Running Bear’s October 2020 Coffee Shop


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Back again....never made to the trains since the wife wanted me to help (do) some transplanting of five plants I received when I was in the hospital last year a larger. We have a jungle on a table in the living room were these guys will return. Excellent light and exposure. We have one houseplant that I received in 1985 as a gift and recently I did cuttings from a Jade plant that I brought home in 1982 as a five inch cutting that grew to over three feet tall.

Maybe tomorrow I'll venture down to the trains if I get a head start on any honey-do lists.

McLeod: Is Rebecca the plastic model or the girl in the photo next to the tractor?

Alcomotive: There is or was an American Science store in Milwaukee and I enjoyed walking and just window shopping at all the items they had for sale.

TLOC: I'll check out the stadium seating for availability.

Back...to work to reset our exterior light timers.

Greg
 
State of play with the JD Cub Cadet:
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Haven't been able to locate something to use as a steering wheel; yet! Tried punching one out; didn't work. Right now, I'm feeling too lazy to search out a thin tube and wrap it around a finishing nail. I'll do it later. - How do you like the size of that stack?! Rebecca is getting something big, under that hood.


McLeod: Is Rebecca the plastic model or the girl in the photo next to the tractor?
Greg - At my age, I love them both; so they are definitely both Rebecca's. Historically, the Rebecca's have earned a place in my heart and memory.
 
Good evening y'all. Mild day with some rain on the way for tomorrow. Spent a good part of the day hanging out waiting on the HVAC guy to show. My window was 1 to 4, and he showed at 1:45PM. and was out by 2:30PM. All systems are good.

While waiting, I tortured myself researching Medicare Prescription Drug policies. Actually found four with promise, that "appear" to offer about the same as I currently have for less per month. Catch is, that from the wife's standpoint, the out of pocket cost is substantially greater than what it currently is under the Teamsters plan. The Medicare sight is great for this, you list all of your current prescriptions / dosage and your Zip code, and it gives you all the available policies, listed cheapest to most expensive, and lists in detail what you can expect to pay next year including drug costs and premiums. i was also able to research formularies for the plans I was interested in. No decisions made yet.....

I also had to pick up a filled Rx for 30 days of blood pressure meds. my Do-nut hole cost 51¢.

No work on the railroad today, I'll leave that for tomorrow. ;)

Guy: Looks good so far. I agree with Curt about the brake wheel.

Southbound MU Train at Naaman DE 6-13-73 Photo by Tim Chtonin.jpg

Southbound MU Train at Naaman, DE (PA - DEL State Line), 6-13-73 - Tim Chtonin Photo
 
State of play with the JD Cub Cadet:
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Haven't been able to locate something to use as a steering wheel; yet! Tried punching one out; didn't work. Right now, I'm feeling too lazy to search out a thin tube and wrap it around a finishing nail. I'll do it later. - How do you like the size of that stack?! Rebecca is getting something big, under that hood.



Greg - At my age, I love them both; so they are definitely both Rebecca's. Historically, the Rebecca's have earned a place in my heart and memory.


Why not use a break wheel off a freight car? just a thought.....you could remove a few spokes too. Use an N scale one? I dunno was just brain stormin'
 
And I'm back! Time for a coffee refill and even a Western Omelet with bacon and whole wheat toast. Thanks

Supposed to be almost 60° today with the temps climbing to 83° on Thursday, before a strong cold front comes through dropping us to upper 40's for the weekend. Then Sunday they expect a stronger front to come through dropping highs into the low 30's with a possibility of the "S" word in our forecast. Looks like the tomatoes are finally finished. I'll have to get some off before then. It has been an unusually decent year for them. Last dose of Winterizer goes down and I'll have to blow out the sprinkler lines. I do that job myself as I paid for the compressor by learning to do it myself. Every year that compressor keeps another $60 in my pocket. I bought the compressor in 2004 for $300 and saved the $60 until 2012 when I moved and now since 2018 another $60 annually...overall $660 saved by spending $300. So I'm up $360 in 16 years. Yes I am getting cheap as I age.....lol

Called the county clerk about the ballot mix up. Every address where there is a Junior and Senior at the address had it happen. The printer of the labels apparently printed them as junior, senior, junior, senior instead of junior, junior, senior, senior so the ballots and mailing envelopes didn't match. They had an acceptable fix, so the ballots went in the mail yesterday so I did my duty.
Sadly I feel like I live in a dictatorship as for all the state\local offices, there's only 1 candidate from 1 party on the ballot. Sadly any other party or independent candidate also wouldn't get elected locally either.
 
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Just swinging through for a quick cup of joe.

Hired a narrator for the audio versions of my books last night, so this week is all about fixing typos and getting stuff ready for her to read. The joys of indy-publishing and selling ebooks is that I can keep updating and polishing as long as the book is up on Amazon. Even the paperbacks are Print on Demand. They may stock 2 or 3 on the shelves IF it helps them make a press run. But it's usually just what's been ordered.

But, once the book hits audio, adding or deleting words throws off the "WhisperSync" - Amazons parallel tracks - listen in your car, but read at lunch synchronicity system. SO, I have to break out the spit-shine kit and make one last pass. Once audio hits. No more changes.

And, I have to clean the fuzzy-conductor's mega litterbox this week before winter hits. It's one of the $500 auto-rotate, dump into a drawer kind. I try to give it a good scrubbing three or four times a year. We've got one last mid-70s day in the forecast this week. That's throne cleaning day. After that, the giant egg gets dumped and wiped down only until spring thaw hits, since this is an outdoor cleaning and drying.

Maybe I'll be laying track later in the week. Too many words and cat boxes in the way before then.
 
Good Morning All. Cloudy and 57° this morning. Supposed to reach 83° later today, weatherman was way off yesterday when the high only reached 59° instead of the forecast of 71°!
Made a successful foray to get a haircut yesterday, and the Walmart stop was OK. We went to a different Walmart than usual, because it was closer to the barbershop; whole different clientele to observe. The drugstore part wasn't done because my doctor's office hadn't renewed the prescription yet. Since I have to return to town Wednesday for a different doctor appointment, I can pick it up then. Sadly when we got home there was a message on the landline that it was ready. Did not go and vote since a neighbor called to let us know that there was a 90 minute wait for absentee voting at the polling place. There's only one location in our county to vote early, so we might just wait until election day and go to the local community center.
I am getting the hang of Win10, but I am still not liking it. It's a hassle teaching the dictionary all over again among other things. I did get a freeware substitute for Microsoft Office, Thanks Sherrel. I was successful in transferring all of my Foxfire bookmarks over, saves a lot of time.
As we age, sometimes the little things in life are noteworthy. Last night I went 5 1/2 hours before the first bathroom break!:) Second one was 2 1/2 hours later, but by then it was time to get up anyway.

Can you have Mel make me some huevos rancheros this morning Flo? Lots of spicy salsa on the side. That's Mexican eggs for all of the northerners out there.

As always, thanks for the reactions and comments yesterday regarding my progress; Dave, Tom O, Patrick, Karl, Jerome, Guy, Sherrel, Garry, Chad, Curt, James, Tom, Phil.

Out in the train shed yesterday, it was a slow day. Since I am going on vacation later this week, I am not starting any real projects. I did add and paint sidewalks on the two structures that are being added to Charlottesville next to the new Derry's Pub.
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The gaps will not be there once I actually go to work on this area. Both of these structures are from Smalltown. Jessica's Salon is what it says, and the one on the left is Roy's Fix It Shop. It currently has a temporary interior. I don't remember what Smalltown called it.
Then I did some general layout cleanup before running some trains. I gathered up a whole shoebox full of various pieces of wire retrieved from wherever I had previously left them, scattered about on shelves under the layout everywhere. I also dusted off about a dozen tankers, seems that black tankers get dusty a lot sooner than any other cars. Additionally I selected a few vehicles to add license plates to and any other details that I may have missed, like painting taillights.
OK, since Guy is disappointed when I don't post a lot of pictures, here are some from a railfan outing that I went on in June of 2002. They were all taken by a friend of mine.
This is a rare shot of an ex-ATSF GP40X, taken at the Alliance Yard in Haslet TX
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Amtrak's Heartland Flyer returning to Oklahoma City from Ft Worth. Taken in Krum TX which is about 12 miles from me.
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Patrick -
The outers had his information, the inner return envelope had mine, so I think I'd be OK to send 1 in, but he can't vote using either.
Ah heck, just vote twice!;)
I don't know whether or not we can comment on mail-in voting here, but you describe a potential problem with it.
Yes I am getting cheap as I age.....lol
It's actually called "frugal"
Guy - When I was younger and living at home in the city, hardware stores were the place to buy chicks, rabbits and ducks.
Save your nice pallets for outside detailing. No one will ever see them inside the store. Don't bother asking how I know this!
Boy! I wish my scrap parts were that organized! But in my defense, I have been collecting them for 35 years.
Really nice progress on the lawn tractor.
Joe -
my Do-nut hole cost 51¢
Reminds me that as a pre-diabetic, I have to check my blood sugar level once a day. Medicare picks up most of the cost for the lances, and I have to pay 28¢ every three months. Then about three weeks later, I get a check in the mail from the pharmacy for that 28¢ but they cannot explain why! Off the shelf cost is about $15.
It's good to finally see that you can make some progress on the layout.

Everyone have a great day.
 
Morning, everyone! Only 18°F this morning, but it's supposed to warm up to a blistering 33°F later in the afternoon. I'll have to get out soon and shovel the walk before the nights snow turns to ice. My driveway is a mean slope. You have to take a run at it, if the surface turns icy. The wife hates that.

PRR - Your suggestion of using a break wheel was a winner! Thank you! Thanks also to Boris and James, for making the same suggestion!

Boris - Well done on the freight warehouse. I like it a-lot! Thanks for another wonderful historical photo.

I feel like I got carried away with coming into the shop over and over yesterday. In my defense, I did promise I would have a tractor before the wife got home from work. So, I had to post photos as I went along, to prove it. - Now, the garden tractor is built, and it will be going into the paint shop today. I'm calling it a 'garden tractor' because it don't have a mowing deck on it yet.

Perhaps it is a bit small in scale; my guess-work was off. I don't think they were very large in 1965, though. Can't remember. - I believe I will paint this one in either Cub Cadet or Ford colors:
Tractor6_10-19-2020.jpg


This next photo proves it might be under-scale. No biggy, it will be on display in the hardware anyway. Not sure if it will be seen easily.
Tractor7_10-19-2020.jpg

That tractor is going in the store. Knowing now, how easy it is; I'll likely make another, better one. I think it will make a real good backyard detail on any layout.

One more coffee; and then it's snow shovel time! Have a good one!
 
Good morning

Chet, Sherrel, and Willie. ... thanks for the complements on my photo. Also, thanks to all who liked it.

Joe ... Your warehouse looks great. Also, I like the photo of PRR E8’s in Indiana.

Willie. ... Your building window shades, etc. Look great.

Guy... Nice work so far with the Cub Cadet.

everybody .... Have a good day.
 
My landlord has a 1968 vintage lawn tractor. If you really want, I can measure the thing next time I’m over there. I think it’s about the same size as my 2020 model lawn tractor.
Terry - If it's no trouble, it would be nice if you could get box measurements; to top of hood and length. There's not many lawn tractors around here, on our small lots. - If you do that for me, I'll build a better, more realistic tractor on a separate thread; just in case someone else wants to build one. Thanks, in advance!
 
When I graduated college I went to work in Chicago at a hardwire forming manufacturer. We made parts for Roper in kankakee, Illinois. They also made the lawn tractors for Sears. We needed a new lawn tractor for the Campground in Central Wisconsin and got a super deal.

went into the factory to pickup and they were building Sears, Roper and Cub Cadett tractors too. Like GM basically the same machines but different name plates. Because I was also a vendor during the factory tour I got, Roper was also building Washing machine for Sears and a few other name brands and a few house brands.

Great build.
TomO
 
Good morning. Busy again. Winter seem to be on the way as we are expected to have early morning temps in the single digits by the end of the week. Was busy yesterday at my friends place installing new flooring. It seems that I got volunteered for this job by my wife and my friends wife as I have the necessary tools and because we have installed a lot of flooring in recent years. No work today as he has to paint the trim pieces fro baseboards and door moldings today. I'll see him for lunch today and see how that's going.

Greg - Another good photo of the mine and the two 70 ton switchers. My 70 tonner ran extremely quiet. Nothing but wheel noise.


Sherrel - I will have to agree with your comments on the Frisco locomotives.

Dave
- Sure like the brick work showing on the wall. Nice touch.

Alan - Nice work on the door installation. Like the weathering.

Willie -
I will have to agree with you on windows 10. I really didn't care for it at first but after having used it for a while I guess it's alright. Don't need a lot of what it offers. Make sure that your wife does get some time to walk around during your trip. Sitting still won't be good for her. I have done something similar to what you mentioned about building interiors. The problem is finding photos for the right time period. The pizza joint looks good.

Curt - I sure hate the projects when you end up having to make multiple trips to the store. For me it's a 30 mile round trip.

McLeod - Nice job scratch building the lawn tractor. They really weren't around in the time period I mam modeling thankfully.

Joe - Nice photos. On the background building, I cut a piece of paper to the size it need to be to fit in the upper levels behind the window and spray painted it black.

Lunch today and then a trip to the county courthouse to drop off our ballots. We had no in person voting this year thanks to our dipshit governor who made the decision for mail in ballots.

TRAIN ONE, TRUCK NOTHING

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lATER
 
Good Morning Everyone.....cloudy and seasonal here in Wisconsin.

Hopefully, I'll make to the layout today since later I'll be alone after Cathy goes to the dentist. Cathy's laptop needed some update which I did for her earlier along with other housekeeping on her laptop.

Chet: My older Bachmann 70 Tonner runs quieter without the screws holding the body to the frame and I even tried to insulate the locomotive's interior. The newer 70 Tonner runs better and is not an issue as much as the first locomotive. Hopefully, by replacing the low quality Bachmann decoders, the Locomotives will run quieter.

Nice video on your 70 Tonner.

Boris: I've found that Good Rx prices to be lower than many products on my Prescription Plan.

Patrick: I dropped our ballots off at the Village Hall in a drop box. We have a website that we can check out ballots status as being received and counted.

TLOC: In malls different stores that are side by side are owned by the same company and may sell basically the same products each with different labels. So you finding out about the lawn tractors with different name tags didn't surprise me.

I ordered a sweeper truck and when it arrived the delivery driver asked what make of vehicle do I want for the truck chassis, GMC or Isuzu? All he did was pick the from glove comportment the GMC items mixed with the Isuzu and apply them to the vehicle.

Thanks all for now.

Greg

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My hero and write-in candidate for the election.-Greg
 
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