Good morning Diners. The usual toast and tea, please, Flo.
Jimmy (and anyone else) - Take care with soldering irons.
Grandchildren. Dawn and I thought we would never have grandchildren (for one reason or another). Now we have five keeping us young (and worn out ).
Kevin How do you keep going? I would be worn out by now.
Charlie Stay strong.
Ken. Whatever challenges you are facing, remain positive.
Thoughts & Peace to All who Require
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
Morning all,. Update from yesterday, looks like I only burned a callus, since the skin is fine and there's no pain today.
Anyway, I was putting in one of my hand built switches at the time. Between annoyance of parts popping off and a lack of sleep in the last 48 hrs, I grabbed for the iron, and missed the handle. I got lucky for sure.
Seeing the post about missing pets, I have personal experience there. I lost 3 cats in a year, one was 20 and the other two were 16. So a long life, but it still hurts.
My club picked up two new members on Friday, yay!
The progress the east broad top rr is making is incredible, located southeast of Altoona PA. Friday found them replacing Runk road bridge, a small box girder damaged in 2020 when a backhoe knocked it 1/2 to a full foot out of alignment.
They've already replaced about 2.6 miles of track as well,with plans to go north about 1200 feet to Shirleysburg. No train has gone there since 1956.
(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).
Here is a Wikipedia version of the Reading Railroad's history. The Reading Railway, through its predecessors, was the oldest incorporated railroad in the US, and at one point it was one of the most prosperous corporations in the US:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reading_Company
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
gmpullmanThis would make it a knight light then?
Now that you said it, you better believe that is what I am going to call it.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
maxmanOld Armenian saying: Berries that go into the bird come out on the Buick.
SeeYou190I am going to puit a statue of a knight under the lamp.
This would make it a knight light then?
SeeYou190I love seeing signs like this. It is nice to have a reason to be happy for others.
As long as you are not tempted to host one of these ever-popular gender reveal parties
The most recent one shattered basements of homes in New Hampshire when an explosion shook the town as 80 lb. of tannerite was detonated.
https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/big-blast-for-gender-reveal-in-kingston-rocks-homes-miles-away/article_d2fc740d-3d26-5940-a8a1-dd57fbc577d6.html
https://abcnews.go.com/US/explosion-hampshire-quarry-latest-gender-reveal-stunt-wrong/story?id=77276836
WE are the enlightened species?
Cheers, Ed
ATLANTIC CENTRALI have to hand it to you Kevin, you are hard working.
Yes, and I worked hard again today. My wife is on me to take a day off.
These are the new lights I put up on either side of the garage door. The old lights went up, these hang down. This is a problem, because I keep on walking into this one.
I have decided that since I am not smart enough to remember not to walk under the lamp, I am going to puit a statue of a knight under the lamp. That should stop me.
I dug out a big hole for the base. I have become very good at digging holes. A year ago I never could have dug out a nice square flat bottomed hole like this one.
Then I built this 15 inch square form for the concrete. I did a very good job and it was perfectly flat and square.
Then I hammered it into the ground, and all my work was ruined. Building it first and then driving in the stakes turned out was a dumb idea. All the screws worked loose, and the form fell out of square as I drove it down.
I ended up clamping everything together and leveled it out.
Then I added about 4 inches of base rock, some rebar, and steel webbing.
I mixed up an 80 pounds of concrete and filled in the form.
Tomorrow I will put the decorative stone on top of the concrete base, and then it will be ready for the statuary.
This was a lot of work just so I don't walk into a lamp any more.
The World Is A Beautiful Place.
Good Evening,
A warm day here but I really could care less.
I only slept for a couple of hours last night and my wife not at all.
I can't believe how empty the house feels without my little buddy. We have lost dogs before but this one seems especially hard as he was so smart. He was a very gentle and sensitive little guy, not like a typical westie.
Ed, I hope you can call Ken soon.
CN Charlie
One of my neighbors had a happy announcement today.
I love seeing signs like this. It is nice to have a reason to be happy for others.
Howdy ....
Ed .... Thanks for latest info on Ken. Now that it has been three weeks since you talked to him, I wonder if he has more troubles. Hope he gets back to us soon. Maybe, you will feel like checking with him again. .... I like the Reading video. I noticed a moving freight train has some flat cars with school buses for loads.
Sheldon and TF .... Regarding grandkids. I'm glad to hear both of you are blessed with some. We have 7. None live close to us.
Everybody: ..... Have a good night.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
Nice! Your lucky to have so many grandkids Sheldon. I love being a grandpa. Next month we're going to North Dakota to see my oldest graduate from high school. He got a football scholarship for college and we're very proud of him. I'm really looking forward to seeing all three of those Kids. My newest grandson Xavier just turned two.
Well, I think I'm going to hit the rack. Night night y'all
TF
Track fiddler Thanks for the Reading videos Ed. I liked the black and white clips in the mix. Today was my little CC's 5th birthday. We met at the park to barbeque, opened presents and had cake. I gave her a piggyback ride cuz it always makes her laugh. TF
Thanks for the Reading videos Ed. I liked the black and white clips in the mix.
Today was my little CC's 5th birthday.
We met at the park to barbeque, opened presents and had cake. I gave her a piggyback ride cuz it always makes her laugh.
She is a cute little thing. We had two of our grandchildren over to visit today, our youngest who is two, and her brother who is 9.
We have 10 total, ranging from 2 to 20. The two that were here today, and their older sister, live right up street, about 3 miles away.
The rest are a little farther away, Florida, PA, and south of here near Baltimore.
Sheldon
We met at the park to barbeque, open presents and have cake. I gave her a piggyback ride cuz it always makes her laugh.
Nothing good on the Telly?
Time for more Reading —
THIS little guy is ready to haul some black diamonds!
RDG, Reading, Pennsylvania, 1936 by Center for Railroad Photography & Art, on Flickr
Note how wide the firebox is.
Many of the anthracite-burning locomotives required additional firebox grate size and increased draft measures to properly burn the "hard" coal. This has led to some rather unique designs over the years.
The "Camelback" being one of them:
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/types/camelback/
SeeYou190 BATMAN We put soaker hoses and/or drip lines for irrigation in the beds right next to the house. Cover them with just enough dirt to make them invisible. Way less water lost to evaporation as well. As I explained before, we have a wonderful reclaimed irrigation watering system in this city. They discourage soaker and drip systems. When these have breaks, the breaks are hard to find and make significant loss. I am following recommendations and using schedule 40 PVC underground with targetted shrubbery nozzles in full view. The previous irrigation system was in place since 2004, and had no issues except for occassional broken nozzles. Then I added a whole bunch of new planting areas, but never added to the irrigation system. That is why the roses and gardenias died while I was travelling. Also, the lawn never was part of the watering system. This upgrade will be nice when completed... finally. I currently have 150 feet of soaker hoses for the Areca Palms I had installed last year, but these will be deleted when rainy season begins. -Kevin
BATMAN We put soaker hoses and/or drip lines for irrigation in the beds right next to the house. Cover them with just enough dirt to make them invisible. Way less water lost to evaporation as well.
As I explained before, we have a wonderful reclaimed irrigation watering system in this city.
They discourage soaker and drip systems. When these have breaks, the breaks are hard to find and make significant loss.
I am following recommendations and using schedule 40 PVC underground with targetted shrubbery nozzles in full view.
The previous irrigation system was in place since 2004, and had no issues except for occassional broken nozzles. Then I added a whole bunch of new planting areas, but never added to the irrigation system. That is why the roses and gardenias died while I was travelling. Also, the lawn never was part of the watering system. This upgrade will be nice when completed... finally.
I currently have 150 feet of soaker hoses for the Areca Palms I had installed last year, but these will be deleted when rainy season begins.
Kevin, that irrigation business sounds like a lot of work, I saw your other pictures of the work you are doing now.
We have an irrigation system, it is called rain. Our lawn looks like this from March or April until November.
All 2.3 acres, and it requires mowing with this every 4 to 10 days to keep it down to a reasonable height depending on the time of year.
Allthough I don't currently have the bagger system on the tractor.
I have to hand it to you Kevin, you are hard working.
We planted some new stuff in the front last week, after being here two years we are just getting our plans in gear to personalize the inside and the outside.
Which also means building the layout.
Work on the bathroom and getting the basement ready is progressing well. Work is a bit busy, but I like money. It buys layout supplies....
On another note, I am still in shock about Randy, his family is in my prayers.
hon30critter We replaced it with a Service Berry (Saskatoon Berry) tree which is going gangbusters! It will be in full bloom within a couple of weeks, and hopefully will produce some fruit for the birds.
Old Armenian saying: Berries that go into the bird come out on the Buick.
Good evening
A little Saturday night trivia for ya. Do you remember how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll Lollipop?
Heartland Division CB&QActually, it is a good idea for each of us to take time to consider safety when using any tools. ALWAYS protect your eyes !
So true.
I have injured myself twice since I started all the house work in February, 2020.
one of these was when material kicked back from a saw, and one was when a saw blade grabbed into material and came back at me. The second of these would have been very serious, but I had good gloves on, and the gloves took the first swipe of the saw teeth.
I always wear eye protection. I had too many close calls at work over decades of dangerous situations.
Heartland Division CB&QFirst of all ...... Does anybody have contact information for Ken ? .... If so, please reach out to him and find out if he is okay.
I talked to Ken maybe three weeks ago. He was being treated for diverticulitis at the time and he told me that he would check in to the Diner in "a few days".
I also mentioned that several folks were concerned about his well-being.
I'm not generally one to be too "inquisitive" when it comes to personal issues. I suppose I could call him again in the near future.
Reading Reborn!
Reading No. 1067 by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
Jimmy .... Thanks for the "tip"about being careful with a soldering iron and your lesson learned.
Actually, it is a good idea for each of us to take time to consider safety when using any tools. ALWAYS protect your eyes !
Hey all
Well, I joined the "burned yourself on a soldering iron" club today. Lesson learned: know WHERE The grip is exactly, and remember WHEN IT'S HOT! Thankfully it was only on one tip, and looks like nothing severe- maybe a superficial second degree burn. No skin broken, no severe pain anymore, no exposed inside stuff, just blisters. If it doesnt look better in a couple days, I'll go to Med Express.
BATMANWhen I go into town to the hockey rinks the toilets have signs over them to not drink the reclaimed water.
Interesting.
It is a code violation down here to run reclaimed water indoors for any reason.
SeeYou190As I explained before, we have a wonderful reclaimed irrigation watering system in this city.
They have that in Vancouver as well but not out here in the sticks. When I go into town to the hockey rinks the toilets have signs over them to not drink the reclaimed water. I don't care how thirsty a hockey player gets, I just can't see him doing that.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMANWe put soaker hoses and/or drip lines for irrigation in the beds right next to the house. Cover them with just enough dirt to make them invisible. Way less water lost to evaporation as well.
Hot dogs in the drawer eh?
My worst one was Saturday morning many years ago when my buddies wanted to meet down at the VFW for brunch. I had already been getting my cleanest dirty shirt out of the pile on the floor and was hungover that morning. I had enough time to cram in a quick load of laundry.
When I ended up setting the laundry basket on the floor and opened the refrigerator, it didn't take me too long to realize I went to the wrong place and was having the worst brain fart ever
Track fiddlerThe emoji is the look on my face the next morning when I find out I have peppermint bon bon sauce in the fridge. I have found out it's really good over chocolate ice cream the next night though
Thought you were going to tell us you put it on your eggs the next morning.
The hotdogs were found in the cutlery drawer one morning, not sure how that happened. The dogs got a treat.
Track fiddlerI've been known to have a midnight snack and throw the tub of ice cream in the refrigerator
My wife has done that a couple of times!
She gets so mad at herself, and I just try not to laugh.
SeeYou190 I just went into the kitchen to make another cup of coffee. The coffee pot was not on the coffee maker. It was in the refrigerator! I guess I figured that is where it should be. Whoops.
I just went into the kitchen to make another cup of coffee. The coffee pot was not on the coffee maker.
It was in the refrigerator! I guess I figured that is where it should be.
Whoops.
At least that one is reversible.
After some beers on a weekend night I've been known to have a midnight snack and throw the tub of ice cream in the refrigerator
The emoji is the look on my face the next morning when I find out I have peppermint bon bon sauce in the fridge. I have found out it's really good over chocolate ice cream the next night though
The wife just got a call from the Animal Emergency Hospital. Don't know what's up but she was out the door in a hurry. She gets calls all the time for opinions on all things animal even though she retired eight years ago. The Hospital is about a half-hour away so I will hang inside with more coffee just in case they need blood. There have been times when I have loaded all our dogs up in a hurry and taken them in to be emergency blood donors.
I remember waking up in the night sometimes and she would be gone, she would often go to the hospital in the middle of the night just to check on serious cases and come home and slip back into bed.
Of course, she would be the on-call surgeon as well sometimes and the phone would ring at three in the morning, and if it was something really serious like a police dog injured in the line of duty I would get a hard elbow in the ribs as she would say let's go!
Happy May Day, everybody .
First of all ...... Does anybody have contact information for Ken ? .... If so, please reach out to him and find out if he is okay.
David .... Thanks again for the photos and videos of Scotland. I need to go back to the April Diner to see the ones I missed.
Ed .... Thank you for starting the May Diner. It looks like it will be an interesting month.
Everybody ..... Have a good day.