Welcome to Coffee Shop 17

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Good morning.

It's 78 and clear. The high is supposed to be around 100.

Looks like it's going to be another June scorcher today. I won't be going outside much after 9 am, that's for sure. I may start on taking down the backdrop on the west wall today in preparation to doing a new one. I'm getting tired of looking at the old one. I'm thinking about using side-on shots of the layout as the background so it will appear to be larger than it actually is. The hard part will be figuring out which shots to use in each section. It wouldn't look too good if the background matched the foreground. The photography problems alone should keep me busy for a while and I may be able to layer scenes together.

Today's Weather for:
Sundown, LA 71446-6114 6/27/2009

Heat Index: 83°F
Humidity: 85%
Dew Point: 73°F

So Far Today
High: 79°F
Low: 78°F
Rain: 0.00"
Rain Rate: 0.00"/h
Gust: 3mph SSW

Heat advisory in effect from noon today to 8 PM cdt this evening.

Today High: 100 Partly cloudy. Highs around 100. South winds 5 to 10 mph. Heat Index readings around 108+ in the afternoon.

Tonight Low: 75 Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 70s. Southwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

http://i292.photobucket.com/albums/mm18/forum-2/DSCN0013.jpg

 

[Screwjack]

Been awhile...

Hey giys, I see things here at the coffee shop are gong welll. It's been a stressful couple of weeks for me. The week before last work was killing me with overtime and just general stress of trying to repklce a mechanic that had left and keeping deadlines for the customers, I was completely wiped out every evening after work.

Then this week I have been off working on final preparations for our duaghters wedding later today. I walk her down the aisle at 4:30 PM today. Then get the house straightened around on Sunday, and then I have a week off work to recover.

Glad to see most things are going well for everyone hear. Sounds like most of you are having some sticky weather. We have had a pretty sticky week too. Today is suppose to be a lot less sticky and a little cooler, that is good for the wedding.

Th women are out getting haior and nails done so I had a little time to stop by for some coffee and chat.

Oh yeah, during all this wedding prep, I had to stop long enough to have a root canal done on one of my molars. It was killing me and would not go away. Got it done and all went well, but now the tooth behind the root canal is very sensitive to heat. Drinking coffee is putting me through the roof. If I can get through today (possibly with the help of some vicatin) I have to get it looked at on Monday or Tuesday. Man., if it ain't one thing, it's another!

Well good to talk with you guys again, I have to get some stuff ready for later. I think here in a few hours I will really be busy for the rest of the day. Probably won't get back in for coffee until some time late Sunday, and most likely no modeling until Monday or Tuesday.

Talk to you guys later...

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Good Morning---

We be getting sun today---and a high of 27C and that is the dry temp---no humidity! YAY!! Tomorrow---different story---back to dull and showers The whole of next week is going to bring us more periods of rain, showers and really cool temps---a range of 19C to 22C for highs and 11C for 14C for lows----for beginning of JULY??

Went for a nice morning walk. Found a yard sale and got Audrey some more books----found nothing else of interest

Chris Does Fla. have a microbrewery thing going on? I seem to remember summat about it but---? I've been looking more at these kinds of beers--we got a few around here that do even things like "Oatmeal Stout", for example, at 7.7% alc/vol.

AndrewC There was even a time when the French gov't tried to control the internet access into France by saying that it had to be done in 'French' and not this ----"franglish"--Very strange story that.
As for the tourist thing--There are weird 'touristas' anywhere

I'm going to spend the day laying some turnouts and RE-laying a yard lead that a doodlebug found had developed a warble in it---which I then saw

Have a good one--

 

[Secondhandmodeler]

Good morning folks.

Tony, congratulations on marrying off your daughter! Boy, you don't have any stress this week I bet!

I have a milestone to announce as well. Trains are running once again in the Willard household! I finished realigning the approach to the trestle last night. The inaugural run was done by my twenty five year old Athearn BB GP35. It's my oldest loco and just so happens to be my least picky! My wife looked puzzled as to why I was running that loco. I said because I don't want a new one taking a dive off of the trestle! She harassed me until I ran a six passenger car train behind my new Berkshire. That train is my track proving train for sure. Between the three axle trucks and the eight coupled drivers it made me nervous! Well, I have a little filing and leveling to in a completely different area than the trestle. The trestle area was darn near perfect!

I just thought I'd share my extremely exciting moment with you guys. I've been working on this trestle since winter!

Have a great day!

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Corey: Good news on finishing the trestle.


Went over to the parents place and put chlorine in the pool then leveled the cutting decks on both of their riding mowers. That will be the extent of my outdoor duties today I think. It's already over 80 and the humidity is 70%.

 

[RexHea]

Good Morning all! Another hot one for us and if it don't rain soon, I will start planting cactus. Finally, I was able to sleep-in a couple of hours passed 0500. The roofers finished yesterday morning after putting down 71 squares of shingles (house+garage). I chose the 35 year Pinnacle Profile shingles and they look great, almost like they are shakes. Also, the repair work I had done on the garage (Depot) is complete.

Andy: one problem that hurt beer drinkers in Alabama was the alcohol content limit on beers. This narrowed the brands of choice quite a bit. They finally raised it to a max. of 8% this year and should improve the selection(Jim, correct this if off.).

Karl/Dan/Jim/Larry/Corey: Thanks a lot! Your over zealous play at Chris's has caused another NCAA investigation against the U of Alabama. Seems that using cheerleaders for anything other than approved activities breaks the rules and guidelines. Chasing cheerleaders down a busy street while naked is not within these guidelines. Ho hum, just a few more sanctions against BAMA.

Chris: Before you notice, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for breaking it.... It was an accident and ... I uh...well...it was really Jim's fault.
BTW: you have a very good looking family. You guys really look happy on your vacation.

BOC: I agree with Jim. The Gran Torino movie has to be one of the best...definitely Clint Eastwood's best.

Now its time to continue on with my pressure washing so I can finish up today. I hope to re-stain the porch/deck by Monday...then its painting the garage/shop...about 5 gallons ...I HATE PAINTING!.

CUL

 

[UP2CSX]

Morning, everyone.

Andrew, sounds like the heat is reaching your side of the pond. Globalization has had the usual unintended consequnces but it was inevitable, as countries with small populations but surplus funds looked to buy up assets at fire sale prices in larger countries, where the debt load had gotten out of hand. It's galling to Americans and Brits but these foreign companies are really preventing a lot of our companies from going belly up. I remember the problems EuroDisney had when they opened. I never really understood why Disney picked France to begin with. There are a lot nicer countries in Europe to open a theme park.

That's funny about being able to recognize tourists. When I lived in California, we could always tell the tourists in San Francisco in July. They had shorts and t-shirts on while the natives had parkas. Im the Caribbean, there's a tree called the "tourist tree". It has white bark that constantly peels, showing the red trunk underneath.

Chris, A-B buying Sea World is one of the reasons they sold out to InBev. They were confused about what their business was, beer or amusement parks. Sea World was a huge drain on A-B's profits, as was Busch Gardens. I don't think Dubai is dumb enough to buy any US amusument parks right now. They are already getting burned with a huge complex that's blowing up in their face in Vegas.

Jeffrey, I think the heat is even worse here. I was up at 7:00 watering the most valuable plants, trying to keep them alive. It was already 85 degrees. That's an interesting idea about using pictures of your layout as part of the backdrop. Kind of like the mirror trick. I think it will tough to pull off but it should fun trying to figure out how to do it.

Tony, talk about a tough time of it! Work, marriage, and a bad tooth. I hope the wedding goes well and that you get some time to recover. In the meantime, the vicodin will help you not really care what happens.

BOC, I told you you'd get some sun! Next week should be cooler but also not as much rain. If that works out, we'll start getting fronts working their way south...I hope. Yard sales and books are a fatal combination for me. I love books. When I sold the house in California, I probably sold 500 books at my garage sales and still had 2,000 left over that I donated to the library. I have no idea how I ever got that many books but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

Corey, about time you got that trestle in revenue service. It's really not so hard once you start working on it. Just seems daunting when you look at all that open space beneath it. It's just like laying any track except the roadbed is really skinny and there's nothing but air beneath it. I'll bet even the old Geep looks pretty impressive running across it.

Another incredibly hot day down here. It's 101 degrees at noon after an overnight low of 79. The dewpoint is 65, which is good for the possibility of a thunderstorm, but the heat index is 108. I'm on the church softball team and we're supposed to have our first practice tomorrow afternoon. I wonder if they have wi-fi at the hospital? My lawn now looks like desert camouflage. Even the native trees are starting to defoliate. Geez! That area of disturbed weather, Invest 93L, is not looking all that healthy, although the outflow should give south and central Florida some pretty good rain. If it can make it into the Gulf, it may develop into a tropical storm, with the most likely paths either to Louisiana or the west coast of Florida. Long way out to have confidence in any tracks though.

 

[Larry]

Well, been working in the trainroom almost everyday since I got back from NC. Start as early as I can, between 5:30 & 6am. Try to work until the heat gets around 95* in the trainroom, then I shut it down & go in the house. Today it was 105* inside & 102* outside after a heavy downpour that lasted a whole 5 minutes. I was soak & wet w/sweat when I went in the house. Took a cold shower & took a short nap.(15 mins.)
Added another 8ft. long by 2ft wide bumpout on the layout. Not telling what I'm building until I get it about half done & I'll take some photo's. been working on the structure for it for about a week here in the house after it gets to hot in the shop.
I've been talking to some sub-contractors about insulating my shop. We would have to rent a scissorlift to put the insulated panels in the ceiling & half way down the walls.
they are working up a price for me for next week. Hope I can afford it.
Going to Outback Steakhouse for my 50th Anniversary in about an hour. Gotta drive 35 miles to eat.
catch Ya-All later

 

[vato loco]

Chris: Before you notice, I'm going to go ahead and apologize for breaking it.... It was an accident and ... I uh...well...it was really Jim's fault.
BTW: you have a very good looking family. You guys really look happy on your vacation.


Now its time to continue on with my pressure washing so I can finish up today. I hope to re-stain the porch/deck by Monday...then its painting the garage/shop...about 5 gallons ...I HATE PAINTING!.

CUL

Rex That's OK you broke it, I got Jim's Debt card he left behind!


I hate painting 3x's more than you!

 

[vato loco]

Chris, A-B buying Sea World is one of the reasons they sold out to InBev. They were confused about what their business was, beer or amusement parks. Sea World was a huge drain on A-B's profits, as was Busch Gardens. I don't think Dubai is dumb enough to buy any US amusument parks right now. They are already getting burned with a huge complex that's blowing up in their face in Vegas.

From what I heard when Talking to a few BG employee's, Dubai is intrested in them! But not 100% set on it! Dubai want's a amusement park there country too! Who knows Jim anything could happen!

 

[vato loco]

Going to Outback Steakhouse for my 50th Anniversary in about an hour. Gotta drive 35 miles to eat.
catch Ya-All later

Happy Anniversary!

Hehehehehehe, I got a Outback 5 min's from the house! BTW Outback, Ruby tuesdays, Chili's, Carabas, Hooters, Applebee's, Sonny's, and a few lower quality chain resturant's all 5-10min's from the house Larry order a side of there sauted Mushrooms and blooming onion fer me!




BTW: BOC, we have micro brewerys in the larger citys where the yuppy population is greater.....we had a belgum group build one here a few years back........It failed!

 

[sparkyftw]

Afternoon.

Larry I feel you on that one. I am just glad 95* is the hottest it gets here.

So yesterday was our city parade. The local Lions group got an old city fire truck donated to them, and my dad forgot the insurance in my car so I ran down to give it them. I ended up riding the firetruck through the parade, and then selling beer for a few hours. I never want to do that again. My fingers still hurt from opening all those cans.

 

[tycofrieght1969]

Larry,
Happy anniversery. 50 years! You sir have earned some train time.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Same from us Larry----Have a good evenin'!!

Got my own bike out for a major spin---went down to Springbank Park and saw the rowing club practice then found a small coffee shop and had a coffee there and then went home---from the coffee shop to here---30km!!

Jim I saw a trailer for Gran Torino but can I find it? NOOOOO

 

[kbkchooch]

Hey Y'all!
Great day today at the Scale Train Show. Ran trains most of the day, took off a few times to do some shopping! Ken (CSXroad slug) was an animal! I think he only stopped for lunch. Everytime I looked around, he was running a train!! Picture below of me and Ken having a "meet".
Also got to meet Tycofreight1969! It's good to put a face with a name!
I did buy 1 engine. A new (still sealed) Bachmann 44 tonner in Western Maryland, for $29.95! I'll be trying to force feed it a decoder tonight, so I can go back and run tomorrow!
Larry, Congrats on 50 years! I wont see that til I'm 95, IF I see it at all!
Rex I'm willing to testify that I WAS NOT the naked one in the crowd!! I heard enough greif last time I mentioned nakidity that I will never go there again!
Gotta go raid the decoder box!! Looking for a little bitty 1 amp decoder!!!

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Looks as if I'll be mowing grass tomorrow morning, so I'm gonna get an early start at it. If the jerk down the street wants to complain about the noise, let him. He can come over and mow it in the heat of the day while I laugh at him. I figure to get started on the cutting around 7 am. That way I can get it done before it gets too hot.

 

[IronBeltKen]

Good evening shop dwellers,

I see Karl already mentioned how I spent most of my day: Running trains on the FCSME modular at the Timonium summer show. First time I've run a really looooooong train in >10 yrs (not possible on my layout). It was especially fun after my sound decoder got fixed! My friend Keith had a DecoderPro station setup inside, and he was able to help me unscramble alot of my sound-related CV settings that I'd managed to screw up over the past few years. BTW I also got to meet TycoFreight1969 - also ran into somebody from the place I work who also does model trains. (But he's into O scale - oh well...!)

Larry [FL] - CONGRATS to you and the wife on your 50th anniversary! We went to Carrabbas here on our 23rd, its right beside Outback Steakhouse - I suspect the same parent company owns both restaurant chains (but geez are they ever good!)

Tony - and here I thought I had been the busy one the past few weeks! Good to see you back in Flo's Place, maybe now you'll get time for some quality RR time.

Gotta say goodnight now, I can barely keep my eyes open. And I'll need a full night's rest before I go back to Timonium tomorrow. Sorry if I missed anyone. C-ya!

 

[RexHea]

Uh Karl...seems they have photos. One has you with a thong on your head, the others are censored .

 

[UP2CSX]

Larry, Happy Anniversary! You are part of a smaller and smaller crowd to neet that mark. I hope some kind of insulation in the garage helps. My workbench is in the garrage. I've got about five engines waiting for decoders and there's np way I can work on them when the garage is 100 degrees. I'd probably short them all out from dripping sweat.

Chris, too bad, I canceled my debit card before I ever got to your house. Dubai did have a lot of money to throw around but the drop in oil prices and some bad investments ahve really hurt them. Never know though, maybe a no money down, subprime loan might work to get them to buy some more of our money losers.

Rex, I knew we'd get AU in trouble with those cheerleaders but the NCAA is such a bunch of prudes. Now Saban will blame us when they don't take the championship (again).

Dan, you've obviously never spent any time in a beer booth. That's why God made the Leatherman. Works great on those pop tops.

BOC, about 50 meters on a bike would have killed me today. Gran Torino is out on DVD here. My daughter got it at Walmart. I don't know if it's been released in Canada yet.

Karl, Ken is a ball of energy when it comes to running trains. I sure hope you didn't get one of those dual motor 44 tonners. The single motor jobs are fine but have fun trying to install a decoder if it's the two motor model.

Jeffrey, if the jerk down the street complains about the lawnmower, just tell him you're helping wake him up early for church.

It's still 83 degrees here and the humidity is only 56%. We're never going to get rain at this rate. Invest 93L looks really poorly organized on radar tonight. If it doesn't get its act together by tomorrow, we can forget this one giving the Gulf coast any rain. The bats are having a ball though. There are so many bugs flying aorund my floodlights that I get a bat every 30 seconds swooping in for a meal. Sic 'em, boys.

 

[sparkyftw]

Jim: Can't say I spend too much time around bars and beer tents, maybe in a few years though. Actually what hurts more is my back after spending a few hours bending over to get change and cans. Luckily towards the end we got a little more organized.

Hope you get some rain soon. After a couple thunderstorms it finally cooled down. Yesterday was a great day for a parade, and today was even better for grad parties and softball.

Don't remind me about grass cutting, I STILL have to make it over to my grandma's to cut her lawn. Darn Honda mower is tiny and has no torque. At least it has been pretty maintenance free.

Time to hit the sack, having little kids hanging out you all day is tiring.