Running Bear's April 2025 Coffee Shop

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Late check-in, but we're here. It's 63 and partly cloudy. Winds are relatively calm SSW @ 4mph with an occasional gust to 15. High this afternoon 80 with a low tonight of 46. Possibility of breaking another record high. "A record high of 80" sounds weird to a life long Texan... Anyway, showers tonight turning cooler tomorrow.

Wasn't happy with some of the boxcars I weathered last week, so I scrubbed down several of them and put 'em on the w-i-p shelf. Time to focus on getting some stuff done on the actual layout.

Doctor's appointments: I don't drive any more so Nurse Judy (retired) accompanies me to Dr. At the cardiologist and GI doc, she takes notes and Dr's orders like she did when she was in nursing. Used to irritate me.. but not anymore...

Pharma chase: Same here. Local pharmacies can't get what you need on time and the mail order place just keeps sending you stuff you don't need. And charging you the co-pay...

'Bout it from here. Y'all have a good weekend and take care.
 
bnsf971 said:
The sad thing is, the ones they have may be as good as they can find. The skill and competence level has dropped a lot in the last decade. I see it where I work, the younger workers don't hold a candle to the older ones. When there are no longer older workers that know and care what they're doing, things are going to become extremely unpleasant.
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Ditto here. For the last 40 years I’ve seen it, the slow but steady decline in the workforce abilities. In the last 5 years I’ve only seen 1 or 2 young techs that were “keepers”. No one else wants to put in the time training, or working . The old heads are dropping off, and most don’t want to babysit the young ones. We have 4of the old heads(me included) on the cusp of retirement. I hate to see the shop in 3-5 years. Or just any “service” industry.
 
I've been with my current Dr for 22 years. We're the same age and his birthday is the day after mine. About 10 years ago he joined a concierge program because he was burned out. He went from 2000 patients to under 400.

I have 24/7 access via his cell phone, same day appointments usually within an hour of calling, prescription refills are sent out same day, and my annual physical is more than a cough and a finger. My blood is sent to the Cleveland Clinic for full analysis and returned as a 3 page report. I also get an EKG, body composition, body fat percentage, grip strength, etc. It does come at a cost of $2000/year, but it has been worth it. It's the way medicine should be, focus on prevention and not just treating the symptoms.

It's going to suck when he decides to retire in the next 1-2 years. I've been spoiled.
 


kbkchooch said:
Ditto here. For the last 40 years I’ve seen it, the slow but steady decline in the workforce abilities. In the last 5 years I’ve only seen 1 or 2 young techs that were “keepers”. No one else wants to put in the time training, or working . The old heads are dropping off, and most don’t want to babysit the young ones. We have 4of the old heads(me included) on the cusp of retirement. I hate to see the shop in 3-5 years. Or just any “service” industry.
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Have you noticed that there are no new tool & die makers? It seems like every machinist is skilled at CNC, but actual work with a mill, grinders, and files are no longer necessary skills.

There was Master Millwright in the mountain community we used to live in. The man could fabricate anything effortlessly. Unfortunately he spent his retirement with a bottle and wasted away. The first and only time my wife met him he was sitting on the neighbors stairs so drunk that he was urinating on himself. Real sad to see.
 
NYC_George said:
I didn't see that Louis. I was watching Morikawa because he's probably the key to winning the pool finishing in the top 10 for me. A lot of people have Mcilroy. Only a few have Morikawa if he finishes somewhere in the top 10 my chances of winning are good.
Swal
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Good luck!

Ignorance is bliss 😁 I wouldn't have a clue who to pick. I just watch what CBS shows me. They are all great to me.

Rory McIlroy is on a roll, four out of five holes under par with an Eagle mixed in!

I love this stuff!
 
I have been bouncing in and out of the train room since about 10:00am. Doing touch ups on some weathering, working on the layout, taking photos and watching TV while glue or paint is drying.

Here’s the bench: a covered hopper for Marlin39 (rusting the couplers) a coal load for a client, a 9-40c that was in the Front end Friday photos yesterday that I sold last night going from light medium weathering to heavy weathering and the final car (GN) for a friend having a brake wheel re-glued. The Blue Point switch machine in front of the IPod is mine. I’m figuring the wiring as this will be operated as a manual unit ButtI want the lights of the throw direction on the fascia!
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Working after almost 2 years on the transload facility. I pulled up some track work I was never happy with, pulled out the fencing and then cleaned up. This was from 9/2022.
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This morning
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Above the Rails taken up beyond the pit, then I pulled up the wooden ties (not shown)

Below, Central Valley tie strips replaced the wood ties. Glued to the white
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styrene and weighed down with 1-2-3 blocks and soda cans

I should be able to add the rails to the ties this afternoon yet!
 


santafewillie said:
you would think that she is tired of fixing their screw ups.
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But I think bad help is commonplace today...everywhere! This may be another collateral damage caused by Covid and the resulting panic. There's a whole generation of young people with a big hole in their education process, who don't know what they are doing, and expect a pass because they were passed on in school.
Healthcare is a problem, everywhere. We have NPs and PAs because there are insufficient MDs and DOs to handle the volume of patients. Elder care is exceptionally rough, especially if you are confined to a "home". I have some real good doctors, but the administrative help?????leaves a lot to be desired.
 
Well, howdy there internet peeps and those with blood pressure! (Some is good, too much might be a problem, see your doc)

It's Troy again

Heading off to the game store in a bit. Little toy soldier day. Going to roll some dice and have a battle or two.

that's all for now.
 
Morning all,

Partly cloudy and 64° going for a high of 90° later.

Friday and Saturday were busy days. Friday we had the first tub replacement guy come in. Wife like him well enough we bought his product. Be out on the first Friday of May. One day tub\shower conversion. Then I got my yard mowed. Weed whacking machine finally working right. After fixing it last year, it would run only at full throttle and never idle. Tried to start it a month ago, and I couldn't pull the string. So a couple weeks ago, I put it on the bench and pulled the spark plug. Filled it full of WD40 and let it set. Emptied out the WD40, cleaned and regapped the sparkplug, and it's working better than it had in a long time. I usually hate 2 cycle engines and this is a 15 year old machine. Then got the grandson after school and we then did his parents and uncles yards. I cramped all night.

Yesterday we were basically at church all day as the oldest granddaughter was being confirmed. Mid morning at the Cathedral in Wichita, which being 100+ years old and downtown, has very limited parking, Almost 1:00 by the time we got out. Had lunch at Salt Grass Steakhouse. First time there (had gift cards) and to be honest, Atmosphere was good, service good, steaks were OK but not worth the price. Decent enough, but I don't think we'll go back. Then church at 5:00, we were at it all day. I love Saturday night mass.

In a bit we're headed to Kansas City area to visit mom in the care home. I'm finding it's getting harder to find the time to get up there.

BBL
 
Good Morning All!
37F @ 77% overcast. To be 58F later, 65F tomorra.

Geesh, it's a never ending battle. Tractor died with a blown 10A fuse. Call to dealership, found out warranty has expired. 60 Hours! Well, unless whatever has caused the blow is part of the Emission Control System; that is 6 years and/or 2000 hours. Off to Bonner's Ferry tomorrow for a Service Manual. Couple of guys quoted high $$$ for electrical problems. Nobody here works on LS's specifically, they hem and haw around, so I be the technician.

Health: I guess we are lucky living here. All the folks at the VA Clinic know what they are doing and get it done mostly 'right now'. Think there has been only once when Med's got screwed up. Spo VA is pretty much the same as here. As far as workerbee's go, I would not want to hire anybody these days. Almost nobody wants to work or take possession of their job responsibilities. Want 40K a year to sit on their butts.

Yesterday my wife wanted Chapstick. Handed her Gluestick by mistake. She has not talked to me since.

L8r
 
Good morning from Wisconsin. 50f degrees now and climbing into the 60’s. The overnight rains did not appear above my yard and I see they pulled the rain from the forecast for today! The winds though are brisk at 15 and gusting into the high 20’s.

The grandson’s team is still playing in Blaine, Minnesota a suburb of Minneapolis. They won both their games yesterday with the gd/s scoring. 2 goals in each. The son in law said after the first game yesterday at lunch the coaches really praised the kids playing as a team. They did some line shuffling for game 3. The grandson’s line moved from being the #2 line to #1 and line #1 became the new line 3. The coaches thought that might free up the guys on the old line 1 to relax and play better. Usually coaches match up the lines, lines 1 play each other , 2 etc… Matchups in hockey are chess matches for coaches but this being a new team playing together in their 1st games anything is propable. I congratulated the grandson when he texted last night. He said after the 1st period of game 2 the other team stopped chirping about playing inferior Wisconsin players. He said after the 1st goal in game 3 the other team from Minnesota stopped talking. Usually teams from Wisconsin get soundly beat by Minnesota teams, so far this weekend the team has handled itself well. One of the defense players on his team left game 2 with what ended up being a broken collar bone. She has played on a few of the gd/s teams over the years. A tough very good player. 2 more games today before they make the 5 hour trip home

I do not walk on Sunday mornings but I did look out the window when the group was doing its last spin around the neighborhood. 5 were in the group, 7 were there yesterday!

There will be some time spent just working on the layout. I want to install most of the fence at the transload facility. I wanted to do a fence enclosing the tracks but having an operating gate maybe a bit too much. Until yesterday I didn’t know there is a thread about what’s happening on your layout. I wupill post any pictures taken today at that thread.

Be well, enjoy the day
 


bnsf971 said:
The staff at those places leaves a great deal to be desired. "Your wife has expired. What do you want to do"? has to be the coldest message I've ever gotten.
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I used to inspect residential care facilities as part of my sales duties. I've been in the backrooms and bowels of them. There are very few that, in my opinion and observations, truly care about the residents. I honestly believe a lot of them warehouse loved ones to die while collecting insurance & Medicaid payments.

The hospital wanted to send my wife to rehab center after a near death experience caused by a bacterial infection. I told them "no f-ing way." I had the nursing staff teach me how to do her PICC line infusions. My company was thankfully very accommodating for the 6 weeks I came and went from home nursing her.
 
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