The Daily Moose

[ginzokid]

Here is a link to Bar Mills Models on-line newspaper and information station. Art has 4 new on-line videos that you might find interesting. The first two are about Bar Mills Models itself. The next two are instructive videos. One on different types of glues and their use and the other on the new Bar Mills weathering powders. There are also pictures of some of the kits available. Enjoy. http://barmillsmodels.com/dailymoose_05A_05.html

[taz-of-boyds]

The weather is crazy sometimes, this morning, there were about 4-5 inches on snow on the ground!  It kept snowing all day, but did not accumulate anymore because the temperatures were a little over freezing.

We don't get white Easters around here much (though it will probably gone by Easter proper...).

And I may be retired Friday, oooh, a life of ease with less cash... well whatever...

All the best,

Charles

[ginzokid]

Retired? What that means is less money, more time on your hands for fun, BUT, you will find that there are so many projects to get done, and I don't just mean modeling but stuff around the house, that you will wonder how you ever had time for any modeling while you were working. Actually even though we now get half the income when working, our needs are less and we can save more than we used to. Life is funny.

B-)

[dl85vette]

Gas expenses cut down because you're sleeping in and not commuting to work..  😄

Are you really doing more house chores or just doing less when still working? 

[barrysfp45]

Pete said you get half the money you used to get when working and still make do, well the last time I was paid to work was in 1984 and here it is 2013 and I'm still not even close to getting half of what I did when I worked, funny the difference when you medically retire from your own business and then live on the government pension, oh well, enjoy your new life Charles.

]:)

[ginzokid]

I'll tell you Barry that I retired also due to medical reasons in 1992. At that time I had my own architectural firm and was making a good buck. Kim was the controller of a trucking company and also making a good buck. The house was paid off so we only had car payments, no mortgage. We lived on Kim's salary for years until we moved back here to the frozen north. It was 2002 before I figured out I was eligible for SS disability payments. Kim had another good paying job for the global satellite company as an accountant. So we had two incomes again, although mine was smaller than when I was working.

When Kim retired three years ago income changed. I collect SS from the US and a small Old Age Pension from Canada. Kim collects SS from the US plus Canada Pension (like SS) and OAS too. My OAS is only $122 per month but that is my railroad money budget and I find it quite sufficient. If I want some big purchase I just have to save up for it. So all we actually have is government pensions ourselves. We do have lots of saving though in case of emergencies and of course no doctor bills.

You mentioned in the N group that we all seem to be old farts and thought you might be the oldest fart of all.......I was 69 in January.

I'm taking a stab at it by guessing I'm the youngest.  😛   although health wise equivalent to an 85 y/o.

-- Edited by dl85vette at 03/27/2013 2:48 PM PDT

I was 62 in February, maybe not the oldest but often feel like it.

]:)

-- Edited by barrysfp45 at 03/28/2013 2:23 AM PDT

[ginzokid]

Anyone have special plans for Easter? We are going 'round the bay to bro Bob's for turkey and Jigg's dinner. It's a long trip just for a salty meal.

On another topic, I think Jack may be the oldest semi active member. Bud was but he is not active any more.

]:)

-- Edited by ginzokid at 03/29/2013 5:27 AM PDT

[jamajack]

Yes I am still around but have not been doing anything on the payout for awhile, old age is creeping in and the shakes make it hard to do anything delicate on road stock. Still doing a bit of scenery that doesn't require small parts. My main job this winter has been the tractor propelled snow blower operation which with the snow we received this year kept me well occupied. Just need to either work at containing the shakes with small stuff or start to liquidate everything I have--Which I don't really want to get rid of but time will tell. Now my wife has developed severe arthritis in her hands so a lot of my time is helping her with a lot of things even down to the point where I have to pour her coffee in the mornings as she can't even lift the coffee pot some times and then needs her two hands to lift the cup up. When you get to our age (76) I guess these things creep into life and makes it a little more interesting.

This summer should be interesting as it is just about time to take my Honda Goldwing Gl1800 out of the garage and see if My co-ordination is still as good as last year. Dave should also just about be ready to start his summer riding. Dave, have been looking up your insurance rates etc on the web and just can't believe what it costs you. My bike would cost a fortune in Manitoba and would sure suck down the old pension considerably. Also bought a new 21 foot travel trailer last spring so want to get out as much as we can this summer.

Enough of this babbling for now---See what happens when you get old you babble.

Jack

-- Edited by jamajack at 03/29/2013 8:03 AM PDT

[dl85vette]

Good hearing form you Jack. Yea MPI sucks here. You Guys: do NOT, I say again NOT vote or let in gov't controlled insurance. one guy moved in with a Ducatti Monster and autopac wanted 3200 a year!!! so bike went on lawn for sale. Plus you pay the rates for the riding season (May-Sept) so that's not $3200 minus the winter months it's stored. If you could ride over the winter or ride in april or in October, your insurance would be free. My scooter was 270 a year (minus about $65?  for the license plate)  a buddy of mine posted to Ottawa and bought a Triumph Rocket 3 and pays 800 for the year.

Did you know Winnipeg is the cheapest place in the country to buy a Harley? Gee I don't know why that would be. now ya know from above reading.

Large CC bikes and sports bikes of any sort get you raped bad here.

Car insurance is worse here than what I paid in N.S. Think autopac said it would be around 1400-1600 a year for a new truck  X-(    I paid that when I was 19 y/o as a young male. 

[ginzokid]

House and car here cost me $1,981 per year. Plates are $140 flat fee.

Glad to hear from you Jack. Sorry about the shakes. Can your wife ride the bike with the arthritis? Or does she follow you around with the trailer in the car?

No she doesn't ride at all. When we were in France with the Air Force for three years she had her own bike and we travelled just about anywhere you can think of in Europe but older age I guess made her a little fearful on riding, so I'm a loner on the bike. Good thing I have a few good friends to ride with to  places every year such as Americade and a trip  to Tennasee.

I'm still able to build things even with my arthritic fingers. Actually the doctor said I should keep it up as long as I can to try to keep them limber. Is your wife taking anything? I see ads all the time for meds that are supposed to help.

I still try to keep the old hands working. As I sit here there is no shakes it is just when you pick up the tools and start to mate things up that the shakes come in to play. But I still try, some times screwing things up

 but not giving up completely yet.

Across the counter Arthritis medications are about as useless as "tits on a boar". She has tried five different things recommended by a doctor and pharmacist but they don't offer any relief at all. We go to the Arthritis Society place this coming Tuesday to see what they recommend and who they can refer her to.

And I was right. Jack is the senior member.

:^O

-- Edited by jamajack at 03/30/2013 6:00 AM PDT

[ginzokid]

Happy Easter to all. My new Easter bonnet is a pair of ear muffs. It is still snowing here. The Easter bunny skipped us this year too. Must have been too cold to hide the eggs. They would have all frozen.

:_|

[dl85vette]

Considering cutting my losses and getting out of the hobby.....too time consuming.

APRIL FOOL!!   :^O

[ginzokid]

You still there? I thought you gave up long ago...........I did. ]:)

[dl85vette]

Have you been working on your layout at all Pete?

 I remember at one point you were looking at adding a siding for operator sessions.

[ginzokid]

I spend more time on the club layout. Building the last structure I will build for it right now. Have a little more track to lay at the engine house that I am now doing, then the golden spike will be driven.

My own layout is in limbo, but I will get back to it after this build. Ops are still a maybe on mine. I'm not nuts about ops at all. I just like to rail fan on mine and do a little switching. Nothing formal yet even though I do have the Micro-Mark system in place. I have three more structures to build for it and then I will do more scenery.

And I have one more building to do for the HO tree layout.

So much to do and so little time!

😄

[dl85vette]

I would like to do informal operating session where 2 of us can do mainline meets, or one do plant /indust park switching and the other do road switching for the industry switcher. \something fun but not doing tedious task cards, fast clock etc.