Jefferys Track Side Diner for April, 2022

[BroadwayLion]

I  think our beast was hunting

for the top of the page.

 

 

Looks like tasty wildebeests

for all!

[BroadwayLion]

["JaBear"]

Yeah, it’s good to have family home, Dave. My son and his girlfriend spent Easter with us, and a couple of weekends back my daughter was home, she was bridesmaid at one of her old friend’s wedding.

 

Ed, I presume that that photo of the Amish Gent and the steam train was semi posed. You’d posted the photo of the solar panels on the barn, and I ‘m puzzled as to the contraption with the motor and PTO. Not that I’ve been able to attend for a while, but from time to time the local vintage tractor show puts on a demonstration of horse drawn farming equipment, and I wonder if he’s on a sickle bar mower? Like the others, a thoughtful shot.

 

MR TF. No, I’m not really a flannel man. T shirt and shorts for as long as the weather allows and even during the winter months, I’ll wear shorts if I can get away with it. I find if I can keep my kidneys warm, I’m a pretty happy camper.

That said, when working on the ramp on a winter’s night I’d wear layers, the amount depending on the cold and the wind chill factor. So, a t shirt, one or more sweat shirts, a woollen sailors jersey, trackpants, overalls, a long hooded Swanndri, and a sleeveless fleece lined oil skin jacket, a woollen beanie and woollen fingerless gloves. And if it was raining, waterproof pants and parka. The “Michelin Man” had nothing on me!!  

 

Cats, bah humbug!!!!  We got a cat from a rescue centre for my daughter when she about seven, and as she couldn’t take it with her to university, we got to look after it. It was a young cat when we got it and I suspect that it had been badly treated by a male, because even when I fed it, being first up in the morning, it would try and take a hunk out of my hand if I tried to pat it!! However, in the last two winters, she would come into the bedroom around 0200, leap up onto the bed, headbutt me, expect a pat, then snuggle down by my head making sure she had plenty of room!! Due to cancer we had to put Poppy MacToffee (my daughter named her) down recently.

 

P MacT by Bear, on Flickr

 Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.

Cheers, the Bear.

[NorthBrit]

Good afternoon Diners.   A large coffee please, Janie.

A busy week ahead  with various things going on.   Grandchildren visiting  throughout the week.   At the weekend two grandchildren are staying over whilst our daughter goes to Rome and Son-in-Law goes to a conference.

These days I am more a jeans and polo neck top person.  'Going somewhere' I do like to wear shirt and trousers.

Cats.    I have said previously that I like them a lot.

 

Time to make lunch.   Try and call in later.

 

David

[BroadwayLion]

 

If you want pie, you must fight the LEOPARD for some!

[SeeYou190]

gmpullman

Thanks, Kevin. Keep in mind that for every photo that looks half-way respectable there were two-dozen that went in the wastebasket.

I'm sure, but having a somewhat photogenic cat would help too.

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

This yellow-eyed-control-freak that took over my house refuses to cooperate with the camera.

JaBear

Poppy MacToffee (my daughter named her).

That is funny.

This cat's full name is Gluttony MacJelly.

-Kevin

[NorthBrit]

"If any of these reindeer move they are dead meat,"   says G.MacJ

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

 

 David

 

[MisterBeasley]

We have two cats, Snowflake and Whiskey.  We got Snowflake as a kitten, when she was pure white.  The Siamese coloring came along later.  The GF wanted to name the orange cat The Donald but I vetoed that one.  Whiskey fits him well.

[gmpullman]

Ed, I presume that that photo of the Amish Gent and the steam train was semi posed. You’d posted the photo of the solar panels on the barn, and I ‘m puzzled as to the contraption with the motor and PTO.

I like that you say "semi" posed. For the most part the Amish would prefer not to be photographed. Many in the "tourist" areas which Lancaster area of Pennsylvania most certainly is.

However, with the Strasburg Railroad and the former PRR (Amtrak) main line passing through many farms in the area and both running several trains a day it really wouldn't take very long to find a team of Belgians or Shires hard at work in the fields.

I believe the gas motor is driving a bar sickle. Since there's no PTO shaft on a horse, that I've found, anyway, some industrious tinkerer came up with the gas engine idea.

Horse_Sickle by Edmund, on Flickr

I just got back from taking a friend to the dentist. He thought he was going to have three teeth extracted but I kind of thought it wasn't going to happen since he hasn't been to a dentist in years. He went to one of these chain-store dental places.

Turns out I was correct in that his blood pressure was too high and the extent of his condition was going to require more than just a walk-in dental visit.

Time for him to pay the piper...

---

 

Strasburg Stormy Sunset by Doug Lilly, on Flickr

Amtrak bridge defenses!

The Shoe Box by Don Kalkman, on Flickr

"Prepare to repel boarders!"

Cheers, Ed

[BroadwayLion]

SeeYou190

This yellow-eyed-control-freak that took over my house refuses to cooperate with the camera.

 

Well, it *is* a cat!

[CNCharlie]

Good Afternoon,

Another couple of inches of snow last night and with a high of 32F not much is melting despite the sun. Supposed to get whacked with a clipper on Wed. Getting tired of winter.

I like cats but my wife doesn't. I grew up with a white Persian who lived to be 21. She wasn't pleased when I brought home a 3 yr. Old Afghan Hound. She went down to the laundry/store room and rarely came out even though the dog left her alone. He didn't seem to care about her at all. 

Been having trouble finding the type of birdseed we use. We have gone through about 100 lbs. in the last week.

Tea time,

CN Charlie

 

[DigitalGriffin]

Raise your hand if you aren't done taxes....I am so far behind this year.

 

["JaBear"]

DigitalGriffin

Raise your hand if you aren't done t---s.

- No swearing or foul language. And we don’t care if you use symbols to mask the words. The meaning is still conveyed and we don’t want it in our forum. Please keep in mind that we have readers of all ages. This isn’t a tavern.

 

[DigitalGriffin]

*Blinks then crumples up his tax papers before throwing them at JaBear*

Hey there was no swearing.  "Where the sun don't shine" is a train tunnel. ;-)

[Track fiddler]

 

MR TF. on the ramp on a winter’s night I’d wear layers, the amount depending on the cold and the wind chill factor. So, a t shirt, one or more sweat shirts, a woollen sailors jersey, trackpants, overalls, a long hooded Swanndri, and a sleeveless fleece lined oil skin jacket, a woollen beanie and woollen fingerless gloves. And if it was raining, waterproof pants and parka. The “Michelin Man” had nothing on me!!  

 

Cheers, the Bear.

 

 

Good Grief Bear!  It must get really cold some nights on the ramp over there

 

 

TF

["JaBear"]

DigitalGriffin

Hey there was no swearing.  "Where the sun don't shine" is a train tunnel. ;-)

It wasn’t that phrase, Don, it was the five letter word starting with “T”!!!!

PS. I have to raise MY hand!! 

[BATMAN]

Good rainy afternoon.

Had my usual cardio workout today and was a slug. I think I need to eat a bit more, good thing it is turkey dinner tonight.

The kids are coming, daughter is home, son and GF as well so I hid six pounds of Purdys chocolate eggs around the house. The wife got called out so I am the cook, This new-fangled stove we got requires a bit of learnin.

The wife said to vacuum the dog hair so I did.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJWocnXT4tI&ab_channel=BATTRAIN1 

 Bear I wore a lot of layers in winter out on the ramp, the Feds gave us the best Gortex jackets and parkas and pants and I still have enough of the stuff to last the rest of my life. I use it when I walk the dogs and when doing anything outdoors in the weather. In the heat of the summer, we wore coveralls with nothing underneath and it was actually quite cool with the breeze blowing through

Lamb chops are an outrageous price so we buy a 3kg roast lamb instead, any leftovers get made into shepherd's pie.

Dave that prime rib sure sounds good right about now.

Well, time to hit the shower and get the turkey in the oven, peel the spuds, and carrots, and prepare the asparagus and cheese cauliflower. The Canucks are also on tonight. It's a good day even if the trains likely will not roll.

All the best to all.

 

 

 

[Track fiddler]

Evening

So get this.  I'm taking two antibiotics to get rid of an infection in my colon.  The one I take three times a day is giving me an upper stomach ache to get rid of my lower stomach ache .....Go figure

Thanks for listening as I needed to vent.  With that said, I will quit my bellyaching now

 

 

TF

[BroadwayLion]

Track fiddler

Thanks for listening as I needed to vent.

 

If you need to vent, that is a different medication!

 

[SeeYou190]

NorthBrit

"If any of these reindeer move they are dead meat," 

I am pretty sure that is exactly what she is thinking.

BroadwayLion

Well, it *is* a cat!

Yes, a cat in every way.

She sat on my lap just now,looked me right in the eyes, and growled at me. Then she got down and walked into her room.

I wonder what that was about.

DigitalGriffin

Raise your hand if you aren't done taxes....I am so far behind this year.

We finished ours over the weekend. We expected to owe $20,000.00 to $25,000.00 per our estimates. We ended up oweing less than $7,000.00 when everything was done and double checked. That was a welcome surprise.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

So... we woke up "early" this morning and went to an office park to have our taxes printed on paper. Then we went and bought a big manilla envelope. We wrote the check, put everything in, sealed it up, went to the Post Office, and mailed it away via Certified Mail.

Then... when we pulled in the driveway my wife started panicking. She realized we forgot to sign the tax forms! 

We drove back to the Post Office. The workers there found our taxes, and we were able to open the envelope and get the forms signed.

I have never seen my wife so terrified. When she realized we had not signed the forms she acted like it was the end of the world and doom was in sight.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

So, that was my "morning".

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

The World is a Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

I hope everyone is happy and safe tonight.

-Kevin

[hon30critter]

Hi Brent,

The videos are really cute! The dogs look like they are having a ball, that is except the last one out who I suspect is Mama. Can't blame her for being a bit slow.

Personally I have to admit that I am not a big fan of wet long haired dogs covered in saliva, but I am sure you are used to it. I guess that's what towels are for.

Thanks for the entertainment. Hope your turkey came out well (I'm sure it did!).

Cheers!!

Dave

["JaBear"]

Track fiddler

Good Grief Bear!  It must get really cold some nights on the ramp over there

Gidday Mr. TF, it certainly doesn’t get as cold as you guys, apart from Kevin,   but the level of physical energy required to carry out most line maintenance tasks, is not enough to create one’s own body heat. Also, one should be seriously concentrating on the job in hand, and not thinking about skiving off to get warm. Without wishing to sound pompous, a lapse in concentration or short cutting the job, could have terminal consequences for the travelling public, hence why I saw the need for layers to help keep warm, one less distraction!

 

Batman, we were issued with two pairs of overalls a year, and after the first year most of us cut the sleeves of our old pairs for summer use, never went commando though.

Even here, a lamb roast is far better value than loin chops.

 

NZ lamb by Bear, on Flickr

 

The world is a beautiful place, Ohope, eastern Bay of Plenty.

Ohope by Bear, on Flickr

 

Thoughts and Best Wishes to All that need them. Kia Kaha.

Cheers, the Bear.

[BroadwayLion]

Someone say LAMB...

[maxman]

Track fiddler

Evening

So get this.  I'm taking two antibiotics to get rid of an infection in my colon.  The one I take three times a day is giving me an upper stomach ache to get rid of my lower stomach ache .....Go figure

Thanks for listening as I needed to vent.  With that said, I will quit my bellyaching now

 

 

TF

 

It is always scary to read the possible reaction list included with any medication.  But when you ask the doctors they always say that such reactions are rare.

But don’t worry.  If you do get a reaction they have another medicine for that.

[MisterBeasley]

BroadwayLion

Someone say LAMB...

When The Lion lays down with the lamb, he usually brings mint jelly....

[SeeYou190]

Good morning all.

I just got off the phone with one of my daughters. Not going to bore anyone with what we talked about. It is so incredible how good it makes me feel when I talk to one of my babies.

Great way to start the day.

-Kevin

[gmpullman]

 

One of my favorite railroad depots:

B&O Station by Todd Dillon, on Flickr

Hey! Who parked that truck there? Spoiled the scene.

I recall passing this spot many times, first on the pre-Amtrak, B&O Capitol, later on the post Amtrak Capitol. Always a pleasure.

Cheers, Ed

[SeeYou190]

gmpullman

One of my favorite railroad depots.

That is a beauty Ed.

Slow day in the Diner for sure.

HELLLLOOOOOO

Is there anyone out there?

-Kevin

[SeeYou190]

I guess there isn't anyone out there tonight.

This is one of the best photographs I have ever taken:

The World Is A Beautiful Place

-Photograph by Kevin Parson

I will see everyone again tomorrow.

-Kevin

[hon30critter]

SeeYou190

I guess there isn't anyone out there tonight.

Hey Kevin, I'm still out here!

I love your 'The World is a Wonderful Place' photos. They are always beautiful, and calm and relaxing.

Cheers!!

Dave