Archive for September, 2011

Well the Holidays are over and it was time to start construction on my railroad as previously planned………. or so I though. My oldest son was taking care of the house (the cats) while we were gone and decided in that time he wanted to move back home. I guess he realized it wasn’t so bad here after all. When he moved out the last time my wife converted his old room to a Guest room and she did not want to give it up. That leaves the basement…..the large room in the basement which is used as a family room and a sort of guest room. This is the first room you go through to get to the Laundry room, my Workshop and most importantly, my train room. Now, some of you know I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but my mind started to actually stir. I know!!! It surprised me too!!!!! Now I had to think this through before I actually replied to my wife but this may just work out in my favour. I want that large room for my layout eventually, hmmmmmmm, If we put him in that room and he is sleeping, we would feel like we would be disturbing him to get to the other rooms in the basement, that’s not good.  I haven’t started to actually build anything yet, hmmmmmmm, all I have to do is finish the floor in the train room and it is complete and it is in the back corner of the basement. EUREKA!!!!!!!

 

Now to find my wife and explain why it wouldn’t be a good idea to put him  in the family room and oddly enough she agreed. “What do we do then?” she replies, “Welllllll” I said with what was probably the biggest, sheepish grin anyone could have, “What about my train room?” Now I am sure this is what she secretly wanted to do anyway but didn’t dare ask. “You’d give up your train room?!?!?!” So the negotiations began for me to acquire the property rights of the larger room. Now I can only have half of it right now but that will at least get me started. Within a year or two the rest of it will become my train room. After the boys finally move out the old train room will become the crew lounge.

 

The designing has already started for the new layout and bench work will begin very soon. I even have the material ready for the bench work. The only thing holding me up is deciding on the elevation which will be decided before the weekend.

 

WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! FINALLY the beginning begins

 

See Ya

Al

 

 

It was nothing more than terrific!!! We had a great time and Newfoundland is beautiful!!

We had planned on leaving Saturday morning and driving to Sydney then getting a hotel for the evening. This would give us time to go see Fort Loisbourg Sunday morning and then head back to the Ferry for our 2 o’clock departure. Friday night after work we decided not to leave Saturday, instead we would leave around 5:30 am Sunday Morning. This would save us a few dollars and we could take our time and pack on Saturday. We woke up Saturday morning and changed plans again…..made a few calls, packed and were on the road by 11:30.

Sunday morning we headed to the Fort but never having been there we underestimated how long it would take to see the place. It was at that point we decided to see the Fort on the way home instead so we headed back toward the ferry. It wasn’t a total loss though, we stopped at the Louisburg Train Museum and this Cool place

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The ferry left right on time and about half way over I took a picture of the one we would come back on and kinda like the shot.

We arrived in Port aux Basque just before sunset and my first sight of a Newfoundland town was just what I expected.

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We drove for a couple days up through Grose Morne on our way to Lans aux Meadows where we seen our first moose and the first settlement in North America from the Vikings. Got to see the buildings and how they were put together. It was a pretty cool place.

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Later that day we were able to get up close and personal with some Iceburgs and whales.

 

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Took another couple days as we headed to our friends place on the East end of Newfoundland by Trinity Bay. When we arrived there we were surprised to have had our own place to stay. Michele and Mike, had a summer home there and let us use it while we were there.  Bob, Diane and Annette were great tour guides as I know we got to see and hear things from this area that a regular tourist would not have. Heck we even got to pick what they call Bake Apples which is actually a berry and in the process I even found a couple Picture plants which happen to be the provincial flower of Newfoundland. These plants eat insects by collecting rain water, mixing in their own chemicals into the water which attract and ultimately drown the little buggers. Pretty cool huh?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Here are a few pictures of scenery followed by a few I was playing around with some settings on my DSLR wannbe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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I had a great time would like to once again thank Bob, Diane and Annette for the greatest hospitality anyone could ever have received. Thanks!!!

 

See Ya

Al