Good morning good people, not much change here, temps in the mid to high 60 for the next few weeks, hard to say about rain. One forecast call for low chances everyday, another no chance until a high chance on Tuesday. Why bother?

Filled up yesterday at Costco, $3.04, was down to $2.99 last week. Other stations are up ten cents. Two stations, one up US60 wants $4.99, the other up I-17 wants $4.95, both are remote enough that gouging works.

In case you're wondering, Pat is off vacation now and has started doing "Flatt Bear" again.

Today is housecleaning day, I kind of bounce around as she cleans one room or another. Other than that, nothing else on the schedule. I lost my battle with the insurance company, they want me to pay for 1/3 the cost of the tire replacement even though I was not at fault for the accident. They called it, "betterment". I told them I was not made better just because my tire has some wear on it, but they're saying that this is an industry practice. They are nickle and diming on a claim that will cost them around $15,000. I'm arguing principle, they're arguing "let's save a much as we can". So I'm screwed. I know a lady that hit someone that pulled in front of her and the insurance company only wants to pay 70%, saying that she didn't hit her breaks soon enough.

Take care, be good, stay happy and most of all, stay safe....

Good morning 
       It looks like a good day today as far as the temperature goes and some sun is predicted. We have had fog for the last 2000 days it seems 

       Don, Insurance companies try their damnnest to keep lawyers busy. that is why there are so many injuries caused by a fender bender. A friend had his new truck hit by a tire and wheel that fell of the axle of an oncoming pickup several years ago. First off the other guys insurance said it wasn't the other guys fault even though he admitted it but that was rectified because my friend had a dashcam. Then they wanted to use after market parts which more than likely would have voided his extended warranty. He only had 1400 miles on the truck. His insurance company sided with him and made them take care of the damage the right way. 

       I think today will be a scenery day on the layout. I have had enough working on cars and locomotives for a while

        I am glad Packy is back at it. Hope he is well. 

        Prayers for everyone, we need them 
Charlie

Greeting, gang.

Looks like I get to shovel snow for the third time in 24 hours. 25 now headed for 27.

If I had left the snow alone yesterday I would be able to use the snow blower today. Just enough snow that I need to clean the sidewalk but not enough to need the snow blower. Oh, well.

Gas price just before Christmas was $2.63. Yesterday when I was out it was $3.29.

All stay safe.

Tom

Hello Blue
Just checking in.
I haven't been out this week but I noticed gas prices are easing upwards again.
Official Temp in Detroit yesterday was 60. 61 is the record for that day. Now it is 35. NO Snow on the ground. 
S.J.

We are being warned to avoid rivers because the spring thaw is causing flooding.

Gas price was 133.9 per litre. (Litre is a generous quart.)

After a series of specialists, my cough has generally disappeared. Not sure which one was right, but it went after I saw the respirologist and he put me on puffers.

Good morning, gas is starting to go out of control here as well. Costco went up ten cents to $3.14, the station a block from me was $3.09 a few days ago, then $3.19, yesterday it's $3.45. Predictions are that we'll hit $4.00 a gallon by May, most likely a lot sooner here.

Can't go to Brenda's for breakfast today, there's usually six or eight of us including Brenda's husband, but there was a war between the woman that bought the restaurant from Brenda and the guy that bought it from her. He's been not paying her, so she's taking it back. So, he hasn't ordered any food for a week, and yesterday, they were out of eggs and other food, so no breakfast until they are able to restock. She is suppose to change the name back to Brenda's Kitchen and pay attention to the customers this time. We used to call her, "the wicked witch of the west" because she never even said, "good morning" to anyone, just kept her head in her paperwork, probably devising evil strategies.

Temps are in the mid to high 60's and could hit 70 next week. No real rain the the forecast until the 15th.

Have a great day, and do something that pleases you and someone else...

Good morning, folks

It is 42 heading up to 48. We had showers overnight and might have a few more today. The project site is now once again a quagmire of mud.

Over the last few days I have built an Accurail 40 foot steel box car and started work on a wood box car. My order for coal loads for my Bowser 100-ton hoppers arrived so I may run them soon.

Did not do much around the house. My back has been giving me issues the past few days. It has been hard to move around and even get comfortable sitting. I am scheduled for an injection next Friday.

If I have the time and opportunity, I may venture into new DCC territory for me and change the address on a couple of locomotives. I may even then try to create a consist. Other than that I have the Accurail box car to finish and more hoppers to check and tune up.

Looks like I am going to have to make a pharmacy run on the way home this afternoon. I need to make a run to Delaware for gas this weekend. Delaware prices are $3.09 to $3.49. Pennsylvania are $3.49 to $3.89.

I hope everybody has a good day.

Hello Blue
Cloudy and 38. Looks like the norm for several days.
Was out this morning, gas was $3.29. Very Teed at Bank of America, they closed our nearest branch, then another and another. Now everyone has to tunnel into the one that's still open. But to close the account I would have to move my wife's SS direct deposit. Gonna take a couple of trains to the club house tonight. It's not a permanent location as if it was to get leased, we would have to move out. Our regular meetings are at members' homes. 
S.J.

Greetings, gang.

Clear and a little cool this morning at 2 degrees with a wind chill of -8. Warming later to 22.

Major project for today is to pick up a birthday cake for one of the great-grandkids. I will be delivering it to the party this evening. Current plan is to photoshop it showing that a piece has been taken out of it before sending a picture of it to his mom so she can show it to him.

Otherwise it's Saturday so that means laundry.

Gas price down a little to #3.22. Grocery store yesterday had eggs on sale for $3.98. Last week I paid $5.57 for a dozen.

All stay safe.

Tom

Good morning, ahh, Saturday, got two extra hours of sleep, delightful. Today is going to be nice, high 60's, "plenty of sunshine" says the forecast. To be sure, all this coming week will by like this, very high 60's all week.

Gas is nudging up, Costco and Sam's Club now at $3.09, other's at $3.19 to $3.45 with a few way higher. Eggs at Walmart are still well over $5.00 a dozen for large, what got me, yesterday, a box of 18 extra-large was cheaper than a dozen large. Got to be careful though, at checkout, two items checked out at higher prices than the shelf price. I called them on one since it was $4.00 difference, the other I just let go since the clerk appeared to not liking to be there in the first place and it wasn't worth the hassle for fifty cents. The other thing about Walmart is that there is so much that the shelf tags are missing and they took away those, "check price here", scanners. Oh, that's right, we are suppose to download the Walmart app and scanner....

Going to take a break from my wood steam engine and make a stock for my new gun. I have a new bandsaw and this is the perfect project for this. As for the engine, I'm on a step that requires one hand to hold one sub-assembly, one to hold another and two more to get them into a third assembly. That's the real trick to this, especially since some of the drawings are not quite right.

Let's hope everyone has a nice weekend. Stay warm and stay safe.

Good morning, folks

It has cooled down to 41. High is supposed to be 44. There is a little bit of wind which makes it feel colder.

Today we may start on the putting away of the Christmas decorations. There is the never ending laundry. We need to make a grocery store run.

I was able to program the two Chessie SD50's. I then had two locomotives running in different directions at the same time on the layout for the first time. Next is making a consist and then running a train.

I hope everybody has a good day.

I did put away the Apollo last night and got my coal drag back out - a couple of problematic locomotives and two hoppers that needed some attention.  Other than those tweaks and a couple of postings to Big Blue, it's been light on railroading this weekend.

Took the dog out for a hike this morning, got back and decided to attack on of the bride's items on her LIST.  These are inside jobs that she wants done sometime in the next 365 days.  Most of this stuff is on the unpalatable side for me, since I don't think any of these things really need to be done.  For domestic harmony, however, I began.  She wants new carpet on our stairs going down to the basement.  She's never down here, but....  Bought a remnant down at Ollies and lugged it home, tore out the old, painted the trim and got 4 of the 12 steps cut and installed before running out of staples for my air stapler.  Cut the rest of the carpet up and will finish the install tomorrow after a trip to Home Depot.

If I can knock that out quickly, looks like the afternoon might be available for some tree construction and installation around Mud Run.  If I get that accomplished, I've got some more ideas for paint detailing on the rock formations that run around that curve - the inspirations came while hiking at Rocks State Park where there's plenty of moss on most of the rocks up there.  Any luck and I'll be doing some ballasting this week.

Good Sunday morning to you all. Temp right now 48 heading to 68, a bit lower than yesterday. This week looks good, temps in the low to mid 70's until next Sunday when there's a really good chance of rain. Let's hope so, the news is talking about water conservation here and yet they're still building houses and apartments as fast as they can get people to build them. We have a large shopping center going in next to Costco, a few miles from my house, and next to that is a development of 500 new houses, next to that is a large development of condos. All this used to be farm land. The feds are talking about restricting water to farmers, so no need to wonder why food prices are heading to the moon.

Working on my gun stock, going pretty good for the first time I've tried something this complex. I need a new sanding belt, Home Depot and Loews is running around $16 for two belts, Harbor Freight, $9 for five. All look like the same quality, just the name changes, so we'll find out just how good the Harbor Freight ones are.

Gas up 10 cents, still not bad compared to a year ago, but in 1956, gas was 19 cents a gallon. Adjusted for inflation, that comes to $2.08. The inflation rate from 1956 is just shy of 1000%, gas though looks like around 1500%. Remember those years when the inflation rates were 1 or 2%?

Have a great day no matter what you're doing.

Greetings, gang.

Sunny and 3 headed for sunny and 36, or so "they" say.

Lots of fun yesterday evening. Great-grandson had cosmic bowling for his birthday party. Lots of laughter and LOTS if noise. After that we all went to Pizza Ranch for supper. I think a good time was had by all. Not much on the agenda for today. Apparently I had too much fun last night as I didn't sleep very well. Finally got up around 2 AM. Went back to bed around 5:30 and slept for a couple more hours.

Gas was down a few more pennies to $3.19

All stay safe.

Tom

Good Morning everyone.
       I had to go to the Lowes store in Boardman (just south of Youngstown) to pick up a gallon of Elmer's glue all, (white glue I use on the layout) It is a 15 mile trip but they are the only local store to have it at a reasonable price. $14.98, (half the price of the hardware in town), and we wanted to stop at the grocery store in Boardman for some of their specials that helps make the trip worthwhile. We got bananas for 39 cents a pound but the 88 cent a pound tomatoes were sold out. A 10 pound bag of Idaho potatoes was 2.98 so I bought 2 and I did get a couple high priced tomatoes and salad mix as well as 5 pounds of chicken drumsticks on sale for 59 cents a pound.  I passed on the 5.95 a dozen eggs. 

       Gas was 3.19 here and 3.49 in Boardman. 

        We have clouds and it is to go to 40 today. 

        I have continued to work in the train room. I finally figured that if I do what I want to do in there it makes it more fun so I have just decided to do what I feel like doing. Last night I noticed one of my T1's was missing the brass whistle. I looked in the box and it was there so I took a minute and some CA and installed it. I also repaired lights in a coach and cleaned 30 years of dirt from it. I also patched some pot holes on the Tafton streets and cemented the street lights in place. I will work in the train room again today but it is hard to tell what i will do. 

       I hope everyone have a wonderful week ahead
Charlie