Running Bear's July 2025 Coffee Shop

[Kusojiji]

Well, my shipment from Athearn is making its way around the planet. They wouldn't ship to me in Japan and wouldn't ship to an FPO military address, so I had to have it shipped to Hawaii. Got there quick enough. Now its going from Hawaii to Japan via Chicago... So retarded. So another 10-14 days.

 

[santafewillie]

even though I have not yet got the blinds in, it was not quite as warm in the office and feels rather ok.

If you didn't install Low-E glass to begin with, shame on you. But there is always the option of installing a full solar screen. Must be full to work.

 

[migalyto]

Good morning all!

Happy Saturday! Not sure why I'm up this early.

Looks to be a crummy day in store if the weather forecast is right. Currently 70F with a high of 83F. Looking at the radar, the
rain is going to hit the area around 9am and last thru the afternoon.

Other than usual Saturday chores, not much else going on.

Spent some more time in the train room yesterday and hopefully more today.

Have a safe day everyone!

 

[Kusojiji]

full solar screen

Never heard of this. Is this something you replace a bug screen with and it serves a double function?

 

[santafewillie]

Never heard of this. Is this something you replace a bug screen with and it serves a double function?

Yes. It is a special weave of the screen material, usually fiberglass here in US, that blocks 80% of the sunlight, keeps the insects out and still allows air to flow through if wanted.

 

[Kusojiji]

Awesome. Will have to take a look into this. Thanks!

 

[TLOC]

Evening all,

Knee replaced and I have already started using it! Made it home a bit after 5:00pm. Went well as far as both the Dr and I can tell. Hit all release milestones early. Dr said it probably should have done it last year. Already started weaning off the Oxycondone. I hate the way it makes me feel. Just gotta keep moving, and on that front, this was a long week being off my ibuprofen for my arthritis. Thankfully the pain drugs include the ibuprofen and acetaminophen.

I will say that the whole experience was better in a good way. No big bulky padding, no movement machine, no warfarin, more mobile from the start. They used a spinal block, which reduced the amount of anesthesia they needed.

Troy: Happy anniversary to you and the Mrs.


Y'all in your 40's and 50's better enjoy it, the check engine light comes on in your 60's.

Glad to read your on the road to recovery

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those with sunscreen!

it's troy again

Anniversary dinner was tasty. Went to the wife's favorite Italian place (a small local chain across a couple of counties in NE Indiana). She ordered "up" and got the Chicken Parm, instead of her normal baked spaghetti.

I got my normal all meat calzone... that had the meat concentrated in the center. The outer third was cheese inside the crust.

We'd been recommended to the "cinnamon dessert" by her hair stylist.... but it was a baked cinnamon roll and the wife said pasta and bread with a lot of sugar wasn't a good combination.

So dessert was Troy-made Mai Tais. Here's the recipe from Beachbum Berry's Total Tiki app. I used two different Appleton Estates rums, instead of those listed.

And, I'm not sure if I showed the gift I got my wife as her combined birthday/anniversary present:

It's a jigsaw puzzle that is almost all edge pieces.

 

[TLOC]

Good morning from So Central Wisconsin where 103 miles north of MIGALYTO we have pretty much the same temperature and forecast. We do have a mist falling right now.

I’m not sure what time Coldplay is in concert on Campus tonight but the weather should be fine after 3. Offically the grandkids are ours after 4 this afternoon. The daughter and hubby will tail gate before the concert and are not concerned about the weather. The daughter’s friend is an assistant AD at the UW Madison. Her office overlooks the football field at Camp Randall so they all will be there on her balcony watching the concerts. I’ve been there, absolutely great seats to watch football or a concert. A few weeks ago the girls did the Morgan Wallen concert and loved it.

Troy and Mrs TROYPHOTO congrats again on the anniversary. I love chicken parm. I had to switch years ago when it became very hard to find veal parmigiana at restaurants. The do gooders said it wasn’t fair to the calves that they were sacrificed for our meals at such a tender age! It’s because they were tender that makes veal so great

I finished yesterday masking all diesels currently in the weathering queue and shot a spray of matte clear on all! Today I will work on weathering 3 of 10 CN units.

I have a weathering commission client that texted yesterday asking if I’d build the Walthers Cornerstone modern Coldstorage warehouse. I said I could but asked some questions. As we were going back and forth I realized he didn’t want it built straight like the kit. He wanted it 2 stories, it’s a single story kit. He wanted 6 truck docks and 4 rail doors. When I told him that’s a kitbash not straight from the kit he said no it’s not. It’s similar to the one on your layout. I had to explain my cold storage warehouse is a combination of 3 different kits and is 66” long. He said, oh! Then, “can I buy yours”. Normally I’d have said yes but I’m still thinking…

Enjoy the day

 

[ctclibby]

Suburban project, here is what I have been talking about from time to time. This is my "Daily Driver", a 1988 4 x 4. The "original" SUV, I believe

View attachment 232744

Most of my shop works takes place in the shade. I added a couple patch pieces and rebuilt part of the fender. The inner fender is new after-market piece, added a couple years ago.

I don't think this truck will ever be finish painted, I am never quite satisfied with the quality of my body work. More coats of bondo and lots of sanding took place before the wheel went back on.

Dave LASM

Dave: You have a great start. As to the final paint, don't worry about that right now. Once you put the primer down the shadows will show up better and you will find bumps, dips and holes. Belt sander is your friend. Ya, the curves and valley's are kind of a PITA, but can be done. Once the primer is clear and smooth, time for final and clear coat. I my case, once the primer is good, I would take to body shop or someone you know that has a spray booth. Watch out: auto paint is *spendy* and it is better to let somebody that does it all the time so the least amount can be applied. You will have a real classic!

L8r

 

[santafewillie]

Good Morning All. Mostly clear and 73°, headed into the upper-90's today. No rain in sight. Same forecast for the next six weeks. Forecasters jumped the gun yesterday when they abruptly changed the forecast for 100° yesterday, as it never got above 95° here. But I am used to them being wrong most of the time.

Today is the delivery day for my wife's new TV. Being where we are, we're always at the end of their delivery schedule and our delivery window is 3-7 pm. Since my grandson used his employee discount to purchase it, he has to be here to sign for it. I offered to sign his name since the third party delivery service is just a couple of young Mexican guys driving a truck, but one of his buddy's was fired for not following that rule. I pointed out that I signed my own name when they delivered our refrigerator that he purchased, but he said the rule for electronics was different.
Despite no measurable rain for a month now, there are parts of the yard that still need mowing again. Did some yesterday and I will do more today. Despite the very low humidity, yesterday was miserable since there was no wind I couldn't drive the tractor fast enough to create any! Neighbor Marty baled the hay that he cut the other day, and one of the large round bales rolled about 6' into the front yard. Hopefully he noticed and makes that one the first that he picks up!
The bumper crop of Tomatoes is still maturing and I'm picking up to 2 dozen every other day. So far we've been keeping up with consumption, helped by my wife taking a sack to my daughters to split last Tuesday.

Out in the train shed yesterday my time was only spent running trains again. I seem to have a troublesome homemade grade crossing that is catching some low-hanging trip pins occasionally. I'm having to readjust the trip pins. It's been about 5-6 years since I did an entire fleet maintenance project, but it's not bad enough to repeat. It's maybe one car in 150, and they are all worse after getting snagged. I really just need to fix the grade crossing as they clear everything else. Hmmmh! Big hammer or big file???

Troy - Belated Happy Anniversary to you and the missus. Gnat eggs can be eliminated by baking the potting soil on a shallow flat pan in the oven for about 45 minutes at 200°. Over-watering provides ideal breeding conditions, as does leaving water in the saucers under the planting containers.
Dave - There is no doubt that I overdo it on some days. I normally feel it in the evening and I am usually good to go after a night's sleep.
Patrick - Refreshing to read that the surgery went well. Hopefully you learned from the last one.

Brian May, founder and guitarist of Queen is 78 today.
Everyone have a wonderful Saturday. Stay cool and safe.

 

[santafewillie]

I had to switch years ago when it became very hard to find veal parmigiana at restaurants. The do gooders said it wasn’t fair to the calves that they were sacrificed for our meals at such a tender age! It’s because they were tender that makes veal so great

The owner of our favorite Italian place admitted to me that he thinks that the veal that he gets is really baby beef. But it says veal on the boxes so he hasn't changed his menus (or prices).

 

[kbkchooch]

Good morning gang!

74 and overcast, with a 55% chance of showers today and tomorrow. The yard beckons, bbl.

 

[Kusojiji]

I remember ordering manicotti at a restaurant in Vallejo, CA. My buddy wanted Italian so we went. It was late at night after a lot of drinking. I forget what he ordered but we decided to share. As I lifted the manicotti up, it fell back into the dish and a big piece of mozz ended up landing on my arm, near the armpit. I looked at it and thought that it might hurt since it was still boiling hot. After a few seconds of realization oozing through the booze, I flicked it off, but after the second degree burn had already started. Yeah...

 

[logandsawman]

Brings back memories. One that sticks in my mind the most-changing a starter while laying in the snow
on what seemed to have been the coldest day of the year. No garage for many years to come.

Body work was not my favorite gearhead activity. One of those things that you got fairly decent at when
you were almost done with the project. Then you forgot what you learned by the time the next you had
to do it again.

Exactly. I would say the same about sheet rock.

 

[Marlin39]

The fire season has been off to a bad start. We've had/have several fires under 10,000 acres and some up to 50,000+.

A new one started yesterday east of us in the high desert (Madras, Jefferson county area). The winds have pushed it to about 100,000 acres, with zero containment. About 60% of the state is public land, so that area is mainly ranch land and some reservation land. It's just going to take a long time to burn out.

 

[logandsawman]

Dave: You have a great start. As to the final paint, don't worry about that right now. Once you put the primer down the shadows will show up better and you will find bumps, dips and holes. Belt sander is your friend. Ya, the curves and valley's are kind of a PITA, but can be done. Once the primer is clear and smooth, time for final and clear coat. I my case, once the primer is good, I would take to body shop or someone you know that has a spray booth. Watch out: auto paint is *spendy* and it is better to let somebody that does it all the time so the least amount can be applied. You will have a real classic!

L8r

I have the Belt sander, bought it last year just for this purpose.

I have been posting the entire project on GM Truckclub, going back 3 years. Under 88 Suburban project.

In this photo, you are only seeing about 10%. The biggest challenge was replacing the tailspin.

Thanks, Dave LASM

 

[troyphoto]

Well, howdy there internet peeps and those who won't be embarrassed by the Cold Play KissCam!

It's Troy yet again...

Wife and I went out for burgers for lunch. We had a coupon for $5 off at BurgerFi. Decent place if you don't mind paying a small premium for Grass Fed, antibiotic free beef and chicken.

I got the bacon burger with cheddar jack and their "cry and frie" combo basket. Fries and three THICK onion rings. the Orings are ok but not great. Burger is fine. I prefer Culvers for a cheaper price.

Wife has one of the Orings on her tray.

She came home after and checked on her 'maters.... not sure which type she's growing, but they're oblong. And starting to get black spots on the bottom of the fruit. So off to the internet she went, and is applying something from one of her magic bags to the dirt.

While we were at lunch, I broached the idea of a trip to Maryland and/or Virginia for another Civil War battlefield tour. Told her I found a good podcast covering the battle of Antietam. And that I'd started researching where to stay, and what's around the area...

She said, "Sounds like we're going to Maryland next spring....

That's all from here. Ee're waiting on the storm front to hit in a few hours.

 

[NorthBrit]

Good (late) afternoon. It is raining. Not the thunderstorm as forecast, but raining.
Granddaughter is back after her day out with the Brownies. She had a really good time.

 

[Texas Hobo]

Good morning, all! A small passing shower. The rest of the day will be hot and forecasters are saying full on summer next week. Not sure what today will bring around the hobo camp, maybe some train time.

Troy - Belated Happy Anniversary. I assured you wife, none of us on the forum had any input into gift selection.
Patrick - Great that all went well. Just keep saying to yourself, hopscotch.

STAY SAFE
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