Running Bear's May 2024 Coffee Shop

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Well, howdy there internet Peeps and those who saw green lights (I didn't)

It's Troy again.

59 F-dregrees and on track to be sunny. It's errands day. And Haircut day. That was postponed after the latest back incident. I'm definitely on the shaggy side. I used to like long hair. Now I prefer just over the ears, and not touching the collar. It's thinning (why wont the rest of the body follow that same effect?)... But I still have hair, and I'm about to hit 6-0 in two months. I'm not complaining about it!

Realizing that a large part of the cause of my tinnitus jump was Anxiety related, I've started a lot of anxiety-reduction techniques. Part of that is mitigating/eliminating things that stress me, or create anxiety. I tend to rehearse conversations I *MIGHT* have (but rarely do) whenever a What's the worst that could happen scenario pops up. So I need to stop focussing on those, and Barney Fife (Nip IT!) those potential stressing rehearsals for stuff that never happens. STOP STRESSING over what I can't change.

With my background as a journalist, that's a challenge as I watch current events/poly-tics. I'm trimming the news-oriented podcasts down to the bare minimum to keep informed.

And gaming. The last 10 years hasn't been great in the gaming world. Some great games shifted their ruleset and ramped up the Meta-players. Those are the players who try to build their forces to minimize their weakness, and maximize their effectiveness. Doesn't matter if it matches the historical side of the wargame or not.

Like the gent in the tourney I ran last winter, who tried to bring South African Gurkhas (They're from an area around India)... Because the rules didn't say he couldn't. The Gurkhas are the most overpowered unit in the game, and he maximized them by taking them as part of a S. African force... because the rules didn't say he couldn't...

Screenshot 2024-05-13 at 6.51.25 AM.png
If one of his fellow players hadn't warned me about his list, I probably wouldn't have caught it. I tend to look at numbers, and accept that if the army builder app let it through it was good. (PS, All of the players in this pic are cool. I found a pic without the offender).

Oh, and this was a tourney billed as "Beginner Friendly"... That's not a list that is even advanced-player friendly.

So, I'm taking some time away from most of the games I play. No more organizing events/tourneys. Back into my orcs and dwarves. That game is much lower on the "Meta Min Maxers" - it's still possible, but a lot tougher to do.

Now, I just need to get some interest going locally for that game. So far, I'm the only one.

The good news is, I should be back on the MRR layout soon. Just have to get the back muscles to cooperate, and let me do some bending and reaching. The next steps are all bending, twisting and reaching steps. Like cutting the hole in my backdrop for the tunnels between sections.

OK time to shower, and get the errands done.
 


Good Morning All. Once again cloudy and 64°. Humidity is at 100% and fog is forming. I ended up with 4.1" of rain yesterday; it wasn't needed after the 1.5" received Thursday. At over 8" this month so far, this could be a record setting May as far as rainfall. My own record is 21" in 1982, more recently was 13.5" in 2015. Our historical average is 5.1". More rain in our forecast from Thursday through Saturday.

I did get out and pick Green Peas from the garden before the rain started, but Mother Nature chased me away before I started harvesting Onions. I do need to get them pretty soon; while they are mostly weather resilient, leaving them in the wet soil for too long will affect their storage life.

I'll be headed to town in a bit for the regular visit with the dental hygienist. Always a boring hour. After I return home it will be time to put the dry-marinating pork butt into the slow cooker for the Carnitas for supper tonight. Half will be frozen after it's done because 4# is generally enough for 6 meals for us. Other than that, my only plans include freezing veggies for later consumption. I didn't get to those Peas yesterday and I also have 4 heads of Broccoli to process. I'm expecting to get 10-12 meals of each in the freezer.

I didn't spend a lot of time out in the train shed yesterday, but I was able to choose and add figures to the Town Drugs structure.
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As I previously posted, this business came to me from Chet's now dismantled Logan Valley layout. As I have posted before, this building didn't survive the trip from Montana too well, but I was able to repair most of it. It had a partial interior including a soda fountain counter.
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However I only found one stool in the shipping box, pictured bottom center. I have decided not to do anything with the interior at this time, since I don't believe that it will be visible unless one climbs on a stool and sticks their head in between other structures. That thought may change in the future.

Mikey -
Willie- Got a place to put the ark construction site on your layout?
I don't need it on the layout, I need it to get to the train shed.

Stevie Wonder is 74 today. I guess that I never really realized that he was older than me. Especially since Ed Sullivan always referred to him as "Little Stevie Wonder" back in the 60's.
Everyone have a great day today.
 
Todd - Beautiful NS photo. I always have trouble focusing on moving trains, as well. There's always some part of it that's out of focus.

No need to celebrate Mothers Day, as my wife is not one. The ex is. My mother's been gone 30 years now.
I still need to walk the dog through the smoke. No getting away from that. It does give me the opportunity to check out the forest.
Have a wonderful day!
McLeod: That was more or less caused by the lack of light hence running a 'slow' shutter ( F4.5 1/60 ISO 3200 ). The image before kinda gives it away - the signal aspect was darn bright for the angle and distance I was at as you can see. Probably 4 minutes after the Westbound cleared the CP until the NS came out of the hole. That NS was probably doing 35Mph by the time it got to me which in normal daylight it would have been perfect! Well, at least I would like to think that. Don't get me wrong, I also have 'speed' problems - as everyone does if they take pix of moving big things up close and personal.

Still - has turned into one of my favorites as ya just don't see NS ( two of them too ) on the front around here. I did see a UP on the front a few years ago, but no evidence of that in hand.

Later
 
Good morning from the desert of Arizona. Last day of golf here and tomorrow we are driving over (5 hours) to my brother’s place outside of Las Vegas. The Sunday golf was not very good on my part but my golf partner played super for the second day in a row. Some of the worst golf I’ve played in years!

There are 4 couples driving tomorrow as the brother wants to move 3 of his Arizona cars to Neveda. I’ve not done the drive from Cave Creek, Arizona to Vegas before so I’m sort of looking forward to it. Always like new landscapes.

The house in Arizona is still for sale and he has had offers but wanted more. He’s thinking he may have made a mistake on that!

Golf later this morning and afternoon and then a banquet for the players and S/O’s tonight.

I’ve tried to watch a few modeling YouTube videos since we got here but I seem not to have much interest. I have enjoyed the time away from modeling but this morning I could do something, but not enough time. I do have some covered hoppers already faded and clear coated with me and some oils. With plenty of time till next Saturday’s next event I might work on a car, or not…

enjoy the day
 
Good morning from the desert of Arizona. Last day of golf here and tomorrow we are driving over (5 hours) to my brother’s place outside of Las Vegas. The Sunday golf was not very good on my part but my golf partner played super for the second day in a row. Some of the worst golf I’ve played in years!

There are 4 couples driving tomorrow as the brother wants to move 3 of his Arizona cars to Neveda. I’ve not done the drive from Cave Creek, Arizona to Vegas before so I’m sort of looking forward to it. Always like new landscapes.

The house in Arizona is still for sale and he has had offers but wanted more. He’s thinking he may have made a mistake on that!

Golf later this morning and afternoon and then a banquet for the players and S/O’s tonight.

I’ve tried to watch a few modeling YouTube videos since we got here but I seem not to have much interest. I have enjoyed the time away from modeling but this morning I could do something, but not enough time. I do have some covered hoppers already faded and clear coated with me and some oils. With plenty of time till next Saturday’s next event I might work on a car, or not…

enjoy the day
The drive to Vegas is interesting. There is no interstate so you eventually get on to state highways through nothingness and drive through Kingman and eventually get on the interstate as you get closer to vegas. Enjoy
 
Good morning everyone!

Looks like the heavy rain comes back to the area later this afternoon through tonight, possibly into the early morning hours. Willie- don't know if this is the storm that hit you yesterday, but if its the same system they are warning of heavy rain and thunderstorms for us. Not much going on today, as all of the household chores were completed this weekend.

I took some time to run some trains on the layout. I still cant make a complete lap around. I still have 30' to complete the mainline. I went Saturday to get the last piece of 2" foam needed for that section. I picked through the few pieces they had in stock, and it was all terrible. It either had broken corners or were badly dented. I figured at $55.00 a sheet now, I wanted a good piece, and walked out empty handed. The associate said more was scheduled to come in later this week.

Have a safe day all!
 


There are 4 couples driving tomorrow as the brother wants to move 3 of his Arizona cars to Neveda. I’ve not done the drive from Cave Creek, Arizona to Vegas before so I’m sort of looking forward to it. Always like new landscapes.
Have a safe drive!

I'm kind of jealous. I love the Southwest. My wife's brother and wife lived in Phoenix for several years. It was our cheap February vacation to go see them and get out from under the Midwest winter for a week. The first time I went to AZ, I was in love with the entire area. I would of packed up and moved there instantly if the wife was onboard.
 
Have a safe drive!

I'm kind of jealous. I love the Southwest. My wife's brother and wife lived in Phoenix for several years. It was our cheap February vacation to go see them and get out from under the Midwest winter for a week. The first time I went to AZ, I was in love with the entire area. I would of packed up and moved there instantly if the wife was onboard.
I’ve made that drive, and several others, over the years. The thing I didn’t care for was it was nothing but miles and miles of miles and miles.
 
Good Morning All!

55F @ 64% and partly. 70F+ again

Boy, driving across country - don't miss it at all still. Do miss some of the folks we have met though.

Today is tractor sitting until it gets to hot as I need to at least try and level our pastures somewhat. Got the footprint for the Chicken house down, need to gravel it and then set up forming for the floor. Then I can go to the fav lumber Co. and get sticks.

Later
 
Well, howdy there peeps that those driving, or not, today.

I managed to get out to the big box store - from which I had a rebate card to use up. So I got $20 off this nice umbrella thanks to that.

Of course I had to buy the plastic base for $20... Maybe I got it free, and paid for the umbrella?

Brella 1.jpg


I got the latest round of book covers updated for the paperbacks. That's on 1 series. Still have 13 books to design out, but I'll wait on those for a while. It takes a while to gel the book cover design ideas.

Got to get the ears lowered in a bit, but I noticed earlier while out, that the paving crew is working on the main drive for that shopping plaza. I should be able to get to my salon for a trim. They've got another entrance that doesn't face into the mall's driveway.
 
Afternoon All,

Started out the day with a walk at 73F and breezy. Spent the morning doing laundry and chores then headed to the library to pick up a couple of books. Not sure what's on the agenda for tomorrow other packing up the car for MOH's visit to SC early Wednesday.

Willie- I hope you get some rain relief. Great looking buildings.

Guy- Condolences to your son's friend. That was a special moment with your son.

Terry- Interesting video.

Troy- Good luck with the anxiety and gaming.

Patrick- Good luck.

TomO- Sorry about the golf. Safe travels.

I hope everyone has a good night.
 
Afternoon all,

Now that I've been to the Dr. and caught back up...

Surgery to repair the right rotator cuff scheduled for a month. Afterwards we'll discuss doing the left rotator cuff. The left bicep head tear won't be fixed as it would be cosmetic and not really affect the strength of the left arm. Funny the the left has more damage, but it's the right that wakes me up during the night. Out full time for at least 4 weeks, but may be back to partial in 2.

Once the shoulders are taken care of, we'll look at the left knee again.

Supervisor's daughter went through surgery ok. Got the entire tumor, which was benign. She's expected to make a full recovery.

BBL
 
Just had a 45 minute thunderstorm roll through the are. I'm not sure how much rain fell, but it was a bunch! I was watching from the 4 seasons room and it was just running over the tops of the gutters. I first thought it was hail, but it was just plain wind driven sideways rain. Had a pretty impressive lightning show with it as well.

This was round 2, and looking at the radar, round 3 isn't far behind.
 


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