Good afternoon Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual ginormous cup of coffee with exponentially large amounts of cream, please.
We are getting a slight warm up here today. So, what does that do? It just dumps some white stuff then goes back to the deep freeze! I know, it's a rather cynical outlook, but it's also a very typical pattern. Ugh!
trying to get pics off of MOH's iPad. Spent a couple of hours with AppleCare yesterday trying to figure out why my PC wasn't seeing the device. It was more than just the driver. Ended up getting a senior analysist/advisor involved. Eventually found a solution, so now I can move the pics to the PC to eventually move to storage device. I don't want to store them on the cloud. The process will be a bit tedious, but now I know how to get them off of the iPad and the cloud.
Galaxy: Very sorry to hear YOH couldn't find someone to cover for her so you could have that romantic weekend. Hey, maybe someone will come through, yet. :)
Take heart Diners. Only 1 more week of February left then it will be March. Then just 3 weeks until spring. Also, only one more week until spring training starts, then baseball season starts in April along with the Masters. Then the triple crown and the Indy 500, and finally.....warmth!
I hope everyone is OK, safe and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Afternoon folks!
Chloe, can I get a big mug of hot chocolate please?
Well.... I did get down to the train rooms and turned up the heat and turned on the lights. Got the last load of wash out of the dryer and head up stairs with it. Put that way and then worked on convention stuff for an hour and a half. Neighbor accross the street came over right as I was about to head out the door. He needed the phone number of the Pet Sitter we both have used when we are away. He has 4 cats at his house. Headed downtown to mail a bill out, then was going to stop just a few feet down from the post office to order the Scholarship Dinner Invitations at the printer. Nobody there... Probably he was out running an errand or taking a late lunch. No matter, I headed back up the hill to Pre-emption Rd. about a block from where I live to get my hair cut. Big sign on the door of the shop, "Closed all the week"! Today just seems to be a continuation of the frustration I have been feeing.....
blownout cylinderRay: You mentioned something about living room furniture damage? What happened?
Actually it wasn't the furniture that got damaged. Ceiling and outside wall got damaged from the Ice Dam backing up water into the living room. The furniture is old and needs to get replaced anyway. I have just been putting it off for a few years. Other than feeding the wood stove out there and taking care of the 2 fish I still have in a 20 gallon tank, I don't even go out there. Back when I watched the idiot box many years ago I hung out there with a duh expression starring at the tube and wasting time. I still have the TV, it gets turned on once or twice a year to watch something on a DVD or (remember these) VCR if the granddaughters or family come over... The old TV did get some water dripping on it, so I will not turn it on for a few weeks to let it dry out.
Got a couple more feet cleared off on the bottom row of solar panels when I got home from wandering about town. If they were clear, today would be about a 15 kWh day. The panels may have turned on, but barely. Couple hundreths of a kWh at best....
Later!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Hi Rob- Check your "E" mail.
Flip
Flip .... Good to see you.
Rob .... I don't know if they are inspiring, but I did put two photos in WPF.
Ray ... Sound like a mess but glad it was old furnature. Glad you are not a TV watcher, too.
My PM settings still look okay, but PM's are not working.
Kentucky just had its coldest nigh in over 100 years.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Coffee refill, please & thank you.
***Flip, got it. Thanks! And I was getting a bit confused by the different names.
***Garry, very nice work, as usual. I don't know the "Grampys Trains" person. That scene kinda boggles my mind.
Will be warming up in the corner by the stove until it's time for me to depart and do evening critter rounds.
Cheers! Rob
Evening folks,
Chloe, I'll have a bowl of the diner made Chicken Soup with a Toasted Cheese sandwitch. Cup or two of your finest decaf as well please.
Heartland Division CB&QRay ... Sound like a mess but glad it was old furnature. Glad you are not a TV watcher, too.
Here is what got damaged... Furniture is fine, but will get mostly replaced in the repair/renovation.
Have to find some storage around the house to get everything out of the living room before the work can take place. probably won't happen until late Spring anyway.... I'll take along a bunch of photos and talk with my insurance man next week hopefully.
Did get down to the layout for a bit late afternoon. plane on disapearing down there again after dinner!
Sorry about your water damage, Ray. Mine doesn't have much interior damage at all.
Normally, winter is play time for me and I do my modeling in the summer. This year, though, I've got time to spend indoors on the layout, so I decided to add "protection" to my grade crossings. Those Oregon Rail Supply crossbucks and flashers will go elsewhere, but today I began installation of the working gates. They will go here, a prominent spot in the foreground, just inside the edge of the benchwork. The crew has already punched a hole and filled it with a coffe-stirrer conduit:
Above ground, you'll see a pair of these:
These are NJ International crossing gates, straight out of the package, no assembly required. I've tested the LEDs and the mechanical linkage for the gates, and they are fine. I'm installing some small plywood mounting plates now for the Tortoise link pieces. One Tortoise will run both gates, using a speedometer cable link made from thin plastic tubing and wire.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
The word of the day: FOR YGW:
Its a bit of an odd word:
-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.
hi all:
Just a few notes:
NO HAS to donate, it would be nice if we could help out a fella we "know and love", I didn't even think of it right away With Ulrich, {DOH!}, I DID with Jeffrey's house.
AND I think we here, who actually "know and love" can come up with a mere $900 sicne we did for Jeffrey by more than twice that much. No outside help from those who may not have any idea who Ulrich {SIR MADOG} is should be needed so desperately.
RAY: it is perfectly OK you cannot donate now. No need to feel guilty. The timing is kinda wrong for us too, but I can work aroudn it to help someone else,a s others have done for me.
I MAY have to try the "crowd funding idea" AND ALMOST did that for Jeffrey's housing issue, BUT then I found out the ones I WAS GONNA USE were either shut own or brought up on corruption charges and I WANTED NO PART OF THAT or for Jeffrey! AND if you HAVE to put a donation ON A CREDIT CARD, then you really CANNOT afford to give it, is the way I see it.
I can do without a couple of nice beef dinners Home cooked,{ we don't eat out} and substitute pasta for a couple of meals to give some money to Ulrich, for example.
I give to other charities, when I can, and it MAY help those in need I intend it to go to, BUT HERE I KNOW WHO it IS going to, and how it will HELP him.
I Know we can't help all of us with our donations, but we sure can, I think, help some of us who need it the most!
That's allgo back to enjoying your day.
Garry- always a pleasure to view your layout and hear from you. Be careful leaving the house with the icy conditions and bitter cold.
That goes for ALL you popsicles.
Phil aka Flip
galaxy. . .AND if you HAVE to put a donation ON A CREDIT CARD, then you really CANNOT afford to give it, is the way I see it. . .
Not always the case. Many use a credit card as a "charge card," paying it off every month. It provides a layer of insulation between the purchaser and the provider. Plus it is much more convient than sending a check or getting a money order. For what it is worth.
Richard
Strong coffee in a VERDE VALLEY RAILROAD mug, please.
Staying home today. Winter Weather Warning remains in effect. Although it doesn't look like anything, lots of ice on the farm and I am guessing the roads are not much better.
Have a great day all.
Mornin' everyone!
Zoe, I'll have a short stack of Buckwheat Pancakes with real NYS Maple Syrup, and a cup of Marrakesh Express Dark Roast Organic coffee to start the day.
Richard, I do the same with my credit card. I pay off the entire account every month. Since it comes from my Credit Union there is no yearly fee and no interest if it stays paid in full every month. There are times when a purchase would take it it above what I budget for the card. In that case I either find the funds from my savings, or don't make the purchase. Except for food or medicines there isn't much that I can't do without actually. The repairs to the living room here will be paid for by insurance and what I have in savings. If I can't buy furniture for the room for a year or so.... Oh well! Such is life......
Will be spending most of today working on Convention items. I will be very glad when May 18th. comes around (Convention is May 15 - 17).
Currently 19°F outside the door here at my house. On its way all the way up to 23°F late this afternoon. Tomorrow may reach the high for the month of 33°F!!! As I type there is a bunch of little white crap falling out of the sky...
I have accomplish a bit in the layout room this last week (I can keep it warm down there):
Catch you all later!
I put as much as I can on my credit card. I've got one with "miles" which I can redeem for travel. The card has no annual fee, and I pay off the balance every month. When we were in Italy a couple of years back, our entire first-class train trip from Florence to Venice and back was paid for with those miles.
I don't use it at my LHS. The seller pays a fee for every transaction, so by using cash I save the LHS a bit of money. Yes, the gas station and the grocery store pay a fee, too, but they are large corporations and they can afford it. Every dollar helps at an LHS.
Even if we don't come up with the whole $900, I'm sure that whatever we can contribute for Eyes for Ulrich will help.
Article you folks might find interesting... http://www.thedailynewsonline.com/lifestyles/article_22346d52-b954-11e4-a56e-4bdb6d686aab.html
"Wintery Mix" ... Yuck... That is what the weather guessers call the stuff we have now. (Snow, sleet, freezing rain, cold rain, ice, flooding.) Add that to all of the snow on the ground, and it is deep slush everywhere. A cold front will pass through tonight when we will have a "rapid freeze" leaving a very thick layer of ice covering everything.
At least, it is not as frigid. A couple of days ago, the dairy farmer milked his cows and got ice cream instead of milk, ..LOL
Flip and Rob .... I appreciate your comments. Thank you.
Coffee refill, please and thank you.
***Garry, your comment, "A couple of days ago, the dairy farmer milked his cows and got ice cream instead of milk", gave me a good laugh. Thanks! Good one.
Found an interesting vid on YouTube for anyone interested. Just type in the search: [ largest model railway of Russia ] and it will come right up. I still wonder how the cars and trucks (just like the Miniatur Wunderland layout) work? So smooth, even in the turns.
UPDATE:
The FIRST donation {besides mine} to ARRIVE has ARRVIED here. It is from the land of 10,000 lakes, Mini Soda. You KNOW WHO you are! I have sent a PM to you! thank YOu!
We have $90 on the barrelhead and add to Ulrich's already $120 {ULRICH DOES have "skin in the game", see} , makes a cool $210 now in hand.
If your donation has been sent, I am waiting for it to arrive. SOme of you have said you have sent. It's just the postal waiting game.
I think the US mail has done an EXCELLENT job of getting me all my mail and packages on time very well what with all this weather!
If you can donate, donate, if you can't or don't want to, don't simple. If you cna't wirte a check, fine. its not a big deal, but I did ask Ulrich to repeat what was wrong:
"I have high degree myopia with a risk of retinal detachment. In most cases that can be cured by laser treatment, but not in mine. It´s really important for me to have the right kind of corrective lenses, which I don´t with my old glasses. My eyesight is already affected to a degree, so I keep my glasses off most of the day. I am typing this with my nose nearly stuck to the keyboard. Petra says it looks funny - ha ha!I have asked a number of charity organisations for support in the mean time, but apparently we are still too rich ? I were a refugee from Syria, Ghana or wherever, that would be no issue at all, but unfortunately, I am just an ordinary citizen, bein born in this (expletive, deleted) country."
Now, I looekd that up adn foudn this:
If you have high myopia (over -6.00D) your eyes may be healthy and with glasses or contact lenses you may have good vision. You tend to have high myopia because your eye has grown in length. This means that even though your eyes are healthy, you are at a higher risk of developing eye conditions and changes associated with the lengthening of the eye.
One eye condition that you may experience is a posterior vitreous detachment (PVD). A PVD occurs because of natural changes to the jelly (the vitreous) in your eye and does not normally threaten your sight. It tends to develop later on in life, but it can develop earlier if you have myopia.
If you have high myopia then there is a higher chance of you developing a retinal detachment. This is where a hole or tear can develop in the retina when it has been stretched. The fluid in the eye can leak through this gap and behind the retina. This can cause your retina to detach from the back of your eye. The symptoms of a PVD and retinal detachment are:
It is important if you notice any of these symptoms or any new symptoms that you have your eyes checked immediately by an eye specialist.
You also have a higher risk of developing glaucoma and you may develop cataracts at an earlier age.
{http://www.rnib.org.uk/eye-health-eye-conditions-z-eye-conditions/myopia-and-high-degree-myopia}
More info here:
http://crstodayeurope.com/2008/04/0408_06.php
He is rarely on the computer any more, so we won't hear fo petras good cooking, jsut to check emails with glasses off and nose to the screen and keyboard.
SO, that is the story, and I'm sticking to it. I already have verified what Ulrich has stated all along, not that I doubted, but thought I'd best be vetting the situation too!
I myself have always said I think IF I HAD TO ONE, I'd rather lose my hearing than my eyesight. Eyesight I think stil leaves your world open, whereas lack of eyesight may miss so much.
light snow again here, and the temps are dropping {again!}.
later
Well, finally I might have a picture or two to show the gang here. (If it works, we'll see)
http://s465.photobucket.com/user/LMEhogger/media/Johns%20Picture%20234.jpg.html?sort=3&o=3
If this does indeed work, I'll try some others.
Johnboy out..................
Well it didn't work the way I wanted it to. Any hints from you experts here ?? But at least you can view a few.
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Well, Johnboy, you've inserted a valid link I can see by clicking on it, but if you want the picture itself you need to click on the little button above where you type with a picture which I suppose is a tiny schematic of a mountain with the moon behind it. (I'm being generous.)
That will bring up a box that says "Edit Image." Paste your URL for the picture (just as above) into the box that says "Source" and click "OK." That's it.
In more news from New England, the electronics package for driving my crossing gates and signals arrived in the mail today. Yay! I'd love to get right to it, but I'm leaving for a few days of skiing tomorrow and I wont be able to do any more train stuff for a week. No computer, either, so take care of yourselves.
A whole bunch of army trucks just passed by, a convoy of 8 if I counted correctly. Very unusual, particularly the HumVee with a gun turret on top. I'm sure it's snow removal equipment, and all their Hummers look like that, but it seems odd that such protection is thought necessary.
Oh, and just in case you're not checking the weather, it's snowing again.
MisterBeasley Well, Johnboy, you've inserted a valid link I can see by clicking on it, but if you want the picture itself you need to click on the little button above where you type with a picture which I suppose is a tiny schematic of a mountain with the moon behind it. (I'm being generous.) That will bring up a box that says "Edit Image." Paste your URL for the picture (just as above) into the box that says "Source" and click "OK." That's it.
JohnBoy
Impressive layout ! ! !
Copy the "Direct" code... (Second one of four. )
Click on icon looking like Mr. B showed you. The icon appears above the post body where you type. Paste into the icon in source line .
Late evening diners,
I got approved for health care and be getting a card soon. Now I have to call the insurance company on Monday to see what plan they put me on if it's right me.
Train News: I'm getting worried Atlas' new boxcars and covered hoppers are supposed to coming in this month, but I wondering if the delay is caused by the snow storms.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Here's today's word:
There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept. -Ansel Adams, photographer (20 Feb 1902-1984)
"We're havin' a Heat Wave.... Tropical Heat Wave...." Zoe, first time I've been in here in short sleeves in quite a while... Huh? Oh it's all the way up to 22°F out there! May get all the way up to freezing maybe. Not holding my breath though..... I'll have a bowl of Heritage Flakes and Granola cereal, skim milk, and a pot of Marrakesh Express dark roast coffee this morning. My FGLK Mug would be good....
Ahhhhh, while I was ording breakfast I see the weather peoples here just lowered the forcast for today to a high of 31°F... Winter continues here in the Finger Lakes just like most of the Northeast. I haven't seen a squirrel in the quince tree for several days now. I wouldn't be surprised that many have been killed by the bitter cold weather over the past couple weeks. There is a flock of Crows hanging out in a big tree across the street... "Quoth the Raven... Nevermore"
I am skipping church again this Sunday... Trying to catch up on the Convention deadlines that have already passed. Also have to continue to clean out and make space for the items out in the living room. The carpets all over the house could use a cleaning too. Haven't run the vacuum cleaner in a couple months.... Getting pretty bad.
Galaxy Betty Davis was right!
Extra strong coffee in a APACHE RAILWAY mug, please and thank you.
The old recluse who will be buying up a little real estate on the new HO layout, in order to place his castle-house, just puchased a teeny tiny little steamer. I don't know the full story yet. Perhaps he will use it to visit a business he owns or has stock in? Or he owns the main railroad itself on the layout and will use it for inspections? This will be determined at a later date.
Healing thoughts for those in need.
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.
TMarshRay- While you’re calling people to help you spend your savings on the house, check there is sufficient insulation in your attic. You could be getting a lot of heat loss which is heating up the roof too much and melting the sn*w on the roof and running down turning into that lovely ice curtain. Very attractive by the way. That coupled with the afore mentioned venting plays a big part. Also, you may want some thermal wrap over the wood stove chimney IF it’s routed through the roof. That heat loss could heat up the attic as well. You may have that stuff already looked at or doesn’t apply to you but just throwing some ideas at you. Water like what you have could eventually cause you to replace the whole wall of the house. Don’t think you want thatDead.
Hi Todd! There is all kinds of insolation in the attic floor. The previous owner added 10" batts on top of the insulation in the ceiling joists. There is no insulation on the rafters themselves. Should be adequate ventilation at the roof top, but there are 3 pipes that could be adding some heat up there. Yes, the wood stove chimney is one of them. I am thinking of getting rid of the wood stove... As much as I like it, I'm not sure how many more years I will be up to hauling wood all winter. Getting to be more and more of a chore. Depends on what the contractor, Insurance , and the inspectors say.... I may also change out to a new wood stove in the same spot. We shall see. I think a lot will get solved just by removing the eave trough on that side. No real reason to have it.... It would be better to just let the stuff meltoff and drop to the ground. Problem is it melts and then refreezes in the eave trough and then the water runs on the inside of it and over into the house.
I did finally get the North side door open... Still ice in between the main door and the storm door. I think I will insist on the whole door being replaced.
What? 33 degrees out? Well, it's not the 40 they predicted, but it beats the 10 below scheduled for Monday night. I shoveled about 3 inches of heavy snow that fell last night into this morning, and it appears I owe Dan the Plow Man another installment for his contribution. Shoveled out my wife's side of the garage (she's in Florida and her car hasn't been out for a while) and the walkway to the house, and then I finished the pocket deck upstairs. It's about 6x8 feet, and it had a pretty uniform 3 feet of snow across it. Beneath the deck there's a flat roof, so I wanted to clear it so I didn't get an ice dam situation there in July when the snow melts.
When this is done, I'm going to rig a special roof rake so that I can get to the snow on my low-slope roof before it turns to ice. It's way up on the third floor, so I'll need some sort of angled handle that I can use through the windows below it. If I can get the snow off the edge before it turns to ice, I should be OK. This year's problem, like the one year before this in the 35 years I've been in this house, was a combination of several storms in a row along with frigid temperatures so there was no melting from above, only from below.
I've been looking at the electronics for train detection and driving my crossing gates and flashers. I'm going to use IR diodes so I can run this at night. I'll have to figure out the right mountings for all of these. There are a dozen detectors in total, 3 for each direction at two separate crossings. This will be an enjoyable project.
Right now, though, it's time to pack the car for the drive up north to go skiing. I sure hope they've got enough snow.
Afternoon Gentlepeople...
Well...we are going all the way to 22F today...still at 17F though...loads of fun here with the roof rake and all else. I have some icicless hanging off the back stairwell bay of this place but nowhere near the 6'+ things Ray has.
Our house has R-40 insulation all over it. Even between the rafters, so it kind of mitigates the things somewhat. The only thing I need to get done this Spring is to get a new oriel window installed in the back stairwell. Then we be all happy.
As far as RR stuff is concerned nothing much was done yesterday as it turns out my back has decided that it wanted to have its revenge for the rewiring and turnout mangling I done. I installed the wired buildings and used little drinking straws as conduits for placing the wires under the layout...of course my back now is having its revenge.
Anyhooo...I'll have a giant mug of Kona Black Roast coffee please...and thank you.
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/