BATMAN, got a call from the kid at 0500hrs his car and driver did not show up, he had a huge day of work so I was it. Meetings and such had us going all day for twelve hours. I certainly now understand why he needs a car and driver at times, it was eye-opening watching his day. He is 24 makes six figures and earns it.
So why him not have a car of his own? Well, I don't have a car, but I can drive to Dickinson. For a trip to Bismarck I require a driver.
The old grey mare aint what she used to be...
Top of the page to you. No we will not eat the horse, but we got some really nice widebeeset if you are game.
Of course if you were game you might end up on the table.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
BroadwayLionSo why him not have a car of his own?
He only needs a car and driver on rare occasions. He was on his laptops and phone in the car the whole day between meetings. He cannot do that and drive at the same time.
He just bought a Ford Mustang for his personal use. But when he is working and has to leave the office he needs to be able to keep working while moving.
He loves it.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Good afternoon, everyone. Just coffee this afternoon, Flo.
It was 100° yesterday here, today it's 61°. Nice and cool outside.
Brent, it's nice to have a car with enough power to pull a trailer like yours. Getting onto the interstate, the Expedition will speed up to 75 mph without any hesitation. Of course, the trade-off for pulling something is that one doesn't worry about mileage.
Bear, thanks for a view of all those old railroad ads. Wouldn't it be nice to see modern ads for railroads that looked as attractive.
Kevin, I had to laugh when you mentioned that you had a three mile commute. When we lived in New Orleans, my wife had a three mile commute to her school, but it could take 45 minutes or longer, depending on the time of day. No thanks! I'm so glad I left that and we can walk to any place in town in 15 minutes!
Ed, that's a neat trencher you've got there. I could have used that when I ran a conduit line to my shed. I dug that by hand, and had sore arms, sore back, and sore feet when I was finished.
Mike, it's good to hear you are getting some time with the railroad. Sometimes life is so busy the railroad sits for days without any action.
TF, enjoy your picnic! Sounds like fun.
Lion, your fuel setup sounds like what are on farms here. Gasoline tank, diesel tank, propane tank.
Jim, neat pictures of Salina, Kansas. For those who've never been there, Salina sits at a major crossing -- Interstate 70 goes coast to coast, while Interstate 135 Highway 81 goes from Canada to Mexico. Salina sits right at the junction of these major coast to coast highways.
Ray, interesting about your Tesla. My daughter uses hers mostly for commuting. They have a regular car for their trips. She loves the Tesla, especially since her employer has free charging ports at work.
I was just complaining to my wife about the upcoming weeks. It seems like I am scheduled for something virtually every day. My retirement is getting a workout the next month. Sometimes I think I need a job so I can get away from all the busy retirement stuff. Maybe Kevin has the right idea.
MLC, your description of your time at the southern command sitting on the porch listening to the birds -- that sounds like an ideal place.
For all the diner patrons not mentioned, I hope you are doing well.
These grain elevators are in the town of Grand Island, about 50 miles west of me. The interesting thing is that these elevators are on the spot of the original site of Conagra, the Fortune 500 food conglomerate. Even though the company is now headquartered in Chicago, it got its start right at those elevators.
Have a great rest of the day, everyone. It's raining here! Beautiful!
York1 John
On our picnic crunching on the acorns underneath the oak trees amongst the picnic table. The maples appeared to be trying to be taller.
https://youtu.be/JnC88xBPkkc
After all that with the chicken and such, it was a very nice but windy picnic
TF
York1Bear, thanks for a view of all those old railroad ads. Wouldn't it be nice to see modern ads for railroads that looked as attractive.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Good morning
I watched a rather interesting program on PBS this morning on Minnesota blizzards. 1880 was a bad year for them.
They showed pictures of Steamers below a snow channel. They must of had Dave's Snow Plough back then...
Meteorologist Paul Douglas was one of the commentators on the program. Your never too old to learn something. The term Blizzard started as a barrage of punches in boxing and later was adopted by Old Man Winter throwing punches.
York1 TF, enjoy your picnic! Sounds like fun.
Thanks for saying John, it was fun. Fall is my favorite time of year. The store we saw the shish kabobs at were sold out, but the Fried Chicken we found was very good.
Is was a bit too windy to grill so it was the better plan.
Good Morning All. Zoe, I'll have a black coffee in a large Rock Island mug please. Oh, and a side of wheat toast.
Kevin, I'll see your 3 mile commute and raise you. My commute is 3 miles...round trip. My wife usually walks to work. Depends on the weather and if she has to carry a bunch of stuff. That's about a half a mile round trip. We are very fortunate in that regard. On the other hand, I know you burn FAR less gasoline than we do. Let me get my kids out on their own, and then we'll see!
We started watching a show on Netflix called snowflake mountain. Supposedly not scripted. They take a bunch of entitled, spoiled rotten young adults out into the woods in some effort to make them realize life takes effort. We're two episodes in and at this point I think the hosts are taking it too easy on them, although two of the ten have already quit at this point. Not sure if this will end up being a big waste of time or not. I won't recommend it yet.
Mike
Commute of LION is a single elevator ride.
1 stop to church and cafeteria, 2 stops to office.
My commute is about 2 miles round trip. ( 10 blocks each way)
But I still have to drive as I have to sometimes go to outlying PHYS offices to work on stuff.
As soon as I saw the words snowflake mountain I knew it had to be about people who are snowflakes.
York1Kevin, I had to laugh when you mentioned that you had a three mile commute. When we lived in New Orleans, my wife had a three mile commute to her school, but it could take 45 minutes or longer, depending on the time of day.
When I worked in Tampa, my commute was about 25 miles. The first 3 miles and last 3 miles always took 80% of the total travel time.
York1 Sometimes I think I need a job so I can get away from all the busy retirement stuff. Maybe Kevin has the right idea.
I can't even begin to tell you how much I get from my silly "minimum wage" job. It has improved my outlook on the world and made me feel better about everything.
I just received my one year service award. I guess I am sticking around.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
SeeYou190I just received my one year service award. I guess I am sticking around.
York1Ed, that's a neat trencher you've got there. I could have used that when I ran a conduit line to my shed. I dug that by hand, and had sore arms, sore back, and sore feet when I was finished.
Thanks John
I sure was a handy tool when I buried 330 feet of conduit going to the caboose!
IMG_9778 by Edmund, on Flickr
This was for low voltage telephone, security camera and CAT 5 internet wiring.
This photo sure looks like a model scene. I see four layers of railroads.
22-8668 by George Hamlin, on Flickr
At first I thought this was near the three-level crossing in Richmond, but this is in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Regards, Ed
Water Level RouteWhat is that? It looks like they made it out of a jar lid. Is it a coaster?
It is a little tiny mason jar. They put the patch in the top and fill the jar with candy.
It is better than the 1 year service awards I got from G.M. (1987) or Cummins (1991).
gmpullman IMG_9778 by Edmund, on Flickr This was for low voltage telephone, security camera and CAT 5 internet wiring.
Ed,
I'm sure you've covered this a number of times before, but -
Where did you get your caboose? In addition to the hookups mentioned above, does it have a WC, power and heat as well? Is it usable in the winter (i.e., did it require an insulation upgrade? Was it a pain to get it delivered and placed on what must be a unique fiundation? AND, does Wilson like it?
I can only dream of such a structure.
John (of Attu)
Attuvian1I can only dream of such a structure.
After my wife saw Ed's caboose, she came on board with the dream and wants one for her "she shed" in the backyard.
SeeYou190It is a little tiny mason jar. They put the patch in the top and fill the jar with candy. It is better than the 1 year service awards I got from G.M. (1987) or Cummins (1991).
That is a great reward!
I've got a box of plaques and certificates for years-of-service, appreciation, etc. in my basement where they'll be when I die, and my kids will throw them out.
I'd trade them all for a jar of candy!
York1 That is a great reward! I'd trade them all for a jar of candy!
Afternoon all.
I just had a deadbeat day. Yesterday I helped my BIL install a 480lb bathroom vanity. Getting that in the house up and down stairs was not easy and I was the younger of us two by far. Also I think I am feeling the results of my 4th Covid vaccine, though mild.
I worked for the Feds for 36 years and got all the usual time spent recognition doodads. I have a gold watch that retailed for $1400.00 at the time. I was talking to the boss in Ottawa one day and he said, "I keep forgetting, your gold watch is in my top drawer in the office, grab it sometime when you are there". Eventually, I remembered to pick it up. I never even took it out of the box, brought it home, and threw it in my dresser drawer and it has been there ever since 21 years. I also got a platinum pin with a decent diamond in it for 35 years of service. I will take it to the gold and coin shop at some point, it also just went into the drawer.
The one thing I do have that I will keep is a stack of certificates from all the advanced driving courses I took all paid for by the Feds. They were quite intense courses as I advanced through them over several years. Not being a car guy but they told me I excelled at driving and asked me to instruct, I never did as I was ready for other things. I still can go use the facilities any time as I did with the kid when he got his new Mustang. The company is doing more and more movie work and I get a call once in a while to see if I want to work, maybe someday I'll go in for a couple of days, but then again.
Commuting to work was by bicycle most of the time until I moved to the stix, then it was the RX-7TurboII! On the bike, it was 22 km each way to the airport and back 1 hour there 2 hours back as it was mostly uphill. It would not occur to me to use a car for a 3-mile commute with six bikes in the garage. When I moved and started driving to work it cost hundreds every month, an expense that I never had before.
I had to look up the term snowflake. My kids can saddle up a horse, bring in a herd, handle a rifle, fix a fence, and a lot of other things, yet they are highly educated city slickers. Sometimes we would take their friends to the ranch with us and I was always blown away by how incapable these kids were. My family hit the Manitoba farm belt in the 1700s so maybe it is bred into them.
TF, your barbecues in the park sound like an ideal way to unwind.
I finished watching Breaking Bad, I had tried a few years ago but watching dysfunctional people does not sit well with me and I had only made it through three episodes back then. So some of our movie industry friends told me to give it another shot and this time I got through it. It was okay, worth watching. I am glad hockey season starts on Sunday, I am saved.
We love to explore the old Prairie sentinels when out on the prairies, you can see our truck in the pic as we check out another one. There were about fifty or sixty old switch stands in the grass not far away and I would have loved to bring one (or two) home. They are not mine to take so that was not going to happen.
All the best to all.
Just about done with smoothing the drywall joints on the living room ceiling.
My texture guy will be here tomorrow morning. Moving right along.
Good Morning Diners. Brunhilda, biscuits and gravy please.
Happy Friday everyone!
Another Friday in the Diner
I'm killing time before a 2 PM doctor appointment. Fasting, and Dee Ann just came home with huge bags of groceries
Attuvian1I'm sure you've covered this a number of times before, but - Where did you get your caboose?
Thanks for asking Attuvian
While there were hundreds of actual cabooses available for cheap in the late '90s and I did have some connections with railroaders that could have set me up with one the timing wasn't very doable for a project like that.
By the time 2010 came around scarcity and costs ruled out hauling a real caboose to the property. The best plan was to build from the ground-up.
Caboose framing by Edmund, on Flickr
Wilson was there right from the first spike driven:
Wilson Inspecting by Edmund, on Flickr
I had studied dozens of real caboose plans and had been familiar with the layouts of many. A friend at the time had a Central Vermont caboose that I patterned many of the features after.
Caboose_91908_Plan by Edmund, on Flickr
Local zoning wouldn't allow cabins or "second residences" on the property so I said, how about I call it a garden shed? Sure, that's OK. Paid the fee and got the permit.
Caboose_91908-Elevation by Edmund, on Flickr
One of the thoughtful clerks at the building department pointed out to me that, "Did you know this thing looks like one of those cabooses they used to have?" I thanked them for their insight
Attuvian1 In addition to the hookups mentioned above, does it have a WC, power and heat as well? Is it usable in the winter (i.e., did it require an insulation upgrade?
The "hopper" empties into an RV "black-water" tote that I can easily roll to the septic tank and empty. I did fit one inch foam insulation into the floor and ceiling and R-19 fiberglas in the walls. Windows are double glazed thermal type. We've spent many cold days there and had some visitors spend some winter nights. A box stove is just right for keeping the interior cozy however I drain the water lines in freezing weather.
Wilson_91908_2k by Edmund, on Flickr
The "hopper" came from a 1950 Great Northern Empire Builder Pullman. Really gives the joint some class!
Pullman Hopper by Edmund, on Flickr
Somebody's been wiping their dirty hands on our nice NYC towels!
Washstand by Edmund, on Flickr
We have had more fun and enjoyment from our "caboose in the woods" than I can recount here. Almost every evening begins with snacks and cocktails in the cozy atmosphere. We have all the comforts of home and then some.
The cats seem to have taken to the surroundings just fine...
Cicero_Pullman-pillow by Edmund, on Flickr
Conductor's desk by Edmund, on Flickr
You can see lots more here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/gmpullman/albums/72157671055247681
Cheers, Ed
Absolutely awesome! Nothing that a dream and willpower can't produce - if you can throw in some bucks.
Wilson on snow - obviously grew up with it. I doubt that most domestic felines here in Portland would be so inclined. Of all the cats that have gotten exposure here on the forum, I consider Wilson to reign supreme. Be sure to tell him for me. I expect it will not even get a "Whatever."!
Attuvian John
Attuvian1 Be sure to tell him for me. I expect it will not even get a "Whatever."!
Wilson Flipped when he heard the news!
Wilson Flipped by Edmund, on Flickr
Thanks, John
Has anyone heard from CNCharlie or Henry? It seems like it's been quite a while since they've been in the diner.
Hope they're doing OK.