Good Morning all
Joe Staten Island West
HEY! When did JUNE happen?
Time is different when you get older.
Well, if it *is* June (as you say), then I am 69.
I never bargained on being this old. But it does beat the alternatives.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Good Morning!
It´s sunny outside, which makes me feel a little better!
Janie, just coffee in my RhB mug, please!
I am in a picture taking mood this morning (with nothing better to do).
BATMANDave, any more thoughts of taking the president's job? I think you should give it a go if you get the chance. Of course, it might turn you off Model railroading forever.
I'm still seriously considering it. In fact, Dianne and I have been discussing getting a second vehicle so I can get around on weekdays. We are considering either a Chevy Volt (hybrid) or a Chevy Bolt (all electric).
Right now she is driving a Honda Odyssey about 95 kms or more each day. The cost of gas is about $75.00 per week plus wear and tear and maintenance. That would cover more than half the cost of owning and operating a Volt for four or five years. I'm looking at four or five years because that is about how much longer Dianne has to go before retiring. The biggest negative for the Volt is rather poor reliability ratings when compared to other compact hybrid vehicles, but at least the Volt won't leave you stranded for hours if the battery dies.
I haven't made a final decision on going for the Presidency yet. I will see how it goes at our meeting next Tuesday. Buying a car just so I can do the job better seems to be a bit excessive because I just don't need a second vehicle otherwise.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Evening Diners
Flo, Ed, Brent, Jan and I will have a please.
Sort Of Work Front. I had a whole customer looking for a Twin Mattress! Cannot believe only one person in 9 Hours on a Friday! I am so screwed.
Brent How's the sick Doggie? Tail wagging again?
BATMAN All those days in the Vet hospital
I hope you are talking about a Veterinatrian Hospital and not the VA Hospital!
YGW Let me know here in the dinner if you happen to have a extra PK1000 E unit. Then PM me what you need for it.
Train like me today and just crawing around the layout!
Ed Man I love the Mighty CB&Q's!
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Since I'm only using a few cars, I guess one locomotive will do.
I'll start with the Athearn P40 #810
Bike ride for me today, second in 2 days. The problem this year has been the weather, but winter seems to be over now and we've gone from 40s to start this week to 70s today. This is my exercise program to curb my diabetes. Going for walks just does not do enough for me, so I need my biking.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Good morning all from the mostly sunny West Coast.
Ken, thanks for the beers, I see they are lined up on the bar. I'll take them now.
It has been a busy week. Last fall my wife broke/dislocated three fingers in a horse accident. She does not heal well at all, as she tends to get huge amounts of scar tissue wherever she has been repaired. So she had surgery in the fall and then because of the scar tissue, had a second surgery in early May. So on Tuesday she came in and said one of her fingers (she is still in a cast) has dislocated again. So in to see the surgeon and he booked her in for surgery the next day (Wednesday) apparently the scar tissue actually pushed her finger out as she healed even though she had pins in for a couple of weeks after the last surgery.
So I drive her into the big city, drop her off and go home. She is taken upstairs at the end of the day and waiting in the hall outside the OR with another patient who has had all his IVs put in when all of a sudden over the intercom a "CODE ??? CODE??? comes across. An accident had occurred with multiple serious trauma patients coming in. Well, the guy had his IVs removed and my wife and him were taken back downstairs and told to go home. When I arrived to pick her up, the Helicopters were coming in thick and fast. My wife and this guy were the last two of the day and got unlucky. She said the OR floor went from nearly deserted to full of staff in minutes and was really impressed with the organization and how smoothly it all happened. They had five ORs ready to go in minutes.
So I took her back this morning and she's booked in the OR at 11:00.
My daughter had an interesting day yesterday at school. A kid in the group she was with had a major seizure. The first teacher on the scene was a complete basket case so my daughter took over (she's 15) and instructed a kid to call the ambulance and then she proceeded to help clear his partially restricted airway by getting the kids to roll him on his side and she pulled his tongue out. All those days in the Vet hospital OR helping Mom with middle of the night emergencies have made her a very calm, cool capable person when bad things happen.
Dave, any more thoughts of taking the president's job? I think you should give it a go if you get the chance. Of course, it might turn you off Model railroading forever.
I am really impressed at those of you that have been married for so many years. It took me forty years to find someone I actually wanted to marry. I am glad I waited for the right one. There were others I considered marrying, but I wasn't 100% certain about it, so didn't. My wife and I have been married 20 years and were really good friends for 14 years before that. I was too busy taking care of my bucket list to want to get married early, as well as working all the hours I could. So I now have the perfect wife, a comfortable life, and a really worn out body. Two out of three ain't bad.
Son worked on "Hit The Road" (a new TV series) with Jason Alexander a couple of days this week. He thinks it will be a good show and had a lot of laughs on set.
Had what I thought was a good question for Filosophy Phriday this week, but with all that has been going on, I can't remember what it was.
Have a great weekend, all the best to all.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Checking out the MR Project Webcam and they have bunches of foam to create mountains. It's will be interesting to see it come together.
Rochelle Saw a blue and gray engine with a big E on the side, paired with a WP engine. Anyone know what those might be? Before the diamond rebuild I swear I heard someone shooting a 22, on multiple occasions. On google maps, there isn't enough land for that to be safe in a residential/commercial neighborhood.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
The past couple of weeks have been a mixed bag for me. Three weeks ago we took a whirlwind trip to Anaheim with the grandkids for a day. Good idea--going to Disneyland with the grandkids. Bad idea--going on grad night. From about 3:00 on the place just kept filling up with HS seniors. Still a memorable day for the grandkids. The following week the grandkids (and their parents) came to our house for a week. They live in Idaho so any visit is at least a week. It was great to have the here, but it was relaxing to have them go.
The day they left I started getting sick--bronchitis. With my history of asthma, bronchitis hits me particularly hard. It has been a week and I am still not much better. I have had an on-again-off-again fever ranging from 102 on Monday to about 100 this morning. I hate being physically compromised!
There has been some progress on finding the exit ramp to my current "retirement." I posted for a job at the State of Arizona that looks as if they lifted the description and requirements right off of my resume. I also have a first interview (phone) with a telecom company that has real promise.
Finally, on the train front, I had the trains running for the grandkids. I think I have told you that my son has six kids, the oldest is eight and the youngest is one, and has a pair of three-year-olds. I am always amazed that these three-year-old will watch a train go around for fifteen minutes and only leave when it is time for dinner. Layout is L-haped, N-Scale layout that is 11' x 14', so it takes a little more than a minute for a complete loop.
Well, off to rest for a while...
(Anxiously awaiting the chaos that is page 5.)
Richard
Good morning, everybody !
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Good Afternoon!
All this talk of weight and losing it made me step onto the scale. Since March, I have lost 10lbs. instead of the I thought I had lost. I am down to a little over 230 lbs. now, at 6´5" not a bad weight, but still to much for my aging hulk and frame. A lot of the loss is water, not fat.
yougottawantaUlrich - I am sorry you are in the dumps is there anything I can do to lift your spirits ? What gauge are you in ? What engine manufacturer are you running in your layout ?
I keep trying to reach for the ladder to climb out of the dumps, but each time I think I´ve got my feet onto the first step, someone seems to move it away. Life has decided to pass by me, so all I can do is to wait for it to stop and pick me up again.
Regarding your question, there are only two manufacturers selling Swiss HOm (for 1,000mm gauge) locos and cars. One is Bemo in Germany, which is rather expensive, and the other one is Ferrosuisse, A Swiss manufacturer selling handmade brass locos at prices you can get a good used compact car for. Bemo locos are in the range of $300 to $360 for electric locos, and steam locos are in the range of $700 and upward. The steamers are handcrafted metal engines and very nicely done, more collector´s items than locos you´d want to wear down running on a layout.
Way too expensive! Better to be happy with what I have got!
Morning all
Dave - I am glad to hear that the club is moving in a positive direction. Do you think there is someone who will step up to take the President position ? I am sure you are right once the club is in the building more people will show up. When we have building programs at our church the members get excited and then the numbers increase. People want to be a part of a growing organization.
Ken - I may have one. I will check this weekend.
AtSF - that's not the right question The question should be how many of each should I get ? !
Howmus - I had a similar experience. While my wife was ill and in the process of dieing I put on 90lbs. Still trying to get it off. It is wonderful that you have been able to loose the weight what happened to your qoutes? I enjoyed reading them.
Ulrich - I am sorry you are in the dumps is there anything I can do to lift your spirits ? What gauge are you in ? What engine manufacturer are you running in your layout ?
Henry - can you approach the fence guy and bring the subject up in a meeting ?
Gotta get back to w**k
TTYL
YGW
yougottawantaDave - What is the statud of the leadership of the club ?
Hi YGW:
I'm guessing that you meant 'status'. We have three officers still in place. Our Secretary and our Treasurer are both regular attendees at the meetings and are doing their part very well. The Vice President has recently landed a good job but it is out of town so he has announced that he won't be around much. Too bad because he has a lot of spirit in him. The President has resigned without explanation. All he said was that he would see us in September. I do know that he has recently come out of retirement to teach courses for the CNR and that is keeping him very busy. We do have a couple of other very active members who have been heavily involved in securing the new clubhouse and looking after all the details like insurance that are involved therein.
FWIW I'm not worried about the survival of the club. In fact, now that we have a decent clubhouse I think we can actively start recruiting new members, and if we handle things properly, the fact that we are about to start building a new 'permanent' layout should create a lot of interest.
Good Evening,
Been on and off the site, cleaning up around the house and working.
My Final grades came in on May 30th, here they are,
CMT 235: A
HUM 1: A
CMT = Computer Maintence Technology
HUM =Humanities
51/60 units completed so far, I can now relax till fall, 3 more semesters to go!!!
I've been thinking about adding an Amtrak train to my collection, leaning towards using a couple of older Walthers Superliners and a 73' Budd Baggage in the Phase IV Scheme.
It would be something like this,
1. 73 Budd Baggage
2. Superliner II Transition Sleeper (crew only)
3. Superliner II Coach
4. Superliner II Diner
5. Superliner II Sleeper (passengers)
I can always add more cars to it later, but this is perfect to start with, (yes I know it looks pike-sized!)
Here are the locomotives I'm thinking of using,
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The AMD 103 P40,
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or the legendary F40PH,
I'd love a Dash 8-32BHW from Atlas, but every internet search engine and ebay lists them as Sold Out!
What do you guys think? Which one shall I buy?
JamesNWR05 FRRYKid- That's quite a collection! I've got maybe 30 engines and cars altogether, for me it's a constant wager between whether to get an engine, a building, track, scenery, so on and so forth. I usually go with the engine, to be honest
FRRYKid- That's quite a collection! I've got maybe 30 engines and cars altogether, for me it's a constant wager between whether to get an engine, a building, track, scenery, so on and so forth. I usually go with the engine, to be honest
I realized after I mentioned what wasn't on the picture, I had forgotten a few pieces of equipment. In another storage container that is strictly for a planned branch & separate railroad entity, I have three 2-6-0 steamers (Model Power, converted to Kadees), three S-4 switchers (Atlas yellow box), 17 Roundhouse 34' Overton passenger cars (pre-Horizon), a boxcar, and a work caboose modified for open-air passenger rides.
cudaken I don't want to go E-Bay happy again! Spent well over $30,000 on E-Bay. I was a Power Buyer!
I don't want to go E-Bay happy again! Spent well over $30,000 on E-Bay. I was a Power Buyer!
It has calmed down quite a bit but there have been times that I have gone a bit crazy with eBay. Considering I don't have an LHS, eBay is my hobby shop.
Sir Madog Edit: I got tops - so your favorite poison is on me today. Make that mineral water for Ken!
Edit: I got tops - so your favorite poison is on me today. Make that mineral water for Ken!
Flo, or whoever's handy: It's not poison per se, but could I get a virgin piña colata? I think I would also like a clubhouse sandwhich as well. Thank you so much.
Just dropping by to say hello!
I am not a happy camper these days. A number of health issue keep me down in the dumps at the moment. Add to that the rather unpleasant, but typical "summer" weather we have here and you have the perfect mix for a cute little depression.
Talking of weight, I am on a slow path of reducing my weight. I am down by about 5 lbs. since March, which is OK, as I am not pushing it. It´s more a general change of food habits than a diet.
Petra has a degree in ecotrophology and knows quite a lot about diets and also diabetes. Most of the diets don´t work long term, if you go back to eating your "normal" fare after you have reached your your goal. You´ll be pretty quickly back from where you started. The best diet is to eat the right amount od the right food and give your body a regular work out.
The right food certainly does not include or , nor any soft drinks or deep fried food. I am afraid that pizza, hamburgers, hot dogs are not on that list, either. Better to stay away from any of the fast food places, as well as any "industrially" made food, which contains more fat and sugar than anyone would want to know.
Poor Ken - now just about all of us have dumped a ton of well-meant advice on you, but I promise you will get only one more from me!
Buy a bicycle and do 10 miles on it - each day!
I should listen to my own advice!
Evenin' folks!
Janie, how about a cup of fresh brewed decaf?
BigDaddy, yep, for me the trigger was definately weight. When my wife died 30 years ago I weighed in at 230lbs. My wife was always trying to get me to drop 20 or 30 lbs. (ah, she said, for health reasons....). I weighed about 210 when we got married. I was always (after puberty hit) tending to be a bit overweight, but a lot of it was muscle. I was a weight lifter and excercised a lot as per what my voice teacher wanted his Basso operatic leads to be able to do to perform. Being in shape is important to a singer, BTW.
After my wife died, I went bad! In the first two years I ballooned up to 320 lbs, a 90 lb. increase. That is when I went diabetic (Also the big reason I never found another wife. Dated some really wonderful ladies, but ah... Shall we say, nothing much ever happened.) It has taken me years to get back down to about what I weighed back 30 years ago. Right now I'm at 235lbs. and still want to lose another 20 at least. With the arthritis, spinal stenosis, and just getting older, it is the best thing I can do for myself. I eat almost nothing these days it seems (at least compared to what I used to), and little by little the weight is coming off.
Ken, the biggest thing you can do to control your diabettes, and ease your foot problems would be to lose weight. I know you already know that, but also know I am pulling for you to get healthier and get those things in control!
Did find some time today to sit out in the sun with my shirt off.... Huh? Oh that is doctors orders for my psoriasis. It really does help get rid of the leisons. Did a bit more weeding of the raised bed gardens to prepare them for planting... Need to get everything done for that by the end of the weekend. Also had to drive to Canandaigua to take care of my sister's kitties while she is gone. Stole about 10¢ worth of electricity to charge the Volt while I was there. That gave me 3 more miles range.... Whoppie! I am getting about 4.5 miles per kW of electric at the moment. The MPG readout (based only on the total miles driven and how much gasoline has been used) says my lifetime average for the Volt is 136mpg. I can easily drive to my sisters house and then drive home all on electric (and still have only used half my range). A lot nicer than the PiP was in that reguard.
Oh! The solar panels on the roof just hit (a few days back) 20,000 kWh of power since they were installed. That means my cost for the sytem is about 1/3rd payed for (been about 3 years and 6 months since they were first switched on). Payback at what I currently pay for a kWh will be about 10 years total.
I am waiting to hear about what my family is doing this weekend. I know we will celebrate Father's Day a week early (as my son has to work that weekend), but Granddaughter #1's birthday is on the 13th. and we are not sure when that will be celebrated because of another kid's birthday in the family.....
Hope you all have a great night out there!
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
At the end of my career I got into trying to change peoples lifestyles. None of my Afro American patients claimed to know anyone with diabetes, even though diabetes is a huge problem in that population. Perhaps medical problems are less frequently shared. It was always a mystery to me.
So I would show people this picture and tell them this is not intelligent design. Your body was not designed to support 260+ pounds
cudakenAt one point I weight around 360 pounds. For the last few years I have hovred betten 287 and 284.5. Yesterday I was down to 281.7 I hope to be in the 270's! Knees are starting to hurt some, not bad on a scale of 1 to 10 I say 1.5. So I need to drop down more to help the knee's.
Yes, you need to lose weight, and not just a few pounds! I've dropped from 235 down to about 210, but I'd like to lose more.
James My condolances, my mother is 89 and has Alzheimers. She believes, or at least says, everyone else around her in assisted living is not right mentally. So she won't associate with them. She eats her meals and goes back to her room and watches TV all day. She can still beat my rear end in Scrabble, but she can't remember the name of her great granddaughter and every time I pick her up in my car that's is 3 months old, it is brand new to her. Horrible disease.
Tried to add some old stock Walthers decals to my F&C gondola and they fell apart. Oh well, I am not much of a rivet counter so I will just heavily weather the end of the car and be done with it.
My wife is a diabetic and she tells me in her doctor's office, there is a diabetic educator who has free samples of the glucose monitors and test strips. I have no idea if they give those to the VA or not, but it would be worth asking.
I am crabby lately. I live in a community that has waterfront on the river. The status symbol is to have a golf cart, which tears up all the grass on the way to the water because are soil is sand. Half the homes have them. The officers of the home owners association are the worst. They either have kids, who will drive back and forth 20 times a day or stretch golf carts, elevated like an off road pickup truck with knobby tires and chrome wheels. They blame any grass damage on a little old lady in the neighborhood who circles the neighborhood once a day, at the most. Meanwhile we have split rail fences through part of the common property that have been shattered by falling trees and old age and they have done nothing to repair those fences. We even have a fence and deck guy who is a neighbor who repairs them at cost. The Board is only interested in planning the next party.
Thanks for letting me vent.
Afternoon Diners
Flo, Ed, Brent, Jan, Tin Can and I will have a in a frosted B&O Mug please.
Day Off Front Felt so so. Blood sugar was at 108 at 9:00 AM. Had a apple at 10:30 AM and started my running. Around 1:30 I was feeling a little blan so I bought some deep fryed chicken livers, had 4 of them. Got home at 2:00 and had to cut the front grass! Checked my BS at 2:50 (messed up the time in my head) and it was 216. From it being to soon to check again and with what Jan said maybe with in reason?
howmusAs far as your coverage not giving you enough test strips...... Anything I might say about that would be VERY political so I won't!!!
Ray I feel the same way! I will waite to see what happens wih the VA as far as test strips. Galaxy was right about test strips at Wally World and while I don't like Walmart I will buy from them.
Jan Yes Airborn was ment to surrounded. But, this more like frendily fire!
Current Diet While I will add some fruit I think I will stay the corse. At one point I weight around 360 pounds. For the last few years I have hovred betten 287 and 284.5. Yesterday I was down to 281.7 I hope to be in the 270's! Knees are starting to hurt some, not bad on a scale of 1 to 10 I say 1.5. So I need to drop down more to help the knee's.
Hard To Beleive I use to weight 225 and only had a 34 inch waste!
Anyone here at the dinner have any PK 1000 F units they might sell cheap? I would love to get another one or two so I can get my Monon F uints all running again. I don't want to go E-Bay happy again! Spent well over $30,000 on E-Bay. I was a Power Buyer!
Been MIA myself. W**K has exploded. We are short about ten carpenters, plumbing crew, need several painters...it has gotten so bad that there is an add in the local paper $5000 sign on bonus for plumbers !!! Know anyone needing a job send them to Northern Virginia. We cannot get enough people !
Ed actually this was taken late in the evening. : ) Yes it the sun does shine here most of the time we have been either blessed or cursed depending on your perspective ( needing water for wells and hay/farming or needing dry weather for construction work) with an unusual amount of rain this spring. Thanks again for posting ! : )
Tin Can - Can you change what you eat to get off of the meds ?
Angel - Why a two hour nap in the middle of the day ? Because of the heat ?
Dave - What is the statud of the leadership of the club ?
James - Sorry for the loss of your step mother and grats on making to your 50th. That is very special
Ricky W - Yep making steady progress. I have had the most amazing luck. This week a neighber donated landscape stone for my building, he also came over and graded the area around the building. My carpenters install/supply company gave me the siding material, my trucking company hauled a lot of dirt to the building for free...Been blessed !
Howmus, Garry, Ulrich, Ken .... Howdy guys !
My youngest daugther set me up last night with a joke and I took the bait !
Daughter - Daddy why did the chicken cross the road ?
Me - Why honey ?
Daughter - to see the idiot across the road
Daughter - Knock knock ?
Me - whos there
Daughter - The chicken
Me LOL
TGW
CNCharlieI recieved the latest book by Ian Wilson today, Steam Scenes of Stratford. It is about the large shop CN had there in the steam era.
Hi, CN Charlie
I wondered if you have the Dean Robinson book, too? Railway Stratford: Revisited.
I was contacted by a fellow named Simon Brothers from Powerline Films concerning a documentary he is producing about the history of the Stratford Shops. I loaned them some old 8mm film for the project and Simon sent me an autographed copy of Railway Stratford as a gift
Here's more information about the shops and Dean Robinson's book.
https://www.canadiangeographic.ca/article/photos-stratfords-abandoned-rail-shop
There's a trailer on Vimeo but I can not get it to play. If you can get the video to run here's the link to it:
https://vimeo.com/powerlinefilms
Regards, Ed
Put me on the list of those on Metformin. I am pre-diabetic; and I am supposed to be watching the intake of carbs and sugars. Very hard to do, but I am making the effort. Trying to keep the cokes (pop/soda) to one a day; or one sweet tea. More fruits and veggies; less bread/pasta. More exercise.
Speaking of exercise. We got lots of rain while I was gone last week; grass went crazy. I couldn't mow before we left, because we had rain then, too. I mowed our front yard, common side yard with my neighbor, and my neighbor's front yard. I did his yard because he spends more time at his ranch in the hill country than he does at home, since he lost his wife to cancer two years ago. He got a notice from the city code folks last month, and I want to keep that from happening again.
But it wore me out. Will weed eat tonight, and see if my back yard is dry enough to mow. Contractor is supposed to come back tonight to finish our kitchen, which has been in a remodel/renovation for 2 months. I am actually very pleased, the job looks like new construction; and when finished, we will have a very nice, functional kitchen (oven that works; all burners on stove work!).
Going to try to work on the sectional layout this weekend. Need to finish up the wiring. I need to post some pictures, I have a photobucket account, but it takes forever to load one picture. Any suggestions on another free photo sharing site?
Morning diners,
Griffin- I sent you a reply.
Charlie- How big is your garden?
Sense some people are talking about weather. It's hot in the desert we will reach 104. Summer has started a week ago and I took two naps. (I hate taking naps because your wasted 2 hours on sleep when you could do something else.)
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
A nice, sunny day here, about 72F or so. Had a nice day, went out for lunch with my wife's uncle, who is visiting from Victoria. He is a great guy and wish he lived a little closer.
James, congrats on hitting your 50th. Have a great time in England. We always feel really at home there whenever we visit.
Not much new here, except that we are seriously behind in planting the garden. My wife wasn't feeling too well for a number of days and she is the 'person in charge' when it comes to the garden. Tomorrow I hope we can get most of the pots done and believe me there are many of them. Last year she planted 85 pots with flowers. I think we need to cut back next year in a major way as it is getting too much for us(her).
I recieved the latest book by Ian Wilson today, Steam Scenes of Stratford. It is about the large shop CN had there in the steam era. Looks to be another great read plus many photos to help bring it all to life. I will have to wait a while to read it as I have told myself, not until the garden is planted.
We took our dog to the vet yesterday for his annual physical and rabies shot renewal. He is is good shape but hard to believe he is 8 years old now.
We have been busy planning another adventure trip for next year and are trying to finalize it now.
Nothing else new here.
CN Charlie
Give Ken a long snort of the lo-cal Hi Test, the aged stuff, 27 days now---
Ken,
You must have had the same recruiter I did, and like you, I believed what I was told. Kinda like the tenured professor I hired as a deck hand--he found out that tenure is only as good as to how long your department is funded. No funding, no department, no check. Any idea as to how many openings there are for individuals who have a Doctorate in Elizabethan English? Not many---
One of my nephews went to Harvard for eleven years, has a Doctorate in the Manx language--(Isle of Mann, in England) I believe there were/are, two positions worldwide for this teaching position, guess who had a rude awakening--- He started in the field of Entomology, didn't think much of my suggestion of becoming a Forensic Entomologist, a new field at that time. Guess what there is a worldwide demand and shortage for, with about seven openings for every two graduates?
A few years back when I was put out on forced retirement from the Sheriff's Department I went to the VA to see if I could get some help with my heart meds. Filled out several pounds of paperwork, sent it off to DC, and was told that I made too much money for any assistence. (SS partial disability, period) I was advised by my doctor to file for full disability, and was blessed to have a Vietnamese Army Major as the individual who reviewed my paperwork. (He was a Boat Person, and worked for the Social Security Administration in his new life, reviewing claims such as mine.) After a period of time playing, "did you remember?", I recieved my claim. ( I still smile a lot thinking about that) I have my medical supplemental through AARP, yeh-I know-. All of my diabeties supplies are provided by them at no charge--I had been paying $1.05 for EACH test strip prior to that time,(2x a day). It was a big help. I did have to "shoot up" for several months with insulin, there is a very small needle, shrouded, for wimpey people like me who have this thing about needles. Overcame the fobia using needles, but the only thing I never came to grips with were the black and blue marks left at the injection site. It looked like I had been run over with a sheeps foot roller, -with small feet.
My doctor told me I could stop injecting insulin by loosing 50 or so pounds. Done deal!!, 11 months later---It now looks like another 10-12 pounds and I will be able to stop taking Metformin. Along the way there were two other drugs I was taking for diabeties I was able to quit. Perhaps the worst thing was being told:"If it tastes good---you can't have it."
I will, on occasion, transgress. I do watch my portions however. My suggestion to you, this is what I did, is change your diet gradually, like one week at a time, not somthing new every twelve months, I eat a lot of Japanese foods, veggies, sea weed, (got lots of that) watch bread intake, fish, wild game, (fortunate there also).
I now use alcohol(mine) to replace my hydrocodone at bedtime. Opiate users (long term, I have used since 1978) in this state have to sign away most of their constitutional rights to recieve any pain killers,(agree to random testing to make sure your blood shows use of opiates), I will not do that.
Remember your former profession--when you hit the ground, you were already surrounded by the enemy. Anyone willing to do that will easily beat this curse.
Jan
JamesNWR05I don't think I've mentioned this, but I am actually an Eagle Scout. I achieved the rank a few months ago, on February 25, 2017, two days after my 16th birthday. It's my greatest accomplishement and I'm so proud to be able to tell people about it!
Griffin! My heartiest congratulations on attaining Scouting Highest Rank!!! I have spent the last 43 years of my life as a Scouter and tell people that I hang around Scouting today because every once in a while I get to shake hands with an Eagle! (Extends left hand to you sir!!!) I am now on District Committee, one of our council camps Properties Committee, and serve as Commissioner for two Scout Troops. My oldest son is an Eagle Scout. That you have attained this honor tells me a lot about your sir! Remember that becoming an Eagle is not the end, but just the beginning!
Evening all!
JAMES MOON- I'm so sorry to hear about your stepmother. I'm going to work with patients with dementia and Alzhimer's tomorrow actually, so I guess I'll have a bit of a first-hand look at what it is like to care for someone suffering from this awful disease. Best wishes in your time of grieving. However, very exciting to hear about your wedding anniversary- 50 years is a LONG time, no? Hmm, 50 years ago protests were everywhere about the Vietnam War. We learned all about that in American History this year....Have an amazing time in England!! I've always wanted to go. Be safe, too...
Sir Madog- It rained all day here. I personally don't mind rain- in fact, I enjoy it quite a bit and find it rather peaceful. Windy, rainy weather is probably my favorite, besides snow (which I almost never see down here in sunny Carolina!!)
Dave/hon30critter- I want to join a club, but the closest one to me is 3 hours away. Glad to hear you're getting a new clubhouse though! There's something very catharthic about starting anew in a fresh space. Best of luck!
Tom- So sweet to hear your words about the first time you saw your wife. Sounds like you two are very happy.
angelob6660- Oops! I didn't even see it! Let me go take a look.
tin can- new york is another place i've always wanted to see. central park sounds like a dream.
cudaken- glad to hear your health is doing well. good health is SO important- like my mom always says. take care of yourself, friend!
Updates on me: with the lack of layout work to do, I've been tinkering with my models. See, with Bachmann Thomas models, often small details present in the characters seen on screen are absent on the models- and of course, any Bachmann thomas modeller will tell you that making the model train counterparts as darn-near close as possible to the intepretations seen on screen is SO important. it adds a whole 'nother level of fun past just keeping the model the way it is out of the box- and makes me feel a little bit better about the fact that I'm really just messing around with toy trains from a kid's program but I'll move up to the big leauges when I'm ready. I've also been tinkering with the idea of DCC'ing the bachmann models once I get a layout set up. All it would require is a bit of soldering and plenty of guides on how to do it correctly already exist, so why not? But all in due time...I'll try to get you guys some before+after pics of my models so you can see the kinds of mods I do...
Personal side of things really nothing to report. Been volunterring at the food kitchen this week, and like I said earlier tomorrow going to volunteer at a home for elderly patients with memory problems. I'm both excited and nervous about it. Will provide updates about how my experience goes tomorrow.
On a bit more /somber/ note (somber because I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of camping- but love the outdoors!), I'm going to be M.I.A. for next week. I'm going camping with the Boy Scouts- in fact, I don't think I've mentioned this, but I am actually an Eagle Scout. I achieved the rank a few months ago, on February 25, 2017, two days after my 16th birthday. It's my greatest accomplishement and I'm so proud to be able to tell people about it!
That's all for now. Talk to everyone later! Stay well~
Griffin