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Jeffrey's Trackside Diner: August, 2021!

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, August 27, 2021 6:58 PM

Someone that does not visit the diner asked me how I get my canopy on and off.

To put it on I back in under it, unhook the 2 x 4s from the chain letting them rest on the truck. I then climb in and push up with my back and slide the 2 x 4s out and and lower the canopy onto the truck and then clamp up.

To take it off the procedure is in reverse, obviously.Laugh

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, August 27, 2021 4:49 PM

York1
Kevin, it sounds like getting a job is mostly to have something to do.  You're still young, so that is probably a good idea.

I just received a phone call from Home Depot that my background checks out OK. That took three hours... what did they even check? The background checks we did on new hires took seven days. I am completely convinced that they just needed a pulse, nothing more.

My orientation was moved to Thursday because the Tuesday session was full. The lady on the phone kept appologoizing for that. Like I care at all.

Yes, the job is just to have something to do. With what they are paying it will barely put a dent in the negative cash flow, but that does not matter. I will probably just be buying more trains.

howmus
Well....  You are definitly somebody I would look "up" to!!!  Our new Boy Scout District Executive is about 7' tall.  He stands up.... and up..... and up!!!

That must be miserable for him. If there was an elective surgery I could have to make me 5' 11" tall I would do it tomorrow.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, August 27, 2021 3:35 PM

POST HOG!!!!!

I am stuck at my desk and my daughter sends me this. 

My truck is 21 years old and has taken us on many adventures over the worse roads. I don't really care about its wellbeing at this point in its history, BUT!...... I always tell my daughter to park it far away from other cars so I don't get door-dings.Smile, Wink & Grin It is nice to know she listens.Laugh 

I have a good selection of photos she has sent just like this one.Laugh

No description available.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by NorthBrit on Friday, August 27, 2021 3:27 PM

Good evening Diners.   A large coffee please, Janie.

A busy day today.  Played cricket this morning.  We won. Thumbs Up

Lunch with friends.

Back to make dinner.

 

Back in the day the U.K. supplied locomotives to the world.   Nowadays we get them from Canada and Japan!

Here are what we have now.

 

 

Liverpool to Scarborough.

 

 

David

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, August 27, 2021 3:07 PM

howmus
"Nobody wanted me................  that I wanted!"

I just about always had a girlfriend, very attractive knockouts that joined me in my semi-extreme adventurous lifestyle. However, I never wanted to marry any of them. 

I had two very good friends that were both real sweethearts and both Veterinarians. They were workaholics devoted to their professions. I was a real free spirit, hopping on a plane whenever I wanted to, something they could never do. I knew my wife well for 14 years and one day I guess as I was starting to slow down a bit we started hanging out a lot more often and I really fell in love with her. She still asks why it took me so long as I later found out she had been interested in more than friendship for a long time. Thinking that I could have missed out on my life with her haunts me.

There was no doubt in my mind when I decided to marry her it was all I wanted. I have had people ask me if they thought they should marry someone. My response is always, the fact you are asking the question should be your answer.

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, August 27, 2021 2:46 PM

howmus

 

 
SeeYou190
I am 6' 7"

 

Well....  You are definitly somebody I would look "up" to!!!  Our new Boy Scout District Executive is about 7' tall.  He stands up.... and up..... and up!!!

73

 

Kevin will be very useful if the forklift breaks down.Laugh

Brent

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Posted by howmus on Friday, August 27, 2021 2:45 PM

BATMAN
Ya, I saw marriages struggle and/or end because either or both partners did not have a chance to spread their wings first and knock off a few things on the bucket list.

Your comment remined me of my FiL's comment at their 72nd. wedding anniversary party (in the Nursing home I might add).  They were married at the age of 19 IIRC.  He sat in his motorized scooter chair out side and was asked to say a few words about being married 72 years.  He took a puff on his cigar, thought for moment and said, "Damn teenage marriages never last!"  Then he grinned and took another puff on his cigar!  (His wife was a perfect 10, btw and not just the way she looked.  Absolutely wonderful, loving, and caring lady!  Her daughter that I married took after her!

I have been asked why I never remarried, and my answer is always, "Nobody wanted me................  that I wanted!"

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by howmus on Friday, August 27, 2021 2:32 PM

SeeYou190
I am 6' 7"

Well....  You are definitly somebody I would look "up" to!!!  Our new Boy Scout District Executive is about 7' tall.  He stands up.... and up..... and up!!!

73

Ray Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western R.R. (S.L.O.&W.) in HO

We'll get there sooner or later! 

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Posted by BATMAN on Friday, August 27, 2021 2:04 PM

Good morning, it is still raining but should turn to sunshine by noon and be sunny until further notice.

My wife is all but living at the hospital as her mother is so much better with her there. She is tormented with her dementia and is happier with the wife by her side. We don't think she will get out of the hospital, but who knows. Our mini-vacation on Vancouver Island after we drop off my Daughter for University will likely not happen. No biggie. I am sitting here trying to cover for the wife in the phone dept. as she had a lot going on this week.

SeeYou190
Thursday is lawn maintenance day

Gaming night I understand, but I thought you had a lawn care company, they can't cut the grass without you?

SeeYou190
It always amazed my when I would be in Home Depot buying spray paint for a Cosplay prop, and someone would just walk up to me and ask "Will this circuit breaker be suitable for 8 gauge alluminum wiring?"

 It is likely the way you carry yourself, you must have that look of self-assured confidence and look very approachable.

Doughless
Most young men think about being a husband and father in their early 20s.  I didn't, but most do (maybe some shouldn't). 


Ya, I saw marriages struggle and/or end because either or both partners did not have a chance to spread their wings first and knock off a few things on the bucket list. I never had plans to marry but I mellowed with age. Having kids was the best thing ever. Having them at an older age meant money was not an issue, energy was.Laugh

hon30critter
I have a bit of experience with kitchen design but it is probably just enough to seriously bother the real kitchen designers.

We just had our kitchen done and had a designer come in. I was a little skeptical about that but it was a case of not knowing what we didn't know and in the end, the cost was well worth it.

Bear, love the Mount Cook pics. I went on a very long all-day hike up towards Mount Cook on a beautiful sunny day. A day that lives as a hi-light. Then in the same area, I went on a two-day backcountry adventure on horseback. The thing I remember about that was the horses were stunning, not the usual nags you end up riding on those sorts of trips. The trip was for experienced riders that allowed us a lot of latitude on where we went. It was such a good trip.

The lady whose Estate I am looking after was from big money in Massachusetts, she traveled the world her whole life up until she was 96. She would often tell of going to Mount Cook and running into Sir Edmund Hillary the day she arrived and they ended up having dinner together and they apparently had an interesting few days together by the sounds of it.Whistling

That photo of Lake Pukaki sure jarred the memory banks. 

On that trip when I was taking the ferry over to the South Island I met this girl from Switzerland. I spent the next ten days with her, she left for Ballie and I went back to Australia and then onto Fiji. After we both got home we met and traveled together a few times. A trip around the Adriatic was a good one as well.

The Sun is out, time to go.

Another Rocky Mountain perch I rode the mountain bike into.

 

Brent

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Posted by York1 on Friday, August 27, 2021 2:00 PM

Good afternoon, everyone.

It's been another day where I've been busy but haven't accomplished much.

I have been working on a kitchen drawer.  I have been using the table saw out in my shed, but it got too hot to stay out there very long.  I go back and forth from the shed to work and then back inside the house to cool down.

Kevin, it sounds like getting a job is mostly to have something to do.  You're still young, so that is probably a good idea.

When I retired, I thought about filling up some time by getting a part-time job.  However, my days have filled up with some volunteer things I do, and with some projects I have.  Now, at age near 70, I doubt I will look for much else to do.

 

While looking for photos, I came across this unusual one.  It's an older photo, so I don't know how the colors have changed, but it looks like these locomotives almost have a purple tint:

 

 

This is on the BNSF Cresston Sub, with ballast headed to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, to repair flood damage in 2019:

 

 

Top of the Page!  It's so hot and humid here, you can join me in a Dairy Queen break.  I love these:

York1 John       

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, August 27, 2021 1:46 PM

Doughless
I guess he was in a pretty dicey area at a bad time, and the Officer promoted him over the others because he was 6'5", the tallest one, and figured the rest would be more likely to follow his lead over anybody.

I am 6' 7", and many veterans have told me I would have been an officer if I had enlisted just because of my height. I hoped that would not be true. I am not a combatant, hero, or even remotely brave.

My only command would be, OK soldiers, lets go find a safe place to hide until combat is over.

Tall people make good targets for bad shots.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

I had the (very quick) interview at Home Depot. I am hired pending background check. That should be easy.

I am to show up on Tuesday for my first day of work. Apparently getting hired for part time entry level gigs is just a lottery system. The interviewer had not seen my resume or work history. She pretty much just wanted to know if I had a pulse.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by Doughless on Friday, August 27, 2021 12:39 PM

SeeYou190
With the way that I look, how I dress, the size I am, and how I carry myself, people always assume I must know everything about how to repair a house. The fact is, that up until two years ago, I knew almost nothing. It always amazed my when I would be in Home Depot buying spray paint for a Cosplay prop, and someone would just walk up to me and ask "Will this circuit breaker be suitable for 8 gauge alluminum wiring?" I always wondered what part of my appearance made them think I would know.

During my standing summer job between college seasons, by boss told us a story about how he achieved rank during Vietnam.  I guess he was in a pretty dicey area at a bad time, and the Officer promoted him over the others because he was 6'5", the tallest one, and figured the rest would be more likely to follow his lead over anybody.

- Douglas

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, August 27, 2021 11:48 AM

dti406
Congradulations Kevin, one of my fellow club members has the same position, the only bad thing he works in the nursery area and usually has to work on Saturdays when we have our club meetings.

Thanks Rick. I really do not want to work Thursdays or Fridays. Thursday is lawn maintenance day and Friday is Wargaming night. I am going to see what they say.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by dti406 on Friday, August 27, 2021 11:41 AM

Congradulations Kevin, one of my fellow club members has the same position, the only bad thing he works in the nursery area and usually has to work on Saturdays when we have our club meetings.

 

Rick Jesionowski

Rule 1: This is my railroad.

Rule 2: I make the rules.

Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, August 27, 2021 11:40 AM

Doughless
No interview, because they are looking for help, they'll take just about anybody. (no offense. LOL).

In 90 minutes I will know. I am more curious about the process than the actual part time job.

After weeks of applying for dippy part time gigs, I had given up. I figured people looked at my resume and thought that at my last job I reported directly to the regional executive vice president of operations for a Fortune 500 company, and now I want to stack cat food?... Nope. There must be something wrong with this guy.

MisterBeasley
I've been in the local hardware store and people have come up to me with rather detailed plumbing or electrical questions.  I did my best to help them with my limited knowledge, and then I tried to find someone else to help.

With the way that I look, how I dress, the size I am, and how I carry myself, people always assume I must know everything about how to repair a house. The fact is, that up until two years ago, I knew almost nothing.

It always amazed my when I would be in Home Depot buying spray paint for a Cosplay prop, and someone would just walk up to me and ask "Will this circuit breaker be suitable for 8 gauge alluminum wiring?"

I always wondered what part of my appearance made them think I would know.

-Kevin

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Friday, August 27, 2021 11:26 AM

A few times, I've been in the local hardware store and people have come up to me with rather detailed plumbing or electrical questions.  I did my best to help them with my limited knowledge, and then I tried to find someone else to help.  You see, I don't work in a hardware store.  I'm a radar systems guy.  I guess people thought I knew what I was doing.

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

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Posted by NorthBrit on Friday, August 27, 2021 7:11 AM

Doughless

Which reminds me of one of life's realities. 

Acquiring useless knowledge is about as useful as acquiring none at all.

 

Ah the memories.   Only a year to go before I retired at 65 years of age I got a job working in the office of a roofing company.   The job was to answer the telephone for appointments.  A contract for nine months.

In that nine months I knew how to roof a building  and all the jargon required.  Never went on a roof.  I cannot stand heights!!!   

 

David

 

To the world you are someone.    To someone you are the world

I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought

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Posted by York1 on Friday, August 27, 2021 6:35 AM

SeeYou190
I think I got a job. I applied at Home Depot a few weeks ago. Today I got an email from Home Depot that asked me a few questions. Then I got another email 10 minutes later that said I have been selected to be hired, and I should be there tomorrow at 2:00 in the afternoon for new employee orientation.

 

If you get the job, and if you get an employee discount on tools and lumber, I may be taking a vacation with a utility trailer to visit you, my good friend, who wouldn't mind doing a favor for me, your good friend.

Wink

York1 John       

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Posted by Doughless on Friday, August 27, 2021 6:16 AM

SeeYou190
Not sure I am understanding this process. They made me an offer, but have not interviewed me. They told me to show up for orientation tomorrow, but did not tell me to bring necessary documents for a DHS I-9

Just speculating, but it sounds like how my son got his job at Walmart. No interview, because they are looking for help, they'll take just about anybody. (no offense. LOL).

These are huge monolithic corporations that treat everybody the same.  They likely have an orientation process that bombards you with every type of document you'll need to be a HD "team member", no matter where they will eventually put you.  Fill out the docs for a DHS, all the way to filling out your 401k documents like you're 25 years old and plan to be there for 30 years.

Then they'll tell you when your first day of work is.

- Douglas

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Posted by Doughless on Friday, August 27, 2021 6:10 AM

BATMAN
I think what I am trying to say is, getting what you want is not hard it is just a matter of doing it by learning how.

Keeping your eye on your goal relentlessly, essentially, showing tremendous interest in that goal every day of your life, is really what anybody needs.  If you keep thinking, eventually you will acquire the knowledge needed.

Most young men think about being a husband and father in their early 20s.  I didn't, but most do (maybe some shouldn't).  When that happens, real life obligations take up the time and energy that would have otherwise been put into the other goals. It can be a trade off with the result being whatever makes you the happiest.

I chose the corporate ladder route.  In high school, I knew that companies required that piece of paper called a college degree, and also knew that I would have to spend 4 years of time and money getting "educated" in order to accumulate the 18 months of useful knowledge I was looking for.

Which reminds me of one of life's realities. 

Acquiring useless knowledge is about as useful as acquiring none at all.

 

 

- Douglas

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, August 27, 2021 4:10 AM

Post Hog!!

Okay, I will admit to not having done anything substantial model railroading wise for quite some time. Guilty!

However, I have been having a lot of fun over the past few days working on a couple of designs for our son's new kitchen. I have a bit of experience with kitchen design but it is probably just enough to seriously bother the real kitchen designers. I'll have fun watching them try to be patient when I present my concepts to them!

I have to put in a plug here for the 3rd PlanIt software. It is easily adapted to designing other things, like kitchens. I'm definitely getting my money's worth out of it.

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by hon30critter on Friday, August 27, 2021 4:01 AM

Hi Bear,

I'm enjoying the pictures from your vacation. Beautiful scenery!

However, I have to confess to being really dumb. It only recently occurred to me that you were taking a winter vacation! None the less, you seem to have had a really great time! Just don't wait for another 20 years before your next one!

Cheers!!

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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Posted by "JaBear" on Friday, August 27, 2021 3:17 AM

SeeYou190
I think I got a job.

Good Luck!!
 
Thanks for the kind remarks regarding my holiday snaps, I’m pleased that they are interesting enough.
 
The road up to Mt Cook, running alongside Lake Pukaki. There were several cars “Parked” on the side of the road, some requiring more than just a pull out of the snow drifts!!  
 
Lake Pukehaki by Bear, on Flickr
 
Mount Cook, also known by its Māori name of Aoraki, is NZs highest mountain at 12,218 feet, which maybe 2000 and a bit foot lower than the highest of the Rocky Mountains, but it’s the best we’ve got.
 
Mt Cook by Bear, on Flickr
 
The cloud did not lift right off while we were there but it’s a satisfying view especially whilst partaking of a coffee on the balcony of the Hermitage Hotel, and in view of the fact that it had snowed, horizontally, all the previous day. They were still ploughing and gritting the Mt Cook end of the road.
 
Aoraki by Bear, on Flickr
 
While not as grand as any of the bridges recently portrayed, here’s one for Mr. TF. It’s slightly west of the former site of the Rock & Pillar Station on the former NZR Central Otago branch line, which is now a cycle trail.
 
Rock & Pillar Bridge by Bear, on Flickr
 
The Weka Pass Railway inspection car, built by the British firm of D. Wickham & Co in 1950, and was in NZR service until 1984.
 
Wickham Inspection Car. by Bear, on Flickr
NZR Fire engine. by Bear, on Flickr
 
So, how’s a fire engine related to the railways. Well, an ambulance in the New Zealand Army from 1943 to 51, it was transferred to the NZR who rebuilt the body, and served as a fire engine at two Railway Workshops until retirement in 1989.
 
Thoughts and Best Wishes to All who need them. Kia Kaha.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, August 26, 2021 11:19 PM

Water Level Route
Your handy experience will be beneficial to you and customers. 

I hope so. I honestly do not even remember which jobs I applied for. I applied for a lot of them.

Not sure I am understanding this process. They made me an offer, but have not interviewed me. They told me to show up for orientation tomorrow, but did not tell me to bring necessary documents for a DHS I-9.

I will see what happens.

The World Is A Beautiful Place.

-Kevin

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Posted by Water Level Route on Thursday, August 26, 2021 9:16 PM

Congratulations Kevin.  Your handy experience will be beneficial to you and customers.  When my little town got a Home Depot, I was really excited as we were buying our first house.  The service when they opened was abysmal.  I wrote it off at first as the growing pains of a freshly opened business.  It didn't get any better.  One night I was trying to fabricate something to fix my house's cobbled together plumbing.  Back and forth I went up and down the PVC parts aisle with no fewer than three HD employees watching me search.  None offered to help me or even ask what it was I needed.  That type of experience wasn't uncommon for me or others.  For years.  Then it was announced that we were getting a Lowe's.  The HD employees would practically trip over each other fighting to offer to help you as you tried to navigate past them in the store after that.  I quickly became a pretty loyal Lowes customer, only going to HD when I needed to.  That's starting to soften now though.  Only took 15 or 20 years. Laugh

Mike

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Posted by York1 on Thursday, August 26, 2021 8:28 PM

I believe I may have been a TV star on a Home Depot video system.  I was looking for a certain thing and I couldn't find it.  I began walking every aisle, looking sideways at every section.

I walked right into a support beam.  I hit it so hard I nearly fell over.

I could just imagine that in an office somewhere, someone monitoring the video system was laughing his head off.  I tried to act like it was no big deal.

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Posted by hon30critter on Thursday, August 26, 2021 8:18 PM

SeeYou190
I think I got a job.

Congratulations Kevin!

I worked at Home Depot for a couple of years after I retired from Sears Canada. For the most part they were really good people, including the managers. I had to quit because my back couldn't tolerate standing for long hours.

They have good training systems and you can work at your own pace. Most of the customers were pretty good too, but there was the odd exception.Sad

Dave

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Posted by BATMAN on Thursday, August 26, 2021 8:04 PM

I don't disagree with anything you say, Douglas, in my case I made sure I was well covered. My Dad worked at the Post Office and my Mom was the local piano teacher, we had everything we needed. The bills got paid and I only remember them having to get bank loans a couple of times when something came out of the blue at them. There were no credit cards or lines of credit for the average joe back then. 

At a young age I remember thinking I wanted what they had but without the money worries. Just an average house but no mortgage and never having a car loan. That was my goal. I wanted every penny I made working to be spending money, so I set out to have investments pay for the cost of living. House and car.

At age 14 I had a plan and began to carry it out. I hated school with a passion as I thought it was a completely unproductive waste of time only because they took forever to teach something that could be learned in a fraction of the time in reality. Most of the time I felt like I was sitting in class waiting for the other kids to finish up. I was a B+ student with little effort.

In grade ten I got a job with the city at full city union wages full time. I still maintained my "B" average. My Dad insisted on still giving me my allowance even though I told him he didn't need to.Laugh My allowance was 1 hour's pay of what I made at work which was about what my Dad made at the Post Office, but he insisted.Laugh I was going to quit the city job as soon as I had graduated and go work in the resource sector or on an oil rig which a good friend of mine did. Several of my friends got set for life by working in the resource sector. I stumbled into a job with the Federal Government that had a lot of upside and stayed and worked as much as I wanted to because they could not keep enough people in the positions available. The rest is history. 

The bookshelves in our office are full of my wife's Veterinarian medical textbooks but one bookcase is full of all the textbooks on finance. The worst reading in the world if you want to stay awake. I got through them all and refer back to them just as my wife refers back to her medical books. 

My plan was to get rid of all my real estate holdings by 40 and enjoy life which I did. I got married at forty but I was set for life, the first thing I did was pay off my wife's student loan and car loan when we got married. I had my house before the wife but she loved it.

I think what I am trying to say is, getting what you want is not hard it is just a matter of doing it by learning how. 

My son just called telling me of his stellar day of stock trading. He made $20.00 flipping CN stock today. We had a good laugh. He often comes in and pulls one of my books off the shelf.

 

Brent

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Posted by Doughless on Thursday, August 26, 2021 6:39 PM

BATMAN
I bought my first property right out of high school and had the money for the down payment. That was a big mistake as I was to find out later when I bought the rest of them with no money down. When I went to buy my second property, the banks would not help me out with a mortgage. I was somewhat frustrated by this and as with all things in life started reading and educating myself on creative financing. I went to a mortgage broker that said no problem and I got mortgages through private lenders. All legal, all above board, and cheaper than any bank. I remember the broker setting me up with a deal with a little old lady that had won a lottery. She was sharp as a tack and was delighted to help a nineteen-year-old out. She died a few years later and the estate got the balance of the mortgage back, but not before I sold the building. Low-interest rates mean the world is awash in money. But you need to be prudent.

Back then it was easier to work and save for bigger ticket items as a kid.  I worked jobs throughtout the summer and school year to pay for each next college year.  Tuition and room and board was much more reasonable then than it is now.

Jobs don't pay as well for a high school student to save the $60,000 to buy Kevins neighbors house.

Maybe at $14.00 hour, there will be a short window where high school kids can earn and save enough to afford the down stroke on a reasonable property, before the prices rise too much or the wages come back down.  Starting to look like 2007 again in some places.

Once you have the first property, its easier to get the second.  You've got some equity, capital, built up and that helps even if you don't have to pledge it.  

But to every transaction, there is a debt component and a capital component.  Neither can be ignored or fabricated.  If you don't have enough of either, you have to convince someone else to give it or lend it to you.  There are probably individuals around who will invest in that kind of venture for whatever reason they have, but that is pretty uncommon these days.

- Douglas

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: 4610 Metre's North of the Fortyninth on the left coast of Canada
  • 9,352 posts
Posted by BATMAN on Thursday, August 26, 2021 6:25 PM

Congratulations Kevin, I often think I wouldn't mind a part-time job at Home Depot just to get me out of the house. Unfortunately, I never know how my arthritis will be day to day. For this reason, I consider myself unreliable as an employee. 

I have gotten to know the gang at home depot quite well with all the Renos we have been doing and the workplace seems to be a good one. 

Brent

"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."

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