Hi Diners,
This weekend the Big Boy is coming to West Chicago. Don’t know the exact location, but I’ll make every effort to find it. How do you hide something that large, anyway?
Last week my wife and I celebrated our 41st. We didn’t do anything on the actual date, but the next night, we went to see a string quartet play in a beer garden. It was a very enjoyable evening. It kind of reminded me of Ravinia only on a much smaller scale. Sit out among the stars with a beverage and/or a snack, and listen to world class music played by world class musicians in an intimate setting. Ah, it just doesn’t get any better than that in this world. Well, maybe if there was also a layout and we could switch some cars.
Hello to everyone, and I hope everyone is OK and safe.
Jim (with a nod to Mies Van Der Rohe)
This reminded me of a good one.
Heaven was running out of room. God sent St Peter down to Earth to get the best of everyone out of every profession.
St Peter got the best plumber, the best carpenter, the best electrician, the best of everyone from every profession.
St Peter came to the poets. He could not decide between Edgar Allan Poe and William Shakespeare.
One of these two famous poets we're the best and have the rights to enter the kingdom of heaven.
St Peter could not decide.
God said put the two poets in a room for 5 minutes and the one that can come up with the best poem that ends in Timbuktu will enter the kingdom.
St Peter agreed and went on with the test.
William Shakespeare came out of the room first and had his poem done.
Across the seas of Desert Sands. We traveled in our caravan. We came across the lovely land that is called Timbuktu.
St Peter and God were pleased with this poem. It was very good and tough to beat.
Edgar Allan Poe came out of his room a few minutes later.
Across the desert Tim and I went. In which We Came Upon a tent. There were three maidens and we were two. So I bucked one and Timbuktu.
I still to this day do not know which one won
Track Fiddler
Good evening ...
TF ... The raspberries look good, and I like the name of the bar.
John / York1. ... Sorry you did not feel well. Did that movie cure your illness? ... Lionel Lines? LOL
We had a lot of rain here today.
Have a nice evening.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
BATMAN WOW, look at all those beer taps!
WOW, look at all those beer taps!
Yep, so many I just couldn't decide. We met Tim at the end of the bar.
He couldn't decide either so I took two and Tim took three
TF
Eveing Diners
Flo, give the gang and I a please.
Starting to be afraid of the mail.
First one gave me a chuckel Got a letter yesterday from Department Of ILL Tax Revenue, that is never a good thing! I was afraid to open it till today. I opened it after breakest and it stated I under paid my state tax last year by $1.00! Taxes are done free by AARP and the account made a mistake by $1.00. Rip off part is that $1.00 is going to cost me $38.80 in fines. God I love living in ILL! Well I will survive loosing $38.80.
Today my wife and I got a letter from Social Security. This one I was not worried about, I was wrong! Seems SS think they over paid my wife and I by $1900.00 in March 2018. I turned 62 on Feb 24 2018 and did not get my first SS check till April 3rd 2018. Reason I got to much money in march? It was commisson I earned in Feb 2018 before I turned 62.
While I can survive this storm, it will wreck my credit score. My wife will drive me nuts as well. I am going to call SS and see if I can get them to understand! Put I am not going to hold my breath. Only good part they won't keep the money till Oct this year.
Later, none smoking Ken
I hate Rust
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
There and getting closer. Nice no crowds, it's Monday and everyone is at work except for me.
Time enough for prep before the show of course
Not feeling well, so I am watching TV today. On Turner Classic Movies is "The Black Scorpion" from 1957. A volcano releases giant scorpions to run amok in Mexico.
As one giant scorpion attacks a passenger train, the locomotive and tender get knocked off the track.
Written on the side of the tender is "Lionel Lines"!
Love these old Sci-Fi movies.
York1 John
BroadwayLion That little boy already has a receeding hairline. ROAR Reply
That little boy already has a receeding hairline.
ROAR
Lions don't have receding hairlines. If they did, where would it start?
Thanks John (York 1) I will
So much for 11:30, hoping for smaller crowds too.
Good morning, everyone. Just coffee for me this morning. I feel terrible. I caught a bad cold on vacation.
I get my new locomotive today. Can't wait.
While we were gone, it rained every other day here. That means the lawn is tall enough to get lost in. I don't feel like doing anything, but I have to try to get the mower through it today.
TF, enjoy the Big Boy. I saw it two weeks ago, and it will come back through in two weeks. I think the crowds might be smaller on its return trip through NE.
Ray, I feel your pain with the new phone. One of the best days of my life was when I got rid of my phone. I am able to go places, like the train store, and no one, not even my wife, can reach me to tell me what I should be doing.
Kevin, three daughters kept me hopping for years. Now I can sit back, relax, and enjoy the sons-in-law, grandkids, and the hoopla.
Have a great day. Those of you working, save your money -- retirement is worth it!
... finally found my way back in here.
Man, it's been a crazy (however long), between work and everything else that goes on during the warm months.
Looks like the rest of you guys are all in the same boat to some degree ... albeit with the "can still have a drink at the diner" ... hahah
Uhoh, looks like the breakfast buffet's on me today
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
(The kid at the top of the page)
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Post Hog, post hog, TF's a post hog What difference does it make at 2:30 in the morning I may not be on top
I went out to Prior Lake to visit my old buddy Erv today. Some serious Mustang problems, my baby was running like crap.
Did you have any doubt in your mind a master retired mechanic did not fix my car problem. He did and I was so happy.
There's more to Erv than meets the eye. He planted raspberry bushes about 6 years ago. I found it interesting when he explained everything to me and told me when they yield fruit you up-root them out of the ground before the season's over.
You leave the ones that do not yield any fruit for the next year and throw the too ripe berries back for seed.
Who Masters the art of growing wild raspberries
He went on to say, myself and all the neighbors can't keep up with this anymore, there is way too many. Take some berries John.
So
I did.
Nothing like fresh picked berries to eat in the morning and a smooth-running Mustang....... Oh, a good friend like Erv helps too..... nice to have. Worth way more than Gold. Oh..... and I do believe you can take this with you
And keep in mind when I go out to Erv's, he is a retired mechanic. He never touches a tool. He only points at them and tells me what to do.
I learn so much from him because he makes me do it. He says no, like this stupid That is all good, we have a good relationship like that.
I always get my stuff fixed with his guidance.
I pay him back when I do carpentry work for him...... I call him stupid too.
We may both be stupid
I liked that one too. Branson Missouri at Christmas time.
It was my favorite vacation, loved the giant reindeer.
Be very careful what you ask your smartphone to do while on vacation.
I asked my smartphone to take me out of Branson Missouri a little scenic route to Memphis Tennessee.
My stupid cell phone took me all the way through the Ozark Mountains on Christmas Day. There were extremely few gas stations open.
It was one of the most scariest days of Judy's and my life. We could not get out of the Ozarks back to the main. The three times we really needed a gas station and barely found one, just hovering above E, it just started feeling worse and worst.
Have you ever seen the movie with Burt Reynolds, Deliverance with the banjo's playing. Yep I thought you did, you didn't want to get stuck back there, believe me!
My Judy started to freak out. I told her, you don't lose it on me until you come around the corner and there's two buzzards in a tree.
Two minutes later, we came around the corner. There were two buzzards on the side of the road eating a dead goat and arching their wings up like what the heck are you guys doing here..... I swear to God these birds were 3 foot tall
I looked at Judy, smiled and laughed and said start to worry..... I even remember stopping and praying at a church, I kid you not.
I'll never forget when we came down the hill and saw a big gas station with lots of people on a main. My gas gauge was well under E at that time.
It wasn't very funny while it was happening but today we have something to talk about.
There's even way more to this story but I can't possibly fit it all in.
Howdy...
John / York1. ... I can imagine a resort in sourthern Missouri would be nice. The Ozark region is beautiful. We went to Branson last year and road the scenic train. Nice.
MLC ... Glad you are home safely.
Ray ... Nice of you to chime in with an update about what you are doing.
Kevin ... That looks like a lot of rain.
We were in Nashville last evening when they had rainstorms. It was a heavy rain, and we waited before driving home.
In the middle of the storms, two Southwest Airlines planes bumped into each other on the tarmac at Nashville airport.
moelarrycurly4Kevin: The chicken picture is funny, I wonder where they came from?
.
In Belle Glade, Florida almost every residence has backyard chicken coop. There are semi-wild chickens almost everywhere.
You can't drive through Bell Glade anymore without a chicken crossing the road in front of you.
The jokes almost write themselves.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I had a great relaxing weekend. Hope you all did too.
Good Karma and best wishes go out from Judy and I to anyone in need.
Tomorrow is 4014 day in St Paul. Scheduled arrival time is 3:45 p.m. I will be there at 11:30. Judy and I will do a good lunch after we get our game plan set and familiarized with the lay of the land.
I talked to my friends at my Model Railroad Club this morning. They advised me to arrive earlier than I think.
I was told the last stop by 4014 in Saint Paul was a Major Zoo.
I will be there early tomorrow. I ain't missing this one for anything. I never do miss one. I saw the UP Challenger in Shakopee Minnesota years ago.
Actually, I like the UP Challenger better but this is the biggest steam locomotive ever built....... The Big Boy....... YA!
I will be there tomorrow! Wouldn't miss it for the world, as this is my world.
Made it to and back from Michigan with no issues.
I did get tired of the severe storms coming thru at 3 am ( not fun in a tent)
I get home and the dang storms followed me! I set my tent up to dry, well it is getting washed now........
I saw and heard a few Amtrak on the line through Kalamazoo.
Saw some CSX near INdy on teh way home today.
Ken: Sorry for you loss of Joe.
Kevin: The chicken picture is funny, I wonder where they came from?
York1With daughters spread around the country, they all pick a different place each year to get everyone together.
My girls are in Los Angeles, Seattle, and now Chicago. I sure hope we can start all getting together one day. That sounds great.
I drove to Miami this afternoon. I have a dealership readiness audit tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM. These are never fun.
I stopped at Popeye's in Belle Glade, and a family of chickens has taken up residence out front. I do not think they could have found a more dangerous neighborhood to live in!
The canals exiting Lake Okeechobee are the highest I have ever seen, and we have not even had any real big storms this year. This is not good at all.
I hope eveyone had a great weekend.
Holy Moly..... Has it really been over a week since I last posted? I have been sleeping in the back booth for way too long, I think. Evenin' everyone!
Looks like the renovation of my house could get finished next week! Carpet will be installed on Tuesday and the rest should be completed a day or so after that. Then I can figure out how I can get all the STUFF back where it is supposed to be and start really, really cleaning the house. Man! It needs it! Dust and grime on everything. Most is from the renovation, but way too much has been sitting on things for, oh 25 or 30 years...... I'm not the worlds best housekeeper and I need to get a bit better at it or I will never catch that lady I want........
I have the new fitbit and it is up and running on my wrist. This one I can wear in the shower or even, heaven forbid, swimming. There goes one of my last reasons not to get in a swimming pool. In order to use the new Charge 3 fitbit, I had to break down and buy one of them there smarty pants iPhoney thingies. It arrived on Friday in the mail. Spent about 7 hours trying to get it to do anything, downloading the apppppppppp.... Thingie that connects the fitbit to it (they just had to make the Charge 3 so it can't connect to something called a computer! That would mean I didn't have to spend more $$$$$$ just to use the thing.) Anyway, I used the frustration of trying to make heads or tails of the iPhone a good excuse to use every bad word in my vocabulary (several times each!). By Saturday noon I guess I swore at some female named Siri or sumpin' enough times she seems to have hidden and is now leaving me alone, Thank God! Now when I turn it on it goes to the appppphffs screen and I can actually use the piece of crap. My sister, who says she hates computers has had a smarty pants phone for a few years now and still says I am stupid (well that may be true) for not texting... So today I sent her a text which only took about 25 minutes longer using the tiny keyboard on the phone than it would have to send an email. But she was able to send me one right back... In something like 2 hours I think, but it sure is quicker and easier than emailing...... She says. I guess the important thing is now I get to pay for something they call data on my phone bill.
OK, enough complaining! I am starting to find the iPhone somewhat intreaging... Time will tell. I did block notifications if the phone thinks I am driving. That was suggested, and I like that idea very much. That way I don't have to swear as much while I am driving....
I did go over to the Value Store today and had them mix up a quart of the paint I use for Earth color on the layout. The last quart I bought about 15 years ago and what little there was in the can had dried out. The guy was able to look up the color (they can access many paint companies mixes I guess) and spent about a half hour mixing it for me. Used some tonight on a section of the pike I want to get a lot more done on before the convention in September.
I have run on enough to make up for my absence, most likely. So I will bid you all a good night (and good night Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are!).
30
73
Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO
We'll get there sooner or later!
Did get the front yard cut. It was only 82 degrees at the time. Cut the grass before breakfest and I am glad.
Bought some eding for the front yard. Going to go out front and play.
Later None Smoking Ken
Good morning. It's great to get a good night's sleep at home.
With daughters spread around the country, they all pick a different place each year to get everyone together. This year they were at Big Cedar Lodge in southern Missouri. Neat place.
When I got home, I had a phone message from the train store that my new Kato BNSF ES44AC with LokSound decoder was in. Will drive about 50 miles tomorrow to pick it up. Can't wait.
Mister Beasley, your gambling story reminded me of my wife. In New Orleans, we would accompany an elderly friend to the Mississippi gulf coast casinos. The friend would give us each a roll of quarters to play the machines. My wife hates gambling, and would stick the quarters in her purse.
Ken, sorry for your friend's death.
Jimmy, like Lion suggested, maybe try Walmart. Our local Walmart pays $12.00 an hour to start. It may not be a dream job, but during the summer heat you're in air-conditioning!
I didn't know Lions used mattresses, let alone mattress protectors.
Have a good Sunday, everyone.
Good morning .... Coffee and a pecan roll please.
John / York 1 .... Sounds like a good trip . Where was the resort?
..
Yesterday, we were in Nashville again. Visited my wife's Mom in long trem care. She is not doing well, unfortunately.
Happy model railroading, everybody.
Pays no dividends to get angry with others.
Getting angry with myself ias bad enough.
Just got home from a long, long trip. All three daughters, husbands, and kids at the resort. Enjoyed every minute except for the driving.
I have to remind myself not to get angry at other drivers and their cell phones.
Good evening
Looking good Ed, nice to see you. Once a strapping young lad, now a fine-looking gentleman.
Have a fun trip Dave, enjoy every minute of it. I can only say my week went by faster than I wanted it to.
Judy and I had a lot of fun on our trip. Unfortunately we got grounded in Minneapolis for 2 hours on our way back to Rochester, due to bad weather.
This was the last slot machine I played, hours before we left.
When the steam engine came up in the middle it would make the bells and whistles sound. Then the center part spun to a different grid you could choose and spin for money. The steam engine chuffed as you racked up the credits. It was one of the funner slots I played right at the end.
I walked away from this machine with $70. Not a boatload of cash but it did pay for Airport parking and breakfast when I got back
Well, we're going to enjoy the weekend before we have to go back to the Daily Grind.
I'm really looking forward to Monday afternoon. We're going down to the Union Depot in St Paul to see 4014 on its second stop there returning from Duluth.
My wife and I just watched Moana on DVD.
One more movie to add to the list that I loved and my wife hated.
Hot Afternoon Diners
Dave Have a safe trip.
Wife took me to Dennys for breakfest. I hate eating out and she hates eating a lone so she paid.
Went to Lowes and bought some Landscaping Cloth, Mulch and Landscaping Cloth Pins. May play in the front yard a little yet today.
Went to K-10 Model Trains to reset the CV's in the Thundering Pinp Pong Balls PRR I1sa. Never been able to up date my JMRI? Changed the CV's to what I was told would bypass the Reed Switch. Nope, still no chuffs. Guess I will be sending it to Florida for a vacation.
Later, None Smoking Ken
Good morning ...
Brent .... That is an impressive train of RDC's .
Bear ....... Is that Bear Airlines ?
Dave .... Have a good vacation .... Looking forward to your return.
Everybody ..... Have a good Saturday .
On the topic of asthma, I have had chronic asthma since I was about 8 years old. During my teenage years I would miss school every spring and fall because of it. I went through the battery of allergy tests and found that I was allergic to all grasses, all ragweeds, and most trees. There was more than one trip to the emergency room. I had a doctor my senior year in high school that put me on a low dose of corticosteroids for almost a year and it was finally brought under control. Today it is still mostly under control. I will have the occasional flair up and have to go back on prednisone for a couple of weeks and I use a "rescue" inhalor once or twice a day, but that is it. What was the magic bullet? For me it was cycling. I started slow and slowly built up my miles. As I did, my lungs got stronger and the naturally produced adrenaline helps to keep the bronchical tubes dialated. I have also heard that swimming is an excellent form of activity for asthmatics. The warm, moist air is supposed to help relax the bronchical tubes. Since I can't swim worth a lick, it was not an option for me. Although, drowning would be a rather permanent cure.
Richard