Coffee Shoppe XXIV

[Littlefoot14]

Well, were down to 6 fish, and most likely 5 before i go to bed. I might have to skip the hobby shop tommorow and find a pet shop instead. I really want an oscar, but theyre a hassle. Well see whats there.

 

[UP2CSX]

Evening, everyone.

Rex, sorry to hear about your MIL. I know that her condition is not likely to improve, but I hope she's being kept as comfortable as possible. Your story about the lemon rind is funny. I got caught with bubble gum, which cost me 20 up and downs.

Matt, I'm sure Rex and me would have killed for an on-field shower. The only time I got a shower is if it came from the sky or after three hours of practice. I suspect the general level of aggressiveness in football coaches hasn't changed since I was your age - they're just not allowed to slug you any longer. What's the deal with your fish? If they are dying, figure out what's the problem with your tank before you start buying any more of them. Oscars aren't cheap, and they'll eat almost everything in your tank but another Oscar.

Terry, I have the switch out of the wall, and it only has a power wire to the center terminal and a wire each that goes to the up and down terminals on the switch. Is there some way I can test what the switch is actually delivering to the motor before I continue to tear the bed apart? When I use a jumper from the center power pole, the down position sparks and makes a noise, but the up position side does nothing. One thing I will say for Safari is that their construction quality is first rate. Trying to demolish it is what's hard. I hope you get out of that apartment into something better.

Chris, I have a feeling some of may end up in adult day care, but it will be to take care of our drooling and change our diapers.

Mikey, I've been working on my Trek at about four in the morning, when the temperature finally drops below 85. The Trek has a lot of lights, so it's reasonably easy to see what I'm doing, but I still need a headlamp to look into those dark corners. It would be a lot easier to work on it in daylight but, like you say, I would last about 10 minutes before I had to rest up for an hour. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I will soon be joining you in the Medicare ranks. Don't fool around getting coverage though. You only have three months to get enrolled in a Part B program after you turn 65. If you don't get it within that time frame, the benefits will be delayed, and you'll pay twice as much.

Jeffrey, I've got a Magic Jack too. Best thing since sliced bread. I have my computer on all the time anyway, monitoring my weather station, so it's no big deal to leave the phone plugged into the Magic Jack. I don't know how Vonage survives with their cost structure compared to the Magic Jack.

We had some clouds today, so it was slightly less stifling than it has been. I thought we were going to lose our 100 degree streak for a while, but we had some sun in the afternoon and managed to reach 100 degrees exactly, so our streak continues at 18 straight days. We tie the record tomorrow if we get to 100. The NWS discussion says we have a better chance for storms tommorow as a weak "cold" front pushes through, but I'll believe it when I see it. I think we'll still make to 100 or more some time during the day.

 

[Cjcrescent]

...
CJ- missed you at the WC lakeside picnic last Saturday. L&N Castle helped us demolish a pile of BBQ ribs.

Well, Mikey, its like this. When the times for the party were posted, I requested for a day that wasn't at the end of the month. See, thats also at the end of a treatment period, and thats when my immune system is at its weakest. My docs have all told me that at that time I can't be around any group larger than 20. Someone could be carrying a bug that would get me and put me back into the hospital. I spend enough time in there as it is.

I did have my treatment today, and the side effects are one reason I'm up this late. The treatments give me a severe bout of arthralgia, (joint pain) for a couple of days afterwards. Frankly I feel like I've been beaten by a baseball bat!

Haven't done much on the layout the past week, but as soon as this joint pain goes away, I'll be back at it. Still have 4 brass locos of my own and one of my friend's to paint, so thats on the agenda as well.

Rex, Sorry about your MIL. I know that you've been very worried about her for years.

 

[Littlefoot14]

Jim- That fish had been acting sickly since i got him. I think he was just a stereotypical fair fish and had some kind of bug. I guess i assumed that the other fish caught it and would die too because they were in the same tank. The other one is still swimming alot better this morning and looks fine. Im probably going to move at least the sucker fish before i leave and another golfish into his tank later today, probably. Because the other one stayed alive, it means i dont have an empty tank, and no oscar. The on field showers are great, but theres just not anytime to use them. I think the final count is something like 90 kids, varsity and junior varsity, so when the time comes for a drink, youve got to move quick and i usually just get a drink splash some water on myself then and go.


Well were off to VT for the day, hopefully well find a hobby shop, but not likely because ive been there before and the only ones are alittle out of the way.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Finally it's cooled off and we have highs below 100. As of this past week the Knutsville station on my layout had been occupied by a large wolf spider that had been in residence for a couple of years. The station is now vacant and is open for another boarder. The wolf spider died sometime this past week. The last time I recall seeing it alive was about four days ago. Today I'll likely be going out to get a new drive belt for the mower deck of the tractor. I'll see if I can go by the KCS yard in Leesville and get some shots of KCS 3137 on switching duty.

 

[vato loco]

"As Chris' World Turn's"

Hey!

Have had a very bussy week with the lawn service. Everything is going as planed. this is the End/begining of the month so, the muney marches in! Did good this month $1k surplus cash, so I plan today to run the dogs up to the vet's and get their yearly shots and stuff over with! Easy come Easy Go! My other bills are ahead and some by a month or two! If I don't secure a full time winter job in a box store I should sqeak by I hope with a surplus of $500 extra a month.

I have my son here till sunday morning! so I'm very happy about that. As for the wife/Ex? Still have no clue on what's going on. I know I need a lawer but with my finances, I have to be extra careful with and no sence throwing away money until I have a clue of what she is doing? By the way she is spending money and carring on down there, her dad is going to explode when catches wind of her reckless spending! Either way she thinks she doesn't need me but in truth......She is self-destructive with out me! Hope they figure this out before it's tooooooo Late! She has the boy going to councling some time next week for this mess. That I'm very happy with, he has some real issues with the Wife, Grand Pa, Cousin, and this mess in general. I'm still trying to figure out how we got to this point and my son who has more of a better vantage point of seeing things is having real trouble making sence of it! The councling will more than likely shed some light on this matter and will help in him end up living here! Only thing is I wish she would have made this a family affair rather than just him and her alone!

As for a lawer if I get the sence I need one, I'll get one PDQ! Just right now I need Cash on hand first before I can cross that bridge!

Well Got to go,CUL!


This Episode of, "As Chris' World Turn's" Was brought to you by, HFLS!

 

[tompm]

Good morning folks

It was 79 F as I headed in this morning. Our high will be 89 F.

I know it has been a while since I last reported in. I have been lurking but finding the time to respond and in some cases the willpower has been hard. I think July 2010 will go now as one of the worst months I have had in years. Let’s summarize it. It started with my wife’s car breaking down. Next was her ER visit while we were in Rehoboth Beach. Then her car went in the shop again to fix the repair done earlier in the month. A few days later her car broke down again. We got the car back and found that Sears charged us for a battery they did not put in so my wife had to get that situation rectified. Next the A/C went in her car. Since she needs the A/C because of her asthma I have been driving her car. Then while she was driving the van she broke down again. This time it was the alternator. Because she had had another asthma attack I had to drive her to work since she had to drive the un-air-conditioned car and we did not want her alone. So for the month of July we spent over $3000.00 on the two cars.

In the middle of the month the father of one my children’s friend and someone I knew well passed away after a short bout with liver cancer. It is a very sad case since the kids’ mother is ill and has been in an assisted living facility for about a year now and will not be released. So for all intends the kids, one 15, the other two 12, are orphans. They are now living with their father’s brother.

To make things even crazier work has been nuts. I have been snowed under with projects due and people in a panic because some of the deadlines may slip. There have also been a rash of unscheduled important can’t miss meetings. And then I get sent to Harrisburg for training.

In the middle of the month the kids had sports camp. My daughter had volleyball and my son had football camp. Luckily they were staggered just enough that I could drop one off and then the other. They also ended at different times so picking them up was not an issue and they were only a couple of blocks apart.

And just to add more fun the family caught a summer colds which we battled for about two weeks.

Here is hoping August will be better.

This weekend we will be testing the new car waters. And my son has his Personal Fitness Merit Badge progress meeting. Next week my daughter starts high school volleyball practice. She is hoping to make JV as a freshman.

My son who is looking forward to playing football for the middle school won’t start practice until mid September. Last year he had the coach for phys ed and the coach was recruiting him. He is not sure where he will play. In the past he has played center, and offensive line. On defense he usually played Defensive tackle or middle linebacker. Size wise he does not fit those positions now. Because of his speed at the camp run by the high school coach they had him starting out as a wide receiver. By the end of the camp they had him at quarterback. I have never seen him as QB. We have always thought he should be a running back or receiver but he never got the chance in youth football since the coaches’ sons were always in those positions despite in many cases their lack of talent.

Time to go and try to catch up on the forum. I am several weeks behind and probably will never catch up on the comments, condolences, and congratulations that I should post. I am not sure I’ll get to post over the weekend.

I hope everybody has a good day.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Got the new belt for the tractor this morning. That was fun! According to the computer at the parts house there are two 2 blade decks that fit that tractor. One uses a short belt (doesn't fit ours) and the other uses two belts, a short one that connects the blades and a medium sized one that drives the deck. Neither of those fit either. Ours takes one belt (medium size but slightly larger than the previously mentioned medium one) that drives the deck AND connects the blades. That didn't show ANYWHERE in the diagram the folks at the parts house were looking at. Here's the key to it all. The deck is identical to that on an MTD mower and they were looking under the model # I gave them, also identical to the MTD model # as well. The deck is however on a Peerless tractor (not the same company that makes lawn tractor transmissions) and was made to fit that tractor by MTD but doesn't use the complex pulley arrangement MTD had on their machines. Clear as mud? Anyhow we use modified MTD parts to keep it running.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I take a break to watch some TV and suddenly we're socked in by thunderstorms. I'm hoping they pass soon but it looks like they want to hang around a while.

 

[UP2CSX]

Afternoon, everybody.

CJ, those monthly bouts are hard on the old body. Hope you're feeling a bit better today. I went through two years of trying to prevent Jean from getting infections when she was on chemo and it was a lot of work.

Matt, how big a tank do you have and what kind of filter? Oscars consider goldfish to be food. They also don't like small tanks and need a good filtration system. Unless you like fish that actually bite the hand that feeds them, I'd look at community fish like gouramis and tetras. They are relatively cheap, tolerant of a wider range of tank conditions, and generally don't eat each other.

Jeffrey, I'm glad to hear it's below 100 at your place. It's 101 here with no rain in sight....again. Your trip to the mower dealer sounds like what I went through when I had a 1976 IH Scout. International bought parts from different companies for the same year and model, depending on what was available and what was cheapest. You had to have your line setting ticket with you if you needed parts, since a Scout built on the same day might have a Ford or Chrysler transmission. It was a good off-roader, but driving one on road would just about destroy your kidneys in an hour.

Chris, I know money is a problem now, but at least meet with a lawyer. Many divorce lawyers will give you an hour's consultation for free, and many of them will work out a payment plan for you. Without a lawyer, you have no legal way to find out what your wife is doing with your son. For example, your lawyer can get information about what kind of "counseling" she had set up for your son. For all you know, this is really a brain washing session, where you'll come out as the bad guy. You don't even have to file for divorce, just a legal separation. This will establish who has what rights to custody and how mutual assets should be disposed of or protected. The big issue you face now is that both of you have equal custody, which means she can say he's not coming home to you again, and there's not a thing you can do about it. Even worse, she can get a restraining order against you if she can convince a judge that you've been abusive or a bad parent. Getting notice of a restraining order hearing in the mail is not the time you want to be running around to find a lawyer. I used to run into this kind of thing all the time when I was a deputy, and all I could do was advise the parties that it was a civil case and they needed to get lawyers. Violating a restraining order was another matter. Do anything against the order and it's right to jail for you. Up to you how you want to handle this, but I've seen a lot guys get screwed by wives who had better lawyers than they did.

Tom, I was wondering what has been going on with you and the family. At least most of your problems have been mechanical. It does sound like her car is gasping its last, so a new one is probably a good idea. That's terrible news about your friend passing away. I hope his brother can be a good parent to the children. Kind of puts your other issues in perspective though. I always hated August when I working too. Most of our projects ended on December 31, and Labor Day was when the goofballs in charge realized there really wasn't six months left in the year.

We're going to the Biscuits game tonight. They are now 2.5 games out of first, we're playing the number one team, it's going to be hotter than blue blazes, and it's country music night. I'm looking forward to a real good time.

 

[Littlefoot14]

Jim- Ive got 2 15 gallon tanks, with no current filtration system other than changing 2/3 of the water every other day. A filter is on the list of things to get this weekend. Like i said, that fish had problems since day 1.

Tom- Sorry to hear about all the problems, hopefully things look up. Ask your son if hes ever considered a defensive back position. D-backs include Cornerback, and safety. If hes quick and not as large as the linemen, then it makes sense. Also, maybe a fullback or setback for offense, especially setback because they can be used as a reciever on occasion, and you said hes been used as a reciever. If hes tall and not stocky like a linemen, tight end is an option. Thats a position which is on the line and does alot of blocking but can be used as a receiver as well. Just some suggestions, im sure his coach knows whats best, but if theres any other questions id love to try and help, football is more sport


VT was alot of fun today. We went shopping around Manchester and had lunch. We were in a book store when a book caught my eye. It was one of the archeaologist's books that i worked with during my summer course. I grabbed it to show my grandma and the owner stopped me and started telling me about how he cant keep that in stock and that started telling me about how it was a local site and if im interested in the local history i should check out the book. When he finally gave me a chance to talk i told him " Sir i know, i was just digging there." Then i took the book, opened it up, and showed him where my pit was. He was pretty surprised and began asking me all sorts of questions about the site and what i found. Thank god a customer had a question or i might still be there. I didnt find any hobby shops and didnt bother stopping in any pet stores.

We had our team scrimmage today. I was running down the field during warmups and i felt a pinch in my knee. Next thing i know im on the ground. I didnt trip, i think my knee stuck or gave out and i flipped over. Its the same knee that i had trouble with last year. Theres no practice for a week, if its still bothering me by then ill say something to my parents. Ill throw a brace on it for now as well. I was doing fine during the game, i didnt drop any tackles but i noticed i was slower off the line and wasnt as strong during blocking, i was locked up with them instead of pushing people around. Ill take some tylenol and be fine in the morning.

Have a good one gents.

 

[kbkchooch]

Hiya Peoples!!

This may be my last post for a couple of days. Moving day is tomorrow, but alas, Comcast wont be out til Monday to set up our cable, so I may not return til Monday or Tuesday.
KenL, ya ready? (already, there is beer in the new fridge!)
Rex . Sorry to hear about your MIL. Hopefully things will work out for her, We'll keep her in our prayers.
Jeffrey. Thought you were gonna stay outta the heat? Wrenching on a tractor is not my idea of staying cool!! Take it easy before you get a heatstroke or something, will ya!
Jim Biscuits?? With sausage gravy?? Yumm!! LOL!
Tom Eghads man! Take a breath will ya! You got more on your plate than the Matre'de at a Cracker Barrel!
Mikey Happy belated B-day!
CJ Hope ya feel chipper sooner, and show us some of those brass engines after ya get em done!
Chris, Get a lawyer, get a lawyer, get a lawyer, get a.....well.....if you don't get my point, you're gonna get the point,,,,,,when ya get screwed ! Remember, I've been there before. Remember the old saying, the best offense is a good defense??? When my ex-babymomma thought she knew it all, my pinstriped pirannah schooled her BIG TIME!
Matt. Remember, it's a game after all, no sense hurting yourself unneccessarily......you will still want to walk when your Jim's age!!!

Well.....gotta fly guys
Talk to ya'all later!

 

[alcoman]

We have our grandkids visiting for a few days. They love it here on the farm. Lots of interesting things for them to get into. Trying to keep up with a 4 and a 6 year old isn't easy.

I would like to thank everyone who posted photos to this site. We got to sit for an hour and look at train pictures and discuss what is happening in the pictures. They were fascinated and grandpa (me) got to rest a little bit.

 

[vato loco]

Hiya Peoples!!

Chris, Get a lawyer, get a lawyer, get a lawyer, get a.....well.....if you don't get my point, you're gonna get the point,,,,,,when ya get screwed ! Remember, I've been there before. Remember the old saying, the best offense is a good defense??? When my ex-babymomma thought she knew it all, my pinstriped pirannah schooled her BIG TIME!

Now taking donations! When I got the spare cash!

 

[Littlefoot14]

Well, ive been feeling alot better since last night. My knee feels fine, it mustve just given out. Im glad it happened, it helps me know my limits and test it. Now as long as i keep it under those limits, then i should be fine.

I have work until about 12 today but nothing after that. Maybe ill see if dad and I can go fishing, i want to try out the new stuff i got yesterday. Have a good one people.

 

[Secondhandmodeler]

Good morning everyone.

Life has been busy with it's ups and downs so I haven't posted on much here.
We have thunder storms outside right now so it would have been nice to sleep in. Oh well, I don't get paid for sleeping.

Jim, I couldn't imagine having to work on your project in the middle of the night just so you can stand the heat. Have you considered paying someone else to fix this issue for you. It sounds like a pain in the you know what.

Matt, keep an eye on those knees. If you mess them up now, you'll feel the pain for the rest of your life.

Rex, sorry to hear about your mother in law.

Tom, you sure have a busy enough life without the extra troubles you had this month. I hope things lighten up a little for you.

Well, our ups and downs spoken of earlier have to do with my wife's medical issues and their impact on having a baby. I learned that we will in fact be able to have a baby through IVF. That's the good news. The bad news is that I have to come up with $26000 cash before we proceed! Damn, talk about a budget buster for the trains! As long as we have a healthy baby, I guess the trains can wait. Besides, I have probably six months to a year of work that I could do without buying a whole lot. I just won't be able to do it in the order that I wanted originally. I guess things could be worse. It's only money right?

I'm off to work, have a great day everyone.

 

[UP2CSX]

Afternoon, everyone.

Matt, you really need a bigger tank and at least an under gravel filter to keep your fish alive. Doing water changes daily, using tap water, is actually bad for the fish, since introduce and new load of chlorine and other chemicals every thime you do a water change. With a decent filter, you only need to do a water change about once a month. Wathc that knee. I had the same kind of injury when I was playing and thought it healed. It didn't, and now I pay for it if I spend much time walking uphill. If you get the pain again, see a doctor that specializes in sports medicine. Once you have a separated ligament, there's no way to put it back together. That's cool that you were able to participate in a dig. What kind of artifacts are they after?

Karl, don't ask me why Biscuits got chosen as our team name. It was apparently the result of a vote by the fans here. I think it was a bad joke. It's hard to come up with a team slogan and song that makes you sound too scary if you're a biscuit.

Hello, Don, good to see you again. Hope you and the grandkids have a good time this weekend.

Corey, I'd love to have someone else work on this thing, but I cant drive it when the bed is stuck in the down position. The grear rails are attached to side walls, and the flexing of the diewalls during driving would likely make the bed come off the tracks. The bed in the Trek is also a rare beast, and I doubt any of the RV people around here know more about than I do. So, early morning owrk sessions is what I'm stuck with. I'm glad to hear they think the in vitro will work for you two, but it's not cheap. OTOH, make sure you use a doctor who's done lots of IVF with a history of single births. I have friends who cheaped out with a second class doc, and ended up with four kids...at once.

Well, the game went about as I expected. We got trounced 6-1, had a 30 minute rain delay (although it didn't rain at the house), and it was even hotter after the rain. It's 102 today with a dewpoint of 71, but all the storms are down south. I don't know how it can be so hot and humid, with such unstable air, and the storms always form away from us. It's like we're in a black hole or something. All we can do is hope a few strays make it up this way later today.

 

[Cjcrescent]

Afternoon, everyone.

... It's 102 today with a dewpoint of 71, but all the storms are down south. I don't know how it can be so hot and humid, with such unstable air, and the storms always form away from us. It's like we're in a black hole or something. All we can do is hope a few strays make it up this way later today.

Jim, I know about those storms missing the house! Starting right after noon yesterday, there were storms all over the place around us here in Hoover. It sprinkled here for 5 minutes! We're beginning to fall behind here on our rainfall, although at the NWS, they are almost 3" ahead. Tell that to my dogwoods!

Those immune treatments have always been a thorn in my side since I had to start them. With my RSD, the pain that comes with these things really gets ramped up beyond what someone else would feel. I have good pain meds for it, but I really hate taking that stuff. It sometimes just makes me sicker from the side effects. But I am feeling a whole lots better today.

Got some of the club guys coming over for a get together tonight. Gonna be working on the yard some more, as well as finishing up the tracklaying tutorial with one of the guys. I also hope to be working on a buddy's SRR Ps-4. I regeared it and have a Cannon motor for it. Now I just gotta finish painting it. He wants to decal it and lightly weather it like mine. Speaking of mine, I need to re-wire it so the wires from the back of the loco into the tender aren't as obvious. I also need to get the cam wired in so I will have the authetic 4 chuffs per revolution on the Tsunami thats in it. (The things we do for the grandchildren!) Man I gotta lot to catch up on!

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Well, today has not been my day. Woke up this morning to find that my internet service was down. Then I went to town to pick up some items from Lowe's and Wal-Mart then went down to the Leesville yard to get a few pics. From there I went to the gas station to get some gas. It went downhill from there. I pulled out from the gas station and got perhaps 100 yards down the road and the fuel pump died. Seems that it's well and truly shorted out as the wire going to it gets really hot. Naturally the pump is in the tank and the only way to get at it is to pull the whole tank out. Whoever thought of putting the pump IN the tank must have had a half a dozen too many horse flys buzzing around in his head. I had to walk back to the gas station, all uphill naturally, to use their phone to call my mother to come pick me up. So my ankle is yelling at me in high soprano right now and I can barely move it. I have my father's truck for now while my car is decorating the roadside in town. I don't know, I might have my father help me bring it back out here, drop it in an open field and toss in a couple of sticks of TNT on a timer and retreat to a safe distance to watch it go BOOM! This is the third break-down in two weeks and it's getting me really ticked off. I dropped by one of neighbor's home and informed him of the urgent need I have of the steering column and steering box from his 79 van. I've gotten tired of waiting for my nephew to get off his dead butt and locate one he says he knows about. He's been saying he's going to look at it for over two months now. Oh well, I've never been able to count on him for much of anything in the past, why should he change now.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Got the laundry done today then later went to dinner with my sister at Catfish Junction. On the way back home we stopped where I left the car earlier and I tried to get it started up. After flipping the switch for the fuel pump several times it unlocked and started pumping. I turned the key and it fired right up. It ran nice and smooth for about 15 seconds then the pump locked up again. This time I couldn't get it to start pumping again. So I locked the car up and we left it there. I don't have any recovery plans as of yet.