbed. The mercury in the CFL in a gaseous state would have to be completely inhaled by a person and then only a small fraction of it would be absorbed. Now, put a few million of them in a landfill and you have a potential problem...
Dan, good explanation of the "buffers" found on European train cars...
Jeffrey, those silos are looking good!
Got many things to get done today, so I best get a move on.
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Sir MadogDan - trains in Europe (and that includes the UK) have long been equipped with air brakes on every car. The brake van was used later as a guard´s van, similar to the caboose.
Knew I was gonna get something wrong ...
Gooooooood *grumble grumble* Morning. Bucket of coffee please and what the heck...give me the cardiologist's delight: huge pile of bacon and scrambled eggs please. Thank you.
Got up bright and early for the weekly facetime with THAT Editor. Got to the office. No meeting. Usually she or Mr. Boss notify us if we're not gathering. Oh well, had content to drop-off and a paycheck to pick up so not a total loss of time/waste of gas. Last week's meeting was cancelled so I just e-mailed the stories and dropped-off all of the photos on Sunday with Friday night's football coverage. W**ked out well, maybe I can talk 'em into doing THAT on a regular basis. With the wonderful invention known as "e-mail," and the Devil's creation (the telephone), "facetime" is, in my humble opinion...a waste of time.
Now THAT THAT is out of my system...
Lightbulbs. I like my incandescent bulbs. Cheap, dependable, used to be abundant. I like 'em. I've got a stash of 100-watt bulbs THAT should last me for several years. I'll soon be stocking up on the 60-watt bulbs since they go away at the end of this year. Much like the hybrid, electric cars and those little itty-bitty "smart coupes," if somebody else wants 'em. I'll give them no grief. I'll offer no argument. To each their own. I just don't want them forced upon me.
End of rants.
A box of misc. structure and other parts has departed in the company of The Wife. If all goes as planned, she "should" deliver said box to Post Office staff at some point today in her travels. Within a few days, it will hopefully arrive in good shape at a southern destination.
JIM: No stairs, no ladders on those way up high doorways. I've often wondered if there is some kind of "bail-out" rope or rope ladder or something. Then again, I don't know if it'd make much difference in the case of a grain dust explosion. Interesting fact: In a grain dust explosion, there are actually TWO explosions, a "small" one which puts a crap-ton of dust in the air, then the second and much bigger one THAT levels the elevator at worst or blows the gallery or head house off at the least.
Furnace woes: GALAXY: Man, I hear ya on the toils and troubles. Our vintage oil burner became too expensive to run with the thermostat set above 50 degrees. So, we discontinued its use and now use strategically placed electric oil-filled space heaters. We've seen a slight increase in the electric bill, but it's far less than what it cost us to fill the oil tank. The only "down side" is they suck a lot of current, and some of our outlets have older wires. THAT leads to the plug/cord getting kinda warm. Dialing the heat setting back solves the problem. We've got four (fifth one needs a new plug) THAT keep a two-story, five bedroom, 100+ year old house "comfortable" in the worst of an iowa winter.
Rerun says our mail has arrived and he wishes to go and see what the mailman, mailwoman, mailwhat'sit, left us.
Have a good and SAFE day!
Chris
The Cedar cRapids Industrial Branch: Proudly Shipping Yesterday's CrunchBerries Tomorrow!
Morning All,
Well it is still morning here. Currently 61 with an expected high of 87 under sunny skies.
Well as I mentioned a few days ago I ordered some Arizona Rock and Mineral ballast from Caboose Hobbies. The shipping was a little high so I decided to throw in a pkg of Floquil weathering color markers to maybe touch up the track weathering I did the other day. I really needed the ballast. Well they were out of stock on the ballast but sent the markers. I got then testerday. I have closing shifts for the next 5 days, so I don't think I will get a chance to use them till Wednesday, as I will go to the hospital before work and then get home sometime around 10:00.
Wife seems to be tolerating this round of Chemo quite well. Only side effects so far, she is very tired. Doc says she is doing well. All things considered.
Galaxy - we have a house in Carson City that Our daughters live in. It was built in 1976, furnace is starting to go bad. Local heating guy has been able to get some makeshift parts to keep it running, but will probably have to replace it next winter. I will be looking for a better waranty than you have. I never realized some warranties were so short. Sorry for your issues there.
Jeff - I guess after looking at the color you have chosen by popular demand, it is probably the correct one. As it looks good to me now.
Prayers to all in need.
Paul
Living in Fernley Nevada, about 30 miles east of Reno, also lived in Oregon and California, but born In Brooklyn NY and raised on Long Island NY
Afternoon folks!
Chloe, a cup of hot chocolate would be in order right now...
I have finally raised the temperature inside the house to a comfortable 72°F with a small fire in the wood stove. Feels good, but outside it seems to be liquid sunshine even though the weather channel says there isn't any precipitation going on in the area... It is still in the low 50s out there too.
I finally got set up so I can see what is going on with the solar Voltaic System on line rather than going down cellar and looking at the equipment.... They had my email wrong and it wasn't until the electrician who was here asked how I like seeing it at their site and I told him I haven't heard anything yet that they caught to error. Not much electric being made today around here for sure. Best it has done so far is all of about 400 watts. Very dark and dreary outside!
My furnace (Main Furnace) was old when we bought the house 30 years ago. Other than replacing the thermocouple a few times, it still works just fine albeit rather inefficiently. Since it only comes on during the worst cold spells I will try to get one more year out of it and then go to a new Energy Star one and whole house air conditioning at the same time. At least THAT is the plan. Whatever I get will have at least a 10 year warranty which should last close to as long as I will be living here...
Paul, glad to hear your wife is doing well! Keeping her and you in my prayers!
Need to finish packing for tomorrow (NMRA Fall Meet) and then head out to my son's house for dinner.
howmusMy furnace (Main Furnace) was old when we bought the house 30 years ago. Other than replacing the thermocouple a few times, it still works just fine albeit rather inefficiently. Since it only comes on during the worst cold spells I will try to get one more year out of it and then go to a new Energy Star one and whole house air conditioning at the same time. At least THAT is the plan. Whatever I get will have at least a 10 year warranty which should last close to as long as I will be living here...
I went that way Howmus. Had the furnace replaced and got a central air unit at the same time, cheaper and easier that way. The worst part was like I was saying ( along with the price,lol ) was when they installed it, it was mid October and they had to test it out for the first time. Talk about a chilly house for 20 minutes,lol
JeremyB howmusMy furnace (Main Furnace) was old when we bought the house 30 years ago. Other than replacing the thermocouple a few times, it still works just fine albeit rather inefficiently. Since it only comes on during the worst cold spells I will try to get one more year out of it and then go to a new Energy Star one and whole house air conditioning at the same time. At least THAT is the plan. Whatever I get will have at least a 10 year warranty which should last close to as long as I will be living here... I went that way Howmus. Had the furnace replaced and got a central air unit at the same time, cheaper and easier that way. The worst part was like I was saying ( along with the price,lol ) was when they installed it, it was mid October and they had to test it out for the first time. Talk about a chilly house for 20 minutes,lol
Here is the problem: the furnaces you guys are talking about are house furnaces which seem to come along with longer warrantees. This is a mobile home furnace, which gets the short end of the deal. THOUGH someone suggested I call the furnace company I may just do that..BECAUSE i DON'T know that the installing company isn't 'cheating us" on the warrantee so they don't have to repair it...wouldn't that be a hoot if they were!
The problem is there aren't gobs of choices for downdraft furnaces for mobile homes- there are lots of choices and models for houses! SO we miss out on some of the choices you guys have! It is STILL a 930 sq foot dwelling with 2x6inch insulated walls! AND it needs a heating system too! ALso it is what is available here..there is a place that sells the furnaces cheaper to regular people, but no one will install them if you buy it form the wholesaler, and I don't know a thing about installing a furnace, and A company who WOULD install it {If I could have found one} would probably not honor any warrantee.
I didn't think about warrante at the time of install as I didn't expect it to fail one year later...5 years maybe, 1 no?
Anyway it is giving me a HEADACHE about it... gee, I wonder why?
The other part is the labor to install the parts. A relative said his igniter was cheap online, but the installing company wanted a few hundred for installing it.
SInce he has to come back on Tues with the parts I will fight it if they want to charge me another fee to install the parts tehy already charged inStall on!!!
why oh why do I have this headache?
Actually I do have a bad headache..not quite a migraine, but close...may need migraine medication yet. BUT, the weather outside is NASTY. Chilly, rainy,. misty, etc.
I jsut know which company i won't deal with anymore.{for service and repairs}
Maybe i go lay down now..maybe it will go away.
Galaxy- Do you live in a mobile home park or do you own your land?. You may be able to build a shed like building outside to put the furnace in,it might give you better options for warranties. And if you are in a mobile home park check to see if they will allow a building if it's not visible from the street. Good luck I know repairs are a pain in the caboose.
Evening All,
About all I accomplished today was some weathering and doing my laundry.
Welcome to the new Diners
Galaxy- Sorry to hear about your furnace problems. I did not realize there was a difference for trailers.
Jeff- Great job on the grain silos. I look forward to seeing more.
Lee- Hope you are feeling better. I watched a show on our infrastructure falling apart especially bridges and I thought about you and your inspection job.
Ulrich- I have had lots of teeth issues. Did you get antibiotics? If you have a infection they will help with the pain as it clears up. As a temporary fix I have swallowed a mouth full of tepid water and held it in my mouth. It seems to sooth the ache to me.
Ray- Glad the solar power is working for you.
Paul- I'm glad your wife seems to be doing better.
Hope everyone has a good night and prayers for those in need.
Curt Webb
The Late Great Pennsylvania Railroad
http://s1082.photobucket.com/albums/j372/curtwbb/
Evenin ya'll
Pretty much laid around the house all day, seems the wife got a cold earlier in the week and out of the kindness of her heart, gave it to me!
I did however, get the last of the "wedding cars" unpacked and in the display case. See about 7 years ago, a friend got married, and I gave him, as part of the wedding gift, a commemorative boxcar to mark the occasion. When Jan & I got married he told me we would get a similar car in return to commemorate our nuptials.
That was 5 years ago this month.
Several months ago he presented us with that car! Also, he had constructed anniversary cars for the 1st 3 years we were married, for a total of 4 cars!! Out of guilt maybe?? Better late then never huh? But we were, at that time, coming up on our 5th anniversary. When I jokingly asked him where the other 2 cars were, he kinda laughed it off. Well, he recently brought by the other 2 cars in the series, so in the display case they all went!
Now I gotta get off my butt and finish the 2 BL2s and the GP40 that I'm installing sound (and some secret upgrades} too!
Galaxy, it may be too late, but I know our local utility, for a small monthly fee, will give you a major appliance service contract, so stuff like this is paid for by them. Might want to look into it!
Ray, cant do it till next year, but your solar array has convinced me,,,,,,I want it!!
Here's to everyone, may the sun shine of your face, and your problems kiss your butt!
Karl
NCE über alles!
Hi guys, Thanks for all your concern adn comisseration over the furmace issue. I have checked the furnace company website for warrantee info, here is what it says:
XXX heating and cooling products for manufactured housing are warranted for one year. This warranty covers parts and labor as well as mileage for the technician:
Extend your standard 1-year parts and labor warranty to 5 or 10 years under our Watchdog Protection Plan. If you ever sell your home, the protection plan is transferred to the new owner at no cost. See your XXX dealer for details
Since my dealer never offered me the OPTION of buying an extended plan, I don't think I will get far with the manufacturer as they state they only offer the 1 year parts/labor/mileage {did not know mileage was included? moot point now}
NOTE : I have purposely not mentioned and avoided the manufacturer's name to avoid any issues, though the fact that it failed so soon after warrantee and that I am complaining here that it did are facts, not any other issue.
the most I think I could do is take the Intial installing {and sales} company to task over not offering me the extended plan...but I think I am litterally "out in the cold" {BAAAAAD pun, I know} where the furnace and repairs from the manufacturer are concerned!
I am SURE he told me the warrantee on the furnace when he sold it to me,they are a large dealer/servicer of heating/A/C stuff in the area, BUT I never thought about it failing in the first year of its life {basically since it only ran for 7 months of life then stilled for the summer months}
Like I told the Sears saleswoman who tried to sell me an extended 5 year warrantee on the washer we bought, "if it isn't going to last at least 5 years, then it's not worth buying". she said "oooh, good point".
Mr. Dispatcher:we live in a park, we do not own the land. If I get your drift, building a shed for the furnace wouldn't help...it'd have to be installed in the ground to be a "regular" updraft furnace...and house furnaces are not cheap ether.
Why do I still have this headache {for real?}
galaxy XXX heating and cooling products for manufactured housing are warranted for one year. This warranty covers parts and labor as well as mileage for the technician: 1 Year Parts 1 Year Labor 1 Year Mileage
I did a test printing of part of a structure wall to see ahat adjustments I'll have to make. To me the windows look too big.
Evenin' folks!
Janie, just a decaf please...
Found out why my son invited me over for dinner tonight. He needed the truck to pick up a new water softener for his house. The old one is on its last legs and is costly to run as well. The new one will do the same job (only better) at a fraction of the cost as the old one. Had a nice dinner and got to play with the granddaughters for a while. I walked in and went over to the big chair the youngest was sitting absorbed in a Disney Video... She didn't see me come in. when she looked around and saw me she got very excited, threw her arms around my neck, shouted "Papa!" and gave me a big hug! This grandfather gig is a great one!
Galaxy, while we were at the supply place to pick up the softener for my son, I told the clerk what is happening to you. He couldn't believe they only gave you a year warranty on a brand new furnace! Actually got angry for you! I would keep your options open on this. Do call the manufacturer and complain about it dieing so soon!
Karl... Just do your homework on it!
Jeffrey, looking good!
I probably won't have time to stop in for breakfast tomorrow morning as I need to be on the road a few hours before I usually get up...
Have a good one!
Time for me to call it a night. See y'all tomorrow.
Evening, Chloe - I'll have a hot fudge brownie sundae and a mug of decaf, please. Oh, any of the Western RR's would be fine. It's the weekend (until tomorrow 8 a.m., when I am on-call for 24 hours; then the rest of the weekend is available to enjoy). Thanks!
Galaxy, good to see you were awake enough for our 'morning lesson' today.
Jeff - sorry, I think Mr. Murphy did something to my Murphy trap... Hey, you're movin' along on your elevator there! Do you ever find sales on styrene or other wall materials for scratchbuilding/kitbashing at online (or LHS) places? (I was trying to recall if you had a LHS (or not-so-LHS) in your end of Louisiana). I know anytime I get to a LHS (near or far), I check out if they have a clearance box or stuff they're clearing out. Figure it might come in handy later...
Lee, sounds like you might be feeling some better today, if you're ready to tackle a week's worth of posts.
Any other Diners see that they're predicting a worldwide shortage of pork and bacon in the next year? Miss Piggy had better watch out! (Wee, wee, wee... all the way home...)
Yep, Ulrich, I've had a few of those "too long" months at times. Sometimes they were good for reminding me that not everything *I* wanted was actually THAT vital (Well, except for food, electric, heat, etc., y'know...) Good to hear that 'over-the-counter' pain medication is helping. Maybe we should add your teeth to the list?
Ray - if you want a starting point for your awnings, get one set of awnings from Frenchman River Modelworks (family-run - they're out of Nebraska). Their sets include the pre-cut striped scallopped awnings and wire for the awning supports. (I figure after you get one set, you'll be making all the rest that you need, anyway) I'd agree with Todd (maybe except for that Pterodactyl thingee...) that Hopewell is a very fine town! Which reminds me - I need to go take another look through your layout pics..
Dan, thanks for your info on European trains (and I wouldn't have known half of what you and Ulrich covered!).
Those Diners who are talking about the furnaces with longer warrantees, I'm betting you are talking about for houses, right? While Galaxy, on the other hand is talking about one for a mobile home, and from my time living in one of those when I was in the Navy near Memphis, the furnaces there are smaller and look to be not as well-made as a house furnace (so likely parts aren't in stock as long, harder to replace, etc.). Just my personal observations, YMMV.... Ah, I see that Galaxy already covered those bases. Good idea though, to check w/the manufacturer just to be sure about the warranty, though. G, maybe we should change the topic and let you go rest up a while (in a nice, dark, quiet place, right?)...
Chris, that was (in a rather unnerving way) odd about elevator doors leading to nowhere...(so to speak). Sounds a bit like a plot idea for a Road Runner cartoon or such. As for those grain explosions, is that second explosion due to the remaining grain/dust being dispersed in the air, so it then has enough oxygen to ignite? Ya got me curious there... As for your antique home, I'm hoping you have done everything possible to weatherize your windows, doors, basement openings, etc. Yes? Oh, I think they call themselves (I think...) 'postal carriers' or 'letter carriers'. Almost sounds like some kind of disease, depending on the tilt of one's particular mind...
Paul, good to hear the report on your wife's progress.
JeremyB, sounds like a Mr. Murphy thing about the timing of your unit's installation. I do recall hearing that getting the A/C with the furnace gets you some price breaks from a lot of the installers.
Karl, that was really generous of your wife to share, and all that. Your freight car deal with your buddy sounds pretty good - but do you also have to give him a car for each of his anniversaries, too?
After I got laundry done tonight (which was after I got off w**k), I took SIL's card by their house. When I got there, nobody was home, but I was greeted by their Schipperke, Joey. She'd somehow found a way out of the fenced-in backyard. She doesn't come when you call her, either, will stay about 15-20 feet away and run back a bit if you try to come to her. After a bit of that, and even opening the fence gate by their carport entrance (the gate leads to the backyard), I closed it. As I was walking to my car, I see Andy pulling into the drive, so I gave him the card with his present ($$) in it. He said Joey has found a loose board and they still have to get the right size board and fix that spot. But at least Joey sticks around the house (we decided it was because she didn't get fed by any of the neighbors, probably...).
Guess I will head for home. Want to get back to that gas station kit a little tonight, if possible. Will resume tomorrow on it and some other structure projects while I'm on-call (unless the phone calls, as it were...)
Prayers for healing of body (and headaches), comfort and other needs.
Blessings,
Jim in Cape G.
JimRCGMOJeff - sorry, I think Mr. Murphy did something to my Murphy trap... Hey, you're movin' along on your elevator there! Do you ever find sales on styrene or other wall materials for scratchbuilding/kitbashing at online (or LHS) places? (I was trying to recall if you had a LHS (or not-so-LHS) in your end of Louisiana). I know anytime I get to a LHS (near or far), I check out if they have a clearance box or stuff they're clearing out. Figure it might come in handy later...
Evening Folks
Flo, Beer Pleases.
Well it is Official, As A Whole I Hate Stupid People! Well, that pretty much covers the Work Front today. I swear if 15 people walked in at the same time and there where 10 Sales Persons at the counter everyone of them that where IDIOTS would wait for me to help them!
Guess that is why I wound up having Bank of Stupid owning my home loan! I am a Idiot Magnet!
Paul, glad to here your wife is fairing well so far.
Galaxy Sorry to hear about your furnaces problems. I would have thought it would last longer than a year.
Ulrich my friend, I know all about rotten teeth. Uses a lot of mouth wash, it might help.
Well I am beat up pretty bad tonight.
Ken
I hate Rust
Karl - Interesting idea about the commerative cars for your anniversary. A little story about anniversaries, for our first year anniversary I gace my wife 1 yellow rose. Yellow is her favorite color. On our second anniversary I gave her two. Seemed like a good idea and at the time inexpensive gift, and she really liked it. Fast forward 42 YEARS, Do you know what 42 yellow roses cost in 2012, don't ask. I think next year I will give her a commerative rail car.
Ken - I seem to get more than my share of stupid customers every day I work. Sometimes I really cannot believe how some people function being that dumb.
Stayed at the hospital all day today instead of going into work as planned. They draw blood every 6 hours to see how her blood counts (red and white cells) are doing. Her numbers were up after all the draws today, so she is making her own cells which is great.
I received my 6 bags of ballast from Arizona Rock and Mineral in todays mail. Just need some time now to start do some ballesting.
Good Morning! from Tipton IN.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
NKP Steam Crane, IMC Dist., north of Noblesville IN -circa 1945
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
*grumble* *still grumbling* *grumble*
oj...wha? huh? OH, didn't see you there...coffee ...PLEASE...
well
GOOD MORNING!!!
Well, We here in the MRRIng may "finish" our layouts, but we then look for ways to "plus" it and rarely do we Rest on our Laurels! SO: REST ON ONE'S LAURELS:
To be satisfied with one's past success and to consider further effort unnecessary-
The laurels that are being referred to when someone is said to 'rest on his laurels' are the aromatically scented Laurus Nobilis trees or, more specifically, their leaves. The trees are known colloquially as Sweet Bayand are commonly grown as culinary or ornamental plants.
The origins of the phrase lie in ancient Greece, where laurel wreaths were symbols of victory and status. Of course, ancient Greece is where history and mythology were frequently mixed, so we need to tread carefully. The pre-Christian Greeks associated their god Apollo with laurel - that much is historical fact, as this image of Apollo wearing a laurel wreath on a 2nd century BC coin indicates. The reason for that association takes us into the myth of Apollo's love for the nymph Daphne, who turned into a Bay tree just as Apollo approached her (anything could happen if you were a Greek god). Undeterred, Apollo embraced the tree, cut off a branch to wear as a wreath and declared the plant sacred. Their belief in the myth caused the Greeks to present laurel wreaths to winners in the Pythian Games, which were held at Delphi in honour of Apollo every four years from the 6th century BC.
Following the decline of the Greek and Roman empires, the use of wreaths of laurel as emblems of victory seems to have taken a long holiday and didn't re-emerge until the Middle Ages. Geoffrey Chaucer referred to laurels in that context in The Knight's Tale, circa 1385:
With laurer corouned as a conquerourAnd there he lyueth in ioye and in honour . [With laurel crowned as conqueror There he lived in joy and honour]
With laurer corouned as a conquerourAnd there he lyueth in ioye and in honour .
[With laurel crowned as conqueror There he lived in joy and honour]
A 'laureate' was originally a person crowned with a laurel wreath. We continue to call those who are especially honoured laureates although the laurel leaves are usually kept for the kitchen these days. Nevertheless, laureates benefit in other ways; Nobel Laureates get a nice medal and 10 million Swedish Krona and Poets Laureate (in the UK at least) get a useful salary and a butt of sack (barrel of sherry).
As to the phrase's meaning, to 'rest on one's laurels' isn't considered at all a praiseworthy strategy - it suggests a decline into laziness and lack of application. That's not the original meaning. When 'rest on one's laurels' or, as it was initially, 'repose on one's laurels' was coined it was invariably part of a valedictory speech for some old soldier or retiring official. An early example of that usage is found in The Memoirs of the Cardinal de Retz, 1723:
The Duke [of Orleans] was old enough to take his Repose under the Shadow of his Laurels.
Of course, the 'repose' was figurative - no one was imagining someone sleeping on a bed of laurel leaves, although the citation above could be construed as referring to laurel trees rather than laurel wreaths. No such doubts with a slightly later citation from the London-based Gentleman's Magazine, 1733, on the retirement of a schoolmaster of Westminster School:
So thou, paternal Sage, may'st now repose. Nor seek new Laurels to adorn thy Brows.
As soon as we move into the energetic 19th century, the meaning changes and the phrase is used with a distinctly disapproving tone. The review magazine The Literary Chronicle, 1825, which praises the work of Maria Edgeworth:
We do not affect to wish she should repose on her laurels and rest satisfied; on the contrary, we believe that genius is inexhaustible... For Miss Edgeworth there must be no rest on this side the grave.
We are hardly any more charitable these days. "One hit wonders" are sneered at and, with proper Anglo-Saxon earnestness, Anthony Burgess dismissed his fellow author Joseph Heller's inability to write a second book for 13 years following the success of Catch-22 by sniping that "Heller suffers from that fashionable American disease, writer's block".
*grumble* *grumble* *Grumble* *grumble*
Good morning everyone.
Flo, I'll have coffee, and a belgian waffle ...
Today's gonna be interesting -- hopefully it warms up for the open house... At the moment it's 9deg (C, just shy of 50F), so would make for chilly tours. From noon to 4 (approximate running time of the open house), it'll be 17C (mid 60s F), so probably will end up being a crisp day. Not that I mind -- throw an extra jacket or a long sleeved shirt on under my "work shirt" (one of those Dickies heavy-duty ones from Target or Walmart) and it'll be all good.
IF we had the 4070 operational (or , heck, ANY steam locomotive there), I'm 99.9% sure it'd be a great attraction ... because they're WARM!
Good morning, Diners. I will have my coffee now and save the belgian waffle until after my run. We are supposed to have drizzle this morning, but we may have dodged the bullet. The moon is out.
Jeffrey, It's looking good.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.