Morning Gang
Flo, pleases a Diet Dew Chaser.
Starting out my 3 day weekend with Honey Does. This morning I take Sue for a dilated eye test. Now for some reason this means I have to buy her lunch? Anytime I take her anywhere, we have to stop to eat?
After that I need to cut the grass one last time. Lawnmower did not get used much this year, I think I prefer drought over wet weather now.
Got to take my med's and get ready for the Dr Visit. See you all this after noon.
Ken
I hate Rust
My grass stopped growing, I mean it’s still covers the yard, but it hasn’t grown any length since we haven’t had much sunlight the last 2 weeks.
I was paying $160/month on electric and $150/month for gas. Over the past 4 years I replaced all the old appliances with new ones and now I pay about $60/month on electric. Natural Gas is around $600/year but all I use it for is forced air heat and the hot water tank. I have a gas stove but don’t use that much.
Diesel is $4.19/gallon here but 2 weeks ago it was only $4.09.
John that’s an impressive model. Friend of mine gave me 2 Great Lakes freighters in HO-Scale, everything except the hulls was scratch built on those.
Working on RR Bridge projects today at work…..
BM1 Lee Soule USCG (ret) L.S.&W Railroad Serving the Lower Great Lakes
Me again!
As you know, folks, my favorite hobby within our hobby is to make plans
I am still looking for layout ideas for "big scale model railroading "I can realize within the limitations of my space and tight budget. A lot of ideas I had in the past failed when I started to calculate the start-up cost. Unlike governments, I just cannot extend my spending beyond what I´ve got, which is close to nothing.
O scale is, per se, much more expensive than the smaller scales, unless you go for scratchbuilding and kitbuilding. Taken this into account, I came up with a layout theme, which differs a lot from what is common.
The layout theme I have come up with is a type of narrow gauge (2 ft.) industrial tramway line, connecting a fish dock in the harbor with a fish processing plant somewhere "in town". The setting is somewhere on the North Sea coast of Germany, with its typical red brick architecture. For the locos and rolling stock, there are fairly inexpensive kits available, all buildings need to be scratchbuilt. The track plan is simple, just a double Inglenook design.
I took some time to prepare a 2D view of that layout, so here it is:
The main objective of the layout is to capture that typical coastal town atmosphere, plus a little bit of switching operation.
If you get a taste of salty air, hear the "keeyah" of the seagulls and the grumble of the Diesel locos and a faint smell of dead fish reaches your nose, I know I have done a good job!
Very nice Ulrich. One question though. Instead of the fiddle yard, could you fit a 3way turnout behind the factory into the yard area and then extend the factory into the area in front of the yard? Regards, J.R.
GMTRacing Very nice Ulrich. One question though. Instead of the fiddle yard, could you fit a 3way turnout behind the factory into the yard area and then extend the factory into the area in front of the yard? Regards, J.R.
Excellent idea - I´ll be incorporating that!
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have the French Toast with butter and real Maple Syrup, a couple sausages, and a cup of dark roast coffee in a FGLK mug this morning.
The weather prognosticators are saying it is partly cloudy outside, but there seems to be a bit of sunshine out there. Lots of wind today. Currently 62°F with a high around 65° later this afternoon.
Hmmmm, my last utility (gas and electric) was $82.92. The high for the year was January's bill at $218.00. Most bills have been around $120. I am one of those people that pay for what I use when I use it rather than having the "We spread your bills out over the whole year so we get your money early" from NYSEG. I figure if I know I have to pay for it soon, I am a bit more careful about turning the heater or the lights on. Of course the bills should be consistently lower from now on. Yes, I had to invest over $7,000 to do that, but I figure the return on the investment is better than I could do investing the $ in most other things.
Ulrich, I like your plans!
I need to go watch the meter spin down cellar for a while.
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Those $ 125 I have to pay are just for electricity
Sir Madog Those $ 125 I have to pay are just for electricity
Well, then come to the great USA!
-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.
howmus Hmmmm, my last utility (gas and electric) was $82.92. The high for the year was January's bill at $218.00. Most bills have been around $120. I am one of those people that pay for what I use when I use it rather than having the "We spread your bills out over the whole year so we get your money early" from NYSEG. I figure if I know I have to pay for it soon, I am a bit more careful about turning the heater or the lights on. Of course the bills should be consistently lower from now on. Yes, I had to invest over $7,000 to do that, but I figure the return on the investment is better than I could do investing the $ in most other things.
Ray, I'd have some solar cells on my roof If I could A} afford it, and B} had the square footage up there to bother! I'd a had em a long time ago. Actually I am looking into self contained portable models that might just run the A/Cs when needed!
Got a job for me?
Sir MadogEnergy: Just received the annual bill - consumption was down by 5 %, but the bill is up by 10%! I have to pay over $ 125 a month now - that was $ 95 three years ago
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. It's 74° and mostly sunny. The high will be 79°.Plumbing front: I'm very P.O'd with the nephew. He was supposed to fix this leaking pipe on my water heater. He didn't show. Instead he cut our mutual water line and plugged it off so he has water. Not a word about it to me. I discovered it for myself when I was packing out the laundry. I let my father know about it and he's agreed to pay for a plumber to come fix it. It'll be interesting to see what happens to Mr X. I'd love to be a fly on the wall for that one.Before all this plumbing mess started I got a base coat of paint on the elevator gallery structure. Looks better than start white.
Jeff, we must share the same water line. GF just called to tell me the water is off and the city is tearing up the street in front of my house. She said my street looks like a river…..
Hello Everyone! Just thought I would say Hello. It's starting to cool off here at night, Guess I better throw a coat in the truck. I guess today I will carry my laundry down to the river and beat it on rock. laundry is so hard, just ask the wife... When I do it I just put it in the washer add some soap and walk away. guess I've been doing it wrong? I hope everyone is doing well.
Jeffrey, your elevator project is looking great!
John Reid, Wow that is a Beautiful Ship. Nice work! Thank you for sharing the picture and the story about the project.
Thayne
Good Morning, Zoe, Diners. Zoe, I'll have a BLT, plus a RBF in a Rio Grande mug, please. Thank you!
CN Charlie, about the small town thing, there's also the social tendency for younger ones wanting to move to more populated areas (for the stores you mentioned, but also for things to do, etc.). The 'loyal' younger people who stay in outlying areas (let alone continue to w**k the family farm) are definitely in the minority. Bit of an ongoing trend. (And then there's the shortage of available internet options in the more rural areas)
Barry - love your new signature quote. A sure sign is that we can fly/fall/whatever _down_, but we don't go the other direction without some kind of propulsion help.
John(Reid), personally, I always enjoy hearing about what type/form/transmogrification of MRR'ing that a new(er) Diner has. Thanks!
Ulrich, since I'm one of those German-Americans (or is that American-Germans?) myself, guess I should try to know when THAT day is, eh? Thanks for clearing that up for me about the (new) modules. Hmm, how many different modules do you have, so far? As for my German ancestry, it goes at least back to one family member who fought in the Battle of Waterloo for (I think) Wellington (or would that have likely been von Bücher?). Some/several family members (we're still talking my Dad's side of the family) came over in the 1860's, to Nebraska. (Guess they liked the colder winters there?)
Lee, if the local/state/national taxing authorities think there may be money to be made by adjusting tax rates/value of things, it will happen. Oh, wait, I'd better stop for now...
Ken, how've you been doing? Did you ever hear from that truck/repair shop/place about that job?
Todd, how did she manage to dirty up three sweatshirts and not wear one? Or was it like: take sweatshirt out of drawer, "nope, that one won't go with my outfit", toss it into the clothes basket/floor...(repeat/repeat)?
Lunch time is about over,so I'll catch up some more later today when I get back in.
Blessings and prayers,
Jim in Cape G.
good afternoon everybody, My grandfather came over today and asked if I was up for going camping this weekend. I am, so we're going to eastern washington for the weekend and while we're over there we are going to visit some railroad and logging museums. I also have a test on monday so I will be doing quite a bit of studying.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
TA462 Sir Madog Those $ 125 I have to pay are just for electricity I payed 465 last week for 3 months. I thought that was good considering I ran the pool pump and the central air all summer. My gas is 100 a month.
I payed 465 last week for 3 months. I thought that was good considering I ran the pool pump and the central air all summer. My gas is 100 a month.
We have our own wetland out back...complete with floating dock.
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/
Evening Dinners
Flo, well thank you dear for the
Well, pretty much wasted this day off. Sues eye examine went well, nothing wrong with her eye's at this point.Then we went to Burger King and I had a small whopper and fires, did not fill me up so I had a value bacon cheese burger and that pretty much finished me off for the rest of the day.
Got up from a nap around 2:00 PM and was going to go get some grocery's then Sue wanted to come along. I was planing on spending $30.00, but with her in tow it wound up being $60.00. Never knew Corn Dogs where a staple in a balances diet? Most of the time I feel like I am married to a 5 year old that happens to be 60.
Electric Bills, you have seen nothing till you see mine! When I had the in ground pool open and the A/C going we would have $520.00 a month electric bills in the summer. I have not opned it for the last 5 years because I could not afford it. With that not going I still hit $400.00 in the hot season.
While I miss the pool.
I do not miss dumping $300.00 worth of chemicals in it, nor the electric bill's!
Dinners ready
It's 66° here with 47% humidity. Feels wetter than that. Looking like the low will be 48°.Plumbing front: Yet another night with no running water. Plumber came out and looked at the pipe and said that's not the problem. The problem is the hot water tank itself. So there's nothing Mr X could do about it anyway so he's still got a roof over his head. May father and I went to Lowe's and got a new water heater which is in my van at this time. Twelve gallon capacity, 120v, side connect. It looks like it should fit in the hole. If it won't there's a nice big open spot where the kitchen drawers used to be as you'll see in the photos below. So plenty of room. I was planning on putting shelves in there to replace the drawers but if the tank has to go there I can keep my rice and pasta meals in a box on top of the fridge. I already have my primary utensils hanging on cup hooks below the upper cabinets. Safety can opener, pizza cutter and several tea strainers. I use the strainers to filter the lumps out of my latex paint. By this time tomorrow I hope to have hot and cold running water again.
Been a busy day for me. Time to call it a night. Calling the plumber back out in the morning to pull the old water heater out and put in the new one. I ain't touching it! See y'all tomorrow.
Evening, Chloe - I'll have a Santa Fe mug of coffee and a hot fudge sundae, please. Thank you!
Let's see, first train set? Garry, I would say that I recall it being an O scale, 3-rail set (and as with what others have said, only a couple/three cars, the caboose and the loco), and I believe it was probably a steam loco, probably Santa Fe. I recall some Plasticville buildings - I'm not sure where that set disappeared, but likely in one of our moves. My second 'set' (a while after that) was part of that Boys' Life layout that I started in the late 1950's or so. It was an HO scale layout that appeared as a series of articles in Boys' Life (and covered cookie-cutter plywood base, scenery, how to build your own structures, signs and accessories). Unfortunately, my teenage years interfered some, and when I went away from home for my last two years of high school (and college after that), in the meantime my parents moved out of the house (and left the upright piano and the layout in the basement). Even with its shortcomings, I still like that BL layout.
PA Tom, your diner's cook sounds like part Mom/Grandma, too, watching out that you don't starve. Sounds like a great place to go eat!
jeffrey-wimberly TA462With the amount some of you guys pay for shoes and inserts I guess I got off lucky spending 200 on the wifes 2 pairs. My nephew goes out and drops $150+ on ONE pair of shoes then whines and complains about not having money to do the things he likes to do. I'd tell him to buy cheaper shoes but I know it would go in one ear and out the other without impacting anything in between.
TA462With the amount some of you guys pay for shoes and inserts I guess I got off lucky spending 200 on the wifes 2 pairs.
CDN Dennis, I bet I know where you will be a frequent visitor for a while, eh? Sounds like some good deals, and depending on where your LHS owner puts the prices, you may have even more savings ahead for you.
chochowillie Going to Cow Town AKA Calgary on thursday if it doesn't snow and while there I'll drop in at trains & such and buy the Digitrax DCC stuff I need. There goes about a $1000 bucks. Sheesh, sure glad I've got such cheap tastes...
Going to Cow Town AKA Calgary on thursday if it doesn't snow and while there I'll drop in at trains & such and buy the Digitrax DCC stuff I need. There goes about a $1000 bucks. Sheesh, sure glad I've got such cheap tastes...
Obviously, I cannot keep up with the shoes that some of your households have. I have: 1) a pair of tennies, which tend to last me between 3-6 months before they start breaking down/stretching out of shape. And 2) a pair of penny loafers (cordovan color), which are sort of my 'dressy' shoes. I suspect the clerk at the store stretched a bit too big before I bought them. They at times slip off when I'm walking in them (time to get a new pair...). Used to have a pair of wing-tips for dress shoes, but I got tired of trying to get polish into those tiny holes. I have a pair of slippers under my bed... somewhere. Don't wear those much at all - maybe 2 or 3 times a year.
How DO we get onto these topics? Make ya wonder sometimes? Kinda interesting, though.
Ken - Hmm.. at risk of offending any cat-servants in here:
cudaken Wolfhound love cats!
Wolfhound love cats!
Todd, I hear you about posts that we thought were gonna be fairly brief... but end up not being quite so..
OzJim, my guess (if you haven't already had someone else here get the answer) would be (Westminster) Abbey (musical group), and (the Beatles' song) Lucy (In the Sky With Diamonds)... right? Good looking pets, by the bye...
Karl - ah those rubber-band drives! Have had a few in some Athearn locos that I've had (previously, and a few currently-to-be-change-over). That "Hi-F" drive, I found, could use some of the elastic bands that orthodonists use on braces, depending on the size of the brace fitting.
BN24 - "Social problems" test? THAT made me think of one of the talks we would have about s*x in phys. ed. class...Although I'm sure it's something more complicated than that. Modern education, eh? As for your 'trainfanning/camping' weekend, take a lot of photos - they can be very useful!
Jeremy, is the new job turning out okay so far?
Aw, Lee - your boss won't accept "I got hooved to death by a deer" as an acceptable excuse for being out? I' have seen a few more occasions in the news about deer getting aggressive around people lately. Better peek out the window before you go outside...just in case.
JohnReid - awesome ship!!
Quiet afternoon/evening in the Diner, looks to be. Where was everybody? Me, I'm watching the Cardinals game while I'm posting... 6 to 1 at the moment (St. Louis leading in the 6th inning).
I'll be listening to the game in the corner booth for a bit. Prayer will continue for repaired water lines, healing, a good night's sleep, and comfort for those in need. Which covers most all of us.
Blessings,
Good evening.
The outlaws have departed back to MI and TN. Time to get back to normal.
Thanks to those who told about the first model trains. Interesting stuff. I mentioned I had Lionel in the early years for me, but my first was a Marx train set.
John Reid .... Thanks for posting the photo of th ship model. It is absolutely fabulous.
Cheers!
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Heartland Division CB&QI mentioned I had Lionel in the early years for me, but my first was a Marx train set.
Good Morning Everyone!
What a night! That post nasal drip made me cough every half our or so, so I ended up on the sofa, not to wake up Petra all the time.
Zoe, strong coffee and a breakfast bagel, please!
Jim - I have now finished 7 modules, completely filling the shelf. No more room for another one So you are related to von Blücher? I call him the reversed Patton, as he crossed the Rhine river at a place no army would ever do it. Poor Napoleon thought he couldn´t, well - he did!
Jeff - with a nephew like yours, who needs enemies?
John R - that ship looks great. I know how much tedious work is involved in shaping and bending all those planks. to you!
Have a good one!
jeffrey-wimberly Heartland Division CB&QI mentioned I had Lionel in the early years for me, but my first was a Marx train set. Same here. Marx when I was four, Lionel when I was five. Both diesel sets.
My first was a Marx set about age 7. my younger brother and I went to a neighbors garage sale and there, under the table was a Lionel set, all rusty and such, but My brother and I had about an hour of play time with it under the table. My father went and looked and decided he didn't want "someone else's junk". I had nearly forgotten about it when, low, and behold, there under the Christmas tree about 6 months later was a Marx Steamer O27 set up next to the tree!!! It came with a water tower, a station platform, 2 plastic cars, a few signs and12 telephone poles. Lionel stuff was added to later on. I played with it so much my Mother had to BEG me to open {other} presents!!! Which included a coaling tower kit and a few other MRRing things to go with the new trains!
Then for the following Easter, the "bunny" brought us another set..a diesel switcher set!
Ah the fond memories of times past!
I have a stomach bug so up this early to get some broth.
Toto, we are Still in Kansas, so follow the yellow brick road to the diner...
Morning Coffee in the diner.
GOOD MORNING!!!
We really don't want to go off "half cocked" when we attempt things, SO:
Meaning: To Speak or act prematurely
Origin:
Flintlock firearms have a 'cock' or striker mechanism, which is held in a raised, sprung position ready to discharge and make a spark to 'fire' the gun. These can be set at half-cock, when the gun is in a safe state, or at full-cock, when it is ready to be fired. A gun would only 'go off at half-cock' by mistake.
The term half-cock is as old as flintlock guns and appears in print from the mid 18th century; for example, in John Desaguliers' A course of experimental philosophy 1734–44:
"The gun being at Half-Cock, the Spring acts upon the Tumbler with more Advantage."
The earliest known citation of the phrase 'going off at half-cock' comes from London and Its Environs Described, 1761:
"Some arms taken at Bath in the year 1715, distinguished from all others in the Tower, by having what is called dog locks; that is, a kind of lock with a catch to prevent their going off at half-cock."
We now commonly use 'go off at half-cock' or, in America, 'go off half-cocked', to mean 'speak or act impulsively and without proper preparation'. This clearly alludes to the sudden discharge of a firearm. Despite that, the first figurative use of the phrase had a completely different meaning. When the 'half-cocked' imagery was first appropriated it was to mean tipsy, or half-drunk. This was the meaning intended in John Shebbeare's novel Lydia, 1786:
"Who should enter unto the company, but young Captain Firebrace, half-cocked... come hither to finish his evening's potation."
There doesn't appear to be any particular link between the mechanics of firearms and drunkenness. Several other 'half' phrases were also used in the 18th century to mean 'half-drunk'. 'Half-seas-over' was a nautical term that is listed in the first slang dictionary BE's Dictionary of the Canting Crew, circa 1700, with the meaning 'almost drunk'. Another example is 'half-and-half', which, in addition to being the name of a mixture of equal parts ale and porter, was also listed as a term meaning 'tipsy'.
This meaning of 'half-cocked' was taken up with particular enthusiasm in Australia. Clearly, they felt they hadn't enough terms for drunkenness and wanted to expand their repertoire. Fergus Hume's Madame Midas: a story of Australian mining life, 1888, explained the term:
"This last drink reduced Mr. Villiers to that mixed state which is known in colonial phrase as half-cocked."
By 1888, the rest of the English-speaking world had opted for the current meaning of 'half-cock' and 'half-cocked'; for example, in To-day in Ireland, 1825:
"Master Dillon - never let an insult go off half-cock."
Across the Atlantic, The Register of Debates in Congress, 1833, recorded the opinions of Dutee Pearce of Rhode Island:
"I regret that the gentleman from Maryland has gone off half cocked." and here and 55 degrees F. Will rain quite a bit for a while. going great guns right now! lots pelting the trailer roof and sidewalls. No hail is expected though! Then a half cloudy day, in the 60s is what we are expecting here in the Southern Tier of New York
"I regret that the gentleman from Maryland has gone off half cocked."
and here and 55 degrees F. Will rain quite a bit for a while. going great guns right now! lots pelting the trailer roof and sidewalls. No hail is expected though!
Then a half cloudy day, in the 60s is what we are expecting here in the Southern Tier of New York
Good Morning! from Tipton IN.
It's Friday, October 19, 2012
TIPTON IN
Bill Tidler Jr.
Near a cornfield in Indiana...
Good Morning
Well, here I is..all awake again...went for a snooze earlier then, just as my head hit pillow...POW!!!...all awake.....
Oh...no one forecast any thunderinboomers up this way...but...we here in LONDON got a couple of 'em ...so today? Now they are saying a 30% chance of thunderinboomers ....kinda late don't ya think?
So...today is going to be my try to catch up on some stuff day again...
Have a good one!!
JimRCGMOJeremy, is the new job turning out okay so far?
Actually Jim I cant stand it,lol
Its a huge company ( in fact biggest one in town ) at any given time there are close 600 people working on one shift. I have to go in from 3-11 today and am dreading it already and its only 6:30am. I really hope the place I want to get into calls soon because I don't know how much more of this place I can take. To make it worse its so big that I get lost so easy trying to do the job. I had to stop somebody yesterday and ask where a certain part of the plant was and they didn't even know. I know there is a job out there that I will like. Its just taking time trying to find it. Anybody have any tips on trying to make it through the day at a job they dislike??
Maybe today will go better. But seeing as its the first day on the new shift I will have to try to meet some new people that I work with.
Jeremy: What job did you get this time?