Edit: This is going to get expensive! Top of the page three pages in a row!! Maybe that means I talk too much (you don't have to agree with that so strongly!). Have whatever your heart desires. I'll just put it on my card.
Speaking of living within our means, not too long ago I decided to re-examine our budget now that Dianne is on a pension. I had been under the impression that we would be very comfortable in our retirement but the numbers suggested that that was not the case! My calculations indicated that we would have to be very careful with our money! I couldn't understand how I has messed up so badly on my previous estimates.
I decided that I had better break the news to Dianne, so we sat down and we went through the numbers. She is a real trooper. If we had to be careful with our money so be it. If our travelling days were over she could live with that. Great woman!!
However, the numbers still didn't make sense so I sat down again and started the calculations over from the beginning. Fortunately for us I discovered that I had deducted our fixed montly expenses not once but twice during the first attempt!!! To say that we were relieved would be an understatement. We actually have some money to play with, and we shouldn't have to dip into our savings much if at all. Needless to say Dianne gave me 'the look' for causing a panic!!
I have to agree with Brent about avoiding debt. The only debts that we have ever had were what I would call 'neccesities', i.e. student loans, car loans and mortgages. We have never carried a credit card balance. In fact, we didn't even have credit cards when we were younger. We have a couple now but they are only used as a convenient way to pay bills every month. I recognize that there is a built in hidden cost for using the cards, but if you offer to pay by cheque people look at you funny, and the cheques cost money too. If businesses offered discounts for paying with cash we would do it, but that is pretty rare these days.
Just my worth (with interest of course)
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Hello, All
Speaking of mortgage debt—I remember being along with my mother on some Saturday shopping trips. Sometimes she would stop at the bank and I would wait in the car. I remember asking once why she had to go to the bank and she told me that any time there was more than $50 (or some such amount) in this designated envelope that she would bring it to the bank and make extra payments on the principal of the mortgage (she explained it more in terms a six-year-old could understand.
This has always stuck with me and I remember that my parents paid off the thirty-year mortgage (all there was, back then) in less than half the time. Making those extra payments on the principal, especially early in the term, makes a huge difference in the total interest charge.
I showed my kids the same thing about mortgage amortization and how your first few payments you are only paying pennies on the principal. I tell them pay that down as fast as you can. You can knock a whole year off your mortgage with only small additional payments early on.
Penny-wise, Pound foolish
Since we're in North Conway, New Hampshire, let's take a look at this neat F unit on display here...
BM_4266_EMD by Edmund, on Flickr
Regards, Ed
Hye everyone...miss me?
I've been away because of a multitude of things. I've been seeking out a therapist, I'm not over my dad and it has compounded the untreated mental health problems I had before...so the search for a therapist has begun. Yeah, when you've hit rock bottom so many times you find new forms of rock, it's time to get help. It's been affecting work to. I've barely been in the mood to do anything I like more than a couple hours a day.
My club is down to like 8 full time members again....and we are in desperate need to recruit more again to build up our flanks for events. Anyone have any suggestions? Our dues are only 10 a month, so that's not it.
I bought and received a scaletrains SD40-2 EMD leaser unit....It's honestly one of the most beautiful models I own. The detail on that thing is amazing.
myself and three other club members have started our own T-trak modules. N scale will be a new challenge to me, but it'll be nice to model a different thing.
Work on the house is progressing slowly but surely. The bathroom is in the process of being gutted and rebuilt, including replacing a rotted out joist and beam that will need married to new wood to remedy it. The deck on the house had pulled away during the last major snowstorm, and is resting on the shed housing a lawnmower. That deck is coming down next week , and will not be replaced. I've started organizing all my dad's HOn3 equipment and placing it in one location. My mom is calling window world for me, to get the windows replaced- single pane aluminum windows....need replaced badly.
I hope everyone in here has been well. Sorry I've been away.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
Afternoon Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a please.
Far from the worst day of my life but still sucked rail spikes.
Have a tooth that is hurting. Woke me up last night around 4:00 AM.
Left sinuses was all clogged up at the same time. Left eye started wartering and felt like it was ready to pop out of my head. To say I did not sleep worth a dam is a understatement!
Gas Furance will not start up in the garage / train room. Sort of cold out here with today's high of 48 degress F.
Trains Hate Me as well! Added some folks to a PRR coach and after that every thing went down hill! Could not get the PRR coaches around the layout 1 time tonight!
Jimmy Hope things work out for you with the therapist. I still think of my dad everyday and have stuff he gave me in the garage. Worst part was the way mom handled it! Did not tell me Dad was gone for 15 days after he was buried and that was when I called Christmas Eve!
Freight Trains are running well, HO passanger folks need a hotel for the night.
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Evening Diners
Another tough day at the office. I still did not finish my basement. It's one of these old school houses, inner city that has 7 foot ceilings.
It is all custom. There was pipes and ducts running all over the ceiling. Soffit City, Custom, Custom,Custom.
Then the doors, so many doors. Bifolds and doors that all have to be cut down to size. Then the bottoms of the doors run through the table saw and re-cored back in the doors before you hang them. Then the bypass door that has to be custom manufactured on-site because they don't sell that size and it would take too long to order and receive them.
I knocked off around 2:00 and thought it would be better to just take my usual day off on Monday and put in a half day to finish. Just a little tired here.
I had a friend named Mike when I was young. He told me there will come a day when you want to go to work a little less, more and more everyday, as you get older. He said start planning ahead for that day now..... I did listen to everything he said and did plan ahead for this day.
This day has come. I do not have the heart to hang up my tool belt though. Maybe I better start being a little more selective about the jobs that I want to do. I have been actively moving all my life and feel I should still keep moving.
Thanks for listening. Thanks for letting me vent.
AFFA Track Fiddler
Evening again diners
It's a little dead in the diner tonight, not much going on, on a Saturday.
I would like to spruce things up a little bit here. Maybe liven things up if you will.
The diner is another thread I like because you can kind of do whatever you want here.
Let's play music trivia. The rules are simple.
1) Post lyrics of a song. Do not make the song too difficult. Post lyrics of a popular song that many people know.
2) You only need to be half right guessing the song. The artist or song title will do.
3) There are no turns here or any order. Just let her buck.
Okay I'll start her off.
Slip out the back Jack make a new plan Stan don't need to be coy Roy just listen to me hop on the bus Gus don't need to discuss much just drop off the key Lee and get yourself free?
Track fiddlerSlip out the back Jack make a new plan Stan don't need to be coy Roy just listen to me hop on the bus Gus don't need to discuss much just drop off the key Lee and get yourself free?
50 ways to leave your Lover - Paul Simon
How about:
"No one to talk with, all by myselfNo one to talk with, But I'm happy on the shelf."
Lets see how far back some of you can go...... heh, heh Old Timers here should know it, at least.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Ain't Misbehavin Sam cookie? Could be Fats Waller though
I could be wrong so let me know but I'm going to post another one
And around the lake mountains come out of the sky and they stand there 24 before my love and I'll be there
Saturday night and everyone's busy. Understandable, nighty night
Another fella told me, he had a sister that looked just fine. Instead of being my deliverance, she had a strange resemblance to a cat named Frankenstein.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Hi Diners,
Havent been in in a while. Been in Pacific Northwest fo a few weeks.
Ray: I'm going to take a stab at Eric Carmen. I think the song is All By Myself.
Fiddler: That's Roundabout - Yes, the album - Fragile, 1972, I believe. Fun song to play.
Alright, my turn.
1. Joan and Mitchie were getting kind of itchy just to leave the folk music behind...
2. .... Don't try to get yourself elected, if you do you had better cut your hair hmm, and it appears to be a ....
3. When the truth is found to be lies, and you know the joy within you dies,
thats three different songs.
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK, safe, and warm.
wheres Ulrich?
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
Track fiddlerAin't Misbehavin Sam cookie? Could be Fats Waller though I could be wrong so let me know but I'm going to post another one
Yup! "Ain't Misbehavin' " Both Sam Cooke and Fats Waller did the song, but the original, I think, was Willie the Lion Smith. It was performed and recorded by many Jazz men over the years.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Morning folks,
Jimmy, hope you can find someone to help you work through your issues.
Well I'm off to church.
Good morning.
I was able to sleep in for once, it was kind of nice. Usually when the sun's up, I'm up.
I Hope things get better for you soon Jimmy. Don't feel alone working through things. I think we all have issues in one way or another. I'm somewhat of a depressed person and have to work on it every day of my life. This is probably why I try to make humor out of things constantly.
Well I think I'll go out to my buddy Erv's garage today and watch the football game. I wonder if the Vikings will have a good day or a bad day today. One never knows
It's snowing up here in Minnesota this morning. They are talking about some mild weather near 50s next week. I wonder if that will be our Indian Summer.
Have a great day all.
PS Does everyone have that new advertisement running across the top of their homepage here, or is it just me?
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Good Afternoon Diners,
Brunhilda,I'll have an extra large coffee with lots of cream, please.
Lion: That's funny!
Like I said in my last post, I recently came back from Oregon and Washington. While there, I wanted to stop in a LHS to maybe pick up a kit like a box car etc. I had bought from them before. It amazed me to see very little in the way of kits. Just a few Accurail kits. Is this the way things are going? They had RTR all over the place, and a pretty big inventory of Lionel, but not many kits. Has anyone else noticed this? Is this a full blown trend, or just a peculiar thing to this one shop?
I guess no one wants to play music trivia. Oh, well.
Howdy ...
Lion .... I've never seen anything like that before.
TF ... Thanks for posting and keeping the Diner active.
Ed ..... I like the F7 in your photo. I recall when F-units were hauling trains everywhere.
Jimmy .... Sorry to hear you say things are troubling to you. Plese visit the Diner more often. We Diners care about you. Let us know what we can do to make things better. .... It's good to hear you are getting the house repairs done.
Jim .... I'm glad you are back from your trip..... Yes, more and more stuff is RTR. .. I wonder why. The hobby has more enjoyment if you build models more than if you simply own models.
Ulrich ... What's up ?
Dave .... Thanks fo your regarding budgeting. ... I bet you were releived when you saw the error, and you do have adequate funds.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Flo, get the gang and I a please.
NWP SWPAnother fella told me, he had a sister that looked just fine. Instead of being my deliverance, she had a strange resemblance to a cat named Frankenstein.
Steven, I think it was Cat Stevens but can not name the song.
Sleep well last night! Tooth did not hurt, no hacking out a lung and did not get up to go to the bathroom till 5:30 AM. Went to sleep around 9:30 PM and turned off the TV before I fell asleep.
Train Front Got the Heavy Weight Pullmans in action again! Had a spring pop out of a Kadee Coupler and replaced the coupler. While there is a little more to the story I am tickled they are roaming the layout again!
Passanger Train Questions
1 Is there any speical singal a passanger train would sound when coming in the a station?
2 If passanger station platform is say 200 feet long the the train it self is 400 feet long, how do the passanger's get out?
A Walk along the rails?
B Walk though the other cars?
C Train pulls forward after cars have been emptyed?
If you like AC / DC and like the song Thunder Struck and like Lions singing Chicken this should put a smile on your faces.
I do like a good bandjo player.
Ken
Evening Diner's
It was a great day at my buddy Erv's today. Vikings won.... yeah Then we got the tail end of the Bears Dolphins game in overtime 28 to 28. Bears lost Then it was on to Nap Car, Talladega. Not as good of a crash as usually seen in the end, but okay.
Music trivia not a hit. That's cool. Maybe not challenging enough. Let's try one more to make it worthwhile.
On your honor System. No use of the internet please. I want the forum member that knows this one to name it.
In the lazy water meadow, I lay me down. All around me golden sun flakes settle on the ground. Basking in the sunshine of a bygone afternoon. Bringing sounds of yesterday into my city room. Hear the laughing hawk and through the back, the duck folks, on the ground. See the splashing of the kingfisher flashing through the water. A river of green goes sliding unseen beneath the trees. Laughing as it passes through the endless Summer making for the sea.
Who knows that one?
Thanks TF
cudaken 2 If passanger station platform is say 200 feet long the the train it self is 400 feet long, how do the passanger's get out?
The answer is B. Walk through the car's and de-board at the head end.
OR:
Walk from the front and rear car's , and de-board from the middle.
Rust...... It's a good thing !
up831 I recently came back from Oregon and Washington. While there, I wanted to stop in a LHS to maybe pick up a kit like a box car etc. I had bought from them before. It amazed me to see very little in the way of kits. Just a few Accurail kits.
Which hobby store ?
I use to live in Portland, and frequented many of the hobby shop's in Wa. And Or.
Lion that was funny. That Oriental kid was very serious about playing his chicken.
Our favorite dog Nellie had a chicken toy like that called choke the chicken. I would tell my dog, choke the chicken, choke the chicken and she would go get it
Ken I think you found the definition for rednecks. I did enjoy it. That was cool
Evening diners,
Ken, the song is "Another Saturday Night" by Sam Cooke.
Made two trips to Zachary today, and then two to Liberty Mississippi with a trailer! A total of about 200 miles and a full tank of gas.
I got an Aloha Shirt yesterday and wore it to church with my sports coat, the Sunday School teachers just smiled when they saw me
Well I'll be back in.
Track fiddlerWho knows that one?
Grantchester Meadows, from the album Ummagumma, released 1969 by The Pink Floyd.
That's it.....JaBear you got that one straight.
Don't want to twist your arm but maybe you should do one.
PS Thank you for the forum funnies. Always enjoyed
It sounded very familiar to me, ... but I just couldnt get the name of the song.
( the last time I heard that album was probably 1995 .)
Little Timmy: The store was in Kirkland, WA. I think the name of it is Eastland Model Trains, but not absolutely sure. Really a good store. They have lots of trains in all 4 major scales, but not a lot of kits unless I was looking at the boxes wrong. They're listed in MR. I liked the hobby shop well enough to want to go back there.
Last evening I posted some lyrics to 3 songs. They're all 3 well known. Anyone want to take a guess?
Later.