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Welcome to Jeffrey's Trackside Diner July, 2020 In The UK and British Isles

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  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Saturday, July 11, 2020 11:59 PM

York1
Kevin, the garage looks great. I love Menards.  For people who have never been to one, it's a cross between Home Depot and ...?  They have just about everything, including O Scale trains.  It is the only store I can spend a while in without feeling like I wasted my time.

Thanks John.

I love Menard's too. It is so much better than Home Depot or Lowes. It is just such a shame that the closest one is 800 miles away. 

Very inconvenient.

moelarrycurly4
Kevin, you will prob be fine. I have worked at the hospital this whole time during this event. Main thing is wash your hands, keep distant. wear your mask.

I hope so too. I have always been a fastidious hand washer, and I shower three times a day. I am always wearing my mask. I just worry about how often I touch my nose and eyes. I did not even become aware of that until this situation.

Track fiddler
By the look of the tool cabinets it looks like you have enough tools to do anything you need to do

I do have the tools. I cannot thinki of many jobs I do not have the right tools for. Everything from hanging drywall to rebuilding 2,000 horsepower industrial diesel engines. I have what I need.

One of the bolts to hang the garage door opener yesterday was in a very difficult to access location. I went to the toolbox and got a Blue Point 7/16" flex head ratcheting box wrench and a Snap-On 7/16" deep offset box wrench and made quick work of it. I cannot imagine doing work without every tool I could ever need right where I can access it.

Can you have too many sockets?

That does not even get into my 3/4" and 1" drive tools.

One of the greatest things I saw in a friends garage that I copied was the use of a legal sized file cabinet to house power tools.

Saws are in the top drawer:

Then drills and sanders:

Routers, cutters, and grinders are in the third drawer:

This sure makes storing power tools neat and easy.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
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Posted by "JaBear" on Sunday, July 12, 2020 1:08 AM

SeeYou190
Can you have too many sockets?

Never!!! (as long as you don't leave them in what you're working on!!!)

Did you work on metric stuff, Kevin?

Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
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  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
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Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, July 12, 2020 5:54 AM

Here's a pleasant Sunday Morning film from auntie "Beebe":

Does anyone remember posts I made featuring Fred Dibnah when he was climbing steeples and tearing down smoke stacks? He was a pretty accomplished chap.

Yesterday I was taking a walk and came across a PAIR of Pileated woodpeckers at my feeder. One flew away before I could get the camera ready Oops - Sign

 Pileated_7-20 by Edmund, on Flickr

They were both juveniles. Glad to have them in the neighborhood.

I hope everyone is well and safe.

Cheers, Ed

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 7:01 AM

Good morning

MLC,  I like the old radios, and a great job you do restoring them with the veneer.  Those old-school ones remind me of the one on The Waltons the family used to sit in the evening for story time.

Ulrich,  Always enjoy your videos.  The one reminded me of Johnny Cash, ... Music "I hear the train a comin, it's rolling round the bend" Music  If I would have to choose I must say,  I have always preferred the British higher pitched whistle to the American lower pitch horn on the steamers.

I remember when I first got my driver's license as you talked about.  I remember how exciting it was as it opened up a whole new world.  Sometimes with a place to go with our friends and sometimes just driving aimlessly to see what we would find.  Getting lost was half the fun sometimes.

Kevin,  I like the other Farm picture you recently posted.  We certainly have a lot of them up here in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin. 

When I am visiting my brother-in-law in Wisconsin.  When it's time to make a beer run for our evening bonfire.  We drive past the Udder Farm.  It has the family's name right across the top of the barn in big letters.  My brother-in-law always says the same thing as we drive by.  "It's not this farm and it's not that farm, It's the Udder Farm" Laugh  I don't care how many times we drive by it, It's still always funny, as we both bust a gut.

P.S.  And I forgot to tell you about the camel.  We purposely go out of our way to drive by the farm where the one farmer owns a camel.  It's so weird to see a camel in a northern country setting.  It's a real treatConfused  And everyone in the vehicle says, ... "Hump day yeah" Laugh

And you're right Kevin, there's no such thing as too many sockets.  When you're busy fixing something and need a certain size, they are easier to find.  There's no such thing as too many any tools for that matter.  "Ahh, Ahh, Ahh" PirateLaugh

Ed,  Those pileated woodpeckers are really something.  With their Crest on their head, I wonder if that's where the Mohawk originally came from.  They are quite the powerful tool as I have wondered about the big chunks at the bottom of the tree they rip out. 

I had a customer who had a problem with one pounding on her hollow chimney top.  She had a big problem.  From what I understand, they go to the highest spot that makes the loudest noise during mating season in the spring.  It was way too high up for me and I didn't know what I would do anyway.  I told her to call a roofing companyConfusedWhistling

 

Make it a great day All!

 

 

TF

  • Member since
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  • From: SE. WI.
  • 8,253 posts
Posted by mbinsewi on Sunday, July 12, 2020 7:43 AM

Good morning gang, just thought I'd check in.  Been busy working on our place in northern WI.  I'll finish up the trim next week, then move on to build a storage shed/3 seaon shop.

I had a little trouble getting back home last Wed., as I lost the right front wheel on my truck, going 70mph.  It was a thrilling ride, to say the least.

Got everything patch up, and back on the road on Thurs., got about 3/4 of the way home, and the left front started to do the same.  I caught in time, was able to pull off the freeway, and tighten it back on.  From there I took back roads home, and stopped about every 30 miles or so, to make sure it stayed tight.

The last people to take a wheel off my truck was the last time I had the front brake and bearings checked.  We've used this shop for about 25 yrs. now, and they aren't owning up to anything.  I can't prove anything, so....Indifferent

Anyway, the original rims on my old (2002) Ranger are the aluminum alloy wheels, and I've told they are a problem, so I'm getting new steel rims to replace the alloy rims.

I had the same problem with being logged off, and trying to get back on.  I called CS., they said they have been doing updates.  I use Chrome, so I deleted everything, and got back on with no problems.  I needed to empty it all out anyway, and regained almost 500 MB.

Later gang!  Stay safe!

Mike.

  • Member since
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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 8:43 AM

Good morning.  It's a beautiful morning, and was actually cool for my walk this morning.  It will be another hot and humid July day.

MLC, my parents loved antiques, and they had a radio that looked like the second one of your pictures.  I don't know what happened to it after they died.  Being raised in a home full of antiques, I don't like them.  I will take new over antique any day.  Of course, once you are married, that doesn't matter.  That's why I have a house full of antiques.  My wife always reminds me that if she dies first, I can get rid of all of them.

Have a good, restful Sunday.

York1 John       

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 8:57 AM

Good morning again

One more post and then I need to go for a big long walk.

Wow Mike,  That is so uncool. I'm glad you are okay out of that.  Quite a few years ago there was an incident in Minneapolis where a garbage truck Dually flew off, bounced over the median going through someone's windshield killing them.  Since this preventable accident happened they have green flap tags on the lug nuts to assure the proper tightness.

 

Well, ... I need that long walk because the last few days of working on my truck has caught up to me.  I hate to whine like an old ladyLaugh but sometimes I realize I ain't getting any younger. 

The crawling around up and down underneath my bumper installing it and then the quarter panel metal I put on my truck.  I had to pop the rear wheels off to crawl in the wheel well above the caliper at a funny angle to clean and seal up the old metal to the new metal so the salt don't get in-between and rust it out again.  This type of work is not of the norm for me.

My legs are so sore today I can barely move, my arms and back too.  I never understood before but now I do.  Those times I'd see someone old walking down the sidewalk with ski poles.  That would be really good for me right now to loosen back upLaughSad

While I was spraying the undercoating in the last wheel well my buddy Erv had set the torque wrench down by my leg.  No over tightening with the air impact on the lugs.  Click, click, click click, click 5 time's.  You already know this but that's what your mechanic forgot to do when he got sidetracked MikeSadTongue Tied

 

And now for that long walk.  Too bad I don't have any ski poles thoughSadLaugh   Never, ... Not this kid! PirateSmile, Wink & Grin, ... I hopeLaugh

 

 

TF

 

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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 9:07 AM

Track fiddler
I never understood before but now I do.  Those times I'd see someone old walking down the sidewalk with ski poles.  That would be really good for me right now to loosen back up

TF, you and me both.

Last year I knew I was going to hike Bryce Canyon, and I finally broke down and bought a walking pole from the sports store.

It really worked!  I found I used it the most going downhill, not uphill.  I became a believer that it may make me look like an old guy trying to hike, but it sure made my life easier.

York1 John       

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Posted by Track fiddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 9:30 AM

Walking poles can be cool John.  I used to have this really cool badass one that was made by an old master carver of Diamond Willow across the lake from me.  It had snakes wrapped around, a fish, an eagle and all kinds of interesting little charms to look at.  It was crooked and gnarly looking.  He was so very good at his craft because anytime I thought I had seen all the carvings in it, I would find another one hiding.  I hate thinking about it because I never knew what happened to it.  I think obviously someone stole it.

He just gave it to me out of the goodness of his heart.  I wish I still had it.  Those things can be quite expensive, although I never could have put a price tag on that one.  

 

 

TF

  • Member since
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  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 9:42 AM

Track fiddler
I used to have this really cool badass one that was made by an old master carver of Diamond Willow across the lake from me. 

 

I wish I had something like that.

Mine is a metal telescoping pole with a nice soft handle and wrist strap.  It collapses down to about a foot long, telescopes out to about five feet, and is surprisingly sturdy for being so lightweight.

I don't use it when doing my daily walk, but I will take it on vacation to national parks.

York1 John       

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • From: Kentucky
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, July 12, 2020 9:58 AM

Howdy .

MLC ... I'm impressed with the antique radios in your photos. Nice. 

Kevin .... That is a nice Michigan barn you showed. I remember seeing barns in MI that were converted to houses. Lots of square feet inside. ... That is a big tool cabinet. Remarkable. .... I forgot to show you and MLC my tools when you and he visited. Woodworking tools are in the downstairs workshop, and mechanical tools are in the garage. (Garden tools are in teh garage too, but that is Shelley's department. LOL) I dont think I showed the garage either. The Porsche is in it. 

Mike in SW WI ..... Losing a wheel at 70 mph would be scary. Glad you are okay. ... Reminds me I almost got hit by a wheel that came of an oncoming car while on the interstate. Our car and theirs going 70 mph. No time to react. If it hit our windshield, I would not be here. 

Ed ... Thanks for posting the video. You should have told the woodpecker not to fly away before you could take a picture. 

Ulrich .... The house you showed looks good. 

Everybody...... Have a good day. 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

  • Member since
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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 9:59 AM

It is Sunday.

As many know, churches are one of my favorite subjects to photograph as I travel. Here are some of the best I saw in Michigan and Ohio.

If I had more money than I needed, I would duplicate the last one as my house.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Sunday, July 12, 2020 10:03 AM

Track fiddler
We purposely go out of our way to drive by the farm where the one farmer owns a camel.

Owning just one isn't recommended.  This site says camels are easily confused and offended.  Young camels need "a village" to be raised properly. 

https://camelconnection.com/camels-for-sale/

Since they don't sell to the US, nor to anyone who hasn't passed the "camel course"  I think I can dodge the forum rules

In the US prices range from $5,000-20,000.   If you are in a country where they race them, you can spend a lot more.

I noticed in the recent ARCA race, they were retorquing lug nuts.  I didn't understand their rules for a pit stop.  No one was in a hurry to do anything.

Throwing a way extra hammers this weekend.  I had all my mothers hammers and all mine.  You can't even give stuff away anymore.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 10:26 AM

BigDaddy
Throwing a way extra hammers this weekend.  I had all my mothers hammers and all mine.  You can't even give stuff away anymore.

I have about 6 sets of Craftsman wrenches (and one S-K) from 5/8 through 15/16. You are right, they cannot even be given away.

Back in the 1980s I used to hear stories about how some lucky guy found a tool box full of tools for $200.00 at a yard sale. I did not believe such stories.

Now, $200.00 would be a high price to pay.

-Kevin

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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  • From: Paducah KY
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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 10:47 AM

Track fiddler

Good morning

MLC,  I like the old radios, and a great job you do restoring them with the veneer.  Those old-school ones remind me of the one on The Waltons the family used to sit in the evening for story time.

 

 

 

TF

 

 

well strange tha you say that 

 

This radio 

 

Is the model that was used on the Waltons. In the radio community it is known as the Zenith Walton radio. Because of that it is very expensive to collect. This one is not mine. I am redoing veneer on it. 

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 10:51 AM

Camels on farms: We saw two farms with camels when we were traveling. Not exactly sure where, but it was a head-turner and not expected.

Here in Florida, 20-25 years ago, a lot of farms began raising Emus and Ostriches because it was predicted their meat would become a staple in the American diet.

That never happened, then we had wild large flightless bird populations in South Florida.

Supposedly they are gone now. Maybe the Pythons killed them all.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
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  • From: 53° 33′ N, 10° 0′ E
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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 11:43 AM

Geez - camels in Florida? I always thought they´d need a hot, but dry climate! I think it´s a questionable venue to bring exotic animals to places outside of their natural habitat. Some years ago, a half-witted person released a pair of racoons in Germany, now we have a racoon population which is takind over the country. The same with bullfrogs. Crazy!

I spent the better part of the day doing some research on small houses. A few years ago, the tiny house movement reached Germany and here is a German engineer´s solution:

The "house" is actually quite spacious and bright and airy inside.

The price is forbidding, though!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 11:51 AM

Tinplate Toddler
Geez - camels in Florida?

As far as I know there are no Camels in Florida. Since the Python and Gila Monster problems, exotic breeds have been well regulated. I saw the camels in either Ohio of Michigan.

We still have a couple of large "big cat sanctuaries" but most of the smaller local "zoos" are gone.

There is still the one guy over in Dade County that has a private zoo, but he has enough money to keep fighting any state regulation for the rest of his life.

Lake Trafford, in Immokalee, now has a lot of wild Peacocks living around the shores. They make an obnoxious noise.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    February 2018
  • From: Flyover Country
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 12:16 PM

I visited a friend in Gilbert, AZ, a suburb of Phoenix.

I'm not sure the exact location, but it was not out of town -- a house with some acreage had giraffes in the back.

York1 John       

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Posted by moelarrycurly4 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 12:23 PM

In 1854 the US cavalry tried camels in Texas instead of horses. went over like a lead balloon.

 

PIE

on me!

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Posted by sandjam on Sunday, July 12, 2020 12:44 PM

SeeYou190
As far as I know there are no Camels in Florida. Since the Python and Gila Monster problems,...

Yes, there are Camels in FL, in major city zoos.
 Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando (Disney) etc.
Can’t remember if any at Loxahatchee, decades have passed since my last visit.
Never heard of a Gila Monster problem in FL though, have you got a link to an article?
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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 1:11 PM

Well, there are camels in Germany - all of them in zoos, none being kept privately. Lots of people keep snakes, exotic lizard and even lions, leopards and other man-eating beasts, which is not at all allowed. These peope are plum loco!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, July 12, 2020 1:31 PM

When I used to ski in Maine, we would pass a llama farm on the trip.

I had one of those lost wheel incidents, too.  It was totally my fault.  I rotated the tires and didn't get one on properly.  After about ten miles it came loose and I saw it take off down the highway, coming to rest in the woods.  Fortunately, the weight distribution was such that that corner of the car stayed up.  I had lost all those lug nuts, so after retrieving the wheel, I took one but off of each of the remaining wheels, replaced the wheel and drove a few miles to Sears.  Yeah, it was a while ago.  There was still Sears.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 1:45 PM

sandjam
Yes, there are Camels in FL, in major city zoos.  Jacksonville, Miami, Tampa, Orlando (Disney) etc

Of course I knew they are in zoos. That was not the discussion, we were talking about farms and such, as well as exotic invasive species.

Sandjam: You seem to respond to my posts more than anyone elses, and you have said you live on the West Coat of Florida.

Do I know you in real life?

I just have this hunch that we know each other somehow. Are any of these people you?

Harley Ken

Chaos Costa

Outrider Tommy

Helicopter Al

Pasco Seaboard John

Store Owner John

Board Game Derrick

Dark Side Donnie

or Norway Spud

If we are acquaintances, and all my guesses are wrong, toss me a ninkname I can use to identify you. I would like to know.

Yes, both Gila Monsters and more often, Nile Monitors, have caused problems in Southwest Florida. It is easy to Google.

-Kevin (The Tall Bretonnian, Duke Georgal of Entralgia)

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2004
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Posted by MisterBeasley on Sunday, July 12, 2020 2:13 PM

Yay!  I figured out how to clear all those browser things on this tablet, and I can log on again without doing the incognito thing.

Things were so much easier on my desktop.  It seems like modern tablets and phones are designed for what they think you want to do, not what you actually want to do.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by Tinplate Toddler on Sunday, July 12, 2020 2:28 PM

Germany can be so beautiful! I know we are in UK this month, but I just have to share this video of a small village 1 hour from Berlin with you!

Happy times!

Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)

"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"

  • Member since
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Posted by York1 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 3:24 PM

Tinplate Toddler
Germany can be so beautiful! I know we are in UK this month, but I just have to share this video of a small village 1 hour from Berlin with you!

That really is a neat boat ride.  So many things to see, so little time to see them.

York1 John       

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    February 2020
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Posted by sandjam on Sunday, July 12, 2020 4:08 PM

SeeYou190
Sandjam: You seem to respond to my posts more than anyone elses, and you have said you live on the West Coat of Florida.

I Googled Gila Monsters in the Everglades first, before I replied.
Zero hits, that’s why I asked for a link.
Never heard of a problem with them in FL, so if there is one, please post a link.
Nile monitors as well… never heard of problems from them either.
Nothing on Google.
Hmmm…
I am very well aware of the escapees from Andrew in ’92 but have heard nothing about either species causing a “problem(s)”.
AFAIK, no open season on them like Iguanas and pythons.
So, I’m very curious about that statement about problems.
I can’t even find any news reports of them being found in yards or driveways, or on doorsteps?
So far, google is not my friend on those matters.
Links would be very helpful and very much appreciated.
I like to stay informed.
 
Yes, I have lived in Pinellas County since 1963.
Been up and down and all around the state by car and boat many times.
Crossed FL through the locks along the Caloosahatchee more than a dozen.
 
I am not familiar with any of those people?
Unless it was at a train or gun show, I don’t believe our paths have crossed. I used to attend about 20 FL train shows a year up until about 2013-2015 or so, and about half that many gun shows.
Now don’t travel more than 100 miles for either one, seldom that far.
Used to belong to an amateur shooting club up in Oldsmar in the 70-80’s at the Pinellas County Sheriff range.
Had lots of people from all over the state come there to shoot.
Maybe you visited?
I am good friends with Brad at Texnrails out of Miami, maybe we met there at the old brick and mortar?
 
I get the whole coffee klatch atmosphere of the dinner, but some of the stuff you post of Florida life baffles me.
Maybe other’s too.
That’s why the questions.
 
But hey… I got you!
Just keeping it real.
I am not one to tell tall tales, but sometimes they are fun to read, sometimes no so much.
 
PS… Mangos just now getting ripe, another week on the trees, two at most, a few weeks behind normal this year.
Pineapple the same.
  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 4:15 PM

I spent a few hours hiking around the Waterloo Recreation Area in Michigan.

It was beautiful, but the woods kept me from getting far enough back from much to get very many good pictures.

I got some poison ivy on my right leg while in there. I guess these signs should have been heeded.

The rental car looked pretty cool on the dirt roads back in the woods.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, July 12, 2020 4:19 PM

sandjam
I Googled Gila Monsters in the Everglades first, before I replied.

This one was at the top of my search results.

Better look quick, sometimes the moderators take down links to news stories.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/unusual-stories-news/monster-lizard-terrorizes-family-in-south-florida/

The image searches are even better.

Like I'm the guy giving Florida a bad reputation... Laugh

Hard to believe you can live in Florida and don't know about the Oscars, Lion Fish, Iguanas, Cougars, Pythons, and so on... and so on.

You have heard about the fire ants, right?

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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