Wow, Jeff: That New Year’s Eve party sounds like something you have to SURVIVE, let alone attend, LOL! I wonder how many of them were conscious enough to ring in the year by the end of it. Whew!
Spent a quiet New Year’s Eve, listened to the firecrackers going off across the street–for some strange reason they started in at 9:30 and by 10:30 they were all done. Yo, people, plan AHEAD! [:-^]
I got some pretty devastating news last night–my best friend, mentor and choir director–James Mitchell, who I worked with for well over thirty years died last night of complications from surgery. He was undergoing carotoid artery surgery, and a blood clot got loose and before they could catch it, it entered his brain and he died of a massive stroke on the operating table. We’ve known each other since we were fellow music students in college, I accompanied several professional choral groups that he conducted until he retired a few years ago. He was a terrific musician and a terrific person–we took choral groups to Europe several times. Marvelous man. He even introduced me to my ex-wife (and yes, I’m still grateful for that). His wife is devastated. I’m going to help with the music for the Memorial Mass that takes place a week from today. I’ll be meeting with Father Andrew at Presentation Parish tomorrow afternoon with Jim’s wife to discuss it. The area here has lost a really GREAT musician and a wonderful person.
On the brighter side of things, Remington turns 3 today. And no coughing spells. I’m getting him a horned helmet and a battle-ax down at Petco for his birthday. Not that he needs them, understand! [;)]
Tom; My prayers go out for you—take care of yourself. We’ll be here—
as for REMI needing any horned helmets—NAH!!! He really needs those—[:-^] I think maybe you could use a fulllface helmet and a good pair of shoulderpads—the way ‘Spring’ launches himself —or rather tries to — you could use those on yourself. Then again—try this trick we used on a cat we named ‘Baby’–a 25lb bull elephant of a Maine Coon–we had to use a BIRD CAGE if you could believe it when we got that one’s Rabies shots! He’d glare at us but he took the shots—after we got home I let him out and he would bolt under my bed—wouldn’t come out til the next day—[:-^]
Tom, my deepest condolences to you on the loss of your friend and colleague. I will keep you in my prayers as you help his family celebrate a great life! That will be a bittersweet service to play.
Tom- Sorry to hear about your friend. It sounds like you had some wonderful times together. That makes for beautiful memories. My conolences and prayers for you and his family.
Good morning, All. I am getting a late start on my coffee and cinnamon roll. For some strange reason, we slept until after 8:00 this morning. That is a record.
The results of the countdown was Stairway to Heaven. Led Zepplin rules they were all over the top. Four of them in the top ten.
On a more somber note, Tom. Sorry for you loss. It is so hard when you loose someone so close. And your neighbors, maybe the were celebrating a New York New Years.
Oh yea!![tup][tup] (dancing around faking Jimmy Page while singing du-du-du-du-duuu-du. du-du-du-du-duuuu-du-etc. to the tune of the intro to “Black Dog”. Then pulling a john Bonham on “Rock and Roll”!!!) Whew made myself dizzy better sit back down.
***Tom, sorry about your friend. On an upbeat note, do post some pics of Remington sporting his fighting regalia when you get the chance.
Picked up 3 more circus cars for the wife today: vintage Trapeze, Clown & Thoroughbred cars.
Been marking up the Walthers flyer with items the wife wants. Seems to me, some of the prices are pretty reasonable.
I put in tile around the kitchen opening, where there will eventually be a small counter. Need to let the tile set/dry for a few days before framing around it.
So, is there any model RR’ing use for several GALs of AcrylPro ceramic tile adhesive?
Need to go start work on a new shoe for Tinytoons.
Man! I just watched the 3D version of ‘Journey to the center of the earth’. What a rush! On the MR front all I’ve done today is put together my new fire station and unpack the Shell Auto Center and the Atlas Passenger Station.
Just a little French as my wife and I just got back last night from a week in Paris. She’s had such a rough year that I thought a visit to her favourite city over Christmas would be just the ticket. Turns out I was right as we both had a great time. We stayed in a wonderful old hotel that is right across the street from the Louvre museum and therefore close to a lot of the major attractions.
We arrived in Paris on Christmas Eve and after an little supper, we went to Notre Dame cathederal for the midnight mass. Not that we are religious but it is quite marvelous. The crowds were huge but it does hold a few thousand. The music was wonderful and the organ is spectacular. I expect Tom would have enjoyed it. We also went to a concert in another church( the Madeleine) with a string ensemble who played The Four Seasons with a truly marvelous violinist.
We did a lot of walking as most people do there and although it was cold by their standards we found the +2C temps rather warm after -30 in Winnipeg. We also had a few truly great meals in small cafes and also one in a major hotel restaurant called Le Cinq that was a high spot of the visit. While it is more expensive to eat in restauants there than here, the food also is generally a lot better. The French do take their food very seriously.
I didn’t get to any hobby shops that sold model RR items but there really are only a few in all of Paris. It seems that model railroading isn’t a very big hobby in France compared to England or Germany.
Well we are off tomorrow to pick up Pippa, that is if she is still talking to us after dumping her with our friends in Minnesota. I also have an order of some N guage track waiting for me so I can try out those 2 N scale locos I have. It will be interesting to see what N is like compared to HO. If I like it I plan on building a small N guage layout.
Hope each of you has had a great New Years Day! I sure have! Got to spend a few hours playing with my favorite little girl Olivia (my Granddaughter).
At 17 months, she is learning how to be gentle with my kitties (this is my 19 pounder Blackie who has taken a liking to her except when she gets rough).
She is also planning on becoming a model railroader (if her grandpa has any say) and was trying on the engineers cap.
Hey guys, I had a lazy day, my wife took my son over to Grandma’s house, so I spent the day in my pajama pants Homer Simpson slippers watching a Looney Tunes marathon on the Cartoon Network. It was a nice quiet day, of cartoons, and dozing on the couch.
Ahhh, lets see…I will take some apple pie and a glass of milk. Put it on my tab [:o)].
Well its good to hear alot of people had a good new years day. I didn’t do much myself. Laid some track down to get a better idea of where my yard or what was going. I think it looks good and might work out. I will still tweak it here and there. I will try to get a picture of the layout plan this weekend. Just wonderng if I need to change around the cement plant.
The father in law is coming by Saturday and putting in some base board heat upstairs. Its going to be VERY cold next week and weekend. I’m just tired of being cold, and I’m sure everybody else is.
I will have to go to the hobby store tomorrow, and get some more flex, a left turnout, and some roadbed.
I guess I will get ready for bed.
Everybody have a good night, and I will be back for breakfast.
I’ve just been kicking back watching movies today, something I don’t usually make time for. Maybe it’s time to back off from the net a bit for some quiet time.
Good Evening, Chloe - looks like you ladies and Vinnie got the Diner cleaned up pretty quickly after last night. Of course, having Vinnie standing by the door kept things (as far as the Diner parties go…) reasonably ‘calm’. I see the chandalier held up - you must’ve upgraded the chain it hangs by, since the last location. Good job! [tup]
I’ll just have a cup of hot cocoa and a hot fudge sundae, please. Thanks!
PC, sent you that email earlier tonight. His site is www.stephencurtischapman.com (if you want to see about listening to it - not sure if they have all the songs available for listening to clips).
Rob, maybe your critters had already had their New Year’s party before you went out to refill their feed last night. So is the tile guy one of your ‘after-the-contractor’ tasks that you get to do? (Hoping I’m not stirring anything up there…) That deal about your wife’s mother being unstable when she opened the door sounded scary.
Lee, was that a new Walthers sale flyer? I may have to go check my mailbox tomorrow - I don’t have my most recent copies with me at the moment. Half off on vehicles sounds great - is that W-S, or all vehicles? Guess I’ll find out, huh?
Scott, [#welcome] to the Diner - and have a beverage on me. [:)] Best wishes on your projects (and the New Year), and we’d love to see pics of your trestle as you get along with that. Also, fill us in on your layout and RR that you model (modeling a prototype/freelancing? Time era? Kind of layout? etc. - we’re a nosy inquisitive and friendly bunch in here (as you may have noticed).
I start my so called week off tomorrow—doing nights or afternoons can be —er–interesting this time of year. i was mostly just on call so I had to behave myself—modulo noise making on new years eve—[:-^]
Quiet night tonight—everyone all tuckered out from big dinner so resting and playing with a piculous ‘Spring’ the order of the evening here—[swg]
“To Go”, please & thanks.
tcwright973) [#