Running Bear's December 2021 Coffee Shop

[McLeod]

Good 1st of December Morning!

GUY - Is a Chinook likw qhat we call a Santa Anna?

Sherrel - I could answer that if I knew what a Santa Anna was. Without knowing, the words 'Santa Anna' sound like some kind of Christmas perversion to me.
A chinook is simply a period of warm winds that bring temperatures above freezing. In this area, Chinooks are a very welcome weather system.

Today, though, there is no Chinook. It might be 38f with rain right now, but, by days end it will be below freezing again. Today is kind of the 'reverse Chinook'. The north winds are blowing the cold air back in at 12mph, as I speak.

Yesterday, I finished relocating my 20+yr junk collection from out of the layout area. Now I'm ready for drywall, taping, and paint.
Here's the before and after photos:
February, 2021:

Yesterday:

I brought out the module I started, just to see how it would work out. Very soon, I realized I'm going to run out of real-estate very quickly. Still, though, I feel an 8'x12' area is big enough to get a start. The whole thing is expandable to 24', if I live that long.
It's also clear to me, that I need more lighting. The camera is having a hard time recognizing the same amount of light that the human brain adjusts for. - I will fix that.
It took me a long time to get this far, but, I didn't do anything over the summer.

You can see by the fact I pulled out some toys, that I was playing a-bit:

If I plug it in, I can run an engine through those switches.
Not everything in the photo will be used; especially that crappy sidewalk. It was built just for time wasting fun.
The table the module is sitting on, will also be scrapped. I need to figure out how I want to put legs on the 3/4" ply module. The plan is too extend to the right and left of that module, so I can get to some modeling. There's a town that needs building.

When I get into it all deep enough, I believe I'll start a separate thread outside of the shop.

Anyway, the cup is empty again, and the dog is waiting for her walk. So, I suppose I'd better get on with it.

Have a great day!

 

[TLOC]

You know... I live in RED Indiana. Deep red.

and I'm deleting everything i originally typed after that line.

Go get vaccinated. Wash your hands. Wear a mask when asked to.

I am looking out across the valley, (hey it drops about 50’ and then climbs again) and see brown. So Wisconsin is a brown state and nope, not deleting what I will type next

Happy day
TomO

 

[TLOC]

Got up for the 3:30 pee run.

Anyone else up?

Yes, I was up or actually sitting but I was awake. I can’t sleep on airplanes

TomO

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from Wisconsin a few days earlier then we had forecast. 40f degrees feels like 33 and heading to an overcast 51. A far cry from the island of Paradise where it will hit 81 today.

Sure is nice to have a brother who has a time share on those private jets. He has another business meeting today but in Chicago. We hitched a ride, hey free is free, why complain. Last minute decision for Terry and me but we were leaving next week anyway. The house was packed up and the movers will move the furniture and other brother stuff to storage. I was unable to sleep on Monday night for more then 2 hours and last night when boarding the plane I knew that I was in for another night of no sleep. Hopefully this morning I can sleep a bit in my chair in my cave and be happy.

When I get my bearings back I will report back in on this 1st day of the new diner. Meanwhile, Flo, please a desperately needed diet Dr Pepper regular flavor and some cinnamon swirl French toast with a slice of ham plus the chemical designed syrup.

enjoy the day
TomO

 

[MilwRoader_Steve]

Greetings and Happy Advent to all!

Quick post to let you know I am alive and well - just pulled a few different ways. Took prospective SIL for ring shopping yesterday. Success! Then for a burger and a couple of single malts - yum.

Have a dear parishioner in ICU on a vent - - - hoping I can get in to see him, but not optimistic. Yep, the accursed virus. Great guy, too. Praying for him and his family. Came over from Liberia about 18 years ago - 6 children, 2 still in grade school.

Peaks and valleys of ministry.

Steve J

PS loving all the pictures

 

[D&J RailRoad]

The "Sant Ana" refers to strong winds that blow from the inland deserts out to the coast in southern California. Winds are strong enough to tip over trucks on the freeway.
One of the bigger problems from the winds is wild fires. The winds are typically dry or hot. If there are any fires at the time, the Santa Ana winds will spread the flames quite a bit.

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Clear and 51°, still heading back into the mid-70's for a few more days. Kinda nice that I only had to get out the jeans one day this November, and December is starting off as shorts weather as well. At least seven of the first ten days if the forecast is correct. Other than the "deep freeze" back in February, this has been a good year weather-wise. Never got to 100° this past summer.

Thanks for all of the likes and comments regarding the ladies from yesterday; Steve J, Jaz, Karl, Chad, Christian, Patrick, Mikey, Hughie, Tom, Sherrel, IB Ken, Gary, Curt, Jesse, James, OB Ken.

Nothing special today Flo. Two sunny side up eggs and a stack of sausage patties with OJ should do.

Out in the train shed yesterday, I resumed my search for my misplaced 5/64" drill bit. I have been looking it for over a week now. Still haven't found what I am looking for. Apologies to U2.
I did a minor addition to the layout using a figure I just finished painting.

I like adding scenes of people "doing something".

Troy - Yes the ice-water circulator uses a sleeve over the knee to keep swelling at bay.
And what's wrong with being a "red state"?
Mikey - You posted "I must say that I approve of your fashion sense by putting those young "ladies" in short dresses!"; so here are a few more. Hint: I like legs!

Tom - Lot Lizards is a term that I rarely hear, but I don't hang out around truck stop parking lots.
Greg - I told you so regarding the graphite sticks!!! Of course if you hadn't ordered the new ones, you would still be looking for the old ones.
Sherrel - You posted "WILLIE - Would that be going North, or South from you? Inquiring minds want to know!".
That would be going south at the intersection of IH35 and US77. Why do you ask??? Planning a visit?
You posted earlier in the week about having a log splitter. While it would be nice to have one right now, I haven't needed one in 41 years of heating with wood. I can burn whole logs up to 11" in diameter (with some smaller ones in there to start), and those last more than 14 hours, so it's to my advantage not to split too much. Most of the time if I start the split with the chainsaw, It only takes three whacks with the sledge and wedge. The exercise is good for me and I only occasionally have to rely on ibuprofen the next day.
Curt - That handicap equipment service is a rather nice service. Our walker (nicknamed Hershel) cost less than $50 and we've already gotten 18 weeks of use and expect 4-5 more. And I haven't even needed it yet!
Jaz - You posted "I like the music, I like the singer…but you gotta know he fancies himself far more than he would fancy anyone else". It's too bad that the whole band was actually that way in the 80's, but they continued to make good music even when the lead singer changed.
Guy - Room looks great. Nice job. Advice on legs: I attached my layout to the walls in back, and mounted legs in front. I recessed the legs by 6" so I would have human foot clearance. That 6" is quite important. Back could either be mounted to the wall like mine, or have independent legs.

Today is National Package Protection Day. Do you think it refers to parcels or athletic supporters? It's also a palindromic date, 12-1-21, the first of nine in a row, and eleven for the whole month.
Everybody have a great day. Stay safe.

 

[PNKFLOYD]

Mikey - You posted "I must say that I approve of your fashion sense by putting those young "ladies" in short dresses!"; so here are a few more. Hint: I like legs!

Willie- I have started exposing more skin on many of my painted figures. Sometimes, it requires me to file or sand a figure to remove coats or other unwanted materials. I noticed you modify many of your figures, also.

 

[bnsf971]

I have a job until January 3, when they will make more changes.
The CEO of the new company put in an appearance, and basically said it’s their way or the highway. Phrased slightly more tactfully than that, but not much.
He said the current “vision” includes a 6 day work week, 8-7, and he wants everybody on straight commission.

 

[PNKFLOYD]

A FEW MORE LAYOUT PHOTOS
As many of you realize, it is difficult to portray a winter theme without snow. A south Alabama village often has temps in the 70's F.
Also, town budgets were very tight during the 1930s, so I can rationalize a scant Holiday display for Hope's Landing.
Our scenery man also knows how to re-rail a steam engine.

 

[bigfoot13]

Started a 3d printed version of Equipment Shed from Scale Model Plans, since I don't have styrene or balsa readily available I decided to print out the parts. No just to make the metal roofing and siding.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

I have a job until January 3, when they will make more changes.
The CEO of the new company put in an appearance, and basically said it’s their way or the highway. Phrased slightly more tactfully than that, but not much.
He said the current “vision” includes a 6 day work week, 8-7, and he wants everybody on straight commission.

When you're pulling down a 7 figure salary you have to expect to be available for those kinds of hours, even late into the night and early mornings.

 

[troyphoto]

Willie:

Nothing wrong being being a red state. (Doing my best to skirt politics in this post). But I need to set the stage, so I will relate my time in politics, and try not to push hot buttons.

Sherrel's post about "Brandon" stopping the virus hit a trigger point for me.

Back in 2010 I was out on the rally circuit first in the Tea Party movement, then on staff for a Tea Party guy for US Senate, hoping to challenge Evan Bayh back then. We ended up in a 5 way primary, with the establishment guy (Dan Coats) winning.

That was when I started to see a dark underbelly for the red state folks I had been out waving signs with. I've got a 500gig hard drive full of good time photos from those days.

There was a time with our US Senate Candidate we were at a little town's library, a county south of where I live now, in a town hall with our candidate. After the obligatory "Are you X religion?" and "Where do you stand on Right to Life for babies?" questions, it was hit or miss, but illegal immigration always came up.

Our candidate had his soul searching answer of eliminate the jobs by enforcing laws on those who hire undocumented workers, and they'll self-deport.

The woman who asked the question said (and I've got it on video, if I ever want to dig out that hard drive) "Why can't we load them in boxcars and send them to to border now?"

Our candidate stood silent for a moment. This was a question that has haunted me for a long time, and I believe it's one that tore-apart his idea of what we had been trying to build in the Tea movement.

When he spoke, he looked her in the eye and asked "Are we, we Americans, that kind of country?"

The woman, still standing, responded:
"You remember the trail of tears, don't you?"

About half of the folks in the room applauded.

This wasn't an isolated incident. But it was among the worst out-in-the-open displays of it we witnessed. I heard more of it behind closed door with Tea group leaders.

Then, in 2012, I switched over to the Libertarians, and embedded in a campaign for Governor, to write about the campaign for my Masters degree project. We were up against Mike Pence that year. (the dem actually came in close enough that they blamed the 3.7% that the L got for the loss by the dem).

I still remember bumping into Candidate Pence (for gov) in the hall outside a closed door interview by the state's managing editors. Four months earlier, I had met Pence at a closed door Tea event where he was obviously lining up the Tea leadership before he announced.

When I'm standing next to the L candidate, he looks at me, jaw drops, then he recovers like a politician. But the reaction was definitely why is a Tea leadership figure with my oponent.

Now, let's take a look at "Brandon"

We all know where that came from. Google "Let's go Brandon" and NASCAR if you don't know. Basically, it stands for "F*** Biden"

Back when I started in with the Tea movement, I had a lot of respect for those in Red States that were politically active grassroots. There was a lot of praying, a lot of scripture reading, a lot of "character counts"

Stuff like Clinton's peccadilloes, or O's feet on the desk, or any flub by Hillary was a terrible thing to behold. Character counts.

Now, when I leave this city, and drive 1.5 hours I'll pass by at least a dozen homes still flying flags for the guy who lost the election. Most of them have added another flag right under that one.

It's black with white letters... Maybe some red on it

Only it doesn't say "Let's Go Brandon"
It says the real words. Words I never thought a majority of honest, hard working, church every sunday, Hoosiers would embrace.

I'm not sure what happened to the people in my state.

Something changed. Something's not right any more.

"You remember the trail of tears, don't you..."

My apologies for dragging all this out. Scroll on by. Send me private messages if you want to discuss further. I'll drop the topic.

 

[kbkchooch]

When you're pulling down a 7 figure salary you have to expect to be available for those kinds of hours, even late into the night and early mornings.

It's supposed to be 7 figures NOT including the decimal point!!!!!

 

[bnsf971]

It's supposed to be 7 figures NOT including the decimal point!!!!!

Yeah, my current wages are $16 an hour. For a technical professional.

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

Spent the morning grocery shopping. After getting home and lunch I put up the Christmas Tree. It's an older prewired tree with light issues in spots. Changing bulbs has no effect. After all that I have zero energy to be productive in the train room today. Later daughter's school has some kind of fund raising by buying supper at Texas Roadhouse. A donation is made to the school with each meal. It's usually held at McDonalds (yuck) so's it's a step up and coincidently that's where son cooks at.

Jesse- I meant to tell you I actually prefer solid wire. I use 14 ga for the main power buss and 2 reverse loop busses and 20 ga for the lighting buss and track feeder wires. You're making good progress. On my last layout I used suitcase connectors but this time around I solder all connections. I discovered that if there was a tightness (no slack) to the feeder wires going into the connector it could fail as it aged.

Mikey- Nice scenes.

Guy- Nice job on the basement.

Willie- Nice scenes and figures. I hope Arlene is doing OK.

Terry- Sounds like it's time to blow that popsicle stand especially if you already have a job lined up.

Bigfoot- Very nice.

The sequence for the track ballasting in the servicing area is:
1. Tape area (easier to clean up.
2. lay down Scenic Express fine sand then spray with RA then apply ballast glue (1/3 each of Elmers, water and RA)
3. After dry apply A&I coat
4. After dry apply Grimy Black weathering powder followed by another coat of A&I









I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[TLOC]

I have a job until January 3, when they will make more changes.
The CEO of the new company put in an appearance, and basically said it’s their way or the highway. Phrased slightly more tactfully than that, but not much.
He said the current “vision” includes a 6 day work week, 8-7, and he wants everybody on straight commission.

In other words, he could care less about good capable employees. Too bad, 55 hours a week with no guaranteed income. Interesting

TomO

 

[troyphoto]

I have a job until January 3, when they will make more changes.
The CEO of the new company put in an appearance, and basically said it’s their way or the highway. Phrased slightly more tactfully than that, but not much.
He said the current “vision” includes a 6 day work week, 8-7, and he wants everybody on straight commission.

I'd take a decent job offer if one came along. The new owners are in the "driving away" those who won't fit phase. They've got more than enough people in their other business units to fill in with for any employees who don't want to work for slave wages.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

As much as employers are screaming for employees and you're settling for $16hr and those hours?

 

[TLOC]

Good afternoon from Wisconsin. I slept after posting this morning for about 2 hours. Now. I am told at 3pm Central Time “we” are going for a walk. Exercise, yes I have to get back to it. The pool is 68f friggin’ degrees and too cold right now to swim. I adjusted the furnace thermostat and have to ask the daughter and SIL why when the house is off grid and there is no fuel costs! Kids!

Troy, interesting story. Terry is a bleeding heart liberal and has hosted fund raisers here and when we lived up north. Stories I can tell but basically, it’s all a power grab for the personal benefit of the candidates and the people pushing them into office. Term limits and flat tax is my motto but no I no longer give a penny to any political party.

I also think the Brandon thing is very offensive. Just because the last guy in office and who I am sorry to say I voted for is scum doesn’t mean we have to fall to his level.

mods, if the above is not allowed go back and censure a lot of things today

Wow, maybe I should have stayed in Paradise!

Anyway, in 1/2022 Terry and I taxes be damned are becoming Hawaiian citizens. The house supposely is on time for Christmas 2022 but next month we have a 6 month rental with another 6 month option. The grandkids are older and it was Terry saying we should just stay on Maui.

Modeling, nope none today. The 60’ framework and roadbed expansion will come down. Materials and lots of modeling bins will be sent to the son’s house in Austin. I am looking forward to the last 14 months of Covid being in the past. The future looks bright to me, no matter how you interpret the following meme.

TomO