Running Bear's May 2026 Coffee Shop

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Good Morning All. Cloudy and 65°. High today of 93°, then it cools off into the upper-80's for a few days. NWS is still predicting thunderstorms all next week.

Nothing special about yesterday, yard maintenance mainly, with the usual household chores interspersed.
Today is the normal Thursday weekly grocery trek. Vitamin Shop, Target and the drugstore are also on the agenda. Wife is staying home since we're expecting a delivery from FedEx and we don't have a delivery window yet. It's my replacement electric mower from HD. I ended up choosing the same model that I already have, but I was able to get it dirt-cheap since it is totally stripped down. I don't need the battery, charger or grass catcher since I have a couple of each already. That's why it's coming by FedEx from a warehouse in GA instead of locally where they only have fully equipped models.

I didn't get a lot of time out in the train shed yesterday. I did clean 8 structures but again I didn't add any further detailing to any. I had to re-glue a couple of figures in place though. The Woodland Scenics Scenic Accent re-positionable adhesive that I originally used on many figures, seems to have a usability life of just 10-12 years, even if I don't re-position them. Usage life on laser-cut wood structure porches/docks/sidewalks is a whole lot shorter. Forget it if you're putting figures on ground foam. About half of the 60 structures in this section are finished now. I'm still eyeballing potential candidates for the next layout upgrade/completion. I am actually looking forward to it after getting revved up with the neighborhood that I just completed.

Mike - Regarding the driver's license. At the time that my kids were getting theirs, it was quite common for many out here in the boonies to let their kiddos (mine included) drive to and from school before they got their full license. Some, also drove before getting their learner's permit. Many were driving pickups on the ranch from age 12 or so. When I got my license back in the '60's, I got my learner's permit at 13. The age is now 15.
David (Marlin) - Nice return on that COHR purchase. If the amount was really great, you may need to do a quarterly estimated tax filing.
Troy - That engine is a B30-7, successor to the U-boats. They look the same.

Just to add to Bill's breakfast, today is National Buttermilk Biscuit Day!
Everybody have a wonderful Thursday.
 
56°F this morning and sunny. Good morning folks.

My nephew paid me a visit for a few hours yesterday afternoon before reporting for work. He brought me a much belated Christmas gift that just came to his address. He told me he ordered this volume last April and hoped it would arrive in time for Christmas, but was only recently finally released. I'm considering it a birthday gift since my birthday is next Tuesday.

This volume is divided into two sections; the literary Bond, including the weapons used in stories by authors other than Ian Flemming. The second section is the cinematic Bond and all the firearms ever been used by all of the actors who portrayed Bond.

The photography is outstanding in full color, some are the entire page. There are also print ads from Walther during the pre-war period in the German language, and several post-war ads from both Germany and the US.

It is a fascinating, comprehensive, all-inclusive look at the firearms Q has provided for Bond over the decades. There is also a short chapter on the history of Ian Flemming, his involvement in the British intelligence service, and his role in helping to create the CIA that we know today, and most importantly, how he created the man, James Bond.

This coffee table size book is finished in a leather like material, weighs about 8 pounds, and the pages are gold leaved. It also includes a British flag themed book mark streamer to keep your place. The pages seem to be about 200 lb paper and pages are very thick and sturdy. A wonderful, thoughtful gift.

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I might throw some bratwurst on the grill later today. Still working with my new radio and adding frequencies. Not much else happening today around here. Hopefully it will be nice enough to open the windows again.

You all have a great, safe day. Servus!
 
santafewillie said:
I have two Bachmann Spectrum Series diesels and they both run like cow turds.
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santafewillie said:
I have two Bachmann Spectrum Series diesels and they both run like cow turds.
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I’ve owned Bachmann Spectrum Series diesels and Willie’s description is being super kind. My 2 were such poor runners I pulled the motors and ran them as dummies in consists
 


Well, howdy there all you internet peeps and those with cow turds,

It's Troy again. While I'm not sure if the dash-7 is in the cow turd range, it ran, and had momentum programmed in, but not overly so. Steve left the momentum settings in the decoder.

He and I will probably get to man the week long TRAINS club layout a few times, since we're both in the "semi-retired phase" and can get away during the day. I'll try to give it a good run by then. We'll see if I need to replace it with an Atlas.

As for HO running in the basement. I'm debating on making two modules for the club with a bit of switching. I don't have a lot of room in the basement left, but if I want to keep it as a removable shelf layout, I can park a 4ft module above my desk, or over by the TV. Two sections will require substantial rearranging of shelving.

Since I've got the basement all tore apart for the electrician to be able to work, I can't do much on the N scale layout until I can put stuff back around the hobby desk.

WILLIE: I should have known it was a dash-7, I've got four of them. Two in Cascade green. But they're boxed and under the layout. It's crowded and scary down there right now, and I can't find pics of them to compare.

Wife said we're doing Mexican for dinner tonight. She has to swing by her mother's place, and sign a POA for the new financial advisor. MIL's old adviser changed agencies, so there is a lot of hoop jumping right now, transitioning to a new agent, who is filling in holes like my wife having a POA, but not the highly detailed one that the financial firm wants for their accounts.

So I drive, sit in the car for 15-20 minutes, then drive further and get us some cheese dip. Well, I get me cheese dip. She gets taco and rice.

Heading to Costco in a few. Just need to do my stretches and teeter table for the morning.
 
Good morning Crew. A late wake up at 7:50 this morning. Had trouble going to sleep as I got caught up in a design project and it was 1:45am before I realized it. Slept sound though and 6 hours is plenty of sleep

58f degrees now heading to 73. Absolutely stunning clear bright skies this morning. I will pick up the grandson after school as he needs to cut today. The grass wasn’t growing enough to be cut Monday but the 1/4” of rain Tuesday and warmth have made it cuttable. He is out this weekend as his hockey team has a 3 day tournament near my old high school in Tinley Park, Il. So it’s today or Monday and since he now has obligations he had to cancel something with the buddies today

Regarding USPS, while I don’t ship as often as I used to I still send packages out 2 times a week. If it bypasses Chicago going east bound it’s good and generally on time or early. If it goes East via Chicago I still inform clients it could take up to 10 days for the 3 day promised delivery. While I’ve never had issues via St Louis I have read it’s now enough of a clusterf… that 2 Senators have gotten involved. Most of my California shipments are routed via Minneapolis and no issues. YMMV but USPS is better than UPS. FedEx is the best when I use it but the rates are higher and most of my clients have said no to it


RhB Michael said:
I was never a biscuits and gravy fan, and I hate fried eggs. All that yellow goo running around on the plate, and I won't even get into what they taste like. Scrambled, or none at all for me.
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I will have an occasional hard fried egg but otherwise agree, an egg should be scrambled

I am converting my graph paper drawings of a couple structures into a SVG. file for laser cutting. Slow going but I should have it useable by noon today unless Terry decides we need to get out. We are NOT heading to Nashville this afternoon. My decision!

Enjoy the day
 


Bill, thank you for posting such a great breakfast picture. I think the Missus and I might hit Cracker Barrel tomorrow just because I am now craving biscuits and gravy.
67 here and real pretty, waiting for a guy to come to measure the bathroom for a new shower. I have already been working on some more of the resin buildings for the layout and have most of the window work done. Now to paint N scale people [whimper] to populate the scenes. I have 90 + ready for paint, they are supposedly prepainted but they are the typical Chinesium paint jobs, so they have to be redone. Also another 120 Preiser unpainted ones on the way.
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DeaconKC said:
Bill, thank you for posting such a great breakfast picture. I think the Missus and I might hit Cracker Barrel tomorrow just because I am now craving biscuits and gravy.
67 here and real pretty, waiting for a guy to come to measure the bathroom for a new shower. I have already been working on some more of the resin buildings for the layout and have most of the window work done. Now to paint N scale people [whimper] to populate the scenes. I have 90 + ready for paint, they are supposedly prepainted but they are the typical Chinesium paint jobs, so they have to be redone. Also another 120 Preiser unpainted ones on the way.
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That's not far from the truth, except the P228 is lying on its wrong side.
 
DeaconKC said:
Bill, thank you for posting such a great breakfast picture. I think the Missus and I might hit Cracker Barrel tomorrow just because I am now craving biscuits and gravy.
67 here and real pretty, waiting for a guy to come to measure the bathroom for a new shower. I have already been working on some more of the resin buildings for the layout and have most of the window work done. Now to paint N scale people [whimper] to populate the scenes. I have 90 + ready for paint, they are supposedly prepainted but they are the typical Chinesium paint jobs, so they have to be redone. Also another 120 Preiser unpainted ones on the way.
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Throw the egg away, get some tomato and lettuce. Add a few more strips of bacon and its the perfect amount for 1 BLT!
 
I went to a clinic at the regional NMRA event this morning. It was well worth my time. MMR showing how to use Monster Model Works Brick material. It's laser etch wood and is so much easier to use than plastic. It comes in 5 and 7 row sheets. I looked at some of his structures and they were amazing. You make horizontal cuts only to fit windows and doors, then cut off the excess. Perfect fit every time.

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I also took a look at some of the models & dioramas in the contest room.

Gas station and train diorama are HO. The saw mill is O.

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