Running Bear's April 2022 Coffee Shop

[ctclibby]

Cinnamon is supposed to help control (already healthy) blood sugar. Many cinnamon pills also have a small amount of chromium, which is what I think actually is what helps the most, but I don't know. I take a few cinnamon pils a day. I am not diabetic (through probably should be). We'll see what the next 10 years brings

Ya Cinnamon is a turmeric and *may* reduce insulin resistance, LDL cholesterol and tryglicerides - but 2 spoons of maple syrup? Hmmm. Grab a glucose tester and see what it says after ingesting just the cinnamon, then cinnamon and syrup. 300mDl maybe?

 

[Jaz avalley]

I had the Ashland Virtual RailFan page open this morning while working on my state income tax return. An elderly woman with some kind of walking aid went out on the walkway that crosses the two tracks and stood in the middle, looking down the tracks to the south. She looked fairly stable but not where one would expect her to be able move quickly. As I was watching, she unfolded her walking aid into a chair and sat down on the walkway between the tracks. She sat there for awhile, facing south, not even looking north. I decided to call the Ashland police to see if they would check on her. I posted on the page chat what I did and was surprised at how many thought it was none of my business. Obviously, the kind of people who would just get their cell phone camera ready instead of helping this woman.
My faith in humanity dropped a few more notches today.
Eventually, the person controlling the cam moved the cam so nobody could see her and I think someone on the platform got her off the tracks. I'm inclined to think the cam operator might not have cared if she suffered harm as he commented that I shouldn't have called the police either. After all, video of a train pedestrian incident gets page clicks.
I never did see a police car show up though.

A sad fact of life that few care, even less take any action, and as you too soon discovered, those informed often don’t want to be involved and don’t thank you for being a caring human being.
The important thing here is to me, you saw it, you tried to help, you are the better person,no doubt in my opinion.

 

[Jaz avalley]

Regarding medicines and pills - I have always believed that there is a kickback to doctors who prescribe certain drugs. I use Humana mail order pharmacy. They and my local Walgreens will always substitute tier I or II (generic) drugs on all of my prescriptions. My doctor is what I call a pharmacologist, not a nutritionist, and therefore prescribes things instead of suggesting life style changes. I have to press him for the reasons behind my afflictions. I have also learned to use certain trusted sites on the Internet. I believe in treating the causes, not masking the results. I'll use some drugs until I can figure out how to change myself to avoid having to use them. Some are inevitable, I still take Lorsartin and Metaprolol for blood pressure, but by losing 50 lbs I have been able to cut back on the dosages. I have also improved eating habits to bring my latest A1c down to 5.6 so the doctor reduced the Metformin by half. I have cut the Levithoroxin from daily to twice a week, I really think that it was just a blip on the blood test, since it only came up once. I have taken the aspirin for over twenty years figuring "what can it hurt?".

Tom/Todd - Thank you both for your views on the Covid vaccine

I totally agree with your choices.

Trying to find out why they give you drugs, and doing your best to improve yourself to avoid those same drugs is a mind set that I totally can relate to.
The other half and I both needed to lose weight, I’m in a good spot wearing 10/12 uks and frankly just 10s but I don’t wish to go too much more in case I get saggy legs,the tops of my arms are verging on best to wear a long sleeve top. last year I was extremely active the ankle and knee are recovering slowly which has slowed me to 25 percent of my normal speed and work done which is frustrating, but I can dig, and manage the stairs to the loft and the layout thankfully.
I have had issues on my diet where I was feeling faint went I bent over, after researching I now take some pink Himalayan salt and more water than previous and the faint,dizziness has almost gone when it appears a quick drink and salt and within 20 minutes I am gone. I chose to not take the older woman tablets, and some even do well and sone don’t, so I am happy that I take zero drugs. The other half has been offered any number of tablets, and most have side effects far worse than the problems so he won’t take them, and frankly in general he is better off.
A good balanced diet if you can afford it, avoiding sugar, and not avoiding meat fat, and and fresh veggies preferably home grown avoid pesticides in my opinion is a better option. Yes I lean towards the Keto, but I accept that’s a step too far for sone people. But by counting calories and doing Keto and forsaking sugar I can say my health in general is pretty good…..fingers crossed.

 

[Jaz avalley]

Afternoon All,

Made a trip to Wally World for groceries then after getting home I dusted everything in the train room and master bedroom including the dust bunnies that were hiding under the bed.

Smudge- Why don't they give the temp busses to the drivers that damage theirs?

Hughie- Nice layout shot.

Guy- Nice pictures. I like the end shot of the tank car with the handrail that goes all the way around and so hard to get right on a kit.

Sherrel- My only experience driving in SOCAL was in 1981. We dropped a truck off at Long Beach to ship to Hawaii. We got a rental car and took daughter to Disneyland for the day. The following morning at 4 AM we were driving to LAX, and the traffic was as bad as I've ever seen. To top it off the wife left jewelry in the hotel that the staff helped themselves to and the car rental company tried to say there was damage after we flew out, but we beat it. I left a message on Phil's phone but no response in 2 days.

IB Ken- You should post photos of your ops session.

Patrick- I'm doing the same thing after seeing my Doc last week.

Willie- Nice looking estate and first weathering attempt.

Steve- You definitely don't want to be in Florida during the summer.

Dave- Nice progress on the layout and cool scenes.

Here's a photo of Roxie our senior skunk. She's between 8-9 years old and as you can see she's starting to lose her hair on her muzzle. She's sleeping on my chair.
View attachment 145016

I hope everyone has a good night.

A skunk as a pet! How awesome do they ever spray!? she looks like she needs a manicure, but I expect she want appreciate the offer!

 

[Jaz avalley]

Good evening. Even with some dense rain clouds, it was light until almost 8:10PM. On this evenings news, the weather person mentioned that Meteorological Summer begins June 1. Ha! Trying to rush Nature. Those folks can't stand anything not on their schedule. I recall a couple of early June trips to the Shore, where we froze our butts off.

I spent some time working with the layout. Mostly,I'm trying different backgrounds for the modules that encompass the yard, and the two before that. I have some decent ideas,but keep looking at urban landscapes. Got to try and fit Rubes Bar into the scene.

I have been raking last fall and winter's leaves that accumulated along the South and West fences. Not for nothing, some of these leaves had to come from other than the immediate neighborhood. Two more big bags filled today, probably another half dozen before I'm finished.

Robinhood the brokerage owned by Vlad Tenev, that is favored by Millennials and famous for its involvement in the GameStop saga, is cutting 9% of its full time workforce. Meanwhile, Alphabet, reported weak earnings especially for YouTube. Looks like the Market will keep tanking for a while.

Tomorrow, I drive down to South Jersey, to see a highly recommended Vein Specialist. I am looking for some insight as to why my left leg, swells and cramps. Also, how much of my discomfort is Circulatory, vs. Orthopedic or Neurological.

Guy: Nice looking trout.

Troy: Ah, the replacement 3D Printer, eh?

I've been scarce here, as things beyond our control impact us. (Like the wife's Prescription pre approval still hasn't happened, and tomorrow is her last pill). It's between the Pharmacy, the Physician and the Drug Plan Manager, and no one is talking. Over the long term, time for another doctor. New Rx plan come next October, and possibly a different pharmacy, although they they are but the messenger, but a new plan may involve a new pharmacy.

Later.

Must be very stressful for her and you, can’t imagine how I would cope.

 

[Smudge617]

I thought I knew a lot about the London North Eastern Railway, apparently, not as much as I thought I did.

A Bayer-Garratt U1 2-8-0 + 0-8-2 LNER Locomotive in black.
Only one was ever made in 1925 withdrawn from service and scrapped in 1955
Designed by Sir Nigel Gresley.

Love to buy this simply because it's so unusual, but I doubt I'll ever have a layout big enough to run it.

 

[TLOC]

Model Railroads Forum Coffee Shop is my Facebook!!!

That is a smart thing

TomO

 

[Jaz avalley]

Sherrel, thanks.

I debated for years on creating that page. Finally decided to try it on 1/3/2022. While the page stays I am reducing my presence on FB to a couple groups. I had stayed until 1/2022 with 10 friends on FB of which 6 are family. Because of the layout page I starting accepting “friends”. Boy has that been a disappointment. Built the “friend” thing up to almost 600 and then invited them to my page. All of a sudden, every political, joke, meme or insult started showing. Many of these “friends“ had extreme, IMO, views for either side of an aisle plus really strange beliefs so I started unfollowing them. Down to 277 this morning with a bunch more going away today! If it wasn’t for the HO Shelf Layouts page, 2 weathering groups and the buy/sell groups I would get off FB.

Hope the wife gets to feeling better.

TomO

Totally sympathise I opened up a modelling discussion page which I handed over to one of the guys I made a moderator, I check it occasionally and it is still going strong and so is he. but Facebook just started to annoy me,several friends were ‘copied’ and could not stop the issue, people would join then vomited adverts, porn or pure filth, and I just got fed up cleaning it all up. people would befriend me, then want to buy my personalised pieces, or wanting me to do bits for them, as I had done some spontaneously for long term friends, and would just keep on and on, the Dr Who models and other tv film characters I made were prime targets, and I just got totally fed up with it. One guy a really nice person was a taxidermist, he showed his work, did business, then he bought a old dead lion from a US zoo to stuff, and the way they laid into him you would have thought he had run amok and killed it himself. the creature was dead, he paid a hefty price for the dead carcass and did an insanely good job of giving it an after life, and was totally hammered for his efforts. that was just about the last thing before I tried to kill my account, and I tell you they make that pretty hard, and if ŷou go anywhere near the old account they hound you to reopen it, totally gross. If I had not left a load of reference for other modellers I would have just totally pulled it. Plus despite clearly being a w o m a n I was continuously targeted by ‘women’ offering ‘sex’ for cash, cyber sex obviously shudders. Nope won’t bring going back there.

 

[Jaz avalley]

View attachment 145064

I think Madonna bought that very bra in a yard sale….sniggers.

 

[PRR Modeler]

Afternoon All,

After looking at the washing machine I discovered 2 slow drips but am having a heck of a time finding part numbers. Sent a Email to Samsung. In the meantime the washer is still usable. Both leaks are at the top of the machine.

Thanks for the photo likes of Roxie.

Smudge- That is a super cool steamer.

Guy- Nice looking trout. I'm curious, do you fish as much when the ice is gone? My wife doesn't like how I do laundry so we all do our own.

Troy- Congrats on the new arrival!

Joe- I hope things work out for your wife.

Willie- Nice job on the bikes.

TomO- Great looking scenes and diesel.

Jaz- No, pet skunks are descented (glands removed) shortly after birth by the breeder. Their hair is also hypoallergenic. The nails are pretty normal and are for digging not cutting. A pet skunk lives 8-10 years as compared to 1-2 years in the wild. They seem to have kidney issues as they age. Roxie eats and drinks well but is losing weight (not a good sign) They also have dog and cat traits and are very strong willed.

Sherrel- I could tell you but then I would have to kill you (sub joke). You can probably google it.

I hope everyone has a good night.

 

[Texas Hobo]

Good afternoon all! A beautiful day here in H-Town. I spend the best part of the day removing the clear plastic stone guards from my Tacoma. They had cracked, discolored and holding dirt on the edges. A heat gun, plastic scraper, Goo Gone, and a finishing compound were needed. FYI, Goo Gone sucks. I had to make 6 applications and still needed compound to get the glue off.
Doctors kickback, you can check your dr. at this site, https://projects.propublica.org/docdollars/
baby aspirin - as I understand the latest report, is doesn't help prevent first heart attack, but could prevent second. I have been taking them for 30 + years.
I must agree with Willie and Jaz in finding the cause and doing my best to correct that issue.
Second booster - for me the jury is still out on that one. I'm hearing it only boosts for approximately 4 weeks and then you're back to where you were. With our current numbers way down, (1 hospitalized, 700 reported cases, no deaths in a county of 360,000) I leaning toward waiting, maybe in the Fall.

STAY SAFE

LATER

 

[PNKFLOYD]

I use cinnamon to avoid diabetes. I put about a tablespoon in my oatmeal along with a couple spoons of maple syrup

Ken- I think I will try that.
I wonder how that will taste on my scrambled eggs?

 

[Boris]

Baby aspirin, does anybody here take it?

Tom: I took it Post OP after my knee surgery, to prevent possible blood clots. After 6 months, or once the blood clot potential was reduced, the surgeon took me off it.

 

[Boris]

Second Booster, yeah, why not. We are waiting until 6 months from the last time, or around June 1. Like the flu shot, the protection afforded is better than no protection at all.

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Shirts are available now from the CDC.

 

[bnsf971]

Good evening. Another two crises going on. First, the insurance company is again trying to kick my wife out of the nursing home. This time they gave her a notice at 4 this afternoon, with a deadline for appealing this at noon tomorrow. The people that handle appeals leave at 5 pm, giving me an hour to call, wait on hold, and submit the appeal. I got it done, though it was 4:50 when I hung up.
Second is Apple, with their $%^$#^%$!!!!!!!!!!!!!! two-factor authentication. I have been actively resisting this for my wife, whoe really doesn't need the hassles involved with it. Unknown to me, Apple locked her account (again, they do it at least twice a week) for "security reasons", and insisted she enable two factor authentication in order to unlock her account. So, she did, without telling me. I found out about it when her iMac here at the house was iCloud locked, and wanted approval from "a trusted device" to unlock it. I managed to log in to her email account, and found the authorization link in a deleted email, and once again reverted her account to standard, with a password. I also strongly suggested she did not ever do that again, no matter what Apple tells her, and let me handle it. The last thing we need is for her to accidentally drop her "trusted device" in the toilet, thereby rendering all her stuff useless...

 

[IronBeltKen]

Good evening Shop Dwellers!

Though I don't always say it, I do appreciate the LIKEs on my posts even when they don't have any photos!

Finished creating and editing all my PDF dispatch diagrams last night, emailed them to my helpers (including Karl) right before going to bed. I never realized what a time drain it is to prepare those things. Then today I discovered that six of them needed to be edited and re-generated because they either didn't print well, or because they contained errors (i.e., routed to wrong track numbers).

. . .
IB Ken- You should post photos of your ops session.
. . .

Curt, that sounds like an excellent idea in theory...but with me having to play tour guide, and my helpers focusing on keeping the trains running smoothly, I kind of doubt that will be possible. But maybe after the event is over, while the layout still looks presentable...[?]

It is part of my daily regimen , Metformin, Glimepiride, HCZT, baby aspirin, fish oil and cinnamon. Breakfast of Champions!

Karl don't feel bad, I too am a Medicine Head! 10 pills in the morning, 8 at bedtime - though none of them the same ones as you listed...

Tom: I took it Post OP after my knee surgery, to prevent possible blood clots. After 6 months, or once the blood clot potential was reduced, the surgeon took me off it.

Tom/Joe - my hematologist put me on the 81mg aspirin pills permanently following my October 2020 blood clot, once I had finished my course of Elliquis. I am also suppose to wear compression socks. He says that those two treatments combined will reduce my chances of a repeat blood clot from 30% down to 6%. If I do get another clot, I'll have to stay on Elliquis for the rest of my life...no thanks!

Good Night - and have a Pleasant Tomorrow!

 

[Boris]

Must be very stressful for her and you, can’t imagine how I would cope.

At least we made contact with the Doctor today... It is becoming more apparent that the Drug Plan Manager is behind this. The official deial letter states she doesn't meet the qualifications for this course of treatment...After almost seven years since the initial diagnosis, and after following all the step treatments, from Methotrexate through two different infusion drugs and being on this particular medication for 15 months, suddenly she doesn't meet the qualification????? Doctor is seeking re-approval, next step some equally expensive treatment...???

 

[Boris]

Good evening. Another two crises going on. First, the insurance company is again trying to kick my wife out of the nursing home. This time they gave her a notice at 4 this afternoon, with a deadline for appealing this at noon tomorrow. The people that handle appeals leave at 5 pm, giving me an hour to call, wait on hold, and submit the appeal. I got it done, though it was 4:50 when I hung up.
Second is Apple, with their $%^$#^%$!!!!!!!!!!!!!! two-factor authentication. I have been actively resisting this for my wife, whoe really doesn't need the hassles involved with it. Unknown to me, Apple locked her account (again, they do it at least twice a week) for "security reasons", and insisted she enable two factor authentication in order to unlock her account. So, she did, without telling me. I found out about it when her iMac here at the house was iCloud locked, and wanted approval from "a trusted device" to unlock it. I managed to log in to her email account, and found the authorization link in a deleted email, and once again reverted her account to standard, with a password. I also strongly suggested she did not ever do that again, no matter what Apple tells her, and let me handle it. The last thing we need is for her to accidentally drop her "trusted device" in the toilet, thereby rendering all her stuff useless...

I suspect,the "Facility" is pushing to put Marie on Self Pay...and did not provide evidence of "Medical Necessity". (We have been through this each time the MIL ends up in "Skilled Care". If she ends up on self pay, they will be looking for y'all to provide a sizeable chunk of change - up front...if you can't they will seek to discharge her. They do have to help find you a place that will accept you in the interim... watch these scoundrels.

 

[Boris]

Tom/Joe - my hematologist put me on the 81mg aspirin pills permanently following my October 2020 blood clot, once I had finished my course of Elliquis. I am also suppose to wear compression socks. He says that those two treatments combined will reduce my chances of a repeat blood clot from 30% down to 6%.

Ken: The trip to South Jersey this morning went well. The Vein Specialist, brought up the possibility that my issue might be arterial, vs. vein. In any event, I am scheduled for a marathon down there in June, three ultrasound tests, including a test requiring fasting, followed by an office visit to discuss results and treatment options. For now meds are status quo. I have been wearing compression socks regularly for a while now. I didn't wear them today, and the difference is noticeable. Your use of 81mg aspirin makes a lot of sense...works very well to prevent blood clots.
Sidebar: The compression socks were sufficient to cause a vein group that had been bulging on my left calf to retreat back into the leg...the damn socks are a pain to put on / take off but they really work.
As a medicine head, I'm a piker. 4 in the morning and four at bed time.