It sets in about late spring- the busy train shows and swap meets of the fall and winter are long past; Model Railroader's monthly issues seem just a bit thinner; your wife reminds you of the honey do list you agreed to do "this summer", and now summer has arrived.
Model railroading time seems a luxury- after all, cleaning the roof gutter, organizing the garage, finally straightening those decorative tree rings and about a thousand other around-the-house tasks stare right back at you from that list you made.
What's a model railroader to do?
I guess just get on with the necessaries and while doing so, dream of all the fun time you'll have for trains when you're through!
(sigh)
Cedarwoodron
Do you actually get winters in Florida???
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
My wife does not give me a "honey do" list.There are chores that need doing, and we divide them up and do them.She is my wife, not my mother, and I'm not fifteen.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Yes, it annoys me.Just like when we bought our last house some of her friends asked "Are you going to let him have the whole basement for his trains?"Excuse me? LET me? Once again, I am not fifteen.Not only that, whose name is on the mortgage? Is it mine? Why, yes, I believe it is!
.
Tampa gets winters. They are way up in the North. I have heard that sometimes it even freezes up there. Weird. I have no idea why anyone would live in such terrible blustery conditions.
Down here in South Florida things are much better. We still occasionally get Winter, but it is one of my favorite days of the year. It even hit 31 degrees about ten years ago. That day had a high of only 54. I hope that never happens again.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
This may be deviating from the OP´s intented purpose of this thread, but my wife and I know only "ours", but not "hers" or "mine". We share our lives, our money, the place we live in, the food and the household chores, with each of us chipping in according to his/her abilities.
The only things we don´t share is clothing, false teeth, spectacles and meds
After a full year of other demands on my emotions and time, I am just now beginning to get the drive to continue to build my layout. We have done the heavy lifting in the yard, seasonal planting is done and veggies/vines are up. Both hedges trimmed, soil improved, and wife and I can just start to relax. She's away with the dog all day Saturday, and I get to go into the train room. It'll take me an hour to prep and clear space, and then track laying begins. So, while many of you are giving up on trains for the next three or four months, I'm just getting started.
For me, this is one my busier times of the year!
I'm an apartment dweller, so I have to take things outside to spraypaint while I dream of the day I can have a garage or a window I can vent a spray booth out of. Spring and fall have the right combination of temperature and humidity.
We've been having an extended spring this year in DC, but the temps are finally getting too high. Humidity hasn't hit yet. Too bad I wasn't able to finish my most recent project in time. Shelved until October!
I agree with NittanyLion - now is the time to get as many freight cars sprayed with DullCote outdoors as I can, since that is step 1 in my multi step weathering process and even with a vented spray paint booth, I think the great outdoors is still the best of all "well-ventilated areas."
There are plenty of things I need to do/want to do outdoors in nice weather, but there comes a time when retreating to the coolest part of the house makes a great deal of sense -- and what's this? Why, there is a layout in it! And a workbench! I get as much done in summer as any time of year. Alas, I am no more skilled in summer than in winter, but those are the facts on the ground.
Dave Nelson
Summer is fun except when the wife says no outdoor trains
Joe Staten Island West
To Mike and some others- no, I am not 15 years old- more like 63, but I take pride in the fact that I can still do 8hrs of physical work and not be too much the worse for wear. As to the tone of the article, it was written in a light manner- not from sufferance- and meant to be taken not so seriously as some readers appear to have done.
Bear- what I call winter here in west central Florida is what many others would describe as "chamber of commerce weather"- lower humidity, temperatures in the 60s and low 70s, the beaches warm and the gulf sparkling in the sunlight- as contrasted with the winters I grew up in back in Minnesota!
As to honey do lists, I am quite handy with many trades and most tools, so I do my part. On the other hand, aside from outdoor grilling and boiling water, I am not a kitchen magician- I leave some "chores" to my wonderful wife and precocious daughter.
Yeah, my train room time has the seasonal pattern you described, but much of it is self-imposed. Veggie gardening is my 2nd hobby, and spring is the time to improve the soil and get things planted. Ditto for the yard chores and any outdoor home improvement projects that I want to do before the warm temps of summer arrive.
When the temps rise, I head for the train room and suddenly notice that the entries in my train layout log got pretty few and far between from mid March through June.
Jim
Bayfield Transfer RailwayJust like when we bought our last house some of her friends asked "Are you going to let him have the whole basement for his trains?"
Michael,When my wife was ask that question she said no,not at all.. Larry doesn't like basements so,I'm giving him the spare bedroom for our trains.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BRAKIEMichael,When my wife was ask that question she said no,not at all.. Larry doesn't like basements so,I'm giving him the spare bedroom for our trains.
I am getting the master bedroom!
But... I need to wait until the construction is complete on the new master bedroom first!
My wife says "the trains", which I think means "our trains". She never calls them my trains.
Our club plans on setting up a module layout at the Pomona Show in July.
Are there any other train shows scheduled on the west coast besides this one?
Summer is when I do a lot of hiking around my province of Nova Scotia (Canada) collecting real materials for modelling. Many of the harder chores I used to do (cut grass, stack wood, etc) my wife does since my heart attack last year (runs in my mother's family). I have light duties like groceries, cooking, looking after our two dogs and my daughter's dog when she works on weekdays. My hiking has also changed a bit from really rugged terrain to more level areas.
Bayfield Transfer Railway My wife does not give me a "honey do" list.There are chores that need doing, and we divide them up and do them.She is my wife, not my mother, and I'm not fifteen.
Alton Junction
Bayfield Transfer Railway Yes, it annoys me.Just like when we bought our last house some of her friends asked "Are you going to let him have the whole basement for his trains?"Excuse me? LET me? Once again, I am not fifteen.Not only that, whose name is on the mortgage? Is it mine? Why, yes, I believe it is!
joe323 Summer is fun except when the wife says no outdoor trains
I am 17 days away from my 30th wedding anniversary, thank you very much.
My wife does not give me orders, nor do I give her orders.
Bayfield Transfer Railway ...Not only that, whose name is on the mortgage? Is it mine? Why, yes, I believe it is!
...Not only that, whose name is on the mortgage? Is it mine? Why, yes, I believe it is!
My wife's name is also on our title and on our small mortgage. We share everything...include debts, troubles, successes, health problems, discretionary income, hobby space...
I learned to negotiate with people to make them allies, not adversaries. Now, my wife even insists I have space for my trains. Two years ago, I was away for a week. Unbeknownst to me she had a contractor come in and frame a 9' X 24' train room in our double garage.
When the other woman asked if your wife was "...going to let you take the whole basement..." it wasn't a question of ownership but of inclusion. There are few strong relationships of any description between humans when one person takes an entire space in a shared domicile without at least asking what deleterious effect it might have on the needs of the partner or spouse. The woman's question wasn't about being a boss, or the 'senior partner', or the one who wears the pants; it was an expression of dismay that your wife didn't seem to have any say in the matter.
Just my opinion.
I enjoy running my railroad rather than letting someone else do it, (unless I permit them).
An inexperienced guy at the throttle could led to major problems later on.
As my grandfather used to say, "Vas you dere, Charlie?"In fact, my wife said "What do you mean, let him HAVE the basement? What use do I have for it?"Also she's the one who insisted we get stackable laundry to take up less floor space in the basement "so there's more room for the railroad."Wow, you'd almost think we had talked to each other or something.
Been working on getting my pool up and running - which is tough since I've been working each week some 300 miles from home, so I have only the weekends. But I did manage to get a quote for the redo of the basement so I am finally making some progress. The pool will help - I like to float around and think over my plan. Floating in the pool, it's very peaceful and calm and I get a lot of planning done.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker Been working on getting my pool up and running - which is tough since I've been working each week some 300 miles from home, so I have only the weekends. But I did manage to get a quote for the redo of the basement so I am finally making some progress. The pool will help - I like to float around and think over my plan. Floating in the pool, it's very peaceful and calm and I get a lot of planning done. --Randy
Rich
selector Bayfield Transfer Railway ...Not only that, whose name is on the mortgage? Is it mine? Why, yes, I believe it is! My wife's name is also on our title and on our small mortgage. We share everything...include debts, troubles, successes, health problems, discretionary income, hobby space... I learned to negotiate with people to make them allies, not adversaries. Now, my wife even insists I have space for my trains. Two years ago, I was away for a week. Unbeknownst to me she had a contractor come in and frame a 9' X 24' train room in our double garage. When the other woman asked if your wife was "...going to let you take the whole basement..." it wasn't a question of ownership but of inclusion. There are few strong relationships of any description between humans when one person takes an entire space in a shared domicile without at least asking what deleterious effect it might have on the needs of the partner or spouse. The woman's question wasn't about being a boss, or the 'senior partner', or the one who wears the pants; it was an expression of dismay that your wife didn't seem to have any say in the matter. Just my opinion.
I am not yet married (although train monies are temporarily diverted to ring saving) and this is the stuff that makes sense to me. We talk about the future and she knows we're getting married. She has her desires and I have mine. I'll have to compromise for some time with a humble room for my modules and workbench without any space for a larger layout. That's just the nature of being in the same space as another person. Perhaps in the future I'll get my dream basement. Just like she'll wait for her record listening room.
In Southern California, Summer means no school, having fun at the lake or the beach, watching the fireworks, going to the water parks, and visting friends and family.