Running Bear’s June 2025 Coffee Shop

[chadbag]

Yeah, that's the way to go. Since shipping is weight related and those decoders don't weigh anything, you can pile them on.

IIRC DM-Toys.com has a flat rate shipping overseas (at least to the US). They don't take the VAT off but have cheap shipping. I don't buy that much there -- preferring Lippe, who takes the VAT off -- but sometimes they have these specialty things like their own version of decoder that is cheaper or closeouts.

It's been a few years since I bought from Europe. House build and general expensiveness of stuff there.

-------------

Before we went to Costco we stopped by a Home Center. Basically a Japanese Home Depot. My SisIL needed some sort of laundry drying rack that had broken.

They call their 2x4 a 2x4 and they come in 6 foot and 8 foot lengths. They had the whole range of dimensional lumber as well as some sizes that were metric only. They had a good selection of lumber and stuff. Especially specialty things for around the home projects like various sorts and thicknesses of specialty ply etc.

Here are some dimensional. They don't have the Home Depot problem with bendy wood. It all looked good. Prices were not bad either.



Not sure what this was but it was a finished lumber sort of thing. What caught my eye is that "Södra" is Swedish I believe for "South" or "Southern". I don't know if that means this lumber was imported from Sweden or what.



They had a row full of all sorts of foam pieces that would be good for modeling purposes and crafts.



And they had these cool PVC pipe connectors. I wish Home Depot had these. Fittings to use the pipe to make things like shelves etc.
\

On the way out I spotted these traffic cones or warning cones. You buy the base separately so I guess you can replace the cone if it gets wiped out without having to throw away the base, or vice versa. Also good price. Each piece was slightly more than $2. The striped poles holes have loops on the end to fit over the top of cones so you can place cones around an area you want to keep people out of and then place the striped bars between the cones, resting on the top part of the cone.



I was impressed by the store. They also had a more department store part that had more things like small appliances, electronics (like TVs etc), and stuff like that. But not full on department store sized. Also a lot of home goods stuff like soap, detergent, and all sorts of things like that (more than HD has).

I could make a lot of cool things with the stuff I found.

 

[chadbag]

I forgot to show what I did get at the Home Center.

Japanese saws are great. These aren’t fine wood working ones but more for rough cutting things like 2x4 etc.

Japanese saws work on the pull and not the push.

These probably aren’t the greatest quality but they were under $7 and under $9.

Also supposedly the Japanese cross type bit is cut differently than the US Philips and don’t slip out as much so I got a few cross bits as well.

 

[Bill Tidler Jr.]

Good morning! It's 66°F and raining.

 

[Kusojiji]

Never had mushrooms with eggs before. That's a new one. Looks good though.

 

[traiNscale]

hey forum peeps

- big black coffee pls
- i have to say iam totally lost in feather river canyon ahahaha. reading trough many storys and more. i have to say i love to dig deeper in stuff like this.

on the other hand:
- airport is up and running
- long weekend incoming
- also club weekend incoming, that means playing discgolf with my friends on a nice course in switzerland, and some beers

cheers
Marco

 

[troyphoto]

Well howdy there internet peeps and those decoding MRR life,

It's Troy again

I made it to the 4 am piddle stop. Then the brain wouldn't go back to sleep. Gave up at 4:30 and got up. Now I'm yawning, despite the coffee I brewed.

Rain and potential T-storms in the Fort today. I'll probably bee cleaning the basement of clutter. Amazing how many boxes and such accumulate in a basement. But with the Orkin man coming out on Friday, I want to have. clear path for him under the benchwork, and around the perimeter of the basement.

 

[bnsf971]

Good morning. It's cloudy and 74.

 

[Patrick]

Morning all,

Cloudy 63° and rain starting back up, going for the mid 70's later with more rain expected over the next 36 or so hours.

Been quiet train wise at home. Trains on the Emporia sub have been stopped as a couple of towns in the area have sealed the tracks running through dikes. I suspect the home town will be removing the barricades maybe later today as it looked like the river crested overnight. The road on the river side of the dike was above water anyway.

Short day as I have to work Saturday to update servers. I have other things that need updated as well. All part of the "big bucks" job they pay me to do.


Karl: Hope surgery goes well.

 

[troyphoto]

Evidently it rained here in The Fort last night.

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from the desert. 77f degrees now at 6:30am local time and 90 later. Another drop today of 5 degrees to where it might feel comfortable today. The humidity is at 37% which had been hovering around 50% the last few days. No such thing though as a cooling breeze here! But I’ve mainly been under a shade cloth sail system on the patio with misters. The AC in the house is set to 82 but still feels too cold.

We had Italian last night in the Sinatra at the Wynn Resorts Las Vegas. Surprised by the choice but definitely in our wheelhouse. Both Terry and I love Italian. It was very good and the service was very very over the top. We knew going there that the brother was going to play as well as his girlfriend. 2 hours almost to the dot. We held our own as Terry won basically what I lost. She only plays slots and I was at a BJ table. I stayed well within my budget. They let the brother play craps while sitting down. He had called his host before hand and made sure it was ok or we weren’t going to the Wynn. The son and his g/f joined us yesterday but he was in the sports book watching the Stanley Cup finals. He prefers to do his gambling he said in the Stock Market. He also had a flight today so no drinking for him. His girlfriend though likes the slots! About 30 minutes before leaving the 3 ladies were sharing a slot machine and having a great time. I’m thinking the free drinks might have helped that along. Terry has had maybe 3 beers since Thanksgiving due to her meds. I know she had that many last night!

Went with the brother yesterday to his surgeon’s appointment. The doctor is happy with the progress but wants him to cut down from 4 periods of 30 minutes walking in the pool to 2 for the next few days. His PT that has been coming in twice daily and will be adding the exercises besides the walking to his routine. The doc said that’s a week earlier than he likes to do but the brother is doing good. I will be there to understand what’s going on. Starting Monday the PT will only show once a day on M/W/F.

I have some strong negative feelings about my Disney stock. But, I purchased it in 1998 for its dividends and that is the only reason ($1.00 per share) that I will keep it for now. On the other hand I am very happy with John Deere and its dividend. Those are the only 2 stocks I have with the letter D and while I looked at them yesterday the review of them was minimal. Slowly I am working the review of my stocks. I’m not going to try and out guess the market. I’m looking at the dividends and the future of the stock. I have been a long term buyer and I usually keep stocks. I decided after speaking to the expert wife that I am looking at dividend potential and what it has earned me. If it’s only pennies it’s really getting to seeing why I’m still holding it. I have only dropped (cashed out) 3 stocks so far in the past week of reviews. There are 10 stocks I have that begin with E. I will start the review on those today.

Enjoy your day

 

[TLOC]

Has anyone here ridden the Amtrak Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle? It’s a 35 hour trip and the reviews on it beside the gorgeous scenery is very mixed. Terry mentioned it that she knows I would like it and she’d be ok trying it. Is 35 hours for her 1st train trip too much? We are thinking September.

Thanks

 

[logandsawman]

Good morning all,

49 and sunny. Mowed lawn yesterday so the outdoors smells extra pleasant.

I got my signs made for the new depot but was sidetracked with the chainsaw and lawn mower so did not complete .

Gonna be a pleasant day in Sandstone MN with a high in the mid 70's.

Dave LASM

 

[chadbag]

Has anyone here ridden the Amtrak Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle? It’s a 35 hour trip and the reviews on it beside the gorgeous scenery is very mixed. Terry mentioned it that she knows I would like it and she’d be ok trying it. Is 35 hours for her 1st train trip too much? We are thinking September.

Thanks

I've never been on it. I did take a 24 hour train from Stockholm to Stuttgart, changing trains in Hamburg. It was very very long. Despite interesting scenery and good compartment company (I was in a 6 person compartment each segment, the non sleeper in 1st class).

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Cloudy and 67°. No rain in the forecast, but it's headed this way anyway. Currently about 100 miles west around Wichita Falls. Very nice day yesterday with a high of just 78°, but too wet to do much outside; today should be back into the 80's. But if it actually rains, who knows. The NWS doesn't!

Granddogs are doing well, except for getting muddy and tracking grass clippings into the house. Bentley slid under the house and got a belly coated with mud, so he got the shower treatment, Mollie has only gotten the paw washer. I had to retrieve the old vacuum cleaner for the grass clippings and other yard debris, since I don't have the Shark app on my phone. Maybe I'll get my wife to try remotely later today, didn't work last year when she tried.
Garden is coming along nicely, except the Bell Peppers. Here are a few shots of Tomatoes from one row.

And a small part of the Onion Harvest.

The weekly grocery trek is today, not only do I have my list, but my wife has texted me four times now since Tuesday with items that she wants. She obviously looked at the Kroger circular online since many of her items are on sale. I have to stop at the Vitamin Shop and at the pool place to have my water professionally tested. While I have acid and chlorine, I think that I need some stabilizer.

I didn't spend a lot of time out in the train shed yesterday, dog maintenance took more time than I wished. I did do the final assembly of the cardstock structure's walls, but took no pictures yet. I did decide on my next project, another freight car kit that I don't need. While going through unbuilt kits last month, I found another covered grain hopper from P2K that I didn't realize that I had. Looking at the price tag, I must have gotten it at a train show at some point, since the label doesn't match any that I get from LHS's.

I also must have purchased it in the early 00's, since I started putting the purchase dates on the boxes around 2006.

Patrick - Everything in my garden went in about two weeks later than normal this season, including those Tomato plants. Weather was the main culprit. As I posted, this was my first time planting this variety and they beat my Early Girl variety planted at the same time. I don't know when those will ripen. Depending on how they taste, I'll certainly be planting them again next year.
Deacon - Re: Baptists locking their car doors. I've been known to anonymously leave Zucchini Squash on friend's front porches before!

Everyone have a great Thursday.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good afternoon all. A day of showers.
Afternoon Tea please, Flo.
Catching up on housework

Corrour Signal Box

 

[chadbag]

I had to retrieve the old vacuum cleaner for the grass clippings and other yard debris, since I don't have the Shark app on my phone

The vacuum requires an app?

 

[ctclibby]

Has anyone here ridden the Amtrak Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle? It’s a 35 hour trip and the reviews on it beside the gorgeous scenery is very mixed. Terry mentioned it that she knows I would like it and she’d be ok trying it. Is 35 hours for her 1st train trip too much? We are thinking September.

Thanks

Tom: I assume that you are getting a sleeper? 35 hours is indeed a long trip. You should be able to detrain in a few spots for a few minutes that lets you walk on the actual ground without the bouncy part. That helps to break up the trip somewhat.

Everett to Spokane is 9 hours, and that gets boring although most is at night.

Years ago Mom decided to visit her sister in NJ - 3 days on NP's North Coast Limited from Spokane to Chicago. I was a 12yo and good with it having my face plastered to the front of the dome car ( now called sightseer lounges ) for the whole trip. Well, did sleep somewhat....

L8r

 

[Marlin39]

Has anyone here ridden the Amtrak Coast Starlight from LA to Seattle? It’s a 35 hour trip and the reviews on it beside the gorgeous scenery is very mixed. Terry mentioned it that she knows I would like it and she’d be ok trying it. Is 35 hours for her 1st train trip too much? We are thinking September.

Thanks

Tom, I used to take it from Santa Barbara to San Jose 4x-5x a year when I lived in SB. It goes inland just a little north of SB, you're definitely not on the coast all the way even through a lot of Oregon. It's a looooong trip. If you get bedroom you will have an in room toilet. There can be loooong delays due to freight traffic.

If you're not on any timeline it's probably ok. Personally, I fly.

 

[DeaconKC]

Good morning folks, 77 here already and headed to 88, humid with sprinkles. TLOTH got some IHOP coffee for me yesterday, so will make a pot when I am done with the Maxwell House pot. Fellow is heading our way to install a new garage door. Repairs to the old one would have been almost as much as the new one will be. No MR stuff for the next few days as we are preparing for a week and a half of company being in and out.
Karl, prayers up from here.

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

Kind of a late check-in for me. I was actually able to sleep in past 5:30 today.

Been busy so far this morning. I have a load of towels in, cleaned up the kitchen. and retrieved the garbage/recycle
bins from the pick-up this morning. Waiting on the grass to dry out a little more to mow.

Down in the train room last night I started o plot out the next section for rock work. I pretty much have the section
I have been working on done. I need to pour more molds.

Have a safe day everyone!