Running Bear's December 2021 Coffee Shop


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Morning from the West! Supposed to reach 65F later today (was only 59F yesterday and cloudy all day but only 1 one-hundredth inch of moisture?). Today says "mostly sunny".

Terry - sorry the job hunt did not work out! I had to mail an envelope to Okinawa yesterday and had to go to the Post Office, fill out a customs form, blah, blah - anyways, they had a sign hanging there promoting employment. While standing in line there, I was thinking about filling out an application ... wonder if they would hire me ... wonder if they are that desperate for help?

TomO - Your pulp cars look "fab"! Love the clutter on the decks; a nice scene might be a couple workers sweeping the decks and loading the refuse into a one of those small front loaders?

FLO - I am hungry this morning: CFS, eggs up, country fries, and lots of gravy and bacon. A Diet DP to drink please - oh, sourdough toast, please?

I'll go sit in the corner with Jessie and see what he is up too!
BBL
 
Greetings all!

A crisp 0F this morning in Minne-snow-ta. Our dusting forecast for yesterday turned into an all day snow event and we got 3 - 4 inches of fluffy dry snow. Yep - that cold already. But while it is a bit of a shock, we had such the mild autumn (I know Willie - - I am using past tense!), that really can't complain. But still do, of course.

Making plans for the funeral of our man who died of Leukemia and COvid - - Liberian family, so we have some mutual appreciation of cultures to work through. Then future Son-in-law called. THE ring was ready, so off to the VFW to give blood and then to pick him up and drive through the snow to the jewelers. I do not think the date was intentionally chosen, but Pearl Harbor Day was a good day to sponsor a blood drive. The vampires like me because I am O+ and an easy stick. Added benny is that my blood flows fast and I fill the bag in about 60% of the time as most do. Modern manufacturing is all about through-put, right?

The ring is gorgeous and should suit her fine. A 0.30 carat natural diamond solitaire with excellent clarity and color ratings. He has reservations at a nice place tonight to 'do the deed' officially, though they have been engaged for a few weeks now. Greek culture. He talked to me and asked my okay back in September. Late Sept, we had a dinner and he asked Mom and sister. The intended daughter was actually there at table and perplexed, "Hey, wait a minute, don't I get a say in this?"

No time for dinner or a celebratory libation, so drove him back into the city and dropped him off. Only 10 minutes into the trip home and youngest dau calls. Could I give her a ride home? Not only is it dark and slippery (remember, she has zero night vision and only approx 45 degrees of peripheral vision left) but she did not wear decent snow boots and had a good 12 minute walk to the light-rail station. "Sure," says I, "I am actually not too far away." SHe had brought her cane, and I was glad to see her using it as she came out to the car. Subaru - great winter vehicles!! Dropped her off in St. Paul and drove home but stopped for salads from a decent local salad chain for din-dins. Walked in the door and announced, "Yes, I WILL take a glass of wine." By this time, it was almost 2000 (8pm) and I had essentially been on the road since 1600, so changed clothes and settled downstairs and watched relatively brainless telly while eating dinner and consuming aforementioned bottle of wine. Been slowly working through a Brit TV series, "Shakespeare and Hathaway," cute and does not involve lots of brainpower engagement. Recommended. Actually slept fairly well.

ANother day - and another busy one. Bible Study at 1000, midday worship at 1130, lunch appt at 1230, wife appt at 1600, meeting/dinner at 1730, worship at 1900.

But good days.

Trains? I use nickel-silver rails - - - - - - I don't think they can rust to the tracks, . . . . . . . can they???? Steve J
 
Good Morning!

27F today, and I'm heading outside to shovel the snow that fell over night. If I don't do it, it will turn to ice in this warming trend. It's a 1hr job for each property, so I'll be back later this afternoon.

Willie - That interior photo is already scaled down to 20% of the original. I made a different interior photo yesterday, but, I don't like the less than happy colors. So I'm still working on it. - here's another photo of the new experiment:

CoffeeShop_12-07-2021 (7).jpg


Gotta go shovel! Have a good one!
 
Good morning again!

Can I get a coffee refill Flo?

TomO. I second Sherril's opinion on the pulpwood cars! When I did mine many moons ago I used an old Christmas tree cuttings to make my logs lotsa great bark detail.

Terry. Its a shame you are where you are. I could use you up here!

BBL
 
McLeod said:
Good Evening!

Curt - Looks like you glue down the cork roadbed, as do I. Someone wrote that might not be a good idea when I posted a photo, because it creates difficulty if one wants to change things. - That's probably true, but I'm still going to glue the cork down. Push comes to shove, I'll pull out the 3" belt sander if I need to change things. That baby fixes all misguided judgements.

Ken - I like the cut tree branch, flatcar load idea. - I just read in a book tonight, that the Wisteria tree works good for that, because the bark looks scale. Now, I want to look up Wisteria and see if any grows in the north. Who knows, maybe the wifes garden has some in it.

I was putting up walls today, allowing dry-time intervals so I could allow the wife some time for her needs.
I'm going to spend the evening looking for a new interior. That giant size furniture just don't cut it for me. - Mind you, it suits that huge fly sitting on the side of the building, waiting for an unsuspecting victim to come by, so it can suck them dry. I'm not trying to make horror show scenes, though.
View attachment 136509

Here's another view describing why it needs a better interior:
View attachment 136511

Have a wonderful, peaceful night.
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Guy, this feels right. But the service inside is a little slow as I ordered a diet Dr Pepper and the server said the pepper is on the table. Told him I will have a diet root beer any brand…

TomO
 
troyphoto said:
Well, howdy there internet coffee railroad people

It's troy again

Today, let's talk about colds and bench height.

Seems last week I might have had a nasty cold, or a C19 breakthrough. Sinus drainage and sore throat. Isolated, but got it gone fast enough that I didn't bother to get tested. Only had about three days of Blah.

Three days later, I've got the sinus's filling up again...

I'm vaxxed and boosted, so I suspect this second trip is one of the colds trying to break through all the T-cell protections. I'm being sure to mask if I have to make a run for more zinc tabs or Diet Dr. Pepper... but, zinc makes that taste funny.

Blah... all those bugs we didn't have the last two years are back with a vengeance.

Been Reading through Tony Koester's book on Multi-level design. My main deck is going to have to go up or down to make that work. Main level is currently at 46 inches for the lowest top of rails. So now I'm trying figure out how to drop a 12 ft long section of the layout at least a foot, without totally wrecking it or the track I've already laid.

Those of you with two decks.... what's your go-to spacing between the top of rails and bottom of the valance above?

Of course, if I can ever convince my wife to move up the Canadian Maritimes so we can be close to the ocean again, I'd have to move the entire thing, or start over.

Hmmm... decisions. ;)
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Troy

You are reading an excellent book by one of the most reviewed modeller’s of all time. I started following Tony’s column when he was the editor at RMC. His Trains of Thought column in MR was the reason I struck with model railroading. Willie has a comment in his reply to you about Tony that I agree with, but I have met and operat3d with him and he is an around nice guy. As he ages, I feel like the rest of us we get set in out ways!

My second level was 16” above the main level of 48” in the days I had a multi level layout. My layout now is 50-52” above the floor.

TomO
 
bnsf971 said:
Good morning. It's cloudy and 38.
The job application yesterday turned out to be "we're looking for a state inspection mechanic that can perform alignments, not an alignment mechanic." I mentioned rather firmly they should have put that requirement in the ad, so they weren't wasting their time and mine. A check this morning shows the ad has been updated.
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Not for nothing, what does it take to get certified to do state inspections?
 
Patrick said:
I am currently making about the same I was 10 years ago, but I'm also at the age where less job stress is a bonus.
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Not for nothing, business, all business wants a work force willing to do more (productivity), with more efficiency, (CHEAPER). Workers are beginning to revolt...even without a union to support them...The labor shortage is due to business unwillingness to increase wages / benefits and reduce hours. They have no intention of hiring anyone not willing to sell their soul to the company store. Meanwhile, we are all being conditioned to accept shortages, delays and higher prices as a new normal.
 
Good morning fellow global modelers from the great State of Wisconsin, USA. 24f/-4c. Not much warmer for later but it feels ok as the wind chill is a sunny +10f.

doctoring today, a 2:15 consult for future surgery. More at a later date or at least after I find out what the surgery is called

manual shift, dad was a car dealer so he had a choice of cars to bring home. I learned to drive on a 1967 GTO that was a then hot powerful car with a manual shift. When dad had me behind the wheel learning to drive with my learners permit at 15.5 years of age this is the car I drove. Dad said if I knew stick I could drive anything. When I took the road test on my 16th birthday it was in a 1968 Buick Electra 225 and it was basically was the size of a battleship. With the inspector in the car he said drive around the block, I did. Parallel park in that space. I did. He said drop me at the front door you pass. 5 minutes maybe, he told me if you can park this thing you can drive anywhere. Yes, I also still drive with the right hand resting on the shifter between on the center console.

sleep, another tough night. The last time I climbed back into bed was 5:10 am and slept to 7:40.

Paradise, if you have watched any network news it would seem the 50thState is being pounded by climate change. While that maybe true the weather events they are experiencing on many of the islands is standard for December/January weather BUT just not in the amounts they are receiving. The brother returned late last week and reported to me that yes they were having heavy rains on Maui but not really by our places. The next day he texted to me, well it seems we are receiving heavy rains and it is affecting the area. He called (never a good thing) about 1 hour ago that power was out yesterday, the rains are steady but have definitely filled up the creeks or streams that all flow rapidly downhill. He checked the property last night and he said he grabbed the portable generator filled it with gas and an extra Jerry can and came home. Power was on when he got back yesterday but was out again this morning. A good thing he had the generator. Turns out the property has some damage besides a 100%+ filled water cistern for the landscaping. One of Terry’s three green house is 1/3 shorter as the landscapers had adjusted the water flow around them (with the proper County permits). Too much rain and the swale he said became a creek, then a river and finally ripped out the north wall. Every thing else is fine. Meghan who works for Terry supervising the greenhouses is ok but now staying in the rental my brother has along with his girlfriend. She is going to handle getting the insurance repairs done.

Be safe
TomO

detail parts, these are derails and need another coat of yellow and then some graphite
CDC6366B-6E60-4320-A7C6-4F9532B14D07.jpeg

CDC6366B-6E60-4320-A7C6-4F9532B14D07.jpeg
 
troyphoto said:
Sinus drainage and sore throat. Isolated, but got it gone fast enough that I didn't bother to get tested. Only had about three days of Blah.

Three days later, I've got the sinus's filling up again...

I'm vaxxed and boosted, so I suspect this second trip is one of the colds trying to break through all the T-cell protections. I'm being sure to mask if I have to make a run for more zinc tabs or Diet Dr. Pepper... but, zinc makes that taste funny.
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My first indication, that i had a problem, was sinus discharge, followed by post nasal drip, which morphed into a respiratory infection. (Almost like clockwork). So while I sit here quarantined, I researched sinus and mucus issues. Several articles -supposedly from experts in the field - suggest that the primary cause is dryness, (atmospheric), and dehydration. The preposition is that Dryness supposedly causes the gloop to thicken. Once the mucus hardens,the "natural "flow" is interrupted,subsequent mucus to back up, which results in nasal discharge, post nasal drip, and worse.

I don't know if any of this is legitimate, as there is so much BS out there, but it makes sense. I run a humidifier through the heating system, but my second floor seems dry. I have been drinking more water, which of course has other consequences, (especially when taking a water pill) ;) :eek:

Good luck with your sinuses. I only have a single level layout, so I'm not much help with your other question.
 
Boris said:
Not for nothing, business, all business wants a work force willing to do more (productivity), with more efficiency, (CHEAPER). Workers are beginning to revolt...even without a union to support them...The labor shortage is due to business unwillingness to increase wages / benefits and reduce hours. They have no intention of hiring anyone not willing to sell their soul to the company store. Meanwhile, we are all being conditioned to accept shortages, delays and higher prices as a new normal.
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Boris b-4 the pandemic I would have said you had bought into the great myth that the Corporate manager was evil and trying to destroy the worker bee. I would have said the manager is looking out for his own job to increase productivity and increase profits which is the American way.

21 months after the USA start of the Pandemic of 3/2020 I would definitely change my answer to you and mostly agree to everything you have written above. I truly believe that Americans and maybe the world wide legion of work bees ARE being conditioned to accept shortages and higher costs. The corporate plan is they force us into acceptance as normal when they then can really put the screws to the worker bee, the pains will be lessened.

Its not an industrial revolution but can become a revolution of the worker. SOME of the unions, My Opinion Only, have become useless due to lack of leadership, personal agendas geared more toward the Union leaders then to the mainline worker, Corporate greed that has always been there but in this era of Social Media is more pronounced to the public. State governments repealing by law hard fought and well earned wages and benefits because of strong Unions strength at the polls and in turn destroying the educational system in those states, (hey Wisconsin and Michigan) how does it feel now. Teachers have left the business or moved states and what we have now is inferior Louisiana type eduction systems.

Folks waking up to an offer of 5% pay increases and improved benefits while the Management staff (looking at u John Deere) was given bonuses to The tune of 100+ millions. Labor leaderso that Union saying good deal to its members who stood firm and got a better offer and in turn kicked out the union leadership and negotiating teams. A local shop being purchased and the established work staff being humiliated by the employment terms to continue working there. Terry, you know how I feel on this but man, good luck!

Will things change? It has to as the world is still service orientated and you need people for that. I dont know what a livable wage amount is as I never worked for minimum. As a 2 wage earner family Terry and I were just a slice above pay check to pay check living the first 24 years of a so far 45 year marriage. I borrowed $3000 total dollars for 4 years of education at Marquette and Terry borrowed 10,000. All student loans paid off in the standard 5 years back then.

The last 4 years without the income stream our former President of the people, Terry and I donated more in the 4 years he served then he donated in the last 8. Sad but true.

Rant and reply to Boris is over. My standard answer of course to all this is term limits and flat rate taxes with no exceptions except the 1st $50000.00 of each wage earn.

Life is grander in the train room,
TomO
 
bnsf971 said:
Guy, I’d try reducing the size of the picture you’re using by at least a third. The current photo looks like the patrons would be 11 feet tall.
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Which one are you referring to? The first colorful photo, or the 2nd duller one?
Anyway, I am still working on it. It's time consuming because I don't have much for computer smarts.

I'm all finished shoveling. It wasn't snow, it was 1-1/2" of pure ice crystals that were already frozen to the concrete. After this year, I'll give Schwartzennegger a run for his money at the muscle constest.
 
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