howmusI am just at a crossroads in my life where I don't want anything that could keep me from going new places and starting to enjoy life in it's fullest again!
Congratulations! I've known so many people that just kind of give up and live out the rest of their time bemoaning the fact that life passed them by. It's great you are willing to make changes that will help you enjoy life.
I wish I could convince my wife to get rid of the junk she has in the basement. She can't complain about the room my layout takes up because she has so much more room for her "junk".
I had to scrape my car windows this morning, but it is warming up nicely now. I warmed up during my walk, and actually could take off my hood and gloves after a while.
Hope everyone has a Good Friday!
York1 John
Howdy .... We're leaving soon for Nashville, but I have time to check in here.
Ken .... Bravo ! .. Keep up the good work. I know some people who have quit smoking, and they are much better off. So I encourage you.
Dave ... I can relate to your back pain. It can be very miserable based on my experiences with it. Definately, it is best to be diagnosed and treated as needed by a real doctor.
Brent ... Congrats on your son receiving the recognition.
I have worked a little on my coal mine project, but not much. Hoping to have something to show eventually.
Best wishes to everybody on Good Friday.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Mornin' folks!
Spring has started to sprung here in the Finger lakes. Have to mow the lawn very soon, within the next few days. There are blades of grass about 6" tall in places on the lawn. Need to get a new blade for my EGO mower. Probably will drive to Home Cheapo in Victor to get one this afternoon.
cudaken Funny little thing that helped? Smile, Wink & Grin Kept thinking of the Bob Newheart saying " STOP IT"! For some reason that helped? Laugh
Ken, GOOD! Hope it continues to help you. I have struggled with addictions to food for many years (and the old cigar habit) so I do have some idea what you are going through. My thoughts and prayers to you that you may "slay the dragon"! My DIL wants the aquariums for her science classroom. At one time I had about 18 aquariums in my house in Waverly, NY I was supplying a wholesaler with Veiltail Angels, regular Angelfish, Several other species of egglayers including some excellent Bettas, and several species of livebearers. It paid for the "habit" of raising fish.... I am just at a crossroads in my life where I don't want anything that could keep me from going new places and starting to enjoy life in it's fullest again!
Got to get my shower and head over to the field house to put in another 4 miles. Catch you all later.
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
hon30critterI emphasize the word 'carefully' because a club member recently suggested that I try a "naturally sourced" over the counter back pain remedy, which I did.
If somethjing says "all Natural" I generally toss sit aside because they do not know what they are talking about!
Rusinol is "all natural" but you would not want it in your sun tan lotion, or any thing ele for tahat matter.
Another one says "No Chemicals" and the firsy ingredent liste is water. Well duh! Water *IS* a chemical!
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Good Morning All,
I'll have a regular and a blueberry bagel toasted with a smear of cream cheese please ladies. Fixing to rain again. At least it is warm out.
Spent a little time on the turnouts last night but hadn't gotten home until late again. Still haven't finished up my car either but getting there.
Brent, it's natural to be proud of your kids and if you can't brag here among friends, where can you?
Ken, keep up the good work! Is the no customer thing a trend or just a spot of bad luck? If it continues, you might have to start looking around again. Things are better than they were when you were submerged in the deep end but it does take time.
Dave, glad they're taking things seriously. I found the same with my mom. 2-3 year wait for eye surgery (transplants) but when she had a heart scare, immediate help and admission. Same with my dad though it didn't work out for him.
Time to pick up tools and earn a living. Chow, J.R.
BATMANSorry, I had to brag, there are tears of pride in my eyes right now
Absolutely no reason to apologise Brent!! You have every right to be proud of your son! Tell him that we are proud of him too.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a Richard what ever he wants and leave a stein outside for Ulrich.
Work Front Sure cannot call reading The Raitway Detective by Edward Marson series work! Read around 150 pages today, maybe more? Not a soul in the store besides me.
Richard and Ed Thank You for the recognition on cutting back. Wednesday final total was 12 cigarettes. Today it looks like it will be 6 or 7. I did go 9 hours with out smoking after I got to work. I sure won't say it was easy with it being dead! Smoking was kind of a reward for making it another hour? Till I got home I only had 3 cigarettes then I got a little weak.
Funny little thing that helped? Kept thinking of the Bob Newheart saying " STOP IT"! For some reason that helped?
Ray I was wondering about the aquariums. At one point I would have loved to have a 125 to 150 gallon tank.
Later, Ken
I hate Rust
Hi Brent,
Thanks for the suggestions. Anything is worth exploring, carefully.
I emphasize the word 'carefully' because a club member recently suggested that I try a "naturally sourced" over the counter back pain remedy, which I did. I am in the habit of monitoring my blood pressure and it immediately shot through the roof within a couple of days of starting the stuff. Normally my BP is great. The club member is quite a health food nut. His solution the the high BP was to take less of the concoction. Excuse me?!? My BP had just shot up by almost 40 points on both ends and he thinks I should keep taking it?!?
I'm not dismissing your recommendations, but I am a little leery of taking supplements. I'll do some research into the Krill oil.
CudaKen sounds like you are on your way, keep up the good work!!
Batman you should be very proud of your son.
I'll be glad when summer gets here. In the last 11 days we have got 5.92 inches of rain, both of my ponds are overflowing and it's getting old. Within a 15 mile radius of our place we have had baseball sized hail, straight line winds, 4 tornados. Today we went to Palestine ( 30 miles north of us) and the entire town is without water (19,000 people) do to today's storms, possible twister. They are trucking in water and porta potty.
So I am ready for summer, sorry about the venting. Ken
GMTRacingHas the general doctor shortage in Canada affected you at all in Ontario?
I believe that the rural areas are short of doctors. Not sure about the cities. I know that there is a lot of "hallway medicine" going on in most of the hospitals, so people are getting seen but if they have to be admitted they may have to wait for a long time before they get a bed. One of the club member's spouses was taken to hospital last week by ambulance. She arrived at the hospital at around 9:00 am but didn't get a bed until 4:00 am the next morning. Not a great start to her recovery.
I personally don't have any problems seeing my doctor quickly if needed. My back was in serious pain for three days last week after doing just a tiny bit of physio. I phoned his office on Wednesday afternoon and had an appointment for Thursday morning. He always leaves a couple of slots open every day so he can deal with more urgent issues.
It turns out that it was a good thing that I made the appointment. My back went nuts on Wednesday night. Normally I am comfortable when laying down but on Wednesday I was in pain all night. When I tried to get up in the morning I could barely stand or walk. Getting to the doctor's appointment was very difficult. After hearing my story he filled out a detailed request for an MRI immediately and sent me for blood tests. When filling out the requisitions he takes the time to put in as many details as possible so the MRI people can judge the urgency more accurately. He may write several paragraphs of notes. I'm not sure how many doctors go into such detail. Good service!
Thanks for asking,
Have we heard from the Rock Island yet?
CRIP_E6_12-71 by Edmund, on Flickr
Lasalle Street Station, December 1971.
And a COLD February 2nd, 1968 just outside La Salle:
CRIP_642_2-2-68 by Edmund, on Flickr
Usually, when I'm in Chicago it looks (and feels) like this! Brrrr.
Cheers, Ed
BigDaddyRay sorry about your loss. There are many other cats and dogs that need rescueing.
Yes there are.... Hope somebody rescues them. Not going to be me at this time. You and my sister.......... LOL I am looking at having someone else to "adopt". Someone of the human variety. All I have to do is find someone I like that would be willing to put up with me.
I am in the process of cleaning out my house and finally dealing with stuff that has been left here and collected since my kids were last in the house. The pet sitter who watched Blackie while I was in Key West will be taking a lot of the remaining pet items to use in the Ferral Cat program here in Geneva and in Canandaigua. Sold back some cans of food and gave a bag of open dry cat food (opened two days ago. Used all of one half cup of that) and 5 unopened packages of insulin syringes to the Vet office. They will give me a credit for the canned food at least.
I am also giving two aquariums to my DIL she can use at School (Science Teacher). That should get rid of the last handicap for me to take off for a weekend or longer if I want.
Brent, That is great about your son. Don't blame you for "bragging" a bit. Cool!
2
Ray sorry about your loss. There are many other cats and dogs that need rescueing.
Brent congrats on your son.
Had to drill some of my turnbuckles for my water tank to accept the 0.15" bronze wire. I don't see any way to use the thread supplied. Then I painted them, then I tried to curve them to fit the tank and much of the paint came off.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Brent,
Congratulations! You can justifiably feel proud.
Okay, I have to share this with someone because it is a secret. I just got off the phone and exchanged E-Mails with my kids school where he went from K-12. It often has been ranked the top school in the Province and it is celebrating its 25th anniversary next year. Because it is the 25th, they are selecting 25 of the most remarkable students to have graduated from the school and the kid is one of them. It is based on academics, accomplishments and things like volunteering in the community. I have to get busy and put together a list of his volunteer work. I hope I don't miss anything.
Sorry, I had to brag, there are tears of pride in my eyes right now. When he was 5 years old he was tested and came first out of 482 applicants to the school to get in. There were only 44 spots.
It is a good day.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Howdy ..... We did not go to Nashville today becasue we don't want to drive home in thunderstorms forecasted for this evening. . We'll go tomorrow.
Brent .... I like your CP photos ..... Below is a photo I took from a full length dome car on the Rocky Mountaineer at Banff ...
Another Chicago picture..... CB&Q and PRR trains arriving in Union Station with basically the same locomotive consists (other than colors) .
RideOnRoadKen, that's no baby step, that's a giant leap.
Good for you, Ken! Do what works for you and, as ROR points out, don't kick yourself too hard if you "backslide" — just try to do better tomorrow.
Keep up the good effort
cudaken. . .I keep track of what I smoke on a daily base and I have been averaging 36 to 42 cigarette's a day for years! Yesterday was the first day I did not smoke a whole pack of cigarette's! In fact, I had only 14 of them. Right now it looks like today may only be 10, we will see. While it is not stop smoking, I may have to take baby steps.
Ken, that's no baby step, that's a giant leap. A baby step would be going from 36 to 32. Going frm 36 to 14 is HUGE and don't allow yourself to think otherwise. Well done! Keep up the good work. Also, you might want to track by the week, not by the day. That way if you have a bad day, it is not the end of the world, you make it up on the other six.
Richard
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good morning from a very wet West Coast. We have been issued a heavy rain warning. It is 12c.
With Easter approaching a public service announcement.
Dave sorry to hear of your agony, I was forced out of work 10 years ago by the Feds and the Rheumatologist had told me a year earlier I should have gone off then. It was not good being in such pain. I went for a new set of X-rays when I went off and when I got home the wife brought them up on the computer and said if I was a dog they would put me down. My spine looked like a melted candlestick. I was in rough shape up to about a year ago living on Tylenol and Oxycocete. The wife had me try some things over the years but none were successful. Omega 3 fatty acids seem to be the magic bullet for a lot of people with arthritis issues but not me. Then a new product came out that Costco carries called Krill oil. The wife said try this and I was skeptical, to say the least. She said it is not what it has in it but what it doesn't have. Three days later after popping a lot of pain pills for 15 years, I stopped instantly and rarely take them now. Apparently, only Costco has the type that works for me.
Being in pain causes your muscles to tense up and that compounds the pain problem. Ask your physio about IMS inter muscular stimulation, it works really well. Also if you use anti-inflammatories and they burn holes in your stomach, try Meloxicam it is the people version of medicam which is used on animals. The wife had me change and they work great and have never bothered my stomach. My Doctor told me he had suggested it to some of his other patients after my success and they all have had the same results with no stomach issues. It is an old drug that the Pharmaceutical industry tried to push out of the picture for their new and improved stuff. Ya right. I got a TENS machine and that helped a little to unwind the muscles, The $200.00 was covered by extended medical.
Of course, none of what I have mentioned may apply to your issue, but you never know. I hope you get relief. I have been there.
Well, I think it is time to get the rain gear out and go for a long walk with the dogs. I still use the stuff the Feds issued us for work, it is Gortex and it's awesome stuff. Then it will be train time. Retirement is rough.
All the best to all.
York1Ray, since you are getting rid of the cat things, does this mean you aren't planning on adopting another one?
That is correct.... I am looking for a... Ah.... Even better life than "pet" ownership can provide. I have, last January, joined a senior dating site, and keep hoping to find that special certain someone there. Also looking locally too. I was widowed over 30 years ago, and have finally decided that If something good is going to happen I better get looking now (at the age of 72, BTW). That decision came after I decided to "quit" overeating and get myself back in shape after a long downhill trend in my life. I seem to be getting much more favorable lookes these days (but I guess I am still too fussy. That was told to me by a lady I was dating about 25 years ago who did not want a full time man in her life after a very messy divorce.).
The Fitbit site just sent me a notification that just earned the "Great Barrior Reef Badge". That is for having walked (since a year ago now) over 1,600 miles while weasring the fitbit.
hon30critterThe almost constant pain has started to affect my attitude. I have very little patience in situations where I would normally be quite calm.
Dave, I'm very sorry you have this issue going on. I hope your friends understand how constant pain can affect your life. Not sure if you're religious, but I've said a prayer for you to get relief.
It was 37 degrees this morning for my two mile walk. Beautiful clear skies and spring breaking out all over, with the trees just beginning to bud, and noisy woods with all the birds. Amazing time of year.
Since I have only had a layout for a year, I am constantly am in awe of the pictures of layouts from people like Lion. Hopefully in the coming years I can develop the abilities that most of you have.
Today is also great for another reason -- I will be making a trip to the train store! The nearest one is 50 miles, but it is worth the trip. It is advertised as the largest HO and N Scale store between Denver and Chicago, and it is an amazing place to spend several hours. It is off the beaten path -- 8 miles off the highway in a tiny town. I love the drive, love the people who run the store, and love the time by myself in the truck driving there and back.
Ray, since you are getting rid of the cat things, does this mean you aren't planning on adopting another one?
Good, wet , rainy soggy morning from the confines of West KY, good thing i mowed the jungle tuesday or it would really be a jungle.
Not much to report on my end.
Dave, good luck with the back.
Speaking of pain, I pulled the cartalidge in my ribcage and now it hurts when I do something to aggrivate it. I did this a long time ago once, when changing letters on a movie theatre marquee, every time I would bend over to pick something up it felt like I had fishhooks hooked to weights in my chest. It was hard to move film cans.
Now I did it again. arrg. Not as bad this time.
I have been working on our railroad museum website, we are chartering a train trip and I am setting up a paypal payment ticket order system, so I have been coding pages and testing them before they go live.
That is all for now.
Ray,
My heart hurts for you. Wishing you speed in the grieving process.
Dave,
Best of luck with the back. Hopefully the doctors find that it's nothing too serious.
Everyone else,
Wish you all the best.
Mike
Mornin'.... I could use a fresh pot of dark roast coffee, Flo!
cudakenFar as the Just Stop It comment. I was not really mad.
First off, Ken, I'm glad I didn't lose you as a friend! I hope you know I want to see you be successful in your stopping the habit. I was being both serious and a bit tongue in cheek at the same time. By whatever means you can get it done that works for you, DO IT! And..... When you have lit up and finished that very last one... You WILL have quit!!! I hope that will be sooner rather than later for you. Do know I am pulling for you! So.... When You quit, you will have quit. I guess that was my point. Oh, and thanks for your thoughts to me about Blackie! I keep looking for him here and he is gone. Not fun!
My sincere thanks to all of you here for thinking kind and good thoughts about my loss. It is good to know there are so many friends here at the forum! I spent last night collecting kitty stuff and putting items either in the trash going out today, into a pile of items that might be useful for the feral cat program here in Geneva, or into the, I hope the vet may be able to give it to other folks, piles. I will call the pet sitter this morning and the vet to see what may be useful to them.
Best get myself moving and into the shower. To belabor a point, I will have taken my shower just as soon as I have taken it. No sooner! Be well and blessed!
A regular and a blueberry donut please Zoe. It's in the 60's and fixing to rain today. Got most of the trailer loaded, still working on my Lotus 18 and a pit cart I want to bring with us to Atlanta.
Dave - hope you get some answers and I hope the answers aren't a return of what you had previously. We have found the health care NOTB was good once the docs figured out what the problem was and that it wasn't something to put off. Has the general doctor shortage in Canada affected you at all in Ontario? My sister in N.S. tells me the waiting times for a non critical appointment are starting to stretch there.
Nothing to report on the model railroad front. Was at the shop late yesterday and had no further ambition when I got home. Did get the 18 running though and just have a few items left on the punch list. Speaking of, time to get going.
CUL, J.R.
I have to complain. My back is killing me. I can hardly walk. My family doctor sent me for physio and it has only made the problem much worse. I see him again tomorrow and I'm going to ask for an MRI.
I had a serious infection in my spine which went undiagnosed for several years until things finally blew up in 2008. The symptoms that I am experiencing now are similar to what was happening before the infection became chronic 11 years ago.
The almost constant pain has started to affect my attitude. I have very little patience in situations where I would normally be quite calm. It has affected my dealings with the club because I just don't feel like walking members through whatever processes are required to get things done right.
Wish me luck. I hope something shows up that they can treat without having to guess what to do next.
Sorry for your double loss. Words are inadequate. Only time can soften the blow.
I loved Manet's name. So eloquent.
Sorry for your loss, they all hurt-----
herrinchoker