Wife Is Going To KILL Me!!!

[waredbear]

I invited the wife over to sit on my lap and read all of the posts here for this thread. She got a lot of laughs from you guys. Especially about going silently in your sleep and not screaming like his passengers. I like that one too.

Later

 

[NH Mike]

I invited the wife over to sit on my lap and read all of the posts here for this thread. She got a lot of laughs from you guys. Especially about going silently in your sleep and not screaming like his passengers. I like that one too.

Later

Glad to hear you are still alive and in one piece. Your invitation may have helped more than our suggestions.

 

[Rico]

Whoa... hang on a minute! She wasn't the least bit PO'd or anything??
Quick run over to the closet and check for multiple new pairs of shoes!
We'll wait 'til you get back.

 

[bob]

I like the weathered Cat equipment, but they all seem to make the same mistake...

The blades, buckets and tracks are all painted that nice Cat yellow. Now, I'll grant you, they do come out of the factory painted yellow. But the first 5 minutes on the job knocks all that paint off, and the blades and buckets are very quickly a combination of shiny metal and rust.

Do yourself a favor, and find some photos of the real thing to use as a guide for your weathering jobs.

 

[cncproadwarrior]

I just dangle a pocket watch in front of her and have her repeat: "I love it, I love it, I love it..."

Seriously, she's never complained.

 

[waredbear]

Whoa... hang on a minute! She wasn't the least bit PO'd or anything??
Quick run over to the closet and check for multiple new pairs of shoes!
We'll wait 'til you get back.

She was alittle PO'd that I had spent that much but it was manageable. She stated that she didn't buy a little western box with a saddle on it because she didn't want to spend the money. She said she was going to go back and buy it. I said sure, go ahead, the store still had one Great Northern car and a steam loco that I would like to have. She stated we didn't have the money so we weren't going. It almost worked.

I like the weathered Cat equipment, but they all seem to make the same mistake...

The blades, buckets and tracks are all painted that nice Cat yellow. Now, I'll grant you, they do come out of the factory painted yellow. But the first 5 minutes on the job knocks all that paint off, and the blades and buckets are very quickly a combination of shiny metal and rust.

I was taking a closer look at the CAT's and noticed the same thing. I was planning on making up some "mud" and running them around to make tracks and get the mud on the tires and in the buckets.

Thanks

 

[waredbear]

I'm Crazy

Went to Walmart like I said I would. Found the three remaining CAT tractors that were left, Two bulldozers and a road grader @ $9 ea. Can you say mine They also had four semi trucks @ $3 each that I couldn't pass up. There are three of the green and one black truck. I know they are not my period (1941-1961) but I'm hoping I can get away with using them. Maybe have their backs to onlookers. Any ideas?

My wife walked up after I had them in the basket. She looked in and didn't say a word. I'm set......

 

[GN.2-6-8-0]

Quit you guy's your bringing back memories.....Once showed my wife a picture of a brass steamer I was a'dreaming about ( my login ) bout 1200 bucks........Honey she says if yeah reaally want it go ahead and buy it

K' says I.

loco comes....show it to her an' say ain't it booootiful ,wife says ah'yep'.... look's me right'n eye an sez Now let me tell you what yer gonna do FOR ME!

 

[Airslide]

Went to Walmart like I said I would. Found the three remaining CAT tractors that were left, Two bulldozers and a road grader @ $9 ea. Can you say mine They also had four semi trucks @ $3 each that I couldn't pass up. There are three of the green and one black truck. I know they are not my period (1941-1961) but I'm hoping I can get away with using them. Maybe have their backs to onlookers. Any ideas?

My wife walked up after I had them in the basket. She looked in and didn't say a word. I'm set......

i usually catch the semi cabs int he clearence aisle at wally world - i have the exact same ones. but after i got them home and pulled them out and put them next another 1:87 vehicle they looked a lot bigger - more like 1:72. is it just me or do these semis look bigger than 1:87, not necessarily unusable, just bigger.

 

[waredbear]

i usually catch the semi cabs int he clearence aisle at wally world - i have the exact same ones. but after i got them home and pulled them out and put them next another 1:87 vehicle they looked a lot bigger - more like 1:72. is it just me or do these semis look bigger than 1:87, not necessarily unusable, just bigger.

I placed them next to the CAT's and they looked big as well. Of course this is my first HO truck so I have nothing else to compare it to. I will figure someway to use it if it is nothing else then to stick the readend out for the corner of a building to show a truck is there.

 

[waredbear]

The Saga Continues

My wife didn't say anything about the purchase yesterday. We are sitting in the living room holding hands when she looks me in the eyes and says..."don't make me cut-off your train spending". Where did that come from? I said...in a low submissive voice...what train spending? She replied "I say the trucks you bought at Walmart today". I decided to keep my mouth shut. She started on about not having the money right now and...........................

She gets up this morning and is getting ready to take the grandkids to daycare. She states that she is going to go by a large Ladies consignment shop after she drops the boys off. She smiles and says she is going to look for some trains. I remind her that the store is full of ladies clothes and furniture. They wouldn't have any trains. She replies...."one mans train is another womans purse". I'm okay with that. I told her last night when she was looking at diamonds at Costco that she can have one and I get the same $$$$ for trains. She didn't respond.

My four year old grandson has several different types of Thomas tracks. He ususally builds one layout a day either in his room, down the hallway, or on the living room table. He built an oval on the living room table yesterday. I was working on it this morning when I wife comes in and announces...."I think I would like to do the scenery on your layout". Again I think she got that idea from the lady at the train store Saturday. She stated that most women enjoy doing scenery while the men get into the operations. She might be coming around after all.

 

[Gary B]

Lately I've been tossing in an occasional Matchbox Real Working Rig into the old shopping cart. Usually I stick to things like paint and hardware items. Last week was a box of mirror tiles and glass cutter for another John Allen inspired illusion. Hey she throws in DVDs and stuff I'll never watch so it's only fair. We don't get stupid, and we don't get in fights about it. Plus if it goes on the credit cards, its paid off at the end of the month. I think we both know if money gets tight to cut it out for a while. Now if the stores like WM had a hobby section like the ones I remember in departments stores when I was a kid...

 

[Rico]

We have a rule that every payday we get to buy ourselves a treat, otherwise we're just working to pay bills and give to the government.
Usually a payday treat is a bottle of wine, a nice shirt, or a train goodie.
Sometimes that train goodie works out to a few payday treats however.

 

[ICG/SOU]

I would be very careful about comparing your spending to shoes or to purses or diamonds or whatever. It will prove to be a double-edged sword, by creating a level of competition and animosity that frankly, you don't need. It's cute and playful now, but when you decide you can't do without that new DCC and Sound equipped SD40-2 and drop the hammer on it, even if you can afford it, she'll remember and use it against you someday.

I'm just saying this as a guy who has a lot more rolling stock and locomotives than I need or have the ability to run. Sit down with her, and gracefully set up some sort of play money amount per pay period or month, that won't put you into financial difficulty, and stick to it. You can use the honor system, but remember that honor goes both ways.

And maybe, every once in a while, use your play money to do something nice for her.

 

[waredbear]

I'm just saying this as a guy who has a lot more rolling stock and locomotives than I need or have the ability to run.

Then you need to help me out with some of those unneeded locomotives and rolling stock.

 

[Gary B]

We're both careful and limit this kind of spending. Anything more like a big ticket item we discuss. After 33 years, the ground rules maybe unwritten, but they're still pretty clear. (I think?) And of course it never hurts to grease the wheels by buying her something nice once in a while.*
*Valentine Day alert guys

 

[ICG/SOU]

*Valentine Day alert guys

Yep, and that doesn't mean I can say, "Oh, goodie, I'll give her a new Atlas Southern GP38 with sound, and when she doesn't want it, I'll humbly take it off her hands."

 

[tomstockton]

And for the love of God, DON'T BUY HER A TOASTER!!!

27 years ago... we were coming up on our 5th anniversary. We were talking about that date and what we might get each other. Our "old" toaster had just died the day before, so I commented that I was going to get her a new toaster. She replied to me, "You better not buy me a toaster!"

I'd already purchased her some very nice (and "real") jewelry... but since I tend to be kind of a joker... of course, I went and bought her a toaster, and wrapped it up in nice gift paper.

Well, when our anniversary rolled around, I handed her the gift... she opened it... and the tears started rolling like a flood. I immediately handed her the box with the diamonds... which helped a little.

And I learned a lesson the hard way -- don't kid around with things like birthdays and anniversaries!

Regards,
Tom

 

[UP2CSX]

Excellent advice, Tom. Toasters don't make good present for any occasion, which I've found to my regret. It seems like a good idea at the time. This thread should be made into a sticky. It's the best laugh I've had all week.

I kind of went a little nuts when I started my layout three years ago. OK, maybe more than a little. When the e-bay purchases started to get up in the four figures, I notices an accumulation of new shoes and purses showing up in the closet. There's a direct relationship between these kind of purchases and train stuff. As long as you have the budget and space in the train room and your closet, have at it.

 

[blownoutcylinder]

Excellent advice, Tom. Toasters don't make good present for any occasion, which I've found to my regret. It seems like a good idea at the time. This thread should be made into a sticky. It's the best laugh I've had all week.

I kind of went a little nuts when I started my layout three years ago. OK, maybe more than a little. When the e-bay purchases started to get up in the four figures, I notices an accumulation of new shoes and purses showing up in the closet. There's a direct relationship between these kind of purchases and train stuff. As long as you have the budget and space in the train room and your closet, have at it.

A friend of ours has gone one better---the 2 of them are now at a point wherein they now have to look for a new home. Downsizing? NAH!! Not these two. They are going from a 1,800 sq ft home to a 3,000 sq ft home. Do they have available $$$? -----they do----

And they still are savers---

I'm kinda glad that we don't need to do that though. We are no where near needing larger-----yet