Mornin'......
Turned on the computer this morning and one of a dozen or so emails that arrived in my inbox was from a friend, fellow musician, former teacher, and model railroader letting me know the latest news.
Lew Soloff passed away last night in NYC of a heart attack at the age of 71. Those of you who don't know who that is, Lew was two years ahead of me at Eastman School of Music. He is considered to be one of the greatest trumpet players of all time. Those of you who are old enough I'm sure remember Blood Sweat and Tears. Lew was the lead trumpet player in the group. I remember playing touch football with him in the lawn in front of the dormatory way back when, and talking/hanging around in the student lounge and in the main hallway at Eastman. More about his carreer here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lew_Soloff
Today may be the day when the temperature around here actually breaks above freezing! Talking about 37°F maybe. Right now it is 31°F with little white STUFF falling out of the sky... Sun is trying to make an appearance, but I am not holding my breath.
Catch you later...
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Good Morning Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual humongous cup of coffee with copious amounts of cream, please.
Welcome to daylight savings time. Spring is just two weeks away. one thing I love about spring, 60 degreesF feels like a heat wave.
Today begins spring cleaning season. So, I'm going to be helping/ working with MOH to start getting house cleaned up. It's something we do every year. This will extend over the next few Sundays.
Nothing on train front right now.
i hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
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.
Ah, the temperature just got above freezing! Some of the icicles are starting to break off the roof and fall to the ground. Some sun would help, but that's not in the forecast until tomorrow.
Good news on the grade crossing signal project. It looks like the photo-transistors will work after all. I wired up a photo-transistor and infrared LED pair, just on long wires to check them out, and the detection circuit responded as it should. I also heard back from NJ International about the failed mechanical linkage for both of the gates. They suggested the same solution that I came up with - give up on the supplied linkage, drill a hole in the counterweight and use a stiffer wire. That will be more robust, easier to maintain and the longer lever arm should give a more realistic gate movement, too.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good Afternoon!
We are enjoying nice Spring weather today! Temperatures are at 61°F and only a few puffy clouds to bee seen. Petra and I went for a walk - a short one. We must a have looked a little odd, as Petra was leading me just like a blind person. The sun felt nice, raising my spirit above the recent (low) level.
Galaxy - I am sorry to hear about your additional health issue - do get well soon!
I am counting the hours until I can return into my normal life - the figure is still quite hih.
Blessings!
Good afternoon.
Todd ... Good to see you and good to have an update from Toddland. Watch out for temporary stuff that lasts for years.
Our temperature is in the 50's F today. Snow is going away. Good ridance.
I still think daylight time is dumb. It ticks me off.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
MisterBeasleyAh, the temperature just got above freezing! Some of the icicles are starting to break off the roof and fall to the ground. Some sun would help, but that's not in the forecast until tomorrow.
Eh? ???
It is 54 degrees in sunny North Dakota!
Boy we sure could have used some of that snow!
As a matter of fact, we could have used *ALL* of it. What *are* you going to do with it but drain it out into the ocean.
For us, snow is money in the bank! Moisture for the farm fields, Water for the dam electric generators, Water for drinking, water for fracking!
We can sell fracking water for more money that we could sell the land for!
And we can sell the water every year, try selling your land eery year!
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
LION,
Watch out for the anti-fracking movement Police. LOL.
Was 44F & sunny in the burb's of ''Chi-Beria'' today.
Take Care!
Frank
Coffee, ribeye steak, baked potato and veggies, please.
***Todd, good to see you in here.
I'm really liking the BLI H10. Sharp little loco.
Most accomplished today since the injury. Might be paying for it tonight though.
Cheers! Rob
I don't know if I feel any better or not,b ut I certainly don't think I feel as bad as I did yesterday. I did sleep a lot today, but not much last night,s o a wash, really. Hope I can sleep tonight.
I did do a few things whiel awake,a dn like Rob cederstrand, THink I overdid it on the shoudler,it has limited movement, and I use d the hand a lot today.SO I ahve some pain there I can feel the bones he shaved off shaved off part. I think I can feel where the colar bone is missigng too.
I cannot WIAT for a good old fashioned SHOWER! Sponge baths are for the pits!{and other prts,} but I sweat so much today I wish I can,but can't until the surgeon takes all the bandages off on the 17th,unless he rebandages tehm, no leaks on the bandages, a good sign though.
So we will see what happens next.
-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.
No anti-fracking polkice here...
We de-funded them!
Today's word:
Galaxy, I remember showering when I had my shoulder done. As our regular readers will recall, I had a large block of foam strapped to my body to hold the arm up at 90 degrees for the first month of healing. This was not a piece of water sports equipment, so the doctor recommended taking it of and showering with....a beach ball. I managed to find one somewhere, even though it was April and the summer stock was still in storage at the local stores. Slightly painful and extremely awkward, but the comic aspect was so overwhelming that I left the shower with a smile.
Ulrich and Lion, I envy your seasonable temperatures. I'm going skiing the end of the week, though, so colder weather up north will be appreciated.
And, it's my birthday. 68th.
Extra strong coffee in a APACHE RAILWAY mug with a pinch of coal dust, please.
***Mister Beasley, "HAPPY BIRTHDAY", or is it the end of the week?
Mornin' everyone!
Happy Birthday Mr. Beasley! Gee wiz, were both youngun's at the age of 68. I got there last November.
Zoe, I need a cup of Marrakesh Express Organic Dark Roast Coffee and a big hunk of the birthday cake over there o the counter. Yes, I know that isn't a good breakfast, but it will do until lunch...
I'm sitting here at the computer watching the sn*w melt outside this morning!!! Currently 36°F on its way up to 42°F today. "We're havin' a Heat Wave..... Tropical Heat Wave...." By tomorrow I hope all the sn*w will have melted on the solar panels and they will start actually making me some $$$
I need to get outside and see if I can get the huge pile of stuff on the picknic table removed and use the snow blower to throw it out in the lawn. Don't need it melting and running into the basment. I probably will have water coming in by late afternoon if history is a lesson.
I have a sinus headache this morning. Likey from all the mold and mildew in the house. Will be nice when I can open a window and get some fresh air inside. May do that for a while this afternoon even though it is cold out there.
Catch you all later!
Good Morning Gang,
Boy did the Girls ever act quick to get the Diner all decorated for Mr. Beasley's Birthday.
And in that vain RBFs all around and lots of for everyone.
Mr.B., and hope there is a nice for you as well.
Ray and Mr. B., you are both still young uns, I'll be looking at 75 this fall.
Started working on the platform that the Union Station will sit on and I am quite pleased how that went first time out. I think how I visualized it in my head will work well. I ran a few trains both passenger and freight behind it and under it to get the effect (feeling) of it.
Other than that, I plan on getting that snow off the Dutch Eves this morning as it is very nice out. Right now it is right at the freezing mark and is supposed to rain later in the day.
I have an evening shift today and the work all day tomorrow then to Saskatoon for that treatment on Wednesday. We will have to wait and see what the rest of the week will bring. My wife just reminded me that we have a guy coming in on Thursday to scrape off the textured ceiling in the main bath and repaint it. I can't do that overhead work anymore. A couple of years ago I was doing something like that and I blacked out, fell off the step stool while looking up and fell through the drywall behind me. Don't want to try that again.
Rob, Hope you get those new trees planted with the help you expect. And glad you are enjoying those new Locos.
Galaxy, I too would miss the regular showering, good luck with the Missus giving you sponge baths, sounds kind of er....... erotic. Great to hear we exceeded the amount required for our German Buddy. I know as well that any funds that will still come in will be used wisely.
Garry, Good to hear the neighbors pulled together (little pun there) and got your truck out of that precarious position. Spring is on the way now, I believe.
Ken, Sure hope the decision is that you get to manage that store. Also that your foot is feeling and getting better.
A big Hi to all those missing in action and those peeking in the windows. Come on in and tell us about yourselves and your railroading (model or otherwise) experiences.
A special Good Wish for Jerry Cox and his I.S. and Cape Jim in Missouri and also Tipton Bill and that nice smelling coffee pot of his. We miss that each morning. I know you are still out there so do come back in, we welcome you.
I had better get this tube feeding over with and get to that snow job that I have been putting off for a while as it has been just too darn cold.
Have a great day all and keep smiling.
Johnboy out...................for now
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Rob Coffee with coal dust ! yummy. Did you have any with the rib eye steak or sprinkle some on the potato ? How are you feeling ? Is the crutches set aside permanitly ? Shoulder ?
Howmus - sinus headaches are the worse ! Hope you feel better soon. When you do feel better can you enlighten me on your thoughts on MTH in a PM ?
Galaxy - Hope your healing is going well and hoping you get a nice hot shower soon ! I always wondered what a 'Barrow" was. Now I know ! I wonder if that is how wheel "barrows" got there name ?
Lion - you want to here something crazy about water ! Out here we the builders have to install the water mains and the water services from the main to the house at our expense. This usually gets passed onto the home owners. It cost a LOT of money to put this in. Usually a million plus for small sudivisions ( 30 to 50 houses ) Then we have to pay the water company 15k to 30 k per unit to get water to the house ( they get the money when they they install the meter ) the water company then makes money from the homeowner when the pump the water and then when the water is flushed, billed monthly. I tell you the mafia could not have thought up a better scam. Make some one pay to install your infrastructure then charge them 10s of thousands of dollars to turn the water on and then recieve monthly money from the the homeowner to take it in and out ! Oh and if the line breaks between the crock and the house the homeowner has to pay to fix it !!!
Garry - 2 or 3 inches of ice !! Man that is a lot of ice ! Why do you not like daylight savings time ?
Todd - my dad retired and he is busier than when he worked !
Happy birthday Mr. Beasly
Hello to all of the new folks and welcome !
Prayer for those that are sick, recovering from surgeries or just need prayer for life in general with all of lifes difficulties.
Very sore today. Painted the kitchen for the wife this weekend. Up and down ladders and worst of all it took three coats of paint to cover the old color . Its official. Bball season is OVER for the kids ! Hurray. Now off to the train room !
TTYL
YGW
Mr. B.! No wonder you retired! COuldn't stick it out two more years?
{just kidding}.
feel, so so, jsut sticky and sweaty. MOH likes it WARM,adn I like it cool, but I can change clothes and shower to change stickiness if i get to warm USUALLY. but not now, only certain flannels shirts [roomy] or fuzzy microfiber fleece shirts and a few dress shirts will fit over the bulk of the shoulder padding.
I may try a trash bag over it and see if I can manage a shower. On the other hand, MOH hasn't exactly been so helpful. I was doing laundry to make clean clothes for myself as MOH wasn't doing it yesterday.
Then Last night MOH wanted me to put the roast in the crock pot,,,instead of doing it, and I finally siad "just EXACLTY how the [double hockey sticks] am I supposed to get the crock pot down?" [its on the top pantry shelf}. So finally, MOH says 'well you could ask"!!! DUH! You want to me to do it YOU have to get the thing down! THINK!
MOH justs wants more of a vacation from work to sit and do NUTTIn', not really to "take care of me"...
It was like pulling teeth to get mOH to fix HEat N eat dinner last night! who almost said "do it yourself" to me! Um,hey, then go back to work!
Now we may have to call a tow truck to winch mOH's car out of the iced ruts it is in in the driveway.We have to go later {note: IF moh FEELS like it} to Lowes to get the bags of rocks to put down. SO when the car gets pulled out we CAN put them down and we know right now they are in stock, might not be when others do the same.
we shall see what we shall see...
I hope the surgeon says i can drive after the 17th, then MOHS "vacation" is OVER.probably not till after some PT.
Afternoon diners, Its a nice sunny afternoon in SE Ohio and the snow is melting fast. In addition, the pot holes are sprotting up all over town. Looks like the pavers will be busy this summer.
Just got back from Lowe's to pick up some 1-1/2 and 1-1/4 finish nails for my 16 gauge finishing nail gun. Decided to nail homesote down to finish out the road bed for a complete wye turnaround. Next, I will attempt to hand lay my first turn outs and wye. Picked up a good scribing compass and protractor so I can get a better guess at angles for the frogs. It will be an adventure, to say the least.
Happy birthday Mr. Beasley. My brother-in-law is celebrating his 72 today, also.
Galaxy, hope you keep healing your shoulder.
Jim
Hi again everybody and a hello from Scotland. Have had a horrendous last few weeks I had have a thyroidal cyst which became infected my neck looked as MOH said like elephant man. Had to go to local hospital had it drained, then given powerful antibiotics which knocked me for six. But now fully recovered but have appointment to aforementioned cyst removed. Will post later in the week with a quick background of me.
Coffee refill, please and thank you.
***Johnboy & ***YGW, thanks! Shoulder remains a wreck and wakes me up at night whenever I roll over. Off crutches and walking very slowly and carefully. (YGW, that is NUTS about the water situation you describe.)
***Jim, Good Luck with the nailing!
Trees are now in GA and scheduled to arrive tomorrow. Won't have any help planting them, as the hired hand was only available over the weekend. On the bright side, it will be raining this week so I won't have to carry a lot of buckets of water, which is problematic at the moment. Still going to need to pound in 8 T-posts to support some wire fencing which will keep the dogs off 4 of the 8 trees.
Picked up the last of the hay from the feed store. Grass has to kick into gear now and start growing.
The old van needed a new water pump. Once that was replaced, I swapped it for the old chevy 2500 which needs a break job. Glad I have a local shop that does ONLY what is needed and doesn't charge an arm and a leg for their services.
Been a busy day. Going to rest for a bit until evening critter rounds.
Healing thoughts to those in need, of whom we have several of in the Diner today.
Good Monday afternoon, Diners!
48f with sun and wind. Snow is really melting. I think snowmobiling is over.
Happy b-day Mr. B!
Son was medically discharged in January. He fought it til the end, but can no longer run, or be deployed.Kinda thought something was up, he wasn't doing his usual regimen when I last saw him. He was injured while deployed in the "sandbox". Right hip was injured. You now know exactly as much as I know. He was very closed- mouthed. It was a combat related injury. He told me that much anyway. Anyhoo, He was very excited when he called to tell me the Army/VA decided on a 60% disability. Seems that is good, he'll recieve more benifits, VA care, schooling, etc. He will need surgery in the near future. Least that "they" could do ,I guess.
On a much brighter note, I've been making a ton of Pine trees for the layout. The ops session didn't happen in February, so hopefully this month it'll happen. Gave me more time to rid the layout of Mr. Murphy's minions.
Hope some of the other mia's stop by also.
That's all for now.
Rob, I finally found that Atlas turntable. If you still want it, shoot me a PM.
Terry in NW Wisconsin
Queenbogey715 is my Youtube channel
hello!
ROb {cederstrand} sent you a PM Back!
Well, guess who cooked dinner tonight and did half the dishes alredy and is about to throw a load of towels in the washer? ME. MOH is USELESS at helping me except one thing I cna't quite do lefthandedly. Still havent' had my sponge bath today, but MOH made sure to grab a shower! I think I am going to strongly suggest MOH GO BACK TO WORK on WEDNESday, IF we can the car out tomorrow..
I think a tow truck to winch it out will work...It isno longer 'iced in" just both wheels stit and spin in teh ruts. I have to compose a nice but firm letter to teh park as:
1} they put in public water/sewer in 2000 & 2001, repaved the roads and WERE SUPPOSED to repave all driveways. The did the water/sewer/road, but only did 3 driveways!
2} a group of 5 park members down at teh other end got fed up and HIRED {grouped} a black top contractor to do thier drives, the park had a hissy fit!
3}I need ot know...is the driveway the park's problem or ours? If ours, we do somthing, if theirs, they need ot do something.
There IS a thin layer of asphalt under our mess and it sinks, and is rutted so bad MOHs car cannto be parked where the van is as no cleareance! Now each year we put down gravel to stop the rutting and each year it sinks again...all needs to be dug up and redoen, preferably with blacktop or concrete...I BELIEVE The park Owns the driveway and is THEIR responsibility. BIut,, itf ours we will come up with teh money somehow to pave it over.
GRR.
ok rant over, now ont he laundry adn finish the dishes..what is moh doing/ lying down {"i don't feel good"} has the same cold thing as me and the anitbiotics arent; workign on me so I dont't "feel good either' but things have to be done! And i am not supposed to lift a finger...sorry for MOH but vacation wiht me as excuse is OVER!
GGRRR
Good evening, Diners.
Mr. B ... Happy Birthday.
Dennis V8 ... Please let us know when you have your b'day so we can wish you a good one.
Terry ... I am very sorry to learn youe son had been injured. Please let him know we thank him for serving. I am thankful the injury was not worse, however.
YGW ... I don't like savings time because it is dumb.
Weather has been warm enough last couple of days to melt most of the snow and ice. I took the truck to the car wash today to get rid of the mess from being stuck in snow and ice. I looks as good as new again.
Bowl of cereal, please.
***Terry, sorry about your son. Glad he is getting some assistance. Thank him for serving again from me. BTW, I switched to HO scale as my eyes have deteriorated, especially the left one which needs surgery. Thank you for thinking of me though.
***Galaxy, good deal.
Got the final bill from the ER visit for the foot. Total cost ended up around $1,800+. That seems a bit crazy, especially with no insurance and paying cash. It there is ever a next time, a couple pieces of wood and duct tape might be an option.
Rob ... Now. insurance often has deductibles over $1800. So, I guess you saved by not having to pay insurance premiums. Too bad, you will be taxed for not being insured though.
Galaxy what does the contract with the park say aboout the paving issue? Who is responsible according to it?
Good Evening Diners,
Flo, I'll have my usual gargantuan cup of coffee with lots of cream, please.
Well, it's not quite spring yet, but I'll take it. Weather was sunny and almost had some warmth. Yay!
Galaxy: With the paving issue that got your blood boiling, it sounds to me like you're starting to heal. :)
Another thread in this forum is talking about Casey Jones and it reminded me of when I was a kid. I got a book from the Arrow Book Club called "The Phantom Brakeman, and other stories." It was my favorite. I think I read it a dozen times. In he book was the story of Casey Jones. Don't know how much of that particular story was true, but I sure ate it up!
Anyway, it also reminded me of when my son was barely out of infancy, we had given him an LP of railroad songs like "The Little Engine That Could." He liked it so we would play it over and over. The following days, I would find myself at work just singing along, "i think I can, I think I can, i think I have a plan," which could earn a few stares. Oh, the joys of parenthood.
i hope everyone is OK, safe, and still warm.
Hi, Rob.
It is HO gauge. Free if you want it!
Chamomile tea, please.
***Terry, thanks again for the offer. No plans for a turntable on my new layout, so save it for someone else who might make good use of it.
***Garry, I thought the same thing. And yes, my blood boils when I think of that second part. And I'll leave it at that, because I am in no condition to tangle with Vinnie.
Spooked a couple raccoons off the front deck tonight. Will take more aggressive steps another time.
Yes, and MOH can't find the letter stating they would fix the driveways. I wasn;t in charge of keeping such papers then, just my own paperwork then, so I' don't knwo where it got to either. Will write letter simply askigng who's maintenance is it ours or the parks? and see what they say.
Gross: I found a wad of padding gause this morning on teh floor{fell out}, dried, may explain why i found the one suture zone about 1.5 inches long on the very top of my shoulder while "itching" under it last night. its also a bit more sensitive there this morning but I have yet to take the pain meds. wiating aobut 2 hours for that if i can. Appears to be dry and no oozing , good!
well, best try to get more rest.
I ahve decided to let MOH be "sick for the week" but then back to normal! I am sick too,AND recovering from surgery to boot! so I don't want to {but will} hear whining!
i wan my mommie...