Good Morning All. Clear and 27°, not as cold as the 23° predicted but cold enough. Mother Nature has had enough of this nonsense and the warmup starts today. While today will only be in the mid-50's, we're looking at upper-60's to mid-70's for the next ten days. The mysterious rain towards the end of the 10 day forecast published yesterday has disappeared, so the drought continues. As far as my records indicate, we had 0.25" back on October 16, which has been our only rain since September 22!
Too cold and windy to do anything significant outside yesterday besides bringing in firewood. That will change this morning as the burn barrel is full and needs to be ignited. I'll resume cutting some firewood now that I have been cleared for semi-heavy lifting. There are a few branches down in the yard from the recent winds. Wintertime tree pruning will start soon, but I won't need to start the mower anytime soon. Don't know if there is anything on the honey-do list that I didn't get to yesterday.
Positive visit with the NP at the electrocardiologist office yesterday. Cleared for 20# lifting and a return to mostly normal activities. EKG, while just providing an instant snapshot showed all things normal. And the bruises still on one thigh are not unusual. Other side has almost completely cleared. Another visit with the PCP this Friday will be the last physician visit until mid-February, so everyone expects me to live that long!
EDIT: Plans changed since my wife seems to have a bladder infection, so we're making our combined PCP visit this afternoon instead of Friday. Guess that I won't have time to shovel snow today!
Out in the train shed yesterday, I piddled with a few different things. I added 14¢ to a 40' container to provide weight for the Athearn well car that I assembled last week.
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Took a look at the pipe load that I have spent a day or so assembling.
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I decided that it could use another row, so I made another dunnage set.
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That's as far as I got with it. I already have the soda straws cut to length because I originally planned 5 rows high.
I also turned my attention to the upcoming ongoing quarterly layout cleanup project. Nothing yet except looking, as the first step in the section that I am going to start, is to empty the east wall staging yard, (north on the layout). Twelve tracks between 16' and 19' long must be emptied. I'll run all of these trains out into the lower level passing sidings, the other end staging yard and along the main line while I clean and vacuum the whole thing. I don't take anything off the layout when doing this.
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Just 10 of the 12 tracks have any occupants, so that makes it easier(?).
Tom O - Another alternative to the bridge kit issue, if you are willing to do it, is to take a hammer to it and send him the pieces. That is unless you can either sell it elsewhere or use it yourself.
Mike - That Old Style beer was a cheap alternative to the Old Milwaukee when OM wasn't available. Just as bad, but it was beer.
David (Marlin) - I have always had great service from Bar Mills, although not as good as what you related. They're quite "down home" on the phone and they actually answer it.
Today is National Bacon Day. That's a holiday I can really sink my teeth into.
Everyone have a great Tuesday.
