The Latest Project

I actually started this project a while ago. It has been a couple of years because it entailed first finishing part of the basement in preparation, then building what is known as the bench-work. Then finalizing the layout and finally building it. Guess what I am doing yet. It is not as common a hobby as it was in the past and it is something I have always wanted to do. I can remember my Great Uncle Louis having one in his basement but it is not a very vivid memory. Ok I am building a model train layout in HO scale. It will be complete with mountain lake town and factory/train yard. I have been planning it out in my head and on paper now for quite a while . I am limited by the shape of my basement and must put the layout up against the wall which is not recommended but can be done. I am going to document it with pictures and will post them here from time to time. If anyone has a suggestion I am open for constructive criticism. It is getting late and past my bedtime. I won't get as much reading in tonight as I would like but I was downstairs most of the evening working on my two projects. The other project must remain a secret until it is unveiled to Miss Abby, because it is for her and Lily. It will be presented to Abb's though since Lily is too small yet, and I can hardly wait to present it to her. Any way here are the first pictures of the train layout.

Get Over It!!!!!!

Has any one else heard John McCain and his bitter comments about the new presidential helicopters? What Johnny is commenting on is an overpriced new helicopter fleet that was the creation of the prior administration, the administration of his party the GOP. These outbursts seem to be sour grapes at his loss of the election and make me even more glad that he lost, he can't seem to understand the simple concept that President Obama is not responsible for the helicopters. So here it is Johnny if you happen to read this, have some one who is not suffering from GOP' itis explain to you how the president is not responsible for the helicopters. If you can't find anyone give me a call and I will try to communicate the concept to you. And oh yeah OOPS! if you read my prior blog this busts me, I do listen to the news at work on the radio if I am at my desk when it comes on.

A few thoughts on a Monday!

Is anyone else as fed up listening to the doom and gloom of the news as I am? The economy and all of the collective news is just downright depressing. The only correlation I haven't heard yet is connecting this with the apocalypse, I am not saying no one has compared them, I just haven't heard it. I probably shouldn't even say it because it next thing you know someone will make the comparison. The fact is I don't really turn on the the TV news all that often, I even turn down the volume on the radio on my desk when the news comes on if I think about it. I am getting quite a bit more accomplished around the house since not watching the news when I come home. I have actually started working on the train layout in the basement, and I am working on some other projects, one of which remains secret until the Indy crew comes to visit. My job has been going well, I am so thankful to be employed, and the fact that I actually like my job is icing on the cake. Things seem to be going ok at the firm they actually opened a new office in Mexico City. I was talking to the Habitat for Humanity coordinator for our church and our group is still on track to build two houses this year in spite of the economy. It will be great to get back and do something that feels so rewarding. I am pretty excited about the prospect of actually doing a build last year we rehabbed a house and it was enjoyable but to build a house from scratch will really be a gas. The houses will be side by side and start a couple of weeks apart so they will be at slightly different stages of build so that when one house is waiting on mechanicals or inspections the other house will need work. I have carried on long enough for tonight. Bed time is drawing close and it is early to bed so I can get my reading in. More another time!

Just Checking In.

The drive home today was a treat, the rain storm slowed traffic down to a crawl on the freeway. All in all it didn't take that long though. Does any one know what you do when there is a firetruck/ambulance bearing down behind you on the freeway and all four lanes are clogged. Past experience living in a small town reaction is to immediately pull to the side of the road. Not a good idea on a clogged freeway because the berm at the side of the road is the only place for the emergency vehicle to pass. Enough on that subject, I just read Carrie's blog and it sounds like things are going swimmingly in the west. I do think the second baby and the familiarity there makes all the difference in the world. Finally is anyone else getting as sick of news reports and hearing about the economy as I am. I don't want to turn the television on anymore and that is out of character for a tv junkie like me. The doom and gloom and interviewing the fat cats who still don't, and I am afraid never will get it, is depressing. I am probably not as interested in hearing about it because after all that has gone down in the past couple of years I am extremely thankful that Faye and I are still gainfully employed. Things are very bad in our old hometown in Indiana, it has been in the headlines recently and not for good reasons. I and my family (I hope I can speak for all of them) are hoping and praying for all the people living in Elkhart. Their future does not look great right now and they can use the thoughts and prayers of all of us, along with any financial aid that can be spared. Faye has cooked a good supper and it is ready so that's all for now!

New addition to the family!

I really meant to post before now, no excuses other than distractions. Last Friday the 30th of January we welcomed Lily Noelle to the family. She is healthy and so is mom Carrie. They are home now and Faye is with them this week helping out. Reports from Faye are that she is a really good baby (like she would say any thing else). I will post a couple of pictures of Lily, I am not the photographer, I had my camera, but either I was holding Lily or I forgot to snap pictures. Thank you to Faye for taking the pictures and then emailing them to me!
The pictures are pretty self explanatory so I am not going to caption them. More later!

Erring Out

Well once again I feel a need to put some more private thoughts out there, not necessarily for any one else to read but hopefully as a means for self improvement/healing. It was conveyed to me some time ago that in conversation between two of my relatives that I became the topic of conversation. During this conversation one person said to the other you know I love him but he is lazy. When this was relayed to me my first reaction was how dare they I have always held a good job never been fired from a job, etc. etc. All of that indignant self defense crap. The typical I am better than though B.S. After settling down and giving it some long hard thought I came to the realization that the person speaking knew me better than I knew myself. My life has been me giving up when the going got tough. If it was not easy for me, or not on my terms, I quit. I could go on and on about this but it started when I was very young and continues even today. The things I claim that are or were important to me if I had to actually work for them I quit. I realize now that what I thought was hard work was no such thing because I was doing what I enjoyed, and when doing what you enjoy the most strenuous physical work is as they say a labor of love. I can't change the past even if I wanted to, I do however have it in my capacity to alter the future. I intend to do just that, perfection, probably not, my best effort, with God's help and a better focus, I hope so. I have in the past found my self feeling sorry for myself because of what I have accomplished so far in life. I may not have accomplished what I had envisioned for myself, I may not have the education I had envisioned, but I can do what I wanted to do when I was younger. What I envisioned when I was younger was to help people, to assist them in feeling better. I can still do just that, not necessarily with the same capacity as my younger vision, but in some capacity. I am not sure how, as I sit here I am going to accomplish that goal, but with some thought on the subject I am sure I will figure it out. Enough for now, as always I will report back when I feel a need, or actually have something to say or report. Bye for now!

New Year

Well here it is 2009 already. The first weekend of the year was a busy one spent out of town. My cousin Lyndsay got married on Friday the 2nd and we celebrated Christmas with Carrie, Abby and Matt on Saturday. I am posting a couple of pictures in case you are interested, the middle two pics are from the wedding and the top and bottom pics are from Christmas in January. The wedding was very nice and we had fun at the reception being entertained by Melissa, that's her in the red blouse above. She was dancing with all of the small kids and when she tired them out she danced solo. As always it was a blessing seeing Abby, oh yeah it was fun seeing Carrie and Matt also. Abby just simply makes me smile she is the cutest little girl, she loved to pass out the presents and also had a great time opening them. It is fairly difficult keeping this page current after spending all day on the computer at work I really don't feel like getting on at home. I was off work part of the day yesterday and all day today, I had a gout flare up over the weekend and it is still really painful today. I have been taking pain med's and also the gout preventative but from what I have read the preventative is not affective after an attack has taken place. Hopefully it will be better in the morning and I will be able to get back to work. I received a new Wii game for Christmas and it has been consuming a lot of my time, it is a Lego game Indiana Jones. It is not the typical game when you think of Wii, it is a sit on your butt and play more like the older video games. Well Faye just walked in from work and I have supper on so I will attach the pictures and sign off for now. Happy New Year to all, and I am praying for a better year for all.