Trains.com

The Flat Wheel Diner and Cafe, January 2010 Edition

23965 views
431 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11:06 AM

Mookie
Brian - will keep that in mind.  He is quite artistic and seems to be good at designing.  Will probably all change by 12, but will encourage him in the artistic direction.

Definitely encourage him to "follow his muse."  My son showed some very definite abilities for writing, but his school didn't offer anything resembling "creative writing."  He had the knack, he didn't have the mechanics.  He doesn't write now (stories - I hear from him all the time).

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11:08 AM

Modelcar

Mookie

Quentin - I found a light switch that had cold air coming in around it!  We can't do much about insulation, but may have to knit a switch plate for it.  Approve  Actually coming in around the switch itself. 

Jen.....There are thin foam cutouts in packages available at hardware / big box stores to fit behind the finish wall plate of your switch / outlet opening.

They go a long way to stop that incoming air.

You just made the Driver's day!  He loves to go to the hardware stores and "shop".  Lots of time he doesn't buy a thing. 

I never found any purses or shoes there.  Don't understand!  Mischief

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Allentown, PA
  • 9,810 posts
Posted by Paul_D_North_Jr on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11:44 AM

The HW store is one of my favorites - many stops, rarely over $5 spent at any one time.  But a huge collection o bolts and screws, etc. 

The foam insulation for switch plates can also be made out of the tops of foam egg cartons - the 'dozen' size works best, 'cause it can cover those multiple 'ganged' switch assemblies and be used to make 'specials', etc.  It's a good project if you're handy with an X-xcto knife - and a lot cheaper than the 'store-boughten' ones, too.

Other good methods are caulking, weather-stripping, and the spray-foam.  The guys who built out house used dozens of cans of ''Great Stuff'' or similar, in several different varieties.  As a consolation to the Driver, those pretty much do have to be gotten from the HW store.

- Paul North. 

"This Fascinating Railroad Business" (title of 1943 book by Robert Selph Henry of the AAR)
  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 11:47 AM

Mookie
You just made the Driver's day!  He loves to go to the hardware stores and "shop". 

 

.....Yes, Jen.....Hardware stores are our "candy stores"....!

Quentin

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 12:37 PM

Happy birthday, Roy!Happy B-Day

Ah, yes, hardware stores are great places for wandering around, considering , "How can I justify buying this?"

As to food, boiled okra, even though it has those wonderful ball bearings that ease its passage (up, as well as down) is on my list of non-foods. Fried okra is, indeed, on the food list. When I was a boy, I once was forced to eat boiled okra by a spinster who was visiting my grandparents; I had politely declined the nauseous mess, but she insisted that I eat some, and my grandmother helped her cause.

Tom, when you mention turnips, do mean turnip greens or turnip roots? Definitely turnip roots are on my non-food list–but rutabagas are different, having a better taste and even being more nutritious (though for a while, after I was told rutabagas are yellow turnips, I was highly averse to them). As to greens (turnip, collard, spinach, mustard), a little fatback added to the pot while they are being cooked helps the flavor.

Thanks to all who expressed concern for me in the last few weeks. I am slowly mending, and hope to be back to full speed (if not full weight) in a couple of months.

Johnny

Johnny

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:35 PM

Thank you all for your best wishes at my half-century plus eighth year.

Johnny, stewed okra is what I call an acquired taste and fried is most of the time what people like best. Being A gentleman of the Southern Persuasion I feel that both dishes of this vegetable should be on the same table. I agree with you that the turnips should best be the greens and served as you say with fat back, enjoy eating them that way now,  cholesterol does enter into that equation eventually..

Thanks to Miss Paula for such good additions to my menu suggestions and may everyone have a prosperous day, week, and year.

Piouslion

AKA: Roy Alexander

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:38 PM

Visited a long-ago girlfriend a long time ago.  She served okra.   I wasn't impressed, but we were destined to part anyhow so that wasn't a factor.

I could probably handle the stuff if served, but I won't go looking for it.  On my list of "tried it and will never touch it again" is cooked spinach, liver, and olives.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 3:39 PM

Thank you Mr. Tom for your greetings this day,

Temps are very much like yours here in Winston-Salem. I have just finished a rework of my house with the windows, and HVAC systems. I can speak with some authority that the upgrades were definitely worth the time and dollars.

Regards,

Roy

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 4:54 PM

tree68

Visited a long-ago girlfriend a long time ago.  She served okra.   I wasn't impressed, but we were destined to part anyhow so that wasn't a factor.

 

I could probably handle the stuff if served, but I won't go looking for it.  On my list of "tried it and will never touch it again" is cooked spinach, liver, and olives.

I remember being served okra by a couple friends of mine who lived down in Louisiana some 30 years ago, and it was rather unpalatable and tasteless. And it seems to me that when I was in grade school and my parents were out of town, I and my siblings were forced to eat spinach by our babysitter. I didn't like the taste of the stuff, and of course I've never forgotten it.

I know a gentleman who works for our local fire department, and some years ago I had taken a basic course in black and white photography, and this gentleman was one of my classmates. His nickname at the time was "Popeye" because of his liking for spinach.

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:16 PM

Okay, no okra tonight.  What is on tap and on the serving station for supper are:

1.  Snowshoe chicken over rice, w/your choice of steamed broccoli or brussels sprouts w/butter sauce, sweet yellow and white corn, mixed together in butter sauce, green beans, and nice, big dinner rolls with plenty of butter to go in the rolls, tossed salad with blue cheese dressing, or the dressing of your choice (there are several varieties always on hand in here).

2.  Meat loaf w/mashed taters & gravy, and the above mentioned veggies and rolls

Dessert:  Lemon iceboxpie with ice cream and coffee, yellow cake w/chocolate icing and fresh-from-the oven peach cobbler.

After the workmen started doing the insulation this morning, we could already feel the difference:  it actually got hot in the living room!  They will be back early in the morning, to do more work, in the walls and taking care ofweathering around the windows. 

Everyone have a great evening, enjoy your dinner/supper, and take care of yourselves.

 

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Florence, SC
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by grampaw pettibone on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 5:57 PM

I don't cotton too much to greens of any kind or the okra and spinach. The reason, I guess, was that my mother, bless her heart, cooked some concoctions that would put a dedicated greens/okra/etc eater off his din-din! Turnips and such were so bitter that it would shrink your tongue and curl your teeth. What's worse, she made me eat the stuff. Once I got on my own, I stopped eating them. To this day, I can't even stand the thought of eating such things, even though my wife makes fairly good collards and turnips. End soapbox

Tom

COAST LINE FOREVER

It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman! (Solomon)

A contentious woman is like a constant dripping! (Solomon)

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Winston-Salem, NC
  • 247 posts
Posted by piouslion1 on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 8:03 PM

You preach pretty good Mr. Tom. As I said earlier in the line the taste for stewed okra is an aquired taste.

 Have a great week

Temps going down to upper 20's here in W-S with lower 40's tomorrow and a dustin of snow expected for the week-end

Take caare.

Roy

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Louisville,Ky.
  • 5,077 posts
Posted by locomutt on Wednesday, January 27, 2010 10:09 PM

HAPPY BIRTHDAY Roy!!!

Hope it is/was a Good one, and you have many more!

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, January 28, 2010 5:33 AM

Good Thursday morning, everyone.  The wind here is picking up a bit, getting quite windy outside (took the dog out awhile ago, so know firsthand).  We were at  40 degrees when I got up at 5, and within two minutes, it dropped to 38.  So I'm not exactly sure how our temp is going to be going today:  up or down, or what.

Coffee, juices, and hot beverages are all fresh and ready to go.  On the serving station this morning:  bagels, bear claws, bacon, eggs, sausage, biscuits & gravy, oatmeal, toast, and some cooked rice, if anyone would like a bowl of rice this morning. 

Today is Make Your Request for Lunch/Dinner, Dinner/Supper menu(s).  (Walt and I will be dining tonight on chicken livers, so I thought I'd let you all select what you'd like to have in here today.)

Everyone have a great morning, enjoy your breakfast, be safe whatever you do this morning, and take care.

Mookie, your coffee mug is sitting right on the counter for you!

 

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,315 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:30 AM

good morning

Cw thanks for breakfast.matt is on time and on the bus eventhough we have some snow blowing around.A couple of cars had their ditch finders on as we came home from work.Going to get a nap.Got to go to town this afternoon.Tonight will be friday at work.

stay safe

Joe

PS Roy welcome to the diner.don't mif the cat or cook.

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    June 2001
  • From: US
  • 13,488 posts
Posted by Mookie on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:35 AM

^~^ + ' ' ' ' ' +  c[  ] - Ahhhh - coffee......................

She who has no signature! cinscocom-tmw

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:35 AM

Good morning! We have -16.5 degrees below 0 here this morning, but at least the wind is not blowing. We will see a high of 7 or 8 degrees today if we are lucky.

CW, for dinner tonight, you could make a big pot of vegetable beef soup, or how about pot roast? One of my favorite dishes is buttermilk bisquits  topped with creamed chicken. I think that's what I might have here for dinner at my house tonight.....although it will require a run to my neighborhood grocery store.

ooo    ooo ooOOOOOo

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: At the Crossroads of the West
  • 11,013 posts
Posted by Deggesty on Thursday, January 28, 2010 10:47 AM

JoeKoh
A couple of cars had their ditch finders on as we came home from work

Ditch finders are frightening things, both to the driver with them on and to other people on the road. A few weeks ago, I was going east on what seemed to be a dry street, and the finders on a westbound car suddenly came on, looking at both sides of the street; the car ended up running into the south curb perpendicularly--just behind where I was.

Johnny

Johnny

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:01 AM

......Our Thursday start was lots of sunshine, but about 15 degrees and no wind.  Actually that is just about right on the "normal" temp for this time in January.

A half inch of snow last evening, but nice blue sky today.

Quentin

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 11:04 AM

...We now return you to your regularly scheduled season...

After a week or so of temps into the fifties, and over an inch of rain (which helped wash away most of the snow that didn't melt on it's own), we're back to winter.  Six inches of snow as of first thing this morning, and an inch or two since.  Overnight there was no wind, but a few minutes ago (as I was driving home from the fire station after an EMS call) a good gust came through and blew all the snow off the branches.   INSTANT white-out.  Then things settled down and now it's just snowing again.

Soup or pot roast - both sound good.   Maybe I'll start out my pot roast dinner (with corn bread?) with a cup of soup...

As for the ditch finders - the local Interstate has been collecting them for the past two days, as have a number of "surface" roads.  It's almost as if people forgot how to drive in snow during our January thaw.

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    September 2003
  • From: Louisville,Ky.
  • 5,077 posts
Posted by locomutt on Thursday, January 28, 2010 12:20 PM

Okay, my public has spoken.  Here's the afternoon and evening meal:

1.  Vegetable beef soup w/your choice of crackers or cornbread, and tossed salad, and PB&J or grilled cheese sandwiches.

2.  Roast, taters & carrots w/green beans or broccoli w/cheese sauce, corn, tossed salad and cornbread

Desserts:  

1.  Chocolate cake w/chocolate icing

2.  icebox lemon cake

3.  Yellow cake w/caramel icing

4.  Your choice of apple, cherry or peach cobblers

Workmen are here, got here around 10:30 this morning.  Doing the insulation on the outside of the house, by taking off a strip of the vinyl siding, and blowing in the insulation.  

Sun is shining here, but I don't know what our current temp is.  But it is still quite breezy/windy outside. 

Edit Note:  Hmm, I signed in with my name, but when I posted, it came up under Walt's name.  Currently using Firefox, where I have been logging on w/ Internet Explorer.  Guess I'm gonna have to call Kalmbach, and see what the problem is, as Walt was having this problem if he logged into the forums on IE.  

 

 

Being Crazy,keeps you from going "INSANE" !! "The light at the end of the tunnel,has been turned off due to budget cuts" NOT AFRAID A Vet., and PROUD OF IT!!

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Norfolk Southern Lafayette District
  • 1,642 posts
Posted by bubbajustin on Thursday, January 28, 2010 1:08 PM

Afternoon all.

At school. Thanks for lunch. We got a new do too. A Min Pin.

The road to to success is always under construction. _____________________________________________________________________________ When the going gets tough, the tough use duct tape.

  • Member since
    November 2005
  • From: Florence, SC
  • 1,614 posts
Posted by grampaw pettibone on Thursday, January 28, 2010 2:21 PM

bubbajustin
We got a new do too. A Min Pin

Congrats, Jason. A friend of ours had one of those. She was very friendly, but hyper. She (friend) couldn't leave anything on the table or counter, else it would get examined thoroughly. She spent 4 hours fixing a birthday cake and then went shopping. When she came home, the dog met her with a white icing face and ears....

Tom

COAST LINE FOREVER

It is better to dwell in the corner of a roof than to share a house with a contentious woman! (Solomon)

A contentious woman is like a constant dripping! (Solomon)

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Defiance Ohio
  • 13,315 posts
Posted by JoeKoh on Thursday, January 28, 2010 4:07 PM

afternoon

Cw thanks for the soup and sandwiches.we went and looked at the maw.another one of carls cnw high cubes is back in the siding,We also saw the CSX geometry train go eastbound.he was moving at a good clip and looks like hes got the railroad by himself until he gets to fostoria.time to get stuff for work.bundle up out there.

stay safe

Joe

Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

 

  • Member since
    March 2005
  • From: SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA
  • 2,483 posts
Posted by CANADIANPACIFIC2816 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 5:14 PM

The vegetable beef soup is real good tonight. Dinner Thanks much, CW!

We now have a temp of -7 below 0 here in Sioux Falls, and our wind chill factor could hit -35 below 0 later tonight. Tonight will be a night to enjoy a cup or two of hot chocolate.

ooo    ooo ooOOOoo CANADIANPACIFIC2816

  • Member since
    November 2003
  • From: Louisville, KY
  • 9,002 posts
Posted by cherokee woman on Thursday, January 28, 2010 5:30 PM

Good evening, all.  Joe and Ray, you're very welcome on the soup, and the roast, taters, carrots, etc. 

Everything has been refreshed on the serving station.  And I believe you'll find some hot chocolate on there, also.  (Wish I had some here at home, but that'll have to wait until Monday, when I go to the grocery.)

The workmen left just before 4 p.m., and will probably be back out around the same time tomorrow morning, which was somewhere between 10:30 and 10:45.  They're still doing the outside insulation.  Hopefully ,they'll get everything wrapped up tomorrow, before the snow comes in around 6 p.m. tomorrow night!

Everyone enjoy your dinner/supper, have a good evening and take care.

 

Angel cherokee woman "O'Toole's law: Murphy was an optimist."
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 6:16 PM

Well, our snow has stopped falling (in fact, the moon and stars are in plain sight).  It hasn't stopped blowing however.   I just talked to a friend who drives a state plow - he said up out of the valley I live in is truly nasty.

The drivers on the Interstate are still having problems - another was just reported in the median.

Nice night to sit here at the computer and surf...

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

  • Member since
    December 2005
  • From: MP 175.1 CN Neenah Sub
  • 4,917 posts
Posted by CNW 6000 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 6:42 PM

I'll take some tea & chicken noodle soup and snuggle up to the fireplace.  Working on the tail end of a 24 hour bug.  So yes, Mookie, I'll take your advice. 

Dan

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Muncie, Indiana...Orig. from Pennsylvania
  • 13,456 posts
Posted by Modelcar on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:08 PM

......No snow activity around here today, but right now, it's 12.9 degrees.  Don't think we're getting any wind.  I'm not going out to find out.  My back yard security light likes to come on when the wind is blowing the evergreen trees back where it connects to the golf course, but have not seen it on any this evening.  And yes, I've been turning down the sensitivity control on it, but must not be far enough yet.....

Quentin

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Northern New York
  • 25,018 posts
Posted by tree68 on Thursday, January 28, 2010 7:30 PM

Update:  7.7F, max wind chill per home weather station -16.4F.   The cold I can handle.  It's that wind...

Done surfing.  Maybe a round of golf or some bowling on the Wii....

LarryWhistling
Resident Microferroequinologist (at least at my house) 
Everyone goes home; Safety begins with you
My Opinion. Standard Disclaimers Apply. No Expiration Date
Come ride the rails with me!
There's one thing about humility - the moment you think you've got it, you've lost it...

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy